There are three games on the schedule tonight. Let’s take a look around the NHL at the top picks, plays and predictions.
| Senators vs Jets ML +109 / -120 O/U 5.5 |
Capitals vs Flyers ML -105 / -105 O/U 5 |
| Flames vs Ducks ML +210 / -235 O/U 5.5 |
Here are tonight’s starting goaltenders, courtesy of LeftWingLock.
Play of the Day: the over in Flames vs Ducks.
Jonas Hiller is bad. Like, really really bad. The Flames in general are really really bad, but Hiller in particular has had a year to forget. The former 30-game winner has a 9-11-1 record. On a terrible team, that isn’t really all that abysmal. Then we see his vital stats: 3.39 goals against average and .883 save percentage in 25 appearances. He’s lost his last four starts, allowing 17 goals in that stretch. Now that is abysmal.
It also means that he had a winning record up until the last day of February. Crazy.
With Hiller listed as the probable starter tonight, the over could be covered by Anaheim alone. This could very easily turn into a pond hockey game, with goals galore. The Ducks are capable of exploding on any given night, and the over has hit in three of their last four games. The over has hit in three of the four encounters between these two teams this year.
Anaheim is looking for a clean sweep of the season series, as they are 4-0 against Calgary. They have outscored the Flames 17-9 this season. This game is the start of a four-game homestand against the weaker Western Canadian teams (Calgary, Vancouver and Winnipeg) and Dallas. These are easy points for the Ducks to grab to perhaps propel them to the top of the Pacific Division standings.
Johnny Gaudreau, the Flames’ leading scorer, is questionable for tonight’s game. He did not play Monday. Michael Frolik is also questionable.
Prediction: Take Anaheim to win. Play the over.
The Game to Watch: Capitals vs Flyers.
The Flyers were gift-wrapped the perfect night of hockey last night. Both the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings had games against inferior teams and they both choked on applesauce. The Bruins fell to the Devils 2-1 in regulation. The Wings allowed two goals in the third to blow it on home ice against the Canadiens.
Both teams stand pat then, with Boston holding the third Atlantic Division spot at 88 points. Detroit holds at 87 points. The key factor? Philadelphia cashes in on one of their two games in hand tonight. With a win, they could really put the pressure on their Atlantic Division foes who could force the Flyers out of the Wild Card spot with their jostling.
The problem is that they will have to do so against the Capitals.
Even though the President’s Trophy is already locked up for Washington, they still are playing for their goaltender. Braden Holtby needs just two more wins to tie Martin Brodeur for the single-season wins record with seven games remaining. Holtby will likely be starting four or five of the remaining seven.
Stoking the fire under the skates of the Caps is their head coach, Barry Trotz. Trotz has indicated that there could be some lineup changes after a Dmitry Orlov turnover led to a Blue Jackets goal on Monday. Washington won 4-1, but Trotz is far from satisfied. He obviously wants to stave off the end-of-season lull that the Caps could all-too-easily fall into.
How big is a win tonight for the Flyers? Well, BroadStreetHockey did some poking, and a regulation loss would put the Flyers’ odds at making the playoffs at 70%. A win would boost them to about 90%. So tonight is a big deal. Tonight could very well be a preview of a playoff series to come.
Can it happen? Sure. The Flyers are on home ice and have beaten some very good teams earlier in the month. And at -105, it’s not a bad price at all.
Prediction: Take Philadelphia to win. Play the over.
Other Game Notes Around the NHL
Senators vs Jets: This is about as meaningless as a game can be. The Senators have won five of the last six games against the Jets, as well as their last five in Winnipeg. Erik Karlsson is taking a three-game point streak into tonight’s game. The Jets have lost 13 of their last 16 against the East.
It’s not a good look for Winnipeg. So Ottawa at +109 is a very intriguing play.
Prediction: Take the Sens to win. Play the under 5.5.
