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 three games happening on Feb 2. Each piece will include a featured game that should be must-watch hockey. The featured game for this article is the matchup between Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals.
NHL Predictions
Columbus Blue Jackets vs Montreal Canadiens
Head-to-Head: Blue Jackets 1 – 1 Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are hot. After a series of disappointment, they’ve gone 6-2-0 in their last eight games. In these eight, they’ve scored a combined 23 goals and only allowed 15, a modest split for a team that hasn’t been able to climb much higher than the .500 split this year. Now, they’re finally clicking. This was put on full display Saturday night, when they topped the Florida Panthers by a defiant 4-0 score. It was the first game, in their last eight, that they’ve defiantly won. The other seven have been closely-fought bouts, with five ending by a two-goal-at-most differential.
Of course, things can’t stay too easy for Montreal. The Columbus Blue Jackets are even hotter than the Canadiens, going 16-2-4 in their last 22 games. That’s a 73 percent win-rate and an 80 percent point-percentage, the best in the league since December 9th, the start of the 22-game streak. It’s been a truly dominant showing, with the Blue Jackets looking like the best team in the league lately. They’ve averaged just slightly over three-goals-per-game over the 22-game streak, just slightly over the Canadiens average over their last eight. While this is an admittedly terrible way to compare the two teams, it provides a brief insight into the offences of two red-hot lineups.
More impressive, though, has been Columbus’ ability to stifle anyone they face since December. They’ve allowed an average of 1.77 goals-against-per-game, lowest in the league since December 9th by almost .70. That’s a truly daunting stat and will be what carries them over Montreal in Sunday’s bout. With Elvis Merzlikins, who has set a .926 save percentage and 2.39 goals-against-average, starting for Columbus, fans can expect the hot Canadiens team to finally hit a brick wall.
Prediction: Blue Jackets win 4-1.
Vancouver Canucks vs Carolina Hurricanes
Head-to-Head: Canucks 1 – 0 Hurricanes
The series of hot-teams continues in the day’s next meeting. The Vancouver Canucks look reborn as of late. While they haven’t struggled much this year, they’re clearly earning their ‘first in the Pacific Division’ spot. In their last 17 games, Vancouver has gone an incredible 14-3-0. Even more impressive, they’ve averaged 3.71 goals-for in that stretch. The young team has finally found their footing and are performing, quite frankly, like a Stanley Cup-capable team. While they’re far from Cup-favorites, it’d be hard for any team to topple what’s been a truly prolific offence recently.
With that said, few teams are better equipped to stifle the young Cancuks than the Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes have allowed the fifth-fewest goals-against this season. It’s continued their precedent of strong defence that was set last season and makes them a truly attractive team. With that said, it’s been fairly hit-or-miss for Carolina. In their last 20 games, they’ve allowed one-or-fewer goals eight times. They’ve also allowed four-or-more goals seven times. It’s simply boiled down to what version of Carolina takes the ice. Against such a potent Vancouver offence, fans ought to hope the former, defensively-terrific, version of the Hurricanes suits up. If not, Vancouver could be shaping up to embarrass the ‘Canes.
In net for Carolina will be James Reimer, who has surprised with a .921 save percentage and 11-6-1 record this year. This could be Carolina’s secret weapon and ultimately be what stifles Vancouver. With that said, if Reimer shows any signs of inconsistency, the Vancouver offence will be sure to pounce. The game will be decided by one-of-two extremes: either a low scoring, high-intensity bout or a defiant showing. No in-between.
Prediction: Hurricanes win 3-2.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Washington Capitals
Head-to-Head: Penguins 0 – 0 Capitals
The day’s featured matchup isn’t between two red-hot teams, it’s against two of the absolute best in the league. Both the Penguins and Capitals haven’t had much room to be hot, simply because they’ve been so consistently great all year long. This includes recently. Washington is 8-3-0 in their last 11 games, scoring a whopping 44 goals in that stretch. This, surprisingly, wasn’t the most scored by any team in January, although it does rank the Capitals in the top-five. It’s this offence (who ranks top in goals-for all year long) that has settled the Capitals into a comfortable first-place spot in the league.
Close behind them, though, are the rival-Penguins. Pittsburgh has gone 21-7-2 in their last 30 games, proving, as aforementioned, that they aren’t hot, they’re just that good. While no team has been able to topple Washington from their top-of-the-league spot, the Penguins are certainly one of Washington’s greatest competition. Sunday’s meeting will mark the two rivals first meeting this year and is absolutely sure to excite.
The difference-maker will, again, be the goalies, though. Washington is expected to start the stunning Ilya Samsonov. This year, Samsonov has set a .925 save percentage and 2.12 goals-against-average, on pace to a 16-2-1 record. He’s one of only two 22-or-younger goalies with over three starts this year, the other being prized Philadelphia Flyers youngster Carter Hart. Samsonov’s stat-line this season blows Hart’s out of the water, providing a great look at how the young goalie has exceeded the elite-expectations he bears. While facing an offence featuring Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin is never easy, to say the least, there’s little betting against such a strong goalie like Samsonov, on the league’s best team.
Prediction: Capitals win 5-2.
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