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!
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Look below to find our free NHL picks, as we preview the five games on today’s schedule.
Philadelphia Flyers @ Winnipeg Jets – 7.30PM ET
The Philadelphia Flyers are on the road for their penultimate game of the regular season when they face off against the Winnipeg Jets. This is a game between two teams that will not be making an appearance in the playoffs this season, as the Flyers have a season record of 25-44-11, while the Jets have a season record of 36-32-11.
Marko Nadin
The Winnipeg Jets are 11th in the Western Conference with a 36-32-11 record. They are coming off a 4-1 win over the top team in the Conference, the Colorado Avalanche, which put an end to their four-game losing streak. The Jets are 12th in the league with 32.3 shots on goal per game 21st allowing 3.2 goals per game. They have won 4 of the last 5 games when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game and 8 of the last 10 games against teams with a winning percentage below .400.
The Philadelphia Flyers changed the coach mid-season but that didn’t help them at all as they are 15th in the Eastern Conference with a 25-44-11 record. The Flyers are coming off a 1-3 loss against the Chicago Blackhawks that put an end to their two-game winning streak. The Flyers are 27th in the league allowing 3.6 goals per game and 28th scoring only 2.6 goals per game. Philadelphia has won 6 of the last 10 games against Winnipeg but have lost 37 of the last 52 road games.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Winnipeg Jets (-200)
Tony Battalio
The Philadelphia Flyers don’t have much to play for down the final stretch of this season. They have had a miserable year as they come into this game with a record of 25-44-11 through their first 80 games of the season. They are sitting in last place in the Metropolitan Division at the moment and that is likely where they will finish the year at. They come into this on a one game losing streak after losing their last game to the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Winnipeg Jets are coming into this game with a record of 36-32-11 through their first 79 games of the season. They have hung on in playoff contention up until the last week or so of the season. They are currently sitting in sixth place in the Central Division. They enter this one on a one game winning streak after getting a win in their last game against the Colorado Avalanche. As for the result of this one, I am going with the Winnipeg Jets to pick up the victory.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Winnipeg Jets (-200)
Jeffery Thomas
Wednesday will be the last road game for the Philadelphia Flyers and it will take place north of the border in Winnipeg versus the Jets. The Flyers are coming off a 1-3 loss on the road to the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday and have a record of 3-4-0 away from home in the month of April. The Winnipeg Jets are playing their last three games of the season at home and started that stretch with a huge 4-1 upset win over the Colorado Avalanche.
The win was significant in name value but with the Avs not having anything to play for at this point in the season, there was a bit of steam taken off of it. Both teams will try and salvage whatever is left of their disappointing seasons. The Jets though, are the way I’m looking for this one as they have the much better team and will have the home-ice advantage. They can build off that 4-1 win last time out and give their fans a little something to cheer about before the season comes to an end.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Winnipeg Jets (-200)
Montreal Canadiens @ New York Rangers – 7.30PM ET
The Montreal Canadiens are on the road for this clash with the New York Rangers. The Canadiens have been out of playoff contention for a very long time, and they have a season record of 20-49-11. The Rangers will have to back up from a disappointing game last night, when they went down to the Hurricanes 3-4, and ending any chance of catching them for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division.
Marko Nadin
The New York Rangers are third in the Eastern Conference with a 51-23-6 record. They have lost the last two games after winning the previous four. The Rangers lost 3-4 against the Carolina Hurricanes in the last one. The Rangers are the second-best defensive team in the league when it comes to goals allowed as they concede only 2.5 goals per game and they are ranked 16th with 3.1 scored goals per game. The Rangers have won 24 of the last 30 games against Atlantic Division opponents.
The Montreal Canadiens are on the very bottom of the Eastern Conference with a 20-49-11 record. The Canadiens have lost 9 games and are coming off a 3-5 loss to the Boston Bruins. The Canadiens are ranked the last in the league with 3.9 allowed goals per game and second to last scoring 2.6 goals per game. The Canadiens have lost 40 of the last 59 games as underdogs, 38 of the last 52 games against Eastern Conference rivals and 21 of the last 27 against Metropolitan Division teams.
Marko’s NHL Pick: New York Rangers (-225)
Tony Battalio
It has been such a disappointing season for the Montreal Canadiens. Especially because they are a year removed from making a run all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. They come into this game with a record of 20-49-11 through their first 80 games of the season. They currently sit in last place of the Atlantic Division and that is likely where they will finish the regular season. They come into this one on a nine game losing streak at the moment.
The New York Rangers have been one of the biggest surprises of the 2021-22 National Hockey League season. As not many people would’ve expected them to compete for a Stanley Cup trophy this season. New York is sitting in second place in the Metropolitan Division. They will be playing the second game of a back to back of this one after facing off with the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. As for the result of this game, I am with the New York Rangers to get the win.
Tony’s NHL Pick: New York Rangers (-225)
Jeffery Thomas
The Montreal Canadiens are playing their second to last game of the season on Wednesday on the road against the New York Rangers and I’m sure their fans are ready for this nightmare to end. The Canadiens were in the Stanley Cup Finals last season and followed that up by taking a complete nose dive this year, and are tied with the Arizona Coyotes for least amount of points in the entire NHL.
Their 3-5 loss to the Boston Bruins on Sunday extended their losing streak out to 9 games and they’re now facing a Rangers team that lost 3-4 to the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. The Rangers loss knocked them out of contention for the division title so it’s possible we see limited minutes for their main guys in this game. Even with that being the case, they should have no problems with this Montreal team that doesn’t even look like they want to be out there anymore. Give me the Rangers here all day.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: New York Rangers (-225)
Vegas Golden Knights @ Chicago Blackhawks – 8.30PM ET
The Vegas Golden Knights are on the road for their penultimate game when they travel to Chicago to face off against the Blackhawks. The Golden Knights had an important game last night against the Stars, they needed to win to close the gap between them and the Stars, who are both fighting for the final Wild Card spot, unfortunately they lost in a shootout, 2-3. The Blackhawks are only playing for pride at the moment, as they have been long eliminated from playoff contention.
Marko Nadin
The Chicago Blackhawks are 14th in the Western Conference with a 27-42-11 record. They have won 2 of the last 4 games and are coming off a 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. The Blackhawks are 27th in the league scoring 2.6 goals and 26th allowing 3.5 goals per game. Chicago has won 6 of the last 7 games played on Wednesday, but have lost 7 of the last 10 games played after one day of rest, 50 of the last 70 as underdog and 42 of the last 51 against a team with a winning record.
The Vegas Golden Knights are ninth in the Western Conference with a 42-31-7 record. They have lost 4 of the last 5 games with the last two after a shootout. Vegas is 13th in the league with 3.2 goals per game and 14th allowing 3 goals per game. Vegas has won 7 of the last 10 games against Chicago, 11 of the last 16 as home favorites and 57 of the last 84 games against teams with a losing record. The Golden Knights have played over the total goals margin in 5 of the last 6 games against Western Conference opponents.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Vegas Golden Knights (-210)
Tony Battalio
The Vegas Golden Knights are playing the second game of a back to back in this one. In the first game of the back to back they lost to the Dallas Stars which effectively ended their Stanley Cup playoff hopes after such a promising start to the season. They come into this game with a record of 42-31-7 through their first 80 games of the season. They spent half the season in the lead of their division but injuries caught up to them and sent them tumbling down the standings throughout the season.
The Chicago Blackhawks are coming into this one with a record of 27-42-11 through their first 80 games of the season. They got a win in their last game which has them on a winning streak coming into this one. They had a slow start to the season that they couldn’t quite recover from and it cost them a playoff spot this season as they will finish the year at the bottom of the Central Division. As for the result of this game, I am going with the Vegas Golden Knights to get the victory.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Vegas Golden Knights (-210)
Jeffery Thomas
The Chicago Blackhawks ended a two-game losing streak last time out with their 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday. It was just the 5th win for the Hawks in their last 20 games but it was still something for their home fans to cheer about after such a long season. Their home finale is now set for this Wednesday game against the Vegas Golden Knights who will be on the back-to-back. The Knights lost a 2-3 shootout to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday and that 1 point they got from not losing in regulation could prove crucial.
That kept them from officially being eliminated and they now need to win each of their last two games and for the Stars to lose both of theirs in regulation. Going to be an interesting end to the season for both teams. Vegas knows exactly what spot they are in and what they need to do to keep their playoff hopes alive. The good news for them is this Blackhawks team won’t provide much resistance and with the motivation factor, I see the Knights coming out angry and jumping all over them. Vegas gets the win here and sets them up for a possibly huge game to end the year in St. Louis versus the Blues.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Vegas Golden Knights (-210)
Arizona Coyotes @ Dallas Stars – 8.30PM ET
The Arizona Coyotes are on the road for this game before returning home for their final game of the season, and tonight they will face off against the Dallas Stars. The Coyotes will not be playing in the postseason this year, but they did get a nice morale boosting win over the Wild last night, 5-3. The Stars got a very important win yesterday over the Golden Knights, 3-2, in a shootout, as this put more distance between the two teams, who are still fighting for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.
Marko Nadin
The Dallas Stars are 8th in the Western Conference with a 45-30-5 record and have a 4 points advantage over the Vegas Golden Knights which will probably be enough to stay on the last place that leads into the playoffs. The Stars have won the last two games, most importantly 3-2 in a shootout against Vegas in the last one. Dallas is ranked 21st in the league with 2.8 goals per game and 15th allowing 3 goals per game. Dallas has won 23 of the last 32 games as home favorites and 10 of the last 14 games against teams with a losing record under 40%.
The Arizona Coyotes are at the bottom of the Western Conference with a 23-50-7 record. They are coming off a 5-3 win over the Minnesota Wild which put an end to their 10-game losing streak. Arizona is ranked 30th in the league allowing 3.8 goals per game and the last in the league scoring only 2.5 goals per game. Arizona has lost 57 of the last 86 road games and 38 of the last 52 games against a Western Conference opponent.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Dallas Stars -2.5 (+100)
Tony Battalio
The Arizona Coyotes are coming into this game after playing the first game of a back to back on Tuesday night. They picked up a win over the Minnesota Wild in the first game of the back to back. Now they come into this game looking to make it two victories in two nights. They come into this game with a record of 23-50-7 through their first 80 games of the season. They have had a disappointing year filled with tons of external drama, as well as bad play on the ice.
The Dallas Stars come into this game after also playing the first game of a back to back on Tuesday. In that game they picked up a big win over the Vegas Golden Knights that basically clinched their place in the Stanley Cup playoffs. They are only a single win or a Golden Knights loss away from clinching their spot in the postseason. They currently have a record of 45-30-5 through their first 80 games of the season. As for the result of this one, I have the Dallas Stars getting the win.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Dallas Stars (-520)
Jeffery Thomas
The surprise game of the slate on Tuesday was the last-place Arizona Coyotes snapping the 5-game winning streak of the Minnesota Wild in Minnesota. Arizona hadn’t won a game in their previous 10, so this game even being competitive came as a surprise and now the Coyotes will try and play giant slayer again on Wednesday against the Dallas Stars.
The Stars got a huge shootout win and 2 points on Tuesday against the Vegas Golden Knights and now all they need to do in these final two games is get 1 point to clinch a playoff spot. That one point can be attained by way of an overtime or shootout loss or any type of win and I don’t think we’ll get much drama in this situation. The Stars won’t fall victim to the fate of the Wild and lose to Arizona. This game will be a straightforward victory for Dallas who doesn’t have any margin for error.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Dallas Stars (-520)
Los Angeles Kings @ Seattle Kraken – 10.00PM ET
The fifth and final game on tonight’s schedule for the NHL will see the Los Angeles Kings travel to Seattle to take on the Kraken. The Kings have finally been confirmed for the playoffs this season, as they have a record of 43-27-10.. The Kraken on the other hand, had a fairly difficult first season in the NHL, and will not be in the playoffs.
Marko Nadin
The Seattle Kraken are 15th in the Western Conference with a 26-46-6 record. They have lost the last three games all on the road in which they scored exactly 2 goals. The last one they lost to the Vancouver Canucks by 2-5. The Kraken are 30th in the league with 2.6 goals per game and 20th scoring 2.9 goals per game. Seattle won the last game against the Kings after losing the first two this season. Seattle has won 4 of the last 5 home games but has lost 31 of the last 42 against Western Conference opponents.
The Los Angeles Kings are sixth in the Western Conference with a 43-27-10 record. They have won the last 4 games most recently 4-2 against the Anaheim Ducks. The Kings are ranked 20th in the league scoring 2.9 goals per game and are ninth allowing 2.8. Los Angeles have won 8 of the last 9 games as favorites, 4 of the last 5 against Western Conference teams and 13 of the last 19 road games.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Los Angeles Kings (-170)
Tony Battalio
The Los Angeles Kings are coming into this game with a record of 43-27-10 through their first 80 games of the season. They have clinched their playoff spot as they will likely finish third in the Pacific Division. They are coming into this game on a four game winning streak at the moment. They are a serious dark horse team to bring home the Stanley Cup in my opinion, as long as they remain healthy throughout the playoffs.
The Seattle Kraken are coming into this game with a record of 26-46-6 through their first 78 games of the season. They currently come into this one after a terrible first season in the National Hockey League. They will look to be a bit more competitive in year two of their franchise. They will be playing the second game of a back to back in this one after facing off with the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. As for the result of this one, I’m going with the Los Angeles Kings to get the win.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Los Angeles Kings (-170)
Jeffery Thomas
The Los Angeles Kings are making sure there is no doubt of their form entering the postseason and that is backed up by their current four-game winning streak. It has been anchored by their solid defense, which is only giving up an average of 1.25 goals per game in that span. Saturday was their home finale and they got a 4-2 win over their in-state rival Anaheim Ducks to move them to 96 points on the season, 2 behind the second place Edmonton Oilers in the Pacific Division.
They’ll now take on the last place team in the division on Wednesday, the Kraken who were in Vancouver on Tuesday for a game with the Canucks. The Kraken have nothing left to play for but pride and that won’t get the job done here against a red-hot Kings team. If everything goes Los Angeles’ way, they can still catch the Oilers for second-place in the Pacific and get home ice in the postseason, so I’m not expecting a letdown performance from them here. I like the Kings to take care of business on the road with their rest advantage and beat the Kraken in regulation.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Moneyline (3-way) – Los Angeles Kings (-105)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of writing, courtesy of FanDuel.
