NHL Betting Picks For Tuesday, February 20


Our 8-game winning streak came to a crashing halt Thursday with an 0-2 night, dropping the season record for our free NHL betting picks to 26-13.

The Kings could only manage 1 goal in a loss at Pittsburgh, going Under their team total of 2.5 (frustratingly, that’s the only time LA has scored less than 3 goals in its last 8 games). In our other loss, the Sharks scored early in the first period against Vancouver but the teams went scoreless the rest of the frame to go Under the first period total.

After a few days off, we’re going to try to get back onto the horse tonight with 2 more free NHL betting picks for tonight. Good luck if you’re tailing along.

Don’t forget to check out our live odds page if you’re interested in seeing tonight’s NHL betting lines. Otherwise, here’s what we like for tonight:

NHL Betting Picks For Tonight

Tampa Bay Lightning at Washington Capitals

We liked Tampa a lot more at the -105 opener, but there’s still enough value to back the Lightning in what looks like a great spot for the visitors and an awful one for the hosts.

First, Tampa Bay comes into this one with plenty of motivation to play better. The Bolts have lost 3 of their last 4 games, and even though they handily outshot the Devils in a 4-3 loss to New Jersey on Saturday, defensive miscues continue to cost Tampa points. They simply can’t keep allowing goals at the rate they have been of late, and we expect the Lightning to bring a strong defensive focus to this game tonight.

Washington, meanwhile, keeps getting away with getting outplayed. Even though the Caps are 4-1-2 in their last 7 games, they’ve also been outshot in 10 straight outings. Shot counts aren’t always reliable, since you usually allow more shots when you’re winning, but getting outshot by double digits is a bad sign. Coming off a victory yesterday in Buffalo and playing at home one day after ending a 4-game road trip, we don’t expect the Caps to be nearly as motivated tonight.

NHL Betting Prediction: Lightning Moneyline -125

Columbus Blue Jackets at New Jersey Devils

The Blue Jackets continue to outshoot their opponents, which might be why they’re the favourites in this matchup. But it hasn’t mattered this year how many shots the Jackets get. They’ve got the worst shooting percentage in the entire league, and Sergei Bobrovsky and company haven’t been nearly as good on the defensive end, either.

Columbus has allowed more than 3 goals per road game this season, and the Jackets have also given up 3+ goals in 7 of their last 10 outings. We’re not sure that gets any better against a Devils offence that is much better than we traditionally expect of New Jersey, having potted 3 goals or more in 8 of its last 10. Jersey has been badly outplayed over its last two games, but we think a return home gets the Devils going again, as does seeking revenge for a 6-1 loss at Columbus earlier this month.

Just in case the Devils get outshot badly again, we’ll go the Team Total Over route with New Jersey instead. That way, our wager doesn’t rely on the performance of Keith Kinkaid, and simply on the Devils solving Bobrovsky at least 3 times (though 2 goals and an empty netter will also work just fine.)

NHL Betting Prediction: Devils Team Total Over 2.5 -127