Around the NHL: Predictions for December 21st

There are just two games on the docket tonight. Let’s take a look at the top picks, plays and predictions.

Here are tonight’s starting goaltenders, courtesy of LeftWingLock.

Capitals vs Flyers: The Metro Division standings are about as tight as they can be. Much like the Pacific in the West (more on them in a second), first and fifth place are separated by just six points. A win for either team puts a division spot back within arm’s length.

And the Metro happens to be home to some of the hottest teams in the league. These are two of those teams.

Philadelphia finally saw a 10-game win streak come to an end last Saturday against the Dallas Stars. They followed that up with a 2-1 shootout loss to the Nashville Predators. It was the first shootout win the Predators have earned all season in four such games. A fortunate bounce off the arm of Ryan Ellis proved to be the only goal the Flyers would put past Pekka Rinne all night. Andrew MacDonald was credited with the goal, of all people.

The consecutive losses should hardly worry Flyer fans. Philly played a very tough game and Pekka Rinne was simply incredible in net. They started off with a very strong third period, ramping up pressure with a 1-0 lead and suffocating Nashville attempts to tie the game. Only after Filip Forsberg tied the game with a tip-in did the Preds really take it to the Flyers and reclaim control of the game.

Washington had a win streak of their own snapped on Saturday. Their six-game run was halted by the Montreal Canadiens on the tail-end of a back-to-back. They have since had three days off to collect their thoughts and energy.

That may actually be a bad thing.

See, the Capitals actually have a very hard time winning games after a hiatus. They have dropped their last four after these three-or-more-day breaks and having a losing record dating back to 2014-2015.

If Washington is to take this one on the road, they will need to neutralize the Flyers’ top line, which is something they did with much success in the first round of last year’s postseason.

Philly is 6-0-1 in their last seven home games.

Prediction: Tough call, but I’m going with the home underdog. Take the Flyers to win. Play the under.

Oilers vs Coyotes: The Arizona Coyotes’ run of complete and utter dominance over the Edmonton Oilers these past few years might be one of the funniest, most overlooked storylines in hockey. Granted, Edmonton has been objectively terrible as a franchise for quite a while and Arizona, despite a few seasons here and there, has not exactly been a powerhouse either.

But man, the tale of the tape is something.

The Yotes have taken both installments of the season series thus far. They narrowly avoided defeat by fractions of a second as Connor McDavid’s overtime buzzer-beater was overturned in their first meeting back in November.

Arizona is 19-0-4 in their last 23 against the Oilers. Let that sink in.

They have not lost in regulation to this team since January 25th, 2011.

So standings be damned, the Coyotes being listed as a +140 heading into this game is a bet you definitely want to jump on.

Mike Smith is 15-1-1 in his career against the Oilers with a 2.24 goals-against average.

Also, Shane Doan needs just one more goal to reach the 400 plateau. Doan has not found the back of the net in nine games, and has been held pointless in his last five.

At least Edmonton has picked up a pair of impressive wins this past week, besting the Lightning and the Blues in the shootout and overtime, respectively. In their game against St. Louis, Patrick Maroon tied up the game in the third period with his wife and kid in the stands. St. Louis happens to be his hometown. It was a cool moment. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins potted the game winner.

Prediction: I’m riding Arizona all the way. If this run of regulation insanity ends tonight, I will happily go down with the ship. Take the Coyotes to win. Play the under.

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