Welcome to NHL Predictions! Each day, Last Word On Hockey will break down every game and give our NHL predictions for each game. In today’s NHL predictions, we’ll cover the five games happening on December 16th. This will include a featured game that should be must-watch hockey. The featured game today in our NHL Predictions is the Colorado Avalanche vs St. Louis Blues.
NHL Predictions
Washington Capitals vs Columbus Blue Jackets
Head-to-Head: Capitals 0-1 Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets are coming off a 4-3 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. Columbus has lost four of its last five, but did beat the Washington Capitals, 5-2, on Dec. 9. Cam Atkinson scored twice and Joonas Korpisalo made 37 saves in the win. Emil Bemstrom is out long-term and players like Sonny Milano, Ryan Murray, and Josh Anderson are listed day-to-day.
Pierre-Luc Dubois leads in goals (10) and points for (20) for the Blue Jackets while Korpisalo has become the team’s top goalie. Korpisalo is 12-10-3 with a 2.73 goals-against average and .906 save percentage. Columbus scores 2.47 goals per game and allows 3.03. Their power play is 17.3 percent successful and they kill off 79.1 percent of penalties.
Washington has won four of its last five, including a 5-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. Lars Eller and Garnet Hathaway scored within 44 seconds of each other while Ilya Samsonov made 27 saves in the win.
John Carlson leads in assists (33) and points (45) for the Caps and Braden Holtby is 16-3-4 with a 2.80 goals-against average and .911 save percentage. The Capitals score a blistering 3.59 goals a game and give up 2.79. Washington’s special teams are excellent with a 23.5 percent power play and an 85.1 percent penalty kill.
The Capitals are wary of looking past the Blue Jackets and likely won’t make that mistake again.
Prediction: Capitals win 4-1.
Ottawa Senators vs Florida Panthers
Head-to-Head: Senators 0-0 Panthers
Anthony Duclair‘s hat trick helped Ottawa beat Columbus on Saturday. Ottawa has won three of its last five and has been playing hard in games. The Senators only sit five points back of the Florida Panthers for sixth in the Atlantic Division.
Duclair leads in goals (18) and points (25) while Anders Nilsson has been getting most of the starts with a 9-8-2 record, 3.02 goals against average and .913 save percentage. Ottawa scores 2.73 goals a game and allows 3.09. The Senators’ powerplay is near the bottom of the league at 10.5 percent and they kill off 82.6 percent of penalties.
Florida has lost three in a row, including a 4-2 loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday. David Pastrnak‘s two goals were the difference while the Panthers couldn’t overcome a bad start.
Jonathan Huberdeau leads the team in assists (26) and points (37) while Sergei Bobrovsky has struggled at times this season. The Panthers score 3.31 goals a game and allow 3.28 a game. Florida’s power play converts at a 22 percent ratio and stops 82.7 percent of power plays.
Ottawa is playing better coming in, but Florida is in desperation mode.
Prediction: Panthers win 3-2.
Nashville Predators vs New York Rangers
Head-to-Head: Predators 0-1 Rangers
The Nashville Predators lost 4-1 to the Dallas Stars on Saturday night after taking an early lead for their second straight loss. Alexandar Georgiev made 32 saves in the New York Rangers 2-1 victory in Nashville on Nov. 2.
Roman Josi leads the team in assists (19) and points (26) while Pekka Rinne has gotten most of the starts and is 10-5-3 with a 2.99 goals-against average and .893 save percentage. Nashville scores 3.26 goals and gives up 3.19 a game. The Predators’ power play has struggled at 14.8 percent and they kill off 77.6 percent of penalties.
New York is home after getting five points in their West Coast-road trip. The Rangers fell 4-3 in a shootout to the Anaheim Ducks despite two goals from Mika Zibanejad.
Artemi Panarin leads in all offensive categories and has 19 goals and 42 points. Georgiev has seemingly taken the reins in net with a 9-5-1 record, 2.69 goals against average and .923 save percentage. New York scores 3.22 goals a game and surrenders 3.09 a game. The Rangers’ power play connects for 20.5 percent and their penalty kill is 77.1 percent successful.
The teams are very similar, but the Predators need a win in the worst way. Mattias Ekholm should be back in the lineup along with Mikael Granlund.
Prediction: Predators win 3-2 in a shootout.
Colorado Avalanche vs St. Louis Blues
Head-to-Head: Avalanche 0-1 Blues
Colorado comes into the game after a 3-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Friday night. The Avalanche got their fourth win in their last five after 37 saves from Pavel Francouz and a goal and an assist from Nathan MacKinnon.
MacKinnon leads in all offensive catergories for Colorado with 20 goals and 50 points. Francouz has been getting the starts, but Philipp Grubauer could be ready to go. Colorado tallies 3.69 goals a game and gives up 2.69 a game. The Avs score on 18.5 percent of power plays and are success on penalty kills 79.8 percent of the time.
St. Louis escaped the Chicago Blackhawks with a 4-3 win for its second straight victory. Justin Faulk capped a four-goal third period rally and Tyler Bozak scored twice. The Blue did beat the Avalanche, 3-1, on Oct. 21.
Brayden Schenn leads the team is goals with 14 and David Perron is tops in points with 30. Jordan Binnington is 15-6-4 with a 2.46 goals against average and .919 save percentage. The Blues scores 3.00 goals a game and give up 2.65 a game. St. Louis converts on 21.6 percent of power plays and have an 84.7 percent penalty kill rating.
St. Louis has played well despite injuries and have found ways to win in different fashions. Binnington is 2-0 with a 1.44 goals-against average against Colorado.
Prediction: Blues win 3-1.
Edmonton Oilers vs Dallas Stars
Head-to-Head: Oilers 0-1 Stars
The Edmonton Oilers were outclassed on even-strength situations in a 4-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. Edmonton has lost four straight games is tied for second behind Alberta rivals, the Calgary Flames, for second place.
Connor McDavid leads the way in all offensive categories for the Oilers with 20 goals and 57 points. Mikko Koskinen is 11-5-2 with a 2.74 goals against average and .914 save percentage. The Oilers score 2.97 goals a game and yield 3.09 a game. Edmonton’s power play converts a scary 32.4 percent and the PK kills off 84.0 percent.
Dallas did beat Edmonton 5-4 in overtime on Nov. 16 after a game-winner by captain Jamie Benn. The Stars have won four of their last five and got its second win for interim boss Rick Bowness.
Roope Hintz leads the Stars in goals with 12 and Tyler Seguin is tops in points with 25. Ben Bishop is 12-6-3 with an excellent 2.07 goals against average and .933 save percentage. Dallas scores 2.62 goals a game and their defence allows only 2.29. The Stars score on 16.5 percent on the power play and they kill 85.7 percent of penalties.
Edmonton is deadly on the power play, but Dallas is solid on defence. The Stars are 7-1 in their last eight against the Oilers.
Prediction: Stars win 3-2.
DENVER, CO – NOVEMBER 30: Alexander Steen #20 of the St Louis Blues advances the puck against the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center on November 30, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
