Welcome to NHL Game Day Predictions! Each day, the Last Word on Hockey will break down every game and give our prediction for who will win. This will also include a featured game that should be must-watch hockey. Today’s featured game is the Colorado Avalanche vs St Louis Blues matchup.
NHL Predictions Including Colorado Avalanche vs St Louis Blues
Vegas Golden Knights vs Philadelphia Flyers
Head-to-Head: Golden Knights 0-0 Flyers
The Vegas Golden Knights are coming off a 3-0 shutout of the Pittsburgh Penguins where Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 29 shots to beat his former team. Vegas has won four of their last five games and gave up just two goals in three of those wins. Their penalty kill is the best in the league at 94.3 percent and even has four shorthanded-goals. Mark Stone leads Vegas with six goals and six assists and Fleury looks to be the man between the pipes.
The Philadelphia Flyers have lost four straight games and are trying to get their offence going. Philadelphia was dumped by the struggling Dallas Stars, 4-1, on Saturday night. Scoring has dried up since the first two games of the season when they scored four. The Flyers are also 1-5 in their last six home games. Travis Konecny leads Philly with three goals and five assists. Vegas is on a roll and their defence has been stifling. Expect more of the same in this one.
Prediction: Golden Knights win 4-1.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs Toronto Maple Leafs
Head-to-Head: Blue Jackets 0-1 Maple Leafs
The Columbus Blue Jackets are coming off a pair of 3-2 overtime losses with the last one on Saturday against the New York Islanders. Columbus lost earlier in the season, 4-1, to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 4. The Blue Jackets have struggled on the penalty kill as they’re 21st in the league with a 73.9 percent success rate. Columbus has hung with teams, but have not been able to finish. The Blue Jackets average 2.25 goals a game, which is 29th in the league.
Toronto is coming off a 4-3 overtime win over their long-time tormentor, the Boston Bruins. Expect plenty of goals when the Leafs are on the ice as they score 3.89 per game and give up 3.33. Auston Matthews leads Toronto with seven goals and Mitch Marner has 11 points. The game will be dictated by the pace. If Columbus can control the pace, then they have a shot. Toronto may be coming off of a high after beating Boston. The Leafs should win, but it’ll be tougher than advertised.
Prediction: Maple Leafs win 3-2.
Colorado Avalanche vs St Louis Blues
Head-to-Head: Avalanche 0-0 Blues
The Avalanche have been red-hot so far this season as they’ve gotten points in all eight games so far this campaign. It’s the best start in franchise history as Andre Burakovsky has four goals and four assists in eight games. Tyson Jost got a hat trick as Colorado beat the Tampa Bay Lightning, 6-2, on Saturday. The Avs average 4.38 goals a game and have a 20.0 percent success rate on the power play.
The Blues have limped to four straight losses, including a 5-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. Brayden Schenn leads the defending Stanley Cup champions with five goals, but the defence has struggled as of late. St. Louis will be without Carl Gunnarsson and that hurts the blue line. Bet against Colorado at your own peril until otherwise. The Blues have given up 3.50 goals a game and only score 3.00 a contest.
Prediction: Avalanche win 5-2.
Ottawa Senators vs Dallas Stars
Head-to-Head: Senators 0-0 Stars
The Ottawa Senators have lost three straight games since beating Tampa Bay, 4-2, on Oct. 12. Vladislav Namestnikov leads the Senators with three goals this season, but they only average a paltry 2.29 goals a game. Ottawa was beaten 5-2 by the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday. The Sens’ power play has struggled mightily with a meager 4.3-percent success rate. Both goalies Craig Anderson and Anders Nilsson have given up at least 3.25 goals a game.
Dallas has failed to live up to expectations this season, but they did beat Philadelphia on Saturday. Roope Hintz has been amazing thus far with six goals this season. The Stars do have talented scorers like Tyler Seguin, but they’ve only been averaging 2.10 goals a game. Dallas’ vaunted defence and goaltending has not been up to last year’s great standards. Ben Bishop is 2-4-1 with a 2.57 goals-against average. The Stars looked like their old selves again on Saturday and will likely do the same against the struggling Senators.
Prediction: Stars win 4-1
DENVER, CO – NOVEMBER 30: Alexander Steen #20 of the St Louis Blues advances the puck against the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center on November 30, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
