Best Bets, Score Predictions for Sunday, Feb. 6

NHL Daily Free Picks & Predictions

VegasInsider.com NHL expert Matt Blunt provides his score predictions and best bets for two NHL games on Sunday Feb. 6, 2021.

Philadelphia Flyers vs. Washington Capitals

  • Money-Line Odds: Philadelphia +100; Washington -120
  • Total (Over-Under): 6

Score Prediction: Philadelphia 4, Washington 3

Best Bet: Over 6

Can see this game being tight throughout as I wouldn't hold me to the outright winner selection, but the tightness from this game comes in the form of them trading goals with one another in what's become a Super Bowl Sunday tradition for the NHL.

Five of the six NHL games played on Super Bowl Sunday the past two years have had seven goals scored in them, with the other being a 1-0 shutout.

In fact, at least one NHL game played on Super Bowl Sunday the past five seasons has finished with at least 7 total goals scored in it, and that's with there being only three games per season for the NHL on this day in that span.

Don't know if guys aren't interested in playing physical defense so they don't have to sit on their couch covered in ice packs while watching the Super Bowl, but defense has been optional for the NHL on this day in recent years. These two teams are as good of candidates as any to continue on the tradition.

The Flyers and Caps have had great starts to their seasons, but this is the first time they are hooking up this year, and at least from the Flyers angle, there's been a nice pattern develop in that scenario.

Philadelphia's first game against Pittsburgh this year finished in a 6-3 win, with 6-1 and 5-4 losses coming in their first games against Buffalo and Boston following.

The Flyers followed it up with a 5-3 win in their first game against New Jersey, and their most recent “first” against the Islanders was a 3-2 OT loss where Philly only had eight shots on net in the final 40 minutes of regulation.

But that's four of five initial meetings with opponents this year cashing 'over' tickets with ease.

Washington's followed a nearly identical path, as their first games against Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and Boston all cashed 'over' tickets, while initial meetings with the two New York franchises have been 'unders', both by the hook.

Find a total of 5.5 for this game and it should be a comfortable win here, but even selling the hook and taking 'over' 6.5 for this game at plus money is an option too. Games finishing with 7 goals is the norm on Super Bowl Sunday after all.


Carolina Hurricanes vs. Columbus Blue Jackets

  • Money-Line Odds: Carolina -130; Columbus +110
  • Total (Over-Under): 5.5

Score Prediction: Columbus 3, Carolina 2

Best Bet: Blue Jackets ML

Carolina's five-game winning streak was snapped by the Blackhawks (6-4) last time out, but that was also the third straight game they've given up 3 or more goals and eventually a few losses were going to come if that kept up.

Sloppy current form playing on a day where sloppy play can be commonplace with guys having lives to and being just as excited for a football game as the rest of the sporting world.

Not the particular situation I'm in any hurry to do anything but fade a road favorite in that role, especially when this line gives off some minor odors of being “trappy.”

Carolina is coming from a two-game set in Chicago where they closed as -167 and -170 favorites. Prior to facing the Hurricanes, Chicago hosted this Columbus team for two games where the Blue Jackets closed as -130 and -115 road favorites.

These same two teams in the same role (road favorites), against the same opponent, and it was in the biggest price disparity – Carolina at -170 and Columbus at -115 – that both teams lost to the Blackhawks.

Had the Hurricanes been showing better recent form, or this not been Super Bowl Sunday, taking the stance of it being a cheap price on the Hurricanes could easily be the stance I'd take. But assuming that's the conclusion the majority of the market is going to come to here – as it can appear that it's “free money” before the Super Bowl to add units there – it's the contrarian view point for me on this game.


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