Here are tonight’s NHL predictions and best bets:
Columbus Blue Jackets (29-21-8) at New York Rangers (23-29-7)
Embed from Getty ImagesBlue Jackets (-120) at Rangers (+100) – Total 6 (Over, -120)
7 p.m. ET
The Blue Jackets have stumbled out of the Olympic break with a pair of losses to Boston and the Islanders, two teams that they are chasing to overtake for a playoff spot. Columbus badly outshot the Bruins and lost 4-2. They jumped out to a 2-0 lead on the Islanders and rallied to tie the game at three before losing in overtime. The Rangers are coming off a 3-2 shootout win over Pittsburgh on Saturday, rallying from down 2-0. They are seeking back-to-back home wins for the first time this season and consecutive wins for the first time since mid-December (18th, 20th).
The Blue Jackets are on the front end of a back-to-back as they host Nashville on Tuesday. Columbus is 7-3 this season on both ends of back-to-backs. Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski has an assist in seven of his last eight games and an assist in three of the last four games against the Rangers.
New York has won nine of the last 12 meetings between the two teams, including a 2-1 shootout win at Columbus back in November. Mika Zibanejad opened the scoring for the Rangers in that contest, one of the 15 times he has scored the team’s first goal of the game this season. He has points in four consecutive games against Columbus and eight of his last 10 home games overall.
Columbus is 3-1 as a road favorite and 15-5 overall in the favorite role this season. The Rangers’ seven home wins put them only ahead of Vancouver for the fewest home wins this season.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Columbus Blue Jackets 1st period ML (-125) – .50 units
Columbus Blue Jackets ML (-120) – 1 unit
Mika Zibanejad anytime goal (+195) – .10 units
Mika Zibanejad 1st Rangers goal (+600) – .05 units
Mika Zibanejad point/Werenski assist (+148) – .50 units
Colorado Avalanche (39-10-9) at Los Angeles Kings (24-21-14)
Avalanche (-170) at Kings (+140) – Total 5.5 (Over, -135)
10:30 p.m. ET
The change that many Kings fans wanted was finally made, but is it too late? Jim Hiller was fired on Sunday as head coach of the LA Kings and replaced on an interim basis by DJ Smith. What this means from a betting perspective is that the Kings are “live” as they are getting the new coach bump. It’s not what you want in your first game as head coach to face the number one team in the NHL. Smith joked at his introductory press conference, “Maybe MacKinnon and Makar will come down with the flu.” He then went on to say that he has to focus on what his team needs to do to be successful, and it sounds like he is going to allow this team to be more creative offensively. I like the Kings to score the first goal of the first period, and I will take a shot that they get the new coach bump and get the victory. Adrian Kempe has opened the scoring for LA a team-high 11 times.
On to the props. The Avs’ Cale Makar has picked up an assist in six of his last eight games against Los Angeles. Nathan MacKinnon has a helper in seven consecutive games against the Kings. Brock Nelson has six goals in 13 games against Kings projected starting goalie, Anton Forsberg.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Los Angeles Kings 1st goal/1st period (+160) – .25 units
Los Angeles Kings Money Line (+140) – .25 units
Makar/MacKinnon each Over ½ assist (+138) – 1 unit
Brock Nelson anytime goal (+195) – .10 units
Adrian Kempe anytime goal (+220) – .10 units
Adrian Kempe 1st Kings goal (+650) – .05 units
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