Saturday NHL Game Picks – February 17

Another 5-1 Saturday and I'm edging ever closer to the coveted 66% target I set out for every year, hopefully with games becoming more predictable I'll get there in the new few weeks. I've been a bit surprised this week with some of the money lines I saw and took full advantage of a few that made me shake my head. Most recently was the Islanders/Hurricanes game on Friday which had the Canes at near -200. While it wasn't a sure bet that New York would win, I liked what I saw in their game on Thursday and was more than happy to ride them as underdogs.

 

It's definitely the time of year where hot hands and mini streaks should be ridden hard. With playoffs looming, "micro-trends" are something I pay much more close attention too that I normally would earlier in the season. For instance, Calgary's game against Nashville on Thursday is a prime example. Calgary has gone 5-3 in their last 8, with all 5 wins coming on the road. Even with Mike Smith out, I was very certain the Flames were going to show up in Music City. 

 

Lastly, it's also the time of year where I start taking some extra gambles on parlays. With certain matchups being so heavily favoured, throwing in a 5-game parlay can result in some pretty nice payouts if you're lucky. I don't recommend going all in on these, especially as Hail Marys, but they can be a great cherry on top when you're picking well.

 

On to today's games:

 

Personal Record: 195-133 (59%)

Dobber Record: 65-37 (64%)

 

Los Angeles @ Buffalo (1:00 PM EST)
 

Pick: Los Angeles – Visitor Team Victory – V

Confidence Level: 3.5/5

 

New Jersey @ Tampa Bay (7:00 PM EST)
 

Pick: Tampa Bay – Home Team Victory – H

Confidence Level: 4/5