Best NHL Bets Today | NHL Picks, February 22

This Thursday night in the NHL is slated for another busy night of matchups. These are games that are not only going to be great to watch but also possess great sports betting potential. One game that will be an excellent betting opportunity will be one of the highest-scoring matchups of the week. Two games tonight have betting value through DraftKings.

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Dallas Stars vs. Ottawa Senators

• Time: 7:00 PM E.T. - Thursday

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

• Puck Line: Stars -1.5 (+154) | Senators +1.5 (-185) 

• Total: Over 6.5 (-142) | Under 6.5 (+120)

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My Pick: Dallas Stars (DAL)

Thursday nights of unique NHL matchups will begin with an Eastern Conference versus Western Conference battle. The Dallas Stars (34-15-8) will go on the road to take on the Ottawa Senators (23-27-3).

This game tonight will be the second matchup of the night between these two teams. The last time the Stars and the Senators met on the ice, it was Dallas that won 5-4 at home despite going into a two-goal deficit twice. Stars center Matt Duchene accounted for a goal and an assist, while Senators defender Jakob Chychrun accounted for three assists.

The Stars have been one of the most consistent teams in the NHL since the start of the season. Dallas is currently on a three-game losing streak where they have lost to high-caliber teams like the Edmonton Oilers, at the Boston Bruins, and at the New York Rangers. Before that, the Stars had won seven of the previous eight games.

The Senators are a team that has been in the bottom tier of an incredibly stacked Eastern Conference. Despite being in eighth place in the Atlantic Division, the Senators are not looking to go away. Ottawa has lost three of their last four games, but before that, they won four consecutive games.

This game tonight has a chance to be a high-scoring matchup, as both the Stars and the Senators possess great offenses. Dallas is ranked first in the league in goals per game (3.68) thanks to their talented roster and their game plan to efficiently pass the puck around. The Senators have some reliable scorers of their own, as they rank 12th in the NHL in goals per game (3.34).

The difference-maker in this game is going to be the potential of the defensive side of the ice. Dallas is ranked 13th in the league in goals allowed per game (3.02), while Ottawa is among the worst in the league at 30th in the NHL (3.57 goals allowed per game).

Colorado Avalanche vs. Detroit Red Wings

• Time: 7:00 PM E.T. - Thursday

• Moneyline: Avalanche (-148) | Red Wings (+124)

• Puck Line: Avalanche -1.5 (+160) | Red Wings +1.5 (-192) 

• Total: Over 6.5 (-135) | Under 6.5 (+114)

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My Pick: Over 6.5 Points 

One of the best and potentially most electrifying matchups of the night will be set as the Colorado Avalanche (35-18-4) go on the road to take on the Detroit Red Wings (29-20-6). This game features two of the most consistent and explosive offenses in the NHL, as there are talented scorers throughout the ice and on the bench.

What makes this game one of the most sought-after bets going into Thursday is the over/under of two teams that are excellent at scoring but are currently struggling on defense. The Avalanche are coming into this game with the second-ranked scoring offense (3.68 goals per game), with most of the productivity coming from the big three. The Red Wings are ranked sixth in the league in goals per game (3.49) due to their loaded roster of scoring veterans.

Another reason why this game is a potential shootout is the lack of productivity on the defensive side of the ice for both teams. Both Colorado and Detroit are ranked at the bottom half of the league in goals allowed per game as they focus their attention on more efficient scoring.

At one point, the Avalanche had one of the most efficient defenses in the league thanks to their stellar goalie play and reliable defenders, led by Cale Maker. The Avalanche are ranked 19th in the NHL in goals allowed per game (3.18).

Detroit, on the other hand, has been ranked among the worst defenses in the league since the start of the season. The Red Wings are ranked 22nd in the league in goals allowed per game (3.25).

The Avalanche have a solid chance to win this game tonight for their fourth win in five games. It wouldn’t be shocking to see the Red Wings create a big win for their third straight victory. The most likely outcome overall that still possesses great value in the sports betting industry is for both teams to combine for over seven goals.