We are loving the action throughout this impressive NHL season so far. As we move into the final stretch of the season, each division’s ladder has already become well formed. This means that every single win or loss can have an impact on the position each team will finish in when the regular season draws to a close, 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.
Washington Capitals @ New York Islanders – 7.00PM ET
The Washington Capitals and the New York Islanders face off against each other for the second game in a row tonight. The Capitals remain in a tight battle with the Penguins for the third spot in Metropolitan Division, and they really can’t afford to lose this game. The Islanders snapped their five game losing streak last game against this Capitals team, but they won’t be making the playoffs.
Marko Nadin
The New York Islanders have just demolished the Washington Capitals winning 4-1 on the road and will have another opportunity to do that, this time at home. The Islanders are ninth in the Eastern Conference with a 36-34-10 record. The win over the Capitals put an end to a five-game losing streak. The Islanders are fifth in the league defending 84.1% of the power play situations and are ranked 8th allowing 2.8 goals per game. They have won 12 of the last 17 games against teams from the Metropolitan Division.
The Washington Capitals are eighth in the Eastern Conference with a 44-24-12 record. They have another chance to try to reach the seventh place in the conference and avoid the Florida Panthers in the opening playoff round. The Capitals have lost 3 of the last 4 games, the last one against the Islanders. Washington is 10th in the league scoring 3.3 goals per game and 13th in the league allowing 2.9 goals per game. They have won 8 of the last 10 road games and 11 of the last 15 against Eastern Conference rivals.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Washington Capitals (-132)
Tony Battalio
The Washington Capitals are coming into this one having already locked up their Stanley Cup playoff spot for the season. They currently have a record of 44-24-12 through their first 80 games of the season. They will be playing the first game of a back to back in this one as they are set to face off with the New York Rangers on Friday evening to close out the season. They are a dark horse contender for the Stanley Cup in my opinion.
The New York Islanders ended up having a somewhat disappointing season this year. After starting the year on a lengthy road trip to begin the year they could only manage to finish in the middle of the pack in their division. As they are set to finish in fifth place in the Metropolitan Division. They come into this game with a record of 36-34-10 through their first 80 games of the season. This is the second straight game they will play against Washington and last time they got a 4-1 win. Now they will be looking to make it two in a row. As for the result of this one, I am taking the Islanders to get a second straight win.
Tony’s NHL Pick: New York Islanders (+110)
Jeffery Thomas
The Washington Capitals and New York Islanders will play their final game of a home-and-home series on Thursday, with the Islanders hosting this one. It was those Islanders who took the first game 4-1 on Tuesday and killing the hopes of Washington to improve upon their playoff positioning. The Caps went up 1-0 but then conceded four unanswered goals and dropped their second straight game.
They played that one without captain Alex Ovechkin and allowed two power play goals in the game, so they’ll look to tidy things up for this game, which is the second-to-last for both teams. I don’t see the Capitals losing two straight to this unmotivated Islanders team, especially while fighting for a better playoff spot. Look for them to dictate the play from the opening puck drop and generate a lot of offensive chances in this game. It’s a road game for Washington but that’s not getting me off them in this spot and I like them to win this game comfortably.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Washington Capitals (-132)
Florida Panthers @ Ottawa Senators – 7.00PM ET
The Florida Panthers hit the road on Thursday night to face off against the Ottawa Senators. The Panthers are the best team in the Eastern Conference, and they are fighting with the Avalanche (of the Western Conference) for the best record in the entire league, a battle they are currently winning. The Senators are on a surprising four game winning streak at the moment, but they will not be making the playoffs with a record of 32-41-7.
Marko Nadin
The Ottawa Senators are 13th in the Eastern Conference with a 32-41-7 record. They have won the last 4 games which is their longest winning streak of the season and are coming off a 5-4 overtime win over the New Jersey Devils. The Senators are 25th in the league scoring 2.8 goals per game and 22nd allowing 3.2. They have won the last 4 games when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game and 5 of the last 6 games against Eastern Conference rivals.
The Florida Panthers are on top of the Eastern Conference with a 57-17-6 record which is the best record in the league at the moment. The Panthers have lost the last two games after winning the previous 13 straight games. They are the best offensive team in the league scoring 4.2 goals per game on league-best 37.4 shots on goal per game. The Panthers have won 45 of the last 54 games against teams with a losing record and 9 of the last 11 games when their opponent scores 5 goals or more in their previous game.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Florida Panthers (-235)
Tony Battalio
The Florida Panthers come into this one looking to build some momentum heading into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They have clinched home ice advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs. They have been one of the best teams in the National Hockey League this season and are a serious favorite to bring home the Stanley Cup. Florida comes into this game with a record of 57-17-6 through their first 80 games of the season. Like most of the teams in the league, they will play the first night of a back to back in this one.
The Ottawa Senators have been one of the worst teams in the National Hockey League so far this season. They come into this game with a record of 32-41-7 through their first 80 games of the season. They have long been eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoff race and they have a long rebuild ahead of them as well. They come into this one on a four game winning streak as they have finally started to string some wins together when it’s too little too late. As for the result of this however, I am taking the Florida Panthers to get the win.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Florida Panthers (-235)
Jeffery Thomas
The Florida Panthers will travel to Ottawa to take on the Senators on Thursday, in their last meeting of the season. The Panthers have already clinched the Atlantic Division and top seed in the Eastern Conference so they’ll approach this game cautiously, as they are setting themselves up for a deep playoff run. After seeing two players (Radko Gudas and Anton Lundell) leave their last games’ 2-4 defeat to the Bruins due to injury, I’ll expect to see them rating guys against the Senators, who have surprisingly won 4 straight games.
The Panthers are still being priced as a heavy favorite and I get it but I just don’t see a reason for them to go all out in this one. Ottawa has been finding their groove down the stretch and giving their fans something to cheer about, so I’m comfortable taking their spread and banking on them keeping this one within a goal against an unmotivated squad.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Ottawa Senators +1.5 (-125)
New Jersey Devils @ Carolina Hurricanes – 7.00PM ET
The New Jersey Devils hit the road to face off against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday. The Devils are on a four game losing streak at the moment, and unfortunately, we will not be seeing them in the postseason. The Hurricanes are playing their last game of the regular season tonight, and they will finish top of the Metropolitan Division.
Marko Nadin
The Carolina Hurricanes have a chance to finish the season as the second seed in the Eastern Conference as they are 53-20-8 for the season. They have won the last 5 games and are coming off a 4-3 win over the New York Rangers. Carolina is 9th in the league scoring 3.3 goals per game but where they are actually good is the defensive end as they are ranked on top of the league with 2.4 allowed goals per game on 28.1 shots on goals per game and defending 88% of the power play situations.
The New Jersey Devils are 14th in the Eastern Conference with a 24-44-9 record. They have lost the last four games and are coming off a 4-5 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators. New Jersey is ranked 19th in the league scoring 3 goals per game and 29th allowing 3.6 goals per game. They have lost 55 of the last 81 games played after one day of rest and 108 of the last 153 games against a team with a winning record.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Carolina Hurricanes (-265)
Tony Battalio
It’s been a rough year for the New Jersey Devils this season as they are coming into this game with a record of 27-44-9 through their first 80 games of the season. They are currently in seventh place in the Metropolitan Division and that is where they will finish the regular season. They are entering this game on a four game losing streak as they are limping into the off-season at this point. They will certainly be looking towards the draft and the off-season as they look to come back stronger next year.
The Carolina Hurricanes are one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference and the entire National Hockey League as well. They are one of the top favorites to bring home the Stanley Cup this season as well. Carolina comes into this game with a record of 53-20-8 through their first 81 games of the season as this will be their season finale. They are the Metropolitan Division champions and they are heading into the playoffs with a ton of momentum. As for the result of this one, I have the Carolina Hurricanes getting the win.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Carolina Hurricanes (-265)
Jeffery Thomas
Thursday night against the New Jersey Devils will serve as the regular season and home finale for the Carolina Hurricanes. They had been in a battle with the New York Rangers for weeks for the Metropolitan Division title and they now have clinched so we can expect to see a light effort here from the home team. The Devils have been putting out light efforts for over a week now and that has translated to a four-game losing streak. This is their final road game of the year so we’ll see if they even bother to show up for this one.
One team with everything locked up and another with nothing to play for could set us up for a bad hockey game. I do think though, with Carolina being at home I’d suspect the Canes will want to send their fans off in the final regular season home game with a win and we could see an inspired effort from their younger guys. This Devils team can’t be trusted and I’m more than happy to fade them again in any scenario.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Moneyline (3-way) – Carolina Hurricanes (-175)
Calgary Flames @ Minnesota Wild – 8.00PM ET
The Calgary Flames are on the road for their penultimate game of the season when they are taking on the Minnesota Wild. The Flames have clinched the Pacific Division with a record of 50-20-10. The Wild are in a very tight tussle with the Blues for second place in the Central Division, and they really need to win this game to put some distance between the two teams.
Marko Nadin
The Minnesota Wild are third in the Western Conference with a 51-22-7 record and they will finish second or third depending on the game against the Flames. Minnesota is coming off a 3-5 loss to the Arizona Coyotes which put an end to their five-game winning streak. The Wild are fifth in the league scoring 3.7 goals per game and sixth converting 83.6% of the power play situations. They have won the last 7 games against Pacific Division rivals and 49 of the last 65 home games.
The Calgary Flames are second in the Western Conference with a 50-20-10 record. They have won the last three games and are coming off a 5-4 overtime win over the Nashville Predators. Calgary is ranked third in the league allowing 2.5 goals per game and sixth in the league scoring 3.6 goals per game. Calgary has won 7 of the last 8 road games, 4 of the last 5 games when their opponent allows 5 goals or more in their previous game and 7 of the last 9 games following a win.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Calgary Flames (-110)
Tony Battalio
The Calgary Flames are going to end the regular season as Pacific Division champions as they look to get ready for the Stanley Cup playoffs. They come into this one with a record of 50-20-10 through their first 80 games of the season. They are currently the number two seed in the Western Conference at the moment and they have a great shot to make a run all the way to the Stanley Cup finals. They come into this one on a three game winning streak as they are building momentum at the right time.
The Minnesota Wild will come into this one as the number three seed in the Western Conference as they have a record of 51-22-7 through their first 80 games of the season. They will be playing the first game of a back to back in this one as they will face off with the Colorado Avalanche on Friday to round out the regular season. Minnesota comes into this on a one game winning streak. As for the result of this game, I am taking the Calgary Flames to pick up the victory over the Minnesota Wild in this one.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Calgary Flames (-110)
Jeffery Thomas
There will be a lot on the line for the Minnesota Wild when they host the Calgary Flames on Thursday. The Wild’s first round opponent for the playoffs is already settled and it is the St. Louis Blues but the home-ice advantage is still yet to be determined. That’s why it is imperative for them to finish ahead of the Blues (they are tied at 109 points currently) because the tiebreak will go to St. Louis by way of having more regular season wins. The Calgary Flames have locked up the Pacific Division title but they are still playing to win, so Minnesota will have to work for it.
The Flames got a 5-4 overtime victory over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday and had to erase three separate deficits to pull it out. This should be the game of the day with both teams going all out and I can’t wait to watch this one. The Wild have been a juggernaut at home all season and their fans will do their best to will their guys to victory for that home-ice advantage in the playoffs. I think it will be enough to get the win here against the Flames who flirted with a loss last time out and are probably due for one now.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Minnesota Wild (-110)
Nashville Predators @ Colorado Avalanche – 9.00PM ET
The Nashville Predators are on the road for their final two games of the season, and their first stop is Colorado to take on the Avalanche. The Predators are currently holding one of the Wild Card spots in the Western Conference, and have been confirmed for the postseason. The Avalanche are the best team in the Western Conference, and are fighting with the Panthers for the best record in the entire league.
Marko Nadin
The Colorado Avalanche are on top of the Western Conference with a 56-18-6 record. They were on a four-game losing streak, the longest of the season, before winning 5-3 against the St. Louis Blues in the last game. Colorado is third in the league scoring 3.8 goals per game and seventh in the league allowing 2.8. The Avalanche have won 15 of the last 17 games when their opponent allows 5 goals or more in their previous game and 52 of the last 62 home games as favorites.
The Nashville Predators are eighth in the Western Conference with a 44-29-7 record. They have lost the last three games and are coming off a 4-5 overtime loss to the Calgary Flames. The Predators are 12th in the league scoring 3.2 goals per game and 16th allowing 3 goals per game. Nashville has won the last 2 games against Colorado but have lost 7 of the last 9 games as road underdogs and 4 of the last 5 games when their opponent scores 5 goals or more in their previous game.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Colorado Avalanche (-295)
Tony Battalio
The Nashville Predators are coming into this game with a record of 44-29-7 through their first 80 games of the season. They are currently sitting in fourth place of the Central Division as they have finally locked up their playoff spot. Nashville enters this clash on a three game losing streak at the moment. They will be looking to bounce back in this one against the Colorado Avalanche. They are a serious dark horse team to win the title in my opinion.
The Colorado Avalanche are coming into this game 56-18-6 through their 80 games of the season. They knocked off the St. Louis Blues in their last game. They will be looking to make it two games in a row. They are a serious contender to win the Stanley Cup this season. I look for them to grab the victory in this one over the Nashville Predators to keep some momentum rolling into the playoffs.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Colorado Avalanche (-295)
Jeffery Thomas
The Colorado Avalanche will play host to the Nashville Predators on Thursday in a potential playoff preview. If the Predators finish with the second Wild Card spot then this will be the first round matchup. I’m sure Nashville will do their best to get this win and try to avoid this Colorado team in the first round that has been arguably the best team in the league this year. The Preds hold the tiebreaker over the Dallas Stars and both teams have 95 points so that race will be an interesting one to monitor in the coming days.
The Avs are still capable of coming out and beating down on really good teams as they demonstrated last time out in their 5-3 win over the Blues. There’s nothing left for them to clinch but they want to stay in a good groove heading into the postseason so I don’t think they will take this one lightly. If that’s the case then the Predators will lose and hope for the Stars to also lose because the talent gap between these teams is wide enough for Colorado to win decisively.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Colorado Avalanche (-295)
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.
