A massive nine game Thursday night and we have the best NHL picks for every contest! There are some big rivalry clashes tonight including some state v state matchups as the Rangers and the Flyers face off, as well as the Islanders and the Predators!
Who will come out on top, the New York sides or the Pennsylvania sides? We have the answers to that and many more in our FREE NHL picks below!
New Jersey Devils @ Boston Bruins – 7:00 PM ET
After a 16-day layoff, New Jersey took to the ice and defeated the New York Rangers on Tuesday, 5-2. It was expected he would take them some time to get going, and three third period goals proved to be the difference. Janne Kuokkanen had three assists and Mackenzie Blackwood saved 37 shots in the victory. New Jersey is now 5-3-2. Blackwood will be back between the pipes on Thursday. He has a 1.92 GAA and a .948 save percentage in four starts.
Boston lost to New York last Saturday, 4-2. That snapped a five-game winning streak for the Bruins. However, they are 10-2-2, tops in the East Division. Their +12 goal differential is best in the division and they are 4-0-0 at home. Tuukka Rask will be in net for Boston. He has a 2.51 GAA and a .906 save percentage and nine starts. Boston has six players with at least 10 points, led by Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron who each have 18.
NHL Pick – Boston Bruins (-233)
Spread Pick – Boston Bruins -1.5 (+107)
Total Goals Pick – Under 5.5 (-105)
➡️: NEW JERSEY DEVILS VS NEW YORK RANGERS= 5-2
➡️: the new jersey devils win and go 5-3-2 (25th place in league) (6th place in division)
➡️: the new york rangers lose and go 4-7-3 (28th place in league) (7th place in division)#NJDEVILS #NYR pic.twitter.com/sBfeN2adt1— NHL DAILY UPDATES (@QuintenRommela1) February 17, 2021
New York Rangers @ Philadelphia Flyers – 7:00 PM ET
New York lost to New Jersey on Tuesday, 5-2. The teams were tied at two coming out of the second period, but the Devil scored three goals in the final frame to earn the victory. The Rangers are now 4-7-3 with a -6 goal differential. Igor Shesterkin will be in goal on Thursday. He has made 10 appearances, posting a 2.36 GAA and a .918 save percentage. Offensive production has been an issue for the Rangers as Artemi Panarin is the only player with at least 10 points (15).
Philadelphia had their last two games postponed, not playing since February 7 when they defeated Washington, 7-4. The Flyers are 8-3-2, third in the division. Carter Hart will be in goal for Philadelphia. Hart has started nine games and has a 3.49 GAA and a .897 save percentage. James van Riemsdyk is the team leader in points with 18 and has been on a tear of late, posting a seven-game point streak (4 goals, 9 assists).
NHL Pick – Philadelphia Flyers (-149)
Spread Pick – Philadelphia Flyers -1.5 (+147)
Total Goals Pick – Over 5.5 (-120)
New York Islanders @ Pittsburgh Penguins – 7:00 PM ET
New York defeated Buffalo on Tuesday, 3-0. That was the third straight victory for the Islanders, and they are 5-0-1 this month. New York is now 8-4-3 overall, second place in the East. Semyon Varlamov has been outstanding in his last four starts, allowing six total goals. He will be in net on Thursday. Varlamov has a 1.89 GAA and a .931 save percentage 11 starts. New York is finally getting some goal scoring production, recording at least three goals in each of the last four games.
Earning that first career W with a clean sheet is… *chefs kiss*#NHLTonight | @NYIslanders pic.twitter.com/FePxjAC2hw
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) February 17, 2021
Pittsburgh lost to Washington on Tuesday, 3-1. That snapped a two-game winning streak for the Penguins. They are 7-6-1, fifth in the division. The Penguins have been great at home the season, going 5-1-0. Tristan Jarry will go for Pittsburgh. He has started nine games with a 3.74 GAA a .875 save percentage.
NHL Pick – New York Islanders (+105)
Spread Pick – New York Islanders +1.5 (-222)
Total Goals Pick – Over 5.5 (-120)
Nashville Predators @ Columbus Blue Jackets – 7:00 PM ET
Nashville had both of their games against Dallas postponed this week. The last time they took the ice was Saturday when they lost to Detroit, 4-2. The Predators are 6-9-0 with a -16 goal differential. Juuse Saros will start for Nashville. He has appeared in nine games with a 3.66 GAA and a .880 save percentage. Saros has not been very good lately, allowing 15 total goals in his last three starts.
Columbus lost to Carolina on Monday, 7-3. The Blue Jackets are now 7-6-4 with a -10 goal differential. Goaltending has been an issue for Columbus this month, as they have allowed 15 total goals over the last three games and 32 goals and seven February games. Elvis Merzlikins has a 2.95 GAA and a .906 save percentage and will be in that on Thursday. Cam Atkinson has recorded a goal in four straight games and has eight total points in that span.
NHL Pick – Columbus Blue Jackets (-120)
Spread Pick – Nashville Predators +1.5 (-221)
Total Goals Pick – Over 5.5 (-115)
Ottawa Senators @ Toronto Maple Leafs – 7:00 PM ET
These teams play each other on Wednesday evening, but this preview was written prior to the conclusion of that game.
Ottawa defeated Toronto in overtime on Monday, 6-5. The Senators got two goals from Evgeni Dadonov in the victory. Ottawa is now 4-12-1 with a -29 goal differential, worst in the NHL. Interestingly enough, the team has three victories on the road and only one at home. Matt Murray will be in net. He has appeared in 12 games, posting a 3.69 GAA and a .882 save percentage. Brady Tkachuk had an assist in the victory over the Maple Leafs, and now leads the team with 10 points.
Thinking about the time the Leafs blew a 5-1 lead to the Ottawa Senators.
— Bonk’s Müllet (@BonksMullet) February 16, 2021
The loss dropped Toronto to 11-3-2. They have a +14 goal differential, best in the division and they are 6-2-1 at home. Frederik Andersen has started 14 of the team’s 16 games and has a 2.79 GAA and a .901 save percentage. He allowed all six goals and the overtime loss. Auston Matthews had two goals and an assist in the loss, giving him 20 points.
NHL Pick – Toronto Maple Leafs (-310)
Spread Pick – Toronto Maple Leafs -1.5 (-123)
Total Goals Pick – Over 6.5 (-105)
Buffalo Sabres @ Washington Capitals – 7:00 PM ET
After a two-week layoff, Buffalo finally returned to the ice and were swept by the Islanders on Monday and Tuesday. The team scored just one goal in those two games. The Sabres are 4-6-2, last in the East.
Linus Ullmark has allowed three goals or fewer in every one of his seven starts this season. He has a 2.63 GAA and a .912 save percentage. Victor Olofsson had his seven-game point streak snapped on Tuesday.
Washington defeated Pittsburgh on Tuesday, 3-1. That snapped a three-game losing streak. The Capitals are 7-4-3, fourth in the division. The Capitals are 4-2-1 at home this year. Ilya Samsonov will start in net for Washington on Thursday. He has a 3.36 GAA and a .868 save percentage in his two starts this season. Nicklas Backstrom has a four-game point streak, recording six points in that span.
NHL Pick – Washington Capitals (-175)
Spread Pick – Washington Capitals -1.5 (+127)
Total Goals Pick – Over 6.5 (+100)
San Jose Sharks @ St. Louis Blues – 8:00 PM ET
San Jose defeated Anaheim on Monday, 3-2. The Sharks are 6-7-1 with a -13 goal differential. The Sharks got outstanding goaltending out of Martin Jones who stopped 26 of 28 shots. Logan Couture had a goal and an assist for San Jose giving him a team-leading 13 points. He also leads the team with seven goals. Couture has six points it is last five games. With the victory, Jones now has a 3.75 GAA and a .873 save percentage.
Craig Berube said Torey Krug (upper-body) and Marco Scandella (upper-body) are available to play Thursday vs. San Jose. #stlblues
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) February 17, 2021
St. Louis lost to Arizona on Monday, 1-0. The Blues are 9-5-2, second in the West. Jordan Binnington played very well, stopping 18 of 19 shots. He now has a 2.37 GAA and a .918 save percentage. Binnington has allowed a single goal in each of his last two starts. David Perron leads the team in scoring with five goals in 10 assists. The Blues are only 3-3-2 at home this season.
NHL Pick – St. Louis Blues (-213)
Spread Pick – San Jose Sharks +1.5 (-151)
Total Goals Pick – Over 5.5 (-130)
Tampa Bay Lightning @ Dallas Stars – 8:30 PM ET
*This game has been postponed due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols, a new date has not been confirmed at this time*
Los Angeles Kings @ Arizona Coyotes – 10:00 PM ET
Los Angeles shutout on Tuesday, 4-0. The Kings are 2-0-1 over their last three games. They began a six-game road trip in Arizona on Thursday. The Kings are 5-6-3, tied for sixth. Jonathan Quick was outstanding, stopping all 28 shots he faced. Jaret Anderson had a goal and an assist for Los Angeles. Quick will be back in net on Thursday. He has made seven starts, posting a 3.42 GAA and a .887 save percentage.
Arizona shutout St. Louis on Monday, 1-0. That was the third of a nine-game homestand for the Coyotes who are 1-1-1 through the first three games. Arizona is 7-6-2, fourth of the division. Darcy Kuemper was outstanding, stopping all 24 shots he faced. Kuemper will be back in net on Thursday. In 12 starts he has a 2.26 GAA and a .919 save percentage.
NHL Pick – Arizona Coyotes (-161)
Spread Pick – Los Angeles Kings +1.5 (-195)
Total Goals Pick – Under 5.5 (-125)
➡️: LOS ANGELES KINGS VS MINNESOTA WILD=4-0
➡️: the los angeles kings win and go 5-6-3 (23th place in league) (6th place in division)
➡️: the minnesota wild lose and go 6-6-0 (26th place in league) (8th place in division)#GOKINGSGO #MNWILD pic.twitter.com/DDX6PsgQnA— NHL DAILY UPDATES (@QuintenRommela1) February 17, 2021
Minnesota Wild @ Anaheim Ducks – 10:00 PM ET
Minnesota finally returned to the ice after Covid-19 kept them sidelined for two weeks. That had the offense out of sync in a 4-0 loss to Los Angeles. Minnesota is now 6-6-0. They have lost both games they have played this month. Cam Talbot will be back in net on Thursday. In six starts he has a 2.40 GAA and a .920 save percentage.
Anaheim lost to San Jose on Monday, 3-2. They are now 6-7-3 with a -10 goal differential. The Ducks are 3-3-2 at home. John Gibson will be back between the pipes. He has started 13 of the team’s 16 games and has a 2.33 GAA at a .921 save percentage. Max Comtois scored his team-leading seventh goal of the season in the loss.
NHL Pick – Minnesota Wild (-135)
Spread Pick – Anaheim Ducks +1.5 (-400)
Total Goals Pick – Under 5.5 (-125)
The 2021 NHL is well underway now! If you want to catch up with all the latest information, make sure you visit our NHL hub page.
*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of Bet365.
