Category: Hockey

Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg will be electric tonight when the Jets host the Los Angeles Kings in their home opener. The Jets rarely lose at home, with an impressive record of 43-13 in their last 56. The Kings have not fared well in Winnipeg, going 3-9 in their last 12 and the home team between these two clubs has won 16 of the last 23 meetings.
TONIGHT’S PICK: WINNIPEG JETS

The Washington Capitals are in a spot they haven’t been in since 1998, the Eastern Conference Finals. Tonight they will travel to Amalie Arena to kick off Game 1 against arguably the best team in hockey, the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning made short work of the New Jersey Devils and the Boston Bruins so the extra rest will definitely be an asset. The Capitals are coming off a tough series with their hated rival, the Pittsburgh Penguins, and could be without André Burakovski (upper body) and Nicklas Backstrom (hand). Tampa is in familiar territory, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals 3 of the last 4 years and the host team between these two clubs is 20-7 in the last 27 meetings. Amalie Arena will be rocking tonight. Edge Lightning.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

The Anaheim Ducks have been dominant over the Vancouver Canucks and that’s who they will play tonight on Vancouver’s home ice, Rogers Arena. The Ducks have been respectable on the road, with a record of 17-14-8, unlike the Canucks who are 12-18-6 at home. Anaheim has been on a roll, going 5-1 in their last 6 games overall, and they are 4-1 in their last 5 trips to Rogers Arena. The Ducks are expected to have John Gibson between the pipes. He has been spectacular since the All-Star break, with a record of 13-3-2. The incentive for victory will be on the side of Anaheim, with Los Angeles breathing down their necks, and not Vancouver, who is officially out of the playoff hunt.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ANAHEIM DUCKS

The Vegas Golden Knights fell to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday in a shootout, 2-1. Vegas will be in revenge mode tonight when these two clubs face off again, but this time it will be at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Colorado’s road record is not good, at 15-16-6, and when they last visited T-Mobile Arena on October 27th, they were blown out, 7-0. Vegas is tough at home, with a record of 26-9-2, and should add another one to the win column tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

The Anaheim Ducks captain, Ryan Getzlaf, missed Friday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets with flu-like symptoms but should lace up the skates tonight when they travel to Edmonton to take on the Oilers. The Ducks are tied with the Los Angeles Kings for the third playoff spot so losing tonight is not an option. Anaheim has had the upper hand against Edmonton, going 32-13 in their last 45 meetings, and are 20-8 in their last 28 in Edmonton. Consider Anaheim in this one.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ANAHEIM DUCKS

There are two teams that want the #1 pick in the NHL draft and one of them is the Arizona Coyotes. Tonight the Coyotes will be in Florida, taking on the Panthers. Florida needs this win and Arizona doesn’t. The Panthers will roll over the Coyotes tonight. Florida is 16-5 in their last 21 home games. They have the edge in offense, defense, power play and face offs. The home team between these two clubs is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings.
TONIGHT’S PICK: FLORIDA PANTHERS

Two bottom feeders will face each other tonight in Western New York when the Buffalo Sabres play host to The Arizona Coyotes. Arizona is 9-17-7 on the road this season, 1-5 in their last 6 meetings with the Sabres, and 2-5 in their last 7 trips to Buffalo. These two clubs met in the desert on November 2nd, with Buffalo prevailing, 5-4. One of these two teams will get the overall pick in the draft so what are they playing for – a win or a number one pick? I say a win. Hockey players have pride.
TONIGHT’S PICK: BUFFALO SABRES