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.
Carolina Hurricanes @ New York Rangers – 7.00PM ET
The Carolina Hurricanes are on the road for their penultimate game of the regular season when they travel to New York for a clash with the Rangers. The Hurricanes and Rangers are both in a fight for top spot in the Metropolitan Division, currently the Hurricanes have 112 points and the Rangers have 108. With only three games left for the Rangers (and two for the Hurricanes), they need a victory here if they have any chance of winning the Metropolitan Division.
Marko Nadin
The New York Rangers are having a very good season as they are fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 51-22-6 record. They are coming off a 1-3 loss to the Boston Bruins that put an end to the Rangers’ four-game winning streak. New York is the second-best defensive team in the league with 2.5 allowed goals per game and they are ranked 8th with defending 82% of the power play situations. The Rangers have won 6 of the last 7 games played after two days of rest and 5 of the last 6 games against teams with a winning record over 60%.
The Carolina Hurricanes are second in the Eastern Conference with a 52-20-8 record. They have won the last 4 games and are coming off a 5-2 win over the New York Islanders. The Hurricanes are the best team in the league when it comes to goals allowed with 2.4 per game, shots on goal allowed with 28.1 per game and defending power play situations with 87.8%. Carolina has won 23 of the last 31 games played after one day rest and 8 of the last 11 games when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Under 5.5 (-102)
Tony Battalio
This is going to be one of the best games of the regular season. As there are a ton of playoff implications riding on it as these two teams are competing for the Metropolitan Division title. As they are only separated by four points with two huge points on the line in this one. The Carolina Hurricanes currently lead the division and come into this one with a record of 52-20-8 through their first 80 games of the season. They only need a single point to capture the Metropolitan Division championship.
The New York Rangers are coming into this one with a record of 51-22-6 through their first 79 games of the season. They are still within striking distance of winning the Metropolitan Division but they absolutely need to win this game to stay in the hunt. New York is one of the most surprising teams of the 2021-22 National Hockey League as not many people expected them to be in this position before the season began. As for the result of this one, I’m taking the New York Rangers to get the win.
Tony’s NHL Pick: New York Rangers (-110)
Jeffery Thomas
The Carolina Hurricanes are playing their second to last game of the season on Tuesday on the road against their divisional rival New York Rangers. The Rangers will be trying hard to get this win in regulation to secure the 2 points and close the gap in the race for first place with the Canes. The Rangers have a game in hand so everything could come down to them just winning out but it all starts on Tuesday in this game that should be a battle. Carolina won’t go down easy though, as they’ve won 4 straight.
New York had a four-game winning streak of their own but it was snapped last time out in the 1-3 loss to the Boston Bruins. In a game like this where it’s evenly matched and with so much on the line, I think we turn to the home ice advantage of the Rangers. New York is 26-8-4 in the Madison Square Garden this season and with Igor in net they’ve been practically unbeatable at home. I like them here to take down the Canes who have some uncertainty in net and will be at a huge disadvantage in that department.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: New York Rangers (-110)
Edmonton Oilers @ Pittsburgh Penguins – 7.00PM ET
The Edmonton Oilers wrap up their two game road trip tonight with a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Oilers are the second team in the Pacific Division to be confirmed for the playoffs, and they have a season record of 46-27-6. The Penguins are currently sitting in third in the Metropolitan Division with 101 points, but it is a close fight between them and the Capitals, who currently occupy the second Wild Card spot, with 100 points.
Marko Nadin
The Pittsburgh Penguins are seventh in the Eastern Conference with a 45-24-11 record. They have won 3 of the last 5 games but are coming off a disappointing 1-4 loss to the local rivals the Philadelphia Flyers. Pittsburgh is ranked 11th in the league with 3.3 goals per game and 7th with 34.6 shots on goal per game. They are also second defending 85.7% of the power play situations. The Penguins have won 7 of the last 10 games against Edmonton and 20 of the last 26 games when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.
The Edmonton Oilers are fifth in the Western Conference with a 46-27-6 record. They are coming off a 2-5 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets that put an end to their four-game winning streak. The Oilers are seventh in the league with 3.5 goals per game and 10th with 34 shots on goal per game. Edmonton has won the last five games after allowing 5 goals or more in their previous game and 8 of the last 9 games when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Edmonton Oilers (+126)
Tony Battalio
The Edmonton Oilers started the year out unbelievably slow but have picked up the pace and put themselves in a great position to win the Stanley Cup this season as the regular season is 6 days away from ending. They come into this one with a record of 46-27-6 through their first 79 games of the season. They are currently in second place of the Pacific Division at the moment as they are still in a fight with the Kings for the second spot as well. Edmonton enters this one on a one game losing streak.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are looking to get hot heading into the Stanley Cup playoffs. As they come into this game with a record of 45-24-11 through their first 80 games of the season. They hold a one point lead over third place in the Metropolitan Division, the Washington Capitals, at the moment. The Penguins have a shot to be a dark horse if they can remain healthy throughout the playoffs. As for the result of this one, I am taking the Edmonton Oilers to pick up the victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Edmonton Oilers (+126)
Jeffery Thomas
The Edmonton Oilers, who are in second place in the Pacific Division, will travel to Pittsburgh on Tuesday to take on the Penguins, who are in third-place in the Metropolitan Division. It’s going to be a tough task for an Oilers team that has had their struggles away from home on the season, having a record of just 20-15-5. Speaking of bad road performances, Pittsburgh suffered a bad loss on the road on Sunday to the Philadelphia Flyers by the score of 1-4. A day off on Monday and the return home should provide a great bounce-back opportunity for the Pens who have lost seven of their past eleven games.
The Oilers are road underdogs in this game and they are just 2-7 straight up in the last nine instances of that happening. Making matters worse, five of those losses were by at least a two goal margin. In Pittsburgh’s last ten as a home favorite, they are 7-3 with six of those wins being by at least two goals. The trends align perfectly and give us a perfect buy-low opportunity on a struggling Penguins team to take care of a bad road team.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins (-154)
New York Islanders @ Washington Capitals – 7.00PM ET
The New York Islanders have just one game on the road when they travel to Washington for a clash with the Capitals. The Islanders have been out of playoff contention for a while now, and they are currently on a five game losing streak. The Capitals are in a tight battle with the Penguins for the third spot in the Metropolitan Division, a win here and a loss for the Penguins would see the Capitals move up from the Wild Card spot into the top three in their division.
Marko Nadin
The Washington Capitals are eighth in the Eastern Conference with a 44-23-12 record. They have won 3 of the last 5 games and are coming off a 3-4 shootout loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. If the Capitals win the remaining three games of the regular season schedule, they may avoid facing the best team in the league, the Florida Panthers, in the first playoff round. Washington is ranked 9th in the league with 3.4 goals per game. They have won 7 of the last 8 games against rivals from the Metropolitan Division.
The New York Islanders are ninth in the Eastern Conference with a 35-34-10 record and are 20 points behind the Capitals even though they are right after them in the standings. The Islanders have lost the last 5 games and are coming off a 2-5 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. New York is ranked 8th in the league allowing 2.6 goals per game and 6th in the league defending 83.8% of the power play situations. The Islanders have won 5 of the last 7 games following a loss of 3 or more goals.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Washington Capitals (-192)
Tony Battalio
The New York Islanders are having a rough season this year after they started the year on a lengthy road trip. They come into this one with a record of 35-34-10 through their first 79 games of the season. They are likely going to finish the season in either fifth or sixth place in the Metropolitan Division. They are currently on a five game losing streak at the moment as they seem to have lost all their momentum going into the final few games of the regular season.
The Washington Capitals are still fighting for a top three spot in the Metropolitan Division. They only trail the Pittsburgh Penguins by a single point with a couple games left in the regular season. They come into this one with a record of 44-23-12 through their first 79 games of the season. As for the result of this game, I am taking the Washington Capitals to pick up the victory over the New York Islanders.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Washington Capitals (-192)
Jeffery Thomas
This will be the first game of a home-and-home series for two Metropolitan Division teams for the New York Islanders and Washington Capitals. The two teams are just separated by one spot in the division but are heading in two totally different directions and have two different motivations. The Capitals have a playoff run in sight and are 1 point behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the third-place spot while the Islanders are appearing to mail the season in and are just trying to get it over with.
It’s been five straight losses for the Isles, with four of them coming by at least two goals. Washington is playing much better hockey than the Islanders right now and New York is a team I’ll be looking to fade in the remainder of their games this season. Ever since being eliminated, they’ve just looked disinterested and there’s no reason to think things will magically be better on Tuesday. Give me the Caps all day and in blowout fashion.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Washington Capitals -1.5 (+134)
Calgary Flames @ Nashville Predators – 8.00PM ET
The Calgary Flames kick off their final road trip of the season when they travel to Nashville for a game against the Predators. The Flames have the Pacific Division all wrapped up, and they will be the top seed for the 2021-22 season. The Predators are still to be officially confirmed for the playoffs, but they are currently sitting in the first Wild Card spot.
Marko Nadin
The Nashville Predators are seventh in the Western Conference with a 44-29-6 record and still have not clinched a playoff berth but can do that with a win over the Flames. The Predators have lost 3 of the last 4 games and are coming off a 4-5 overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild. Nashville is ranked 12th in the league scoring 3.2 goals per game and 6th in the league converting 24.5% of the power play situations. They have won 5 of the last games after allowing 5 goals or more in their previous game.
The Calgary Flames are fourth in the Western Conference with a 49-20-10 record but have a chance to finish second in the conference as they trail by only one point behind the Blues and the Wild. Calgary is ranked third in the league allowing 2.5 goals per game and fourth in the league allowing 28.9 shots on goal per game. The Flames have won 6 of their last 7 road games, 6 of the last 8 games following a win and 23 of the last 31 games against Western Conference rivals.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Nashville Predators (+116)
Tony Battalio
The Calgary Flames are in a great position heading into the Stanley Cup playoffs as they basically came out of nowhere to win the Pacific Division. They come into this game with a record of 49-20-10 through their first 79 games of the season. They are currently on a two game winning streak after getting back to back wins against the Dallas Stars and Vancouver Canucks. Calgary has a real shot at winning it all this year as long as they can remain healthy.
The Nashville Predators still are yet to lock up their Stanley Cup playoff spot. However they are right on the brink as they sit at 94 points with a record of 44-29-6 through their first 79 games of the season. They are currently in fourth place in the Central Division as they come into this game on a two game losing streak after losing back to back games to the Minnesota Wild and Tampa Bay Lightning. As for the result of this one however, I’m going with the Calgary Flames to get the win.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Calgary Flames (-140)
Jeffery Thomas
The Calgary Flames are traveling to Nashville, Tennessee on Tuesday to take on the struggling Predators. All of those struggles can be washed away with a regulation win here, as it would clinch a playoff spot for the Preds. That may be a lot to ask for a team that is in a 3-4-2 slump going against the Pacific Division champion Flames. The Flames are also coming off two wins over the Dallas Stars and Vancouver Canucks so they are riding high on confidence.
Interestingly enough though, the loss they suffered before those two wins was to this Nashville team, 2-3 in a shootout on April 19. Not only has Nashville won the last meeting just a week ago, but they also won the only other matchup of these two teams earlier in the year. There’s good value on the Predators in this home game, where they’ve had the Flames’ number and it’s just hard for me to pass that up, especially since this will be a desperate Nashville team skating out there.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Nashville Predators (+116)
Vegas Golden Knights @ Dallas Stars – 8.30PM ET
The Vegas Golden Knights kick off their three game road trip to round out the season, and first stop is Dallas for a game against the Stars. This game could have huge implications for which team takes the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. The Stars currently hold the second Wild Card spot with 93 points, and the Golden Knights are third in the Wild Card race, with 90 points.
Marko Nadin
This is the most interesting match of the night as the two teams are fighting for the last spot that leads in the playoffs. The Dallas Stars are currently in 8th place in the Western Conference with a 44-30-5 record. They have lost 3 of the last 5 games and are coming off a 3-2 win over the Seattle Kraken. The Stars are 21st in the league scoring 2.8 goals per game and 16th allowing 3 goals per game. They have won 5 of the last 6 games played after two games of rest and 23 of the last 32 games as home favorites.
The Vegas Golden Knights are ninth in the Western Conference with a 42-31-6 record and trail by three points to the Dallas Stars. The Golden Knights have lost 3 of the last 4 games and are coming off a 4-5 shootout loss to the San Jose Sharks. Vegas is 13th in the league scoring 3.2 goals per game and 14th allowing 3 goals per game. Vegas has won 6 of the last 8 games played after one day rest and 5 of the last 7 games against teams with a winning record.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Dallas Stars (-110)
Tony Battalio
The Vegas Golden Knights have imploded this season as they are likely going to miss out on the Stanley Cup playoffs. They led the Pacific Division for the majority of the season before injuries caught up to them. Now they come into this one three points out of the Wild Card race in the Western Conference. They currently have a record of 42-31-6 through their first 79 games of the season. They are facing must win situations every time they are hitting the ice from here on out.
The Dallas Stars currently hold a three point lead over the Vegas Golden Knights as this game is huge for Stanley Cup playoff implications. Dallas comes into this one with a record of 44-30-5 through their first 79 games of the season. They will be looking to put the Golden Knights away for good with a victory in this one at home on Tuesday. As for the result of this one, that is exactly what I expect to happen as I’m going with the Dallas Stars to get the win.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Dallas Stars (-110)
Jeffery Thomas
The Vegas Knights will travel to Dallas on Tuesday to take on the Stars in a do-or-die situation for their playoff hopes. The Stars are three games ahead of Vegas for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference with three games remaining for each team, so a lot will be riding on this game. A regulation win in this game will clinch that spot for Dallas and put them back in the postseason following a disappointing season last year. That would also have the Knights out of the playoffs for the first time in their franchise’s existence so it’ll be very interesting to see how this one plays out.
A regulation win here will give new life to Vegas after some bad losses last week. When both teams are playing to the peak of their powers, Vegas has a lot more upside and talent on their side than Dallas. Dallas relied heavily on a lethal tip unit but the depth is an issue. The bad losses the Golden Knights fell victim to last week gives us a great opportunity to get good value for them in this game that I believe they will refuse to lose. Give me the Knights to keep their season alive on Tuesday.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Vegas Golden Knights (-110)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of writing, courtesy of FanDuel.
