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 the Los Angeles Kings vs St. Louis Blues.
NHL Predictions with Los Angeles Kings vs St. Louis Blues
Edmonton Oilers vs Nashville Predators
Head-to-Head: Oilers 0 – 0 Predators
The 7-1-0 Oilers take on the 4-4 Predators for the first time this season. Both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are averaging more than two points a game, with 17 points each in eight games so far this season. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has 11, Jesse Puljujarvi has nine and Zach Hyman has eight. Meanwhile, before Nashville’s game against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night, their leading scorer, Roman Josi, only had nine points.
The Predators’ offence is just no match for the star power in the Oilers’ lineup and neither is their goaltending. The Oilers should have a pretty easy time securing a win, especially with Nashville playing for the second night in a row.
Prediction: 4-1 Oilers.
Chicago Blackhawks vs Carolina Hurricanes
Head-to-Head: Hurricanes 1 – 0 Blackhawks
The only unbeaten team left, the 8-0 Hurricanes take on the Blackhawks for the second time this season. They won the first matchup 6-3. The Blackhawks got their first win of the season Monday night and now have both Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews back from stints on the COVID-19 list.
Not many people expected the Blackhawks to start the season 1-7-2. Adding goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and Seth Jones to the blue line in addition to Toews coming back after missing last season was supposed to improve the still-rebuilding team. While Fleury’s numbers have been improving lately, the defence in front of him hasn’t proven to be enough to help him stop the likes of Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho.
Prediction: Hurricanes win 3-1.
Colorado Avalanche vs Columbus Blue Jackets
Head-to-Head: Avalanche 0 – 0 Blue Jackets
The 4-4 Avalanche take on the 5-3 Blue Jackets for the first time this season. While the Avalanche have the worse record, part of that has to do with missing Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog for a few games each when they were on the COVID-19 list. They’re both back, but Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar are out for the game, and Andre Burakovsky is doubtful. You win some, you lose even more.
The Avalanche should still be able to hold their own, but with all of those top players out, Columbus’ Oliver Bjorkstrand and Patrik Laine should be able to keep up their average of a point or more a game pretty easily.
Prediction: Blue Jackets win 4-2.
Los Angeles Kings vs St. Louis Blues
Head-to-Head: Blues 2 – 0 Kings
In Tuesday’s featured game, it’s the Los Angeles Kings vs St. Louis Blues. The Blues have scored a combined 10 goals in two games against the Kings already this season, beating them 7-3 and 3-0. No matter who’s in net for either team, the Kings don’t seem to stand a chance against the Blues. David Perron, Vladimir Tarasenko and Jordan Kyrou are tied for a team-leading nine points each in seven games. Five of Perron’s, four of Tarasenko’s and one of Kyrou’s points have come against the Kings.
However, this time around, the Blues will be without their captain Ryan O’Reilly, who had a point in both previous games against the Kings. But he is on the COVID-19 list, and the Kings will be playing in front of their home crowd so this game may be a bit closer than the previous two. Still, the Blues should be able to improve to a 7-1-0 record on the season, especially with the added boost of getting forward Brandon Saad back from the COVID-19 list.
Prediction: Blues win 2-1.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images
