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.
Washington Capitals @ Boston Bruins – 7.00PM ET
The Washington Capitals hit the road for one game when they take on the Boston Bruins, who are in the middle of a seven game homestand. The Capitals have won just two of their last seven games, and this takes their season record to 22-9-9. The Bruins had their five game winning streak snapped last time out, as they were wholloped by the Hurricanes, 1-7.
Denis Kirilov
The Washington Capitals have managed to fight back against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday. Dmitri Orlov and Tom Wilson came up clutch for the Capitals’ victory, 4-3 after overtime. Their performance took a serious hit in the beginning of 2022 when they lost 5 out of 6 matches. Luckily for them, they are back on the winning track and will be looking to climb the ladder in the East once again. The Capitals are currently 5th in the Conference with 53 points out of 40 games. Their offensive line has been incredible this season as Alexander Ovechkin finally reached the top spot in the individual rankings with 27 goals and 28 assists. On top of that, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Tom Wilson have also been clinical for the Capitals, scoring some of the most important goals this season.
The Boston Bruins, on the other hand, have started off quite well this new year. They took off with 8 wins and 1 loss, but fell miserably against the Carolina Hurricanes in their last match, 1-7. This progress helped them close the gap to the top spots in the Eastern Conference. However, they remain in 8th place with 46 points out of 36 games. With players like Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, and Patrice Bergeron, the team looks stacked as they will most likely be able to deal with the Detroit Red Wings for the Playoffs spot in the East. I think, however, the Capitals will come out victorious in TD Garden as they seem to pick up their pace in recent games.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Washington Capitals (+132)
Tony Battalio
The Washington Capitals come into this game with a record of 22-9-9 through their first 40 games of the season. They have been up and down as of late however as they have only managed to go 2-3 in their last five games. In their previous game they picked up a much needed win over the Winnipeg Jets by a score of 4-3 on Tuesday evening. Now they will be looking to make it two victories in a row as they look to climb back up in the Metropolitan Division, where they currently sit in fourth place in the standings.
February’s filled up.
#NHLBruins schedule updates: https://t.co/MYoUEXf1Wc pic.twitter.com/0Wun3AlGFY— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 19, 2022
The Boston Bruins also come into this one sitting in fourth place in the Atlantic Division. They are currently 22-12-2 through their first 36 games of the season. The Bruins have been on a hot streak lately winning eight of their last ten games. In their last game however they had a five game winning streak snapped when they were defeated by the Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 1-7 in a game that was not close at any point in time. Now they will be looking to start another lengthy winning streak with a victory in this one over Washington. As for the result of this game, that is exactly what I expect as I have the Boston Bruins picking up the victory over Washington at home on Thursday evening.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Boston Bruins (-160)
Jeffery Thomas
The Bruins come into this one feeling after seeing their five game winning streak end with a 1-7 defeat by the Hurricanes on Tuesday. They quickly got down 2 in the first period of that game and by the end of the period found themselves in a 1-5 hole. Boston still sits 4th in the Atlantic and will look to get back to their winning ways at home Thursday night. The Capitals enter this fixture winners of 2 of their last 3 after taking down the Winnipeg Jets. They got down 0-2 in that one but rallied back and eventually pulled it out 4-3 in overtime.
Despite the Caps coming in off a win, their inconsistency of late is a bit of a concern for me. They haven’t won back to back games since the second week of December and also haven’t beat Boston in their last 5 matchups. However, I’m not trusting a side in this one and going with what I feel is a lock in this matchup, which is the over. Both teams have shown their offensive prowess throughout the year plus the Bruins are coming off a game giving up 7. This will be a fast-paced high scoring one so take the over and enjoy the goals.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Over 6 (-102)
Winnipeg Jets @ Nashville Predators – 8.00PM ET
The road trip continues on for the Winnipeg Jets, who take on the Nashville Predators on Thursday night. The Jets have won four of their last six games, and this takes their season record to 17-12-6. The Predators continue to slip slightly, as they are now currently on a four game losing streak, which includes losses to the Sabres, Bruins, Blues and Canucks.
Denis Kirilov
The Nashville Predators will face the Winnipeg Jets in an attempt to break their 4-game losing streak. The team has been struggling recently in front of goal, scoring just 8 times in these four matches. They lost to the likes of the Buffalo Sabres and the Vancouver Canucks at home which is definitely not a good sign for their current form. The Predators have been simply amazing right around Christmas which helped them remain on the top of the Western Conference for quite a long time. Their strength lies in their ability to come up huge in the most clutch moments in a match as they managed to win numerous close games throughout the first half of the season.
The Winnipeg Jets are still around the last place that will secure them a spot in the 2022 NHL Playoffs, but remain outside the top 4 in the Central Division. They will have a tough task to battle it out with the Minnesota Wild, the Nashville Predators, and the St. Louis Blues. The fact they will most likely be really close to the Predators at some point towards the end of the Regular Season means that this match is of a really high importance, thus becoming a top priority for both teams. I think that with all this in mind, we will see a more nervous game where both Winnipeg and Nashville will focus on securing their net and only then, they will look towards scoring some goals. Hence, I would recommend picking the option for “under goals” here.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Under 6 (-120)
Tony Battalio
The Winnipeg Jets have been on a bit of a hot streak lately as they come into this game with a record of 17-12-6 after winning four of their last six contests. Despite the hot streak they are still on the outside looking in when it comes to a playoff spot. This is the sixth straight road game for the Jets as they have gone 3-1-1 through the first five games of the trip. They have a total of nine straight road games before returning home so they will be hoping to continue to build on the momentum they have gained throughout the beginning of the trip.
The Nashville Predators were one of the hottest teams in the National Hockey League, but as of late they have dropped four in a row. The Predators come into this game with a record of 24-14-3 through their first 41 games of the season. The Predators are exceeding expectations as they sit at the halfway mark of the season, as they currently sit in third place of the Central Division only two points behind the two leaders tied at the top, St. Louis and Minnesota. As for the result of this game, I have the Nashville Predators come out on top.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Nashville Predators (-146)
Jeffery Thomas
The Nashville Predators will host the Winnipeg Jets Thursday night and will look for the help of their home crowd to snap the 4-game losing streak they’re on. Despite the slide the Preds (24-14-3) still sit at third in the Central Division, 11 points clear of the Jets. This will only be the Jets third game since January 7th due to 4 postponements. Sitting at 17-12-6, they still have playoff aspirations and a big win on the road Thursday will go a long way into helping that cause.
This will be a closely contested one between two division rivals but it’s hard to go away from the home team in this one. The Preds are not in their best form right now and I’m sure their crowd would love to see nothing more than their beloved team shake out of that rut. They will be loud and make a difference in pushing their very talented team over the top.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Nashville Predators (-146)
Florida Panthers @ Edmonton Oilers – 9.00PM ET
The Florida Panthers hit the road on Thursday night when they take on the Edmonton Oilers, who are in the middle of a three game homestand. The Panthers had their four game winning streak snapped last time out, as they lost to the Flames, 1-5. The Oilers are currently on a six game losing streak, and this has dropped their season record down to 18-15-2.
Denis Kirilov
The Florida Panthers enjoyed a fantastic beginning of 2022 as they were averaging 6 goals scored for a span of 9 games. The team has been simply magnificent in front positions as Jonathan Huberdeau led the way for them. Surprisingly, they were outplayed by the Calgary Flames in their most recent meeting, 1-5. The Panthers are looking fantastic as they are sitting in 2nd place with 57 points out of 39 matches which would most likely mean that they are headed to the Playoffs. The team scored a total of 159 goals which ranks them in 1st place in this statistic. However, their defence has been troublesome at some moments, but overall, the team is a top contender for the Stanley Cup.
The Edmonton Oilers is another Canadian team that has been struggling recently. Similar to the Calgary Flames, the Oilers were on top of the table in November, but lost their grip and started sliding downhill. The team has lost 6 straight matches ahead of this game as the last one was probably the most disappointing loss. They were outclassed by the Ottawa Senators in their return to Rogers Place following a 6-game road trip. With all the missing players on the Oilers’ roster, I think that the Florida Panthers will take revenge for their loss against the Flames and start an away winning streak.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Florida Panthers (-170)
Tony Battalio
The Florida Panthers started off the season as one of the hottest teams in the National Hockey League. Now as the season crosses the halfway point they are still one of the top contenders in a loaded Eastern Conference. Florida comes into this game with a record of 26-8-5 through their first 39 games on the season. They are currently in second place in the Atlantic Division. In their last game the Panthers lost to the Calgary Flames which snapped a five game winning streak for Florida. Now they will be looking to bounce back with a huge victory over the Edmonton Oilers in this one.
“We had a really good practice week & I feel the whole team is ready & pumped to play.”
Koskinen speaks post-practice. @Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/kxgWZSV2m8
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) January 19, 2022
The Edmonton Oilers have had tons of trouble off and on the ice so far this season. Not only do they have to make up double digit games at some point this season, but with two of the best players in the National Hockey League they have struggled to play at the rate they were expected to. Edmonton comes into this game with a record of 18-15-2 as they currently find themselves in seventh place in the Pacific Division. As for the result of this game, I don’t look for it to get much better for the Oilers as I have the Florida Panthers picking up the victory in this one on the road.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Florida Panthers (-170)
Jeffery Thomas
The Panthers suffered a huge wake up call Tuesday when they were beat, 1-5, by the Calgary Flames. It was a surprise on multiple fronts but most notably the fact they could only score one goal. They are arguably the most potent offense in the league but could not get it going against Calgary and I’m sure they are itching to get back on the ice and avenge that loss. The Oilers are the perfect opponent you need when you need a bounce back victory as this team has just been flat out bad. They lost their last outing 4-6 to Ottawa. In fact, they have not won a game since returning from the Christmas break, and dating back to December they have only won 3 of 15. It was such a great start to the season for the Oilers and now they sit at 18-15-2, good for 7th in the Pacific Division.
Making a case for the Oilers in this one is tough, as they’ve been struggling mightily on defense, and against Florida, that spells disaster. It does provide a good over spot for us bettors though, as most Florida Panthers games do. However, I’m going back to riding with Florida and will take them to get back in the win column with a road victory Thursday night.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Florida Panthers (-170)
Colorado Avalanche @ Los Angeles Kings – 9.30PM ET
The Colorado Avalanche wrap up their two game road trip in Los Angeles when they take on the Kings. The Avalanche are playing on back-to-back nights and last time out they beat the Ducks 2-0. The Kings are currently on a two game losing streak, which includes losses to the Sharks and Lightning.
Denis Kirilov
The Los Angeles Kings take on the Colorado Avalanche in their Crypto.com Arena on Thursday night. The hosts have lost their last two matches in the NHL against the San Jose Sharks and the Tampa Bay Lightning. In both of these occasions, the team from Los Angeles conceded 6 goals in their net. They have actually managed to bounce back a little with some good performances in the beginning of the new year as they are now 6th in the Western Conference with 45 points out of 40 matches. The team relies much on its defence and it seems that this will continue for the rest of the season.
The Colorado Avalanche have been the top favourites to win the Stanley Cup from the off-season. The team proved its worth with their consistency and domination in December as this was easily transferred into the new year. The Avalanche have scored 158 goals for 37 matches which makes them the best team offensively. They top the Western Conference with 55 points as their Playoffs spot is getting much closer right now. In my opinion, they are by far the better team and they should easily come on top against the Los Angeles Kings who seem to have some issues in defence recently. Hence, I will recommend choosing the Colorado Avalanche’s spread in this match as it will bring even more value.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Colorado Avalanche -1.5 (+124)
Tony Battalio
The Colorado Avalanche are coming into this game off of a close hard fought game on Wednesday evening with the Anaheim Ducks. They will be playing the second game of a back to back in this one as they will be looking to pick up another big win against a fellow Western Conference contender. Last night they picked up a big 2-0 win over the Ducks and they will be looking to carry the momentum from that game into this one as they head into this game with a record of 26-8-3 on the year, and they are one of the top teams in the National Hockey League at the moment.
The Los Angeles Kings come into this game with a record of 20-15-5 as they sit exactly at the .500 mark through the first 40 games of the season. They have been an up and down team all year long as they come into this game looking to break a two game losing streak after dropping games to the San Jose Sharks and Tampa Bay Lightning. However I don’t look for them to pick up the victory in this one either, as I have the Colorado Avalanche coming out of this game victorious on the road.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Colorado Avalanche (-210)
Jeffery Thomas
Another January game, another win for the Avs on Wednesday night as they took down the Anaheim Ducks, 2-0. That moves their record this month to 9-1 as they are just playing some of the best hockey we’ve seen all season. They sit comfortably atop the Central Division and will look to build upon that lead as they travel to Los Angeles to finish off a quick 2-game Cali road trip. The Kings (20-15-5) are in second place of the Pacific Division, 3 points back off the Vegas Golden Knights. They had been on a four game winning streak before dropping two straight to Tampa and San Jose. They gave up 6 goals in each game and surely will look to improve their defensive performance against the smoking-hot Avs on Thursday.
The Kings will have the rest advantage as they get an Avs team playing its second game in less than 24 hours. They’ve also won 5 of their last 6 games on home ice. There’s just a lot of underlying issues for me to feel confident backing Colorado at their price of over -200. For that reason I will look towards the total in this one, as I see goals galore. The Avs can definitely hold up their end of the bargain in the scoring department in any game as we know, and the Kings have scored 15 goals in their last 4 games. Take the over, as I see this one ending 5-3 or even 5-4 so we will cash this one with no sweat.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Over 6.5 (-105)
Montreal Canadiens @ Vegas Golden Knights – 10.00PM ET
The Montreal Canadiens are in the middle of a five game road trip, and their third stop will see them face off against the Vegas Golden Knights. The Candiens managed to snap their six game losing streak last time out, with a win over the Stars, 5-3. The Golden Knights are currently on a three game losing streak, after going down to the Blackhawks, Maple Leafs and Penguins.
Denis Kirilov
The Montreal Canadiens have been the disappointment of the season so far. The runners-up from the 2020/21 NHL season failed to deliver in the first half of the season as they remained on the bottom of the table in the Eastern Conference. The team has accumulated a total of 21 points out of 38 matches which is one of the worst records for a roster that have reached the Grand Final the previous year. The situation within the Canadiens is quite odd, but they found a way past the Dallas Stars on the road in their last match. This was a really strange outcome taking into consideration both the Canadiens’ struggles at the moment and the Stars’ fantastic home record.
The Vegas Golden Knights took off in a hesitant way in the beginning of the season. However, they made some amendments that paid off in November and December as they reached the top of the table in the West. The team, however, lost its momentum as they entered a 1-5 run right before the upcoming match against the Montreal Canadiens. This had a slight negative impact on their overall standings dropping them down to 4th place with 48 points out of 40 matches. The team will surely try to escape the void with a home victory over the Montreal Canadiens and I am going to trust them to do so in a dominant way.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Vegas Golden Knights -2.5 (+108)
Tony Battalio
The Montreal Canadiens are one of the worst teams in the National Hockey League so far this season and that doesn’t look to be changing anytime soon. They currently have a record of 8-25-5 through their first 38 games on the season. They did manage to snap their lengthy six game losing streak with a victory in their last game against the Dallas Stars. Montreal will look to carry the momentum from that victory into this one as they try to salvage a miserable season. They are virtually eliminated from the playoffs at this point. So the rest of this season is likely going to be used for development.
💻 DeBoer: We’re in the business of winning and we’re used to winning games so we want to get that back on track. pic.twitter.com/GcFAMNP7IQ
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) January 19, 2022
Unlike their opponents in this one the Vegas Golden Knights still have something to play for this season, as they come into this game sitting in the driver’s seat of the Pacific Division. They currently have a record of 23-15-2 through their first 40 games of the season. They are currently on a three game losing streak that they will be looking to snap with a much needed victory in this game. As for the result of this game, that is exactly what I expect as I have the Vegas Golden Knights picking up the victory over Montreal at home.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Vegas Golden Knights (-430)
Jeffery Thomas
The Montreal Canadiens travel to Vegas coming off a victory over the Dallas Stars. That game came on the second leg of a back to back and surprised a lot of people, as they won handily as a +280 underdog. We can’t ignore the fact that they’re still the worst team in the league and only have two wins in their last 10. They sit at a league worst 8-25-5 and give up 3.66 goals per game. The hosts on the other hand sit at first in the Pacific, with a record of 23-15-2. They aren’t playing their best hockey either, riding a three game losing streak currently but will love the opportunity to snap that cold streak against the league’s bottom feeder.
The Knights have been losing but when you dig deeper you can see it was not due to having a hard time scoring the puck. They scored 12 goals in their last 4 games, and against the Canadiens league worst defense you can expect them to have no problems putting up 4+. The Knights aren’t too great defensively themselves but that won’t conflict with our bet here at all because we won’t even need to worry about what they give up. We are going to take the Vegas team total over in this one as they will get a boost from the home crowd and net at least 4 to cash this play for us.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Vegas Golden Knights – Team Total Over 3.5 (-168)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of writing, courtesy of FanDuel.
