There are four NHL games on the docket. Let’s take a look at the top picks, plays and predictions.
| Flyers vs Rangers ML +125 / -145 O/U 5 |
Maple Leafs vs Red Wings ML -147 / +125 O/U 5.5 |
| Canucks vs Avalanche ML -143 / +110 O/U 5 |
Oilers vs Ducks ML +115 / -135 O/U 5 |
Here are tonight’s starting goaltenders, courtesy of LeftWingLock.
The Game to Watch: Flyers vs Rangers.
This is tonight’s Wednesday Night Rivalry game to be broadcast on NBC Sports. The Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers have played on NBC twice this season, with the Rangers coming out on top on both occasions.
Both games were at the Wells Fargo Center. This will be their first meeting at Madison Square Garden.
The Rangers have won their last five encounters with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Philly snapped a three-game losing streak on Sunday by besting the New York Islanders in overtime. Shayne Gostisbehere capped off a great game by setting up Claude Giroux for the winner. The Flyers have won just three of their 10 games in 2017.
Remember when Henrik Lundqvist was washed up? Classic. Lundqvist put on a show Monday night against the Los Angeles Kings, stopping 36 of 38 shots to lift the Rangers up to a 3-2 victory. Lundqvist saved all 14 shots in the opening frame. The second goal he allowed game with just one second remaining in regulation.
Matt Puempel scored in his return to the lineup after battling a concussion. Puempel will likely see more time now that Kevin Hayes is officially sidelined for two-to-three weeks with a lower-body injury.
Mats Zuccarello scored for the first time in 16 games, too. A beauty of a wrist shot netted Zucc’s ninth goal of the season. While that drought may seem like a long time, he currently has a six-game point streak going. In the 15 games between goals, Zuccarello notched 17 assists, giving him 29 helpers on the year.
While Lundqvist was a shining star and the Rangers took both legs of their back-to-back this weekend, their lack of quantity offensively is troublesome. Between their two games against Detroit and Los Angeles, New York managed just 36 shots on goal. They will desperately need to up that number tonight against the Flyers, who in the same amount of time (two games, two days) lodged 83 shots on goal.
Marc Staal is cleared for contact, but since the team did not practice, he will not play tonight. One would have to imagine that Adam Clendening will sit out when he comes back. Which is a shame, since Clendening has been a very solid addition to the blueline lately, confidently advancing the puck forward and setting up shots.
Philly will need a big game out of their top-line players, namely Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek and Wayne Simmonds. Simmonds has just one assist in two games against the Rangers this season, while Giroux has two helpers. Jakub Voracek had a pair of goals in the last meeting with New York, but he only has one goal away from home this season.
Prediction: Take the Rangers to win. Play the over.
Other Game Notes Around the NHL
Maple Leafs vs Red Wings: Petr Mrazek will likely get the chance to start against the Toronto Maple Leafs that he did not get in the Centennial Classic on New Year’s Day. Mrazek has looked better in his last two starts, though still has a long way to go to undo the horrible numbers that he has. Mrazek stopped 23 of 25 to beat the Bruins, then lost in overtime to the Bruins, letting up three goals on 37 shots.
Mrazzle Dazzle is 10-11-5 on the year, with a 3.13 goals-against average and .895 save percentage.
Starting opposite him will be Frederik Andersen. Andersen and the Leafs are in the second Wild Card spot, though a division spot is well within their reach. They have six games in hand on the Boston Bruins, who they trail by just one point.
While James van Riemsdyk’s 10-game point streak has come to a close, he and Mitch Marner have been lighting up the league lately. Auston Matthews has 15 points in his last 15 games as well.
Toronto has won their last six games against teams with a losing record. Though the Leafs have a sub-.500 record as well, Detroit is 1-6 in their seven against teams with a losing record.
The Wings have had a rough week. They have dropped three games in a row, all three losses coming in extra time. While they are keeping pace with the rest of the Eastern Conference, they desperately need wins. At least they are on a six-game point streak. However, they are still locked in a six-way tie for last in the East.
The under has hit in nine of the last 10 meetings between these two teams.
Tonight will be Roman Polak’s 600th NHL game. I’m just as surprised as you are that he’s lasted this long.
Prediction: Take the Maple Leafs to win. Play the under.
Canucks vs Avalanche: Man, Colorado stinks. Like, they’re awful.
The Canucks have won four of their last five meetings against the Avalanche. It is true that the Colorado Avalanche will not lose all 37 of their remaining games this season. However, I am finding it very hard to find reasons to bet on the Avs anymore. Don’t even waste your money until a more lucrative line comes along.
Oh, and Matt Duchene might be out tonight as he battles an illness. So there’s that.
Prediction: Take the Canucks. Play the over. Yawn.
Oilers vs Ducks: Unlike Canucks-Avalanche, this will be the most fun matchup in the Western Conference tonight. John Gibson is 4-0-1 in his career against the Edmonton Oilers with a paltry 1.19 goals-against average. However, Leon Draisaitl is currently riding a four-game point streak and the Oilers offense has been clicking. Their most recent victory was a 7-3 victory over the Flames.
They have that McDavid dude too.
Anaheim and Edmonton would be the opening-round matchup in the Pacific Division if the season were to end tomorrow. Both teams are 7-2-1 in their last 10.
A major blow to Anaheim: Jakob Silfverberg will miss tonight’s game with concussion symptoms.
Edmonton has won their last nine games that have fallen on a Wednesday. Take that for what it’s worth.
The Ducks have won eight of their last nine against the Oilers at home, though. Either way, should be a great matchup.
Prediction: Take the Ducks to win. Play the over.
To make a play on these predictions, or any other NHL bets, visit our sportsbook at https://www.betdsi.eu/gms-hockey.
