NHL Picks Today: Underdog Fantasy Pick’em for 4/21/22
Usually, DFS or sports betting can be difficult this time of year. NHL teams are either eliminated and on autopilot, clinched and just thinking about the playoffs, or desperate for wins to make the postseason. With every team in a different mindset, spoilers and upsets sometimes appear more often. For example, the Seattle Kraken beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 last night, which has to be considered one of the biggest upsets of the year. Clearly, the Ava’s are just trying to wrap up the remaining games and avoid injury before the playoffs. However, superstars like Nathan MacKinnon still got his usual ice time, but only registered 2 shots. In fact, in 3 of his last 4 games, MacKinnon has had just 2 shots a game. This is a player that usually has an over/under of 4.5 shots a game.
There is an opportunity to cash in on Underdog Fantasy and this article focuses on a handful of my favorite picks for tonight.
Nick Suzuki- Under 2.5 Shots
I expect a lot of offense between the Flyers and the Canadiens in this matchup. That being said I lean on the under for Nick Suzuki on shots. Suzuki has had 3 or more shots just once in his last five games. Suzuki is very involved in the game but is more of a setup man to his linemate, Cole Caufield. I prefer taking Brendan Gallagher over 2.5 shots as he has hit that in 4 of his last five games.
Jonathan Huberdeau- Under 2.5 Shots
This game between the Panthers and Red Wings could get ugly. As the Panthers are the best offensive team in the league and the Wings are in the bottom 5 in goals-against per game. Huberdeau has hit the 2.5 shot mark twice in his last five games. The Panthers and Wings matched up a few days ago and Huberdeau only had one shot. The Panthers could be up early in this game and the top-line forwards could see more relaxed ice time later in the contest (Huberdeau had his lowest ice time and shifts in his last five games when these teams meet on the 17th).
Bryan Rust- Under 2.5 Shots
Bryan Rust has only hit the over on 2.5 shots once in his last five games. I expect this matchup between Boston and the Penguins to be a cagey game with a playoff-like atmosphere, as both teams have very similar records and are both playoff-bound. With Malkin out of the lineup Rust has struggled, Rust has only two shots in his last four games. These teams also meet on the 16th and Rust failed to record a shot.
Honorable mention in this matchup: I like Rickard Rakell for over .5 points. Playing with Guentzel and Crosby he is bound for an uptick in production. Rakell has three or more shots in his last five games and has two multi-point nights in his last five games.
Chris Kreider- Over 2.5 Shots
Chris Kreider has 16 shots in his last five games. He is heavily involved in the offense and the Islanders may simply not be able to keep up in this battle between New York teams. The Rangers have clinched playoffs and have a chance to win the Metropolitan division. That extra motivation to win the division should be enough to push the Rangers’ star goal scorer to hit this mark. Kreider’s linemate, Mike Zibanejad, should have no problem setting up some good shooting opportunities.
William Nylander- Over 2.5 Shots
With the injury to Auston Matthews, William Nylander has been red hot. With four goals in his last five games and hitting on over 2.5 shots in his last four games. Nylander is also involved on the Leafs powerplay, one of the best in the league. Leafs could see the Lightning in the first round of the playoffs and both teams want to send a message. Nylander stays red hot and just has to average one shot each period to hit this target. Matthews is a game-time decision and if he plays, this line will be tougher for Nylander to hit, but I think he can still get there.
Ryan Hartman- Under 2.5 Shots
Hartman has been under 2.5 shots in four of his last five games. Both teams have been hot, each team winning four of their last five games. This is a very important game for the Canucks as their playoff hopes are slipping. A very tight game does not bold well for Hartman to have three shots on goal.
Honorable mentions in this matchup: Kaprizov over .5 points. This is going to be a game where each team’s star players are going to have to perform and Kaprizov has been a point machine, averaging 1 point per game over his last five and 1.25 points per game over the whole season.
Nikolaj Ehlers- Over 3.5 Shots
I know the line seems high but Ehlers has hit the over in three of his last five games and is averaging 4 shots per game on the season. With Fredrick Anderson, the Carolina Hurricanes goalie injured for this game, the Jets gameplan could just be to get the pucks on net, something Ehlers is very good at. The Hurricanes are one of the most penalized teams in the league and Ehlers involvement on the powerplay should help him reach this line. Coming off a game where Ehlers had seven shots, I expect him to keep firing.
Jason Robertson – Over 2.5 Shots
Robertson has hit the over on 2.5 shots in his last five games. Robertson has just been so consistent this season, averaging over a point a game, I can see him keeping it up this game and continuing to trend up to the end of the season. The Stars could also sneak into that last playoff spot in the central division so they will be pushing themselves in these final few games.
Bonus: Underdog Rivals Pick
Mo Seider to have more shots than his teammate Tyler Bertuzzi. Mo has 13 shots in his last five games compared to Bertuzzi’s four. The Panthers’ defense could make it tough for the Wings forwards to produce and the Wings defensemen could take a bulk of the shots.
What is Underdog Fantasy?
Underdog Fantasy is FantasyData’s go-to source for NHL, NBA, MLB, and NFL daily and Best Ball gaming. They offer a wide number of games including Pick’em, like we talked about in this article, but they also have BestBall and Daily draft which you might prefer. Underdog is easily becoming one of the fastest-growing sites for sports fans.
If you’ve never heard of them, check out our Underdog Fantasy Review or just visit their site and see all the awesome games they have to play. We even have an exclusive Sign Up Bonus Offer: Underdog Fantasy will double your first deposit (up to $100) in bonus cash for first-time signups. – Click Here to Claim
Underdog Fantasy Pick’em Payouts
- 2 Picks = 3X your Bet
- 3 Picks= 6X your Bet
- 4 Picks= 10X your Bet
- 5 Picks= 10X your Bet!!
