We have some action in the Western Conference for you today. Let’s take a look at our NHL playoff predictions.
| Blues vs Predators ML +144 / -165 O/U 5 |
Ducks vs Oilers ML +105 / -125 O/U 5.5 |
Here are tonight’s starting goaltenders, courtesy of LeftWingLock.
Blues vs Predators: I had said in my series preview for this round that this would be a home-dominated series. To this point, I have been right, as the home team is 4-1. And if that trend continues, that means that the Nashville Predators will be waltzing into the Western Conference Finals by sundown.
The St. Louis Blues managed to stave off elimination Friday night with a clutch 2-1 home victory. With Alexander Steen out of the lineup, they would need their depth forwards, who had been largely invisible in the series, to come up big.
Enter Dmitrij Jaskin.
Jaskin had just one goal and 11 points in 51 games this season. But in Game 5, he was a force to be reckoned with. He was playing in just his first postseason game this year as a replacement for the injured Steen.
Jaskin opened the scoring in the second period by being the right man in the right place at the right time. An offensive zone faceoff win drew all five Predator skaters to the blueline. Alex Pietrangelo’s shot somehow made it to the net where it was initially blocked by Pekka Rinne, but Jaskin was all alone to pick up the loose change.
Later in the second, Pietrangelo and Patrik Berglund would be called for simultaneous penalties, sending the Predators on a rare two-minute powerplay. James Neal would eventually capitalize on the doorstep with assists credited to P.K. Subban and Roman Josi.
The Blues came out hungry in the third period with the score tied. Roman Josi failed to clear the zone thanks to a good keep-in by Colton Parayko. Parayko teed up a low wrist shot that generated a rebound and Jaden Schwartz came up big for the Blues once again by banging it home.
Jaskin would finish with a team-leading eight shots on goal and a 56% Corsi-for rating.
Nashville still holds a 3-2 series lead. Alexander Steen’s status for Game 6 is uncertain (“We’ll see,” being the exact words from Mike Yeo). Things are not quite as bleak as they were in the St. Louis camp, but it is far from sunshine and rainbows.
St. Louis will need a perfect effort out of their special teams units. The Blues allowed yet another powerplay goal in Game 5 while going 0-for-5 on their own man advantage opportunities. Their play at 5-on-5 has been perfectly passable this series, but they are squandering their chances to put games away.
Maybe it’s the thrill of being at home, but the Preds have looked like two totally different teams in Tennessee and Missouri this series. They have had a lot of trouble getting shots to the net on the road. So to avoid having to play a road Game 7, they will want to lock things down quickly.
The Blues have lost their last five games in Nashville, including two games this series they’d like to forget.
I had written that this would be a seven game series with the Predators coming out on top. I’m going to shorten that up. I see things ending for the Blues today.
Prediction: Take the Predators to finish things off at home tonight. Play the under, which is 5-0-2 in Nashville’s last seven home games.
Ducks vs Oilers: Move over Toronto, we may have a new Worst Collapse Ever candidate.
Harsh because Toronto’s was a Game 7 and this was not? Perhaps. But you try telling me that three goals allowed in the final three minutes of a hockey game is not one of the worst ways to lose in recent memory.
Things started off so well for the Oilers. After a scoreless first period, Leon Draisaitl tallied the game’s first goal just 15 seconds into the second period. Two minutes later, Connor McDavid struck with a powerplay goal. Drake Caggiula added his second goal of the series before the second period came to a close.
Edmonton was already preparing for a potential series-clinching home victory.
The third was a flurry of action. Anaheim threw 22 shots on goal to the Oilers’ 12. The Ducks kept shooting and the clock kept ticking.
With 3:16 to go in regulation and John Gibson on the bench, Ryan Getzlaf wired a shot from the point to the back of the net. The shutout bid was done, but Edmonton still had a 3-1 lead. No big deal right? The faceoff was taken and sent back into the Edmonton zone and Gibson again headed to the bench. Just 30 seconds after Getzlaf scored, Cam Fowler teed up a wrist shot from the high slot that found twine.
Uh oh.
Time wound down. The Ducks kept firing. Edmonton could not leave their zone. With 20 seconds left, the Ducks sent one last shot to the net. Talbot made the save, then two more on the ensuing net mouth scramble. Sprawled out on his belly, he stoned Corey Perry cold.
But then the puck squirted out to open ice. Cam Talbot was still down as the pileup had a pair of Oiler defenseman and Ryan Kesler virtually on top of him.
Rickard Rakell pounced on the puck and flipped a backhander to the net.
https://twitter.com/NHLDaily365/status/860730434933723136
Tie game.
There would be 27 minutes of overtime before Corey Perry deked Cam Talbot out of his skates and potted the game-winner.
And that is how you blow a 3-0 lead in style.
Oiler fans have every right to feel a wide range of emotions after Game 5. The blown lead was heart-wrenching. The non-goaltender interference call on the game-tying goal was infuriating. The turnover leading to the overtime winner was egregious. Heading home down 3-2 in the series is demoralizing.
How quickly euphoria can turn into unspeakable sadness.
About that goaltender interference non-call: to me, Anaheim fans trying to say it was not interference is like King fans trying to say Dwight King didn’t sit on Henrik Lundqvist, or Star fans praising Brett Hull’s “foot in the crease” goal or even Yankee fans bragging about the infamous Jeffrey Maier home run.
Which is to say, don’t waste your time and breath arguing that it was not interference. Sometimes the calls go your way. Admit you got away with one. Because while Oil Country wastes time and energy complaining about it, you can smirk and keep on playing your game. Because the scoreboard is what it is.
Good teams don’t lose three playoff games at home in a series. If a team loses three home games in a given series, they deserve to lose. Anaheim avoided that fate in Game 5. I expect Edmonton to do the same. I had predicted this series would head back to the Honda Center for a Game 7. While it is incredibly hard to rebound from what happened, the Oilers need to hit the reset button.
Three bad minutes undid what was a good 57 minute game for them. Clear heads will prevail.
The Ducks have not lost on the road this postseason. Gotta happen eventually, right?
For what it’s worth, the Oilers have been getting great contributions from their penalty killers, who have stymied the last 12 Duck powerplays.
Andrej Sekera is questionable after leaving Game 5 early for the Oilers. Patrick Eaves sat out Game 5 for the Ducks and is doubtful to return tonight.
Prediction: Take the Oilers to cling to life tonight. Play the over.
