{"id":69304,"date":"2020-02-20T09:15:40","date_gmt":"2020-02-20T14:15:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/?p=69304"},"modified":"2020-02-20T02:14:49","modified_gmt":"2020-02-20T07:14:49","slug":"nhl-predictions-february-20-lightning-golden-knights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2020\/02\/20\/nhl-predictions-february-20-lightning-golden-knights\/","title":{"rendered":"NHL Predictions: February 20 Late Games- Including Tampa Bay Lightning vs Vegas Golden Knights"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome back to\u00a0NHL Predictions<\/a>. Every day Last Word on Hockey brings you a prediction and analysis of every game on the schedule. In the late-games edition of the February 20th NHL Predictions, we\u2019ll cover four games. There will also be a featured game and that is must-watch hockey. The featured matchup is a possible Stanley Cup preview between the Tampa Bay Lightning<\/a> vs Vegas Golden Knights<\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

NHL Predictions<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Winnipeg Jets vs Ottawa Senators<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Head-to-Head: Jets 1-0 Senators<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

The Winnipeg Jets<\/a> are coming off a 6-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings <\/a><\/span>on Tuesday. Blake Wheeler<\/a><\/strong> posted a pair of goals and <\/span>Connor Hellebuyck<\/strong><\/a> made 31 saves. Kyle Connor<\/a> is tops in goals (29) and points (61) while Hellebuyck has <\/span>a 26-18-5 record with a 2.71 goals-against-average and .919 save percentage.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Winnipeg also just picked up Dylan <\/strong><\/span>DeMelo<\/strong> in a trade with the Ottawa Senators<\/a> earlier in the week. The Jets score 2.98 goals a game and allow 3.00 per game. Their power play scores 19.3 percent of the time and they kill 75<\/span>.7 percent of penalties.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ottawa is coming off a wild 7-4 victory over the Buffalo <\/a><\/span>Sabres<\/span> on Tuesday night when Jean-Gabriel Pageau<\/a> <\/strong>and Artem Anisimov<\/a> <\/strong>each scored twice. <\/span>Pageau leads the team in goals (24) and points (40) and Craig Anderson<\/a><\/strong> has taken over in net for the injured Anders Nilsson<\/a>.<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Senators score 2.72 goals a game and give up 3.32 goals per contest. Ottawa\u2019s power play is 15.5 percent successful and they stop 78.6 percent of opposing power plays.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Jets have won two straight and are still hanging around the playoff positions. Ottawa has put up some great efforts, but Winnipeg needs wins.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Prediction: Jets win 5-2.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Arizona Coyotes vs St. Louis Blues<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Head-to-Head: Coyotes 2-0 Blues<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

The Arizona Coyotes<\/a> have won both of their games against the defending champion St. Louis Blues<\/a> this season. Arizona beat <\/span>lost to the Dallas Stars<\/a> 3-2<\/span> on <\/span>Wednesday and Adin Hill<\/a> <\/strong>got the start. That means Antti Raanta<\/a> <\/strong>will be in net for the Coyotes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Arizona<\/span> score<\/span>s<\/span> 2.69 goals and allow 2.63 goals per game<\/span> prior to Wednesday\u2019s game<\/span>. Arizona scores 19.2 percent of the time on the power play and it kills off 83.7 percent of <\/span>opponent\u2019s power plays.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

St. Louis <\/span>blanked the New Jersey Devils<\/a>, 3-0, on Tuesday night after a pair of goals by Ivan <\/strong><\/span>Barbashev<\/strong>. Jordan Binnington<\/a> <\/strong><\/span>only needed to make 17 saves to record the shutout. David <\/span>Perron<\/span> leads the Blues in goals (23) and points (56) while\u00a0<\/span>Jake Allen<\/a> may make get the call as they will be playing back-to-back games.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Blues score 3.15 goals a game and allow 2.82 per matchup. St. Louis scores on 24.3 percent of their power plays while they kill <\/span>79.4 percent of penalties.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Allen has played well as a backup and the Blues would love to get first back in the Central Division. St. Louis picks up a key win going into Friday\u2019s showdown with Dallas.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Prediction: Blues win 4-2.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Tampa Bay Lightning vs Vegas Golden Knights<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Head-to-Head: Lightning 1-0 Golden Knights<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

T<\/span>ampa Bay is on an 11-game winning streak and have looked fantastic in their recent run. The Lightning got a big 4-3 overtime win against the Col<\/span>orado Avalanche on Tuesday night. <\/span>Nikita Kucherov<\/a><\/strong> got the overtime-winner for Tampa and leads the team in all offensive categories. <\/span>Andrei Vasilevskiy<\/a> <\/strong>has been stellar in the team\u2019s recent streak.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Lightning score 3.55 goals a game and yield 2.65 per game. Tampa\u2019s power play scores 23.2 of the time on the power play while they stop 83.3 percent of penalti<\/span>es.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Vegas is coming off of three straight wins, including a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals<\/a> in a rematch of the 2018 Stanley Cup Final. <\/span>Max Pacioretty<\/a> <\/strong>scored his team-leading 27<\/span>th<\/span> goal in the win and Marc-Andre Fleury<\/a><\/strong> turned aside 25 shots. Fleury is now <\/span>23-14-5 with a 2.78 goals-against average.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Golden Knights score 3.10 goals a game and give up 3.00 a game. Vegas is <\/span>21.5 percent successful on the power play and they stop 78.2 percent of opponent\u2019s power plays.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This is going to be a heavyweight fight, which is something the people of Sin City are used to. Tampa will scratch out a wi<\/span>n to keep the streak alive.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Prediction: Lightning win 4-3 in overtime.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Florida Panthers vs Los Angeles Kings<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Head-to-Head: Panthers 1-0 Kings<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

The Florida Panthers<\/a> are<\/span> hoping to wrap up their California adventure with a victory. Florida <\/span>is looking to get into the last automatic playoff spot in the Atlantic Division. Samuel <\/strong><\/span>Montembeault<\/strong> will likely get the start after Sergei Bobrovsky<\/a><\/strong> started versus the Anaheim Ducks. <\/span>Evgenii Dadonov<\/strong> came into Wednesday\u2019s game leading the club with 24 goals.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Florida scores 3.44 goals a game and surrenders 3.26 goals a game. The Panthers have a 21.5 percent success rate on the extra man and <\/span>have a 77.4 percent kill rate on the PK.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Los Angeles has been trading off people like Tyler Toffoli<\/a> <\/strong>and Alec Martinez<\/a> <\/strong>in recent days. The Kings are rooted to the foot<\/span> of the Pacific Division with no way out of the cellar. <\/span>Anze<\/span> Kopitar is the leading remaining goal scorer with 17 as To<\/span>ffoli had 18. Jonathan Quick<\/a><\/strong> is 12-22-3 with a 2.99 goals-against-average and <\/span>.897 save percentage.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Kings struggle to score as they get 2.47 a game and they allow 3.18 a game. Los Angeles struggles on special teams with a 16.3 percent on the PP and 75.9 percent on the PK.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Florida has been putting it together and should finish their California trip with another win.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Prediction: Panthers win 4-1.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n