Category: Hockey

To notch a win against the Winnipeg Jets at Bell MTS Place is always a difficult task, but that is what the Buffalo Sabres did last night, extending their winning streak to 4. Today they will be playing back-to-back games, and that’s always tough, when the Sabres make the short trip to Xcel Energy Center to face the Minnesota Wild. The Wild are a force at home, with a record of 6-1-1-1, and the Western New Yorkers are just 2-8 in their last 10 meetings with the Wild.
TODAY’S PICK: MINNESOTA WILD

If the Chicago Blackhawks are going to end their 8-game skid, it should be at United Center tonight when they host the St. Louis Blues. The bottom dwelling Blues are 6-6-3 on the season and only 1-4 in their last 5 road games. Chicago is 2-1 against St. Louis this season and should be motivated in front of the home crowd to give their new skipper, Jeremy Colliton, his first win.
TONIGHT’S PICK: CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

The Toronto Maple Leafs are still getting it done, even without their young phenom Auston Matthews, and tonight they will be at Staples Center to face the Los Angeles Kings. Toronto is 11-6-0 and suffered their first road loss Saturday, falling to Boston, 5-1. The Leafs are an impressive 6-1 on the road and have been a scoring machine away from Scotiabank Arena, averaging 4.71 goals per game. The Los Angeles Kings are off to a rocky start at 5-10-1 and are averaging just 2.06 goals per game, not good. The Kings are a dismal 4-9 in their last 13 home games and lost to the Leafs on October 15th, 4-1, in Toronto. The Leafs have won 5 out of their last 6 against the Pacific Division and should notch another one tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

The New York Rangers 4-game winning streak came to a screeching halt last night when they fell to the Detroit Red Wings, 3-2, in OT. Tonight the Rangers will head off to Ohio to face their old skipper, John Tortorella, and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Both teams are playing back-to-back games and the Jackets are riding high after knocking off the Champs last night on their home ice. When New York is away from MSG, they do not deliver. They are 2-4-2 on the road this season and 17-42 in their last 59 road games. Tortorella would love nothing better than to put a dagger in his old team’s heart.
TONIGHT’S PICK: COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

The Winnipeg Jets have not played in a week so they will be well rested when they host the struggling Colorado Avalanche tonight. The Jets are always a good play when they take the ice at Bell MTS Centre. They are 5-2-1 at home on the season and 48-16 in their last 64 in Winnipeg. Now that is what you call home ice domination. The Avs have lost 4 in a row and Bell MTS Centre is not the place they would like to be to try to right the ship. They are 0-5 in their last 5 visits to Winnipeg and the home team is 19-7 in the last 26 meetings between these two clubs. If rust doesn’t come into play for the Jets, they should get this one.
TONIGHT’S PICK: WINNIPEG JETS

The struggling Chicago Blackhawks felt that they had to make a change and fired their long-time running coach, Joel Quenneville, on Tuesday. The Blackhawks won 3 Cups under Quenneville but failed to make the playoffs last year and are off to a slow start thus far – that doesn’t fly in the Windy City. The new skipper for the Blackhawks is Jeremy Colliton. At only 33, he should add some new life and a lot of enthusiasm. Chicago has lost 5 straight and will host another team tonight that has also dropped its last 5, the Carolina Hurricanes. This is a good spot for the Blackhawks to get back on track. They have a new coach, the United Center will be electric, and the Hurricanes are just 1-5 in their last 6 road games and 2-5 in their last 7 trips to Chicago.
TONIGHT’S PICK: CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

The Dallas Stars will conclude a 6-game road trip when they face the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight at Nationwide Arena. The Stars will be playing back-to-back games after falling to the Boston Bruins last night in overtime, 2-1, so fatigue could be a factor for them tonight. The Jackets will be glad to be back in Columbus after losing 2 of 3 on their West Coast road trip. They cannot be happy with their home record of 3-4-0-0 but they have dominated the Stars at home. Columbus is 4-1 in their last 5 meetings with Dallas at Nationwide Arena and they are 5-0 in the last 5 meetings overall. Tortorella will have his club ready tonight. Consider the Jackets.
TONIGHT’S PICK: COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS