Top Shelf Picks: NHL Best Bets Today (Predictions for Kings-Rangers, Mammoth-Stars, Penguins-Avalanche)

The NHL opens the week with a five-game slate on Monday night.

I’m looking at a pair of favorites and a high-scoring game in Colorado for my picks tonight.

Read on as I break down my NHL best bets – and their odds at the best betting sites – for Monday, March 16.

NHL Best Bets for Monday, March 16

Los Angeles Kings (-120) at New York Rangers
Dallas Stars (-162) vs. Utah Mammoth
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Colorado Avalanche OVER 6.5 (-120)

Los Angeles Kings (-120) at New York Rangers

The Kings close out a five-game road trip against the Rangers on Monday night. Los Angeles has alternated wins and losses in its last eight games after losing its first two out of the Olympic break.

While New York has rattled off four wins in a row and six wins in its last eight games, it was outshot 48-18 in Minnesota and 26-17 in Winnipeg in its last two games. Furthermore, the Rangers have been awful at home this season, going just 9-15-6 at Madison Square Garden as opposed to 19-15-2 on the road.

At this point in the season, the motivation aspect has to be factored in. The Kings are only a few points ahead of the Rangers on the season, but it’s a lot easier to snag a playoff spot in the Western Conference this year.

Dallas Stars (-162) vs. Utah Mammoth

The Stars are the hottest team in the league right now. After going into the Olympic break on a six-game winning streak, they extended that to 10 games before losing to the Avalanche in a shootout. They’ve since won four games in a row, giving them a 14-0-1 record in their last 10 games. Dallas has a goal differential of 63-36 in that span.

On the flip side, the Mammoth have lost four games in a row, and are 4-4-2 in their 10 games since the break. Since a hot streak to begin the calendar year, Utah is just 7-7-2 in its last 16 games. Utah’s cracks are starting to show, and the Mammoth are just 16-16-3 on the road this season.

The Stars have been able to keep rolling even without Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen, and they’re now 22-7-4 at home on the season. Dallas has been undoubtedly the best team since the break, generating 60.69% of the expected goals at 5-on-5, per Natural Stat Trick.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Colorado Avalanche OVER 6.5 (-120)

The Penguins will get Evgeni Malkin back from a five-game suspension tonight, but Sidney Crosby’s return timeline remains uncertain. They’ve struggled without their captain, losing 6 of their last 8 games and 7 of 10 since the break.

A lot of those games have been of the high-scoring variety. Pittsburgh has gone OVER 6.5 in five straight games, getting outscored 22-18 in that span.

The Avalanche have suddenly lost two of their last three games, but now return home to face a flailing Penguins squad. They’re huge favorites, and maybe the -1.5 (+110) could be worth a look, but I’d rather go with the OVER.

The Avs can score four or five goals themselves, and the Pens should be able to chip in a few.

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