Welcome to NHL Predictions! Each day, Last Word On Hockey will break down every game and give our NHL predictions for each game. This will also include a featured game that should be must-watch hockey. Tonight’s featured game is the Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Islanders. This is the early game slate of NHL Predictions. Be sure and check out the late games too.
NHL Predictions
Buffalo Sabres vs Boston Bruins
Head-to-Head: Sabres 0-0 Bruins
This is the first of four matchups between the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins. It is a battle between two teams heading in different directions. The Sabres are going through another losing streak. Despite their win against the Ottawa Senators, Buffalo has lost eight of their last night games. It is the same old story when it comes to the Sabres. Start off on the right foot and then go on a losing streak they can’t figure out how to stop. Things do not get any easier for the Sabres. Over the next six games, five of them are against opponents inside the Atlantic Division.
For the Bruins, it appears they have righted the ship. After a four-game losing streak, the Bruins have won two of their three games, while picking up points in all three games. They are getting healthier on offence too. While Patrice Bergeron remains out of the lineup, the top line of Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak continue to roll on. The Bruins’ depth continues to be a reason why they remain in first place. Not to mention they are not out of any game with either Tuukka Rask or Jaroslav Halak in between the pipes.
Prediction: Bruins Win 4-1
Anaheim Ducks vs Florida Panthers
Head-to-Head: Ducks 0-0 Panthers
This is the first of two matchups between the Anaheim Ducks and Florida Panthers. The Ducks are in the midst of a four-game road trip splitting the first two games. Overall the Ducks have lost six of their past seven games. After a hot start, the Ducks are another team that has hit the skids. Clearly, the rebuild is on in Anaheim as they can build around good young pieces in Max Jones, Troy Terry, Sam Steel, and Max Comtois. It is time for the Ducks to just go with the kids and let the chips fall where they may. This will be a tough one for the Ducks as the Panthers are playing good hockey at the moment.
Speaking of the Panthers, they have seemed to turned things around. The Panthers have won four of their last five games. The last two coming on home ice. After some early struggles, Sergei Bobrovsky is finally settling in with the Panthers. The overall past couple of games, he has looked like the player he was in Columbus. For that reason, the Panthers find themselves sitting in second place in the Atlantic Division. Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov are leading the way offensively. The Panthers are finally living up to the expectations set forth at the beginning of the season.
Prediction: Panthers Win 4-2
Pittsburgh Penguins vs New York Islanders
Head-to-Head: Penguins 1-1 Islanders
This our NHL predictions featured early game of the night.
This is the third game the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders have played over the last two weeks. Each of the first two games was thrilling right until the very end. Both games needed overtime and saw comebacks by the road team. The Penguins came back from a 3-0 deficit in the first game to defeat the Islanders 4-3 in overtime to end their 10 game winning streak. The Islanders got some revenge Tuesday night with a 5-4 overtime comeback win over the Penguins. These two teams have animosity dating back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs when the Islanders swept the Penguins in the first round. Expect nothing short of a good game even with the Penguins missing Sidney Crosby.
The Islanders are one of the hottest teams in the NHL. They have a 15-game point streak going. It is the fourth time in franchise history, the Islanders have compiled a 15-game point streak. In two of the previous four times, the Islanders went onto win the Stanley Cup in 1980 and 1982. Could history repeat itself? Possibly, but it is so early to tell. The Islanders have the Penguins numbers and will want to extend their point streak to 16 games. There is no weakness that can be found with the Islanders. They rarely beat themselves. This is a flip of the coin, so get your popcorn ready.
Prediction: Islanders Win 6-5 in Overtime
Philadelphia Flyers vs Carolina Hurricanes
Head-to-Head: Flyers 1-0 Hurricanes
Here is another tasty Metro Division matchup between the Philadelphia Flyers and Carolina Hurricanes. In the first matchup, the Flyers were able to get the better of the Hurricanes by a final score of 4-1. The Flyers are playing better hockey of late and find themselves sitting in the first wild card position. Although they are coming off a defeat on Tuesday night, the Flyers always get up for divisional matchups. This will be a battle as both teams have solid goaltending and defence.
The Hurricanes continue to prove people wrong. Even after a mini slide, the Hurricanes still find themselves in the top three in the Metro Division. Carolina has won their last four games and are always tough on home ice. This game will be no defeat against the Flyers. The Hurricanes will want to put that embarrassing outing behind them. Andrei Svechnikov continues to be lights out for the Hurricanes as he has 23 points in 21 games. Everything starts on the back end for Carolina. This could be a lower scoring game than people think.
Prediction: Hurricanes Win 3-2
Detroit Red Wings vs Columbus Blue Jackets
Head-to-Head: Red Wings 0-0 Blue Jackets
This is the first of three matchups between the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets. Both teams are near the bottom of the NHL standings. After a three-game winning streak, the Red Wings have lost their past three games. There were not many expectations coming into the season for the Red Wings. With a new general manager in Steve Yzerman, it was gonna take some time before the Red Wings showed progress. The Red Wings have the talent to compete every night and are in every game they play in. It is just hard for a young group to sustain that kind of fight for 82 games.
The Blue Jackets, on the other hand, sit just four points out of the find wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. Not saying they will make it, but they are playing better than most people expected. Winners of their past two games, the Blue Jackets play a similar team in the Red Wings. Like the Red Wings, Columbus competes hard every night. It will be interesting to see if Columbus can come out and dominate in a game they should win. Imagine if Cam Atkinson started to pick up steam scoring goals, where this team would be. The goaltending, which was a weakness coming into the season, is holding up pretty well.
Prediction: Blue Jackets Win 2-1 in Overtime.
This does it for NHL Predictions for November 21st, check back tomorrow for another edition.
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Embed from Getty Images
