Thursday nights are usually packed to the brim with NHL games to bet on, and that’s no different on March 23. However, there are a few games worth betting on more than any else. Keep reading and you’ll get our best NHL betting picks of the night right here!
Moneyline: New York Rangers at Carolina Hurricanes
These two teams met Tuesday night, only the game was in New York as opposed to Carolina, which hosts on Thursday. The Rangers were up 2-0 at the start of the third period. Not only that, they hadn’t allowed a goal in 170+ minutes. Then, the dam broke as the Canes poured on three goals to take the win. After that, it’s zero wonder why Carolina are moneyline favorites over New York at popular NHL betting sites:
Despite the third-period meltdown, we shouldn’t be quick to dismiss the visiting Rangers. They’ve won two of the three regular-season meetings this season despite Carolina being one of the NHL’s best. Not only that but before the loss, New York was riding a four-game-winning streak too.
Still, the Canes aren’t easy to bet on their home ice. This season, they possess a 24-8-2 record at home. Carolina is only two points up on New Jersey in the Metropolitan Division so they can’t afford to slip up here.
We’re betting the Canes to win back-to-back. New York has to be on tired legs. Nevermind just the trip down south, this team has also been pushed into overtime multiple times as of late. Three of its last eight games needed an extra period. We’re betting the Rangers come out flat on Thursday, given that and its third-period choke job last time out.
Over/Under 7 Goals: Toronto Maple Leafs at Florida Panthers
The Atlantic Division was made up of multiple preseason Stanley Cup contenders, including Florida and Panthers. In reality, only the Bruins have looked the championship part (and few had them on the radar in the preseason). Despite the somewhat missed expectations, Toronto and Florida are still playoff-caliber squads, which makes this game crucial for seeding. Betting-wise, we’re focused on the Leafs-Panthers over/under of 7 games, which is the high of the night:
You got to start with Toronto’s offense, one of the best in the league. With 3.4 goals a game, they’re tied for seventh league-wide. The sticks have gotten ever hotter as of late. In the past three games, the Leafs have netted 12 goals. Most of the offense comes on the back of John Tavares, Michael Bunting, and Calle Järnkrok — the trio are up to 67 combined goals and 81 assists this year.
That’s great and all, but the Panthers’ offense is statistically better. The group is averaging 3.5 goals a game. Not only that but Florida has an even more high-powered trio on its front line. The three-headed monster of Matthew Tkachuk, Carter Verhaeghe, and Aleksander Barkov have combined to net 88 goals and 135 assists. Sheesh!
Given the offensive firepower in this one, we can’t imagine a game where the scoreboard isn’t busy. Seven goals is a lot, but two top-10-scoring teams are more than capable of reaching that figure. Our money is going on the over here!
Moneyline: Vegas Golden Knights at Calgary Flames
Not going to lie, we had to do a double-take when we saw the Vegas-Calgary moneyline odds. To our dismay, the Golden Knights — the clear-cut better team — were plus-money. That’s a line we want to exploit.
Look, these two teams are trending in completely opposite directions. Vegas has won six of its last seven games, getting closer and closer to being the top seed in the Western Conference. The Flames, on the other hand, are putting themselves out of playoff contention. Calgary has dropped four of their prior seven games.
So how are the Flames’ favorites? We don’t know. You could argue home-ice advantage, but that point is rendered moot when you consider they’ve lost six of their last seven home games. Yeah, we’re putting a BIG — and we mean big — wager on Vegas to win here. When you see a mispriced betting line, you got to really pound it since the bookmakers rarely miss this bad.
How To Bet On NHL Today?
Time is ticking to make NHL bets. But the good thing is it doesn’t take much time to join an online sportsbook and begin placing your bets — whether you’re heeding our advice or fading it. Check out the list of online sportsbooks below. All bookmakers listed are there due to their high sportsbook review rating. Compare and contrast the sites to really find the best sportsbook for your money!
About the Author
Eric is uniquely suited to be a writer for SBS. For one, he's a journalist by trade. Eric spent a large part of his career, covering sports — high school, college, and professional — for newspapers and online-based sites. However, Eric is a bettor himself too. He has first-hand experience hanging out in smoky sportsbooks and casinos, dealing with the ebbs and flows of gambling, and an understanding of how bookies operate. Both these unique qualities make him an expert bet picker for SBS. You'll also see Eric report on the sports betting industry as a whole.
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