| Bruins vs Devils | Blue Jackets vs Hurricanes | Sabres vs Blackhawks |
| ML -115 / +104 | ML +125 / -145 | ML +197 / -220 |
| O/U 5 | O/U 5.5 | O/U 5 |
| Predators vs Avalanche | Lightning vs Oilers | Blues vs Ducks |
| ML -106 / -104 | ML -131 / +119 | ML +107 / -118 |
| O/U 5.5 | O/U 5.5 | O/U 5 |
Let’s look around the NHL for today’s picks, plays and predictions:
Play of the Day: Oilers over Lightning.
It’s against every instinct of mine to pick the Oilers over the Lightning. Especially when Edmonton is 3-8 in their last 11, with three wins coming against mediocre teams. But Edmonton likes to win in bunches, and a home-ice advantage could go a long way.
The Oilers are entering the fifth game of a six-game homestand. They have split the first four, but won their previous seven in a row on home ice. Weak as the Oilers are, they’re the second-winningest team in the Pacific at home. Considering the home team has won the last six meetings between these two teams, that’s a plus.
LeftWingLock has the goaltender matchup as Cam Talbot (7-11-2) against Ben Bishop (15-13-3).
Cam Talbot will make or break the Oilers’ chances. Talbot has a 1.67 goals against average in his last six starts, including a shutout against Carolina Monday. He’s faced a lot of shots over that stretch. He sports a .944 save percentage on medium danger shots at 5v5 in that hot stretch- an improvement on .866 for the season. If Edmonton can limit Tampa’s high-danger scoring chances, Talbot has been seeing the puck well enough to stop the rest.
That is no easy feat. Tampa is one of the best possession teams in the league as always at 52.8%. If the quantity can’t be helped, the quality certainly can. Tampa will need all hands on deck to prevent an upset. Nikita Kucherov just had an eight-game point streak snapped and has carried a load that Steven Stamkos has been unable to carry consistently this season.
Prediction: It’s Friday. Live a little. Take the Oilers at -131/+119, under the 5.5.
The Game to Watch: Bruins vs Devils.
The Devils are a point up on the Bruins for the top Wild Card spot. With the Senators breathing down their necks, both are desperate to get a little breathing room. The winner would pull within a point of the third spot in their respective division. We’re at the point where every game carries weight.
The Bruins will be without some key cogs once again. Brad Marchand will be finishing up his three-game suspension. David Krecji and Chris Kelly remain unavailable. Adam McQuaid will be sidelined indefinitely after a hit into the boards by Zach Sill last game. Their offense has sputtered as a result.
Boston is 1-5 lately including a thumping at the hands of the Canadiens in the Winter Classic. Their best game was a 7-3 win over the Senators before New Years, where Jimmy Hayes got his first career hat trick. They’ve been uninspiring and inconsistent outside of that game, and have only gotten worse without Marchand.
The Devils have assembled some good wins of late. Their 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars gave them a bit more legitimacy as a team. They just haven’t been able to truly step on the gas this year yet. Tonight is a good opportunity to crank up the heat on the Metro Division.
Their last meeting was a 2-1 shootout victory for the Bruins. Given the low-scoring nature of Devils hockey in general and the Bruins’ missing pieces, expect the under to hit once again.
Prediction: Take the Devils at +104/-115 at the under 5.
Other Game Notes Around the NHL:
Blue Jackets vs Hurricanes: Carolina is 0-for-14 on the powerplay in their last eight games. Columbus recently traded star center Ryan Johansen for Seth Jones. Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch says that Cam Atkinson may be next to go, even though John Tortorella reportedly loves him. This should not be an offensive gun-fight.
The Jackets are playing their first game since the Johansen deal. The first leg of a home-and-home set against Carolina will be a decent litmus test. Columbus has a right to be high on Jones, even if he has one point in 24 games. But Murphy’s law says he’s due, right?
It also says this will be an under. Prediction: Hurricanes.
Sabres vs Blackawks: From a standings perspective this is a game of little consequence. Buffalo is on a five game skid. Chicago is on a five game tear. It’s not a sexy play. At the very least, Artemi Panarin and Jack Eichel should be a fun rookie matchup. Take Chicago for a ho-hum under.
Predators vs Avalanche: Speaking of Ryan Johansen, the Preds will get to try out their new toy against the Avalanche. He will join an offense that has scored two goals or fewer in more than half of their games. Good timing. The over is 4-1 in the last five games these two have played at the Pepsi Center.
Colorado has been rolling offensively though. They’ve put up four goals against Los Angeles and St. Louis the past two games, both at home. Their powerplay has 11 goals in their last eight games.
Prediction: Nashville won’t be fixed overnight. Take Colorado at -104/-106 for the over 5.5.
Blues vs Ducks: The St. Louis Blues have not won in Anaheim since 2009. That’s nine games. They’re on a four-game losing streak heading into this game against the worst offense in the NHL.
The problem is that Ryan Kesler scoring two goals in his last three games qualifies as being “hot” by comparison for the Ducks. This should be no-brainer given the Ducks own the tale of the tape, but there’s plenty of room for doubt.
Prediction: Take the Blues for the under at +107/-118.
