NHL betting picks, top odds & parlays – Thursday, April 7

Thursday brings us a stacked schedule of 10 National Hockey League (NHL) games, kicking off at 7pm EST. We have combed through the NHL betting markets at Bovada and come up with a few top picks for the day’s action.

Buffalo Sabres (+270) @ Carolina Hurricanes (-350)

Carolina plays the Islanders on Friday, so the Hurricanes will likely go with Antti Raanta, but they’ll still have the goaltending advantage over Buffalo. It didn’t seem to matter in the last game between these two teams on Tuesday. Buffalo got a 4-2 win at home, but the Sabres will be in Carolina this time, where the Hurricanes are 25-6-4 this season.

The Sabres have surprisingly won three of their last five and are 6-1-3 over their last 10. The Hurricanes haven’t been blowing anyone away over the same stretch, going 4-3-3 and averaging just 3.2 goals scored per game. Carolina’s defense has remained superb, allowing just 2.3 goals per game over that stretch.

If the Hurricanes manage to lose consecutive games to Buffalo, they’ve got real problems. Expect Carolina to avenge its loss on the road with a resounding win at home. Take the Hurricanes on the moneyline, and to win by two or more at -140.

Calgary Flames (-240) @ San Jose Sharks (+190)

Calgary is coming off a game in Anaheim on Wednesday night, and lost three of five going into that game. San Jose lost four of five going into Wednesday, so this is a battle of struggling squads.

While Calgary is leading the Pacific Division, the Flames are struggling to stay ahead of the Minnesota Wild in the Western Conference. The red-hot Wild were finally cooled and took a loss on Tuesday, but the Flames need this game to get hot themselves. The Flames also need a win to avoid being swept in the season series with San Jose, which is astounding given how much better Calgary is all over the ice. Only the San Jose penalty kill is better than Calgary’s.

Expect Calgary to avoid being swept by the Sharks. Take the Flames on the moneyline, but avoid betting on them to win by two or more at +115. A moneyline parlay including Calgary and Carolina pays around -133 with the top NHL betting sites.

Vancouver Canucks (-195) @ Arizona Coyotes (+160)

Vancouver is coming off a game in Vegas on Wednesday, but Arizona’s netminders shouldn’t strike fear in the Canucks, even if backup Jaroslav Halak starts in net. His 3.18 goals allowed per game average is lower than that of the Coyotes’ starter, Karel Vejmelka (5.04). Vejmelka allowed five goals on 29 shots in a loss to Vancouver already this season.

The Coyotes’ biggest problem isn’t even goaltending. Their 3.57 goals allowed per game average on the season is bad, but the 742 penalty minutes they’ve served is worse. Vancouver scores on 21.7 percent of power play opportunities, so expect the Canucks to win by two or more in Arizona, where the Coyotes are just 10-23-1.

A moneyline trifecta including Vancouver, Carolina, and Calgary pays +165, and a parlay against the spread featuring Carolina and Vancouver pays +260.

Nashville Predators (-190) @ Ottawa Senators (+155)

Nashville’s power play got a lot of work against Minnesota on Tuesday, scoring three times – in the first period. That’s quite the opposite of how things tend to work out for the Predators, who’ve spent an astounding 867 minutes in the penalty box this season. The Predators’ power play scores on a quarter of power play opportunities, but don’t expect that to be the case in Ottawa.

The Senators kill 80.6 percent of power plays, and Ottawa’s defense has improved as of late, allowing just 2.6 goals per game over its last 10. The Senators enter the day on a three-game winning streak, but before that streak started they lost 4-1 in Nashville.

Nashville needs every game to stay ahead of Dallas in the Western Conference playoff picture, and you can expect them to get this one. Take Nashville on the moneyline and consider taking them to win by two or more at +140.

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