This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
Got some big Game 4s on tap for tonight! Who will take a commanding 3-1 series lead, and who will keep things tight at 2-2? I think we'll have a little bit of both. Here are your best NHL bets for tonight.
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Check out what DraftKings has to offer during the Stanley Cup Playoffs with the DraftKings promo code, which unlocks $150 in bonus bets for new customers.
NHL Best Bets Tonight
Devils vs Rangers
The Rangers absolutely dominated the first two games of this series, winning both contests in New Jersey by identical 5-1 scores. The Devils fended off a 3-0 series deficit with a 2-1 overtime victory in Game 3 win in Madison Square Garden. Rookie goalie Akira Schmid made 35 saves in his playoff debut, and the Devils went 5-for-5 on the penalty kill after allowing 4 power-play goals on 10 opportunities in the first two games. Give the Rangers a bunch of power play opportunities tonight and I don't think the Devils can keep the likes of Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, Patrick Kane, and Artemi Panarin off the board. Igor Shesterkin is still playing lights out in net for the Rags too. This series has been all Blue Shirts, and even if the Devils keep this one close again, I gotta ride the Rangers.
- Rangers ML -150
Maple Leafs vs Lightning
If you want a series that is exemplifying what hockey lifers like to call quintessential "playoff hockey," check this one out. Fights, big hits, tons of scraps after the whistle, close scores. The Leafs won the last two games after dropping Game 1 at home. They barely eeked out an overtime victory in Game 3 though, which was the first 1-goal game of the series. Andrei Vasilevskiy has so far looked like a common man, but all the grumblings about the Lightning being tired from so much postseason play in the last several years is moot at this point. The Bolts are a tough team on home ice at any point, but they've won 6 of their last 7 Game 4s at home and were one of the league's best home-ice advantages all regular season. A big question will be about how truly healthy Brayden Point is after taking a nasty spill into the boards in Game 3, but even without him at full strength, I think Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov help will their team to victory on home ice tonight in another gritty contest.
- Lightning ML -110
Golden Knights vs Jets
Two heartbreaking things happened to the Jets in Game 3: they lost in 5-4 in double overtime after rallying from a 3-goal deficit, and they also lost star defenseman Josh Morrissey for the rest of the series due to injury. Morrissey lead the Jets in average time-on-ice and was the second-leading scorer in the regular season. The Jets played most of that double-overtime thriller without him though, and still mounted that impressive 3-goal comeback in the third period despite being outshot 48-34. The Golden Knights have looked impressive winning the last two games after getting blown out on home ice in Game 1. Their forecheck is firing, and Jack Eichel seems to be finding his playoff form. But can they win 3 in a row? That seems like a tall task. If there was ever a game for Connor Hellebuyck to steal a victory, tonight's the night.
- Jets ML -110
Avalanche vs Kraken
Even down 2-1 in the series, I gotta give the Kraken credit. They've been impressive. So many expected the Avalanche to steamroll them, but they won Game 1 and have kept it really close in their last 2 losses. The combined score from the first three contests is 10-9 in favor of Colorado. Philipp Grubauer has been stout in net, while Alexandar Georgiev has been nothing really to write home about. And even though Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Mikko Rantanen all seem to be playing on a different game mode, the Kraken have still rolled all 4 forward lines effectively to keep Colorado honest. Three wins in a row in the postseason is tough, especially on the road. Let's get frisky with the underdog in this one!
- Kraken ML +130
