There are 10 games scheduled for Thursday in the NHL with a few matchups that will have giant playoff implications. Starting at 7:00 pm ET, the Pittsburgh Penguins visit the New York Rangers as they battle for 2nd place in Metropolitan Division and are only separated by 4 points. Then for a nightcap, there is another battle for 2nd place, only this time in the Atlantic Division between the Edmonton Oilers vs Los Angeles Kings. Looking through the lineup, there are 3 bets we’ve parlayed for a payout of just over 10/1 with BetMGM. But before we dive in, be sure to check out all of our picks and previews for every game tonight. You can also follow Pickswise on Twitter for plenty of daily betting content.
Canadiens ML (+140)
Senators ML (+155)
Maple Leafs vs Stars Over 6.5 (-115)
Parlay odds: +1044
Let’s break down each of the legs.
Montreal Canadiens ML (+140) over New Jersey Devils
The Montreal Canadiens start a 2-game road trip on Thursday when they play the New Jersey Devils. Both teams have struggled recently, as they only have 1 win in their last 5 games and have collectively allowed 24 goals, scoring only 14 goals. On top of the recent struggles, it has been rough all year for both teams, as they also rank in the bottom 5 in goals against per game.
With two teams this similar, the advantage will come from the roster and value. The Devils just took a massive hit on their team, as their top-line center Jack Hughes just found out his season ended on Tuesday with a knee injury. The value comes from the price as the Canadiens shouldn’t be this big an underdog against a hurting Devils team. Take the Canadiens on the money line.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Montreal Canadiens vs New Jersey Devils
Ottawa Senators ML (+155) over Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators make a 1-game stop in Ottawa to play the Senators on Thursday. These two teams just played each other last Tuesday, which resulted in a 4-1 Predators win. However, when you break this game down, you notice a few trends with these teams. The Senators have won 3 in a row, scoring at least 5 goals in each of those games. The Predators, on the other hand, have lost 4 of their last 5 road games, while allowing an average of 4.8 goals in that same stretch. Look for a hot Senators offense to take advantage of a struggling road Predators team and place your bet on the Senators money line.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Dallas Stars Over 6.5 (-115)
The Toronto Maple Leafs wrap up a 4-game road trip on Thursday when they play the Dallas Stars. The Maple Leafs have arguably the best offense in the league as they rank 3rd in expected goals, 2nd in goals per game and have the best powerplay percentage as well. Recently, they have backed those rankings up as they have averaged 6 goals per game in their last 6, while scoring at least 5 goals in each of them. It goes without saying that in those last 6 games, the over has gone 5-0-1, with the push coming against the Panthers last Sunday when the total was set at 7.
The Stars aren’t that bad on the attack as well. They rank just outside the top-10 in expected goals and goals for per game. They have averaged 3 goals per game in their last 10 games and should be able to put in numerous goals against the Maple Leafs who have allowed 3.8 goals against per game in their last 5 games. Look for the offense to take over in this game and place your bet on the over.
Make sure you read our picks for all 10 of tonight’s NHL games
Pickswise is the home of free NHL Picks and NHL Predictions. Check back for our daily NHL Best Bets, including our favorite NHL Prop Bets.