There are six NHL games on the docket tonight. Let’s take a look at the top picks, plays and predictions.
| Red Wings vs Hurricanes ML +175 / -190 O/U 5.5 |
Panthers vs Sabres ML -120 / +100 O/U 5.5 |
| Predators vs Islanders ML -105 / -115 O/U 5.5 |
Blackhawks vs Lightning ML -133 / +100 O/U 5.5 |
| Coyotes vs Blues ML +237 / -290 O/U 5.5 |
Avalanche vs Flames ML +237 / -290 O/U 5.5 |
Here are tonight’s starting goaltenders, courtesy of LeftWingLock.
The Game to Watch: Predators vs Islanders.
The New York Islanders have everything at stake tonight. It has been over a month since the Barclays Center crowd has seen a win. They hold a game in hand on the Boston Bruins, who currently hold a two-point lead in the Wild Card standings. Since Boston holds the tiebreaker in regulation/overtime wins, the Islanders will need to pass them in points, making every game a must-win.
Thomas Greiss, the team’s nominee for the Masterton Trophy, will be in net for the Islanders tonight. Jaroslav Halak made his return to the NHL club on Friday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins and managed to steal a victory in the shootout. Greiss took over the following night and fell to the Bruins, 2-1. He faced only 18 shots on goal, but Brooklyn could only manage 19 of their own.
John Tavares scored the lone goal for the Isles in the game.
Greiss has been very hit-and-miss. Granted, so has the team in front of him, but Greiss especially has turned in some varying performances of late. On one night, he’s allowing four goals on 18 shots to the Blues, another he’s stopping 34 of 36 en route to a season-saving triumph over the rival Rangers.
They will need the very best out of Greiss in order to stymy the Predators’ offensive attack. Nashville has won six of their last seven and their last three in a row. Their most recent victory came over the San Jose Sharks, in which they scored a touchdown and won 7-0.
Nashville’s winning ways will be tested tonight. Despite their success, they are still just 2-2-2 as the visiting team this month.
The Islanders have won four of the last five meetings in Brooklyn. But if the Islanders cannot beat the likes of Carolina or Winnipeg on their home ice, it’s no wonder they have difficulty beating Columbus or Boston. The Preds hold a lot of influence over the Wild Card race, with a game against the Bruins tomorrow night.
Prediction: Take the Islanders to win. Play the over.
Other Game Notes Around the NHL
Blackhawks vs Lightning: Tampa Bay is still clinging to the NHL playoff picture for dear life. They sit three points behind the Bruins, and a pair of road victories over the Bruins and Red Wings have kept them alive…for now.
With the way that things are shaping up, the Bolts will essentially have to win out in order to make the postseason. They do have a couple of big games remaining against Boston and Montreal, with a few “gimme” games against Detroit, Dallas and Buffalo. As luck would have it, the Bruins only play two non-playoff teams in the final few weeks, Tampa Bay excluded, in Florida and Dallas.
Though the playoff picture is still complicated, the overall mindset is very simple: win.
Tonight is a rematch of the 2015 Stanley Cup Finals. Chicago has won their last eight road games against teams with a winning home record. However, their only two wins in Tampa Bay in their last 10 attempts have come in that Stanley Cup Final. The Lightning are 8-0-2 in the regular season in their last 10 matchups.
Earlier this season, the Bolts ventured into Chicago and put up five goals, topping the Blackhawks 5-2.
Keeping the team afloat by sheer will is Nikita Kucherov. Kucherov has tallied seven goals in his last four games, while linemate Ondrej Palat has notched five assists over that span. Brayden Point, who has played on the top line the last few weeks, has seen his scoring improve as well. In seven games with Kucherov, Point has registered nine points.
The Blackhawks finally turned in a clunker Saturday with a 7-0 loss to the Florida Panthers. Following games in which they allow five goals or more, the Hawks are just 1-6.
They are fallible after all.
Prediction: Take the Lightning to win. Play the over.
Coyotes vs Blues: St. Louis has won nine of their last 11 games to pull nine points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings for the second Wild Card spot. Their magic number is slowly dwindling down, and the way to expedite that process is by beating the Arizona Coyotes.
The Yotes are 1-5 in their last six. Like good canines, they are rolling over and playing dead.
St. Louis shut out the Coyotes 3-0 in the desert back on the 18th. The Blues have won their last four home games against the Coyotes tonight.
Prediction: No real reason to go against the line tonight. Take the Blues to win and all but lock up a playoff spot. Play the under.
Avalanche vs Flames: Avalanches kill more than 150 people per year, according to DoSomething.org. They are usually caused by a steep slope, a weak snow layer and a trigger.
The Colorado Avalanche have killed many a Coloradan’s spirit this season. And it’s because of the steep climb to get back to where they were three years ago, an overall weak roster, and a trigger of their head coach abandoning the team shortly before the season.
That’s my loose association to keep my interest in the Avs for today.
Prediction: Take the Flames. Play the over.
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