NHL Best Bets & Picks: Stars vs Avalanche & Blues vs Flames – Expert Game Previews
The National Hockey League (NHL) has a total of six games on tap for Wednesday night. We have a pair of nationally-televised games on TNT and HBO Max, including the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers meeting at 7 p.m. ET. At 9:30 p.m. ET, the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche meet at Ball Arena in Denver.
We'll provide single plays and parlay opportunities you could potentially pair with Wednesday's NBA and/or NCAA First Four or NIT college basketball action. Good luck with all of your plays! Let's get started.
Top up your bankroll thanks to sportsbook promos like this BetMGM bonus code offering $1,500 in bonus bets.
For the latest NHL Odds, including NHL Futures and NHL player props, visit RotoWire's NHL Betting page. For up-to-date NHL player news and NHL Injury Report info, head to RotoWire's NHL Lineups page. You can find more picks at Bookies.com/picks. Here are our NHL Best Bets today, featuring expert NHL picks for an action-packed slate of games.
Dallas Stars 
at Colorado Avalanche 
The Stars (42-15-10) and Avalanche (44-13-9) meet in a Central Division showdown at Ball Arena in Denver at 9:30 p.m. ET on TNT and HBO Max.
Colorado has a three-point lead over Dallas with 16 games remaining in the regular season, and it has a game in hand on the Stars. The Stars are 20-7-6 on the road this season, while the Avalanche are 23-6-4 at home.
This is the third meeting of the season, and these teams have played two close games. The road team has won 5-4 in a shootout in each of the first two meetings, so there isn't much to glean from that, as far as picking a winner. However, the Over looks pretty attractive. In fact, since Game 5 of last season's playoff series, the Over has cashed in five straight meetings.
For the Stars, they continue to play without Radek Faksa (upper body), Roope Hintz (lower body) and Mikko Rantanen (lower body), and that could be the difference here.
Casey DeSmith (14-5-5, 2.39 GAA, .907 SV%, 1 SO) is expected to be the goaltender for the Stars, while Scott Wedgewood (25-5-5, 2.23 GAA, .915 SV%, 2 SO) is likely for the home side.
Dallas was tripped up 6-3 by the Mammoth on Monday, and that halted a 15-game point streak (14-0-1). That lone loss was March 6 in Colorado's visit to the Metroplex. The Over is 6-2-0 in the past eight games for the Stars.
Colorado was tuned up 7-2 by the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins, so it has to be quite angry heading into this one, especially with the Central tightening up, and the Stars breathing down their necks. Look for the Avs to rise to the occasion in a high-scoring game.
- Avalanche ML (-150 at Bet365 and BetMGM Sportsbooks)
- Over 6.5 (+105 at DraftKings, Fanatics and FanDuel Sportsbook)
Don't make any bets on your favorite sports betting apps without first consulting the latest NHL odds.
St. Louis Blues 
at Calgary Flames 
The Blues (27-30-10) and the Flames (26-34-7) meet at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, also at 9:30 p.m. ET.
St. Louis was supposed to be out of it, as it was a big seller at the NHL trade deadline, shipping off Justin Faulk and Brayden Schenn. However, instead of falling apart, the Blues have banded together and played, arguably, their best hockey of the season.
The Blues did suffer a 3-2 loss last time out in Winnipeg to kick off a quick three-game road trip, but that was the first time in eight games St. Louis was unable to pick up at least one point. In fact, it is 6-1-1 in the past eight games, posting 13 out of a possible 16 points. The Blues have allowed three or fewer goals in three in a row, allowing just 2.0 goals per game (GPG), and three or fewer goals in nine of the past 10 outings. St. Louis has given up 1.9 GPG in that 10-game span.
Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer have really stepped up their play, perhaps taking it upon themselves to up their effort with two veteran defensemen shipped out. The Under has cashed in three straight games, and eight of the past nine outings.
Hofer (17-11-4, 2.70 GAA, .905 SV%, 5 SO) is expected to get the nod, and the Flames are likely to counter with Dustin Wolf (19-25-3, 3.02 GAA, .896 SV%, 2 SO).
The Flames lost at Detroit 5-2 last time out on Monday, and they're just 1-4-0 across the past five outings, while going 2-7-1 in the previous 10 outings, while averaging just 2.1 GPG on offense, with at least four goals allowed in seven of the past eight contests.
St. Louis has won eight consecutive meetings in this series, including a 4-2 win on Oct. 11 in Calgary in the first battle this season. The Under is 3-1 in the past four meetings in this series, too.
Based on the play of the Blues lately, and their red-hot streak in this series, take St. Louis, while going low on the total.
- Blues ML (-125 at Bet365, BetMGM, Caesars and DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Under 5.5 (-105 at Bet365, Caesars, DraftKings, Fanatic and FanDuel Sportsbooks)
Missouri sports betting is live, and you can check in on the best Missouri sportsbook promos if you're located in the Show Me State.
Parlay Strategy and Super Parlay Picks for NHL Betting Slates
4-Leg NHL Super Parlay (+826 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Blues ML (-122) at Flames
- Under 5.5 (-105) - Blues at Flames
- Over 6.5 (+105) - Avalanche vs. Stars
- Avalanche ML (-162) vs. Stars
2-Leg NHL Sides Parlay (+194 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Blues ML (-122) at Flames
- Avalanche ML (-162) vs. Stars
2-Leg NHL Totals Parlay (+302 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Under 5.5 (-105) - Blues at Flames
- Over 6.5 (+105) - Avalanche vs. Stars
