3 Best NHL Bets and Predictions for Tuesday 3/18/25

Whether it's moneylines or total goals, there are plenty of ways to bet on the NHL action all season. It's a long 82-game campaign, meaning that the best selections of each night can be very different based on backup goalies coming into play, injuries that add up, and if teams are due for positive or negative swings.

For additional NHL insights, check out FanDuel Research's daily NHL projections, powered by numberFire.

Let's dive into the best bets for tonight.

Note: Lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published. All NHL betting odds and totals are from the NHL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. All advanced statistics are used from MoneyPuck.com and NaturalStatTrick.com. Lineup notes come from Daily Faceoff.

NHL Betting Picks Today

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Ottawa Senators vs. Montreal Canadiens

Senators Moneyline (-140)

The Ottawa Senators are making a run up the Eastern Conference standings and are taking no prisoners along the way. They continue their run with a pivotal Tuesday night showdown against the Montreal Canadiens.

Ottawa has won six in a row while going 7-2-1 over its last 10 to move within striking distance in the Atlantic Division standings. More importantly, those outcomes are grounded in sustainable efforts. The Sens have outplayed their opponents in all but one of their last six, including three straight. Defense has been the backbone of that surge, with Ottawa giving up an average of just 6.7 high-danger chances per game.

The Habs are trending in a more ominous direction. Montreal has spent the past few games chasing the puck, giving up a combined 80 scoring and 37 high-danger chances. Not surprisingly, that precipitated a decrease in their expected goals for rating. The Canadiens have been outplayed in two of those three contests, yielding a 44.5% eGF rating.

Despite those underwhelming metrics, the Habs have triumphed in all three of their most recent contests. They are immediate regression candidates, leaving an edge in backing the Sens in this one.

Calgary Flames vs. New York Rangers

Rangers Moneyline (-210)

Fresh off a decisive defeat on Monday night, the Calgary Flames are back in action tonight. This time, the Flames travel south of the border to take on the New York Rangers. Calgary’s metrics have been on the decline lately, and that’s unlikely to change at MSG.

Over the past few weeks, the Flames have been gassed every time they step on the ice. Calgary has been outplayed in five straight, with eroding defensive structure the primary source of their concerns. All but one of those foes have eclipsed 10 high-danger chances, with the Flames getting out-chanced in every one of those outings. Predictably, that has resulted in a disastrous 37.2% expected goals-for rating.

The Rangers aren’t an analytics juggernaut, but we have seen a sharp increase in their recent performances. The Original Six franchise has outplayed their opponents in three of their past four, premised on improved defensive play. Across that four-game sample, opponents have been held to an average of 18.5 scoring and 9.5 quality opportunities.

The under could be a sharp play, but we can’t dismiss the value on the home side in this inter-conference affair. The Flames have looked out of sorts, and those issues will be amplified on the second night of a back-to-back.

New York Islanders vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins Moneyline (-114)

We’ve been waiting for the Pittsburgh Penguins’ scoring to catch up with their production. Finally, they appear to be trending upward. The Pens’ ascent should continue versus a New York Islanders squad on the verge of regression.

The Islanders’ recent results don’t reflect their shabby on-ice product. New York has gone 4-3-1 since the start of the month while outplaying their opponents in just two of those contests. That’s created an imbalance between their expected and actual metrics. Over that stretch, they’ve compiled an actual goals-for rating of 56.0%, putting the Islanders significantly ahead of their expected tally of 44.2%.

After struggling to score through most of the season, Pittsburgh has finally started capitalizing on their opportunities. The Pens have 12 goals over their last two outings, with nine coming at five-on-five. Still, they remain 20 goals below their expected tally, implying that ongoing correction is anticipated.

There’s a good chance the Penguins’ scoring surge continues against an Islanders team that is continuously outplayed. We see an edge in getting a piece of the Penguins on Tuesday night at the current betting prices.

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