Tuesday's Top Expert NHL Picks: Capitals, Panthers Light it Up

Check out our top NHL expert picks for Tuesday's eight-game schedule.

Our hockey experts select their top moneyline, against the spread, and Over/Under picks for Tuesday's schedule of NHL games (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Top Expert NHL Picks

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SEE ALSO: Top NHL Parlay Picks for Tuesday

Top Expert NHL ML/ATS Picks

Predators (-155)

The Nashville Predators are a great team at home and they host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday. Nashville is just 3-4-0 in its last seven games, but it went 3-1-0 at home in that stretch with the only loss at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights. The Predators are 5-1-0 in their last six home games dating back to Oct. 26.

The Blue Jackets have a good record recently at 5-2-0 across their last seven games, but they were outshot in each of their last two wins, including 41-21 by the Vancouver Canucks on Friday. 

The Predators won all four of their home matchups against the Jackets last year and that trend should continue on Tuesday. - Gilbert

Lightning (-105)

The Tampa Bay Lightning and St. Louis Blues have been headed in opposite directions over their last 10 games.

Despite only two points separating them in the overall standings, the Lightning have posted an impressive 7-2-1 record in their last 10 contests, while the Blues are a disappointing 3-5-2 over the same span.

The real difference has been defense. Although the teams have posted similar offensive numbers over their last 10 games (Tampa Bay's averaging 3.4 goals per game to St. Louis’ 3.1), the Lightning are allowing an impressive 2.2 goals per game, while the Blues are allowing 3.2 pucks into their net each outing. - Smith

Wild -1.5 (-142)

Since starting the season with one win in the first 15 games, the Arizona Coyotes are playing better. It would be hard to be worse, but they won four of their last seven games and got 46 saves from rookie goaltender Karel Vejmelka in Monday’s 1-0 road victory over the Winnipeg Jets.

The Coyotes on the second game of a back-to-back is practically a schedule loss for Arizona. The 'Yotes have lost seven of their 13 road games by multiple goals.

While the Minnesota Wild are 7-2 at home this season, the early wins were tight. Four of their last five home games were multi-goal victories. Getting the team with the worst points percentage in the league on the second game of a back-to-back is the kind of situation that should lead to a comfortable Wild win. - Cullen

Top Expert NHL O/U Picks

Capitals-Panthers Over 6 (-110)

This is the third meeting this month between these two teams. The Florida Panthers won 5-4 in overtime at home on Nov. 4, and the Washington Capitals won 4-3 in Washington last week. Both games went Over the total and I’m seeing a similar outcome on Tuesday.

The Caps have been playing high-scoring games recently with six or more total goals in four straight games. Washington scored 14 goals over its last three games itself.

Both teams are top-10 in scoring and goals allowed, but I expect another 4-3 or 5-4 game. - Gilbert

Capitals-Panthers Over 6 (-110)

In a battle of two of the Eastern Conference’s certified juggernauts, the Panthers and Capitals are set to put some gaudy numbers up on the scoreboard.

Led by Russian net assassin (and greatest goalscorer on the planet) Alex Ovechkin, the Capitals rank fifth in the NHL with 3.55 goals per game, and they have averaged four goals per game over their last five contests. They had four or more goals four times during that dominant stretch, where they posted a 4-1 record.

Not to be outdone, the Panthers sit third in the league with 3.67 goals per game and averaged three goals per game over their last five outings. Unlike the Caps, the Panthers don’t have one player filling the net at a ridiculous pace. Instead, they have more balanced scoring, with eight players notching six or more goals through 21 games.

The two teams met last Friday and combined for seven goals in a 4-3 Capitals victory. That bodes well for betting the Over on Tuesday. - Smith

Red Wings-Bruins Under 5.5 (-120)

The Detroit Red Wings have had their problems on the road this season and the total has gone Over in eight of 11 road games, but G Alex Nedeljkovic is emerging as a bona fide No. 1 goaltender. Detroit has been struggling to score on the road and; it ranks 21st in goals per 60 minutes with 2.44, and 28th in expected goals per 60 minutes with 2.19.  

On home ice this season, the Bruins rank 19th in goals per 60 minutes, with 2.98, and 26th in expected goals per 60 minutes, with 2.56. That is troubling already but now that leading scorer Brad Marchand has been suspended, the Bruins are not likely to have the most explosive offense. - Cullen

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