Best NHL Bets Today | NHL Picks, April 4

Thursday night in the NHL is potentially bringing blowouts rather than close games. While there are close games to keep track of for great betting potential, there are more games that might have value in puck lines or over/under. Look for these games tonight to feature great numbers and betting potential from certain areas of DraftKings Sportsbook.

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Florida Panthers vs. Ottawa Senators

• Time: 7:00 PM E.T. - Thursday

• Moneyline: Panthers (-155) | Senators (+130)

• Puck Line: Panthers -1.5 (+164) | Senators +1.5 (-198) 

• Total: Over 6.5 (+102) | Under 6.5 (-122)

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

My Pick: Florida Panthers (FLA) at DraftKings

Bet on Florida Panthers Here

Kicking off the night in the NHL is an Atlantic Divisional matchup between two teams heading in the opposite direction of the Eastern Conference Playoffs. The Florida Panthers (47-24-5) go on the road to take on the Ottawa Senators (33-37-4).

This game will be the third time this season that the Panthers and the Senators will meet on the ice. The first matchup was a Panthers’ 5-0 road win over the Senators on November 27. They didn’t meet until February 20 when the Panthers secured a close 3-2 win in overtime at home. After this game tonight, they will meet for the final time this season five days later.

This series has been dominated by the Panthers recently due to the Stanley Cup-ready roster that they possess. Florida has won seven of the last eight matchups against Ottawa. A big difference between the two teams are the defensive intensities they bring. The Panthers are ranked second in the league in goals allowed per game (2.51) while the Senators are near the last ranking 28th in the league in goals allowed per game (3.46).

The Senators have won five of their last six games played with their defense allowing two goals per game. Before those games, however, Ottawa faced three playoff-caliber teams where they were outscored 18-6.

The Panthers were among the hottest teams in the league entering the middle of March, but since the 4-3 road win over the Dallas Stars, the Panthers have lost eight of the last ten on a brutal schedule.

Florida is looking to get their momentum back on their side, they can accomplish this on Thursday night against a team they dominated. 

Calgary Flames vs. Winnipeg Jets

• Time: 7:00 PM E.T. - Thursday

• Moneyline: Flames (+170) | Jets (-205)

• Puck Line: Flames  +1.5 (-155) | Jets -1.5 (+130) 

• Total: Over 6 (+102) | Under 6 (-122)

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

My Pick: Under 6 Goals Scored (-100) at DraftKings

Bet on Under 6 Golas Scored Here

One of the better bets of Thursday night is not going to come from the traditional game lines. The Western Conference matchup between the Calgary Flames (34-35-5) going on the road to take on the Winnipeg Jets (45-24-6) will bring in an interesting matchup for several different aspects.

The best bet to look into isn’t the traditional game line bet, but another major bet. The Jets and the Flames are coming into this matchup with decent offensive play, but their defensive efficiency is much more reliable. That is why the best bet to make for this game is the under of goals scored.

Winnipeg is coming off a 4-3 home win over the Los Angeles Kings on Monday that shed a six-game losing streak. During that losing streak, the Jets only scored 10 goals. Their offense ranks 18th in the league in goals per game (3.04) as they are less efficient than most of the other top playoff contenders in the league. What keeps them among the elite teams is their defense which ranks first in the league in goals allowed per game (2.48).

The Flames were attempting to make one final push for the postseason in the middle of March, but have lost six of their last seven games. Now they are on the verge of elimination for the postseason this season. Calgary is ranked 17th in the league in goals per game (3.07) and 21st in goals allowed per game (3.23).

Look for this game to be low-scoring with the Jets taking most of the goals.