{"id":136127,"date":"2023-03-07T14:56:27","date_gmt":"2023-03-07T19:56:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=136127"},"modified":"2023-03-07T14:56:27","modified_gmt":"2023-03-07T19:56:27","slug":"nhl-predictions-mar-7-sabres-islanders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2023\/03\/07\/nhl-predictions-mar-7-sabres-islanders\/","title":{"rendered":"NHL Predictions: March 7th Including Buffalo Sabres vs New York Islanders"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\u2019s featured game is the Buffalo Sabres vs New York Islanders.<\/span><\/p>\n

NHL Predictions<\/h2>\n

Buffalo Sabres vs New York Islanders<\/h3>\n

Head to Head: Sabres 1-0 Islanders<\/h4>\n

Our first game of NHL Predictions is a New York State battle. A game that would have been a rather bleak, uninteresting match-up last season is now entirely amplified. The Sabres seeking their first playoff appearance since 2011 and the Islanders looking to maintain their top wild-card spot in an absolute grudge match within the Eastern Conference.\u00a0 Currently, the Islanders hold three extra games on the second-place Penguins and Sabres with four points on the Sabres and a single point on the Penguins. By and large, the Islanders have effectively coped with the Mat Barzal injury, collecting points in eight of ten games, but continuing to primarily rely on goaltender Ilya Sorokin<\/a>; akin to some of the criticism the Rangers received last season in front of Shesterkin.\u00a0 Still, Horvat’s acquisition has bolstered the offense as advertised, giving the Islanders a necessary 5v5 push required to maintain playoff status.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately for the Sabres, time is winding down to solidify a spot, let alone hold one.\u00a0 Buffalo’s remaining schedule sees them pitted against the following playoff teams: the Stars, Rangers (twice), Maple Leafs, Bruins, Devils (twice), and Hurricanes.\u00a0 The already unstable defensive structure will be tested far beyond its limits in this stretch, perhaps being the ultimate demise of the team despite their offensive prowess in multiple spectrums (generation and production).\u00a0 For this game alone, expect a mix of octane and a more rugged battle between the two squads.\u00a0 Based on general form, we expect the Sabres to control 5v5 play but ultimately fall just short due to Sorokin and their defensive struggles.<\/p>\n

Prediction: Islanders win 4-3 (OT)<\/em><\/p>\n

Calgary Flames vs Minnesota Wild<\/h3>\n

Head to Head: Flames 1-1 Wild<\/h4>\n

Calgary comes into the day fresh off<\/a> a win over the Dallas Stars last night, rebounding from a 3-0 loss to the Wild (in what is their most recent game headed into today) on Saturday.\u00a0 On a general basis, frustrations in Calgary have brewed to exceptionally high levels, between the massive gap in Calgary’s chance generation and total production as well as inconsistent goaltending that has culminated in the Flames threatening a playoff miss entirely, despite the isolated strength of the team’s lineup.\u00a0 Currently, the Flames sit five points back of the second wild card (Colorado) with three extra games.\u00a0 With the season now past the deadline, every point the Flames can accumulate in their remaining 18 games will be absolutely vital.<\/p>\n

For the Wild, meanwhile, points in their last nine have cemented the Wild into Central Division contention, with the Stars ahead just three points with an extra game on the Wild.\u00a0 Minnesota has seen excellent play primarily from their top line and goaltending in Fillip Gustavsson, who has all but secured the starter’s net from Marc-Andre Fleury<\/a>.\u00a0 With the form of the Wild warmer headed into the night, as well as the Flames being on the back half of a back-to-back, we have Minnesota taking this one.<\/p>\n

Prediction: Wild win 3-1<\/em><\/p>\n

San Jose Sharks vs Colorado Avalanche<\/h3>\n

Head to Head: Sharks 0-0 Avalanche<\/h4>\n

Both teams enter the night off of overtime appearances, with the Sharks holding the more favorable result.\u00a0 Despite their near league-worst record and contention for the first overall pick in the 2023 Entry Draft, this season has served as somewhat of a showcase (or a preview) of the talented youth within the Sharks system.\u00a0 While Eklund was pointless last night, he has still displayed the play-driving ability that will almost certainly empower him in his career.\u00a0 In terms of veterans, Erik Karlsson<\/a> can become the first defenseman since Brian Leetch<\/a> to score 100 points if he holds a point-per-game pace in the final 18 games.\u00a0 Overall, the Sharks have been an unexpectedly exciting team to tune into on some nights.<\/p>\n

In what appears as a somewhat underwhelming year, the Colorado Avalanche sit second in the Western Wild Card; albeit, with some comfort.\u00a0 The key for the Avalanche is to stay healthy; injuries to several top guys have nearly entirely healed.\u00a0 When healthy, the Avalanche are still one of the NHL’s premier teams, and stability in the lineup will power them back to this status.\u00a0 Considering this, the Sharks serve as an opportunity for the Avalanche to build back toward this play, and we predict they take advantage.<\/p>\n

Prediction: Avalanche win 3-0<\/em><\/p>\n

St. Louis Blues vs Arizona Coyotes<\/h3>\n

Head to Head: Blues 1-1 Coyotes<\/h4>\n

With both teams set to easily miss the playoffs, the implications of this game are fairly low.\u00a0 Considering the tanking efforts of the Coyotes, and the Blues decision to sell for stock on the edge, this game really only pushes a team closer to a desired draft selection.\u00a0 However, there are always players to look for and derive excitement from.\u00a0 Players to watch include Jordan Kyrou<\/a> and Robert Thomas<\/a> for the Blues, and Clayton Keller<\/a> and Nick Schmaltz<\/a> for the Coyotes.\u00a0 Schmaltz is particularly interesting for his unrecognized, but stellar, play for the Coyotes this season, as perhaps the only star aside from Keller in the desert.<\/p>\n

St. Louis still retained the aforementioned Kyrou and Thomas as well as defender Colton Parayko<\/a> among others, still provided a decent high-end product ultimately sabatoged by the poor depth structures of the team.\u00a0 Considering this, we have the Blues taking this contest in our penultimate game of NHL predictions.<\/p>\n

Prediction: Blues win 4-2<\/em><\/p>\n

Anaheim Ducks vs Seattle Kraken<\/h3>\n

Head to Head: Ducks 1-1 Kraken<\/h4>\n

The final game of the of our NHL Predictions pits a severe Pacific mismatch in Washington.\u00a0 With the Ducks almost outright tanking their season, looking for a high selection in this year’s elite draft class, they appear exponentially smaller to the third-place Kraken gearing up for their potential first playoff appearance of the franchise’s history.\u00a0 However, some bright spots for the Ducks include being winners of four of five and a recent point-per-game run from Cam Fowler<\/a> in his last 10 games.\u00a0 John Gibson<\/a>‘s play has ascended to elite heights at points this season; perhaps, Anaheim’s saving grace in games like these.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Kraken continue to score at a high rate, recovering from a short skid with a winning streak of their own across the past 10 days.\u00a0 Jordan Eberle<\/a> currently leads the Kraken in production, sitting at 50 points in 63 games thus far.\u00a0 Jared McCann<\/a> has been another vital piece for Seattle at the 30 goal mark in 60 games played throughout the season.\u00a0 Considering the mismatch of these two teams, we expect the Kraken to win handily.<\/p>\n

Prediction: Kraken win 5-0.<\/em><\/p>\n

Main Photo by: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4280,"featured_media":136141,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4547,3,17,4548,4524],"tags":[6254,6084,6455],"class_list":["post-136127","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hockey","category-sabres","category-islanders","category-nhl","category-nhl-predictions","tag-buffalo-sabres-predictions","tag-new-york-islanders-predictions","tag-sabres-vs-islanders"],"modified_by":"Dan Mount, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136127","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4280"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=136127"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136127\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/136141"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=136127"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=136127"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=136127"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}