Welcome back to another day of NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey takes a look at the games that are happening and gives our predictions for each one, breaking down head-to-head and other factors that may play in. We also have a featured game of the day, which is considered must-watch TV. Today’s featured game is between the Florida Panthers and the Vegas Golden Knights.
NHL Predictions: Florida Panthers vs Vegas Golden Knights
Ottawa Senators vs Arizona Coyotes
Head to Head: Senators 0-0 Coyotes
Our first game on the NHL Predictions has the Ottawa Senators matching up against the Arizona Coyotes. Both teams sit at the bottom of their respective conferences, but despite that still have talent worth tuning in for.
Arizona is poised to become sellers at the deadline. One player to watch for is Jakob Chychrun. Since returning from injury, he has become a point-per-game player and showcasing himself for contenders to come calling. When it comes to goal scoring Ottawa has a plethora of talent to cycle through. Alex DeBrincat, Brady Tkachuk, Claude Giroux, and Tim Stutzle pave the way. Arizona will need to be at their best defensively in shutting those guys down.
One area that gives the Coyotes the edge is goaltending. Karel Vejmelka and his 10.3 goals saved above expected are good for eighth in the league. Nothing against Ottawa, but he’s proven he can shut down good opposition.
Prediction: Coyotes defeat Senators 3-2
Florida Panthers vs Vegas Golden Knights
Head to Head: Panthers 0-0 Golden Knights
The featured game on tonight’s NHL Predictions is between the Florida Panthers and the Vegas Golden Knights. Florida is on the outside looking in, as they take on one of the top teams in the Western Conference.
There are so many exciting players to watch in this game. Matthew Tkachuk has been everything a team could ask for. His 51 points in 39 games lead the Panthers’ attack. Add in Carter Verhaeghe and Aleksander Barkov, and the talent up front is fun to watch. Vegas boasts star talent as well in Jack Eichel and Mark Stone, but it is Chandler Stephenson who leads the team in points.
Spencer Knight is listed as day-to-day, so a key X-factor is going to be Sergei Bobrovsky. He is going to have to go toe to toe with Logan Thompson. Thompson has been great for Vegas and is earning Calder Trophy praise. Whoever can come up with the final timely save against the top-tier talent will walk away with the two points.
Prediction: Golden Knights defeat Panthers 4-3
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