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 Anaheim Ducks vs Vegas Golden Knights.
NHL Predictions with Anaheim Ducks vs Vegas Golden Knights
LA Kings vs Columbus Blue Jackets
Head-to-Head: Kings 0 – 0 Blue Jackets
The Kings are coming into this one losers of two straight and have been outscored 11-3 in the process. A road game against the Blue Jackets is a decent place to start to get back into the win column. The Kings have had a fair amount of success on the road this year. Their road record sits at 15-7-5, whereas the home record for Columbus is 15-11-1.
The Kings will need to get their powerplay going and also some strong goaltending in this one though. Columbus has been finding the back of the net in bunches recently. In their last seven games, the Blue Jackets have poured in a total of 30 goals on opponents’ goalies. Columbus has the more potent offence but the Kings are much more stout defensively. Who will come out on top, offence or defence?
Prediction: Blue Jackets win 4-3 OT
Dallas Stars vs Winnipeg Jets
Head-to-Head: Stars 2 – 1 Jets
Each meeting between these two clubs has been decided by one goal. Two games went into overtime and the other was decided by a shootout. The Stars and Jets have treated hockey fans to some excellent hockey, keeping us all on the edge of our seats the whole way through. So we shouldn’t expect anything less here. Especially when both teams are fighting to stay in the playoff race. The Stars are one spot up in the standings over the Jets but have six more points and an extra game in hand. It’s a big hill to climb if the Jets want to leapfrog the Stars and get themselves into a Wild Card spot. With less than 30 games left in the year, the time is now for the Jets to get climbing.
Prediction: Stars win 3-2 OT
Anaheim Ducks vs Vegas Golden Knights
Head-to-Head: Ducks 1 – 2 Golden Knights
The Ducks host the Golden Knights at the Honda Center for their fourth meeting of the season. Vegas has taken two of three thus far and will look to claim the season series tonight.
The Ducks, however, will be looking to build off their win against Boston the other night and help get their season back on track. Anaheim had held a spot among the top three teams in the Pacific Division for most of the year. But a recent slide, where they’ve lost six of 10, has seen them slide right out of a playoff spot altogether.
Luckily for the Ducks, Vegas is one of the teams they are contending with for a playoff spot. So tonight is an excellent opportunity to get two points and make up some ground in the standings.
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Vegas, obviously, will have other plans. After watching the Edmonton Oilers leapfrog them in the standings with a “loser point” in overtime, Vegas now sits outside the top three in their division. The Ducks are hot on their heels, sitting just three points back.
Fortunately for Vegas, Jack Eichel looks to be finding his groove since returning from surgery. After being held pointless in his first game back, Eichel has collected five points in his last six games.
The Golden Knights were already sitting 13th in the league in goals-for per-game with 3.12. So Eichel heating up is a scary thing for the rest of the teams in the league. Especially for their opponent tonight.
Prediction: Golden Knights win 3-2
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
