We are loving the action throughout this impressive NHL season so far. As we move past the mid way point in the season, each division’s ladder has already become well formed. Despite this, 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.
St. Louis Blues @ Ottawa Senators – 7.00PM ET
The St. Louis Blues kick off a four game road trip with a game against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night. The Blues managed to snap their two game losing streak last time out, with a convincing 5-1 win over the Blackhawks. The Senators are in the same boat, snapping their two game losing streak last time out, as they got the win over the Capitals.
Marko Nadin
The St. Louis Blues are one of the most pleasant surprises this season in the NHL. The Blues are currently 4th in the Western Conference with a 27-14-5 record. The Blues had a disappointing 4-7 loss against the New Jersey Devils losing the final period of that match by 1-5. They quickly bounced back in the next game winning 5-1 against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Blues have won 13 of the last 16 games entering as favorites and that will be the case when they visit Ottawa. The Blues have also won the last 5 games playing after a 2 days rest.
The Ottawa Senators are currently 13th in the Eastern Conference with a 17-24-4 record. After failing to score in back-to-back games against Pittsburgh and Boston, the Senators defeated the Capitals in Washington by 4-1. The Senators are 8th in the league in penalties and the Blues are third in PP% which may be the key factors for the outcome of this game. These two teams will meet after more than two years. The last time they played the Blues won 6-4. St. Louis has won 5 of the last 6 games against Ottawa.
Marko’s NHL Pick: St. Louis Blues (-210)
Tony Battalio
Much like the other top three teams in the Central Division, the St. Louis Blues spent their time on top of the division earlier on in the season. Now they come into this game with a record of 27-14-5 through their first 46 games of the season. They are currently in fourth place in the Central Division, as they are on the outside looking in for a playoff spot. The Blues are currently on a one game winning streak but have been looking rough as of late as they have lost three of their last five games. They will be looking to rebuild some of their momentum with a much needed road victory in this one.
We like this plan pic.twitter.com/9GnhOKfwRY
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) February 13, 2022
The Ottawa Senators have been one of the worst teams in the National Hockey League over the course of the entire season. However, since starting the second half of the season they have been playing some very thrilling and successful hockey. They have beaten a few of the best teams in the league as they have won three of their last five games, including wins over the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes. For Ottawa it is still too little too late as they come into this game with a record of 17-24-4 on the season. As for the result of this game, I have the St. Louis Blues picking up the victory.
Tony’s NHL Pick: St. Louis Blues (-210)
Jeffery Thomas
This game starts a crucial road stretch for St. Louis, where they will be on away from home in eight of the next nine contests. That could be a problem for the Blues, who are occupying the first wild card spot in the West, as they are just 9-8-3 on the road compared to a strong 18-6-2 at home. They are coming off a dominant 5-1 win over the Blackhawks on Saturday, where they almost doubled Chicago in shots on goal. The Senators are 6-4-1 in their last 11 games and most recently notched a 4-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday. That victory capped off a busy stretch that saw them play five games in seven days while making up postponed games. At 17-24-4 they now sit 6th place in the Atlantic Division.
In the 5 games since Ottawa has returned from the All-Star break, it’s really been all or nothing. In the wins, they have scored 4 goals in each of them and in the losses, they haven’t scored at all. We just have to figure out which Sens team we will get and in this matchup I think we’ll see more of the team who was shutout in the losses. This Blues team is coming off a dominant win and I think we’ll see a repeat performance of that against an inconsistent Senators team who is still without key pieces on offense in Norris and Batherson.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: St. Louis Blues (-210)
Philadelphia Flyers @ Pittsburgh Penguins – 7.00PM ET
The Philadelphia Flyers wrap up their two game road trip in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night when they take on the Penguins. The Flyers have lost their last two games in a row, and lost 15 of their last 17 games. The Penguins are on a three game winning streak, with wins over the Bruins, Senators and Devils.
Marko Nadin
The rivalry between the two teams from the state of Pennsylvania has been heated in the past years, but this year is not on that level since the Flyers are the second-worst team in the conference. The coaching change didn’t help the Flyers who are currently at 15-24-8. Philadelphia has lost 10 of the last 11 games against opponents from the Metropolitan Division and have lost 23 of the last 27 games against Eastern Conference teams. The Flyers are in the bottom 5 teams when it comes to shots on goal and scored goals.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are currently third in the Eastern Conference with a 30-11-8 record. After dropping four straight games before the All-Star break, the Penguins regrouped and won the next three against Boston, Ottawa and New Jersey. The Penguins are the third best defensive team in the league allowing 2.5 goals per game. They have won 6 of the last 7 games against Metropolitan Division rivals and have won 14 of the last 17 games when their opponent scored no more than 2 goals in the previous game.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins (-330)
Tony Battalio
This Pennsylvania rivalry is not as interesting as years past with the way the Philadelphia Flyers have played this season. The Flyers come into this game with a record of 15-24-8 through their first 47 games of the season. At this rate, Philadelphia is virtually all but eliminated from the playoffs as they play in one of the toughest divisions in the entire league. The Flyers are currently on a two game losing streak after losing back to back games to the Detroit Red Wings. They will be looking to snap that streak and get a big win over their rival in this one on the road.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are playing at a high level, somewhat reminiscent of their Stanley Cup team at this point in the season. This is also a special occasion because the greatest player of the generation, Sidney Crosby, will be trying to score his 500th career goal in this in-state rivalry matchup. The Penguins come into this game with a record of 30-11-8 through their first 49 games of the year and they are currently in third place of the Metropolitan Division. They will be looking to break a four game home losing streak and extend a three game winning streak with a victory in this one. As for the result of this game, I have the Pittsburgh Penguins picking up the victory at home.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins (-330)
Jeffery Thomas
This sets up as the perfect scenario for Sidney Crosby to get his 500th career goal against his bitter in-state rivals. He’s back at home after a few failed attempts on the road to get the milestone and has 49 career goals against the Flyers. As far as the Penguins go, they answered a four game skid (0-1-3) with three straight victories over the Bruins, Senators, and Devils to push their Metro Division leading record out to 30-11-8. Philadelphia is searching for answers after starting the year 6-2-2 and going 9-22-6 since including most recently, back to back losses to Detroit in a quick series.
The battle for Pennsylvania is heavily favored towards the home Penguins and for good reason. In their two matchups already this year the Pens have outscored them 9-4 and with a slight downtick in their offensive production lately, they’ll be happy to see the Flyers who produce a soft matchup. Also, with all the injuries Philly is facing, I don’t expect them to generate much offense themselves, leading to a big win for the Penguins.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins -1.5 (-128)
Tampa Bay Lightning @ New Jersey Devils – 7.00PM ET
The Tampa Bay Lightning’s three game road trip ends on Tuesday night when they go toe-to-toe with the New Jersey Devils. The Lightning have been trading wins and losses for the last five games, and this takes their season record to 31-11-6. The Devils had won two games in a row before a loss last time out, 2-4, to the Penguins.
Marko Nadin
The defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning are one point shy of the top of the Eastern Conference and with a win in New Jersey will have a chance to surpass the Florida Panthers. Tampa Bay has won 4 of the last 6 games and are coming off a 4-3 win over Arizona. The Lightning have won 5 of the last 6 games coming from 3 or more days of rest. They have played over the total goals margin in 6 of the last 7 road games. Tampa Bay has won 7 of the last 10 games against New Jersey.
The New Jersey Devils are 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 17-27-5 record and their recent form is promising that they can climb the standings in the upcoming weeks. The Devils defeated St. Louis and Montreal, scoring 7 goals in each of these two games. Still, they lost the next one 2-4 against the Pittsburgh Penguins despite the fact they had a 2-1 lead. New Jersey has lost 6 of the last 7 games against Eastern Conference opponents and have lost 41 of the last 55 games as an underdog.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning (-285)
Tony Battalio
The two time defending Stanley Cup champions do not quite look like they are on their way to a third consecutive championship this season. It is not so much their own fault, but more so the fact that other teams have just looked better at times this season. However, it is clear we can never count this team out until they are done. The Tampa Bay Lightning come into this game with a record of 31-11-6 through their first 48 games of the season. They are currently in second place in the Atlantic Division.
“You’ve got a job to do.”
Back to game action tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/SWM8yeUo4F
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) February 14, 2022
The New Jersey Devils are coming into this game with a record of 17-27-5 through their first 49 games of the season. They have had a rough year up until this point and are likely virtually eliminated from the playoffs at this point. The Devils are sitting in seventh place in the Metropolitan Division at the moment. In their last game they lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins at home by a score of 2-4. It has been a continuous rough stretch of play for them as they have lost 3 of their last five. As for the result of this game, I have them losing once again as I have the Tampa Bay Lightning getting the win on the road.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning (-285)
Jeffery Thomas
It’s been a struggle for the New Jersey Devils, who have lost eight of their last ten games and will look for better results when they host the Lightning on Tuesday night. Their last game out was a 2-4 loss to the Penguins on Sunday, that they battled hard in. They scored the opening goal and even had the game tied at 2 in the third period but in the end didn’t have enough to pull out the victory. Tampa Bay will look to take advantage of this struggling Devils team, after narrowly escaping with a 4-3 win over Arizona in their last game.
They’ve been alternating between wins and losses ever since their January 27 win over New Jersey, so they will be hoping to finally put two wins together. The Devils had back to back 7 goal performances prior to their 2-4 loss to Pittsburgh and I think that was their fall back down to reality. The Lightning, much like Pittsburgh, are one of the league’s elite teams and I expect the Lightning to also take care of the Devils by at least 2 goals in this one. The injuries are piling up for New Jersey and it will be too much to overcome against the defending champs.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning -1.5 (-110)
Washington Capitals @ Nashville Predators – 8.00PM ET
The Washington Capitals kick off their four game road trip on Tuesday when they take on the Nashville Predators. The Capitals have lost three of their last four games, and this takes their season record to 25-19-9. The Predators have also lost three of their last four games, with their only win coming against the Canucks, 4-2.
Marko Nadin
The Washington Capitals were on top of the Eastern Conference in December but now have fallen to the 7th place with a 26-15-9 record. The Capitals have lost 3 of the last 4 games and are coming off a 1-4 loss against one of the worst teams in the league, the Ottawa Senators. Washington is 4th in the NHL with 28.9 shots on goal per game. They have won only one of the last 7 games when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game. They have played under the total goals margin in 4 of the last 5 days following a one day rest.
The Nashville Predators are third in the Western Conference with a 28-16-4 record. The Predators are coming off two consecutive losses against Dallas and Winnipeg. Nashville has lost the last 4 games against a team with a winning record but has won 6 of the last 7 games on a Tuesday. The Predators have won 8 of the last 10 games against the Capitals.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Under 6 (-118)
Tony Battalio
Much like every other year, the way Alexander Ovechkin plays is the way the Washington Capitals play. Although this year it’s been slightly different as Ovi has been on a record breaking mission while the Capitals have been underwhelming at best. They come into this game with a record of 26-15-9 through their first 50 games of the season. With all the talent this team has, they should be well above the .500 mark but they are only two games above the mark. They will be desperate for a win in this one.
The Nashville Predators have been one of the better teams in the National Hockey League so far this season. They come into this game with a record of 28-16-4 as they are eight games above the .500 mark through their first 48 games of the season. They will be looking for a big win in this one against a talented Washington Capitals team. They are currently in third place in the Central Division. However, they have hit a rough stretch as of late as they’ve lost three of their last five games. As for the result of this game, I have Nashville getting back on track with a victory.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Nashville Predators (-137)
Jeffery Thomas
Nashville will try and stay out of the penalty box on Tuesday when they host a struggling Washington Capitals team. They’ve lost three of four and are averaging a league-high 12.3 penalty minutes a game. In their last game, a 2-5 loss to Winnipeg, they totaled 45 penalty minutes and allowed three power play goals. This will be an interesting matchup though, because Washington will bring in a struggling power play unit that has only scored on 2 of the last 14 man advantages. Giving Alex Ovechkin and company five or six chances at it in this one could be costly though, and Nashville will be well aware of that.
The Caps have a 3 game road winning streak going, despite only having a 6-9-2 record since 2022 started. Their last game was a home loss to Ottawa by a score of 1-4. This has not been a fun trip recently for the Capitals, as they are 0-4 in their last four trips to Nashville and just 1-8 in the last 9 overall. Getting Ovechkin back could be seen as a boost, but I think it’ll take time to fully integrate him back in the offense and for him to get his shooting touch back. The Preds have been a solid home team all season and I don’t see any reason why they can’t take care of business against this Capitals team that just can’t seem to get things figured out since the calendar flipped. Give me Nashville in this one.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Nashville Predators (-137)
Dallas Stars @ Colorado Avalanche – 9.00PM ET
The Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche, both from the Central Division, will face off against each other on Tuesday night in the NHL. The Stars and Avalanche played each other last time out, and it was a game the Avalanche won, 4-0. Can the Stars strike back, or will the Avalanche prove too good yet again?
Marko Nadin
These two teams will meet for the second time in three days as the Avalanche won 4-0 on Sunday in Dallas. Colorado has the best record in the league with 34-8-4 and have 17 wins and 2 losses in 2022. Darcy Kuemper is playing another amazing season and is one of the favorites to win the MVP award. Colorado is the second best team in the league scoring 4.1 goals per game while allowing 2.8. Colorado has won the last 4 games against teams with a winning record. They have played under the total goals margin in their last 6 games.
The Dallas Stars are 9th in the Western Conference with a 25-19-2 record. They have an up and down season, winning 7 straight games at one point but have many 3 to 4 games losing streaks. The Stars have won 3 of the last 5 overall games but have won the last 4 games on the road. They have played over the total goal margin in 4 of the last 5 games. Both teams have won 5 of their last 10 games.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Colorado Avalanche (-280)
Tony Battalio
The Dallas Stars come into this game with a record of 25-19-2 on the season. They are barely floating above the .500 mark through their first 46 games of the season. Dallas has been an up and down team all season long as they have failed to generate any kind of positive momentum at all, which is something they would like to turn around as the second half of the season gets underway. They are currently in fifth place in the Central Division and on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoffs at the moment.
Happy Valentines Day from our heartbreaker❤️🔥#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/ASlp56DGxY
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) February 14, 2022
The Colorado Avalanche are looking like the favorites to hoist the Stanley Cup trophy at the moment. They have the best record in the National Hockey League with a record of 34-8-4 as they are 22 games above the .500 mark through 46 games on the season. They will be looking to increase their division lead with a victory over Dallas in this game at home. They have won four of their last five games on the season. As for the result of this one, I have them picking up a third straight victory and wins in five of their last six games.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Colorado Avalanche (-280)
Jeffery Thomas
Dallas is heading to Colorado now to finish off the second leg of a home and away against the Avs. The first one went to the Avalanche 4-0 as they extended their point streak out to now 20 games! Colorado is in a neck and neck battle with Florida for the league’s best offense, with both teams averaging over 4 goals a contest. They love playing an up tempo style of hockey and despite the shutout over Dallas in the last game, they are far from a defense-oriented club. Prior to hitting a wall on Sunday against Colorado on Sunday, the Stars had produced 4.25 goals a game in the previous four games.
Those games were against a few great defenses too in Calgary, Boston and Nashville. They’ve also been less-sound defensively than what was expected this season, giving up 3.04 goals a game which is 13th most in the league. It’s hard for me to see Dallas stopping Colorado’s offense, much like we saw in the previous contest. But however, I do see Dallas actually contributing to the total this time around and I think we get good value on the total at 6 in this game. Home games for the Avalanche have averaged well over this mark and with a top 2 offense in the league they can clear this number on their own.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Over 6.5 (-108)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of writing, courtesy of FanDuel.
