Top NHL Betting Picks of the Week – December 18th Edition

The Tampa Bay Lightning remain atop the Eastern Conference standings, holding a seven-point advantage over Washington with two games in hand. They remain red-hot, having won seven in a row and eight of their last ten. The New York Rangers and the Montreal Canadiens have perked up a bit, climbing up from the depths of their divisions and are moving within range of a playoff spot. In the Western Conference, Nashville has gone 7-1-2 in their last ten and now lead the Central Division and the conference standings with 46 points. Vegas has moved back past the Los Angeles Kings into first place in the Pacific Division. Let’s take a look at some primo NHL betting matchups from the rink heading into Christmas.

Top NHL Betting Picks of the Week – December 18th Edition

NHL Power Rankings: 1) @PredsNHL 2) @TBLightning 3) @Capitals https://t.co/BjYF3M3d7k pic.twitter.com/2gTFuJPRLg

— theScore (@theScore) December 18, 2017

Tuesday, December 19

Washington at Dallas (8:30pm ET, CNSW / FSSW)

The Washington Capitals will welcome T.J. Oshie back from a six-game trip through the concussion protocol when they take the ice on Tuesday night. The Caps beat Anaheim at home Saturday, taking a 3-2 overtime win, and their offense has driven things for them, as they score 3.1 goals per game (ninth in the NHL) and score on the power play 20.8 percent of the time (seventh in the league). On defense, they’re right in the middle of the league in goals permitted (15th at 2.9) and they allow a lot of power play goals (ranking #24 at 79.2% on the penalty kill). If they can keep things at even strength in Dallas, they should be able to win against a team that opened an East Coast swing with wins over the Rangers and Islanders but then closed it with losses to New Jersey and Philadelphia, and their offense has dropped to 2.9 goals per game, good for 16th overall. They had been a top-ten penalty kill team but have dropped to 19th (80.5%). This is still a team that can’t figure out their identity, which should make this very winnable for the Capitals. NHL Betting Prediction: Washington 3, Dallas 2

Thursday, December 21

Columbus at Pittsburgh (7:00pm ET, FSOH / AT&TSN)

The Blue Jackets are still second overall in the Metropolitan Division, with 41 points, thanks to their solid defense. They permit just 2.6 goals per game (sixth overall) and kill off 83.9% of opponent power plays (fourth overall). However, they are having a really hard time generating offense right now as they have slipped to 21st overall at 2.8 goals scored per game and are dead last on the power play, converting at an anemic 9.7% clip. That doesn’t bode well for a tilt at Pittsburgh one night after a home game against the young, fast Toronto Maple Leafs. The Penguins are fourth in the league on the power play, converting 24.8% of the time — but they give up 3.1 goals per game (23rd overall). So something’s gotta give, and I’m going to take the rested Penguins (who have two days off before welcoming Columbus) over the Blue Jackets. NHL Betting Prediction: Pittsburgh 3, Columbus 1

Saturday, December 23

Toronto at N.Y. Rangers (7:00pm ET, MSG)

The Toronto Maple Leafs took a 3-1 beating in Detroit on Friday night and have a hard week ahead of them, hosting Carolina and then traveling to Columbus before returning home to face the Blueshirts on Saturday night. Forward Auston Matthews remains questionable with a nagging upper-body injury. The Leafs continue to score well, averaging 3.1 goals per game, good for seventh overall, and they score 20.4% of the time on power plays, good for ninth overall. Their defense on even strength (2.8 goals permitted, 12th overall) and the penalty kill (81.9%, 14th overall) is respectable. They head to Gotham to take on a Rangers team that won in Boston in overtime on Saturday night, 3-2, and hosts Anaheim before heading across the river to take on the Devils and then returning home for Toronto. The Rangers have climbed back up the standings and are approaching the postseason ranks thanks to an offense that has moved into sixth in scoring (3.2 goals per game) and sixth on the power play (21.3% conversion rate). But can they outscore Toronto? NHL Betting Prediction: N.Y. Rangers 3, Toronto 2