Category: Hockey

The Minnesota Wild are a force on their home ice and they showed that dominance last night, when they knocked off a really good Winnipeg Jets team, 4-1. Tonight they will be back at Xcel Energy Center to host the Vancouver Canucks. The Wild are 15-4-3 at home and are 10-2 in their last 12 at Xcel Center. Early in the season, Vancouver was getting the job done on the road but things have changed. They are now 1-6 in their last 7 road games. These two clubs last met in Minnesota on October 24th, with the Canucks getting the win, 1-0. The Wild won’t let that happen again.
TONIGHT’S PICK: MINNESOTA WILD

The Pittsburgh Penguins will have revenge on their minds tonight when they host the Detroit Red Wings and the reason for that is because Pittsburgh ended 2017 with a 4-1 loss in Detroit. The Penguins are tough at PPG Paints Arena, boasting a record of 13-7-1-0. The Red Wings come into tonight’s game with a road record of 7-10-1-0 and are just 3-9 in their last 12 trips to Pittsburgh. Crosby and company get it done tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

The Boston Bruins will host the Carolina Hurricanes tonight and should be well rested after Thursday’s game with Florida was cancelled due to weather. Boston is tough at TD Garden, with a record of 13-5-3. The Bruins have been on a roll, going 16-3-2 in their last 21 games and are 4-0 in their last 4 home games. Carolina is 9-9-4 on the road and has been on a roll as well , winning 8 out of their last 11. These two teams match up well: 7 of the last 8 meetings ended in Overtime or a Shootout. The goalie match-up tonight is a good one. The Hurricanes are expected to have Cam Ward between the pipes. Ward is 11-2-2, with a GAA of 2.52, and a .915 SV%. Boston is expected to counter with Tuukka Rask. Rask is 14-8-3, with a GAA of 2.09, and a .925 SV%. Carolina is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings with the Bruins but are 2-5 in their last 7 trips to Boston. Over the years, for whatever reason, the Bruins play well on Saturdays, going 63-30 in their last 93 games. Boston prevails in what could be another nail biter.
TONIGHT’S PICK: BOSTON BRUINS
Update – Boston has just confirmed they will start Anton Khudobin instead of Tuukka Rask. This should not change the outcome because he is 8-2-3, with a 2.47 GAA and a .923 SV%.

The Florida Panthers have now won five in a row but if they want to make it six, they had better be on top of their game because they have to travel to Xcel Energy Center tonight to face the Minnesota Wild. Florida has not been great on the road, with a record of 7-10-2, and have struggled miserably against Minnesota. The Panthers are 5-15 in their last 20 meetings overall with the Wild and 0-5 in their last 5 trips to Xcel Energy Center. Minnesota rarely loses at home, with a record of 12-4-2, and are 7-1 in their last 8 on their home ice. Minnesota is a dangerous team and getting healthy. Consider the Wild in this one.
TONIGHT’S PICK: MINNESOTA WILD

The Vegas Golden Knights have proven they are the real deal and will be riding a 5-game winning streak when they head to Staples Center tonight to face the Los Angeles Kings. Vegas will be playing back-to-back games, after a decisive win last night over the Anaheim Ducks, so fatigue could be an issue. Los Angeles on the other hand will be well rested, last playing on December 23rd. Vegas has been scary at home, with a record of 15-2-0-1, but take them out of Clarke County and they come back down to earth, with a record of 9-7-0-1. The Kings boast a home record of 11-5-2-0 and are 5-0 in their last 5 at Staples Center. Jonathan Quick is expected between the pipes for Los Angeles and we all know his track record. The Kings should get it done.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES KINGS

There will be a mismatch in the NHL tonight when the best team in hockey, the Tampa Bay Lightning, host one of the worst, the Ottawa Senators. Ottawa’s road record is not good at 5-8-1-1. Tonight they have to face a team that has won 6 of the last 8 meetings and play in an arena where they are 1-4 in their last 5. The Lightning rarely lose at home. Tampa boasts a home record of 13-2-1-0, averaging 4 goals per game, and allowing an average of 2.56 at Amalie Arena. On the flip side, Ottawa is averaging 2.53 goals on the road and surrendering an average of 3.33. The Lightning will also have the edge between the pipes tonight. Tampa is expected to go with Andrei Vasilevskiy, who has a GAA of 2.18 and a Sv% of .933. Ottawa is expected to counter with Craig Anderson. Anderson has a GAA of 3.05 and a Sv% of .898. Consider the Lightning.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

The Pittsburgh Penguins snapped their 3-game skid on Saturday by knocking off the bottom feeding Arizona Coyotes, 4-2. Pittsburgh will try to make it two in a row before heading back home for a Thursday contest with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Payback will be on the Pen’s minds, after suffering a home defeat to the Avalanche just a week ago, 2-1. Pittsburgh is 5-1 in their last 6 visits to Colorado and the road team between these two clubs is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings. The Avalanche is 15-45 in their last 60 games on one day’s rest and 1-4 in their last 5 at Pepsi Center.
TONIGHT’S PICK: PITTSBURGH PENGUINS