We have a full night of hockey ahead of us. Here are tonight’s top picks, plays and predictions.
| Maple Leafs vs Blackhawks ML +140 / -155 O/U 5.5 |
Canadiens vs Bruins ML -107 / -103 O/U 5 |
| Lightning vs Senators ML -129 / +117 O/U 5.5 |
Sharks vs Red Wings ML -134 / +121 O/U 5.5 |
| Avalanche vs Panthers ML +133 / -147 O/U 5.5 |
Wild vs Devils ML -105 / -105 O/U 5 |
| Hurricanes vs Flyers ML +118 / -130 O/U 5 |
Rangers vs Capitals ML +142 / -157 O/U 5 |
| Penguins vs Predators ML -100 / -110 O/U 5.5 |
Blue Jackets vs Stars ML +180 / -200 O/U 6 |
| Canucks vs Kings ML +144 / -160 O/U 5 |
Blues vs Flames ML -117 / +106 O/U 5.5 |
Here are tonight’s starting goaltenders courtesy of LeftWingLock.
Play of the day: The under in Blue Jackets vs Stars.
I would have to go back and look, but I am almost positive that this is the first time that the over/under has been set at six. I have seen it set at 4.5 before, but never quite this high.
The over is 5-0 in the last five meetings between these two teams. It is also 4-1-1 in the last five road games for the Columbus Blue Jackets. For Dallas, the over is 3-1 this season; for the Blue Jackets, it is 1-2-0.
Neither Sergei Bobrovsky nor Antti Niemi are off to a very auspicious start. Bobrovsky sports a 1-2 record with a 3.05 goals-against average, despite a not-quite-horrible .916 save percentage. Niemi has started two games this year, and has only seen the end of one of them. He has allowed seven goals on 55 shots, good enough to give him a .873 save percentage and a 4.83 goals-against average.
This has all the makings of a high-scoring game. But to set the marker at 6 for the over/under is to test the hockey gods. It is not so much that I think it is impossible that the over would hit, it just is too tempting the other way. I take this game to be 3-2, no more. I would lose no sleep over a 4-2 push either.
Prediction: Take the Stars to win. Play the under.
The Game to Watch: Canadiens vs Bruins.
The Habs-Bruins rivalry will likely be a whole lot more meaningful this year than it was last year. The competitive disparity will be a lot tighter. Last season, Boston was fighting for a playoff spot down to the very last day, while a Price-less Montreal floundered all winter long.
They should be a bit closer together this year. I don’t anticipate either team being a powerhouse in the East, which would be an interesting thing for the league come playoff time.
But regardless, their rivalry is still one of the most fun to watch in sports. And it is David Backes and Shea Weber’s first introduction to it. Backes and Weber, both captains of their respective former teams, will have to learn new hatreds and channel different hostility, which is a curious thing to have to adapt to so late in their careers.
Weber netted his first goal as a Canadien last game. Alexei Emelin scored for the first time in 86 games as well. It was quite the game for the Habs.
Boston’s home opener went well, as my pick of the stone-cold under for their matchup against the Devils proved wise. Anton Khudobin will likely get the start tonight, who allowed four goals on 24 shots against Toronto.
Boston will have to jump ahead early to beat a Montreal team that is gaining confidence. The Bs have allowed the first goal in each of their first few games, a trend that cannot last forever.
Prediction: Take the Bruins to win. Play the under.
Other Notes Around the NHL
Maple Leafs vs Blackhawks: Auston Matthews has someone exciting to match up against on virtually every team. Matthews vs the Hawks is a good one.
Frederik Andersen has struggled hard-core out of the gate. Toronto’s blueline still has too many holes for them to make the next step in their development this year. From all their blown leads, one-goal games and of course, young talent, they still are an objectively fun team to watch though.
William Nylander and Auston Matthews are enough.
Prediction: Take the Hawks to win tonight. Play the over.
Rangers vs Capitals: The Rangers absolutely dominated the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday Night Rivalry. It is astonishing that they lost. They managed to orchestrate a seemingly endless barrage of breakaways and odd-man rushes, found themselves on the man advantage multiple times thanks to an extremely undisciplined second period on the part of Detroit, and yet it was Henrik Lundqvist losing the puck and his footing that proved to be the difference.
Jimmy Howard was spectacular as well. But that is a must, must, must win given just how badly they manhandled their opponent.
That said, New York has looked awfully impressive in their two losses. They sit at 2-2-0, but have certainly played well enough to win all four games they have played in. Their forward lines are rolling, with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad leading the charge. Rick Nash and Kevin Hayes have had their moments as well. Mats Zuccarello’s passes have been in rare form.
Though Henrik Lundqvist’s career against Washington has been successful by and large, the Blueshirts got lit up by the Caps last season. Lundqvist’s goals-against average against D.C. last year was over 4, with has backups faring even worse.
Washington’s offense is starting to come around, which is a bad sign for the visitors tonight. The Caps put four even-strength goals past Roberto Luongo and the Panthers on Thursday. Evgeny Kuznetsov, Justin Williams and Marcus Johansson all found the back of the net for the first time this season, with Alex Ovechkin also adding to the tally.
Washington’s defense has been stingy. They have allowed just five goals in four games. If they can get their powerplay going, they will be just as unstoppable as last year.
Prediction: Take the Caps to win. Play the under.
Penguins vs Predators: The Nashville Predators are dealing with a food poisoning problem, according to their general manager David Poile. He has admitted that he does not know how his lineup is going to look tonight. Ryan Johansen and Craig Smith are among those
Now would be a good time to bet on the Penguins.
The Preds have dropped three in a row, and this issue might explain their misfortunes. They have been careless with the puck in their own zone and have lacked oomph on the offensive attack.
Pittsburgh will just need to put forth a competitive effort. It won’t take much.
Prediction: Take the Penguins to win. Play the over.
Blues vs Flames: Brian Elliott and Jake Allen collide! And this time, it’s…well, not much of anything. This matchup really won’t carry too much importance until it heads back to St. Louis, which will not be until Tuesday. Elliott won’t even be playing because he has had such a shoddy start to the season, meaning Chad Johnson will get the start for Calgary. For now, it’s just another game. And one that the Blues really should win easily.
Prediction: Take the Blues to win. Play the under.
