NHL Predictions: Expert Picks Monday, January 20

On By Littum

NHL Predictions – Expert Picks Monday, January 20:

Here are today’s NHL predictions:

4 p.m. ET

These two teams met eight days ago in Buffalo, where Seattle scored six unanswered goals and blew out the Sabers 6-2. The Kraken dominated the Sabers in their short history, winning six of the seven meetings and scoring four or more goals in all six wins. The Over have conceded six of the seven matchups, but all seven games have combined for six goals or more. The Kraken have covered the puck line (-1.5 goals) in five of the six wins over Buffalo and have covered the puck line and scored four or more goals in their last three wins combined.

A goal in the first ten minutes of Seattle games has conceded five in a row and nine of their last 10 games. The first period Over 1.5 goals have netted in eight of Buffalo’s last 10 road games and 13 of 20 Sabers road games this season. The first period Over 1.5 goals have conceded in 11 of Seattle’s last 13 games. This is also the front end of a back-to-back for Buffalo. The Sabers are 1-6 on the edge of back-to-backs this season, giving up four goals or more in all six losses.

Kaapo Kakko has flourished since his trade to Seattle. Kakko is on a five-game point streak (three goals, five assists) and has 13 points in 14 games with the Kraken. He scored twice against Buffalo in the Kraken’s 6-2 win over the Sabers and now has eight goals in 19 career games against Buffalo, including a goal against Sabers projected starting goaltender Devon Levi.

Buffalo goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is out with an undisclosed injury, and the Sabers recalled Devon Levi, who will start today.

Two Sabers players I want to take a shot at today are Alex Tuch (four goals in five games against Seattle, two against Joey Daccord) and Nicolas Aube-Kubel (three goals in four games against the Sabres) and Sam Lafferty, who has scored twice in the two games he has faced Daccord.

NHL Predictions: Goal 1St 10/Yes (-145) – 1 unit
Buffalo Sabres/Seattle Kraken 1St Period Above 1.5 (-125) – 1 unit
Buffalo Sabres/Seattle Kraken Over 5.5 (-120) – 1 unit
Seattle Kraken TT over 3.5 (+140) – 1 unit
Kaapo Kakko anytime goal (+280) – ¼ unit
Kaapo Kakko Over ½ assist (+170) – ¼ unit
Alex Tuch anytime goal (+270) – ¼ unit
Sam Lafferty to score anytime (+900) – ¼ unit
Nicolas Aube-Kubel to score anytime (+950) – ¼ unit

6 p.m. ET

A goal in the first 10 minutes has been conceded in nine of the Blues’ last 11 games and eight of the last 10 meetings between the two teams.

Six of the last nine meetings between the Blues and Vegas have gone over that total. This season, the Knights have played two afternoon games with a combined 10 and eight goals.

A few props that have caught my eye. The Blues’ Pavel Buchnevich, who scored twice in the only meeting this season against Vegas and with Adin Hill in net, now has six goals in five games against the Vegas netminder.

On the Vegas side, Jack Eichel has four goals in seven games against Blues goalkeeper Jordan Binnington. One of my favorite players, Pavel Dorofeyev, has been a moneymaker when it comes to recording at least three shots on goal in a game. He has collected his stuff (Over 2.5 SOG) in seven of his last nine games.

NHL Predictions: Goal 1St 10/Yes (-145) – 1 unit
St. Louis Blues/Vegas Golden Knights over 5.5 (-120) – 1 unit
Pavel Buchnevich anytime goal (+310) – ¼ unit
Jack Eichel Anytime Goal (+180) – ¼ unit
Pavel Dorofeyev Over 2.5 SOG (-125) – 1 unit

7:30 p.m. ET

The Blue Jackets had their six-game winning streak snapped on Saturday at MSG in a 1-0 shootout loss to the Rangers. Jackets goaltender Daniil Tarasov had his first career shutout in the loss, as shutouts are based solely on goals given up in regulation and overtime. So with that, our system game is by virtue of a goal to be scored in the first 10 minutes, the first period Over 1.5 goals after a match when a team has been blanked in its previous match.

NHL Predictions: Goal 1St 10/Yes (-145) – 1 unit
1St Period above 1.5 (-125) – 1 unit
Matt Barzal Anytime Goal (+200) – ¼ unit
Anthony Duclair anytime goal (+380) – ¼ unit
Bo Horvat anytime goal (+200) – ¼ unit
Kent Johnson anytime goal (+390) – ¼ unit
Kent Johnson Over ½ assist (+180) – ¼ unit
Adam Fantilli Anytime Goal (+240) – ¼ unit
Adam Fantilli Over ½ assist (+240) – ¼ unit

7:30 p.m. ET

The Leafs have won both meetings this season (5-2, 5-3) and have won six of the last eight regular season games over their Atlantic Division rivals. Toronto has scored four or more goals in seven of the last eight in those games.

Tampa is on the front half of a back-to-back with a game tomorrow night in Montreal and has just two wins in six games at this venue.

Betting on a goal in the first ten minutes of Leafs games has been very profitable over the past few weeks. Toronto games are on a run of eight straight, and 16 of the last 19 have had a goal scored in the first ten minutes.

NHL Predictions: Goal 1St 10 minutes/Yes (-160) – 1 unit
Toronto Maple Leafs TT over 3.5 (+110) – 1 unit

8:30 p.m. ET

If it’s a Blackhawks game, I’ll jump on the first period Over 1.5 goals and a goal in the first 10 minutes. The goal in the first 10 minutes has conceded nine straight and 11 of the last 12 overall. It’s also on a good run at the United Center, going 14-2. The first period Over 1.5 has also fattened up players’ accounts, cashing in 12 of the last 13 games.

Carolina opened as a (-270) road favorite and has been steamed up to (-310). The Canes receive 89% of bets but only 56% of the money, according to our VSIN Betting Split page. I like Chicago in this place. The Hurricanes have just 9 wins in 22 road games and the Hawks have beaten some of the NHL’s best on home ice. On Saturday, Chicago beat the Golden Knights 5-3. Other home wins include Florida, Dallas, Washington, Montreal (during the most recent run) and Colorado. I also see this as a “trap game” for the Hurricanes who are coming off a win over Vegas and are in Dallas tomorrow night. Both the Hurricanes and Blackhawks are coming off wins over the Vegas Golden Knights.

Frederik Andersen is expected to make his first start either tonight or tomorrow since he had knee surgery in November.

NHL Predictions: Goal 1St 10 minutes/Yes (-155) – 1 unit
1St period Over 1.5 goals (-130) – 1 unit
Chicago Blackhawks ML (+250) – ¼ unit

9:30 p.m. ET

The Jets hit the road for the first time in 2025 when they face Utah HC. Winnipeg has won 11 straight meetings (including one earlier this season) against the Utah HC/Arizona Coyotes. The home ice has not been kind to Utah, who are tied for the second fewest points (18) on home ice. Utah is just (2-8) as a home deficit and has lost six straight, seven of the eight in regulation. The Jets are (13-8) on the road, with 11 of the 13 wins coming in regulation. When you break down Winnipeg’s splits as road favorite and road underdog, the numbers are very telling. The Jets are (10-2) as road favorites and (3-6) as road underdogs. Jets goalie. Connor Hellebuyck has as many shutouts (6) as regulation losses this season. One of those shutouts came against Utah HC back in November.

NHL Predictions: Winnipeg Jets in regulation (+105) – 1 unit

10:30 p.m. ET

The Los Angeles Kings are playing their first game on home ice since the fires ravaged the city. The Kings won two of their five games on their most recent road trip. While I generally like to bet on a team playing its first home game after a five or more game road trip, I think the players will be pumped up to give the fans a win tonight with everything that has been going on in the city.

The Penguins have been off for a few days following their 4-1 loss to Washington and have now dropped eight of their last 10 games. The road has been a nightmare for the Penguins, who have just seven wins in 16 games away from PPG Paints Arena and are 5-15 as road underdogs. Overall, Pittsburgh is (11-25) as the underdog and (7-4) as the betting favorite.

The Kings have scored just 15 goals in the last seven games, with five coming from Adrian Kempe and three from Alex Turcotte.

NHL Predictions: Los Angeles Kings in Regulation (-115) – 1 unit
Los Angeles Kings TT over 3.5 (+110) – 1 unit
Adrian Kempe Over ½ assist (+112) – ¼ unit
Alex Turcotte Over ½ assist (+310) – ¼ unit
Adrian Kempe anytime goal (+160) – ¼ unit
Alex Turcotte Anytime Goal (+370) – ¼ unit