With the large amount of games on tonight’s NHL schedule, it might be hard to know where to start. We at the Last Word on Hockey have helped narrow your focus to our best bets. This round of NHL Predictions will help condense the slate into three best bets and one prop bet of the night.
NHL Predictions
Winnipeg Jets vs Ottawa Senators
Head-to-Head: Jets 0-0 Senators
TV: Sportsnet; ESPN+
Our opening game of NHL predictions has the Winnipeg Jets taking on the Ottawa Senators. Connor Hellebuyck is the projected starter for the Jets, but always check social media before confirming a daily fantasy starter. Winnipeg is on a roll with wins in four of their last five games. Leading-scorer Kyle Connor is back and that helps give the Jets a little bit of a boost on the offensive end.
Joonas Korpisalo is slated to be the starter for the Senators, who beat the Montreal Canadiens the last time out. Ottawa has lost three of its last five games, though. The Senators are led by team captain Brady Tkachuk and his 19 goals. Tim Stutzle is tops in the assist category with 33 of them.
Winnipeg’s defence is tough to crack and Connor’s return makes the Jets that much more dangerous.
Prediction: Jets win 4-2.
Montreal Canadiens vs Boston Bruins
Head-to-Head: Canadiens 1-1 Bruins
TV: CityTV; Sportsnet East; CBC; TVAS; NESN; ESPN+
The old rivalry returns as the Habs take on the Boston Bruins. Sam Montembeault is the expected starter for the Canadiens in this one. Montreal has been inconsistent at times this season with wins over the Bruins, but losses to the San Jose Sharks. Cole Caufield has goals in four straight games and has been red-hot in the month of January.
Boston is expected to go with Linus Ullmark in between the pipes for this one. The Bruins are on a three-game winning streak and have regained the top seed in the Eastern Conference. David Pastrnak is one goal away from another 30-goal season, but he also leads the Bruins in assists with 35.
Montreal always gets up for games with Boston, but the Bruins have been strong on defence as of late.
Prediction: Bruins win 4-1.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Vancouver Canucks
Head-to-Head: Maple Leafs 1-0 Canucks
TV: Sportsnet; ESPN+
Our final game of NHL predictions has the Toronto Maple Leafs taking on the Vancouver Canucks. Toronto stopped a losing streak last time out thanks to Auston Matthews netting a hat trick against the Calgary Flames. William Nylander hasn’t done much since signing his contract extension, but he could get hot at any time. Martin Jones is the expected starter in goal for the Maple Leafs.
Thatcher Demko is the likely starter in goal for the Canucks in this matchup. Vancouver has won four of its last five games and hold the most points in the NHL. The Canucks also possess the best goal-scoring offence in the league with 170. Brock Boeser leads in goals with 27, but Quinn Hughes has inserted himself into the Norris Trophy conversation with 42 assists.
If you like offence, you’ll like this game. However, the Canucks get the win at home.
Prediction: Canucks win 5-4.
Prop Bet of the Night
Let’s stay with the last game of NHL predictions for our prop bet of the night. The over/under is 6.5 for the Maple Leafs and Canucks matchup. This seems like a good number to take the over with the way the offences are going. There’s so much offensive firepower in this game with Matthews, Nylander, Mitch Marner, Hughes, Boeser, Elias Pettersson and others. The over seems like a smart play.
Main photo by: Bob Frid – USA TODAY Sports
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