Welcome back to NHL Predictions, March 15th edition! Each day, the Last Word On Hockey team will break down every game and give our NHL predictions for each game. This is the final slate of NHL Predictions for March 15th featuring the Edmonton Oilers vs. Calgary Flames. Be sure to check out tomorrow’s NHL Predictions, too.
NHL Predictions Featuring Edmonton Oilers vs Calgary Flames
Edmonton Oilers vs Calgary Flames
Head-to-Head: Oilers 3-1 Flames
In tonight’s featured matchup, the Edmonton Oilers face-off against Calgary Flames in the Battle of Alberta. So far, Edmonton has been the dominant team in Alberta this season, winning all but one of the contests. As it stands Edmonton sits ahead of Calgary in the standings with nine points separating the two. The Oilers are 2nd in the North while Calgary is in 5th place battling upwards.
Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid proceed to impress and amaze NHL fans across the globe with their jaw-dropping skill. The two elite centers lead the league in points. Edmonton’s star, Leon Draisaitl, has gotten back onto a six-game point streak putting up 11 points in that duration. The German-born player is second among power-play scorers with nine goals. After recording nothing on the score sheet for three consecutive games, McDavid has tallied 12 points in his last five games. Both of Edmonton’s goaltenders are coming off great performances. Although Mikko Koskinen got the loss in his previous start, he posted a .929 save percentage. It will just be a question of who coach Dave Tippett prefers.
Darryl Sutter, the old cowboy, owns a record of 2-0-0 since returning behind the bench for the Flames. Calgary’s Josh Leivo and their fourth line were the warriors in Sutters’ return, scoring two goals for a winning debut. On Saturday night, Sean Monahan would be the hero, scoring two goals, contributing to capture the teams’ second win in two nights. Since Sutter’s revival to Calgary, the team has shown consistency, hard work and a full 6o minutes of contention.
This season has seen Edmonton outscore Calgary 16-10, leaving no question regarding offence in the series. The Oilers goaltending has been quite mysterious, yet good enough to win them games. Some could argue that the teams’ 100 goals scored so far this season compliments most of Edmonton’s wins. Calgary could use more offence from their top veteran players tonight, as depending on their shutdown abilities may not be the answer towards the highly offensive Oilers.
Prediction: Oilers Wins 3-2
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San Jose Sharks vs Vegas Golden Knights
Head-to-Head: Sharks 0-3 Knights
The San Jose Sharks sit 12 points back of the Vegas Golden Knights. San Jose is currently seven points behind the fourth spot in the West division and sits three points behind their next opponent up the ladder. Special teams and offensive possession for the team have been their biggest weakness this season. However, San Jose has won their last three games scoring twelve goals and only allowing three against. Devan Dubnyk recorded his 33rd career shut out, stopping all 34 shots and, Evander Kane has tallied four points in the Shark’s three wins. While the Sharks look to extend their winning streak and current respective play, they face quite the triumph against the Knights.
Mark Stone is hot right now like he has been most of the season. The 28-year-old happens to be on a seven-game point streak, making it his third multipoint game of the year. While on the astonishing point streak, Stone has gathered 14 points to command his team with 31 points. Marc-Andre Fleury has 14 victories in 19 games played with a save percentage of .935 and four shutouts this season. Vegas has won their last two games and, winning their next two vs. San Jose could put them comfortably ahead of the Minnesota Wild, who hold second in the West.
Prediction: Knights Win 6–2
St. Louis Blues vs Los Angeles Kings
Head-to-Head: Blues 2-4 Kings
This game has been postponed due to a snowstorm.
The West division remains as what may be the tightest division this season, leaving a five-point gap between first place and fourth. This will be the seventh meeting between the clubs and the first of two consecutive. The St. Louis Blues lead their division in goals scored with 88 and are the only team who rank in the top five inside the West with a negative goal differential. In the Blues’ favour for tonight, they have produced an impressive away record withstanding a 10-2-2 record on the season. St. Louis has dropped their last four games and desperately weeks a win tonight.
In the last two meetings between the teams, overtime has been necessary and, both teams split a victory. The Los Angeles Kings have 28 points on the season and have a record of 11-9-6. In their last ten games, they hold a record of 4-3-3. Dustin Brown leads his team in goals with 13 and, Anze Kopitar leads in points with 31. Cal Petersen has won 4 out of 13 starts this season but has been great as of late, improving his save percentage to .920. In his last game, he stopped 44 of 45 shots faced in Los Angeles’s 2-0 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.
Prediction: Kings Win 2-1
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
