Best NHL Bets Today: Expert Picks for Friday, March 28

Best NHL Bets Today: Expert Picks for Friday, March 28

This article is part of our NHL Picks series.

The National Hockey League has six games on the schedule, including the Utah Hockey Club and Florida Panthers meeting at 7 p.m. ET on NHL Network. We have three games in the early window, with a puck drop on the west coast at 10 p.m. ET between the New York Rangers and Anaheim Ducks on ESPN+. We'll put together a handful of parlay opportunities, as we look to build bankroll for the remainder of the regular season and the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Let's get started.

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Best NHL Bets Today: Expert NHL Picks for 
Friday, March 28

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.

New Jersey Devils at Winnipeg Jets

The Devils (38-28-7) meet the Jets (49-19-4) at Canada Life Centre at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

Winnipeg routed New Jersey 6-1 at Prudential Center on March 7 as moderate favorites (-125) as the Over (5.5) cashed.

Alex Iafallo got the party started with a goal at 18:17 of the first period, and Josh Morrissey had a power-play goal early in the second period, with Nikolaj Ehlers posting a goal late in the second to push the lead to 3-0.

Dawson Mercer gave the home side some hope with an even-strength goal just 31 seconds into the third period to slice the lead to 3-1. However, Adam Lowry, Kyle Connor and Cole Perfetti netted goals in the third period, and the rout was on. Jacob Markstrom struggled with six goals allowed on 35 shots. Connor Hellebuyck cruised with just one goal allowed on 23 shots in the win.

The Jets have alternated wins and losses in the past five games, and each of the victories has been in overtime.

The Devils racked up a 5-3 win in Chicago last time out Wednesday as the Over (5.5) cashed behind Markstrom. Still, Jersey is just 2-3-1 in the past six games, as they stumble along without defenseman Dougie Hamilton (lower body) and center Jack Hughes (shoulder - out for the season).

Let's back the Jets on the moneyline, and we'll go high on the total. Hellebuyck has been a little more giving lately, and Markstrom has had some issues.

  • Jets ML (-175 at ESPN Bet Sportsbook)
  • Over 5.5 Goals (+105 at ESPN Bet Sportsbook)

Don't make any bets on your favorite sports betting apps without first consulting the latest NHL odds.

Vegas Golden Knights at Chicago Blackhawks

The Golden Knights (43-20-8) meet the Blackhawks (21-42-9) at United Center at 8 p.m. ET.

The last time these teams met Feb. 27, it was a wild affair with plenty of firewagon hockey. It was a party if you had the Over (6), too.

Vegas (-400) won outright, while also covering the puck line, but that was anything but easy. The Golden Knights won 7-5, and you could tell immediately it was going to be a wild night.

In the first period, Vegas fired out to a 5-1 lead, as Keegan Kolesar and Nick Foligno exchanged goals. However, Nicolas Hague, Ivan Barbashev (PPG), Tomas Hertl (PPG) and Pavel Dorofeyev notched goals to make it 5-1 after just 20 minutes.

The Blackhawks saw Colton Dach and Ethan Del Mastro score goals in the first 5:30 to make things interesting, cutting the lead to 5-3. Kolesar was back with his 12th goal of the season to make it 6-3 after two periods.

Ilya Mikheyev and Philipp Kurashev had goals to make it 6-5, but Barbashev was back at 15:45 of the third with an insurance goal to put a bow on the scoring.

Ilya Samsonov was shaky with five goals allowed on 22 shots. Petr Mrazek was chased with five goals allowed on 15 shots in the first period. Arvid Soderblom came on and allowed two goals on shots. Mrazek is gone, and Spencer Knight is likely to get a look against VGK now.

Let's back VGK on the puck line, and we'll go high on the total.

  • Golden Knights -1.5 (-120 at BetMGM)
  • Over 6 Goals (-115 at BetMGM)

New York Rangers at Anaheim Ducks

The Rangers (34-32-6) and Ducks (31-32-8) meet at Honda Center in Anaheim at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

New York is trying to make its way into a wild-card spot in a logjam in the Eastern Conference. The Rangers are a respectable 17-15-3 on the road this season, but they've secured just two points in the past five games, leaving eight points on the table. The Rangers have cashed the Under at a 6-2 clip in the past eight games, and 10-4 across the past 14 games.

Anaheim pounded Boston 6-2 last time out as moderate favorites (-140) as the Over (6) cashed, and the total has gone high in four of the past five outings.

These teams met Oct. 26, with the Rangers winning 2-1 as heavy favorites (-280) as the Under (6.5) cashed. New York has won seven of the past eight in the series since Dec. 22, 2019.

We'll avoid picking a side, as the Rangers are too expensive on the moneyline, and the Ducks are too expensive on the puck line as an underdog. Let's roll with the Under based on the Rangers' trends as long as you can get Under 6.5.

  • Under 6.5 Goals (-130 at DraftKings Sportsbook)

Best NHL Parlays Today

5-Leg NHL Super Parlay (+1716 at DraftKings Sportsbook)

  • Jets ML (-185) vs. Devils
  • Over 5.5 (+105) - Jets vs. Devils
  • Over 6.5 (+110) - Golden Knights at Blackhawks
  • Golden Knights -1.5 (-125) at Blackhawks
  • Under 6.5 (-130) - Ducks vs. Rangers

3-Leg NHL Totals Parlay (+661 at DraftKings Sportsbook)

  • Over 5.5 (+105) - Jets vs. Devils
  • Over 6.5 (+110) - Golden Knights at Blackhawks
  • Under 6.5 (-130) - Ducks vs. Rangers

2-Leg NHL Sides Parlay (+177 at DraftKings Sportsbook)

  • Jets ML (-185) vs. Devils
  • Golden Knights -1.5 (-125) at Blackhawks

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Daniel Dobish
Hockey writer, handicapper, unskilled fourth liner, 25-year fantasy sports and gambling industry veteran, FSWA's 2024 Player Notes Writer of the Year, and five-time FSWA award winner. Twitter: @danieledobish
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