NHL Best Bets For 3/14/23: Expert Betting Picks For Tonight’s Games

Get NHL best bets and our expert predictions for tonight’s major NHL slate of games on (3/14/23) Find three best bets for the NHL games tonight.

NHL Best Bets (3/14/23)

There are plenty of great games tonight on the NHL slate and you can find three of our NHL best bets below.

Montreal Canadiens vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Best Bet

Coming off an 8-4 thumping by the Colorado Avalanche, you’d think that the Montreal Canadiens want nothing more than a day off. Well, that’s not going to happen, and instead the Canadiens hit the road to take on a Pittsburgh Penguins team that’s heating up in the Eastern Conference postseason race. Much of Montreal’s problems can be attributed to an injury epidemic that includes leading scorer Cole Caufield (26 goals this year) and Kirby Dach (35 points this season). Missing this young talent is definitely going to hold back the team, and Samuel Montembeault (.905 SV%, 3.28 GAA) will have to face a Pittsburgh offense that’s averaging four goals per game in their last four games. Montembeault had to step in last night, allowing two goals with a .889 save percentage. 

The Penguins might not cruise to an absolute blowout like the Avs did last night, but the team should definitely put up goals tonight. Center Evgeni Malkin might not be lighting the lamp a ton lately, but he has averaged one point in his last ten games. The Penguins are also outshooting the competition, with 33.89 shots per game ranking fifth in the league. Goalie Tristan Jarry (.913 SV%, 2.86 GAA) might not be a brick wall, but he won’t need to be tonight against a Montreal team on a seven-game losing streak. Take the Penguins on the puck line as Pittsbugh takes down a team on the ropes.

Best Bet: Pittsburgh Penguins -1.5
Author: Anthony Elio

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. New Jersey Devils Best Bet

I’m really looking forward to this showdown. The Seattle Kraken are on a 5-0 win streak while the Ottawa Senators are 5-1 in their last six. The offenses on both sides have been humming, with the Senators scoring 4.4 goals per game during that win streak. Meanwhile, outside of that bizarre shutout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks (seriously, what was that?), the Senators averaged 5.4 goals per game in their last five wins. This is all to say I’m expecting some goals tonight.

Senators forward Tim Stutzle has been on fire as of late, averaging a goal per game in the last five matchups. The same can be said for Seattle leading scorer Jared McCann, who is also averaging a goal per game in his last five. Neither projected goaltender provides much of an edge tonight, with Mads Sogaard (.902 SV%, 2.76 GAA) expected for Ottawa and Philipp Grubauer (896 SV%, 2.92 GAA) expected for Seattle. While I believe either team could come away with the win, I’m leaning more toward the over with two offenses that are gaining steam and two subpar goaltenders. The Sens have also hit the over in five of their last six games, and I feel confident in another high-scoring affair this evening at Climate Pledge Arena.

Best Bet: New Jersey Moneyline
Author: Anthony Elio

Ottawa Senators vs. Edmonton Oilers Best Bet

While Ottawa is a scrappy bunch and have flirted with the playoff picture, the season is starting to slip away from them. Edmonton has a pretty strong hold on a Wild Card spot with a chance to move into the top three spots in the Western Conference. Both teams are 6-4 in their last ten games, yet the Oilers losses were to much tougher opponents (Toronto, Winnipeg, Boston, and Colorado). Ottawa dropped a dud against Vancouver and Chicago already on the road trip before losing 5-1 to the Flames just the other night. They have given up 4+ goals in four games straight games and take on an Oilers team that ranks 2nd in xGF.

The goaltending has been rocky for the Oilers and Sogaard is expected in net with a 3.07 GA and .894 SV%. Skinner is projected in net tonight and has been the better of the two Oilers netminders boasting a 2.92 GA and .911 SV%. Edmonton trounced the Sens 6-3 a month ago and that should continue on home ice where the Sens struggle on the road.

Best Bet: Oilers -1.5
Author: Jason Guilbault