NHL Daily Picks
Hitting on underdogs can be the quickest way to a profit when betting on sports. Which of tonight’s dogs make the best bets tonight in an NHL slate that consists of 11 games?
Los Angeles Kings at Pittsburgh Penguins, 7PM ET
According to oddsmakers at YouWager, the Penguins are listed as a -170 favorite to win on the moneyline. The Kings are a +150 underdog, while the total is set at 5.5 goals. Pittsburgh opened as a -190 favorite before the line was bet down.
As of Thursday afternoon, 62 percent of public bets have come in on the Penguins. Online wager info also shows 78 percent of bets siding with the over.
Goaltending can take you far in the NHL and the Kings have a really good one in Jonathan Quick, who can carry his teams to wins when he’s hot. He’ll be needing to have his ‘A’ game tonight against a potent Pittsburgh attack. The Penguins won the first meeting this season by a 3-1 score in Los Angeles on Jan. 18. But last season, the Kings swept the season series and won 1-0 in overtime in the game at Pittsburgh. While the last 10 meetings are deadlocked at 5-5, LA has had more success as of late with wins in four of the last five matchups. Look for the Kings to keep it going tonight as a big underdog.
Washington Capitals at Minnesota Wild, 8PM ET
Oddsmakers at YouWager have made the Wild a -155 favorite to win on the moneyline. The Capitals are a +135 underdog, while the total sits at 5.5 goals. Minnesota opened as a -130 fave before the line moved up significantly.
Public betting info shows that 58 percent of wagers are siding with visiting Washington. Online bets have also come in at a rate of 77 percent on the over.
This is a great price to grab the talented Capitals at as an underdog. It’s a team with the ability to beat anyone on any given night, no matter the location. Washington won the first meeting this season by a 3-1 score on its home ice and have won six consecutive meetings in the series. One area to always check with a line such as this is the injury report and the Capitals have no one listed. Additionally, No. 1 goalie Braden Holtby is expected to be between the pipes. Washington has lost two in a row, but both were in overtime. Minnesota has won two in a row, but both at home against subpar opponents in the Blackhawks and Rangers. There is a lot to love about a bet on the Capitals here.
Edmonton Oilers at Las Vegas Golden Knights, 10PM ET
According to oddsmakers at YouWager, the Golden Knights are priced as a -210 favorite on the spread line. The Oilers are a +175 underdog, while the total is set at an unusually high 6.5 goals.
As of Thursday afternoon, 76 percent of public bets have come in on the Golden Knights. Online wager info also shows 63 percent of bets on the over.
This would be a shot in the dark bet at best and I wouldn’t recommend placing a lot of money on the Oilers, but as this big of an underdog it might be worth the risk. Edmonton is weak defensively and has subpar goaltending, but one thing it is capable of is getting into a shootout. All it takes is one hot Connor McDavid to tilt this contest in Edmonton’s favor. Let’s also not forget that Las Vegas is still an expansion franchise and some regression has to be expected despite the unbelievable season. This is the third meeting this season between the two franchises and the Oilers have come out on top both times, winning 8-2 on their home ice in November and 3-2 in overtime at Las Vegas last month.
Edmonton has lost four in a row, but have played some tough opponents during that stretch. Las Vegas is only 3-3 in its last six games and has shown signs of weakness. This might be a great opportunity to cash in on a big underdog.