Category: Hockey

The best team in hockey, the 50-20-4 New York Rangers, are riding a 5-game winning streak and will return home to MSG tonight to take on the 32-30-11 Pittsburgh Penguins. New York has clinched a playoff spot, but they are far from done. The Rangers still want to accomplish three more things: win the Metropolitan Division, the President’s Trophy, and then the Stanley Cup. The Penguins are mathematically alive in the wild card hunt, but barely, and they know it, and we know that they are not getting in. New York is 20-9-0 at the Garden and have won 4 straight against Pittsburgh including both meetings this year.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK RANGERS

With the regular season winding down, the Tampa Bay Lightning are heating up just at the right time. The 40-25-7 Bolts have won 2 straight, are 8-1-1 over their last 10, and have outscored their opponents 42-26 over that span. Tonight in the Cigar City, Tampa will be hosting the 31-26-15 New York Islanders. New York is still alive in the wild card hunt but barely. The Islanders did win their last outing against a very good Florida Panthers team but they still have just 2 wins in their last 9 tries and are 15-16-5 on the road this season. The Lightning beat the Islanders last month, 4-2, on Long Island. Tampa has won 3 straight at Amalie Arena and is an impressive 22-9-4 on the season at home.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

After going 2-3 on their 5-game road trip, the Buffalo Sabres will be glad to return home tonight to KeyBank Center when they take on the Ottawa Senators. The Sabres have been hot at home, winning their last 3, and after tonight it should be 4. The Senators, who are just 11-20-2 on the road, know their season is over so all they have to play for now is to be a spoiler. On the flip side, Buffalo is still alive in the wild card hunt but cannot afford to lose to teams like Ottawa if they want to get in and they are aware of that. The Sabres have won 2 of the 3 meetings with the Sens this year and will have an arena full of Sabres fans behind them.
TONIGHT’S PICK: BUFFALO SABRES

The St. Louis Blues will be a home dog when they host the Vegas Golden Knights tonight at Enterprise Center. These two teams match up well. The Blues are 38-30-3 on the season and the Golden Knights come in at 38-25-7. The Blues have been on a roll, winning 2 straight, 6 of their last 7, and have played well at home with a record of 21-12-1. They will also have payback on their minds after losing in their last meeting to Vegas in front of their home crowd back in December, 6-3.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ST. LOUIS BLUES

When the Vancouver Canucks take the ice at Rogers Arena, they are always the side to consider and that is where they will be tonight when they host the Calgary Flames. The best in the West Canucks boast a 44-18-8 overall record and are 23-7-4 on their home ice. The Flames, who need lots of prayers and help if they want to make the postseason, enter tonight’s game with an overall record of 33-30-5 and are 15-14-4 when away from the Scotiabank Saddledome. Vancouver is rolling and Calgary is not. The Canucks are 6-1-1 over their last 8 and the Flames have just 2 wins in their last 6 games. The Canucks will be without their #1 goalie, Thatcher Demko, again but no worries, Casey DeSmith has filled in just fine. Vancouver won the last meeting with the Flames in Calgary back in December and I expect they notch another one tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: VANCOUVER CANUCKS

The Toronto Maple Leafs have lost their last two games, and it won’t get any easier for them when they travel to DC tonight to face the surging Washington Capitals. The Caps have won their last three games against some quality opponents: the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames and Seattle Kraken, all on the road. Toronto however has had Washington’s number. The Leafs have won six of the last seven meetings and have been a great road team with a record of 20-8-6. Despite being without one of their top producers, Mitch Marner, who is sidelined with an ankle injury tonight, the Leafs find a way to get it done.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

The Winnipeg Jets will be hosting the Nashville Predators tonight in Manitoba. The Jets are really good at home, with a record of 22-8-2, and notch another one tonight. Bring back the White Shirts.
TONIGHT’S PICK: WINNIPEG JETS