Despite COVID-19 wreaking 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!
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.
Minnesota Wild @ Boston Bruins – 7.00PM ET
The Minnesota Wild are on the road on Thursday night, when they travel to Boston to take on the Bruins. The Wild are one of the teams that have been struggling majorly as of late, as they have lost their last five games in a row, dating back to mid-December. The Bruins have managed to string three wins in a row together, and this brings their season record to 17-10-2.
Denis Kirilov
The Boston Bruins take on the Minnesota Wild in their TD Garden on Thursday night in the NHL. After getting 8 wins in a row, Minnesota had a clash with reality and lost 5 straight games. They were outclassed by the Kings, the Golden Knights, the Sabres, the Stars, and the Blues. The Wilds cannot simply stop losing at the moment. On top of that, one of their biggest assets, their defense, was the main reason for these losses. They conceded 6 goals against the Vegas Golden Knights, 7 goals against the Dallas Stars, and 6 goals to the St. Louis Blues. The decline in their overall performance reflected on their position in the current standings in the West. They dropped from 1st to 6th place in a matter of two weeks. Minnesota still has a strong hand, but they will need to find a way to utilize it, before everything starts going south for them.
The Boston Bruins are still chasing the leaders as they are one of the teams in the NHL with fewer games from the very beginning of the season. They are 8th in the West with 36 points from 29 matches. This makes them feel a bit safer as the teams behind them not only have less points than them, but also have more games played. The Bruins will face the Minnesota Wild after recording three important victories on their way to secure a top 4 spot in the Atlantic Division. The Bruins won’t be able to use Tomas Nosek and Jake DeBrusk who entered the health and safety protocols, but in my opinion, they still have fantastic forwards in the face of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and Taylor Hall who are experienced enough to lead the Bruins to the victory on Thursday. I will take Boston’s spread in this game.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Boston Bruins -1.5 (+144)
Tony Battalio
The Minnesota Wild were on top of the National Hockey League world just a couple short weeks ago. Now they find themselves staring into the face of the lengthy losing streak as the new year is starting. As the Wild have lost their last five games on the year dating back to the middle of December. Now the Wild will be looking to get back on track in this game against the Boston Bruins. If they don’t turn it around quickly they will continue slipping down the ladder in a competitive Central Division.
Today is a good day to #VoteKirill as @NHL All-Star Captain 🗳️
Vote now » https://t.co/Qe6pLQqqCh pic.twitter.com/N4fJfNVvC7
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) January 5, 2022
As for the previously mentioned Boston Bruins, they have been on a bit of a hot streak as of late as they have won their last three games. The winning streak for the Bruins has improved their record on the season to 17-10-2 through their first 29 games of the year. As the season approaches the halfway point they continue to be competitive in a packed Eastern Conference. As for the result of this game, I have the Boston Bruins picking up their fourth straight victory with a win at home.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Boston Bruins (-182)
Michael Lantz
The Minnesota Wild have fallen on some tough times. They haven’t won a game since mid-December, when they beat the San Jose Sharks for their eighth straight win. At the time the Wild were on top of their division, but now they’ve slipped to fourth place and are in the midst of a five-game losing streak. They’ll hope to turn it around against a Boston Bruins team that’s playing the exact opposite of Minnesota.
Boston has won three games in a row since the restart, and they’ve been scoring a lot of goals in the process. In these last three games, the team has scored 14 goals, thanks to numerous players stepping up and hitting shots. Now, they host a Wild team that has given up 22 goals in four games. At the TD Garden this should be a divine opportunity to increase their win streak—imagining the Wild come out as flat as they have been. Still, Minnesota started off this season as one of the better road teams, so the potential for them to give the Bruins a hard time is there. But ultimately, I’m going to stick with Boston to keep things alive on their front, and in shambles for Minnesota.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Boston Bruins (-182)
Calgary Flames @ Tampa Bay Lightning – 7.00PM ET
The road trip continues on for the Calgary Flames, who on Thursday night will face off against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Flames have won two of their last three games, and this takes their season record to 17-8-6. The Lightning managed to snap their three game losing streak last time out, with a dominating win over the Blue Jackets, 7-2.
Denis Kirilov
The upcoming game between the Calgary Flames and the Tampa Bay Lightning will put up two of the best teams in the NHL at the moment against each other. This will be their first meeting in nearly 2 years as the Lightning have taken a convincing 4-0 lead in their last matches. The Flames are simply a joy to watch this season as they are equally good on both ends of the ice. They sit in 7th place in the Western Conference with 40 points out of 31 matches. The team has been playing pretty well away from home as they entered a 5-game winning streak in November-December. However, it seems that the Flames fail to deliver against the top teams in the NHL including the Golden Knights, the Panthers, and the Maple Leafs.
On the other hand, the reigning champions from Tampa will try to get yet another win in Amalie Arena. Their 7-game winning streak at home has been stopped by the New York Rangers, who outsmarted them after penalties, 3-4. They took victories over the St. Louis Blues, the Minnesota Wild and the Florida Panthers. The Tampa Bay Lightning fought back and are now on top of the table in the Eastern Conference. However, the situation on the top is quite intense and it seems that they might lose the top spot soon. To me, there are no favourites in this game and I will go with a “tie” after regulation.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Tie (+320)
Tony Battalio
This one is likely to be the best game of the evening slate as one of the league’s top American teams will be taking on one of the league’s top Canadian teams. As the Calgary Flames head south of the border to play the two time defending Stanley Cup champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Calgary Flames are coming into this game with a record of 17-8-6 as they have won two out of their last three games. The Calgary Flames are currently in third place of the Pacific Division, however if they keep this level of play up it won’t be long before they find themselves on the doorstep of the top spot in not only the division but perhaps the Western Conference as well.
The previously mentioned Tampa Bay Lightning are coming into this game with a record of 22-8-5 having recently broken a three game losing streak by crushing the Columbus Blue Jackets in their last game. Now they will be looking to pick up another win over a very competitive and hard nosed Calgary Flames team. Even with the recent skid the Tampa Bay Lightning have remained in first place of a very competitive Atlantic Division, which shows how dominant they have been as of late. As for the result of this game, I have the Tampa Bay Lightning picking up a second straight win and halting some of the Calgary Flames momentum.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning (-152)
Michael Lantz
After the Tampa Bay Lightning looked flat coming out of the league’s brief COVID pause, it seems a 0-4 loss to the New York Rangers was the slap in the face they needed to get things together. On Tuesday, Tampa handed the Columbus Blue Jackets a 7-2 smackdown, as the defending champs looked back in form. Now, they’ll have to prove they can keep it up, as they play one of the NHL’s top defensive teams in the Calgary Flames.
Calgary is undoubtedly one of the NHL’s top defensive teams, but they sure didn’t look like it on Tuesday as they were thrashed by the Florida Panthers 2-6. They’ll hope to come out of Florida with at least one win, as they face a Tampa Bay team that, while a bit unpredictable, has seemed to have gotten out of their little rut. This rematch of the 2004 Stanley Cup, should hopefully be a bit better of a game than either of these teams prior matchups (for opposite reasons). Even though I want to say this one will hit the under, a total of 6 might be too low. So I’ll have to go with my gut and I think after a 7-2 in, the Tampa Bay Lightning will keep the wins coming for a couple more games.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning (-152)
Florida Panthers @ Dallas Stars – 8.30PM ET
The Florida Panthers kick off a two game road trip on Thursday night when they take on the Dallas Stars. The Panthers have won their last four games in a row, which includes wins over the Rangers, Lightning, Canadiens and Flames. The Stars haven’t played since December 20, but they are currently on a two game winning streak, and this takes their season record to 15-12-2.
Denis Kirilov
The Florida Panthers will try to prolong their winning streak to 5 games on Thursday night against the Dallas Stars. They are coming into this away game after defeating three strong teams – the New York Rangers, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Calgary Flames. The Panthers have been fantastic at home this season, but when it comes to their performance on the road, they have been terrible recently. The team went on a 7-game losing streak before defeating the weakest opponent possible, the Arizona Coyotes. They eventually lost their last away game to the Colorado Avalanche, 2-3. Something is not right as both their offense and defense don’t function the way they used to do in FLA Live Arena.
The Dallas Stars are also coming into this game on a positive note. They defeated the Chicago Blackhawks and scored 7 goals against the Minnesota Wild to take on a 2-0 run. Their win over the underperforming Blackhawks snapped a 5-game losing streak for them. However, the worst part for them is the fact that they are still waiting to play their first match since the Christmas break. Their last game took place in the American Airlines Center on December 20, 2021. I think this might end up costing them the game against the Panthers who have already had the opportunity to play 4 matches since the restart of the NHL. Hence, I will give my preferences to Florida in this interesting matchup on Thursday night in Dallas.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Florida Panthers (-137)
Tony Battalio
The Florida Panthers currently look like one of the top front runners to dethrone the two time defending Stanley Cup champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning. Florida has been playing at a high mark all season long and will be coming into this game with a record of 22-7-4 on the season. They will be kicking off this quick two game road trip on a current four game winning streak which could be enough momentum boost to pick up a victory in this game over a Dallas Stars team that hasn’t played a competitive game since December 20.
☝️⏰ pic.twitter.com/OWiEIEe5gB
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) January 5, 2022
As for the previously mentioned Dallas Stars, it has certainly been an up and down season for them up until this point. It has been highlighted by great play and bad play, winning streaks and losing streaks, and highlights and lowlights galore. They come into this game with a record of 15-12-2 as they have won the last two they have played. However I expect that streak to stop in this one as I have the Florida Panthers picking up the win on the road in the game.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Florida Panthers (-137)
Michael Lantz
The Florida Panthers are on a goal scoring rampage right now, scoring 20 goals in their last three games. Two of those wins came against top opponents as they were able to top the Tampa Bay Lightning 9-3 and the Calgary Flames 6-2. They’ve become the league’s second highest scoring team, and are now second in the Atlantic Division, by one point to their rivals the Lightning. They’ll hope for another scoring delight on Thursday as they take on the Dallas Stars.
Dallas hasn’t played since December 20, so it might be a bit hard to get a grasp of what their team will look like come Thursday. They’ve been a bit up and down all season, but currently sit in sixth in the Central Division with 32 points. They won their last two games before the league went on pause (which has been an excruciatingly long break for Dallas); they hope that momentum can carry over to the new year. Dallas’s best shot in this game will be in the power play as they’re one of the league’s five best teams in power play percentage. Even better, Florida is middle of the pack in penalty kill percentage and are top five in penalty minutes. Even with that advantage playing in Dallas’s favor, I still can’t see them overthrowing a very good Panthers team. I’ll take Florida to pull this one off and keep their impressive goal scoring streak alive.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Florida Panthers (-137)
New York Rangers @ Vegas Golden Knights – 10.00PM ET
The New York Rangers kick off a five game road trip on Thursday night when they travel to Vegas and face off against the Golden Knights. The Rangers have won three of their last games in a row, and this includes wins over the Lightning (twice) and Oilers, outscoring their opponents 12-4 during this period. The Golden Knights are looking to snap their current two game losing streak, which includes losses to the Jets and Predators.
Denis Kirilov
The New York Rangers and the Vegas Golden Knights will be the second “must-watch” highlights for Thursday night in the NHL. Both teams are looking fantastic right now with the Rangers taking 3rd place in the Eastern Conference, while the Golden Knights topping the West. The team from New York is coming into this game after winning three matches in a row, while the hosts are on a 0-2 run recently. The Golden Knights lost to the Jets and to the Predators at home in two really tight games that went all the way down to the wire. The Rangers, however, are in spectacular form defeating the Lightning twice and the Oilers at home. Ryan Strome, Christ Kreider, and Mika Zibanejad have had great matches lately.
The last time both teams faced each other in T-Mobile Arena, the Golden Knights took a devastating loss, 0-5. This happened in 2019, so I believe it won’t be a good benchmark. However, both teams went head-to-head in mid-December when the Rangers had to leave their home ice empty handed after losing to their opponents. I think that we will see an intriguing contest that will continue the tradition to see more wins for the guests. My pick here goes in favor of the Rangers who have had an incredible season so far and I really hope they can build on that performance.
Denis’ NHL Pick: New York Rangers (+128)
Tony Battalio
The New York Rangers will begin a lengthy road trip in Sin City on Thursday evening as they will take on the Vegas Golden Knights. The New York Rangers are also on a three game winning streak against some of the best teams in the National Hockey League as they beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in back to back games and the Edmonton Oilers as well. The New York Rangers are currently 22-8-4 on the season as they have one of the best records in the league this season. They will be looking to add to that further with a huge road win in this game.
The previously mentioned Vegas Golden Knights are coming into this game with a record of 22-13-1 on the season. They currently find themselves in the lead in the Pacific Division. However they will be looking to snap a two game losing streak in this game against the New York Rangers. As for the result of this game, despite the recent play of both teams I have the Vegas Golden Knights picking up the victory in this one at home.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Vegas Golden Knights (-154)
Michael Lantz
The New York Rangers visit the Golden knights on Thursday in what might be the day’s marquee matchup. Both of these teams sit in first place in their respective divisions, as the Rangers have jumped the Washington Capitals (in a tiebreaker) after winning three straight games. They’ll have a big test to make it four, as their highly rated defense heads to Sin City to take on one of the NHL’s best offenses in the Vegas Golden Knights.
After early frustration due to injuries, the Vegas Golden Knights are back where many believed they would be—in first place in the Pacific Division. But for just how long? The team has dropped their last two games, to the Winnipeg jets and Nashville Predators—both at home. T-Mobile Arena doesn’t seem to hold the advantage the team would hope, as they’re now 11-8-1 at home this year. Even worse for them, the New York Rangers are quite good on the road, tallying a 12-5-2 record so far. When a good defense faces a good offense, it’s often believed a good defense prevails. We’ll see if that happens on Thursday night, but my hunch is the Golden Knights break their skid. They feel the Anaheim Ducks breathing down their neck, and this veteran squad won’t allow themselves to drop a third straight at home.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Vegas Golden Knights (-154)
Nashville Predators @ Los Angeles Kings – 10.30PM ET
The final game for Thursday night will see the Nashville Predators face off against the Los Angeles Kings. The Predators are currently sitting in first in their Central Division, and they are on a two game winning streak, after wins over the Blackhawks and Golden Knights. The Kings are also on a two game winning streak, and this takes their season record to 16-12-5.
Denis Kirilov
The Nashville Predators will face the Los Angeles Kings in one of their most pivotal matches for the season. They will need to make sure that the victory over the Golden Knights on Tuesday wasn’t just a happy coincidence. The Predators have a fantastic chance to build a large winning streak that will cement their place for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. As they will face weaker teams in January, they will need to make the best out of it and take the momentum. The Predators have been fantastic recently, proving many critics wrong as they won 9 out of their last 11 games in the NHL. The team plays incredible defense that is combined with a solid attack that regularly scores more than 3 goals. Filip Forsberg, Mikael Granlund, and the Canadian trio up front, Matt Duchene, Ryan Johansen, and Tanner Jeannot have been the primary reason for their success in offense.
The Los Angeles Kings had a single decent period in November when they racked up 7 wins in a row. However, apart from that, they have been terrible during the current campaign. The Kings find it really hard to score goals as they find themselves in the bottom half of the table when it comes to this aspect of the game. They are still quite close to the Playoffs spot, standing 5th in the Pacific Division, a point away from 4th place occupied by the Edmonton Oilers. The Kings will have a tough time overcoming their rivals this season, but everything seems possible at the moment. However, I don’t believe they will be able to withstand the Predators’ attack and at the same time, punish their opponent’s mistakes in defense.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Nashville Predators (-134)
Tony Battalio
The Nashville Predators have been one of the better teams in the National Hockey League as of late. As they have managed to climb into first place in the Central Division ahead of Minnesota and St. Louis, which is a testament to how tough this Nashville Predators team is to claw back to first after the start to the season the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues had. The Predators are currently on a two game winning streak as they have picked up recent victories over the Chicago Blackhawks and Vegas Golden Knights. They will be looking to make it three straight with a victory in this one.
Locked in 🔒 pic.twitter.com/NabGIeyrnu
— LA Kings (@LAKings) January 5, 2022
The Los Angeles Kings are coming into this game with a record of 16-12-5 on the season as they are one game below the .500 mark through their first 33 games. As the season approaches the halfway mark it really has been an up and down year for Los Angeles as they have failed to establish any real momentum thus far. However they do come into this game on a two game winning streak as well. However I look for the streak to be snapped with a loss in this one, as I have the Nashville Predators picking up the win on the road.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Nashville Predators (-134)
Michael Lantz
After an unconvincing start to the season, the Nashville predators have become one of the NHL’s top teams. They currently sit first in the Central Division and are coming off a big win against the Pacific Division leading Vegas Golden Knights in Las Vegas. Now they’ll head from Las Vegas to Los Angeles as they take on the Kings in Crypto.com Arena. The Kings have continued to cling to their playoff hopes, thanks in large part to a free falling Edmonton Oilers team, who now just sit one point ahead of them in the Pacific Division standings.
This Kings team is led by veteran Anze Kopitar, who looks to take his team back into the playoffs for another lengthy run, like he did in the earlier part of last decade. The Kings will need to play their best on Thursday, as the Predators are a solid road team (11-6-2), while the Kings aren’t terribly convincing at home (10-7-2). While Los Angeles has played spoiler a couple times this year, it’s going to take a little more for me to pick against a Nashville team that looks poised to make a Stanley Cup run similar to their 2016-17 season.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Nashville Predators (-134)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of writing, courtesy of FanDuel.
