Strap in to your seat belts, folks. The betting odds on the 2022 NHL season are getting spicy. With more than half of March in the books, we're quickly approaching the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs territory. Key matchups that will determine seedings and overall postseason fates are happening every night. It's a wonderful time to watch NHL games and also jump on some betting odds for the 2022 Stanley Cup.
This rings especially true if you're a fan of the New York Rangers. They have surged up the standings in recent weeks, climbing all the way to second in the Metropolitan Division, trailing only the powerhouse Carolina Hurricanes.
Will the Tampa Bay Lightning be able slow them on Saturday, or are the Rangers destined to keep rolling ahead of the playoffs? We've got the answer. But first, here are the NHL odds for all the games taking place on Friday, March 18, and Saturday, March 19:
| Favorite |  | | Underdog |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calgary Flames | -170 | +140 | Buffalo Sabres |
| Carolina Panthers | -152 | +124 | Anaheim Ducks |
| Colorado Avalanche | -180 | +145 | San Jose Sharks |
| Carolina Hurricanes | -205 | +155 | Washington Capitals |
| Ottawa Senators | -159 | +129 | Philadelphia Flyers |
| Boston Bruins | -165 | +135 | Winnipeg Jets |
| Minnesota Wild | -220 | +195 | Chicago Blackhawks |
| New York Islanders | -125 | +105 | Dallas Stars |
| Edmonton Oilers | -180 | +135 | New Jersey Devils |
| Vegas Golden Knights | -140 | +115 | LA Kings |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | -185 | +155 | Phoenix Coyotes |
| St. Louis Blues | -115 | -105 | Columbus Blue Jackets |
| Nashville Predators | -118 | +105 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| Montreal Canadiens | -119 | +108 | Ottawa Senators |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | -160 | +120 | New York Rangers |
| Seattle Kraken | -135 | +110 | Detroit Red Wings |
| Calgary Flames | -105 | +100 | Vancouver Canucks |
Remember to double-check these NHL betting odds prior to settling on any NHL picks. All hockey betting lines are subject to shift right up until the opening faceoff.
Also, remember to check out our reviews of the top online sportsbooks before making any of your 2022 hockey predictions. We've covered every nook and cranny of the most popular internet linemakers so you can easily identify the best NHL betting sites in 2022.
The Lightning will NOT Slow Down the Rangers
After a back-to-back Stanley Cup championship the past two years, most expected the Lightning to be better than their New York counterpart this season. Indeed, entering the 2021-22 campaign, Tampa Bay had better Stanley Cup odds than the Rangers.
That's all a thing of the past now. The Rangers have proven to be one of the league's peskiest teams—one that profiles as a genuine threat to win a couple of playoff series.
No NHL team is posting a higher save percentage at the moment, which doesn't bode well for an Islanders squad that doesn't generate a ton of shots on goal in the first place. Some are still skeptical the Rangers have enough playmaking star power on the offensive end. That's fair. But they have upped their efficiency over the course of the season and are now putting in nearly 10.5 percent of all their shot opportunities.
Perhaps you still don't want to loop the Rangers into the league's crop of Stanley Cup contenders. That's fine. As far as this matchup with the Lightning goes, though, we're riding their momentum.
OSB Prediction: New York Rangers (+120)
Carolina Remains a Defensive Beast vs. Washington
Oddsmakers aren't showing a lot of faith in the Washington Capitals by earmarking them as an underdog that pays out much better than even money (+155). We get where they're coming from. The Hurricanes are a machine—the best team in the NHL.
Washington has shown some spunk in recent games against elite opponents. But ultimately, Carolina's defense is simply too much not just for the Capitals' offense, but every offense. The Hurricanes are second in save percentage (91.9), and they kill a league-best 89.37 percent of their shorthanded penalty minutes.
There are no cracks in the armor at the other end. Carolina won't wear you down with a high volume of shots, but they know how to make the most of their opportunities. They rank in the top seven of power-play percentage and are putting in nearly 10 percent of their shots overall.
OSB Prediction: Carolina Hurricanes (-205)
Edmonton's Offense will Cruise Past New Jersey with Ease
Though the Edmonton Oilers continue to register as one of the most topsy-turvy teams in existence, they have little to worry about against the New Jersey Devils.
New Jersey doesn't do a good job killing their penalty minutes. The Sabres are also among the worst teams in the league when it comes to converting on power plays and saving shots on goal during breakaway plays.
To be honest, it wouldn't surprise us if Leon Draisaitl or Connor McDavid drops in multiple goals for the Oilers.
OSB Prediction: Carolina Hurricanes (-255)
St. Louis Should Get By Columbus
Good luck spotting any major differences between the St. Louis Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets. They are among a smattering of teams that occupy identical spaces in the league's hierarchy—a tier of squads including the Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators and a couple of others.
St. Louis' slightly superior offense wins out for us in the end. The Blues are an above-average team at converting on power plays, which is one of the areas in which a well-rounded Blue Jackets squad struggles most.
OSB Prediction: St. Louis Blues (-115)
San Jose Might Get the Upset Over Colorado
Call us stupid, but the San Jose Sharks are too tantalizing at +145 when facing a Colorado Avalanche roster that's been on the downslope in recent matchups.
Yes, the Avalanche have a bunch more wins. And their offense can be terrifying. But their goal differential is on the decline over the past few weeks. San Jose, on the other hand, continues to combat bad offense with great penalty-killing minutes and opportunism on power plays.
Roll the dice on an upset. We sure will be.
OSB Prediction: San Jose Sharks (+145)
Take a look at this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can decide which one to use for all of your NHL betting:
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