There are 9 games on the slate in the NHL on Thursday, with plenty of teams in action vying for those last playoff spots, especially in the Western Conference. Key matchups with big points on the line include Vancouver Canucks vs Minnesota Wild at 8:00 pm ET and Nashville Predators vs Vegas Golden Knights at 10:00 pm ET, where the two teams are separated by 6 points. We’ve looked through all 10 games and have parlayed 3 teams that pay out just under 11/1 with BetMGM Sportsbook.
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.
Stars ML (+150)
Wild -1.5 (+110)
Kings -1.5 (+125)
Parlay odds +1081
Let’s break down each of the three legs one by one.
Dallas Stars ML over Carolina Hurricanes (+150)
The Dallas Stars make a rare 1-game road trip out to play the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday. The Stars find themselves in the last playoff spot and are holding on to that position by only 1 point. They have played like they want that invite to the playoffs, though, winning 3 of their last 4 games, averaging 3.5 goals per game during that 4-game stretch.
The Hurricanes, on the other hand, have been struggling of late and have found their first-place lead in the Metropolitan Division shrink to 3 points. They have lost 4 of their last 5 games with their top-tier offense going cold, only averaging 2 goals per game during that span. The defense wasn’t much better, allowing 3 goals per game during that 5-game stretch — well over their average of 2.37. Look for a hungry Stars team to jump on a struggling Hurricanes team and place your bet on the Stars money line.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Dallas Stars vs Carolina Hurricanes
Minnesota Wild -1.5 over Vancouver Canucks (+110)
The Vancouver Canucks travel to Minnesota to play the Wild on Thursday night. This will be the second leg of back-to-back games for the Canucks, as they played the Avalanche the night before. Before playing at altitude against the best team in the NHL in the Avalanche, the Canucks had lost 5 of their last 6 games and will be bringing tired legs into Minnesota.
Minnesota, along with their new goalie, Marc-Andre Fleury, will be rested and waiting for the Canucks. The Wild have won their last 3 games and have needed every point from that stretch as they are tied with the Predators for 3rd in the Central Division and would like to avoid being a wild-card team. Look for a rested Wild team, with their upgrade at goalie, to take advantage of a tired Canucks team and place your bet on the Wild puck line.
Los Angeles Kings -1.5 over Chicago Blackhawks (+125)
The Chicago Blackhawks make the short trip from Anaheim to Los Angeles on Thursday to play the Kings. This will be their second game in as many nights in southern California as they played the Ducks the night before. The Blackhawks had lost 4 of 5 games before their matchup with the Ducks, allowing 18 goals during that stretch and traded away starting goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. This means the Blackhawks’ goalies are Kevin Lankinen and Collin Delia. With Lankinen getting the start the night before, Delia is the projected starting goalie. Delia has appeared in 2 games this season, getting 1 start and being pulled from it after the 1st period — during which he gave up 3 goals on 7 shots. Look for the Kings to take advantage of the Blackhawks’ bad goaltending situation and place your bet on the Kings puck line.
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