There are 10 NHL games on the docket tonight. Let’s take a look at the top picks, plays and predictions.
| Avalanche vs Jets ML +190 / -230 O/U 6 |
Devils vs Bruins ML +230 / -290 O/U 5 |
| Lightning vs Sabres ML -141 / +120 O/U 5.5 |
Blue Jackets vs Senators ML -120 / +100 O/U 5.5 |
| Stars vs Panthers ML +125 / -145 O/U 6 |
Canadiens vs Rangers ML +110 / -130 O/U 5 |
| Flyers vs Capitals ML +225 / -275 O/U 5 |
Blackhawks vs Predators ML +113 / -125 O/U |
| Canucks vs Kings ML +226 / -271 O/U 5 |
Red Wings vs Oilers ML +180 / -222 O/U 5 |
Here are tonight’s starting goaltenders, courtesy of LeftWingLock.
The Game to Watch: Blackhawks vs Predators.
While the New York Rangers are the winningest road team in the NHL, the Chicago Blackhawks deserve just as much attention for their play away from home lately. They have won seven road games in a row, giving them the second-most wins as the visiting team this season.
Last night, the Blackhawks continued their winning ways against the New York Islanders. With Chicago down 1-0 and 1:14 remaining in regulation, Artemi Panarin buried his 20th of the season on a laser of a one-timer. Thomas Greiss came out of his net to challenge the long-distance shooter and Panarin got the upper-hand.
The game would go to a shootout, with the Blackhawks beating Greiss twice. It should be noted that Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin all attempted the exact same move- wide left, cut horizontally at the hashmarks, dangle and snipe.
This seems to happen every year with the Blackhawks. In the January-March span of the season, the Hawks go on a crazy run to skyrocket to the top of the standings and earn them at least home-ice if not more.
The Nashville Predators have put a very nice cushion between themselves and the St. Louis Blues, currently fading into oblivion. With six points and counting separating the two teams, and 12 points dividing Nashville and Chicago, all they have to do is stay the course and they will have another playoff berth in hand.
Traditionally the over is the smart play between these two teams. The over has hit in the last seven Nashville home games, as well as the Blackhawks’ last four road games against teams with a winning home record.
Of course, this will be a premier matchup of two of the hottest scorers in the NHL. Kane, Toews and Panarin are rolling, but Filip Forsberg has been just as hot. He has 10 points in his last five games for the Preds. Helping him out has been Ryan Johansen (eight points, five games) and Roman Josi (eight points, five games).
Though seemingly nothing can kill the Blackhawks, the extra time last night may be a deciding factor. Besides, the Preds will be trying to stave off four straight Chicago wins against them this season.
Prediction: Take Nashville to win. Play the over.
Other Game Notes Around the NHL
Flyers vs Capitals: The Philadelphia Flyers had an active March 1st. General manager Ron Hextall handed out extensions to backup goaltender Michal Neuvirth and fourth-liner Pierre-Edouard Bellemare for two years each. He then turned around and traded for Lightning center Valtteri Filppula.
Neuvirth’s extension seems awkwardly timed. With the expansion draft looming at the end of the season, it looks like Steve Mason’s Flyers career may be over.
Then again…
It's expected that the Flyers will make Neuvirth available for the expansion draft and protect Anthony Stolarz, as their only goaltender.
— John Shannon (@JShannonhl) March 1, 2017
So really, who knows. All that is known for certain is that Michal Neuvirth has a 2.90 goals-against average this season and a .887 save percentage. He has a career goals-against average of 2.68. With the exception of last season, he has really never been all that spectacular. To choose him over Steve Mason seems…strange.
With that in mind, Mason is the projected starter for tonight according to LeftWingLock.
The Flyers are 3-13 in their last 16 games away from Philadelphia. They have lost their last four games against Metro Division opponents.
More specifically, they have lost two of three games this season against their opponent tonight, the Washington Capitals.
Washington has won their last two games, as has Philly.
Unlike the Flyers, the Capitals are pretty set in the goaltending department. Braden Holtby has not been hit with a regulation loss since December 27th. He is 18-0-2 in his last 20 decisions. Vezina Trophy, here comes Braden.
Prediction: Take the Capitals to win tonight. Play the over. All three games this season have had five goals total. That number can only go up.
Canadiens vs Rangers: Claude Julien has finally righted the ship after a bumpy transition of power in Montreal. But the Canadiens have won four in a row, and now look to sweep the season series from the New York Rangers.
Both victories have come in one-goal thrillers. In their first matchup, three goals in 62 seconds spurred a remarkable comeback at the Bell Centre as Montreal won 5-4. Then, about two weeks ago, Carey Price made a flurry of saves to preserve a 2-2 tie, and the Habs went on to win in overtime.
Montreal has won all three road games with Julien at the helm.
New York still has a number of injuries that they are dealing with. Henrik Lundqvist put on a show on his birthday Thursday night in Boston, leading the Rangers to a 2-1 victory. Oscar Lindberg and Pavel Buchnevich, who have found themselves in and out of the lineup this season for varying reasons, both scored incredibly impressive goals in the victory.
As of right now, Michael Grabner is still out of the lineup nursing a hip injury. Jesper Fast, Kevin Klein and Dan Girardi are still a long ways away.
The Rangers got pretty insanely lucky that Henrik Lundqvist was in God Mode Thursday night. They can’t afford too many more efforts like that. Especially not against a team that gives them this much trouble historically.
Prediction: Take the Canadiens to win. Play the under.
Blue Jackets vs Senators: I think it’s safe to say the Columbus Blue Jackets have got their groove back. After a brief period of adjustment following the conclusion of their immense winning streak, Columbus is back on track. The bye-week has done them a world of good, as they are now 3-0-1 in their last four games.
On Thursday night, the Jackets pitched a shutout against the Minnesota Wild- no easy task. Brandon Saad scored the lone goal of the game, and it was a flukey one at that. Devan Dubnyk failed to safely secured a bouncing puck and Saad got just enough of his stick on the puck to tap it over the goal line.
Sergei Bobrovsky put on quite the show in net to earn his 33rd victory of the season and fourth shutout.
Ottawa was also in action Thursday night, besting the Colorado Avalanche 2-1. New arrival Alex Burrows tallied two goals in his Sens debut. To his credit, they were nice wrist shots and the results of solid puck movement. I guess those years of playing alongside Daniel and Henrik Sedin have made him pretty adaptive to quick passing plays.
The Jackets and Sens have met twice this season, with the road team winning both times. Ottawa blanked the Jackets 2-0 in Ohio, then just three days later, the Jackets topped the Sens 7-6 in overtime.
So this one could go any number of ways.
My best guess is that Ottawa will not be wholly prepared for the speed onslaught that they are about to endure. Columbus is playing with fire and swagger. The Sens have had difficulty stringing multiple wins together lately.
Prediction: Take the Blue Jackets to win. Play the under.
Lightning vs Sabres: Sometimes, you just have a team’s number. The Bolts have won their last four games in Buffalo and nine of their last 10 against the Sabres overall.
They must be doing something right.
Peter Budaj’s Tampa debut was rough last night against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Budaj allowed four goals on 34 shots. To be fair, to make your first appearance for a team on the road in Pittsburgh is truly trial by fire. It shouldn’t be allowed, really.
Buffalo has lost four of their last five. They lit the lamp six times against Arizona on Thursday, for whatever that’s worth. But their defense has been bleeding goals all season long.
Defer to the tale of the tape on this one.
Prediction: Take the Bolts to win. Play the under.
Devils vs Bruins: Boston should be nicked up and bruised after their game Thursday night against the Rangers. That was about as reckless as I’ve seen the Bruins on the ice. Both teams were throwing their weight around, and the refs swallowed their whistles.
Maybe the Rangers bring the worst out of the Bruins, because they seemed to take far more liberties physically than usual. If they brought the pain like that every night, perhaps they’d have a few more wins. Although, that could be a result of the change in head coach.
Either way, Boston thoroughly outplayed New York Thursday. If they replicate their play tonight, they should walk away with an easy win.
The Devils have lost five in a row and 10 of their last 11 in Boston. Oh boy.
Prediction: Take the Bruins to win. Play the over.
