Since the NHL returned after the exciting Winter Olympics, we've enjoyed several heart-stopping games. But now, after getting a nice dose of hockey these past two days, it's time to take a breather and focus on one game at a time.
We have four games on the NHL slate for tonight, and I've found three that hold significant moneyline value.
So let's get into our first edition of NHL Moneyline Mania, featuring best bets and picks for Friday, February 27.
NHL Moneyline Mania, Friday February 27
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7:10 p.m. | |
  | 7:10 p.m. | |
  | 9:10 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. | ||
Sabres vs. Panthers
With 24 games left in the season, and being eight points out of the final playoff spot, literally every game for the Florida Panthers is important.
They got off on the right foot after pulverizing the Maple Leafs last night, but the Buffalo Sabres coming into town is a tall order.
Whoever imagined that those words would be uttered?
Buffalo is a major threat these days and has an impressive goaltender tandem in Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon.
With Luukkonen starting on Wednesday, I expect Lyon to get the nod, who’s played to a .913 SV% and a 9.6 GSAx in his last 10 starts.
What will be interesting to monitor is if Lyon starts slowly. Throughout his career, he has never truly received a major workload and there’s always a possibility of him coming out the gate sluggish.
For Florida, I saw the urgency in its game last night.
Brad Marchand found the back of the net twice, and perhaps Carter Verhaeghe is starting to heat up after scoring a goal for the first time in five games.
But since it’s a back-to-back, I would assume that Daniil Tarasov gets the nod, and he’s been as average as they come as of late. But luckily, Florida’s defense has kept it together for most of the season, so I’m expecting the same again. Not only that, the last time these two teams played, Florida was on the back-end of a back-to-back, and it defeated the Sabres in Buffalo.
I think the Cats have a real shot at making the playoffs despite being eight points out at this point. What better way to kick off the run with back-to-back wins?
Pick: Panthers ML
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Golden Knights vs. Capitals
Washington is such a weird team.
It has the goaltending, it has the starpower, it has the versatility, it has the coaching.
And yet here we are, with the Capitals being four points out of a playoff spot. Now, to their credit, they’ve been winning games at the most important time. Before the Olympic break, Washington had won four out of its five games, and then beat the Flyers 3-1 when coming back.
Having a fresh Alex Ovechkin could also spell major trouble for the rest of the East.
I’m also impressed with Logan Thompson, the Team Canada backup and the former goalie for the Capitals' opponents: the Vegas Golden Knights.
Thompson has only played two games against his old team in his career, but he’s won them both.
The Knights ended their first half on a positive note, winning two in a row before the break, and then won their first game back.
I really enjoy watching this team because they not only have lights-out scoring, but the talent is overwhelming, with eight Olympians.
To me, this is a new season instead of a continuation of before the break, but I’m going to lean on history and back Thompson to come out with a third consecutive win against his former squad.
Pick: Capitals ML
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Wild vs. Utah
This will be a battle of behemoths.
Even though Utah lost its first game back against the Avalanche, the Mammoth have been on a total heater, and are not a team to be messed with.
They currently have the fifth-most efficient offense in the league, and the ninth-most efficient defense. The one aspect of the team that I’d be wary of is their goaltending because Karel Vejmelka can sometimes be a wild card.
Vejmelka has had an up-and-down season, playing to a .901 SV%, but he’s been making saves he’s supposed to, and more with a 10.4 GSAx.
The problem is, Minnesota, which is coming into town, not only is elite on the road, but it has the firepower to dissect every part of the Mammoth’s gameplan.
Quinn Hughes, who’s coming off the Olympic gold medal, is arguably the best offensive defenseman in the league. Combine him with the deadliness of Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy, and suddenly, Utah’s ninth-most-efficient defense may not look so efficient anymore.
If the books are giving me the opportunity to take the Wild as an underdog, I’m going to take it.
For the time being, Utah is way too volatile for me, and Minnesota is a lot more stable.
Pick: Wild ML
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