There are 13 games on the docket tonight. Let’s take a look at the top picks, plays and predictions.
| Canucks vs Bruins ML +180 / -210 O/U 5 |
Islanders vs Senators ML +100 / -120 O/U 5.5 |
| Sharks vs Flyers ML -137 / +110 O/U 5 |
Panthers vs Predators ML +143 / -160 O/U 5 |
| Hurricanes vs Stars ML +105 / -125 O/U 5.5 |
Red Wings vs Blue Jackets ML +176 / -210 O/U 5.5 |
| Lightning vs Jets ML Off / Off O/U Off |
Sabres vs Maple Leafs ML +140 / -165 O/U 5.5 |
| Blues vs Canadiens ML +125 / -145 O/U 5 |
Avalanche vs Rangers ML +245 / -300 O/U 5.5 |
| Ducks vs Capitals ML +165 / -190 O/U 5 |
Penguins vs Coyotes ML -233 / +190 O/U 5.5 |
| Blackhawks vs Oilers ML Off / Off O/U Off |
Here are tonight’s starting goaltenders, courtesy of LeftWingLock.
The Game to Watch: Islanders vs Senators.
The New York Islanders are racking up points left and right. With a remarkable 7-1-2 run in their last 10 games, they have surged back into the playoff race. If they can pull out a win this afternoon against the Ottawa Senators, they can pull into a points tie depending on the outcome of the Bruins game today.
And Brooklyn would still hold four games in hand on Boston.
This will be a good test of the Islanders’ mettle. After a very home-heavy month in January, they are just now getting to the most difficult part of their schedule. They have a nine-game road trip looming in the distance at the end of this month, but will need to keep this roll going to gain some more confidence heading into it. They are just 7-10-4 on the road this season.
Brooklyn has won four of their last five in Ottawa.
It appears that the final decision on who will be in net for the Senators will be made by Craig Anderson. Anderson has not played since December 5th as he has taken a leave of absence to be by his wife’s side as she battles cancer.
Mike Condon has performed well enough to keep the Senators in playoff contention, but Anderson’s return would be a welcome addition to the team. Condon is 16-9-5 this season with a .913 save percentage and 2.53 goals-against average. Not bad numbers- but Anderson is the guy for Ottawa.
Ottawa will need to improve upon their goal differential while they are at it. At -3, they are just one of three playoff teams in the red in the NHL.
The Sens took part one of the season series 6-2.
Prediction: Take the Senators to win today. Play the under.
Other Game Notes Around the NHL
Avalanche vs Rangers: Honestly, as a better I would stay far away from this game. The last time the Rangers were favored at -300 on their home ice, the Vancouver Canucks put five goals on the board and snapped a nine-game losing streak.
New York is currently on a four-game winning streak. And I think it’s safe to say that Michael Grabner has officially hit “stupid hot” status. On a line with Kevin Hayes and J.T. Miller, the three combined for six points last game against the Nashville Predators. Grabner has four goals in his last three games and 12 in his last 14. He is tied for fourth in the league in scoring with 26. That is absurd.
Grabner is not the only one having a career year. Chris Kreider has reached a new personal best with 22 goals this season. J.T. Miller, who has nine points in his last five games, eclipsed his best single-season point total against Nashville. Mats Zuccarello needs 10 more assists to reach his personal best, which at the rate he’s going, might only take a week or two.
Colorado is coming off a snoozer of a loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Avalanche did not necessarily play poorly, they just were thoroughly unentertaining from beginning to end and wound up on the losing end of a 4-1 score because of it.
On the bright side, their powerplay has now scored in three straight games. Tyson Barrie has accompanied the team to New York, which could indicate that he is ready to play tonight.
Prediction: Take the Rangers to win. If I get burnt on two -300 lines in one season, just throw me in the Hudson. Play the over.
Canucks vs Bruins: The Vancouver Canucks are trying to stave off their fade into oblivion for as long as possible. Though they have been objectively horrible on the road this season, they managed to shut out the Columbus Blue Jackets Thursday night in Ohio.
The Canucks are just 7-16-3 on the road this season. They are one of the worst road teams in the NHL, plain and simple.
Boston responded to their head coach being removed with a commanding 6-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Patrice Bergeron notched four points, while David Backes, Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand also lodged multi-point nights.
The Bruins’ offense is going to have to solve Ryan Miller if they are going to walk away with two points tonight. Miller is 27-9-7 in his career against Boston, dating back to his days in the Atlantic Division with the Buffalo Sabres.
Miller’s shutout of the Blue Jackets snapped a four-game personal losing streak. He does have three shutouts since the turn of the calendar year.
Boston should be getting Zdeno Chara back in the lineup tonight. He sat out last game with an illness.
Prediction: Take the Bruins to win. Play the over.
Sharks vs Flyers: It’s been years since the Philadelphia Flyers have been able to successfully defend their home ice from the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks have won the last eight meetings in Philly, which dates back to last decade. Craziness.
Shayne Gostisbehere returned to the lineup last game after a three-game benching. I’ll leave the explaining why benching the GhostBear is a horrible idea to the Sons of Penn. The short and the long of it is, he’s good at what he does and benching him is ridiculous.
The Flyers are officially out of a playoff spot for the first time in a long while. They are just a point behind the Boston Bruins with a game in hand. Unfortunately, they are playing one of the strongest road teams in the NHL and one of the best in the West. San Jose leads the Pacific Division with 70 points on the season.
This road trip has not gotten off to the start the Sharks were hoping for, as they lost their first game in overtime to the Sabres and the second to Boston.
Philly desperately needs a win, and San Jose has lost three games in a row now. It all depends on your faith in the orange and black. Personally, I’m going with the better team on paper.
Prediction: Take the Sharks to win. Play the over.
Panthers vs Predators: Much like the Islanders, the Florida Panthers have a lengthy road trip coming up that will likely make or break their season. Fortunately, they will have some of their top talent back from injury to join the fray.
Jonathan Huberdeau has points in both games since returning from a tough Achilles injury, and they will need him to be every bit of the player he was before. Aleksander Barkov has points in his two games back from injury as well, though he missed a significantly shorter amount of time (just five weeks).
Their presence completely revamps the Florida lineup. Barkov and Huberdeau slot in on the top line with Jaromir Jagr. Vincent Trocheck can then bounce down to the second line with Jussi Jokinen and Reilly Smith, and the pressure can be off guys like Jonathan Marchessault to keep playing over their heads. Granted Marchessault has had a terrific year, but to keep asking him to produce like a star when he just isn’t one yet is overreaching.
The problem is that the Panthers have lost their last four road games and historically have not done will in Nashville. The Preds have won eight of the last nine meetings in Tennessee.
One thing to look for though: Jagr needs just two points to hit 1900 for his career.
Prediction: Take the Predators to win. Play the under.
Hurricanes vs Stars: The only reason the line is as close as it is is because the Stars have lost four in a row heading into today’s game. The Hurricanes are still one of the worst road teams in the NHL and seemingly never win in Dallas.
Carolina has come away with the loss in 11 of 12 meetings in Texas. Their lone win came in 2014.
Even though the Stars are trending downward, they play markedly better in front of their home fans than they do on the road.
Prediction: Take the Stars to win. Play the over.
Red Wings vs Blue Jackets: The Columbus Blue Jackets have come out flat and lifeless in their last two games in Ohio. They first lost 5-1 to the New Jersey Devils, then were shutout by the Vancouver Canucks. Objectively, these are two home games against teams that are worse on paper and worse on the road. It simply cannot happen.
So, it could very well be that the Jackets will take it out on the Detroit Red Wings, who they have beaten twice this season. When the two played just last week, the Jackets won 3-2 in overtime. Seth Jones rocketed home a one-timer on the rush that looked like a practice drill. It was a perfectly placed slapper with all the time and space in the world.
For as much as Columbus will be out for revenge, the Red Wings are sure to be fired up as well. It was unfortunately announced that the owner of the Detroit Red Wings and Tigers, Mike Ilitch, passed away at age 87. Perhaps it will have more of an emotional impact when they return home, but this will surely be one the Wings want to win.
The Wings’ new home next season will be at the Little Caesars Arena, named after the company Ilitch owned.
Prediction: Take the Jackets to win. Expect a close battle. Play the over.
