Welcome back to NHL Game Day Predictions. Daily, Last Word on Hockey brings you a prediction and analysis of every game on the schedule. This will also feature a significant game on the schedule that is must-watch hockey. Today’s NHL Predictions featured game is the Calgary Flames vs the Arizona Coyotes. Be sure to check out the early games NHL predictions to stay informed.
NHL Predictions
Winnipeg Jets vs New Jersey Devils
Head-to-Head: Winnipeg 1 – 0 New Jersey
The Winnipeg Jets have a penchant for playing in close games over the last several weeks. Five of the team’s last six games have been decided by just one goal. Nikolaj Ehlers may be having the breakout season that many have forecast for years. Ehlers is second in team scoring with 14 points in 15 games. In his last five, Ehlers has scored four goals and two assists for six points.
The New Jersey Devils are following up their big offseason with a disastrous start. The Devils are last in their division and have had trouble keeping pucks out of their own net. Despite their troubles, the Devils are coming off a victory over the Carolina Hurricanes, one of the better teams in the league. If the Devils can keep playing as they did against Carolina, they can still right the ship. First overall pick Jack Hughes is finally heating up with five points in his last five games.
This should be a high-scoring game as both teams give up a lot of goals. The Jets are a bit more consistent though, which gives them the edge.
Prediction: Jets win 6-5
Dallas Stars vs Colorado Avalanche
Head-to-Head: Dallas 1 – 0 Colorado
After a disappointing start to the year, the Dallas Stars have righted the ship. Dallas has won their last three games and six of their last seven. The Stars have only allowed eight goals in those six victories. One of these victories came over their Tuesday night opponents, The Colorado Avalanche. The Stars defeated the Avalanche 2-1. Although the Stars are winning games, Jamie Benn is still a concern. The star forward is off to the slowest start of his career registering just six points in 16 games.
In contrast to the Stars, the Colorado Avalanche started hot but has recently cooled off. Colorado is on a four-game skid that has seen the team have difficulty scoring goals. The slump is brought on by injuries to key players Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen. The pair won’t play for the Avalanche in Tuesday’s game and don’t look to be back any time soon.
Expect the Avalanche’s slide to continue without key players. Dallas should take this game in a low-scoring affair.
Prediction: Stars win 3-1
Calgary Flames vs Arizona Coyotes
Head-to-Head: Calgary 0 – 0 Arizona
The Calgary Flames have struggled to start the season. This is even more surprising given their Pacific Division title last year. That being said, they have played better lately, winning two of their last three games on a road trip. David Rittich is coming off a 43 save shutout and has registered a .929 save percentage or better in three of his last five starts. They return home Tuesday night for a divisional match-up against the Arizona Coyotes.
The Coyotes are one of the hottest teams in the NHL, going 7-1-2 in their last 10 games. Conor Garland has broken onto the scene for Arizona, scoring 7 goals in 13 games played. Even more impressive is that Garland has done this averaging just 12:45 of ice time per game.
While the Coyotes have been better than Calgary this year, Tuesday’s contest is the second half of a back-to-back and the team’s third game in four days. With Calgary playing better and Arizona’s fatigue, the Flames pull off a tight win.
Prediction: Flames win 4-2
Vancouver Canucks vs St. Louis Blues
Head-to-Head: Vancouver 1 – 0 St. Louis
The rebuild is ahead of schedule for the Vancouver Canucks. The team is second in the Pacific Division and is currently running on all cylinders. Promising forwards Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser have continued to progress into superstars and rookie defender Quinn Hughes has been even better than advertised. Vancouver bested the Blues in a shootout on October 17th.
There has been no Stanley Cup hangover for the St. Louis Blues. The Blues are on a four-game winning streak and sit at first place in a tightly-contested Central Division. St. Louis is winning close games going 9-3-3 despite having just a +1 goal differential. Things will get tougher for the Blues without one of their top scoring threats as Vladimir Tarasenko recently sustained a shoulder injury.
The Blues are still getting used to life without Tarasenko, and the Canucks are hot. Expect that to continue in Vancouver.
Prediction: Vancouver wins 4-2
Anaheim Ducks vs Minnesota Wild
Head-to-Head: Anaheim 0 – 0 Minnesota
The Anaheim Ducks have surpassed expectations thus far. A nightmare season in 2018-19 left the Ducks in a precarious position coming into this campaign, but sit at 9-6-1 this year. This record is good for third place in the Pacific Division. The Ducks have been winning games with strong goaltending and a balanced scoring attack.
The Minnesota Wild, however, have matched expectations for their season. Unfortunately for them, expectations were not high. The team is seventh in the Central Division. On a team with not too many bright spots, Brad Hunt has been a nice surprise. Hunt has played sporadically in the NHL, logging just 120 games since 2013 before this season. In 14 contests this year, Hunt has four goals and four assists. The defender seems to have finally found his footing in the NHL.
The Minnesota Wild have problems scoring, and the Anaheim Ducks possess one of the best goaltenders in the game with John Gibson. This is a low-scoring affair that goes the Ducks’ way.
Prediction: Ducks win 2-1
San Jose Sharks vs Chicago Blackhawks
Head-to-Head: San Jose 1 – 0 Chicago
The San Jose Sharks sit at the bottom of the NHL standings during the early goings of the 2019-20 season. Nothing has gone right for the Sharks as they possess the second-worst goal differential in the NHL at -20. They have lost five games in a row as well. Luckily, they have a chance to get back on the right track against another struggling team. A team they’ve already beaten this year in the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Blackhawks are wrapping up a California road-trip Tuesday against the Sharks. Chicago emerged as the victor in their last game against the Anaheim Ducks. Rookie Adam Boqvist scored his first career goal in the game, another sign that the youth movement is finally underway in Chicago. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews had two points each, an encouraging result given the stars’ relatively slow start.
Though things may be looking up for Chicago’s future, they’ve played two overtime games in a row. The fatigue should affect them in San Jose.
Prediction: San Jose wins 4-3
Check with us tomorrow for another edition of NHL Predictions.
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