Here are today’s NHL Predictions. Daily, Last Word on Hockey brings you a prediction and analysis of every game on the schedule. This will also feature a significant game on the schedule that is must-watch hockey. Today’s featured game for NHL predictions is the Edmonton Oilers vs Calgary Flames.
NHL Predictions
Colorado Avalanche vs Philadelphia Flyers
Head-to-Head: Avalanche 1 – 0 Flyers
The Colorado Avalanche are been fairly inconsistent of late with streaks like losing three, winning two, losing four, winning three. Will the real Avalanche team please raise their hand? They need to find out as they embark on a five-game road trip covering nine days. They are then rewarded with a five-game homestand… who does these schedules anyway? Of course, the Av’s are led admirably by Nathan MacKinnon who could very well be a Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy candidate by season’s end.
The Philadelphia Flyers are hanging right in there for a wild-card spot with two points separating four teams for the privilege of playing in the postseason. The Flyers won an impressive shutout victory over their in-state opponent Pittsburgh Penguins back on January 21st. Now, the back half of the home-and-home will take place. It’s a tight race and the Flyers need to win this one too to stay relevant and on the heels of other teams.
Prediction: Avalanche win 4-3
Chicago Blackhawks vs Arizona Coyotes
Head-to-Head: Blackhawks 0 – 2 Coyotes
The Chicago Blackhawks have won six of ten and have made some headway towards perhaps making the playoffs this season. They remain within striking distance just trailing by three points with one or two games in hand. The Coyotes have taken both contests this season and this matchup is always a classic as the two teams have traded players quite extensively over the past few years. The ‘Hawks are making a run and the Coyotes are trying to do the same thing… so something’s got to give as they take the ice.
The Arizona Coyotes have not gotten out of the All-Star break at all as well as they need to stay in the playoff race. They’ve gone 3-5-2 out of their last ten games and recently lost to the Ducks and the Kings to not help their plight. They are struggling without their starting goalie Darcy Kuemper who has been out for a while with an injury. He has been removed from the injured reserve list, yet may not be ready to play in this game. The Yotes have not performed very well on home ice going just 12-10-3. If they ever need a home win, this would be the time.
Prediction: Coyotes win 5-3
Vegas Golden Knights vs Nashville Predators
Head-to-Head: Golden Knights 1 – 1 Predators
The Vegas Golden Knights have faltered a bit just going 4-5-1 in their last 10 games and have dropped four straight including an overtime loss. Part of their issue can be blamed on a poor defence with the usual steady Marc-Andre Fleury not displaying his usual superior statistics. He’s just 19-12-4 with a .907 save percentage and a 2.86 save percentage. They are without William Karlsson who has been week-to-week with an upper-body injury since January 16th. With the Golden Knights and Coyotes playing poorly, they have been exchanging places in the standings on a regular basis.
The Nashville Predators are putting the squeeze on teams above them all vying for a playoff spot knowing that they have two or three games in hand. This matchup can be essential for the Preds since a win can tie them with Vegas pending the games Friday night. Depending on how the Vegas club does Friday, a regulation win can bump the Vegas club out of the second wild-card spot with a tiebreaker of regulation wins being to their advantage. In other words, this is a big game for both teams.
Prediction: Predators win 2-1
Boston Bruins vs Minnesota Wild
Head-to-Head: Bruins 1 – 0 Wild
The Boston Bruins are still atop of the Atlantic Division with 70 points and seem to be in charge even though they’ve only gone 5-3-2 in their last 10 games. They have to play the Winnipeg Jets on Friday night, so this will be a back-to-back challenge for them. David Pastrnak continues to be the Bruins offensive power with 37 goals, 35 assists in 52 games. If the Wild can stop him, they have a shot to win this game. The Minnesota club is a good home team with a very respectable 14-6-4 record. The Bruins are a good road team with a 12-8-3 record, so this is going to be a good one.
The Minnesota Wild need to stay in the run for a playoff spot with their two games in hand and only trailing a wild card berth by five points. They are stuck in the wild Western Conference race where winning games is becoming a necessity. Playing one of the best Eastern Conference opponents will not be easy. They are tough to beat at home, so we’ll see if that factors into their success for this game.
Prediction: Bruins win 3-1
Edmonton Oilers vs Calgary Flames
Head-to-Head: Oilers 0 – 3 Flames
This is NHL Predictions featured game
The Edmonton Oilers are looking for revenge from their shootout loss to the Flames on January 29th. Needless to say, these two teams don’t like each other. That especially holds true for Matthew Tkachuk and Zack Kassian who had quite a scruff back on January 11th causing Kassian a two-game suspension. Keep your eyes on these two players as they attempt to avoid each other when they have ill feelings for each other. The Oilers have two games in hand on the Flames and only trail them by two points. It’s getting difficult to separate the teams in the conference as jockeying for position has been prevalent.
The Calgary Flames have played two straight shootouts, losing one and winning one. With the tight standings, every point is becoming more and more significant. They have gone 7-2-1 in their last ten games and the Oilers have kept up with them going 6-2-2. The Flames are 13-7-4 at home, so the Oilers will need to take it to them. Look for the Flames to use Tkachuk to intimidate the Oilers and we’ll see where that goes.
Prediction: Oilers win 5-4 in overtime
Anaheim Ducks vs Los Angeles Kings
Head-to-Head: Ducks 1 – 1 Kings
The Anaheim Ducks have come to life a bit, but still, trail the pack by quite a bit in the Western Conference standings with just 45 points. They managed to start off after the break with a win against the faltering Coyotes and maintain a very slight chance of moving up a bit in the standings. Being 12 points out of a playoff spot is not a good place to be at this time of year. They wouldn’t be anywhere without the excellent play of goalie John Gibson who gets no offensive support in between the pipes. If the Ducks could score, they’d be well… better.
The Los Angeles Kings are another floundering team in or near the cellar of the conference and have gone 2-7-1 in their last 10 games. They managed to add anguish to frustration to the Arizona club by beating them 3-2 in overtime, overcoming a 2-1 score and winning on the road. Now, if they could do that more often, they’d be well… right up there with the Ducks. That makes this game’s edition of NHL predictions a laugher.
Prediction: Kings win 4-2
Tampa Bay Lightning vs San Jose Sharks
Head-to-Head: Lightning 1 – 0 Sharks
The Tampa Bay Lightning had that terrific 10-game winning streak which has catapulted them into respectability again. Since then, they’ve gone 3-2-1 but still are on the heels of the Bruins in the Atlantic Division. This team has scoring and then more scoring, so it’s tough to get by them. They really shouldn’t have much trouble in this game seeing that the Sharks are just not playing well. Add to that they recently lost Tomas Hertl for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL and this game is easy to predict the winner.
The San Jose Sharks are going from bad to worse, and when that happens you need your star players. But, this season is not going that well in that area either with the loss of Hertl. Their goaltending and defence are a joke, so all they can do now is hope for a good draft this summer and hang up any hopes for this season.
Prediction: Lightning win 6-1
That does it for this edition of NHL Predictions, be sure to check out the early games.
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