There are nine games on the schedule today, with one starting at 12:30 PM, the rest at night. Let’s take a look around the NHL at the top picks, plays and predictions.
| Lightning vs Penguins ML +113 / -125 O/U 5 |
Flyers vs Maple Leafs ML -110 / +100 O/U 5.5 |
| Red Wings vs Senators ML -105 / -105 O/U 5.5 |
Jets vs Panthers ML +127 / -140 O/U 5 |
| Devils vs Capitals ML +205 / -230 O/U 5 |
Kings vs Predators ML +104 / -115 O/U 5 |
| Bruins vs Stars ML +138 / -153 O/U 5.5 |
Blues vs Coyotes ML -130 / +118 O/U 5 |
| Avalanche vs Oilers ML +102 / -113 O/U 5.5 |
Here are today’s starting goaltenders, courtesy of LeftWingLock.
Play of the Day: The over in Bruins vs Stars.
Dallas and Boston could very well be getting into a pond-hockey shootout tonight. The Stars are two days removed from a demoralizing 6-3 loss to the Arizona Coyotes, in which their neutral zone defense left a lot to be desired. Arizona outshot Dallas 42-39.
One bright spot for the Stars was the return of Jason Spezza. Spezza notched two assists back on the Stars’ second line after missing six games with an upper-body injury (I love the specificity of hockey injuries). Patrick Sharp got the bump back up to the top line, where he grabbed an assist on the Stars’ first goal.
Three of the five goals allowed by Dallas with a goaltender in net were scored on a breakaway.
Boston has been collecting points from weaker opponents, but have shirked against stronger teams. They are 0-5 against opponents with a winning record, but they have managed to beat Columbus, Minnesota, Winnipeg and Buffalo.
Games against fellow playoff contenders have not gone well for the Bruins. They have been outscored 25-10 in the last five games against teams with a winning record.
The over is also 5-1-1 in the last seven meetings.
Prediction: Take Dallas to win. Play the over.
The Game to Watch: Red Wings vs Senators.
Detroit is in the third installment of a four-game road trip that has been fruitless thus far. They have been bested by the Islanders 4-1 and the Penguins 6-3. They are 14-10-2 on the year as the visiting team.
The Red Wings have been allowing an unusually high number of goals in their last couple of games. The usually impenetrable Petr Mrazek has allowed five goals in each of his last two starts, winning one and dropping the other.
Mrazek is confirmed to start against Craig Anderson. Anderson has been gradually improving his numbers, with a 1.8 goals-against average and a .947 save percentage in his last five starts. He is 3-2 in that stretch.
Rest is key for the Detroit Red Wings. Their first game of the road trip was an afternoon start after a home game the previous day. Though they were flat after two days’ rest on Thursday, the Wings are 8-1 in their last nine games with just one day’s rest.
Detroit is 7-1 in their last eight games in Ottawa.
Prediction: Take the Red Wings to win at -105. Play the over.
Other Game Notes Around the NHL
Devils vs Capitals: The line is incredibly slanted to favor the Capitals, but do not be deceived. Even though the Devils are at +205, Washington is still the savvy bet.
The Capitals have won the past five meetings, including a shootout victory back on the 6th. Washington has won seven of their last eight overall, and tout the second-best home record in the league at 21-4-2.
New Jersey suffered a 1-0 loss to the Islanders last night. Their offense has been quiet to say the least, scoring just nine goals in the six games since their last game against the Caps. Mike Cammalleri could return soon, and boy could they use him. Leading scorer Lee Stempniak has been held pointless in his last four games. The one bright spot of their offense has been their powerplay, which has 10 goals in their last nine games. Joseph Blandisi has been a catalyst, scoring three powerplay goals in his last seven games. Four of his five goals total have come on the man advantage.
Justin Williams needs one more goal for his first 20-goal season since 2011-2012 with the Los Angeles Kings.
John Hynes was coy when asked if Cory Schneider would start tonight for the Devils after the game last night, though it would appear given the opponent that Schneider will start again.
Prediction: The Devils are 1-4 against division opponents to the Caps’ 4-0. Take Washington to win. Play the under.
Kings vs Predators: Emotions are running high in the Los Angeles Kings’ camp. Thursday night’s game against the St. Louis Blues was a high-stakes game for a variety of reasons- to keep a leg up in the standings, to score against one of the stingiest defenses in the league, and to spite the other team in a contentious penalty-laden game. Both teams had six powerplay opportunities. The Kings had a goal waved off because of an interference penalty in the second period.
I will say, reading Tyler Toffoli’s and Drew Doughty’s lips after the tying goal was pretty funny.
Los Angeles now holds just a two-point lead over Anaheim in the Pacific standings. They are 2-4 on their current road trip, with just four goals scored in their four losses. Fortunately, they will be shooting on Pekka Rinne today, who has allowed the second-most goals in the entire league. He has allowed 16 goals in his last five starts.
Nashville is ending a brief three-game homestand, which they have split thus far. They have scored two goals in each game.
The Kings will be looking to gain some form of traction before they head back home, but they will have to do so shorthanded. Marian Gaborik hit the injured reserve list earlier in the road trip against the Rangers. Now, Anze Kopitar appears to be questionable for tonight’s game after leaving the Blues game with a lower-body injury and missing yesterday’s optional practice. Without Kopitar, an uphill battle becomes a virtually insurmountable climb.
Prediction: It’s tough to call a win when one player holds such influence over the outcome. If Kopitar finds his way into the lineup, my money would be on the Kings. Since he appears doubtful though, take the Preds to win. Play the under.
Flyers vs Maple Leafs: The Flyers have cooled off hard, with their game against the Rangers as a turning point. After coming 12 seconds away from beating their hated rivals, Philadelphia has lost six of their last eight games, three of those losses coming in extra time. They remain just five points out of a Wild Card spot, and with Tampa and Pittsburgh playing each other today, they have a great opportunity to gain ground.
Fantasy God Shayne Gostisbehere has extended his point streak to 14 games, with four goals and 13 assists in that stretch. I’m out of adjectives for him at this point.
The Leafs will be without Leo Komarov tonight, as he serves the first of a three-game suspension for a nasty elbow to the head of Rangers’ captain Ryan McDonagh.
Prediction: The Flyers will have to take the extra step and finish off the inferior opponent tonight. They lost in a shootout last night to Montreal. They cannot afford to make the same mistake tonight. Take the Flyers to win. Play the under.
