Welcome to NHL Predictions! Each day, Last Word On Hockey will break down every game and give our NHL predictions for each game. Today we’ll cover the two games happening on November 18th. This will include a featured game that should be must-watch hockey. The featured game today is the Anaheim Ducks vs Washington Capitals.
NHL Predictions
Anaheim Ducks vs Washington Capitals
Head-to-Head: Ducks 0-0 Capitals
Ducks
Anaheim is coming off of a 4-1 win over the Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues on Saturday. That win ended a five-game losing streak. Derek Grant posted a hat trick and John Gibson made 37 saves for the Ducks. Anaheim is 23rd in goals scored with just over 2.7 a game. However, they’re 11th in goals allowed with 2.76 per contest.
The Ducks struggle on the power play with a 9.1 conversion rate, which is 30th in the league. Anaheim’s penalty kill is 80.3 and good enough for 18th in the league. Jakob Silfverberg leads the team in goals with nine and points with 17. Gibson has seen the lion’s share of time in net with a 7-9 record, 2.83 goals-against average and .915 save percentage.
Capitals
Washington edged the Boston Bruins, 3-2, in a shootout on Saturday night. Travis Boyd and T.J. Oshie scored goals while Jakub Vrana scored the shootout winner. The Capitals lead the league in goals with 81 and average over 3.7 a game. Washington is 19th in goals allowed with 2.97 a game.
The Caps’ power play is ninth overall with 23.3 percent and sixth in the penalty kill with an 85.7 success rate. John Carlson is having a Norris Trophy quality season with eight goals and 24 assists for 32 points. Braden Holtby is 15-10-1 with a 2.97 save percentage.
Washington would love to make this game a track meet and a fast-paced game would favour them.
Prediction: Capitals win 4-2
Los Angeles Kings vs Arizona Coyotes
Head-to-Head: Kings 0-0 Coyotes
Kings
The Los Angeles Kings have been on a roll with three straight wins as they beat the Vegas Golden Knights, 4-3, on Saturday night. Jeff Carter got the game-winner in his 1,000th career NHL game. Anze Kopitar leads in all offensive categories like goals (7), assists (15) and points (22). Goalies Jack Campbell and Jonathan Quick have a goals-against-average of at least 3.11.
L.A.’s power play is near the bottom at 29th with an 11.4 percent success rate and is 27th in penalty killing at 73.5 percent. The Kings are 25th in goals scored with 2.65 per game and 29th in goals allowed with 3.60 a game.
Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes are coming off a 3-0 shutout of the Calgary Flames on Saturday. Darcy Kuemper made 35 saves and got into it Matthew Tkachuk during the game. Derek Stepan, Carl Soderberg, and Lawson Crouse generated goals for Arizona, which has won three of its last four. Nick Schmaltz leads in points with 16, including 12 assists. Connor Garland leads in goals with nine and Kuemper has been having an outstanding season in net with 1.85 GAA and .937 save percentage.
The Coyotes are 21st in goals scored with 2.76 a game but are tied for first in goals allowed with 2.33. Arizona is 23rd in power-play efficiency with a 15.2 percent success rate and 16th on the penalty kill with an 81 percent kill ration.
Los Angeles has won three in a row but lost the last six away from the Staples Center. Arizona is 6-3 in their last nine against Western Conference teams. It’ll be a defensive struggle that the Coyotes will win.
Prediction: Coyotes win 2-1
WASHINGTON, DC – DECEMBER 02: Dmitry Orlov #9 of the Washington Capitals boards Josh Manson #42 of the Anaheim Ducks during the third period at Capital One Arena on December 02, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
