Thursday NHL Betting Analysis

Better Betting Tips On Thursday

By Angelo Montilla

Here are a few NHL betting options to consider, with odds courtesy of BetOnline.

Pittsburgh Penguins (-131) vs. Ottawa Senators (+119)

First place in the Metropolitan Division is within reach for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are coming off three straight victories and will be looking for four in a row Thursday night in Ottawa against the Senators.

The Pens — winners of eight of their last 10 games — enter action on Thursday night as -131 favorites on the road, where the club holds a 17-13- 6 record.  The Penguins can leapfrog the Washington Capitals with a victory against Ottawa. The Senators, who are 6-2-2 in their last 10 games, host the Penguins as +119 underdogs on home ice.

This match pits the Pens' league best offense against one of the NHL’s top defensive clubs. 

Pittsburgh’s 3.46 goals per game ranks first in the NHL. Leading the way is Sidney Crosby, whose 41 tallies put the two-time Stanley Cup champion first in the league. Evgeni Malkin isn't far behind and is tied for third in the league with 33 goals.

Head-to-head, the Penguins have been the better of the two clubs, defeating the Sens seven times in the last 10 games. 

The total goals projection for Thursday’s contest is set at 5.5. However, watch for this to be a tight-checking match, with the Penguins squeaking out a hard-fought victory.

Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins (-131) and the Under (5.5)

Boston Bruins (-194) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (+174)

After a sizzling month of March, the Boston Bruins have cooled off a little bit. The Bruins will try to shake off a three-game losing streak but it won’t be easy against the Tampa Bay Lightning — another team battling for a post-season spot in the Eastern Conference.

Boston enters their home match as -194 favorites at TD Garden, where the club has posted a decent 19-15-0 record this season. The Bolts, who have dropped three straight games heading into Boston, are -174 underdogs.

Bruins’ forward Brad Marchand has been nothing short of magnificent this season, ranking third in league scoring with 80 points. Marchand has 10 points in his last five games.

In the head-to-head matchup over the last 10 games, the Bruins hold the edge with six victories over the Lightning during that stretch.

If you’re considering an over/under wager, think about taking the over on BetOnline’s total goals projection of 5.5.

Pick: Boston Bruins (-194) and the Over (5.5)

Nashville Predators (-140) vs. Calgary Flames (+127)

A pair of wild-card teams battling for playoff position in the Western Conference will do battle on Thursday when the Nashville Predators host the red-hot Calgary Flames at Bridgestone Arena.

The Predators, who’ve posted a 5-3-2 record in their last 10 games, enter action Thursday as the -140 favorites at home, where the club has only dropped eight games all season long. The Flames — 8-2-0 in their last 10 games — hold the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference and head to Nashville as intriguing +127 underdogs.

In a league propelled by enhanced statistics, the Flames boast a 50.46 Corsi — a tool that measures a team’s shot differential at even-strength play to gauge possession. 

Special teams is a big factor this late in the season and both the Predators and Flames boast strong power-play units, with conversion rates of 20.2 and 19.6 percent, respectively.

The Flames have owned the head-to-head matchup over the last 10 meetings, defeating the Predators seven times during that period.

The total goals projection for Thursday’s match has been set at 5.5 and while that may seem like a high mark, consider taking the over when these two high-scoring clubs do battle.

Pick: Calgary Flames (+127) and the Over (5.5)

Category : Betting Picks

Tag : nhl betting , NHL Picks , Thursday Night Hockey predictions

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