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 a significant 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.
Detroit Red Wings @ Winnipeg Jets – 7.30PM ET
The Detroit Red Wings have just one game at home before hitting the road again, and on Wednesday night they face off against the Winnipeg Jets. The Red Wings are playing on back-to-back nights, and in their game yesterday they beat the Bruins, 5-3. The Jets have lost two games in a row, against the Maple Leafs and Kings, so they will be hoping to get back in the win column in this clash.
Marko Nadin
The Winnipeg Jets are 10th in the Western Conference with a 33-27-10 record and are 7 points behind the Dallas Stars who sit in the last place that leads into the playoffs. After winning three straight games that have ended up in a tie in regulation, the Jets have lost the last two games, most recently 2-3 to the Los Angeles Kings. The Jets are ranked 16th in the league with 3.1 goals per game. They have won 6 of the last 7 games against teams with a losing record of under 40%.
The Detroit Red Wings are 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 27-34-9 and the playoff chances for them are long gone. They are the only team in the league that has conceded at least 10 goals in a game twice this year. The Red Wings snapped a six-game losing streak with a 5-3 win over the Boston Bruins last night. Detroit is the team who allows the most goals in the league, 3.8. They have lost 74 of the last 93 road games and 4 of the last 5 games played on Wednesday.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Winnipeg Jets (-300)
Tony Battalio
The Winnipeg Jets will be playing the middle game of their three game homestand in this one. They come into this game after losing the opening to Los Angeles. They currently have a record of 33-27-10 through their first 70 games of the season. They find themselves in sixth place in the Central Division at the moment. They still have a puncher’s chance at a wild card spot as they are only six points out of the second wild card spot. However, they will need to start winning fast as the season is winding down quickly.
The Detroit Red Wings are playing the second game of a back to back in this one. In the first game of their back to back they beat the Bruins, 5-3. Now they come into this matchup with a record of 27-34-9 through their first 70 games of the season. They will be looking to keep the winning feeling alive in this one against the Winnipeg Jets. As for the result of this game, I have the Winnipeg Jets picking up the victory over the Detroit Red Wings.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Winnipeg Jets (-300)
Jeffery Thomas
The Winnipeg Jets will play game two of a quick three-game homestand on Wednesday when they host the Detroit Red Wings. Game one did not go the Jets’ way, as they lost a 2-3 nail biter to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. The story of the game was the power-play for Winnipeg and their struggles. The Jets were 0 for 6 with the man advantage and just ran into a hot goalie. It was possibly a costly loss, with Winnipeg now sitting six points back of the Vegas Knights for the second wild card spot in the West. The Red Wings will travel north of the border for their second game in two nights after beating the Boston Bruins 5-3 Tuesday night at home.
Goalie Alex Nedeljkovic had to make 47 saves in the win for the Wings and will surely get a well-earned night off against Winnipeg. The Red Wings, despite their great showing on Tuesday, are not a team I’m looking to back in this spot. That Bruins game was at home, where they are a much better team than when away from home ice. The Red Wings are just 19-74 in their last 93 road games and 17-73 in their last 90 games as a road underdog which is the case in this game. I have to follow the trends, because that is no small sample size, and go with Winnipeg.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Winnipeg Jets (-300)
Tampa Bay Lightning @ Washington Capitals – 7.30PM ET
The Tampa Bay Lightning hit the road for just one game when they face off against the Washington Capitals, who themselves wrap up a four game homestand. The Lightning will be looking to get back on track after dropping their last two games, against the Canadiens and Maple Leafs. The Capitals are in exactly the same boat, as they have dropped their last two games, and their defeats came against the Hurricanes and Wild.
Marko Nadin
The Washington Capitals are eighth in the Eastern Conference with a 37-22-10 record but their playoff berth is pretty safe since they have a 11-point lead to the New York Islanders who are next in the standings. The Capitals have lost the last two games scoring 1 goal in each of the two losses to Carolina and Minnesota. The Capitals are 12th in the league with 3.2 goals per game. They have won 6 of their last 7 games playing after 2 days of rest and 6 of the last 7 games against Eastern Conference opponents.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 43-19-7 record and are three points behind the New York Rangers who hold the last place that guarantees a home court advantage in the opening round of the playoffs. After winning four straight games, the defending champions have lost the last two games against Montreal and Toronto. They are ranked 8th in the league with 3.3 goals per game. Tampa Bay has won 82 of the last 105 games after scoring 2 or less goals in the previous one.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning (-146)
Tony Battalio
The two time defending Stanley Cup champions come into this game with a record of 43-19-7 through their first 69 games of the season. They currently find themselves in fourth place in the Atlantic Division as they trail the Florida Panthers by nine points. For the moment they no longer have a top three playoff spot and currently hold onto a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Tampa Bay Lightning are currently on a two game losing streak after dropping back to back games to the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Washington Capitals come into this game currently in possession of the second wild spot in the Eastern Conference. Which makes this game extremely important and gives it tons of playoff implications coming down the final stretch of the regular season. The Washington Capitals come into this game with a record of 37-22-10 through their first 69 games of the season. As long as Alexander Ovechkin stays healthy, the Washington Capitals will be a dark horse to win the Stanley Cup this season. As for the result of this one, I have Washington picking up the victory.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Washington Capitals (+122)
Jeffery Thomas
The Tampa Bay Lightning will hit the nation’s capital for one game before returning home on Friday for a heavyweight battle with the Boston Bruins. Tampa will be in search of a rebound after two home losses to the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs, which now leaves the champs at fourth in the Atlantic Division and in the first wild card spot. Occupying that second wild card is their opponent on Wednesday, the Washington Capitals. The Caps are searching for their first win over the Lightning on the season, after losing by one goal in each of the first two meetings.
Washington is also coming off a 1-5 defeat at the hands of the surging Minnesota Wild, so a win here would do a lot for their confidence heading down the final stretch of the regular season. Both teams come in looking to rebound and get a win. Tampa has won both meetings but now catching a desperate Capitals team on their home ice could be a problem. Pair that with the Lightning’s struggles and I think we have a good play here with Washington to cover the spread. It should be a tightly contested battle of two playoff teams and I see it being a one goal game either way.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Washington Capitals +1.5 (-205)
Seattle Kraken @ St. Louis Blues – 8.00PM ET
The Seattle Kraken kick off a short two game road trip tonight when they face off against the St. Louis Blues. The Kraken have split their last eight games, and this takes their overall record on the season to 22-41-6. The Blues have won four of their last five games, with their only loss in this time coming at the hands of the Oilers, 5-6, in overtime.
Marko Nadin
The St. Louis Blues are fourth in the Western Conference with a 39-20-10 record and have a chance to finish second in the conference as they are only 3 points behind Calgary and Minnesota. The Blues have won 4 of the last 5 games and are coming off a 5-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes. The Blues are ranked fifth in the league scoring 3.6 goals per game and third in the league converting 26.4% of the power play situations. St. Louis has won 8 of the last 10 games against teams from the Pacific Division.
The Seattle Kraken are 15th in the Western Conference with a 22-41-6 record in their first season joining the league. The Kraken have lost 3 of the last 5 games but are coming off a 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars. Seattle is ranked 29th in the league scoring 2.6 goals per game and 30th with 28.9 shots on goal per game. Seattle has lost 23 of the last 32 road games, 19 of the last 26 games against teams with a winning record and 26 of the last 35 games against Western Conference rivals.
Marko’s NHL Pick: St. Louis Blues (-250)
Tony Battalio
The Seattle Kraken have not had the ideal start in the National Hockey League that they were hoping for. They are going to finish their inaugural season towards the bottom of the league standings. The Seattle Kraken come into this game with a record of 22-41-6 through their first 69 games of the season. Seattle is currently in last place in the Pacific Division and that is unlikely to change from now until the end of the regular season. They are currently on a one game winning streak after getting a victory over the Dallas Stars.
The St. Louis Blues are coming into this game with a record of 39-20-10 through their first 69 games of the season. St. Louis is currently sitting in third place in the Central Division. They are currently on a two game winning streak after getting back to back victories over the Arizona Coyotes and Calgary Flames. They have been scoring off the charts during their first three games in April as they have totaled 16 goals, however they have given up 10. This needs to be improved if they want to finish the regular season strong. As for the result of this game, I have the Blues getting the victory.
Tony’s NHL Pick: St. Louis Blues (-250)
Jeffery Thomas
The St. Louis Blues will host the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday in hopes of continuing their dominant run against the Pacific Division. The Blues are in 3rd place of their Central Division but have an impressive 14-3-3 record against the Pacific. That includes two wins over the Kraken, their opponents for Wednesday, beating them 2-1 on January 13 and 5-0 eight days later on January 21. The Kraken will come in hoping to end the Blues five-game points streak after beating the Dallas Stars 4-1 on Sunday.
It’s been one of the best stretches of the year for the expansion Kraken, who have gone 5-4-1 in their last ten games. The St. Louis Blues have been streaky but we catch them here while they’re in good form against a bad opponent. The Kraken are starting to wave the white flag on their inaugural season and don’t have anything to play for so it’s hard to see a way they keep this one close on the road. Give me the Blues to win this one comfortably.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: St. Louis Blues -1.5 (+100)
Vancouver Canucks @ Vegas Golden Knights – 10.00PM ET
Two teams from the Pacific Division will go toe-to-toe on Wednesday night in the NHL when the Vancouver Canucks face off against the Vegas Golden Knights. This game will be the second leg of the back-to-back between these two teams. In the first game it was the Golden Knights who came out victorious, winning 3-2, in overtime. Will the Canucks be able to strike back instantly, or will it be another win for the Golden Knights?
Marko Nadin
The Vegas Golden Knights are ninth in the league with a 39-28-4 record and have a realistic chance to get to the playoffs as they are only one point behind the Dallas Stars who are eighth in the standings. The Golden Knights have won the last 5 games and are coming off a 3-2 overtime win over the Vancouver Canucks. They are ranked 15th in the league scoring 3.1 goals per game and allowing 2.9. Vegas has won the last 7 games against Pacific Division teams, the last 5 home games and the last 5 games against teams from the Western Conference.
The Vancouver Canucks are 11th in the Western Conference with a 32-28-10 record. They have lost the last three games, most recently 2-3 in overtime to the Golden Knights. Vancouver score and allow 2.8 goals per game which ranked them 22nd offensively and 10th defensively. Vancouver has won the last 5 games played after 2 days of rest, 7 of the last 10 games after scoring 2 or less goals in the previous one and 5 of the last 7 games played on Wednesday.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Vegas Golden Knights (-170)
Tony Battalio
The Vancouver Canucks are trying to make one final playoff push to end the regular season. They are much improved from last season and could even be a real contender coming into the 2022-23 National Hockey League season. Vancouver comes into this all important game against the Vegas Golden Knights with a record of 32-28-10 through their first 70 games of the season. They are only eight points out of the second wild card spot in the Western Conference. They will need to get a winning streak going quick as the season is winding down fast.
The Vegas Golden Knights held the lead in the Pacific Division for the majority of the season. However, as of late they have fallen back down the standings. Now they come into this game sitting in fourth place of the Pacific Division and they are in danger of missing the Stanley Cup playoffs completely. As they only hold a one point lead on the second wild card spot in the Western Conference. They come into this game with a record of 39-28-4 through their first 71 games of the season. As for the result of this game, I have the Vancouver Canucks getting the win.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Vancouver Canucks (+140)
Jeffery Thomas
Wednesday’s game between the Vancouver Canucks and Vegas Golden Knights will mark the second of three games between these clubs in a 10 day span. Game one went to the road Golden Knights, who prevailed 3-2 on Sunday thanks to the game-winning goal from Shea Theodore 2:05 into overtime. The win served as a dagger to the Canucks’ playoff hopes, as they were chasing the Knights for that final wild card spot and now sit 8 points back. It’s safe to say this game is a must-win and then the one on April 12th as well and pretty much both wins have to be in regulation to stop Vegas from extending their lead.
Easier said than done though, and it’ll be interesting to see how the Canucks respond. Both teams are in need of a win here, moreso for Vancouver but I see this as a win for the Knights. The Canucks are heading in the wrong direction right now and are showing their youth at the worst time of the season. Vegas will take advantage of an inexperienced club and sweep this home-and-home series.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Vegas Golden Knights (-170)
Calgary Flames @ Anaheim Ducks – 10.00PM ET
Another Pacific Division rivalry to close out the NHL for Wednesday, and this time we see the Calgary Flames go up against the Anaheim Ducks. The Flames put an end to their three game losing streak last time out, as they beat the Kings, 3-2. The Ducks are back to their losing ways again, as they have gone 1-12 in their last 13 games.
Marko Nadin
The Anaheim Ducks are 12th in the Western Conference with a 28-31-12 record. They have been one of the worst teams in the league lately losing 12 of the last 13 games defeating only the worst team in the conference, the Arizona Coyotes in that span. The Ducks are coming off a 1-6 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. They are ranked 24th in the league scoring 2.7 goals per game. Anaheim has lost 41 of the last 61 home games and 35 of the last 52 games against Western Conference rivals.
The Calgary Flames are second in the Western Conference with a 41-19-9 and are tied with the Minnesota Wild who are third. The Flames have lost 3 of the last 4 games but are coming off a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. The Flames are ranked second in the league allowing only 2.5 goals per game and seventh scoring 3.5 goals per game. Calgary has won 6 of the last 7 games as road favorites and 9 of the last 12 games when the opponent scores 2 or less goals in the previous game.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Calgary Flames (-265)
Tony Battalio
The Calgary Flames picked up a massive win in their last game against the Los Angeles Kings. Now they will be looking to add another big win in this game against the Anaheim Ducks. As they look to keep the rest of the Pacific Division at bay and lock up the division with only a few weeks left in the regular season. The Flames come into this game with a record of 41-19-9 through their first 69 games of the season. After their win over the Kings they now hold a five point lead in the division with 13 regular season games remaining.
The Anaheim Ducks have had a roller coaster of a season. They have had exciting winning streaks and demoralizing losing streaks as well. Now they come into this game with a record of 28-31-12 though their first 71 games of the season. They currently find themselves in sixth place in the Pacific Division and are all but officially eliminated from the playoffs at this point. As for the result of this game, I think the Calgary Flames are going to go on the road and get the victory over the Anaheim Ducks.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Calgary Flames (-265)
Jeffery Thomas
The Calgary Flames were able to extend their lead in the Pacific Division out to 5 points with a 3-2 win over the second place Los Angeles Kings Monday night. This win avenged the 2-3 shootout loss that the Flames took to the Kings just last Wednesday in Calgary. With the Flames having three games in hand on Los Angeles, they have to feel good about their chances of securing the division title, but will have to continue taking care of business down the stretch. That will start on Wednesday with a game against the Anaheim Ducks who took a 1-6 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday.
The loss was the Ducks’ 12th loss in their last 13 games and gave the Oilers a clean sweep of Anaheim in their three matchups this season. We may be in for a low-scoring affair here with both teams not really lighting the lamp at a high clip right now. The Flames are averaging just 2.5 goals a game in their last four and have seen six or fewer goals scored in 8 of their last 13 games. The Ducks have seen six or fewer goals in 6 of their last 8 games so I love the play of the under here in this clash.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Under 6 (-108)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of writing, courtesy of FanDuel.
