There are six NHL games on the docket tonight. Let’s take a look at the top picks, plays and predictions.
| Rangers vs Red Wings ML Off / Off O/U Off |
Bruins vs Penguins ML +120 / -145 O/U 5.5 |
| Blue Jackets vs Senators ML -143 / +110 O/U 5.5 |
Flyers vs Islanders ML +115 / -125 O/U 5.5 |
| Canucks vs Blackhawks ML +180 / -200 O/U 5 |
Predators vs Wild ML +110 / -130 O/U 5 |
Here are tonight’s starting goaltenders, courtesy of LeftWingLock.
The Game to Watch: Bruins vs Penguins.
The rumors have been swirling and swirling. Boston dropped yet another game in the waning moments of regulation, as Marian Hossa put the Blackhawks on top 1-0 Friday night.
And Claude Julien is in the center of a media frenzy.
Surely when a team suffers back-to-back losses in the final minutes of play, the coach must be held accountable, right? It simply cannot be the general manager who has assembled an unimpressive, top-heavy roster. Three losses in a row must be on him, not the players. That would be unfathomable.
Julien is one of the more accomplished coaches in the NHL. Firing him would be nothing but a statement made to the team, and a pretty weak one at that. There is not a better coach out there. Gerard Gallant and Jack Capuano are on the job market, but neither comes close to Julien’s resume.
Who knows. This could be a backbreaker of a game.
Pittsburgh annihilated the Carolina Hurricanes Friday night. Their offense has been clicking on an otherworldly level this week, as they have now won three in a row. Conor Sheary had six points in three games last week, as did Evgeni Malkin. Malkin is currently riding a six-game point streak.
Boston needs a win desperately to keep pace with a raging Eastern Conference. They need a win to save their coach’s job. Fortunately, they have won five of their last six against the Penguins and five of their last seven in Pittsburgh.
Unfortunately, the Penguins are simply playing too well to bet against.
Prediction: Take Pittsburgh to win. Play the over.
Other Game Notes Around the NHL
Flyers vs Islanders: The Philadelphia Flyers have lost their last nine road games, and 10 of their last 12 overall. They lost a home game to the New Jersey Devils last night 4-1, with Travis Konecny tallying the lone goal for the orange and black.
Hard to believe a team can go from one of the hottest in the NHL to one of the coldest on a dime like the Flyers have. They are effectively playing themselves out of a playoff spot.
Meanwhile, the Islanders have rebounded quite well since the firing of head coach Jack Capuano. The Isles blanked the Dallas Stars Thursday night, then topped the Los Angeles Kings at home 4-2.
Count Anders Lee among those that have sparked a change in Brooklyn lately. Lee is on a four-game point streak, including a two-goal night against L.A. He now has 17 goals on the season, which ranks second on the team behind John Tavares. Lee and Tavares are the only two Islanders with double-digit goals this season.
The Islanders have lost five of their last six games with no rest. However, they have a chance to climb out of the Eastern Conference basement tonight with a victory and, amazingly, get back into the playoff hunt.
Philly has won the last four meetings, including their first encounter this season which was decided in the shootout. I’m banking on trends of recent overall play continuing rather than the tale of the tape between these two division rivals.
Prediction: Take the Islanders to win tonight. Play the under.
Canucks vs Blackhawks: Ryan Miller managed to place himself 20th all-time in wins with a 2-1 triumph over the Florida Panthers. Henrik Sedin notched his 1,000th point in the game as well with a goal off a feed from his brother Daniel. Because really, how else would he earn it?
Miller is now 7-0-2 in his last nine starts. He is 14-10-3 this season with a 2.48 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage.
Before Thursday’s games, I looked up and down the NHL. Only two teams at the time had seven skaters with double-digit goals. One was the New York Rangers, which comes as no surprise. The other was the Vancouver Canucks. Though Vancouver has had no luck on the road this season, they deserve credit for spreading the wealth if nothing else.
Chicago is still chasing Minnesota for the top spot in the Central Division. The Blackhawks escaped Boston with a 1-0 victory thanks to Marian Hossa’s last-minute goal. Though the Hawks lost their last home game a week ago to the Minnesota Wild, they had won their previous four games at the United Center.
Corey Crawford will be in net tonight for the Hawks. Crow has not been great his last few starts, as he has allowed three goals or more in seven of his last nine starts. Over that stretch, he is 5-4-0. He earned a win in his most recent start despite allowing four goals on 23 shots to the Colorado Avalanche.
Vancouver’s only hope is if Crawford has another off night tonight. Otherwise, Chicago’s offense will dominate the pace of the game.
The Hawks have won four of the last five meetings between these two teams, including their lone matchup earlier this season.
Prediction: Take the Blackhawks to win. Play the under.
Blue Jackets vs Senators: The Jackets are looking to win consecutive games for the first time since the conclusion of their historic winning streak. Ottawa shut them out last week.
Mike Condon has won five of his last six starts, including that 42-save clean sheet against the Jackets last week. The Sens have won three in a row, but their game yesterday went into extra time. With both teams having played yesterday with travel in between, the playing field is pretty level.
Ottawa has won six of the last eight meetings.
Prediction: Take the Senators to win tonight. Play the under.
