NHL Best Bets & Picks: Capitals vs Red Wings and Jets vs Mammoth – Expert Game Previews
The National Hockey League (NHL) has nine total games on the schedule for Sunday, including the Washington Capitals and Detroit Red Wings at 1 p.m. ET on NHL Network, part of a day-night doubleheader. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Dallas Stars meet at 7 p.m. EST.
We'll provide single plays and parlay opportunities you could potentially pair with Sunday's NFL Week 16 games, NBA and/or NCAA basketball action. Good luck with all of your plays! Let's get started.
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For the latest NHL Odds, including NHL Futures and NHL player props, visit RotoWire's NHL Betting page. For up-to-date NHL player news and NHL Injury Report info, head to RotoWire's NHL Lineups page. You can find more picks at Bookies.com/picks. Here are our NHL Best Bets today, featuring expert NHL picks for an action-packed slate of games.
Washington Capitals 
at Detroit Red Wings 
The Capitals (19-12-4) and Red Wings (20-13-3) meet at Little Caesars Arena at 1 p.m. EST on NHL Network in the second end of a home-and-home set.
These teams met in matinee action in Washington D.C. on Saturday afternoon, and the Red Wings added to their Atlantic Division lead thanks to a 5-2 rout as road underdogs (+135) as the Over (5.5) also cashed.
In Saturday's game, John Gibson turned back 24 of the 26 shots he faced, while Logan Thompson was under siege for four goals allowed on 40 shots.
In the first period, John Leonard scored his first goal of the season, and just the seventh goals of his career in 73 NHL games with four different organizations across parts of five seasons.
In the second, James van Riemsdyk netted his eighth of the season just 97 seconds out of the room, while Elmer Soderblom was the offensive glue at 5:55, potting his second of the season with helpers to Marco Kasper and Albert Johansson. Moritz Seider tacked on an unassisted goal midway through the second, making it 4-0. Finally, Aliaksei Protas responded just 31 seconds after Seider's goal.
In the third, Martin Fehervary made things a bit interesting, slicing the lead to 4-2 at 8:30 of the third period, but that's all Washington could muster. Dylan Larkin put a bow on the scoring with an empty-net score.
Charlie Lindgren (5-4-1, 3.09 GAA, .887 SV%, 1 SO) is expected to start for the Capitals, while the Red Wings are likely to turn to Cam Talbot (9-6-2, 3.07 GAA, .883 SV%) . Talbot has had a rough December, going 0-2-1 with a 3.93 GAA and .864 SV% in three outings in the month. He has coughed up three or more goals in six of his past seven assignments, too.
With Talbot and his giving ways, we'll back the Capitals to exact a little revenge in the second end of the home-and-home. And, let's go Over on the total, as the defensemen could have some rubber legs in front of two goaltenders who are rather giving.
- Capitals ML (-105 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Over 5.5 Goals (-130 at Bet365, Caesars and DraftKings Sportsbooks)
Winnipeg Jets 
at Utah Mammoth 
The Jets (15-17-2) and Mammoth (17-17-3) meet at Delta Center in Salt Lake City at 7 p.m. EST on ESPN+. This is actually the only game Sunday featuring two teams that did not play Saturday, as 26 of the league's 32 teams were in action.
Everything went right for Winnipeg last season enroute to a President's Trophy for the most points in the NHL. It's no guarantee, but it appears someone else will be hoisting that trophy, as the Jets are two games under .500 at the moment.
Winnipeg suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 loss at Colorado on Friday as the Under (6) cashed. They are 0-2-1 in their past three, all one-goal games. The Under is 3-0 in those games, averaging just 1.3 goals per game (GPG) in the span, while allowing just 2.3 GPG, all starts by Connor Hellebuyck.
Hellebuyck, the defending Vezina Trophy winner, has posted a 1-2-1 record in his four games since returning from a month-long absence due to injury. He has a 1.99 GAA and .926 SV% since returning, as the offense support has left him. The Jets have managed just four goals of support in his past three outings.
The Mammoth were tripped up 2-1 at home against the New Jersey Devils on Friday as the Under (5.5) cashed. Karel Vejmelka was strong against the Devils, allowing two goals on 22 shots, but Utah could only muster a power-play goal by Daniil But.
We're definitely going low on the total, as Hellebuyck and Vejmelka are likely to go. And, let's roll with Utah on home ice, as it is still 8-6-1 despite the loss to Jersey. The Jets are still 7-10-1 away from home, and they cannot be supported until the offense picks up the pace substantially.
- Mammoth ML (-114 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Under 5.5 Goals (+104 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
Don't make any bets on your favorite sports betting apps without first consulting the latest NHL odds.
Parlay Strategy and Super Parlay Picks for NHL Betting Slates
4-Leg NHL Super Parlay (+1238 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Capitals ML at Red Wings and Over 6.5 - SGP (+277)
- Mammoth ML vs. Jets and Under 5.5 - SGP (+254)
2-Leg NHL Totals Parlay (+332 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Over 6.5 Goals (+112) Capitals at Red Wings
- Under 5.5 (+104) Jets at Mammoth
2-Leg NHL Sides Parlay (+266 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Capitals ML (-105) at Red Wings
- Mammoth ML (-114) vs. Jets
