The National Hockey League (NHL) has a total of 15 games for Black Friday. Most of the holiday action takes place during the afternoon. We're going to focus on the evening slate, including the only nationally-televised game on NHL Network at 7:00 p.m. ET between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets.
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Top NHL Picks & Best Bets Tonight: Penguins vs Blue Jackets and Predators vs Blackhawks
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.
Top NHL Picks Today: Best Bets, Odds & NHL Betting Insights
Pittsburgh Penguins 
at Columbus Blue Jackets 
The Penguins (11-6-5) and Blue Jackets (11-9-4) meet at Nationwide Arena in Columbus at 7:00 p.m. ET on NHL Network.
In the first meeting, we had a barn burner, as the Blue Jackets won 5-4 in a shootout as short underdogs (+100) as the Over (6.5) cashed. That's par for the course in this series, as the Over went a perfect 4-0 in the previous four meetings as well. In fact, we've had at least seven goals in each of the past five matchups in the series dating back to March 30, 2024, with Columbus outscoring Pittsburgh 22-18. The Jackets have won four of those meetings.
In the Oct. 25 meeting, Ryan Shea and Anthony Mantha scored first period goals, while Charlie Coyle scored for the visitors. Dmitri Voronkov leveled the game at 2-2 in the second, and then the fireworks started.
In the third, Voronkov and Yegor Chinakhov gave the Jackets a 4-2 lead, but it was short-lived, as Kris Letang and Bryan Rust helped the Pens force overtime, and then the shootout. Elvis Merzlikins turned aside 27 of the 31 shots he faced, while Arturs Silovs stopped 37 of the 41 shots he faced.
Tristan Jarry (6-2-0, 2.52 GAA, .915 SV%, 1 SO) is projected to start for the Penguins, while Jet Greaves (7-4-4, 2.73 GAA, .905 SV%) is expected to be between the pipes for the Blue Jackets.
Pittsburgh won 4-2 over Buffalo prior to the break, while going 3-2-3 in the past eight games. The Under is on a 7-0 run for the Pens, averaging just 2.0 goals per game (GPG) during the span, while allowing 2.4 GPG.
Like the Pens, Columbus has cashed low in three of the past four games, averaging just 2.0 GPG in the four-game span, while allowing 3.3 GPG.
We'll back Columbus at home on the moneyline based on its recent dominance in this series, and it's a good idea to go low on total.
- Blue Jackets ML (-140 at Bet365, BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbooks)
- Under 6.5 (-125 at Bet365 Sportsbook)
Don't make any bets on your favorite sports betting apps without first consulting the latest NHL odds.
Nashville Predators 
at Chicago Blackhawks 
The Predators (7-12-4) and Blackhawks (10-8-5) meet at the United Center, with a puck drop scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET.
Nashville is just 2-5-2 on the road this season, while Chicago is a respectable 5-4-3 on home ice. These teams met four times last season, with Nashville winning three of the meetings, while each of the victories came by 3-2 scores -- once in regulation, once in overtime and once in a shootout. Chicago won the most recent battle at the United Center on Feb. 7, a 6-2 rout.
The Preds doubled up the Red Wings 6-3 on the road prior to the mini Thanksgiving break, cashing as underdogs (+135) as the Over (6) cashed with Justus Annunen in between the pipes. That halted a three-game skid, and despite the win in Detroit, Nashville is just 3-9-2 in the past 14 matchups since Oct. 26.
The Predators have managed to hit on the power play at just 16.2 percent, ranking 24th in the NHL. Luckily, on the penalty kill, they rank 12th at 82.5 percent. The Blackhawks are 13th on the power play, while ranking ninth on the kill at 83.1 percent.
The Blackhawks suffered a 4-3 overtime loss to the Wild at home Wednesday as the Over (5.5) cashed. The total has been hard to peg for Chicago, with the Over and Under alternating in each of the past seven games. The Over-Under is also 7-7-1 in the past 15 matchups dating back to Oct. 26.
Chicago has had a little bit of a power outage lately, scoring eight goals, or 2.0 GPG, in the past four games, but it has allowed 17 goals, or 4.3 GPG in that same span.
Chicago is not without some injury issues, as LW Andre Burakovsky is nursing an undisclosed injury, and he is a question mark to play. LW Nick Foligno (hand) will be unavailable.
Juuse Saros (6-9-3, 3.08 GAA, .888 SV%) is expected to patrol the crease for Nashville, while Spencer Knight (7-5-4, 2.47 GAA, .920 SV%, 1 SO) should be in the blue ice for the home side.
Let's back Chicago at home, especially since Knight has been the better goaltender, and we'll go really lightly on the Over.
- Blackhawks ML (-110 at BetMGM, FanDuel Sportsbooks)
- Over 5.5 (-125 at Fanatics Sportsbook)
Expert NHL Parlays Strategies Best Multi Leg Picks for Tonight
4-Leg NHL Black Friday Parlay (+805 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Blue Jackets ML (-152) vs. Penguins - Under 6.5 (-128) - SGP (+182)
- Blackhawks ML (-110) vs. Predators - Over 5.5 (-128) - SGP (+219)
2-Leg NHL Sides Parlay (+216 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Blue Jackets ML (-152) vs. Penguins
- Blackhawks ML (-110) vs. Predators
2-Leg NHL Totals Parlay (+217 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Under 6.5 (-128) - Blue Jackets vs. Penguins
- Over 5.5 (-128) - Blackhawks vs. Predators
