Matt's Picks (1 Live)
Not sure what to expect from Nashville's Matt Murray (not the Seattle one) in his first NHL start since the 2023-24 season, but he faces a Hawks offense that is third-to-last in the league, and Murray had good numbers in the AHL this year. Chicago's Spencer Knight has a 2.52 home GAA. Two of the three matchups this season in the series have landed Under. The Preds average 2.8 goals away. This is our only book at 6.5 and may flip to 5.5 soon.
Another big game in the East playoff race between these Original Six rivals. Probably a coin flip/pass at a neutral site, but the Bruins are well under .500 away and No. 1 goalie Jeremy Swayman's 3.29 road GAA is nearly a goal higher than at home. The Wings get a few injured guys back but not quite Dylan Larkin yet, so will keep to a half-unit -- also to ensure finishing up in hockey thanks to Columbus' just-completed cover.
I lean toward a push like we got in Jets-Penguins earlier this afternoon but maybe we get lucky. Seattle is no slouch but outscored 9-3 in a two-game skid and .500 away. Columbus has the league's fewest regulation home losses and has won three straight overall. The Blue Jackets, a completely different team since a mid-January coaching change -- turnarounds seem to happen more with NHL midseason coaching changes than other leagues -- are fully healthy and won the first meeting in a shootout.
The Pens can't lose on Kris Letang bobblehead day! I wouldn't mind having one of the future Hall of Famer myself (rather have Sidney Crosby, who just returned from his long injury absence) even if not a fan of the team. It is Pittsburgh's first home game since March 8 and it has won 20 of the past 23 on home ice in this series. The Jets, in the front of a B2B, enter having lost two in a row to probably end any slim playoff hopes. The Pens are an East playoff team as things stand but it's very tight and a regulation loss could knock them out temporarily. Bryan Rust has a five-game points streak and Rickard Rakell seven in a row.
I don't want to play -1 even though it's pry the smart move. Feels like a one-goal LA win. Second of a B2B for the Flyers, which means No. 2 netminder Samuel Ersson and his 3.50 road GAA. The Kings definitely have the better goalie in Darcy Kuemper. And Philly is without top-six forward Sean Couturier (29 points).
I sound like a broken record regarding the books continually listing the Sharks as home dogs and us capitalizing. They are an NHL-best 23-9 ATS on home ice. They haven't been there since March 7. I'm fine with this number at +1.5 although if you wanted to save some $$ and play +1 that's probably fine but obviously might push. I'd be much more OK with +1 if Sabres top forward Alex Tuch (57 points, +17) sits. He missed Tuesday's win in Vegas with an injury.
Anaheim is an excellent 22-10-1 at home (10-2 in past 12) as they return home from a four-game road trip. Lukas Dostal is 17-5-1 on home ice. This starts the California Swing for the Flyers and is the front of a back-to-back. Ideally we get Samuel Ersson instead of Dan Vladar in net, but I'm fine either way. The Ducks have 21 comeback wins, most in the league and tied for the fourth most in a single season in franchise history. Rising star Cutter Gauthier, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 draft by Philly, has seven game-winning goals. Fellow top forward Troy Terry returned Sunday from a nine-game injury absence and had three points.
This screams letdown game for the Penguins even with Sidney Crosby's return; he has been out since the Olympics, and I still think Canada wins gold if he was available for that game. Would rather beat the best. End of a five-game trip for Pittsburgh and off one of the most shocking wins of any team this season: 7-2 in Denver on Monday. If the Pens can beat the Avs and then the Hurricanes, maybe the league's two best teams, on the road in back-to-back outings, well then major kudos. It is Carolina's only home game in a span of about three weeks and it could largely put away the Metro Division with a regulation win.
Very solid price Tuesday on Seattle at home, where it is 23-12 ATS. A very long road trip is up next so it's crucial to get at least a point for West wild-card hopes. Trade acquisition Bobby McMann finally made his Seattle debut over the weekend off injury and post-trade from Toronto and has totaled five points in two games with his new club. Underrated addition at the deadline. The Lightning have been mediocre since the Olympic break and this starts a four-game trip. The Bolts have lost five of their past six away.
Last meeting between Original Six rivals and important in the East playoff race. Boston is a fine team but dragged to overtime last night in a loss at New Jersey to fall to 1-8 in its past nine road games. The Bruins did save No. 1 goalie Jeremy Swayman for tonight, but his road GAA of 3.32 is more than a goal higher than his home number, and Swayman has a 3.68 GAA in three starts this season against Montreal.
Half-unit as Boston is the better team but starting its much weaker goalie in the front end of a B2B in Joonas Korpisalo. He has allowed 10 goals in losing his past two and is 2-5-3 with a 3.54 GAA on the road this season. Boston is under .500 away and has just two road wins since Jan. 17. New Jersey and Team USA star Jack Hughes is one point away from 400 career in the NHL, and he's on pace to get there faster than anyone in franchise history.
End of a five-game trip for the Flames, who will be eliminated from West playoff contention sooner rather than later and are the NHL's lowest-scoring club. The Wings are battling to make the East field and would seem way too talented to miss out again. Hopefully a sense of urgency Monday on a three-game skid but those were all away. Detroit is 18-11-3 at home. It also won 4-3 in Calgary on Dec. 10.
Fourth straight road game for the Preds, who are 12-18 away including OT/SO losses. Could see some history tonight as Connor McDavid is two goals shy of 400. He has a whopping 17-game points streak vs. Nashville, and his points-per-game mark of 1.85 vs. the Predators is the NHL's best ever (minimum 20 games played). We do get Edmonton's better goalie, which isn't saying a ton, in Connor Ingram. He is 6-3-1 with a 2.90 GAA on home ice. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is expected to play after missing Friday. Will take the Ottawa $$ and roll it into this play. It's Preds backup Justus Annunen, and he's 2-5-2 with a 3.60 GAA away.
The Sharks are giving Laurent Brossoit his first NHL start since April 2024 as they play the fourth game of a five-game trip and the second of a back-to-back (fourth game in six). Blueliner Igor Chernyshov was hurt Saturday and will sit. Second of a back-to-back for the Sens, too, but they didn't travel. Interestingly, they will give Linus Ullmark his second start in a row, but he wasn't all that busy with 23 saves in blanking Anaheim on Saturday. Ottawa is 10-2-2 in its past 14 games.