Top NHL Betting Picks of the Week – February 13th, 2023

Just a reminder that while the NBA Trade Deadline has passed, the NHL’s version still has a few weeks to go. We saw one big name dealt late last week in St. Louis shipping forward Vladimir Tarasenko to the New York Rangers – which probably takes the Rangers out of the running for Patrick Kane. Here’s a look at two intriguing early-week matchups around the NHL. Check back for NHL odds.

Top NHL Betting Picks of the Week (February 13th, 2023)

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Calgary Flames vs. Ottawa Senators

• When: Monday, February 13, 2023, 7:30 PM ET
• Where: Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, ON
• TV: SN, RDS
• Radio: CFAC Sportsnet 960 The Fan (Flames) // CFGO TSN Radio 1200 (Senators)
• Live Stream: NHL Live
• NHL Betting Odds: Flames (-1.5) // Senators (+1.5)

Who will start in net for Ottawa? Might have to be third-stringer Mads Sogaard as No. 1 Cam Talbot is out injured and not expected to be ready to be cleared by Monday. and No. 2 Anton Forsberg was taken off the ice on a stretcher during the Senators’ game against the Edmonton Oilers at Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday.

Forsberg goalie left the game at 14:37 of the third period after being injured in a collision in the crease. Senators defenseman Travis Hamonic pushed Oilers forward Zach Hyman onto Forsberg’s right leg.

“It’s awful,” Hyman said. “I mean, you hear him going down and you hear him in pain, but you can’t do anything. I literally couldn’t do anything. I’m stuck on him because there’s a guy who’s on top of me pushing me in.”

Forsberg is 11-11-2 with a 3.26 goals-against average, .902 save percentage and two shutouts in 28 games (25 starts) this season for Ottawa. Sogaard made three saves in relief of him in Saturday’s loss. Sogaard had a 6-9-2 record, 3.30 GAA and .898 save percentage in 21 games with AHL Belleville this season. He hadn’t made an NHL appearance this year prior to Saturday but did post a 1-1-0 record, 3.08 GAA and .889 save percentage with Ottawa last season.

This ends a long road trip through the Eastern Conference for the Flames. Calgary is 2-1 on it following a 7-2 win in Buffalo on Saturday despite trailing 2-0 early. Jacob Markstrom had one assist and made 21 saves in his first win since January 6. Dill Dube had a goal and three assists for Dube’s first four-point game in his NHL career (253 games). Dube is one point from equaling his career mark of 32 set last season. Tyler Toffoli scored two goals and added an assist.

Defenseman Rasmus Andersson was struck by a vehicle while riding a scooter to meet teammates for dinner in Detroit on Wednesday evening and hasn’t played since. He did escape serious injury. Andersson has seven goals and 27 assists this year. Toffoli has four goals and two assists in his last four games.

This is the first meeting of the season between the Flames and Senators.

NHL Betting Pick: Calgary Flames

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Colorado Avalanche

• When: Tuesday, February 14, 2023, 7:00 PM ET
• Where: Centre Bell, Montreal, QB
• TV: TVAS, ATTSN-PT, ALT
• Radio: Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM (Lightning) // Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM (Avalanche)
• Live Stream: NHL Live
• NHL Betting Odds: TBA

If these teams play again after Tuesday, it will be in the Stanley Cup Finals just like it was last summer when Colorado won in six. Tampa Bay got a bit of payback at home vs. the Avs last Thursday with a 5-0 win in their first meeting since.

Brandon Hagel (2G, 1A) scored twice, while Corey Perry and Brayden Point (1G, 1A) each scored on the power play and Mikhail Sergachev also found the back of the net. Alex Killorn dished out three assists, while Anthony Cirelli handed out two assists.

Andrei Vasilevskiy, who has been tremendous for Tampa Bay all season and just narrowly missed out on multiple shutouts with some last-minute goals by the opposition throughout the year, stopped all 30 shots in his first regular shutout since November 26, 2021.

“I think, for him, it’s a little bit of a weight off his shoulders,” said Killorn. “He’s obviously one of the best goalies in the league. I think when you look at the stats and stuff, you can say what you want. He’s been a great goalie for us. For him, I think it’s going to be huge momentum going forward and I know he’s happy about it.”

The Avalanche were without star defenseman Cale Makar and were again Saturday in a win at Florida. Not clear if he will return from an upper-body injury here. In the Avs’ overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 7, Pittsburgh’s Jeff Carter hit Makar in the head with his shoulder. Carter came speeding at Makar, who was not looking, and seemingly deliberately came for Makar over a second after the Avs superstar defenseman played the puck away. Yet no suspension for Carter.

Makar has 45 points in 45 games so far this season and is playing an incredible 27 minutes a night for the Avalanche. The 24-year-old has maintained a point-per-game pace through his first four seasons in the league and will once again receive Norris Trophy votes. He won it last year.

NHL Betting Pick: Colorado Avalanche

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READ MORE: Top NHL Betting Picks of the Week – February 20th, 2023