Best Bets: Blues, Preds defend home ice in Central games

Blues, Wild and Predators look to defend home ice in Thursday’s best bets for the Central time games

NHL Hockey looks to gain some viewers Thursday night with no football and limited NBA game. What a great night for it will be for new fans to the game with some exciting matchups on the Central slate with matchups like the Lightning looking to short-circuit the Wild in Minnesota, the Flames look to continue climbing out of their poor season start against the red hot Predators and showdown between two of the leagues best teams in the Avalanche travelling to the Lone Star State to take on the Stars.

The night should be one, where the NHL shines and if you want to get in on the action and put some skin on the games, here are some of the best bets for each of the Central time games. All betting odds listed are from Bet365 and are subject to change.

Colorado Avalanche @ Dallas Stars

What would probably be the most exciting game of the night, if there wasn’t a Stanley Cup Final rematch on the slate. Nonetheless, this should be an exciting game with both teams at the same surging pace with the Avs and Ducks having nine wins and five losses in their last 15 and 16 games respectively. These two are lighting it up on offense with both teams placing top seven in goals per game and powerplay percentage since the start of December. The over seems like the best play, with there being seven or more goals in their last three straight matchups.

Pick: Over 6.5 goals (-110)

Tampa Bay Lightning @ Minnesota Wild 

The Lightning have been looking like frauds as of the last few weeks. They are listed as favourites in their Wild matchup, when they had five of their last seven games at home, making them look decent despite a lackluster 7-11-2 record on the road this season and a 9-10-1 record in their last 20 games. Tampa used to electrocute opponents with their offensive firepower but now look mediocre with a middle ranking in goals per game this season and that could be attributed to Nikita Kucherov carrying the team's weight. 

Nothing about the Lightning makes me want to invest with them, especially when the team they are playing has a 7-2-1 record in their last ten games against the Bolts and have a 10-6-2 record at home this season. 

Pick: Wild ML (+110)

Vancouver Canucks @ St. Louis Blues 

The Canucks have been the most surprising story through the first third of the season with a 24-10-3 record tied for second-best in the league through 37 games. They’ve also not showed signs of slowing down with a 9-2-2 record and the eighth-fewest goals against per game since the start of December. 

However, the Blues have had the Canucks number in recent years with five wins in their last eight matchups. They’ve also held down the fort at home with a 9-5-0 record in their last 14 home games and a 7-2 record against the spread as a home underdog this season. The Canucks won their last matchup but the Blues should bounce back and respond at home. 

Pick: Blues ML (+130)

Calgary Flames @ Nashville Predators

The Flames have been rolling lately with points in seven of their last ten games but run into the Predators who are red hot with a 10-4-1 record in their last 15 games. The Preds have also been __ against the Flames as of late with eight wins in their last ten matchups and have wins in four of their last five. 

They just haven’t exactly been a team to blow teams out this season with a 6-9 record against the spread as a favourite and 6-7 as a home favourite this season. The home team has won this matchup in three of their last four matchups which makes the Predators the pick in this one but in likely a close game. 

Pick: Predators ML (-120)