Welcome to the final month of regular season hockey. There are five games on the schedule tonight. Let’s take a look around the NHL at the top picks, plays and predictions.
| Wild vs Red Wings ML +107 / -118 O/U 5 |
Bruins vs Blues ML +133 / -147 O/U 5 |
| Blackhawks vs Jets ML -148 / +134 O/U 5 |
Capitals vs Avalanche ML -121 / +110 O/U 5 |
| Canucks vs Ducks ML +260 / -295 O/U 5 |
Here are tonight’s starting goaltenders, courtesy of LeftWingLock.
Play of the Day: The over in Capitals vs Avalanche.
The Colorado Avalanche will need to pick up their play at home if they want to have any shot at making the playoffs. Their “tragic number” is dwindling and three of their final five games are to be played at the Pepsi Center. The Avs looked to be turning a corner at the end of February, as they won five of six games at The Can (their outdoor game not included). They then dropped two huge games at the end of the month on home ice against the Wild and the Flyers. They were outscored 8-2 in those two games.
Now the Avalanche need to get back into the swing of things and fast. A regulation loss tonight would all but seal their fate, down five points with four games to play.
To win, they must go through Braden Holtby and the Washington Capitals. Holtby is still in the midst of a quest for NHL history, as his sits at 46 wins on the season. Two more would tie him with Martin Brodeur for most in a season. He lost his last start 2-1 in the shootout against Philadelphia.
The Caps have slowed down since locking up the Metro Division crown, scoring only six goals in their last four games. The Avalanche are right there with them, tallying only seven in their last four.
The over is the smart play because of how many goals the opposition scores in Denver. Washington exploded for seven goals in their last visit to Colorado back in November in a 7-3 victory. The team is fully aware of what they must do to lock up Braden Holtby’s wins record. They should come out particularly inspired tonight.
Prediction: Colorado’s season is on life support. Take Washington to win. Play the over.
The Game to Watch: Wild vs Red Wings.
Minnesota hiccuped last night, losing 3-2 to the Ottawa Senators. A win could have really amped up the pressure on the Avalanche, but a win tonight could put the nail in the coffin all the same- especially if the Caps win.
The loss snapped what was a very impressive win streak for the Wild. Zach Parise scored his 25th goal of the season last night and his sixth in his last four games. He reached the 50-point plateau for the third consecutive season.
Jared Spurgeon left last night’s game early, but the Wild coaching staff has indicated that he will make the trip to Detroit tonight.
Believe it or not, an extra day of rest has done more harm than good to the Red Wings recently. They are winless in their last four games on two days’ rest. Finding a rhythm is crucial now more than ever for Detroit, who are slipping and sliding in their race to the playoffs. They currently are on the outside looking in, and with the Flyers streaking, it looks like their only hope is to overtake the Bruins for a Divisional spot.
Jimmy Howard will get the call in net for Detroit. Petr Mrazek was yanked after allowing two goals on seven shots in Montreal on Tuesday. Howard allowed two more on 20 shots in relief and was tagged with the loss as the Wings fell 4-3.
The over is 5-0-1 in the Wings’ last six overall and 5-0 in the last five Detroit meetings between these two teams.
Prediction: Two days’ rest is a lot easier to play on than no days’ rest, regardless of how difficult it has been for Detroit. Take the Wings to win on home ice. Play the over.
Other Game Notes Around the NHL
Bruins vs Blues: The third link in the Wild Card chain tonight is Boston vs St. Louis. The Bruins need a Red Wings loss tonight as they cling to a one-point advantage in the Atlantic Division standings. They have lost six of their last seven games, their only win coming against the lowly Toronto Maple Leafs. They have lost five of their last six road games, which is unfortunate considering their next two games are on the road against the Blues and Blackhawks.
St. Louis will be starting Brian Elliott in goal, who has three shutouts in his last four outings. He is 10-0-1 in his last 11 decisions.
All this spells out that Boston will need a drastic shift in fortune if they want any chance at winning tonight. I want to make some kind of “Bad News Bears” joke about the Bruins, but I’m lazy.
Predictions: Take the Blues to win at -147. Play the under.
Canucks vs Ducks: Tonight is a huge opportunity for Anaheim. As they go up against the Vancouver Canucks, who just broke their nine-game losing streak, the Ducks are cashing in on their game-in-hand with the Kings. A win would hoist them into first place by a point with four to play.
Prediction: No reason to bet against them tonight. Take the Ducks to win. Play the over.
