{"id":63931,"date":"2019-12-17T09:00:03","date_gmt":"2019-12-17T14:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/?p=63931"},"modified":"2019-12-16T22:21:41","modified_gmt":"2019-12-17T03:21:41","slug":"nhl-predictions-december-17th-early-games-including-buffalo-sabres-toronto-maple-leafs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2019\/12\/17\/nhl-predictions-december-17th-early-games-including-buffalo-sabres-toronto-maple-leafs\/","title":{"rendered":"NHL Predictions: December 17th Early Games – Including Buffalo Sabres vs Toronto Maple Leafs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome back to the Last Word on Hockey team\u2019s daily\u00a0NHL Predictions<\/a> series. Every morning, we publish articles breaking down and predicting every game on the NHL schedule. Tonight features 11 games, with six of them starting at 7 or 7:30 p.m. ET. Today\u2019s featured game is the Buffalo Sabres<\/a> versus Toronto Maple Leafs<\/a>. You can find our predictions for the later games tonight at\u00a0lastwordonhockey.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

NHL Predictions<\/h2>\n

Los Angeles Kings vs. Boston Bruins<\/h3>\n

Head-to-Head: Kings 0 – 0 Bruins<\/h4>\n

A battle between two teams in very different places occurs tonight. The Los Angeles Kings<\/a>‘ last game saw a 4-2 win against the Detroit Red Wings<\/a>. Ottawa is struggling offensively, scoring at a pace of 2.57 goals per game. They\u2019re not below-average defensively, allowing 3.14 goals per game. A familiar face in\u00a0Anze Kopitar<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>leads the team with 31 points in 35 games, tallying 13 goals. Jonathan Quick<\/a><\/strong>‘s goaltending has been problematic, compiling a 9-12-2 record and .891 save percentage along with a 3.06 goals-against average (GAA). However, they should be able to at least mildly contain a Boston Bruins<\/a> team that’s had a rougher go of it as of late.<\/p>\n

The Boston Bruins are coming off a good performance in a 4-2 win over the Florida Panthers<\/a>. This isn’t anything new for them, as they sit fourth in the league with 3.38 goals per game. They\u2019re fourth defensively, too, allowing 2.41 goals against per game. Their special team’s story is similar, having the league\u2019s 10th-best penalty kill. Brad Marchand<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>leads the team with 50 points in 34 games, yet David Pastrnak<\/a> <\/strong>leads the team with 28 goals.\u00a0Tuukka Rask<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>has had a good season with a 13-4-3 record, .926 save percentage, and 2.24 GAA. Boston has dropped five of their past six games but can bank two points tonight against a weaker L.A. team.<\/p>\n

Prediction: Boston wins 3-2 in overtime.<\/em><\/p>\n

Buffalo Sabres vs. Toronto Maple Leafs<\/h3>\n

Head-to-Head: Sabres 1 – 1 Maple Leafs<\/h4>\n

This is the Last Word on Hockey featured game for tonight.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Sabres are looking to return to the ‘W’ column after their loss to the New York Islanders<\/a>. Vladimir Sobotka<\/a> <\/strong>and Tage Thompson<\/a><\/strong> are still sidelined with injuries. Their offence has been decently average so far, though, with a scoring rate of 3.12 goals per game. They\u2019ve been middle-of-the-pack defensively too, allowing 3.00 goals per game. Their power play is remarkably average as well, operating at 18.6 percent. Penalty killing is a huge issue, though, at only 75.2 percent. Jack Eichel<\/a><\/strong> is leading the Sabres with 48 points in 34 games. Linus Ullmark<\/a> <\/strong>has captured the starter’s crease from Carter Hutton<\/a><\/strong>, compiling a 10-6-3 record and .915 save percentage. Expect a decently hot Sabres team to give the motivated Maple Leafs a good challenge tonight.<\/p>\n

Toronto is confident after a solid 4-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers<\/a> but will run into a little more adversity tonight. Their ninth-ranked offence is producing 3.21 goals per game, but they have a bottom-ten defence in contrast. Special teams are okay, as a 20.6 percent power play is 11th in the league and a 76.6 percent penalty kill is 26th in the league. Young pivot Auston Matthews<\/a> <\/strong>wears number 34 and leads the team with 34 points in 34 games played. Frederik Andersen<\/a><\/strong> is the Leafs’ MVP this year with a 16-8-3 record and .921 save percentage. Toronto should win a tougher matchup at home.<\/p>\n

Prediction: Toronto wins 3-2 in overtime.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ottawa Senators vs. Tampa Bay Lightning<\/h3>\n

Head-to-Head: Senators 1 – 0 Lightning<\/h4>\n

The Ottawa Senators<\/a> are a joyous bunch after an emotional 4-3 overtime win against the Columbus Blue Jackets<\/a>. Their middling offence has been interesting to watch so far at 2.73 goals per game, and they have the league\u2019s 19th-best defence at 3.09 goals against per game. They have an extremely weak power play though with a 10.4 percent success rate, but a good penalty kill rate of 82.6 percent. Anthony Duclair<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>leads the way with 25 points in 33 games (18-7-25), and goalie Anders Nilsson<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>has taken the no. 1 spot from Craig Anderson<\/a><\/strong>, boasting a solid 9-8-2 record and .913 save percentage. However, the Senators will hit a snag tonight against a strong Lightning team.<\/p>\n

The Tampa Bay Lightning<\/a> are coming off a concerning 5-2 loss to the Washington Capitals<\/a> and they\u2019re moving forward without MVP Nikita Kucherov<\/a><\/strong>, as he left that game with a lower-body injury. They still boast a top-three offence with 3.52 goals per game but their defence is struggling with 3.23 goals allowed per game. Their power play is anything but struggling though, as a conversion rate of 29.1 percent puts them at second in the league. They have an average penalty kill of 80.1 percent. Kucherov is still leading them in points with 34 in 30 games but may end up being passed by Steven Stamkos<\/a><\/strong>, who leads them in goals with 13. Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy<\/a> <\/strong>has been just okay, posting a 13-9-1 record and .909 save percentage. Expect Tampa Bay to play a low-event game at home tonight and win against a much less talented Senators team.<\/p>\n

Prediction: Tampa Bay wins 2-0.<\/em><\/p>\n

Nashville Predators vs. New York Islanders<\/h3>\n

Head-to-Head: Predators 0 – 0 Islanders<\/h4>\n

The Nashville Predators<\/a> come into tonight tired after playing in Madison Square Garden just last night. They’re currently scoring 3.31 goals per game, good enough for fifth in the league. The Predators are down at 24th in terms of defence, though, allowing 3.16 goals per game. Their power-play woes haven’t changed, sitting at 27th in the league with a 14.7 conversion rate. The Predators are led with 29 points by Roman Josi<\/a><\/strong>. Nick Bonino<\/a> <\/strong>leads them in goals with 12. Starting goalie Pekka Rinne<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>has been playing poorly, posting a 10-5-3 record combined with a .893 save percentage. Nashville should struggle against an opportunistic Islanders offence tonight.<\/p>\n

The New York Islanders<\/a> are coming off a tight 3-2 win over the Sabres, consistent with most of their games this season. Their offence is ranked 20th at 2.90 goals per game and their defence is ranked second at 2.32 goals against per game. Their special teams are chugging along, as their power-play is only at a conversion rate of 20 percent. The Islanders\u2019 penalty kill is slightly worse, sitting at 15th in the league at 81.1 percent. Mathew Barzal<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>is leading their team with 27 points in 31 games, and Semyon Varlamov<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>has revived his career as the team\u2019s 1A goalie with an 11-3-2 record and a .928 save percentage. The Islanders will win tonight against a stumbling Predators team.<\/p>\n

Prediction: Islanders wins 4-3 in overtime.<\/em><\/p>\n

Anaheim Ducks vs. Philadelphia Flyers<\/h3>\n

Head-to-Head: Ducks 0 – 0 Flyers<\/h4>\n

The Anaheim Ducks<\/a> won their previous meeting against the New York Rangers<\/a> 4-3 in a shootout, a surprising result given most NHL predictions. Anaheim’s offence is ranked 27th in goal-scoring with 2.58 goals per game. Their defence is 13th in the league allowing 2.91 goals per game.\u00a0<\/strong>Their power play success is low, 28th in the league with a 13.9 percent rate, and their penalty kill is 22nd at 77.9 percent. Ryan Getzlaf<\/a> <\/strong>leads the team in points with 25. Jakob Silfverberg<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>leads them in goals with 12. John Gibson<\/a> <\/strong>has a 10-13-2 record with a 2.79 GAA and .910 save percentage.<\/p>\n

The Philadelphia Flyers<\/a> dropped all three games on their Western road swing and couldn’t be happier to be home. They\u2019re 18th in the league in terms of goals per game with 2.97. Their defence is 11th allowing 2.85 goals per game. Philadelphia\u2019s power play ranks near the middle at 17th, tallying an 18.1 percent success rate. Their penalty kill is eighth (83.5 percent). Their offence is spearheaded by Travis Konecny<\/a><\/strong>, who has 11 goals and 28 points in 30 games. Carter Hart<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>has been the better of their two goalies, posting a 10-7-3 record, .906 save percentage and 2.47 GAA. Philadelphia will snap out of their funk at home.<\/p>\n

Prediction: Philadelphia wins 2-0.<\/em><\/p>\n

Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Detroit Red Wings<\/h3>\n

Head-to-Head: Blue Jackets 1 – 0 Red Wings<\/h4>\n

The Columbus Blue Jackets<\/a> have been extremely mediocre, and nothing has changed all season. Their stats have supported this, as their offence still ranks 27th with 2.48 goals per game. They rank 14th in goals allowed with 2.94 per game. Their special teams are nothing special either, as their power play ranks 21st in the league with a 16.9 percent conversion rate and their penalty kill is 18th, sitting at 80 percent. They\u2019re led in points by Pierre-Luc Dubois<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>who has 20, he also leads them in goals with 10. Goalie\u00a0Joonas Korpisalo<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>has been okay, posting a 13-10-3 record with a .910 save percentage and 2.63 GAA.<\/p>\n

The Detroit Red Wings<\/a> are the league’s worst team, and there’s absolutely no way around it. They rank dead last in both goals for and goals against per game, and it’s not even close. Their power play sits at 21st in the league (16.9 percent), and their penalty kill is also the league’s worst (73.8 percent). Tyler Bertuzzi<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>leads this bunch in points with 27, but\u00a0Anthony Mantha<\/a> <\/strong>leads the team in goals with 12. Starter Jonathan Bernier<\/a><\/strong>‘s got a 7-9-2 record with a .897 save percentage and 3.22 GAA. Detroit has snapped out of a seriously bad period of hockey, but Columbus can still handle them.<\/p>\n

Prediction: Columbus wins 3-2.<\/em><\/p>\n

Main Photo:
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>