There are eight games on tap for tonight. Let’s take a look at our NHL daily predictions.
| Sabres vs Penguins ML +190 / -230 O/U 5.5 |
Blue Jackets vs Canadiens ML -105 / -115 O/U 5.5 |
| Stars vs Panthers ML Off/ Off O/U Off |
Capitals vs Predators ML +120 / -140 O/U 5.5 |
| Flyers vs Wild ML +125 / -145 O/U 5.5 |
Coyotes vs Jets ML +173 / -205 O/U 5.5 |
| Golden Knights vs Oilers ML +170 / -200 O/U 6 |
Canucks vs Kings ML +160 / -200 O/U 5.5 |
Here are tonight’s starting goaltenders, courtesy of LeftWingLock.
The Game to Watch: Blue Jackets vs Canadiens.
This time last year, the Columbus Blue Jackets steamrolled over the Montreal Canadiens 10-0. Granted, this time the Habs are not 9-0-1 heading into this game, but they have won four of their last five. That counts for something.
Like that infamous blowout, the Montreal Canadiens will not be starting Carey Price in goal as he deals with a lower-body injury. Al Montoya will also be out with a concussion. Charlie Lindgren will get his fifth consecutive start against the Jackets tonight. Lindgren has been a godsend for the Canadiens, winning three of four starts with a 1.24 goals-against average and a .964 save percentage.
The 23-year-old had three NHL starts under his belt over the previous two seasons and had won all three. One can’t help but wonder just how long Lindgren will be in a Montreal uniform if he is in fact the real deal. Carey Price signed an eight-year megadeal worth $10.5 million per year in the offseason.
Columbus snapped a four-game losing streak with a shootout victory in Detroit against the Red Wings on Saturday. Artemi Panarin scored his third goal of the season (his first against an opponent not named the New York Rangers), and the team managed to go 65 minutes without taking a single penalty.
Fortunately the losing skid has not upended the Jackets’ season. They still have 21 points and sit in second in the Metro Division. They only trail the New Jersey Devils by three points.
The Blue Jackets’ goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was near perfect against the Habs last season, stopping 95 of 97 shots in three matchups.
So who gets the upper-hand- the red-hot rookie or the battle-tested Bob?
The home team has won five of the last six meetings. That bodes well for Lindgren and company.
Prediction: Take the Canadiens to win. Play the under.
Other NHL Daily Predictions
Capitals vs Predators: The Nashville Predators have won four in a row, and now have a new asset to shore up their center depth. Kyle Turris made his Nashville debut on Saturday and notched a goal and an assist in a 5-4 shootout win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Turris made himself at home on the Preds’ second line with Craig smith and Kevin Fiala. With Nick Bonino set to come off the injured reserve any day now, the Predators have gotten a whole lot deeper at center.
In a way, Turris gives them what they lost in Mike Fisher- a tough right-handed shot down the middle with the ability to throw his weight around and score some goals. Turris had 27 goals and 55 points last season for the Ottawa Senators. He also had four goals and six assists in 19 postseason games last season.
Washington comes in just as hot, having won five of their last six games. Their only loss came on the tail end of a back-to-back in which they had to travel from D.C. to Buffalo to take on the Sabres.
This is one of the more exciting games of the night. Ovechkin vs Forsberg. Kuznetsov vs Johansen. Backstrom vs Turris.
There’s plenty of marquee talent to watch in this one.
Plus it’s always fun to watch Filip Forsberg take on his former club. Remember when the Caps traded him for Martin Erat?
Hahahaha…..classic.
Prediction: Take the Predators to win. Play the over.
Golden Knights vs Oilers: Amazingly, unbelievably, against all odds, the Vegas Golden Knights are…wait for it…undefeated against Western Conference opponents.
I understand that my incredulity at these things is getting a tad redundant. But come on. I think it’s warranted. The Vegas Golden Knights, on their fourth goaltender, have yet to be beaten by a member of their own conference in seven games.
That’s pure insanity.
Now they catch the Oilers playing their third game in four days.
The true challenge is that the Golden Knights have not had to play in a Western Conference barn other than their own since the first week of the season. They bested the Stars in Dallas and the Coyotes in Arizona, but have only played at home against Western foes since.
Edmonton is returning home after a four-game tour of the Eastern seaboard in which they went 2-1-1. Home ice has meant very little to the Oilers so far, as they are 3-6-0 in their own building. Their home woes are part of the reason why they are the second-worst team in the West.
They seemed to turn a corner in their road trip though. If they can’t beat Maxime Lagace, well, they have problems.
Prediction: Take the Oilers to win. Play the over.
Sabres vs Penguins: The Penguins are the anti-Oilers. They are 5-0-1 on home ice hosting the lowly Buffalo Sabres. Though the Pens have dropped four of their last five, they are 7-1 in their last eight playing on two days of rest.
One would think this is an easy win for them.
Gotta make your free throws.
The under has hit in the last four Pens games in which they have had two days of rest. Couple that with the general ineptitude of the Sabres’ offense and this should be a stone-cold under play.
The only threat to that play is the porousness of the two defenses at work. Phil Kessel has himself three goals and four assists over a four-game point streak, and could take advantage of a lackluster Buffalo blueline.
Expected to help the cause on the Sabres’ defense is Marco Scandella, who is probably to return from injury tonight.
This is a must-win for the Penguins to keep pace in the east.
Prediction: Take the Penguins to win. Play the under.
