We are loving the action throughout this impressive NHL season so far. As we move towards the mid way point in the season, each division’s ladder is starting to take shape. Every single win or loss can have a significant impact on where each team will finish at the end of the season, so it is important that you don’t miss any of the action!
Here at SportsTips, we are just as keen on the NHL as you are! We spend each and every day going through the best games and previewing them for you. Our experts offer up their free NHL picks, which means that you not only get enjoyment out of watching some intriguing games, but also make extra cash while doing so!
Look below to find our free NHL picks, as we preview the best five games on today’s schedule.
Colorado Avalanche @ Philadelphia Flyers – 7.00PM ET
The Colorado Avalanche continue their road trip when they take on the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night. The Avalanche have played three games so far this month, winning just one of those games, which brings their season record to 12-7-2. The Flyers are on a mammoth eight game losing streak, which has dropped their season record to 8-10-4.
Denis Kirilov
The top favorites for the Stanley Cup, Colorado Avalanche, will look to gain some momentum before Christmas. They have been in a tight sport early on in the season as they couldn’t get moving for quite a long time. However, the Avalanche managed to gain some positions back and they are now 10th in the Western Conference. Sitting at 26 points, 2 points behind the 5th place, gives them enough confidence to continue working on their improvement. The team has been through lots of ups and downs recently as they started losing once again after a fantastic 6-0 run throughout November.
The Philadelphia Flyers are in the worst streak at the moment, having lost their last 8 games in the NHL. The team has been crushed here and there and they will need to figure a way out of this situation. They lost 6 out of their last 7 games by 3 or more goals which is a really concerning fact. They were dismantled by the Tampa Bay Lightning, 1-7, in their last meeting ahead of this game. Both teams have some issues to deal with, but I believe the ones within the Flyers are a lot more terrifying. Hence, I don’t see any other adequate option, but to go with the Colorado Avalanche in this match.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Colorado Avalanche (-200)
Tony Battalio
The Colorado Avalanche were a preseason Stanley Cup favorite however up until this point of the season they have not looked like it. They will come into this game with a record of 12-7-2 on the year as they are treading water around the .500 mark this season. They have not had the greatest start to the month of December as they have lost to the Ottawa Senators and Dallas Stars, meanwhile they have won only a single game over the Anaheim Ducks. They will look to get the month turned around with a win here against the Flyers.
It’s Sunday funday!
Tell us something you’re looking forward to this week!#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/yz1ypHoyXj
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) December 5, 2021
The Philadelphia Flyers will be coming into this one off of a game last night against the Tampa Bay Lightning. It was a game in which they were absolutely embarrassed and ended up losing by six goals at home to the two time defending Stanley Cup champions. Philadelphia now enters this game with a record of 8-12-4 on the year. As for the result of this game, I have the Colorado Avalanche picking up the win.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Colorado Avalanche (-200)
Michael Lantz
Philadelphia’s dreadful run of games continued on Sunday night as they were torn apart by the Tampa Bay Lightning, losing 1-7. Around 24 hours later this team that’s lost eight straight must face another high powered offense in the Colorado Avalanche. Though after Colorado lost 5-6 to a lowly Ottawa Senators team on Saturday night, is this the time for Philly to get out of their funk? After winning seven of eight games where they were fairly dominant on both sides of the puck, and without star player Nathan MacKinnon, the Colorado Avalanche dropped two of three, all of which featured MacKinnon.
Although, this mainly seemed to be a defensive issue, as the team gave up eight goals to Toronto on Wednesday and then the six to Ottawa over the weekend. In between Toronto and Ottawa they had an easy win against a bad Montreal Canadiens team, so they’ll look to have a bounce back against a Philadelphia team that appears to be falling apart. I just can’t see the Flyers getting it together in 24 hours after such an embarrassing defeat to Tampa Bay. Sure, Colorado has looked a little more vulnerable, but they just have too much star power with MacKinnon back and contributing, and the likes of Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Colorado Avalanche -1.5 (+122)
Anaheim Ducks @ Washington Capitals – 7.00PM ET
The Anaheim Ducks kick off a five game road trip in Washington when they take on the Capitals. The Ducks were defeated at the hands of the Flames last time out, 2-3, in a shootout, which brings their season record to 13-8-4. After their surprising loss to the Blackhawks to start the month, the Capitals were back in the winners club last time out, as they won 3-1 against the Blue Jackets.
Denis Kirilov
The Anaheim Ducks and the Washington Capitals are off to a great start this season as both teams are among the best in their respective Conference. The Ducks have surprised everyone with their performance as they are 4th in the West with 30 points from 25 matches. The team is looking sharp right now with Troy Terry being the top scorer for them with 15 goals. Ryan Getzlaf is also contributing a lot in front positions, although he is a defenseman for the Ducks. Trevor Zegras and Sonny Milano have been pretty clutch recently as they led Anaheim in their victory over the Vegas Golden Knights.
Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov are giving us flashbacks of their best years in the NHL. They have been performing on a very high level for the Capitals in the early stage of this campaign. The team is 3rd in the East with 36 points from 25 games, tied in a narrow contest for first place. Two losses recently against the Panthers and the Blackhawks held them back, but a clean 3-1 victory in their last match over the Columbus Blue Jackets put them into the rumble for the top spots. In my opinion, they are the more balanced and experienced team and although they are a bit aged, I think the Capitals will take this home.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Washington Capitals (-210)
Tony Battalio
Both the Anaheim Ducks and Washington Capitals will be playing their second game in the last four days when this one gets underway. For the Ducks, they last played on Friday night as they fell to the Calgary Flames on their home ice in a shootout that ended with a score of 3-4. As for the Washington Capitals, they picked up a big win over the Columbus Blue Jackets at home on Saturday evening. Now these two teams will meet in the nation’s capital on Monday, and both will be looking to pick up a big victory over the other.
Washington comes Into this game with a record of 15-4-6 on the year and finds themselves in first place with a one point lead in the Metropolitan Division. Washington also comes into this game having won four of their last five. As for the Anaheim Ducks, after a scorching hot start to the month of November they have cooled off as we enter December. They come into this game with a record of 13-8-4 on the year as they are just above the .500 mark. As for the result of this game, I look for the Washington Capitals to pick up the victory at home in this one.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Washington Capitals (-210)
Michael Lantz
The Anaheim Ducks lost a shootout thriller to the division leading Calgary Flames on Friday, and while it was a disappointing result, it showed that this Ducks team has the ability to hold onto a playoff position and can hang with the best. Now they’ll look to further prove their worthiness as they face another division leader: the Washington Capitals. Washington continues to cling onto first place in the Metropolitan Division by one point over the New York Rangers.
While they had a nice 3-1 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night, they had previously gotten just one point in a shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks—a team they probably should’ve beaten. Still, Alex Ovechkin continues to be a goal scoring assassin, and the Capitals are ranked in the top five for both goals for and fewest goals allowed. That being said, the Ducks team is just a few slots behind them in goals per game, and is one of the three best power play teams in hockey. Their defense can be a bit suspect at times, and that won’t help against a dynamic Capitals offense, but I like the way the Ducks have played with such confidence and command when they have the puck. The Caps might win in D.C., but I think Anaheim will cover.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Anaheim Ducks +1.5 (-148)
Arizona Coyotes @ Dallas Stars – 8.30PM ET
The Arizona Coyotes have a short one game road trip in Dallas against the Stars before returning home again. The Coyotes were absolutely demolished by the Golden Knights last time out, 1-7, which brings their season record to 5-17-2. The Stars are currently on a six game winning streak, with wins over the Blues, Oilers, Avalanche, Coyotes, Hurricanes and Blue Jackets.
Denis Kirilov
Both the Arizona Coyotes and the Dallas Stars were struggling a lot in the beginning of the season. The Coyotes suffered a long losing streak, while it took the Stars 13 games to find a clean victory over any opponent in the NHL. Now, Dallas are on a 6-game winning streak, defeating some of the best teams in the League. The Carolina Hurricanes, Edmonton Oilers, and Colorado Avalanche were among their victims throughout their last couple of matches. The Stars owe almost everything to their defense that is doing a fantastic job so far. The team has conceded a total of 8 goals in the most recent 6 games.
The Arizona Coyotes, on the other hand, came back to their roots from the beginning of the season as they are on a 1-4 run lately. The team is still trying to win a game by more than a single goal which is a huge anti-record for them. They lost their last match to the Vegas Golden Knights by 6 goals and this further raised some concerns in the defensive department. However, there are some particular games where the Coyotes are playing really smart and have a shot at the final victory. A precise example of such a match was their only meeting with their upcoming opponent earlier this year. The game ended with a narrow 3-2 win for the Dallas Stars who had to fight until the end to secure the victory. I think this won’t happen tomorrow as I expect Dallas to win the matchup with ease.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Dallas Stars -1.5 (-134)
Tony Battalio
The Arizona Coyotes have been the worst team in the National Hockey League so far this season and it doesn’t look to be changing anytime soon as the season progresses. They come into this game with a record of 5-17-2 on the year. However they did pick up a win in a recent game, over the Winnipeg Jets. This game against Dallas is a quick 1 game road trip before they return home for three straight games.
Seggy’s ice. pic.twitter.com/5x4yoll1Tx
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) December 4, 2021
The Dallas Stars come into this game with a record of 12-7-2 on the year. They are currently on a six game winning streak and have won eight of their last nine games. Dallas is currently in fifth place in the Central Division behind Minnesota, St. Louis, Nashville, and Colorado. They will be looking to extend their winning streak to seven and pick up their ninth win out of their last ten games on Monday against Arizona. As for the result, I expect them to do exactly that as they should take down the Coyotes with ease.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Dallas Stars (-385)
Michael Lantz
While the Coyotes still sit in the cellar of the NHL, they’ve shown some signs of life and some games to keep fans excited. They may have gotten pushed around a bit in their last two games, but prior to that they had some great defensive showings as they won 1-0 over the Jets on November 29th and barely lost to the Red Wings, 1-2, on the 20th. They’ll try to keep things exciting as they take on a Dallas Stars team they barely lost to, 2-3, on Saturday the 27th.
But, the Coyotes must be prepared, this Stars team has now won six straight, as their defense has been the anchor allowing just over one goal per game in that span. It’s going to be rough for a bad team like the Coyotes to get anything going against this defense that has shut down Stanley Cup contenders as of late. Sure, the Coyotes put in two goals when they played the Stars on the 27th, but Dallas has only continued to grow more comfortable as a core since then. They should be able to handle this one with ease.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Dallas Stars -1.5 (-134)
Pittsburgh Penguins @ Seattle Kraken – 10.00PM ET
The Pittsburgh Penguins have two more games on the road before they return home, and on Monday night they will face off against the Seattle Kraken. The Penguins got the win last time out against the Canucks, 4-1, which brings their season record to 11-8-5. The Kraken also got a win last time out, against one of the best teams in the league currently, the Oilers, 4-3.
Denis Kirilov
The Seattle Kraken take on the Pittsburgh Penguins in their Climate Pledge Arena. The rookies are 13th in the Western Conference with 20 points out of 24 games. They managed to defeat each single one of the top teams in the NHL that has crossed their way recently. It all started with a victory over the Washington Capitals. It continued later on with wins over the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, and Edmonton Oilers. The team relies much on the balance within the roster as nobody distinguishes himself for now. The Canadians, Jared McCann, Jaden Schwartz, Jordan Eberle, and Yanni Gourde, are among the top contributors for the Kraken until now.
The Penguins are looking to begin yet another winning streak after defeating the Vancouver Canucks in their last match. The Penguins went through a Renaissance after Sidney Crosby made his return. However, they were stopped by Montreal, while Calgary and Edmonton further worsened the situation for Pittsburgh. The team is 8th in the East and is looking to further cement their spot in the top 10. Fenway Sports Group were in advanced talks about acquiring the ownership of the Penguins and if this becomes official, the team might enjoy some bright years ahead. As of now, they are struggling in the NHL, but they are experienced enough to win such games. I will suggest picking the Penguins as the winners of this contest.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins (-115)
Tony Battalio
Both Pittsburgh and Seattle are coming off of victories in their last games. Pittsburgh took down the Vancouver Canucks on the road on Saturday evening by a score of 4-1. Meanwhile the Seattle Kraken picked a win on Friday night at home in a shocking upset of the Edmonton Oilers that ended in a one goal difference at 4-3. Now they will be looking to add another win against each other on Monday night.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have had a tough year up to this point but they have had to play most of it without Crosby to make matters worse. They come into this game with a record of 11-8-5. This game will wrap up a four game stretch on the west coast for the Penguins before heading to Washington to end a five game road trip. On the road trip they have a record of 1-1-1 after facing three Canadian teams in Edmonton, Vancouver and Calgary. As for the Kraken, they come into this game with a record of 9-13-2 as their first season in the National Hockey League has been underwhelming as expected. As for the result of this game, I look for the Pittsburgh Penguins to pick up a second consecutive win before heading back east to add another chapter to their rivalry with the Caps.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins (-115)
Michael Lantz
The Pittsburgh Penguins had a nice run of victories towards the end of November which was thanks in large part to the return of captain Sidney Crosby. Unfortunately, that spark wore off quickly as they then went on a three-game losing streak against the Canadiens, Flames, and Oilers. Luckily, their Canadian road trip ended on a positive note as they beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-1 on Saturday. For Monday night’s game they will cross the border to Seattle, to take on the expansion Kraken.
After a shaky start to their inaugural season, the Kraken are building confidence and competing with the best. They may still sit near the bottom of the division, but recent wins against the likes of the Capitals, Panthers, and Oilers, have shown they can play with the best and are only getting more comfortable with one another. They’ll look to continue their ascent against the Pittsburgh Penguins. One of Seattle’s breakout players has been the young forward Jared McCann; a former Pittsburgh Penguin. In a recent interview, McCann expressed his frustration that Pittsburgh left him exposed during the expansion draft. I think he’ll use this as a chip on his shoulder Monday night and help lead a confident Kraken team over a Penguins squad that’s been a bit streaky—even in Crosby’s return.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Seattle Kraken (-104)
Los Angeles Kings @ Vancouver Canucks – 10.00PM ET
The Los Angeles Kings wrap up their two game road trip in Vancouver when they take on the Canucks. The Kings are playing on back-to-back nights, and will be looking to carry their winning momentum from last night into this game, they won 5-1 against the Oilers. The Canucks have won two of their last five games, which takes their season record to 8-15-2.
Denis Kirilov
The Los Angeles Kings took a commanding 5-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday. The team managed to put an end to their bad run as they won just 1 out of their last 8 games. Tight losses to the Ducks, the Hurricanes, and the Flames got the better of the Kings as they were dropped to 12th place in the overall standings in the Western Conference. Los Angeles are a lot better than what they have displayed recently and that was shown in their last meeting against the strong Oilers team.
The Vancouver Canucks, on the other hand, are still in the back of the table with just 18 points out of 25 games. They are 9 points away from the Playoffs spot which seems like a mirage for them. The Canucks have had some troubles in defensive positions as the team have conceded 80 goals which is one of the worst performances so far. Both teams haven’t faced each other since 2019 when Vancouver took 5 wins out of 6 head-to-head games. The Canucks, however, are in a slightly different form from then and I think this will be the deciding factor in this match. Drew Doughty had a brilliant performance in his return for the Kings against the Oilers and with Anze Kopital, Alex Iafallo, and Adrian Kempe all being healthy, I don’t see how they will miss an opportunity to take revenge for the recent losses to the Canucks. I will go with both hands for the LA Kings.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Los Angeles Kings (+118)
Tony Battalio
The Los Angeles Kings come into this game with a record of 10-9-4 on the year as they are 3 games below the .500 mark at this point of the season. In their last game they picked up a 5-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Los Angeles currently finds themselves in 6th place of the Pacific Division so they will be looking for a win here to keep some momentum rolling throughout the rest of 2021. This game against Vancouver will be the second game and the finale of a quick two game road trip.
Head Coach Travis Green addresses the media following tonight’s game against the Penguins.#Canucks | @TheProvince pic.twitter.com/97ET2aUGn6
— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) December 5, 2021
The Vancouver Canucks come into this game with a record of 8-15-2 on the year as they are one of the more disappointing teams in the National Hockey League this season. They have won two of their last three games as they suffered a loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in their last game. This game against the Kings is the second game of a lengthy six game home stand. As for the result of this game, I have the Los Angeles Kings picking up the win on the road.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Los Angeles Kings (+118)
Michael Lantz
At the beginning of the year, a lot of critics saw the Vancouver Canucks as a playoff hopeful. But, their season has been anything but hopeful, and is now teetering on “lost cause”. So, the Canucks made some big moves over the weekend as they fired head coach Travis Green and GM Jim Benning. Now, 25 games into the season, the Canucks will look to start anew, with the hope of some sort of resurgence under new coach Bruce Boudreau. While Boudreau has never been a Stanley Cup winning coach, he has been a phenomenal regular season coach, and right now that’s all the Canucks need. They’ll hope to show instant improvements on Monday night, as they take on a Los Angeles Kings team that sometimes seems to be on the verge of slipping, but then pulls it back together.
At 10-9-4, the Kings currently sit at sixth place in the Pacific Division. But, they got a much needed win and confidence booster on Sunday night as they beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-1. Sure, the Oilers lost star player Conor McDavid, who was kicked out of the game, but they still have plenty of star power including Hart Trophy winner Leon Draisaitl. So, it was still a great win for L.A. and they look to keep the momentum going against Vancouver. I think they will; even though it’s a new dawn for the Canucks, it might take a couple games to get comfortable in a new coaching system. I’ll go with the Kings.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Los Angeles Kings (+118)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of writing, courtesy of FanDuel.
