Here are today’s NHL Predictions for tonight’s games. 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 Eastern Conference clash between the Tampa Bay Lightning vs Washington Capitals.
NHL Predictions
Philadelphia Flyers vs Ottawa Senators
Head-to-Head: Flyers 1 – 1 Senators
The Philadelphia Flyers are paced by Travis Konecny who has 11 goals, 21 assists. He is on a hot streak of late with two goals, five assists in his last five games. He collected three assists in the Flyers lopsided 6-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night. The Flyers have gone 6-4 in their last 10 games and should be the favourite in this game. Yet, the Senators are doing much better of late and shouldn’t be taken lightly.
The Ottawa Senators have picked up their level of play recently and have gone 4-4-2 in their last 10 games. The Sens dropped a close game to the Flyers back on December 7th, with Anthony Duclair collecting two goals, including a shorthanded tally in a losing cause. If the Flyers intend to win this matchup they had better watch Duclair. He tallied seven goals and three assists in his first 20 games. Since then he’s been of fire with 13 goals and five assists in 16 games. The Ottawa club likes Duclair’s performance as he scored the winning overtime goal to help them beat the Nashville Predators on Thursday night 5-4.
Prediction: Senators win 4-3
Tampa Bay Lightning vs Washington Capitals
Head-to-Head: Lightning 0 – 2 Capitals
*This is our NHL predictions featured game
This is a rematch of the game played a week ago in Tampa when the Capitals won 5-2. The Lightning would love to gather some revenge for that loss. The Tampa club just seems to be stuck in neutral this season. Are they just getting by to qualify for the playoffs and justify their terrible playoff showing last season? Perhaps. With a middle of the road record of 17-12-4 lagging them five points out of a wild card spot, they are too good a team to playing this poorly. Will this game get them going?
The Capitals are just plainly speaking, the best team in the NHL at this point. The Boston Bruins were there for a while but have slipped behind the dominant Caps. The Bruins have gone 3-4-3 in their last 10 games. The Capitals have done much better going 8-2. They faced the New Jersey Devils on Friday, so call that a warm-up game for the Lightning contest. The Capitals are rolling, don’t get in their way.
Prediction: Capitals win 4-2
Florida Panthers vs Carolina Hurricanes
Head-to-Head: Panthers 0 – 2 Hurricanes
The Florida Panthers sit just a point back of the Montreal Canadiens for second place in the Atlantic Division after their 7-4 win against the Dallas Stars on Friday. They are just 5-5 in their last 10 games and are still waiting for their star free agent Sergei Bobrovsky to start paying dividends. His 13-9-4 record including a less than stellar .902 save percentage to go along with a 3.09 goals-against average just doesn’t seem to hit the mark. The Panthers need to avoid being sucked into the Hurricanes path.
The Carolina Hurricanes need to continue their three-game winning streak in their third matchup with the Panthers. They had a very successful five-game road trip collecting nine of 10 possible points. They now trail the Eastern Conference-leading Capitals by nine points. The Hurricanes are led by forward Andrei Svechnikov who is scoring at a point a game pace. His 15 goals, 21 assists are enhanced with his five power-play tallies and nine extra man assists.
Prediction: Hurricanes win 5-2
New Jersey Devils vs Columbus Blue Jackets
Head-to-Head: Devils 0 – 0 Blue Jackets
The New Jersey Devils may have lost their star forward Taylor Hall when they traded him away to the Arizona Coyotes, but they won two straight games after his departure before losing to the Washington Capitals on Friday night. The Devils are still only 2-7-1 over their last 10 games. They suffered through a seven-game losing streak which included a shootout loss. They’re hoping that the trade of Hall will help them with their inevitable rebuild.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are currently riding a three-game winning streak. Joonas Korpisalo has shown that he is more than capable in between the pipes for the Jackets. He owns a respectable 15-10-3 record with a .909 save percentage and an admirable 2.62 goals-against average. Bobrovsky who? The Jackets seem to be playing much better and this game could only augment their confidence going forward.
Prediction: Blue Jackets win 3-1
Chicago Blackhawks vs Colorado Avalanche
Head-to-Head: Blackhawks 0 – 3 Avalanche
The Chicago Blackhawks need to show that they can beat the Av’s, but it won’t be easy. They’ve already lost to them three times this season. In fact, the Av’s have outscored the Chicago club 16-6 in those three matchups. The Hawks are just not doing that well this season. They rank tied for 13th in the Western Conference. They still have Patrick Kane who is dominating in scoring with 19 goals, 25 assists in 36 games. He can’t do it alone and this team needs to get going before they’re left behind in the dust.
The Colorado Avalanche have been quite a team this season. They have the best goal differential in the league with an amazing +29. It’s tough to stop their arsenal and the Hawks may just be another victim of a team on a mission. A mission to the Cup. They have such a strong team and playing against them is a challenge… a challenge that the Blackhawks can’t overcome.
Prediction: Avalanche win 6-2
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Vancouver Canucks
Head-to-Head: Penguins 1 – 0 Canucks
The Pittsburgh Penguins just seem to be able to win even without their star captain Sidney Crosby. They have gone 11-4-3 since Crosby has been out of the lineup and that’s the indication that other players are stepping up to fill the void. Evgeni Malkin and Jake Guentzel have kept their team in the hunt until Crosby can return scoring 24 and 22 points respectively during his absence. The Penguins are in a wild-card spot just three points ahead of their in-state rival Philadelphia Flyers.
The Vancouver Canucks are fifth in the Pacific Division but only three points out of a wild-card spot. They’re an excellent young team with explosive offensive firepower. The last time they clashed with the Penguins they gave up six goals in the last period and looked pretty sloppy defensively. This is their chance to improve and get back at the pesky Penguins.
Prediction: Penguins win 3-2 in overtime
St. Louis Blues vs San Jose Sharks
Head-to-Head: Blues 0 – 0 Sharks
These two teams have not faced each other this season, so this one ought to be entertaining. The St. Louis Blues are much like the Penguins in that they are still winning even without their star forward Vladimir Tarasenko. The Blues are on a roll of late winning four straight games and looking like a defending Stanley Cup winner should look. They’ve been fighting off the Avalanche for the top Western Conference spot and are holding their own.
The San Jose Sharks are a bit of an enigma. They can win and they can lose and of late they have not won much. They are 3-6-1 in their last 10 games which tells a lot. Their 30th ranking on defence does them in. Martin Jones is left with a 12-13-1 record and a poor .888 save percentage. He’s been left out to dry to the tune of allowing 3.30 goals per game. Sorry Sharks, you’re going to get eaten alive!
Prediction: Blues win 5-1
That does it for NHL predictions this time around.
Main Photo:
