Ryan Hodges
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Wednesday brings just a 3-game slate in the NHL but there are implications on the playoff seedings in each game. With just over a week left in the regular season and these teams looking to get or stay hot going into the playoffs, these will feel like playoff games. There is plenty to watch for on this small slate. If you’re looking to combine a few plays that have value, check out this NHL mega parlay that has +665 odds with FanDuel Sportsbook.
Lightning vs Rangers Under 6 (-110)
Flames ML (+110)
Oilers ML & Over 6.5 (+100)
NHL parlay odds: +665
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Tampa Bay Lightning vs New York Rangers under 6 (-110)
Both head-to-head matchups have gone under the total very comfortably. The Rangers won the first game by a score of 3-1, and the Lightning won the second game 2-1. Those finals sound about right considering the quality of goaltenders these teams possess. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Igor Shesterkin are arguably the best two goaltenders in the world. Despite the star power up and down both rosters, their game totals have stayed low because they both have shown strong goal prevention, are well-coached and have great goalies. Each of those facts remain on Wednesday night. That is why going even further back than this season’s games — the under has hit in the last 7 consecutive matchups between these teams dating back to the playoffs last year. When the Lightning and Rangers meet, totals stay low.
The under has hit in 4 of the Lightning’s last 6 games and is 15-19-4 on the road this season. The Rangers’ NHL 4th-ranked goal prevention has neutralized the Lightning’s 8th-ranked goal scoring. On the defensive side of the puck for Tampa, their slightly above-average 13th-ranked goal prevention has neutralized New York’s also slightly above-average 12th-ranked goal scoring. The pure matchup and strengths and weaknesses of these teams make for a tightly played game that favors lower totals. They have shown as much twice this season and entering the playoffs when details are more buttoned up, the Lightning and Rangers look poised to bring more of the same on Wednesday.
Check out our best NHL predictions for each matchup on today’s 3-game slate
Calgary Flames ML over Winnipeg Jets (+110)
The Flames and Jets have trended in different directions lately. Winnipeg has been on some kind of downward spiral for the last couple of months. Since the start of February, the Jets have gone 11-12-2 which has taken them from a comfortable playoff spot to on the verge of being bounced from a playoff spot. Go figure, the Flames are the team nipping at the Jets’ heels as Calgary is 2 points back of Winnipeg for the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference. The Flames are 7-3-2 in their last 12 games and 9-4-2 in their last 15. They have beaten 4 strong, playoff-bound teams during that stretch and have largely taken care of bad teams. The Flames have been far more consistent than the Jets. Getting the Flames to keep it going at plus-money odds is very good value.
The Jets have been far too volatile to rely on them winning a big game this time of year. As mentioned, they are just under .500 in the last 2 months, but that was neither backloaded nor frontloaded. Winnipeg’s only consistency has been inconsistency. They have traded consecutive wins and consecutive losses for much of the second half of the season. Head coach Paul Maurice resigned last season because he just was not getting through to the players anymore. The last couple of months look similar to the form the team had ahead of Maurice’s departure. The Jets are not a bad team per se, but they just can’t put it together with any level of consistency. The Flames are the better play.
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Edmonton Oilers ML over Anaheim Ducks & Over 6.5 (+100)
This looks set to be a very lopsided game in favor of the Oilers no matter how you slice it. The Oilers are one of the best teams in the Western Conference and have a couple of the best players on the planet. Aside from purely being the far better team, the Oilers also come into this game absolutely rolling while the Ducks come into this game reeling more than usual. Edmonton is 10-0-1 in their last 11 games which is part of a 14-2-1 run since March 1. Anaheim has lost 8 consecutive games with a -23 goal differential during that span. That is an average loss by 2.88 goals. The Oilers are just the far better play.
In 3 head to head games this season, the Oilers have scored 6 on the Ducks twice as part of their 15 goals scored total on Anaheim. The Ducks had a 4-goal performance on Edmonton back in December showing they at least have the ability to generate some offense on the Oilers. After all, the Oilers rank in the bottom half of the NHL in goal prevention at 19th in the league. Edmonton has ridden their league-best 3.97 goals scored per game to a playoff spot, but they are vulnerable on the defensive side of the puck. That combination of strong goal scoring and weaker goal prevention is the driver behind their 48-24-6 over under record this season including 26-12 on the road. The door will be open for the Ducks to score even just a couple which will contribute to the over.
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