After deciding to shut down after games began getting postponed due to COVID, the NHL is back, although there are still some games on the upcoming schedule that are already postponed. Despite there still being a few games not being played, there are still plenty that are, which means you can ring in the New Year with some exciting hockey action. The downside of all this is that we will not see NHL players at the Olympics, but that is a small price to pay for making sure that the postponed games are made up and that we get a full 82-game schedule in the books. With that in mind, let’s look ahead to the weekend to find the best games on the NHL schedule so you can make your bets against the NHL odds.
NHL Betting | Top Must Bet Games Dec 30th Edition
New York Rangers at Tampa Bay Lightning – Friday
If the season were to come to a close today, both of these teams would be in the playoffs, making this the best pick of the bunch on a quiet New Year’s Eve schedule. The rangers are sitting 3rd in the Metropolitan Division, but they are just 1 point out of first and are 6-3-1 in their last 10. After a come from behind win on Tuesday night, the Lightning have now won 4 in a row to open up a 4-point lead at the top of the Atlantic Division.
Carolina Hurricanes at Columbus Blue Jackets – Saturday
We mentioned the Rangers and how tight things are in the Metropolitan Division. It is the Hurricanes who are clinging to the top spot there. They have won 2 in a row and are 6-4-0 in their last 10, but they are also looking over their shoulders in a vey tight division race. The Blue Jackets are skidding, going just 2-7-1 in their last 10 games, which has them losing ground with the leaders in the Metropolitan. They need this one in the worst way possible.
St. Louis Blues at Minnesota Wild – Saturday
There is another tight race going on in the Central Division, with both of these teams very much in the thick of it. It is the Minnesota Wild who are currently on top, but there is just 4 points separating the top 4 teams. The Wild are currently on a 4-game losing skid, while the Blues are down in 3rd after going 6-2-2 in their last 10 games. Things could look very different in this division after the weekend, which makes this game a must watch.
Anaheim Ducks at Colorado Avalanche – Sunday
The Calgary Flames have been sitting things out longer than most, which has cost them the lead in the Pacific Division. The Anaheim Ducks have moved ahead of them and into second, 2 points off the pace being set by the Vegas Golden Knights. The Avalanche are perhaps not as good as we expected them to be this season, but that might be changing, as they are now 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. This looks to be a fabulous Western Conference matchup that should be fun to watch.
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