Media by Associated Press – Calgary Flames goaltender Dan Vladar (80) is hugged by teammate Trevor Lewis (22) as MacKenzie Weegar (52) skates away after an NHL hockey game against the Dallas Stars in Dallas, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. The Flames won 6-5. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
While hockey certainly isn’t a sport known much for its racial diversity, the NHL will have a full slate of games on Martin Luther King Jr. Day as leagues around the United States will feature full slates of games.
This is a good opportunity to put some money down as games will be on starting from 1:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Eastern. Here’s a look at which games are worth betting on.
Calgary Flames (-136) at Nashville Predators
The Flames have been playing good hockey recently, going 6-2-2 in their past ten games to solidify themselves as the top Wild Card in the Western Conference. Calgary has started to surge again after suffering two straight overtime losses. The Flames have won their past two games and flexed their defense muscles.
Calgary is third in the league in shots against, allowing 27.8 shots per game. The Flames are seventh in the league on the penalty kill, stopping 82.1 percent of their opponents’ opportunities. Nashville, which has struggled to score all season, is starting to slump again, having lost three straight games.
The Predators only score 2.8 goals per game, which ranks 27th in the league. Nashville only scores 16.7 percent of the time on the power play.
Dallas Stars at Vegas Golden Knights (-124)
The Golden Knights have won four of their past six games and lead the Pacific Division by two games over Seattle. Vegas has gone 6-3-1 over its past ten games and have been once again looking like a Stanley Cup contender. The Golden Knights have one of the league’s best power plays, scoring 25.6 percent of their opportunities.
Dallas enters the game having lost two straight. The Stars are in second place in their division. Dallas left wing Jason Robertson is tied for sixth in the league with 29 goals scored. He also has 31 assists. Overall, he is fourth in the league in points with 60. Dallas has been a strong defensive team.
The Stars have seen seven of their past ten games go under the total. Vegas will grind out a close win.
Washington Capitals at New York Islanders (-110)
Much like their rival, the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Capitals are starting to see the core of their Stanley Cup championship start to struggle as they age. Washington has lost two straight games but still sits in the top Wild Card, leading the Islanders by three points and the Penguins by four.
The Capitals have stayed in the playoffs by leaning on their defense. Washington has allowed 2.8 goals per game, which ranks ninth in the league. The Capitals are also excellent in shots allowed and on the penalty kill. Offensively, Washington is mostly a middle-of-the-road attack.
The Islanders are also happy to dig in and defend. New York has killed 82.4 percent of its opponents’ penalty kills and only allows 2.7 goals per game, both of which rank sixth in the league. The Islanders will grind out a close win at home.
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