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 Vegas Golden Knights vs Calgary Flames.
NHL Predictions With Vegas Golden Knights vs Calgary Flames
Detroit Red Wings vs Philadelphia Flyers
Head-to-Head: Red Wings 0 – 0 Flyers
Prior to the All-Star break, the Philadelphia Flyers strung together two wins in an attempt to snap out of the funk that led to their previous losing streak. Claude Giroux recorded three goals and an assist as captain of the Metropolitan Division at the All-Star Game, earning himself the title of MVP. He leads the Flyers in assists and is second only to Cam Atkinson in points. On the other hand, the Detroit Red Wings’ last contest was a 5-3 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. Dylan Larkin, Detroit’s All-Star representative, recorded an assist to extend his point streak to three games. Nevertheless, the Flyers have looked surprisingly solid in recent games. It’s likely they’ll get another win.
Prediction: Flyers win, 3-2
Chicago Blackhawks vs Edmonton Oilers
Head-to-Head: Blackhawks 0 – 1 Oilers
The last time the Chicago Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers met, the Oilers walked away with a decisive 5-2 win. However, that matchup came before Edmonton’s slump. Tonight, the Oilers’ chances will largely ride on goaltending. With Mikko Koskinen in COVID protocol, that aspect of the game will be a big question mark. For their part, the Blackhawks need a win to snap their three-game losing streak. They got shut out by the Minnesota Wild in their last contest. In the game before that, Connor Murphy scored the lone goal. Edmonton may not be dominating now like they were at the beginning of the season, but they should have enough to get past Chicago.
Prediction: Oilers win, 4-2
Nashville Predators vs Dallas Stars
Head-to-Head: Predators 1 – 0 Stars
Near the top of the Central Division, the Nashville Predators are looking strong. After an All-Star Game appearance in which he backstopped the Central Division to the final, Juuse Saros will be looking to continue his spectacular season. He stopped 30 of 32 shots in a win over the Vancouver Canucks in which he stopped 30 of 32 shots. Conversely, the Dallas Stars sit in fifth in the Central. Jason Robertson, who trails only Joe Pavelski for points on the Stars, has four points – including a goal in Dallas’ most recent game – through his last five games. This contest will be a lot closer than the teams’ records might suggest, but Nashville should come away with a victory.
Prediction: Predators win, 4-3
Vegas Golden Knights vs Calgary Flames
Head-to-Head: Golden Knights 1 – 0 Flames
Heading into the All-Star break – which they hosted – the Vegas Golden Knights were heating up. They had won two games in a row, including a shootout victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. During that stretch, Brett Howden had four points – two goals and two assists. Now, in the second half of a back-to-back, the Golden Knights will look to keep building up momentum and maintain their spot among the Pacific Division’s best.
For their part, the Calgary Flames enter this matchup on a three-game winning streak, They’ve played at least five fewer games than each of the top three teams in the Pacific, but are still only a few points away from them. Defeating the Golden Knights would be a significant step toward closing the gap. Keep an eye on Andrew Mangiapane, who has five points through his last five games, and Johnny Gaudreau, who has six during that same stretch.
With two very good teams like the Golden Knights and Flames, this contest will be a close one. Having an extra game to warm up after the break may give Vegas an advantage. However, it’s more likely that the Golden Knights will be fatigued from the back-to-back, providing Calgary – fresh off a week of rest – with an edge.
Prediction: Flames win, 4-3
Arizona Coyotes vs Seattle Kraken
Head-to-Head: Coyotes 1 – 0 Kraken
Both the Arizona Coyotes and the Seattle Kraken sit at the bottom of their respective divisions. For Arizona, Clayton Keller had a goal and an assist against the Calgary Flames. As the Coyotes’ All-Star representative, he also put up two assists and a goal for the Central Division. This game will be the latter half of a back-to-back for Arizona. On the Kraken’s end, Jared McCann has six points through his last five games, and Philipp Grubauer posted a shutout in his most recent start. They picked up a decisive 3-0 win against the New York Islanders prior to the All-Star break. While neither team is great in comparison to the rest of the league, the Kraken have an edge over the Coyotes.
Prediction: Kraken win, 2-1
New York Islanders vs Vancouver Canucks
Head-to-Head: Islanders 0 – 0 Canucks
The New York Islanders have a lot of work to do if they want to catch up to the rest of the Metropolitan. A win over the Vancouver Canucks would be a step toward closing in on the Columbus Blue Jackets. However, the Islanders struggled before the All-Star break, falling to the Kraken in a shutout loss. On the other side of the ice, the Canucks could tie the San Jose Sharks in standings points with a win tonight. They’ll need Brock Boeser to keep producing – he had five points in the five games before the break. As the Canucks have kept up with even some of the league’s best teams, they should be able to overtake the Islanders.
Prediction: Canucks win, 3-0
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