Top NHL Betting Picks of the Week – December 11th Edition

Don’t look now, but the Tampa Bay Lightning just might be about to skate away with the Eastern Conference in hand. They lead Toronto by three points in the Atlantic Division and have two games in hand. They are five points ahead of the Metropolitan Division-leading Columbus Blue Jackets. Don’t count out the Washington Capitals, though, as they have won 8 of 10 to get within two points of Columbus. Out west, the Los Angeles Kings and the Vegas Golden Knights keep swapping places on top of the Pacific Division. The Dallas Stars, who put together a five-game winning streak, promptly followed that up with a three-game losing streak as they continue to refuse to play consistent defense. The Nashville Predators have won 7 of 10 to climb the Central Division standings and are just four points behind St. Louis with two games in hand. Check out our primo NHL betting matchups for this week’s rink action.

Top NHL Betting Picks of the Week – December 11th Edition

NHL Power Rankings: Capitals, Predators keep rising, but Tampa Bay is still No. 1 https://t.co/XUXB0gtL9Z pic.twitter.com/Q846C3FH0t

— SportsRadio 740 (@SportsRadio_740) December 11, 2017

Monday, December 11

Vancouver at Winnipeg (8:00pm ET, RSNP)

The Vancouver Canucks have a fairly solid defense. They have only permitted 2.8 goals per game, good for 8th overall. However, they took a 4-2 loss at Calgary over the weekend and will be missing forward Bo Horvat with a fractured foot for six weeks at least. With just 32 points in 30 games so far this season, the Canucks are near the basement of the Pacific Division. They head to Winnipeg on Monday night to take on a Jets team that delivers on offense — their 3.4 goals scored per game ranks fourth overall, and their power play (25.7 percent) also ranks fourth. Their defense ranks 12th (2.9 goals permitted per game) but against a Vancouver team that is 26th overall in goals scored, the Jets should prevail at home. NHL Betting Prediction: Winnipeg 4, Vancouver 2

Tuesday, December 12

Carolina at Vegas (10:00pm ET, FSS / AT&TSN)

The Hurricanes are swirling around the drain of the Metropolitan Division, sitting in seventh place with just 18 points in 28 games played. They are 23rd in the league in scoring at 2.7 goals per game, but the special teams are really killing them, as they rank 27th on the power play (16.3%) and 29th on the penalty kill (75.4%). The sale of the team to Tom Dundon brings the era of transition from Hartford to a close, but the Hurricanes are really in a quagmire right now, in all phases. They head to take on a Vegas team on Tuesday — after facing Anaheim on Monday — that has a terrific offense, scoring 3.5 goals per game (3rd overall). Vegas has slipped a little bit on the defensive end, now ranking just 21st in goals permitted per game, but the return of goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury from the concussion protocol (which kept him out for 25 games) should improve that number. NHL Betting Prediction: Vegas 5, Carolina 1

Wednesday, December 13

Boston at Detroit (8:00pm ET, NBC Sports)

This Original Six matchup would have a ot more drama if these teams were both contenders, but the Bruins are scratching their way back into some sort of respectability. They sit at third in the Atlantic Division with 32 points, thanks to an improved defense (7th overall in goals permitted with 2.7 per game and third overall on the penalty kill at 85.7%). They need to score more (they rank 21st in goals per game) but they did deliver a nifty 3-1 win over the New York Islanders on Saturday night and have a few days off before they play at Detroit. The Red Wings are 25th in goals permitted (3.3) and 27th in goals scored (2.7). They are ninth overall on the penalty kill and the power play, but their 6-1 loss to St. Louis on Saturday showed that they have plenty of holes at even strength. NHL Betting Prediction: Boston 4, Detroit 2