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 two games on today’s schedule.
Dallas Stars @ St. Louis Blues – 2.00PM ET
The first game on Sunday night in the NHL will see the Dallas Stars face off against the St. Louis Blues. The Stars are looking to build on their current four game winning streak, as they have wins over the Blackhawks, Wild, Panthers and Penguins. The Blues have won three of their last four games, and this takes their season record to 20-10-5.
Denis Kirilov
The Dallas Stars and the St. Louis Blues will open up the Sunday schedule in the NHL. The Stars have been tremendous at home this year, but this had its reflection on their performance on the road. They are last in the Western Conference when we take into account only the away games this season. The Stars have won just one match in regulation as they have accumulated 9 points out of 14 meetings on the road. The team is coming into this game with four straight losses as they were defeated right before Christmas by the St. Louis Blues, the San Jose Sharks, the Los Angeles Kings, and the Vegas Golden Knights. The Stars will need to bounce off that last place in the table, if they would like to have a decent chance at making the Playoffs this season.
The St. Louis Blues, on the other hand, have been even better than Dallas in their home games. The Blues top the Western Conference in that aspect of the game as they have 28 points out of 18 matches played in Enterprise Center. They are one of the highest scoring teams in the NHL, having scored a total of 124 goals so far. The Blues are on a 10-1 run at home and I don’t see how the Stars will change that. To me, the hosts are not only in the better position when it comes to the home ice advantage, but they are also the better team overall. I will surely give my preferences towards the Blues in this matchup.
Denis’ NHL Pick: St. Louis Blues
Tony Battalio
The Dallas Stars picked up a huge win on Saturday evening against the Pittsburgh Penguins. With the victory over Pittsburgh they snapped the Penguins ten game winning streak. Now the Dallas Stars will be playing the second game of a back to back, this time against the St. Louis Blues. Dallas will be looking for another big win in this game, this time against a fellow Central Division team. Dallas comes into this game with a record of 17-12-2.
Bringing the #TexasHockey intensity with us for a quick trip to St. Louis. ✈ pic.twitter.com/mUamU0Jany
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) January 9, 2022
The St. Louis Blues are coming into this game with a record of 20-10-5 through their first 35 games this season. They have won three of their last four games, picking up victories over the Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild, and Washington Capitals. Now they will be looking for a win in this one to make it four of their last five. However I don’t see it happening as I have the Dallas Stars picking up the victory in this game on the road.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Dallas Stars
Michael Lantz
You just can’t count the Dallas Stars out: they’ve won four games in a row and have just come off wins against the Florida Panthers and the Pittsburgh Penguins, ending the latter’s win streak at ten. Now they’ll face off against their division rivals, the St. Louis Blues, who are sitting pretty at second in the Central Division.
The Blues are coming off a 5-1 thrashing of the Washington Capitals, who are one of the NHL’s top offensive squads. Pavel Buchnevich was sensational in that game, scoring three points, as he’s racked up eight points in the last five. The Blues now just sit one-point behind the Nashville Predators for first place in the Central Division. With them playing at home on Sunday, I expect them to cool off the Stars and take that jump over the Predators to, at least temporarily, sit in first place.
Michael’s NHL Pick: St. Louis Blues
Detroit Red Wings @ Anaheim Ducks – 8.00PM ET
We wrap things up on Sunday when the Detroit Red Wings and the Anaheim Ducks hit the ice. The Red Wings are playing on back-to-back nights, and they end up losing to the Kings, 0-4. The Ducks have won just one of their last five games, with their only win coming against the Flyers, 4-1.
Denis Kirilov
The Detroit Red Wings and the Anaheim Ducks will take part in the second game on Sunday night in the NHL. The Ducks might be in real trouble as they have a lot of players in the health and safety protocols. Their performance sharply declined after Christmas and if they want to make the Playoffs, they will need to pick up the pace. At first sight, this home game is a “must-win” for the Ducks, but at the same time, the Red Wings have managed to surprise a lot of teams this season. With all these issues within Anaheim, I doubt whether they will be able to easily cruise past their opponent.
The Red Wings have been performing quite terribly on the road as they are coming into this game on a 1-8 run away from home. The team got most of their points in Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, where they managed to defeat the likes of the St. Louis Blues, the Edmonton Oilers, and the Vegas Golden Knights. They are one of the rosters that have conceded the most goals this campaign and with yet another away match on the horizon, I think that this number will significantly increase. In my opinion, this is a perfect opportunity for the Anaheim Ducks to right some wrongs and to build momentum. So, I will suggest picking them as a final winner in this one, despite all of their missing players.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Anaheim Ducks
Tony Battalio
The Detroit Red Wings have been surprisingly competitive at different points of this season so far. As the season is approaching the halfway mark, they come into this game with a record of 16-16-3 through their first 35 games this season. This will be the second game of a back to back for them after their game on Saturday night against the Los Angeles Kings. After Saturday night’s performance, the Red Wings have dropped two of their last three games. They will be looking to recover with a victory in this one over the Anaheim Ducks.
They got the better of us tonight. #FlyTogether | @Cfasocal pic.twitter.com/JGV6oFLadn
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) January 9, 2022
The previously mentioned Anaheim Ducks are also coming into this game playing the second game of a back to back. They are currently 18-13-7 after their loss on Saturday night to the New York Rangers. They will also be looking for a bounce back win in this game. However, I don’t see it happening, as I have the Detroit Red Wings picking up the victory in this one on the road.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Detroit Red Wings
Michael Lantz
Both the Anaheim Ducks and Detroit Red Wings suffered brutal defeats on Saturday night. The Ducks have lost five of six games and while they’re still a few points ahead of Calgary for second place in the Pacific Division, they can feel the competition breathing down their neck. Things won’t get easier for Anaheim as they face a young, exhilarating Red Wings offense on Sunday night.
The Red Wings aren’t exactly coming off their greatest performance either, as they fell to the Los Angeles Kings last night 0-4. This young offense hasn’t been so sharp since the league returned to play; aside from a 6-2 win against the Sharks, they’ve been dominated by every other opponent they’ve faced. 24 hours after being shut out by the Kings, things won’t get easier as they face a Ducks team that despite a recent skid, are still second in the Pacific Division. I’ll pick Anaheim to come out on top in this one as the Red Wings offense just seems to be flat right now
Michael’s NHL Pick: Anaheim Ducks
If you’re looking for more NHL news, information and predictions, head over to our NHL hub page for all your ice hockey needs!
*Odds and spreads correct at time of writing, courtesy of FanDuel.
