NHL Best Bets & Picks: Rangers vs Blues and Stars vs Sharks – Expert Game Previews
The National Hockey League (NHL) has 10 total games on the schedule, including the Philadelphia Flyers and Buffalo Sabres available on ESPN+/hulu. We'll be highlighting a pair of games in the later window.
We'll provide single plays and parlay opportunities you could potentially pair with Thursday's NFL game, the lone college football bowl game, NBA and/or NCAA basketball action. Good luck with all of your plays! Let's get started.
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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 York Rangers 
at St. Louis Blues 
The Rangers (16-15-4) and Blues (13-15-7) meet at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, with a puck drop of 8 p.m. EST on ESPN+.
The Blues swept the season series last year, but the Rangers picked up a 3-2 home victory as moderate favorites (-140) as the Under (5.5) cashed on Nov. 24 at Madison Square Garden.
It started well for St. Louis, as Dylan Holloway opened the scoring with a late goal in the first period with helpers to Colton Parayko and Philip Broberg. Vincent Trocheck answered back with a goal in the second period, and Alexis Lafreniere and Adam Edstrom scored the first two goals of the third period to make it 3-1. Brayden Schenn made things interesting with a late goal, but 3-2 is how it would finish.
Igor Shesterkin kicked aside 19 of the 21 shots he faced, while Joel Hofer allowed three goals on 21 shots in the narrow loss at MSG.
Shesterkin (13-11-3, 2.55 GAA, .907 save percentage, 1 SO) is expected to start for the Rangers, while Jordan Binnington (7-7-5, 3.49 GAA, .869 save percentage) is confirmed to go for the Blues.
The Rangers are coming off a 3-0 loss to the lowly Vancouver Canucks on home ice on Tuesday night, and New York has scored two or fewer goals in five of the past six games, going 1-3-2 in the span. The Under is, unsurprisingly, 5-1 in that span, too.
The Blues topped the Jets 1-0 on Wednesday night, and now face the quick turnaround. They're a respectable 4-3-0 in the past seven games, but just 1-3-0 in the past four starts by Binnington.
In the past 10 games, St. Louis has averaged 2.0 goals per game (GPG), but it has allowed 32 goals in the past nine outings.
We're going to side with the Rangers to get the job done behind Shesterkin, as Binnington just hasn't had much success lately. However, we'll lean low based on the inability of both teams to light the lamp lately.
- Rangers ML (-140 at Bet365, Caesars, Fanatics and FanDuel Sportsbooks)
- Under 5.5 Goals (-120 at Bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings and Fanatics Sportsbooks)
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Dallas Stars 
at San Jose Sharks 
The Stars (22-7-5) roll into the Bay Area to tangle with the Sharks (17-14-3) at 10 p.m. EST on ESPN+.
Dallas has won seven in a row in the series, including a 4-1 victory as huge favorites (-270) on Dec. 5 in the Metroplex as the Under (6) cashed. In the winning streak, the Stars have outscored the Sharks 36-19, with the Over going 4-2 in the past six meetings.
The last visit by the Stars to San Jose was Feb. 8 last season, an 8-3 rout, but the Sharks are a lot better team this season than last. San Jose is a respectable 10-5-3 at home this season, and it skates into this game on a three-game win streak, including a 6-3 doubling up of the Calgary Flames at home on Tuesday as the Over (5.5) cashed.
The Sharks are 4-1-0 in the past five games, too, and a healthy 4-1-0 in the past five home contests, too, including three wins by at least two goals.
Jake Oettinger (13-6-2, 2.61 GAA, .905 save percentage, 2 SO) is expected to go for the visitors, while Alex Nedeljkovic (5-6-2, 2.94 GAA, .901 save percentage) is confirmed to start for the Sharks. He is 2-1-0 with a 2.42 GAA and .916 SV% in 3 starts and a relief appearance in December.
The Stars are heavy favorites, so it's very tempting to back the Sharks on home ice as moderate underdogs. Take San Jose on the puck line for a little insurance, as it is still value, while leaning low on the total.
- Sharks +1.5 Goals (-140 at BetMGM)
- Under 6.5 Goals (-140 at Fanatic Sportsbook)
Don't make any bets on your favorite sports betting apps without first consulting the latest NHL odds.
Parlay Strategy and Super Parlay Picks for NHL Betting Slates
4-Leg NHL Super Parlay (+693 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Rangers ML at Blues and Under 5.5 (+203) - SGP
- Sharks +1.5 vs. Stars and Under 6.5 (+161) - SGP
2-Leg NHL Totals Parlay (+208 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Under 5.5 (-120) - Rangers at Blues
- Under 6.5 (-146) - Stars at Sharks
2-Leg NHL Ultra-Safe Totals Parlay (-113 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Under 6.5 (-205)* - Rangers at Blues
- Under 7.5 (-370)* - Stars at Sharks
*Never bet straight up, only as part of a parlay
