Free NHL Betting Picks For Tonight (January 17)

If you tailed our picks yesterday, you went 1-1 for a small profit. We’re now 7-3 with these tips and will look to improve on that record with our free NHL betting picks for tonight.

There are 9 games today in the National Hockey League, including Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary and Vancouver in action.

Here’s what we like for today:

Tonight’s NHL lines

vegas nhl betting odds

(For up-to-the-minute odds, visit our live NHL odds page)

NHL Betting Picks For Tonight

1. Stars Team Total Over 2.5 -104 (Pinnacle)

Dallas is struggling this season, but at least they’re scoring goals. Going into yesterday’s matinee in Buffalo, the Stars had scored 3+ goals in 5 of 6 games and 7 of 9. And the fact they only got 1 yesterday doesn’t bother us too much, as there’s a good chance they come back with a better effort tonight in New York. The Rangers are giving up a ton of goals at the moment (4 or more against in 4 of their last 5 games) and Lundqvist just doesn’t look like himself right now. In a game where the Rangers are likely to score their share as well, we think the Stars are capable of keeping up by potting 3 or more themselves.

Bet this game at Pinnacle

2. Blue Jackets First Period Moneyline -135 (5Dimes)

The Jackets have been fast starters at home all year (outscoring opponents by an average of 1.19-0.43 in first periods) and should be eager to get out to a fast start tonight after losing 4 of 6 since their 16-game winning streak. Carolina looks like it’s red hot but those 4 straight wins all came at home, where the Canes have been dominant. They’re a much different team on the road, and they’ve also been outscored 9-5 in the first period over their last 10 games.

Bet this game at 5Dimes

3. Lightning/Ducks Under 5 +120 (Sports Interaction)

Tampa’s simply a different team with a healthy Ben Bishop, and they relied on him yesterday for a 2-1 win in Los Angeles. The Lightning has now allowed 6 goals in its last 3 games and it goes up against an Anaheim squad that hasn’t scored more than 2 goals in regulation time in its last 5 home games. The Ducks are playing some lockdown defence of their own, however (6 regulation time goals against in their last 7 games), and the Lightning has scoring issues of its own. In the fourth game in 6 days for both teams, look for a slow pace and a defensive struggle.