This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
The National Hockey League has five games on the schedule for Friday. It starts with a nationally-televised game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Jackets at 7 p.m. ET on NHL Network. The other four games can each be viewed or streamed on ESPN+, and they have a puck drop of 9 p.m. ET or later.
We’ll take a short look at each of the games on the schedule, and we’ll put together a few parlay opportunities to hopefully head into the weekend with a fistful of cash. Let’s get started!
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The Penguins (6-9-3) have had a tough time of it in the early going. They’ll meet the equally struggling Blue Jackets (5-8-2) in Ohio’s capital city Friday in the NHL Network game.
The Pens are coming off a tough 3-2 OTL against the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday, and they’re 1-2-2 in the past five outings, allowing 4.2 goals per game (GPG) in the five-game span. The Under is still 3-1 in the past four games due to a lack of scoring, however.
The Blue Jackets enter on an 0-5-1 skid, and Columbus has scored two or fewer goals in seven straight outings, averaging just 1.9 GPG. Let’s go low in the opening game of the night.
The Capitals (10-4-1) kick off a three-game Western Conference trip against the Avalanche (9-8-0) at Ball Arena at 9 p.m. ET.
Colorado has won four straight in this series, all as a favorite, while outscoring Washington 12-5 in a regular-season series sweep in 2023-24.
The Avs have won three in a row, as Alexandar Georgiev is playing much better lately. He has allowed two or fewer goals in three of the past four outings, and the Under is 2-1-1 in the span.
The Caps suffered a 4-3 OTL against the Toronto Maple Leafs last time out, but the Under has a 3-2 edge in the past five games while going 3-1 in the past four on the road.
The Predators (5-9-3) and Flames (8-6-3) drop the puck at 9 p.m. ET at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Nashville makes the third stop of a five-game trip. It has dropped a pair of 3-2 OTL games in Colorado and Edmonton, and the Under is 3-0 in the past three games, and 5-1 in the past six outings. The offense is averaging just 2.3 GPG in the past six outings, with the Preds going 1-3-2 in the span.
Calgary suffered a 3-1 loss in Vancouver on Tuesday, but it has won two of the past three games at home, including a 3-1 victory over Los Angeles on Monday. Dustin Wolf (5-2-1, 2.84 GAA, .913 SV%) is expected to go for the Flames, while Juuse Saros (4-7-2, 2.64 GAA, .911 SV%, 2 SO) is projected for the visitors.
This is not a recording, but we’ll go low in Calgary, too.
The Golden Knights (10-4-2) make their first trip to Salt Lake to face the Utah Hockey Club (7-6-3). Puck drop is set for 9 p.m. ET.
These teams faced each other on The Strip, with VGK posting a 4-3 OTW on Nov. 2 as moderate favorites (-163) as the Over (6.5) cashed.
Vegas has picked up at least one point in three straight road contests while going 4-1-1 in the previous six games, and 8-2-1 across the previous 11 outings.
For Utah, it steams in with confidence after a sound 4-1 beating of the Carolina Hurricanes in SLC behind backup tendy Karel Vejmelka. The Under is 4-1-1 in the past six games, but that lone Over was in Vegas. The Under is 9-2-1 in the previous 12 contests, too. We’ll go low (surprise!), while also backing VGK.
The Red Wings (7-7-1) and Ducks (5-8-2) wrap up the evening with a puck drop at 10 p.m. ET on The Pond.
The home team has won four of the past six in this season. However, each of the past three in the series, and six of the past seven, have been decided by a single goal, with three in overtime and one in a shootout. The Under is 4-1 in the past five meetings, too.
Detroit enters on a 5-0 Under run, while Anaheim has cashed low in three straight. The Ducks have managed two or fewer goals in five of the past six outings, averaging just 2.0 GPG in that span. The Red Wings have lit the lamp just 14 times in the past seven games, also good for 2.0 GPG in the stretch. You know what that means — another Under play.
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