NHL Tuesday Betting Preview: Get-Well Time

Nashville Predators vs Florida Panthers

All of a sudden, the Nashville Predators are crashing back down to earth. Nashville has lost four games in a row and hasn’t won since returning from the All-Star break. So, it’s a bad time for the Predators to visit the Florida Panthers, who are a ridiculous 23-3-0 at home . Florida is playing great overall with wins in seven of eight game.

Even though Nashville hasn’t played since Friday, this might be a place where coach John Hynes gives Juuse Saros an off-day. Saros has been a rock for the Predators, but he has started their last nine games and has struggled during this losing streak. Backup David Rittich has only made six starts this season but it makes sense to use him in this one.

Florida is a big home favorite on the BetUS sportsbook. Nashville is due to snap the skid but it’s hard to do that in Sunrise against the Panthers, so consider Florida on the puckline here. The over is intriguing with how much Florida scores, particularly at home — and if Rittich starts.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Columbus Blue Jackets

The Toronto Maple Leafs suffered one of the worst losses of the season by any team on Monday night as they were crushed 5-2 by the hapless Montreal Canadiens in a performance that was bad from the beginning. Toronto is in danger of dropping a third consecutive game when it visits the red-hot Blue Jackets, who have won seven of nine.

Columbus’ offense, led by Patrik Laine and Boone Jenner, has been rampaging lately with a pair of seven-goal wins over the Chicago Blackhawks and Buffalo Sabres. The Blue Jackets are dealing with a ton of goalie injuries so veteran journeyman Jean-Francois Berube, whose win over the Sabres on Sunday was his first NHL action in four years, might be between the pipes again.

Still, the Maple Leafs are big road favorites. Even with their recent struggles, this is a good spot for Toronto to bounce back with starter Jack Campbell back in net. Consider Toronto on the puckline or maybe even parlay the Maple Leafs on the moneyline with the over.

Minnesota Wild vs Ottawa Senators

The Minnesota Wild broke out of a little funk with a commanding 7-3 win over Edmonton on Sunday that snapped a five-game Oilers winning streak. Minnesota will try to keep the good vibes going as they take on the Ottawa Senators, who have lost three of four and are really feeling all their injury-related absences.

Starting goalie Matt Murray has missed Ottawa’s last three games, so backup Anton Forsberg could be in net again. Also, defenseman Thomas Chabot and forwards Josh Norris and Drake Batherson have been out and likely won’t suit up on Tuesday, either. The Senators have treaded water without them, but the talent gap between shorthanded Ottawa and the rest of the league is starting to become really apparent.

Minnesota is a massive road favorite, with good reason. The Wild should be able to build off the impressive win over Edmonton and catch a break with the Senators being so limited. Minnesota on the puckline is the move.

St. Louis Blues vs Philadelphia Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers will try to cut another long losing streak short when they host the St. Louis Blues, having lost five games in a row. St. Louis has won three of four and hasn’t played since beating the Maple Leafs up 6-3 on Saturday, so the Blues have a good chance to stay hot.

Philadelphia might need to start backup Martin Jones in net for the third straight game as Carter Hart has been out with an eye infection. St. Louis likely will go with Ville Husso in net once again. Husso is 9-1-1 in his 11 starts in 2022 and is a major reason why the Blues are a legitimate playoff contender.

St. Louis is favored heavily on the road so the Blues puckline is the way to go on Tuesday.

San Jose Sharks vs Anaheim Ducks

The San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks face off as two teams that are really going through it right now. San Jose has lost six games in a row and just got beat down by the Vegas Golden Knights in a 4-1 loss that wasn’t as close as the final score indicated. Anaheim snapped a four-game skid of its with a 7-4 thrashing of the Vancouver Canucks over the weekend, but the Ducks have been just as bad as San Jose in recent weeks.

It also doesn’t help Anaheim that veteran star and franchise cornerstone Ryan Getzlaf has missed the last two games with a lower-body injury. For a team that struggles to score, missing Getzlaf, who leads Anaheim’s forwards in average ice time, is a major loss.

The Ducks are sizably favored at home. While San Jose has been struggling mightily lately, this could be a good spot to take the Sharks as moneyline underdogs with pretty good value.

New York Islanders vs Seattle Kraken

Both the Seattle Kraken and the New York Islanders are in slumps right now. New York has lost four of five, most recently falling to the Canadiens in a shootout, while Seattle riding a four-game skid. But, the Islanders are still somehow hanging around the periphery of the Eastern Conference wild card race so this is a game they really need to have.

New York has the rest advantage here as the Kraken lost 5-2 to the Vancouver Canucks on Monday night with backup goalie Chris Driedger in net. So, the Islanders have no excuses for this game.

Play it safe and consider the Islanders on the moneyline if you’re betting online, even though there isn’t much value there.