Despite COVID-19 continuing to wreak havoc on the NHL schedule, we are still lucky to have some games on today that aren’t postponed. 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!
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Look below to find our free NHL picks, as we preview the best five games on today’s schedule.
Nashville Predators @ Boston Bruins – 1.00PM ET
The Nashville Predators kick off their two game road trip on Saturday afternoon when they take on the Boston Bruins. The Predators had their five game winning streak snapped last time out, thanks to the Sabres, 1-4. The Bruins are currently on a four game winning streak, as they have wins over the Lightning, Capitals, Canadiens and Flyers.
Denis Kirilov
The Nashville Predators will face off the Boston Bruins in one of the most intriguing games for Saturday night in the NHL. Both teams have been playing on a high level recently as the Bruins are coming into this fixture on a 4-game winning streak. The Predators were on a 5-0 run before their match against the Buffalo Sabres, but suffered a 1-4 upset which ended their streak. However, they still top the standings in the Western Conference with 50 points out of 38 games. They have enjoyed a fantastic December that became the reason for their current situation. Moreover, the Predators have won 8 out of their last 10 games on the road, suggesting that they can be quite dangerous even away from home.
The Boston Bruins are currently 8th in the overall standings in the Eastern Conference. They still have some games in hand compared to the teams around them. Their defense has been doing a fantastic job so far allowing just 87 goals in their own net. The Bruins’ style of play suggests fewer fast build-ups and more balanced approach towards the enemy’s goal. The team has been quite successful and I think we can expect a surprise from them in the Playoffs in case they eventually reach them. In my opinion, they will be able to hold onto their home ice advantage and come out victorious in the end.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Boston Bruins (-164)
Tony Battalio
The Nashville Predators come into this game with a record of 24-12-2 through their first 38 games of the season. Nashville is currently in first place of the Central Division, as they hold a one point lead over the St. Louis Blues. They are in possession of the best record within the entire Western Conference as well. The Predators are currently on a hot run as they have won five of their last six games, however they did lose to the Buffalo Sabres in their last game. They will be looking to bounce back with a huge victory in this one.
Have you voted for ✨ him ✨ today?
VOTE > https://t.co/PaRoJJlPFJ pic.twitter.com/IyIhT4j3FZ
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) January 14, 2022
The Boston Bruins have been a middle of the pack team all season long but they’ve come on strong as of late. They are coming into this game with a record of 21-11-2. They are currently on a four game winning streak and have won seven of their last eight dating back to the start of January. They currently find themselves in fourth place in the Atlantic Division. They will be looking to pick up a big win in this one to keep pace with the other teams in the Atlantic Division. However as for the result of this game I don’t see it happening, as I have the Nashville Predators picking up the victory over Boston on the road.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Nashville Predators (+136)
Michael Lantz
The Nashville Predators continue to be one of the league’s top teams, as they lead the Central Division with 50 points and have gotten some great production from former Norris Trophy winner Roman Josi and forward Matt Duchene who’s on pace to have his best statistical season. But sometimes even the best teams come up flat; that happened to the Predators on Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres. They lost 1-4 in a game they should’ve won with ease, now only holding a one-point lead over the St. Louis Blues for the division lead. That poor performance may have been a result of the team letting its guard down a bit after a huge win against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday.
Regardless, the Preds will have to get back into gear on Saturday as they take on a very tough Boston Bruins team. Boston are heating up: they’ve won four straight and are looking like an offensive force, scoring 20 goals in the last four games. A big part of this offensive explosion has been thanks to Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak, who’ve each had a hat-trick over the last two games. Equally impressive is the Bruins defense, which has been on fire lately as well, only giving up 87 goals this year, one of the best in the NHL. This should be a great daytime battle, but I’ll pick the Predators to come out on top. After a brutal loss against the Sabres, I think they’ll want to put that game behind them, and not let it be the start of a skid that could prove costly in the Central Division race.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Nashville Predators (+136)
Vancouver Canucks @ Carolina Hurricanes – 1.00PM ET
The road trip continues on for the Vancouver Canucks, and on Saturday afternoon they face off against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Canucks are currently on a two game losing streak, after losing to the Panthers and Lightning. The Hurricanes are also on a two game losing streak, and their losses have come against the Panthers and Blue Jackets.
Denis Kirilov
The Vancouver Canucks had an incredible December as they lost just twice during the month, whilst winning a total of 8 times. This helped them close the gap to the top 10, but after their struggles in the beginning of the season, they are still trying to get a grasp of it. They remain 13th with 35 points out of 36 games as the team is about to face some serious troubles this and the following week. The Canucks have reported a large number of positive COVID-19 tests which have already put 5 of their players in the health and safety protocols. The Canadian team lost three out of its last four matches in the NHL, all of which were away games.
The Carolina Hurricanes are one of the top favorites to win the Stanley Cup this year. This might not have been the case in the beginning of the season, but they have proven that they should be taken into consideration with their high-level performance throughout the campaign so far. They are currently 4th in the East with 50 points from 34 matches, but looking at the standings in terms of “average points per game”, only the Panthers are ahead of them. These two rosters will definitely try to surprise the best squads, but it will be tough to keep that form until the Playoffs. However, keeping in mind both the Hurricanes and the Canucks’ troubles in their most recent games, I will go with the option for “under goals” in this match.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Under 6 (-120)
Tony Battalio
The Vancouver Canucks are performing above expectations this season, as they come into this game with a record of 16-17-3 on the season. After last year, they weren’t expected to be as competitive as they’ve been. However they are still struggling and barely below the .500 mark. They are currently on a two game losing streak heading into this road game against Carolina. Vancouver is having a rough road trip that will end with a visit on Sunday in Washington and Tuesday in Nashville. They will have to pick some wins up to keep hanging around in the playoff race as the season approaches the halfway mark.
The Carolina Hurricanes are having a great season. They come into this game with a record of 24-8-2 through their first 34 games on the season. However in their last game they were blasted by the Columbus Blue Jackets by a score of 0-6. They will look to get back on track in this game against the Vancouver Canucks. The Hurricanes are in second place of the Metropolitan Division, as they look to be one of the top contenders in a loaded Eastern Conference, as the playoffs are quickly approaching. As for the result of this game, I have them picking up the victory over the Vancouver Canucks as well.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Carolina Hurricanes (-220)
Michael Lantz
After Bruce Boudreau took over the Canucks as head coach in December, the team looked reborn. They won seven straight games and were looking like a team that might rise in the playoff standings. Unfortunately, they’ve recently fallen back to their old ways, losing three of their last four, including consecutive games against the Florida teams (Lightning and Panthers). Their road trip doesn’t get any easier as they face the Metropolitan Division leading Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.
For the first couple of months the Carolina Hurricanes looked like a defensive force. They were leading the league with the least goals against, even a few days ago—then things started to change. They lost a gritty 3-4 game to the Florida Panthers, which is fine because Florida is one of the best teams in hockey. But instead of following that up by getting back on track, the team got annihilated 0-6 to the under .500 Columbus Blue Jackets. An embarrassing home defeat like that will either enrage a team back to success or become a burden that drives them down a road of failure. We’ll see how the ‘Canes respond on Saturday as they play host to a Canucks team that has shown some glimmers of hope lately. Carolina’s Thursday result makes this a harder one to pick, but I’ll still go with Carolina at home, to make a recovery after such a brutal defeat.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Carolina Hurricanes (-220)
Columbus Blue Jackets @ Florida Panthers – 6.00PM ET
The Columbus Blue Jackets are in the middle of their three game road trip, and on Saturday night they take on the Florida Panthers. The Blue Jackets have won two of their last three games, as they have wins over the Devils and Hurricanes. The Panthers are currently on a three game winning streak and this takes their season record to 25-7-5.
Denis Kirilov
The Florida Panthers take on one of their most convenient opponents in the NHL, the Columbus Blue Jackets. The team from Florida has found the right way past their rivals from the West in their last 6 meetings. On top of that, the Panthers have been simply amazing this season as they continue to storm the NHL, leading the West with 55 points. The team has been merciless in most of their games as their attack has been out-of-this-world. They have scored a total of 149 goals, having made 8 straight games with at least 4 goals to their name. The Panthers are coming into this fixture on a 7-1 run as they will be looking to increase their winning streak to 4 matches.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are known to be a team that can make something extraordinary every once in a while. That’s what we saw on Thursday in their meeting with the Carolina Hurricanes. They simply demolished one of the best defensive teams in the NHL, 6-0. The Blue Jackets showed composure, discipline, and determination in their win over one of the top favorites for the Stanley Cup, but it will take them a lot more than that to be able to clinch a Playoffs spot. I think that they might struggle against the Panthers, but I would like to avoid picking a winner here. Therefore, I will suggest choosing the option for “over goals” in this match, relying much on the Panthers to show some drawbacks in defense.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Over 7 (+110)
Tony Battalio
The Columbus Blue Jackets have been one of the more surprising teams of the 2021-22 season. As they got off to a fast start but as the season has progressed they have started to have slip up after slip up. However in their last game, they avenged a blown 4-0 lead loss to the Carolina Hurricanes a few weeks ago in a game that ended 4-7, by absolutely crushing the Hurricanes in their last game by a score of 6-0. Now they will be looking to pick up a victory against another top team, the Florida Panthers. They come into this one with a record of 17-17-1 through their first 35 games this season. A win here would be another huge wave of momentum for them to ride.
Anthony Duclair (1-2-3) produced his third 3+-point performance of the season tonight, and his +26 rating is tied for the most among @NHL skaters. His +6 rating tonight is the highest of any NHL skater in a game in 2021-22. pic.twitter.com/9RJHP85T4C
— Florida Panthers PR (@FlaPanthersPR) January 15, 2022
The Florida Panthers are one of the best teams in the National Hockey League this season as they come into this game with a record of 25-7-5 through their first 37 games. This will be the second game of a back to back for Florida, as in last night’s game they blasted the Dallas Stars by multiple goals. It was a revenge game for Florida after Dallas beat them back on January 6th. It was the third straight victory for the Panthers, and their seventh win in eight games dating back to the middle of December. As for the result of this game, I have the Panthers picking up their fourth straight win over the Blue Jackets at home.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Florida Panthers (-320)
Michael Lantz
Just a little over a week after the Florida Panthers were stunned by the Dallas Stars, losing 5-6 in overtime, the team made sure to pay them back, winning 7-1 and further proving their dominance in the Eastern Conference. But, it’s important for them to not get too confident: on Saturday they face a Columbus Blue Jackets team that just beat the first place Carolina Hurricanes 6-0 on Thursday.
Columbus’ massive win on the road in Raleigh on Thursday shot a little life into their season. At 17-17-1, they might not be in the playoff hunt right now, but after a win like that, they might be able to turn things around. While their 114 goals this year has been an impressive stat, their 122 against has not. But Thursday showed they have potential on the opposite side of the puck and if they can even get 75% of that going forward, it’ll bode well. Unfortunately I don’t have quite enough faith in them to get another massive road win against a team that’s emerged as one of the league’s best. I looked foolish underestimating the Blue Jackets the other night, but I think the Panthers should have this one in the bag.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Florida Panthers (-320)
Dallas Stars @ Tampa Bay Lightning – 7.00PM ET
The Dallas Stars wrap up their short two game road trip on Saturday night when they hit the ice and take on the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Stars have won five of their last seven games, and this takes their season record to 18-14-2. The Lightning will be looking to build on their two game winning streak, after they defeated the Sabres and Canucks.
Denis Kirilov
The Dallas Stars have proven once again that they are mainly a home team that can do miracles in their American Airlines Center. However, on the road, the Stars have been struggling ever since the beginning of the season. They are dead last in the West when it comes to away matches with just 9 points out of 16 meetings. The team has suffered a tough 1-7 loss to the Florida Panthers extending their losing streak away from home to 6 games. Overall, they are 11th in the Western Conference with 38 points out of 33 matches, but that’s mainly because of their elevated performance in front of their crowd.
The reigning champions from Tampa will be looking to defend their two titles in a row, but this will be almost a mission impossible keeping in mind all the competition in both Conferences. However, their performance has been promising so far as they top the East with 55 points out of 39 matches. The team has been playing really well in 2022, winning four out of its last five games in the NHL. They had some troubles right after the Christmas break, but the team managed to get past them quickly. To me, the Lightning are huge favorites to win this one and I will be surprised if they somehow find a way to miss this opportunity. Therefore, I will pick their spread in this game, since they have shown us their offensive approach that can demolish every single defense in the League.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning -1.5 (+106)
Tony Battalio
The Dallas Stars come into this one with a record of with a record of 18-14-2 through their first 34 games on the season. This will be the second game of a back to back for the Stars. In their game last night they were absolutely mollywhopped by the Florida Panthers. They never stood a chance in the game as it was 0-6 going into the third period. Dallas would finally get on the board in the third but it made no difference. Now they will play the other Florida team, and it won’t get much easier as they meet the two time defending Stanley Cup champions on Saturday evening. Dallas will need to make some quick changes to rebound from the game on Friday evening.
The Tampa Bay Lightning will be coming into this game with a record of 25-9-5 through their first 39 games on the season. As the year approaches the halfway point quickly, the Lightning are looking more and more like they are going to three peat and win themselves another Stanley Cup this season. However it won’t be as easy in such a crowded Eastern Conference this season. The Lightning are currently on a two game winning streak and have won four of their last five games. As for the result of this game, I have the Tampa Bay Lightning picking up the victory over the Dallas Stars at home.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning (-255)
Michael Lantz
After a dominant 5-2 win against the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday, the Dallas Stars were hoping to take that momentum into their Friday matchup against the Florida Panthers. Unfortunately for the Stars, the Panthers are not the Kraken. The Panthers are one of the league’s best teams and they showed that as they gave the Stars a 1-7 beat down. Now Dallas must recompose themselves as they stay in Florida and take on the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Tampa Bay has been up and down in January. They’ve taken care of their easier opponents (including the Sabres and Canucks), but have struggled a bit against teams with playoff potential. The Stars sort of fall in between both of those. They may have not looked like it last night, but they had previously won five of their last six and in the last month have elevated their game, showing they have playoff potential if they can play a bit more consistently. While a blowout loss to the Panthers won’t ruin them, I can’t see them fully rebounding against the Lightning. Even though they’re inconsistent, and seem to take some games off, I still think they’ll beat a bruised Stars squad.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning (-255)
New York Rangers @ Philadelphia Flyers – 7.00PM ET
Two Metropolitan Division rivals face off against each other on Saturday night, when the New York Rangers play the Philadelphia Flyers. The Rangers have won five of their last seven games, and this takes their season record to 24-10-4. The Flyers are currently on a six game losing streak, and this drops them to sixth place in the Metropolitan Division.
Denis Kirilov
The New York Rangers have been one of the pleasant surprises this season, while the hosts from Philadelphia are on the opposite pole being one of the disappointments so far. The Flyers have lost their last 6 matches in the NHL which puts them in the unattractive 11th place in the Eastern Conference with just 33 points. On the other hand, the New York Rangers are 3rd in the current standings with 52 points from 38 games as they continue with their high-quality performance. The team has been one of the most conservative ones in the NHL as they rarely conceded more than 3 goals in a single match. Their defensive approach has paid off for now, since they learn to be more clinical in front of goal and to be more disciplined in defending their own goal.
There has been a slight COVID-19 outbreak in the Rangers’ squad, but it shouldn’t be something their fans should worry about. The Flyers, however, have a lot of players sidelined due to injuries which presents a further issue for them, since they won’t be able to use them for quite some time. I think that the Rangers are the better team at the moment and the Flyers also have troubles playing against such defensive-oriented teams. Hence, I will go with a win for the guests, expecting that they will once again outsmart their neighbors from Philadelphia.
Denis’ NHL Pick: New York Rangers (-154)
Tony Battalio
The New York Rangers come into this game with a record of 24-10-4 through their first 38 games on the season. They are currently sitting in the driver’s seat of the Metropolitan Division with a 2 point lead over the Carolina Hurricanes. They have picked up wins in two of their last three games, including a win in their previous game against the San Jose Sharks by a score of 3-0. They will be taking on the sixth place team in the Metropolitan Division, the Philadelphia Flyers.
🎶 They’re the 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒆 best friends that anyone could have 🎶
Make sure we have a full squad in Vegas. Vote Mika now. ➡️ https://t.co/HF9ddY7hd5 pic.twitter.com/0u4jx9uWXL
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) January 14, 2022
The Philadelphia Flyers are coming into this game with a record of 13-16-7 through their 36 games on the season. They have been a huge disappointment thus far and if they don’t get things turned around quickly they are going to find themselves out of the playoff race by March. Philadelphia is currently on a six game losing streak dating back to the end of December. As for the result of this game, I have them losing yet another game. I have the New York Rangers picking up the road victory over the Flyers in the city of brotherly love.
Tony’s NHL Pick: New York Rangers (-154)
Michael Lantz
The New York Rangers venture over to the “City of Brotherly Love” as they face the Flyers on Saturday night in what’s always a fun rivalry. After a brutal start to the season, Philadelphia seemed to be breathing new life when they fired head coach Alain Vingeault and gave duties to Mike Yeo. Unfortunately, that was short-lived, as the team is currently in the midst of a six-game skid. Things won’t get any easier for them tonight, as they take on a New York Rangers team that’s now first in the Metropolitan Division.
The Rangers recorded an impressive shutout on Thursday, as they won 3-0 over a San Jose Sharks team that’s been on the rise lately. Chris Kreider continued his excellent season with two goals and goalie Igor Shesterkin was brilliant in his first game back from COVID protocols. Philly will be playing with a lot of heart in this one, as they face a bitter rival in front of a home crowd. But with the way the Rangers have been playing, I don’t think they’ll be too worried about it. Easiest bet here is to go with the Rangers.
Michael’s NHL Pick: New York Rangers (-154)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of writing, courtesy of FanDuel.
