Category: Hockey

The Buffalo Sabres are not dead in the water just yet. Buffalo has won 5 of their last 6 and are coming off of impressive victories over the Winnipeg Jets and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tonight they will be a big dog when they take their game to Pepsi Center for a matchup with the Colorado Avalanche. The Avs are always tough at home, at 16-9-5, but are riddled with injuries and will be without one of their top producers, Mikko Rantanen. Buffalo was embarrassed at home by Colorado, 6-1, in their last meeting on February 4th and they have not forgotten that. The Sabres are worth a shot.
TONIGHT’S PICK: BUFFALO SABERS

Alex Ovechkin finally notched his 700th tally and the Washington Capitals snapped their 4-game skid on Sunday, downing the Pittsburgh Penguins, 5-3, so now they can get back to what they do best. Win. Washington will be at home tonight facing the Winnipeg Jets. To say the Caps have dominated the Jets over the years would be an understatement. Washington is 12-4 in their last 16 meetings overall and 19-7 in their last 26 in DC. If the Capitals offense wasn’t potent enough already, now they have Ilya Kovalchuk, recently acquired from Montreal. The Jets road record is a respectable 16-13-2 but now that Ovi and the Caps have the monkey off their backs, look out.
TONIGHT’S PICK: WASHINGTON CAPITALS

Due to a rash of injuries, the Columbus Blue Jackets have lost 8 in a row but are still very much alive in the playoff hunt. The good news for the Jackets is the Ottawa Senators will be visiting Nationwide Arena tonight. The Senators are just 6-17-5 on the road, 1-5 in their last 6 against Columbus, and 0-4 in their last 4 trips to Nationwide. The Blue Jackets have fared well at home, going 18-11-4, and John Tortorella will not allow his club to let this golden opportunity slip through their hands.
TONIGHT’S PICK: COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

The Minnesota Wild are back on track, winning 2 in a row, and are 9-4-1 over their last 14 games. Tonight they will be hosting the Central leading Saint Louis Blues at Xcel Energy Center. The Blues are riding a 3-game winning streak but have notched just 4 wins in their last 10 games. Minnesota has fallen twice to Saint Louis this year, but each game was decided by just 1 goal so you know they can hang with the Champs. The Wild are tough at home, at 17-9-5, and are vying for the second wild card spot, so they are motivated and will have payback on their minds.
TONIGHT’S PICK: MINNESOTA WILD

Look for the Washington Capitals and Alex Ovechkin to get back on track tonight when they host the struggling Montreal Canadiens. Montreal has lost 5 in a row and the Capitals have had the Canadiens number, winning 7 of the last 10 meetings, including a 4-2 victory on January 27th north of the border.
TONIGHT’S PICK: WASHINGTON CAPITALS

The Calgary Flames will be hosting the Anaheim Ducks today, a team they blew out just last week, 6-0, at the Pond. The scheduling is not fair in the NHL but that’s the way it is. The Ducks will be playing back-to-back games and the Flames will be well rested after having a day off yesterday. Calgary has lost their last 5 games at the Saddledome so they’re due for a home victory.
TODAY’S PICK: CALGARY FLAMES

The Colorado Avalanche are red hot, ripping off 5 straight wins, but they will be challenged tonight when a hungry Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals come to town. Washington has lost a rare 2 in a row and will have payback on their minds after falling in DC, 6-3, to the Avs in their last meeting. Ovi was held scoreless in his last 2 games and is still 2 shy of 700 goals but you know that won’t last. The Caps are an impressive 20-6-1 on the road, have won 8 of the last 10 meetings with the Avs, and when you get them as an underdog you have to run with it.
TONIGHT’S PICK: WASHINGTON CAPITALS