The NHL had a big Thursday night, with no Thursday Night Football and limited basketball games, that helped Hockey skate to the center of the sports world. They look to keep it going with three exciting games on the slate for Friday. The surging Hurricanes look to down the Capitals in the Nation’s capitals, The Blackhawks look to evade torture from the Devils and the Jets look to keep their hot streak going against the Ducks.
With only a few games on the night, you will need to be careful as to what you are choosing to bet on. Here are some of our best bets for tonight’s trio of games. All betting odds listed are from Bet365 and are subject to change.
Carolina Hurricanes @ Washington Capitals
The Hurricanes have turned things around since mid-December with a 7-1-3 record in their last 11 games. Canes forward Sebastian Aho has been red hot during that span with Avs’ forward Nathan Mackinnon being the only player with more points. Aho is averaging almost two points per game as has risen into the top 15 in total points with 43, tied with the Penguins’ Jake Guentzel, Predators’ Filip Forsberg and New Jersey’s Jesper Bratt.
The Caps will need to slow him down, if they want a chance in this game and when playing at home, they can be pretty good at stopping opposing stars from popping off. They are sixth-best in the league in fewest goals against with 2.61 per home game, but also struggle to score with the second-worst goals per game at home with a 2.28 average. The Canes are coming in with a lot of momentum with three or more goals in each of their last five games, which makes me believe they will get at least three and win a tight low-scoring game.
Pick: Under 6.5 goals (-150)
Chicago Blackhawks @ New Jersey Devils
The Devils excited fans last season, bursting onto the scene as the new hot young team and beating their interstate rivals with the New York Rangers in an exciting seven games series in which they were labelled underdogs from game one. People were excited to see what they would look like this season with more development to their young players like Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt, who have both been fun to watch this season but the Devils have not. They have a 20-14-2 record this season and a 4-3-1 record in their last eight games with an identical record in their last eight home games. People expected more and they have a chance to put their team at the front of sports highlight show tomorrow morning with a big statement win over the Blackhawks.
Despite the efforts of young superstar Connor Bedard, the Blackhawks have been the worst-team in the league after the San Jose Sharks. They have a 11-25-2 record with the second-worst goals and goals against per game average, just behind the Sharks. The one thing the Blackhawks are worse at is goals against on the road, where they average the most against in the league with 4.38 goals a game. The Devils have beaten the Blackhawks by two or more in three straight matchups and should make it a fourth tonight.
Pick: Devils -2.5 (-110), Devils 1st period ML (-115)
Winnipeg Jets @ Anaheim Ducks
The Jets have been the best team in the league since late November with a 12-2-2 record in their last 16 games and suffocating teams with their defense as they are giving up only 1.88 goals a game, which is fewest in the league. The Ducks have been on the opposite end of the spectrum as they are tied for being the worst team in the league during that time span with a 4-10-1 record and the second-worst goals per game average with only 2.27 a game.
The line for this game is almost suspiciously close with the Jets only listed as subtle favourites. Unlike the Devils, who are monster favourites over Chicago. The Ducks only have one win over their last six games and are bound to figure things out at some point. I think they play a tighter than expected game with the Jets but don’t come out on top.
Pick: Under 6.0 goals (-115), Jets ML (-190)