The Pittsburgh Penguins will host the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday Night Rivalry and our strategy is largely based on a Flyers upset win. Pittsburgh has lost six out of their last 10. We will also pick on the Edmonton Oilers with the Anaheim Ducks and take a shot at the San Jose Sharks. Here is your Wednesday Pick Six and Sleeper.
Left Wing – Alex Tanguay – Colorado Avalanche
Colorado is at the San Jose Sharks with faceoff set for 10:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. The Sharks rank 24th in the NHL for goals against the 25th for penalty killing. Tanguay has 22 goals and 29 assists on the season and the hot hand currently with three goals and two assists in his last five games.
Center – Ryan Getzlaf – Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim hosts the Edmonton Oilers at 10 p.m. ET. Anaheim is in good form with seven wins in their last nine games. Getzlaf is the Ducks leading scorer with 24 goals and 44 points with a plus-13. Edmonton is the worst defensive team and penalty killing unit in the NHL.
Right Wing – Wayne Simmonds – Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia is at the Pittsburgh Penguins with faceoff on NBCSN set for 8 p.m. ET. Simmonds leads the Flyers in goal scoring with 28 to go with 22 assists. He has just one goal and two assists with a minus-two in his last five games. Nothing should ignite his play more than a date with the Pens.
Defenseman – Sami Vatanen – Anaheim Ducks
Vatanen has 12 goals and 25 assists with a plus-one but has been lackluster as of late with two assists and a minus-one in his last five games. Edmonton provides the opportunity for a cure.
Defenseman – Michael Del Zotto – Philadelphia Flyers
Del Zotto has nine goals and 20 assists on the season and has three assists in his last three games. Again we pick on an inconsistent Penguins team that lacks depth on the blue line as well as being a top heavy team that lacks secondary scoring.
Goalie – Steve Mason – Philadelphia Flyers
Perhaps the center piece of our call for a Rivalry Night upset, Mason has a strong .927 save percentage to go with three shutouts on the season. Mason has increased his level of play with a .938 save percentage in his last five games.
Sleeper – Chris Vande Velde – Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers center has nine goals and six assists on the season but has been ice cold with nothing on the score sheet in his last five games. Nothing like Rivalry Night for a breakout game.
