Welcome to our expert NHL Best Bets today!

It's crunch time in the NHL and there are a number of playoff-bound teams on tonight's slate of NHL picks who are fighting for every single point they can possibly get. I wouldn't be surprised to see a few more games start trending towards the under as we approach the final 15 games of the season. 

 

 

 

NHL Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 3/18

I'll always look for good teams in spots to bounce back and we have that in a few ways for NHL best bets today, as well as hot teams who will look to keep things rolling in the below NHL predictions. 

 

 

 

Ducks vs. Stars Prediction: Tuesday, March 18th

The Dallas Stars are back at home and have lost three of their last four games but have a great chance to right the ship tonight against a bad Anaheim Ducks team. 

The Stars are a great team and I can “excuse” their recent losses to the Oilers, the Jets, and the Avalanche, all playoff-bound teams. Regardless, they need to get things moving in the right direction tonight and they have a tomato can of an opponent in the Ducks. 

Since the start of March, the Ducks have allowed 69.01 Total Shot Attempts per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the second-worst in the league. They've been a terrible defense all season and there's no reason to stop attacking them now, so let's turn to Wyatt Johnston. 

The newly-extended rising talent for the Stars comes in with 21 shots on goal over his last 10 games, which is a bit lower than we'd like to see. However, the recent matchups against the Oilers, Jets, and Avalanche were tough ones as all three of those teams have been in the top 16 of the league since the start of March in terms of Total Shot Attempts allowed per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations. 

Those teams are the exact opposite of what Johnston will face in the Ducks tonight, an opponent he has had success against this season with three shots in each of the first two games. I'll trust the Stars at home to get back on the right foot against a bad team in the first of our NHL best bets today. 

 

 

 

Senators vs. Canadiens Prediction: Tuesday, March 18th

When it comes to hot teams in the NHL, the Ottawa Senators are among the hottest with six straight wins. They take that streak on the road to face the Montreal Canadiens, who have seven wins in their last 10 games. 

Both teams are fighting for a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, with the Senators holding down the first spot, and the Canadiens just one point out of the second spot. This is as good as it gets for late-season NHL action and should be one of the best games of the night. 

Despite the Habs picking up plenty of wins lately, they are still allowing a ton of shot attempts. Since the start of March, they have allowed 70.73 Total Shot Attempts per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the worst in the league. They're not giving up a ton of goals by any means, but the overall volume of attempts is there for opposing teams. 

This brings me and my NHL best bets today to Shane Pinto, whose shot prop is only 1.5, not a line we often see for most players. He's on the third forward line and has racked up at least two shots on goal in five of the eight games since the start of March. The consistency and the matchup are there for Pinto to rack up the shots. 

 

 

 

Best NHL Prop Bets & Other Picks Today, 3/18