Welcome to NHL Predictions! Each day, Last Word On Hockey will break down every game and give our NHL predictions for each game. In today’s NHL predictions, we’ll cover the opening seven games happening on December 23nd. This will include a featured game that should be must-watch hockey. The featured early game of our NHL Predictions is between the Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs. Be sure to check out the late games in our NHL Predictions.
NHL Predictions
Carolina Hurricanes vs Toronto Maple Leafs
Head-to-Head: Hurricanes 0-0 Maple Leafs
Carolina is coming off a 4-2 loss to the Florida Panthers on Saturday night. Carolina has won its last three road games and play well away from Raleigh. The Hurricanes went 4-0-1 in a recent road swing.
Andrei Svechnokov leads in points with 36 and Sebastian Aho is the top goal-scorer with 21. Petr Mrazek is the leading goalie with a 14-7-2 record, 2.62 goals-against average and .903 save percentage. The Canes score 3.22 goals a game and allow 2.61. Carolina’s power play is 23.9 percent successful and the penalty kill is 84.6 percent successful.
Toronto won its fourth straight game with a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. Zach Hyman and Auston Matthews each scored twice for Toronto. Sheldon Keefe has seemingly stabilized the sagging Leafs.
Matthews leads the team in goals (23) and points (41) while Frederik Andersen will likely get the start with his 18-8-3 record and .919 save percentage. Toronto tallies 3.35 goals a game and allows 3.08 per contest. The Leafs’ power play converts 21.0 percent of chances and kills off 76.4 percent of shorthanded opportunities.
It’ll be the first game back in Toronto for Jake Gardiner. This is a tough game to call, but road-ready Carolina should win.
Prediction: Hurricanes win 3-2.
Calgary Flames vs Minnesota Wild
Head-to-Head: Flames 0-0 Wild
The Calgary Flames picked up a big 5-1 win over the Dallas Stars on Sunday. Elias Lindholm and Matthew Tkachuk each got three points in the win. Lindholm leads the team in goals while Tkachuk tops the team in points.
Calgary scores 2.66 goals per game and allows 2.97 per game. The Flames convert 19.8 percent of power plays while they kill off 84.9 percent of penalties.
The Minnesota Wild are smarting after a 6-0 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night. Minnesota has given up 11 goals in its last two games and have been leaking goals as of late.
Zach Parise leads the Wild with 14 goals while Eric Staal is tops in points with 30 points. Both Devan Dubnyk and Alex Stalock have struggled in net. Minnesota scores 3.08 goals per game and surrenders 3.38 goals per game. The Wild score on 17.4 percent of power plays and are 76.9 percent successful on killing penalties.
It will be a short turnaround for the Flames, who played the night before. The Wild are clearly struggling at stopping goals and the Flames should be able to score some goals.
Prediction: Flames win 4-1.
Washington Capitals vs Boston Bruins
Head-to-Head: Capitals 2-0 Bruins
The Washington Capitals have beaten the Boston Bruins 3-2 in both of their previous meetings. Washington has won four its last five, including a 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. Dmitry Orlov provided a goal and an assist.
John Carlson leads in points with 47 and Alex Ovechkin is the leading goal-scorer with 22. Braden Holtby is 17-4-4 with a .911 save percentage and 2.75 goals-against average. Washington scores 3.54 goals per game and allows 2.76. The Caps’ power-play has a 21.8 percent success rate and they kill off 85.7 percent of penalties.
Boston has struggled lately and especially in overtime after losing 4-3 to the Nashville Predators on Saturday. Patrice Bergeron netted two goals in the loss.
David Pastrnak already has 28 goals this season and Tuukka Rask is 13-4-5 with a 2.29 goals-against average. The Bruins average 3.32 goals a game and yield 2.49 goals per game. Boston’s power play is 26.1 percent successful while it kills off 83.3 percent of shorthanded chances.
It’s not panic time for Boston, it could use a win as a great Christmas present. However, the loss of Zdeno Chara will be hard to overcome.
Prediction: Capitals win 3-2.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs New York Islanders
Head-to-Head: Blue Jackets 0-2 Islanders
The Columbus Blue Jackets have been on a roll with four straight victories, including a 5-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice to lead Columbus, which hasn’t given up more than three goals during their current streak.
Pierre-Luc Dubois leads in goals with 12 and Gustav Nyquist is the leading point-getter with 26. Joonas Korpisalo has taken the lead in net with a 16-10-3 record and 2.56 goals-against average. Columbus averages 2.56 goals per game and gives up 2.86 a contest. The Blue Jackets has 17.1 percent success on the power play and they kill 80.6 percent of penalties.
The New York Islanders have won 3-2 and 2-0 against the Jackets this season, but the Isles defence has struggled lately. They’ve given up 16 goals in the last three games and lost 6-5 to the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday.
Mathew Barzal leads in all offensive categories for the Islanders. Semyon Varlamov and Thomas Greiss still form one of the better goalie tandems in the league. New York scores 2.94 goals a game and yields 2.56 in return. The Isles power play connects on 22.0 percent of chances and they are 79.8 percent successful on the PK.
Columbus has been red hot, but New York should get back to basics on defence.
Prediction: Islanders win 3-1.
Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lightning
Head-to-Head: Panthers 1-2 Lightning
Florida has won three straight games as Brian Boyle and Jonathan Huberdeau each logged a goal and an assist against the Hurricanes on Saturday. The Panthers are a point behind the Maple Leafs for second in the Atlantic.
Brett Connolly leads in goals with 14 while Huberdeau leads in assists (34) and points (47). Sergei Bobrovsky is slowly starting to round into form. Florida scores 3.51 goals per game and allows 3.20. The Panthers’ power play scores 23.2 percent of the time and they kill off 81.8 percent of penalties.
Tampa Bay has lost two straight games is three points Florida in the division. The Lightning score 3.44 goals per game and give up 3.24 per game. Tampa’s power play is one of the best with 28.1 percent and are 80.7 successful on the PK.
Steven Stamkos tops the team in goals with 13 and Nikita Kucherov leads in points with 37. Andrei Vasilevskiy has a 14-9-2 record and 2.88 goals-against average.
Florida seems to be turning into the team experts thought would make a run at the division. The Panthers should win the last Battle of Florida.
Prediction: Panthers win 5-3.
New York Rangers vs Philadelphia Flyers
Head-to-Head: Rangers 0-0 Flyers
The New York Rangers beat Anaheim 5-1 on Sunday after a pair of goals from Chris Kreider. New York scores 3.23 goals per game and allows 3.17 per game. The Rangers convert 18.5 percent of power plays and kill 77.9 percent of penalties.
Alexandar Georgiev will get the start after Henrik Lundqvist started on Sunday. Artemi Panarin already has 20 goals and 45 points for the Blueshirts.
The Philadelphia Flyers have won three straight games after beating the Ottawa Senators 5-4 on Saturday. James van Riemsdyk scored twice in the win to take over the team goal-scoring lead with 12.
Travis Konecny leads in points while Carter Hart has a 2.32 goals-against average for Philly. The Flyers are 19.7 percent successful on the extra man and kill 82.4 percent of penalties. Philadelphia scores 3.11 goals per game and gives up 2.78 per game.
These two teams are similar, but Alain Vigneault may have the edge on his old team.
Prediction: Flyers win 4-3
Buffalo Sabres vs Ottawa Senators
Head-to-Head: Sabres 1-0 Senators
The Buffalo Sabres are coming off a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. Linus Ullmark made 25 saves in the win. Jack Eichel returned on Saturday and leads in all offensive categories for Buffalo, which scores 3.05 goals a game and gives up 3.11 per contest. Buffalo scores on 19.3 percent of power plays and kill 74.3 percent of penalties.
Ottawa has lost three of its last five and is without Nikita Zaitsev due to an injury. Goalies Craig Anderson and Anders Nilsson are both listed on the injury report. Anthony Duclair leads in goals with 21 and points with 30. The Senators score 2.78 goals per game and allow 3.24. Ottawa’s power play is 11.9 percent successful and are 82.1 on the PK.
Buffalo should be able to take advantage of the uncertainty in net for Ottawa.
Prediction: Sabres win 4-1.
TORONTO, ON – APRIL 02: Carolina Hurricanes Right Wing Teuvo Teravainen (86) attempts to stop Toronto Maple Leafs Right Wing Mitchell Marner (16) during the NHL regular season game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 2, 2019, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON, Canada. (Photo by Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
