There are 14 NHL games on the docket tonight. Let’s take a look at the top picks, plays and predictions.
| Capitals vs Islanders ML -125 / +105 O/U 5.5 |
Blue Jackets vs Rangers ML +115 / -135 O/U 5.5 |
| Predators vs Penguins ML +155 / -175 O/U 5.5 |
Flyers vs Hurricanes ML +110 / -130 O/U 5.5 |
| Sabres vs Canadiens ML +158 / -180 O/U 5 |
Devils vs Red Wings ML +120 / -140 O/U 5 |
| Bruins vs Lightning ML -110 / -110 O/U 5.5 |
Senators vs Panthers ML +105 / -125 O/U 5 |
| Jets vs Blues ML +130 / -140 O/U 5.5 |
Maple Leafs vs Stars ML +100 / -120 O/U 5.5 |
| Wild vs Oilers ML -105 / -115 O/U 5 |
Kings vs Coyotes ML -160 / +135 O/U 5 |
| Avalanche vs Ducks ML +230 / -270 O/U 5 |
Blackhawks vs Sharks ML +125 / -145 O/U 5.5 |
Here are tonight’s starting goaltenders, courtesy of LeftWingLock.
Play of the Day: The over in Blue Jackets vs Rangers.
This is all but a given. The Columbus Blue Jackets are venturing into Madison Square Garden for the first time this season. Their play in hostile territory has been nothing short of brilliant, as they are tied for second in the Eastern Conference with 14 wins on the road this season.
Any time the Rangers and Blue Jackets collide, the over is a safe bet. It has hit in seven of the last eight encounters between these two teams, and five of the last six games in New York.
The Rangers have not played with their full squad fully healthy in quite some time. While they are not completely there yet, as Kevin Hayes will likely be out until mid-February, New York will be getting Jesper Fast and Marc Staal back from their respective injuries tonight.
Fast will slot in on the fourth line with Jimmy Vesey and Brandon Pirri, replacing Oscar Lindberg. Staal will return to the second pairing with Kevin Klein. This means that Adam Clendening, who has been a very good puck-mover for the Rangers lately, will return to the press box.
Girardi: 1 goal, 5 A2, 40 SOG, 44.3 CF% in 718:47 ES TOI
Clendening: 1 goal, 5 A2, 21 SOG, 55.2CF% in 247:17 ES TOI pic.twitter.com/zU3Sy4XuiT— Mike Murphy (@DigDeepBSB) January 30, 2017
Yeah. Makes sense. Give that coach an extension! Oh wait, the Rangers just did.
Though the Rangers have won their last four meetings against Columbus at home, and eight of the last nine overall, I still like the Blue Jackets in this one. New York has gotten off to some horrid starts at home this season, and it took a dramatic third-period comeback started by a man currently on his way to the press box to win in their last encounter. I see a rejuvenated Blue Jackets team pouncing on the Rangers.
Whether Bob is in net or not.
Prediction: Take the Blue Jackets to win. Play the over.
The Game to Watch: Bruins vs Lightning.
Any divisional game is a must-win for both of these teams. For Tampa especially, if they are going to make up ground, they need to beat the Bruins.
The Lightning have two games in hand and are six points behind the Bruins for the third Atlantic Division spot. A four-point game victory would do wonders for the Lightning’s playoff hopes.
However, the road team has won five of the last six meetings between these two teams.
Ben Bishop will be in net for the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight. Bishop’s name will likely be in the center of the NHL trade rumor season this year, and Steve Yzerman’s willingness to move him will likely be largely dependent on where the Lightning stand in the next few weeks in the standings. If Bishop can get the Bolts on track, things could get interesting.
The gargantuan goalie is 2-1-1 in four starts this month, with 10 goals allowed.
Boston has lost six of their last seven road games against teams with a winning home record. While Tampa has not been terrific at home this season (12-8-2), it is still noteworthy. The Bruins have lost four of their last five road games.
Prediction: Take the Bolts to win. Play the over.
Other Game Notes Around the NHL
Capitals vs Islanders: Start the countdown clock. The Barclays Center has announced that they will not be housing the New York Islanders past 2018-2019. Since there have been no announced plans for the Islanders to return to the Nassau Coliseum, or anywhere on Long Island really, this leaves them in limbo.
Negotiations to keep John Tavares will be fun if they don’t know where they’re going to be playing. I don’t imagine that ownership will want this saga to last for very long, but even still. The Barclays Center experiment was a disaster from the get-go. Leaving is the right choice for a franchise that never should have arrived there in the first place.
In other Islander news, Thomas Greiss received a three-year, $10 million extension. Greiss emerged as a dependable starter when Jaroslav Halak went down with an injury last season. He started 38 games, won 23 of them and posted a .925 save percentage and 2.36 goals-against average along the way. This season, he is 14-7-3 with a 2.25 goals-against and .928 save percentage.
As Rick DiPietro says, “the Greiss is right.”
For tonight, the Islanders will be fortunate enough to miss taking on Braden Holtby, who is 9-0-0 this month. Instead, they will be battling Philipp Grubauer, who is 9-2-2 on the season with two shutouts under his belt. He has allowed three goals in each of his last three appearances, however.
Brooklyn will need to set the tone early. The Caps have lost their last five games playing on three days or more of rest. The All-Star break may work to the Isles’ advantage.
Prediction: Take the Islanders to win. Play the over.
Devils vs Red Wings: Rest is the enemy of the Devils, as they are winless in their last four games on three or more days of rest. However, everyone and everything is the enemy of the Red Wings, who have lost their last four games. They are the only team in the Eastern Conference that has more regulation losses at home than wins.
Every game is a must-win for both teams, since they are tied with two other teams for last in the East. They are two of the more disappointing teams in the NHL, and they are hungry for wins.
The Wings have won 12 of the last 14 meetings in Detroit.
Prediction: Take Detroit to win. Play the under.
Maple Leafs vs Stars: Though the Toronto Maple Leafs have had trouble with the Central Division historically, they seem to have their way with the Dallas Stars. They have won the last four meetings between these two teams.
The Maple Leafs’ offense has truly come alive. Granted, having some of the best young talent in the NHL will surely spark something, but Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and company have taken the league by storm. Toronto has scored three or more goals in nine of their 12 games this month. Matthews, Marner and the unbelievably hot James van Riemsdyk are all tied for the team lead in points with 39.
Dallas continues to hang on by a thread in the Western Conference. They have gotten points in four of their last five games, but their inability to close out tight games is hitting them hard. Seven of their games this month have been decided by one goal, and they have only won two of them. They have allowed the first goal in each of their last seven games as well.
Some bad news for Toronto: Morgan Rielly will be out tonight with an ankle injury. It was looking for a moment that he would be ready to return to the lineup, and he does seem to be close. However, it will not be tonight.
Prediction: Take the Stars to win tonight. Play the over. If I were a betting man, I’d say this was going to be a one-goal game.
Wild vs Oilers: The season series between these two teams is 2-0 in favor of the Minnesota Wild. However, it has taken extra time in both games, and even reached the shootout in the most recent installment.
Connor McDavid is currently on a six-game point streak. It really is hard to understate how cool it was to watch McDavid at the All-Star game. Maybe it’s just being an east-coast American, but I never really knew just how fast he was. I mean, I knew he was fast and all, but seeing him go up against Nathan MacKinnon and blow him out of the water? Dang.
Darcy Kuemper will be in net for Minnesota to give Devan Dubnyk some time to rest after the weekend festivities. That could be the difference against McJesus.
Prediction: Take the Oilers to win. Play the over.
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