The NHL late-night special is back.
This time, with three games on the 10:00 p.m. slate, I'd be remiss if I didn't at least see if any of these games had value, and would you look at that? They all do. My fiancé may not sleep tonight, with the volume turned to the max. But for the love of the game? She'll understand.
Let's get into my NHL Best Bets featuring predictions, picks, and odds for Monday, March 30.
NHL Late-Night Best Bets for Monday, March 30
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 10:00 p.m. | |
  | 10:00 p.m. | |
  | 10:00 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NHL Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Canucks vs. Golden Knights
We wouldn’t have an NHL season with our good buddy John Tortorella — one of the most unhinged coaches in history, but still a true beauty of the game.
You will never see me complain about Torts having a job. Players may hate him after a year, but any time he gets behind a bench initially, he ignites a fire in his team.
And that’s exactly what the Vegas Golden Knights need. Something. Anything.
This is a team that has been playing incessantly better than what their last 10 games have told us.
Statistically, Vegas has been one of the better 5-on-5 teams in the league, but the results haven’t been adding up.
They’ve gone 3-5-2 over that span, and are playing with fire with their playoff lives – only four points ahead of the Kings.
So, in my opinion, firing Bruce Cassidy to hire Torts was a stroke of genius. Get him for the playoffs, where his players will skate through a wall for him, and then reassess next season to see if the boys want him gone.
And there’s no better way to get on the right foot than playing against the Vancouver Canucks, the NHL’s proverbial whipping boy.
You need to be careful, though. Vancouver, while losing five games in a row, is a tantalizing upset candidate. Vegas has had some horrendous goaltending, which is why the Knights have hobbled into the final stretch of the season.
So that’s why I’m going to lean on the over here. Whether it’s Adin Hill or Akira Schmid, putting your playoff hopes into two guys with sub-.900 SV% is, in a word, concerning.
Concerned enough that I have no interest in putting money towards them, even with playing against a lousy team.
Pick: Over 6.5 (-110)
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Maple Leafs vs. Ducks
Speaking of disappointments, let’s talk about the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The spotlight is always white hot in Toronto, and for good reason. When you have two of the league’s best goal scorers on the same team in Auston Matthews and William Nylander, the pressure will be immense. Especially in the Hockey Mecca.
But this season has not just been frustrating for Leafs Nation, but one to forget. Throw it in the trash and never look at it again, so you can draft a good prospect and hope you don’t have the same result.
The Leafs’ opponents, the Anaheim Ducks, have been one of the more exciting teams in the league. They may not be making the same impact as the Sabres, but they currently lead the Pacific Division – a position that many didn’t peg them for.
Anaheim has been on somewhat of a heater over these two weeks. Defensively, it could be better, playing to a 3.26 xGA/60, but have gone 5-1-1 over its last seven games.
This young core is one of the best, led by Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson and Beckett Sennecke, but also Troy Terry, Jackson LaCombe, and Mason McTavish.
The last time these two teams squared off, it was three weeks ago in Toronto, where the Leafs walked away with a 6-4 victory, but I anticipate a different result this time.
Toronto is a nightmare on the road, while Anaheim has one of the best home records in the league. Additionally, the Ducks lost against Edmonton on Saturday, and since the beginning of January, they’ve gone 6-2 after a loss.
Four of those wins have been decided by two goals or more. Take that however you want.
Pick: Ducks -1.5 (+120)
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Blues vs. Sharks
This is going to be a fun one to keep an eye on.
The San Jose Sharks take on the red-hot St. Louis Blues while both are tied in the Western Conference playoff race.
St. Louis seemed to be dead in the water earlier this season, but after making some moves, including trading its captain, Brayden Schenn, the mood in the city has been anything but blue.
The Blues have captured wins in seven out of their last 10, including four straight. What’s also of note is that they’ve played the Sharks twice already this month and came away with two overtime wins.
San Jose, on the other hand, is on an opposite trajectory. With the help of young sensations Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, the Sharks seemed like they were well on their way to making their first playoffs in seven years.
Yet, if they don’t wake up soon, that may turn into eight years.
Overall, San Jose has been really solid 5-on-5 over the past three weeks, playing to a 51.9 xGF% and a 2.7 xGA/60.
The problem is the goaltending. Yarsolav Askarov returned from an injury on Thursday, ironically against the Blues, but then got injured right away again. So it’ll be the Alex Nedeljkovic Show for the time being – which is essentially a cry for help.
Nedeljkovic is a fine backup, but a starter he is not. He’s played to an .893 SV% this season, along with an absolutely brutal -6.3 GSAx over his last 10 games.
Will history repeat itself, and the Blues go undefeated against the Sharks in March? I’m banking on yes.
St. Louis’ goaltending has been infinitely better since returning from the Olympics, with Joel Hofer, who will likely get the nod, playing to a second-best 11.2 GSAx over his last 10 and a .912 SV% over the season.
Pick: Blues ML (-110)
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