Other than the Panthers trying to chase down the Devils in the Eastern Conference and the Avalanche battling it out with St. Louis (with Dallas as a longshot) for a wild card spot in the West, the 16-team field for the Stanley Cup playoffs is almost set.
However, there’s still a lot left to be decided when it comes to how those teams will be seeded when the playoffs get underway in a couple of weeks. None of the division titles have been decided yet (although Washington, Vegas and Nashville have healthy leads), and many teams could either finish in the top 3 of their division or end up as a wild card.
So although Tampa Bay and Boston have long known they’re headed for the playoffs, tonight’s meeting in Boston is still a massive one. Tampa holds just a 1-point lead over the Bruins for top spot in the Atlantic Division, and winning the division means facing a wild card in the opening round, rather than the dangerous Maple Leafs.
Elsewhere tonight, Pittsburgh/New Jersey and San Jose/Nashville are possible first-round playoff previews, while the Blue Jackets, Panthers, Wild and Kings all have a chance to improve their playoff positioning with a win. Dallas also needs a win tonight in Minnesota to keep its slim postseason hopes alive. Take all of that into account, and it shapes up to be another great night of NHL action.
We’re going with 3 bets for tonight, including taking a shot at our biggest underdog of the season. Good luck on whatever you’re betting tonight, and we’ll be back again Saturday.
Odds below are at the time we made the pick. Be sure to check out our live odds page for updated odds on today’s games.
Reasons to bet Tampa: The Lightning should be focused after losing its past 2 games (including 4-1 at home to Arizona on Monday) and also having lost both their meetings with the Bruins this year. Boston is playing its first home game following a 4-game road trip and just its second home game since March 10.
Reasons to bet Boston: The Bruins have collected points in 6 straight (3-0-3) and are 25-7-5 at home this season. Tampa has lost 7 of the last 8 meetings.
Other things to know:
- Boston beat Tampa 3-0 March 17 in Tampa and 3-2 Nov. 29 in Boston
- Boston has gone to overtime in 4 of its last 5 games
- Tampa is 24-12-2 on the road
- The Over is 47-28 in Tampa’s games this year
- The Over is 7-2 in Boston’s last 9 home games
Probable goalies: Vasilevskiy, Rask (confirmed)
Reasons to bet San Jose: The Sharks are 8-0-1 in their last 9 games. Nashville has gone 4 straight games without a regulation time win, scoring just 8 goals during that span (excluding shootouts).
Reasons to bet Nashville: The Predators are 26-8-4 at home. San Jose has lost 11 of its last 12 visits to Nashville.
Other things to know:
- Nashville beat San Jose 7-1 Feb. 22 in Nashville
- San Jose beat Nashville 4-1 Nov. 1 in San Jose
- San Jose is 20-12-7 on the road
- San Jose has scored 39 regulation time goals in its last 9 games
- Both teams are playing their 4th game in 6 days
- The Over is 7-2 in San Jose’s last 9 games
- Nashville has allowed 2 regulation time goals or less in 8 of its last 9 home games
Probable goalies: Jones (confirmed), Saros
Reasons to bet Arizona: The Coyotes are 15-7-2 in their last 24 games, including a 3-2 victory last night in Vegas. LA has lost 3 of its last 4 home games versus Arizona and 5 of the last 6 meetings overall.
Reasons to bet Los Angeles: The Kings have been off for the last 2 days while Arizona is playing back to back, 3 in 4, 4 in 6 and 6 in 9. The Coyotes are playing their final game of a 6-game road trip.
Other things to know:
- Arizona beat LA 4-3 in a shootout March 13 in Arizona and 3-2 in OT Nov. 24 in Arizona
- LA beat Arizona 6-0 Feb. 3 in LA
- Arizona is 12-19-7 on the road
- LA is 20-14-3 at home
- Arizona has scored 4+ goals in 4 of its last 6 games
- LA has allowed 5 regulation time goals in its last 4 games and 4 goals in its last 4 home games
- The road team has won 9 of the last 13 meetings
Probable goalies: Kuemper, Campbell
Reasons to bet Detroit: The Red Wings held the Penguins to just 24 shots in a 5-2 win over Pittsburgh Tuesday in Detroit. Buffalo is 11-23-5 at home.
Reasons to bet Buffalo: The Sabres are coming off a 3-2 win Monday in Toronto and have won 5 of their last 6 meetings with the Red Wings. Detroit has lost 11 straight games on the road and is 2-12-1 in its last 15 overall.
Other things to know:
- Buffalo beat Detroit 3-2 in OT Feb. 22 in Detroit
- Detroit beat Buffalo 3-1 Nov. 17 in Detroit
- The Under is 7-1-1 in the last 9 meetings
- Detroit has allowed 4+ goals in 7 of its last 9 games
- Buffalo has scored 5 goals in its last 5 games
- Buffalo has allowed 25 regulation time goals in its last 7 home games
- Detroit is playing its 3rd game in 4 days and 4th in 6
Probable goalies: Howard, Lehner (confirmed)
Reasons to bet Pittsburgh: The Penguins look to rebound from a 5-2 loss Tuesday in Detroit and also to avenge 3 losses to New Jersey earlier this season.
Reasons to bet New Jersey: The Devils have won 3 straight and 6 of 8, including victories over the Predators, Golden Knights, Kings, Penguins and Lightning. Pittsburgh continues to struggle on the road, losing 4 of its last 5 away from home to fall to 15-20-4 on the road this year.
Other things to know:
- New Jersey beat Pittsburgh 4-3 in OT March 23 in Pittsburgh, 3-2 Feb. 27 in Pittsburgh and 3-1 Feb. 3 in New Jersey
- Pittsburgh has allowed 4+ goals in 4 of its last 5 games, 5 of 7 and 6 of 9
- Pittsburgh has scored 3+ goals in 6 of its last 8 games
- New Jersey has allowed 3+ goals in 4 of its last 5 games and 7 of 10
- The Under is 8-3-1 in the last 12 meetings in New Jersey
- Pittsburgh has lost 16 of its last 22 visits to New Jersey
- The Over is 9-1 in Pittsburgh’s last 10 road games
Probable goalies: Murray (confirmed), Kinkaid (confirmed)
Reasons to bet Florida: This is basically a must-win game for Florida’s playoff chances, especially with a trip to Boston on deck Saturday. Ottawa has lost 6 straight, including a 7-2 loss at home to Florida 9 days ago.
Reasons to bet Ottawa: The Panthers had to expend a lot of energy last night in Toronto after falling behind 3-0 in the first period. Florida is just 16-18-4 on the road.
Other things to know:
- Ottawa beat Florida 5-3 March 12 in Florida
- Florida beat Ottawa 1-0 Dec. 23 in Florida
- Both teams are playing their 3rd game in 4 days and 4th in 6
- Ottawa has allowed 26 goals in its last 5 games
- Ottawa has scored 2 regulation time goals or less in 6 of its last 7 games
- The Over is 11-5 in Florida’s last 16 road games
Probable goalies: Reimer (confirmed), Anderson (confirmed)
Reasons to bet Dallas: The Stars might be a bit looser after snapping an 8-game winless streak Tuesday with a 3-2 OT win over Philadelphia. Minnesota has scored 2 goals in its last 2 games and just 1 goal in 4 of its last 8.
Reasons to bet Minnesota: The Wild is 25-6-8 at home and has allowed 1 regulation time goal in 4 of its last 5 overall. Dallas has scored 2 regulation time goals or less in 11 of its last 13 games and 17 of 21.
Other things to know:
- Dallas beat Minnesota 6-1 Feb. 3 in Dallas
- Minnesota beat Dallas 4-2 Dec. 27 in Minnesota
- The home team is 5-1-1 in the last 7 meetings
- Dallas has allowed 3+ goals in 8 of its last 9 games (7 times in regulation)
- Dallas has allowed 24 goals in its last 6 road games
- Minnesota is playing its 4th game in 6 days
- The Over is 7-2-1 in the last 10 meetings in Minnesota
Probable goalies: Lehtonen (confirmed), Dubnyk (confirmed)
Reasons to bet Winnipeg: The Jets open up a 4-game road trip on the heels of a 6-0 homestand. Chicago has lost 6 of its last 7.
Reasons to bet Chicago: The Blackhawks are playing with 2 days rest while the Jets have played 4 straight overtime games. Winnipeg has lost 3 straight on the road, where it has 17 wins in 37 games (17-12-8), and may let down a bit after dramatic victories over Anaheim, Nashville and Boston.
Other things to know:
- Winnipeg beat Chicago 6-2 March 15 in Winnipeg
- Chicago beat Winnipeg 2-1 Jan. 12 in Chicago and 5-1 Dec. 14 in Winnipeg
- Winnipeg has scored 4+ goals in 4 of its last 6 games
- Winnipeg has allowed 8 goals in its last 2 games after allowing just 17 in its previous 8
- Chicago has allowed 4+ goals in 6 of its last 7 games and 7 of 9
- The Under is 19-6-2 in Chicago’s last 27 home games
- The Under is 6-0 in Winnipeg’s last 6 road games
Probable goalies: Comrie (confirmed), Forsberg (confirmed)
Reasons to bet Columbus: The Blue Jackets’ offense is on fire, scoring 4+ goals in 9 of its last 12 games. Calgary has lost 6 straight, allowing 28 goals during the skid, and could be without Gaudreau and several other regulars.
Reasons to bet Calgary: Columbus has allowed 3+ goals in 6 of its last 7 road games.
Other things to know:
- Columbus beat Calgary 1-0 in OT Nov. 22 in Columbus
- Columbus is 18-7-3 on the road
- Calgary is 15-18-4 at home
- The Under is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings
- Columbus has won 11 of its last 12 games
- Calgary has scored 3 goals in its last 5 games and 12 in its last 9
- Columbus has won its last 7 visits to Calgary
Probable goalies: Bobrovsky (confirmed), Gillies (confirmed)
Reasons to bet Edmonton: The Oilers have scored 23 goals in their last 5 games and potted 3+ in 7 of their last 8. Vancouver is just 13-18-6 at home this year.
Reasons to bet Vancouver: The Canucks have won 3 of 4, outscoring their opposition 14-8 during that stretch. Edmonton is coming off a demoralizing 7-3 loss Tuesday at home to Columbus, in which it blew an early 3-0 lead.
Other things to know:
- Edmonton beat Vancouver 5-2 Jan. 20 in Edmonton
- Vancouver beat Edmonton 3-2 Oct. 7 in Vancouver
- Edmonton is 17-19-2 on the road
- Edmonton has allowed 12 goals in its last 2 games after allowing just 17 regulation time goals in its previous 8
- Edmonton is playing its 4th game in 6 days
- Vancouver has won 16 of its last 22 home games versus Edmonton
- The Under is 7-2 in Vancouver’s last 9 games
- The Over is 24-13 in Vancouver’s home games this year
Probable goalies: Talbot, Markstrom
Good luck!
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