With 14 games on tonight's NHL slate, it only felt right to whip up a few NHL Best Bets. Tonight I'm diversifying my picks, sprinkling in a puckline pick, an over/under and a moneyline play.
Make sure you follow me on the Action Network app (@greg_liodice) where I'll be tracking the following picks, along with some others. I've been on a roll as of late, and am up 8.68 units in the past week, and 6.5 units in the past month. So let's keep this train rolling.
Let's see what we have in store for tonight's schedule, as I share my NHL picks and predictions.
NHL Best Bets for Tuesday, February 4
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our NHL betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7:00 p.m. | |
  | 8:00 p.m. | |
  | 10:00 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NHL Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Blue Jackets vs. Sabres
I’ve truly found it hard to root against the Blue Jackets. With everything they’ve been through, they’re still in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Unfortunately for the ‘Lumbus, bad luck was its next stop. Leading goalscorer Kirill Marchenko is now on IR after getting struck by a puck while sitting on the bench and breaking his jaw.
It just adds to the never-ending list of injuries for the Jackets, and Marchenko’s absence on the ice may be one of the more daunting ones.
And yet, here we are.
A lot of Columbus’ success has been because of its home presence, going 17-5-3 and the big reason why the Jackets are heavy underdogs is because of their road record. Even against the Buffalo Sabres ,who own the Eastern Conference’s worst record.
To Buffalo’s credit though, it’s won its past three games and avoided disaster when star forward Tage Thompson suffered an illegal check to the head against New Jersey. Coach Lindy Ruff stated that Thompson passed all of his tests, and won’t miss any time.
Crisis averted in Western New York.
When playing at home, the Sabres have been fine throughout the season, but once January hit, a switch flipped. They’ve averaged 3.8 goals per game with a hot goaltender in Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and in comes a Blue Jackets team dragging their feet into the KeyBank Center.
It’s like fresh meat for a team that’s riding high. This will be the seventh road game in eight games for Columbus and given all of their injuries, the Jackets have to be exhausted.
I see Buffalo taking advantage and winning big.
Pick: Sabres -1.5 (+142)
Writer's Note: Contrary to Ruff's earlier comments, it seems as if Thompson will indeed miss tonight's game and is listed as day-to-day. Even though Thompson is a major player and is Buffalo's best goal scorer, I don't have much confidence in Columbus coming out of this game with a win.
I'm sticking with Buffalo -1.5, but if you want to be safe, Sabres ML is a solid choice as well.
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Hurricanes vs. Jets
This should be a good one.
Anytime the Carolina Hurricanes take on a team near the top of the standings, my eyebrows immediately raise in intrigue, especially when that team is the number one team in all of the NHL, the Winnipeg Jets.
Not only that, Carolina and Winnipeg have played to top-five offensive and defensive efficiency rates in the past three weeks.
Most recently, the Canes fell 4-2 to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday while the Jets won a 5-4 overtime barnburner in Washington D.C.
Currently, the total for this game sits at 5.5 and I don’t anticipate that number rising one bit. It’s difficult when two high-powered offenses go at it, but it’s even harder when each plays such a suffocating brand of hockey.
Connor Hellebuyck of the Jets, once again is playing like the best goaltender in hockey. When you put him behind a defensive corps that has played to a second-best 1.96 xGA/60, that wall is almost impenetrable.
For the Canes, the story is a little different. Goaltending has never been a strength, but skill and positioning have been the answer for the past decade. Since January 13, the Hurricanes have a team total .881 SV%, which is third worst in that span, but defensively, they’re right behind the Jets with a 2.12 xGA/60.
I always get wary picking unders for 5.5 games, but this has the makings of one of them.
Pick: Under 5.5 (-110)
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Red Wings vs. Kraken
Aside from the Jets, the Detroit Red Wings are amongst the league’s hottest teams.
After hiring coach Todd McLellan midseason, the Wings are 14-4-1, immediately sticking them in the playoff hunt.
However, what’s most confusing about this massive run Detroit has been on, is that its underlying numbers aren’t very good. Since McLellan took over, the Wings have the sixth worst 5-on-5 expected goals percentage, and xGA/60.
Most of the damage has been on the power play, where Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat have caused fear in opposing penalty kills. Detroit has been playing to the fourth-best power play, scoring at a 27.10% rate, yet owns the league’s worst penalty kill at 69%.
I guess if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, but it’s awfully peculiar.
In hopes of continuing this streak, the Wings head into “The Deep” where they face the Seattle Kraken.
I’ve been awfully critical of Seattle this season as it’s been one of the more mediocre teams in the NHL. Nothing about this team pops out to me, except for their beautiful threads.
Statistically, the Kraken have been just about on par with Detroit’s 5-on-5 numbers, but the difference is their power play is nothing to write home about. Even with the Wings’ struggles on the penalty kill, I don’t foresee Seattle taking advantage in the slightest.
Let’s just say these teams are weird, and it’s no wonder that the books can’t seem to figure out which way to lean here.
The Wings have the more intriguing talent, and sometimes you have to ride the hot hand. Not only that, they’re pretty decent on the road, holding a 12-10-3 record, while the Kraken have been hit or miss at home.
Value’s the name of the game, and I’m backing the Red Wings to continue their hot streak.
Pick: Red Wings ML (+102)
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