Around the NHL: Predictions for March 5th

There are seven NHL games on the docket tonight. Let’s take a look at the top picks, plays and predictions.

Here are tonight’s starting goaltenders, courtesy of LeftWingLock.

The Game to Watch: Sharks vs Wild.
The San Jose Sharks are looking for four in a row against the Minnesota Wild tonight. And the odds may be in their favor, as home ice advantage has not meant much between these two teams these last three seasons. The visiting team has won four of the last five encounters.

San Jose’s defense has been especially stingy of late. They have only allowed one regulation goal in seven of their last eight games (two of which they lost in overtime). The Sharks have outscored their opponents 10-3 over their current three-game winning streak.

Marcus Sorensen scored his first NHL goal on Thursday off a pretty display of passing and stickwork. Sorensen entered the zone and peeled off to the right, leaving the puck for Joel Ward. Ward circled his way out of trouble, deked and dealt the puck to Tomas Hertl. Hertl weaved his way through netfront traffic before sliding the puck to Sorensen, who snuck a low wrister short side.

The goal would prove to be the eventual game-winner.

Logan Couture has five points in his last five games to give him 43 on the season.

Minnesota has been winning enough games to keep a leg up on the surging Chicago Blackhawks, but their losses have been pretty frustrating. They have lost two 1-0 games in the last three weeks. Thursday night was one of those games, with the deciding goal being a fluky bouncing puck that Devan Dubnyk could not field properly.

Sometimes, the Hockey Gods are cruel. A fact that the Sharks are well aware of, both in terms of their franchise history and their first game against the Wild this season. Minnesota scored three unanswered goals in a busy third period to come from behind and top the Sharks 5-4 back in January.

The Wild will likely still be without Zach Parise and Jason Pominville as they battle the mumps. That most definitely will be the deciding factor.

Prediction: Take the Sharks to win. Play the under.

Other Game Notes Around the NHL

Islanders vs Flames: The Islanders left the United Center shaking their heads after a crushing 2-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. At a time where every point matters, to be 1:14 away from a victory and end up losing in the skills competition is frustrating.

Things don’t get too much easier tonight, as the Isles venture up to Calgary to take on the red-hot Flames.

Calgary has won six in a row, including four of their last five home games. Three of their last six wins have come in extra time.

However, Brooklyn has beaten the Flames each of their last five encounters. Earlier this season, the Isles surrendered the lead in the third period but won in overtime thanks to a goal from Thomas Hickey. John Tavares had a goal and an assist in the game.

Tavares had himself quite the overtime period against the Hawks Friday night. He has a flair for seemingly magic puckhandling abilities, but he was impossible to knock off the puck in the attacking zone. Though it didn’t result in a goal, it still was awesome.

The under has hit in the last five games between these two teams.

Prediction: Take the Islanders to win. Play the under.

Hurricanes vs Coyotes: How do you inspire your players to perform better? Well, by shaming them to the press, that’s how! Always works.

Or serves expedites a trip to the unemployment line.

Bill Peters eviscerated Eddie Lack following a lackluster game against the Lightning last Wednesday. Actually, lackluster may be a bit kind. Lack stopped 12 of 16 shots, 11 of 14 at even strength. Yet it still was enough to steal a point on the road. All the same, Peters was not happy.

Reportedly, Peters asked a non-present Lack to “make a [expletive] save” in a media scrum. Lack has not had a very good run in a Canes uniform, make no mistake. But at any level, players at least deserve the dignity and respect of not being blasted to the national media. That seems like a minimum courtesy.

Cam Ward followed up the act by only saving 18 of 21 shots on goal en route to a 4-2 loss to the lowly Arizona Coyotes.

Carolina is in a bad place right now as an organization. I’d be interested to see whether or not the players rebel against Peters for taking his anger out on a player in public, regardless of how well or poorly that player is performing.

Either way, the road is a bad place to be for the Canes.

Prediction: Take Arizona to win. Play the over.

Sabres vs Penguins: Days of the week are not normally something I focus in on when doing my daily write-ups. But it should be noted that the Penguins are 10-2 in their last 12 Sunday games. However, they are 2-2-0 this season in day games. Is 5 p.m. day or night? So many questions.

The Sabres broke a nine-game series losing streak against the Penguins back in November of this season. Though the victory in the skills competition is all well and good, I go with recent history.

Marc Streit scored the game-winning goal in his Penguins debut Friday. So that’s cool.

Prediction: Take the Penguins to win. Play the over.