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Boston Bruins v. Buffalo Sabres
Projected Goalies: Tuuka Rask v. Dustin Tokarski
Boston has looked like a completely different team since the trade deadline. The Bruins have won 4 in a row since acquiring Taylor Hall plus assets and earned a strong victory over division leaders Washington on Sunday. Tuuka Rask is in net again and has looked great since returning from an injury that sidelined him for a month. Buffalo has looked strong despite being sellers at the trade deadline. The Sabres won their last game against Pittsburgh and Dustin Tokarski is actually playing competent in net. Tonight, however, the Sabres strong play will come to an end at the hand of the red hot Bruins.
The Bet: Bruins Puckline
Prediction: Bruins 4-1 Sabres
Columbus Blue Jackets v. Florida Panthers
Projected Goalies: Joonas Korpisalo v. Spencer Knight
These two teams met last night and Florida came away with a 4-2 victory. The loss was Columbus’s 6th straight defeat for a team that has taken a nosedive down the standings. Tonight the Blue Jackets will once again scratch Max Domi. Florida still has a longshot odds at winning the Central Division and can secure 2 more crucial points tonight at home. Spencer Knight will make his 1st career NHL start in goal, the young netminder is considered the best goalies prospect in the league at the moment. I will be rooting for Knight to have a good game but I am wary of making a pick in this contest for a multitude of reasons.
The Bet: No Pick
Prediction: Blue Jackets 2-3 Panthers
New York Rangers v. New York Islanders
Projected Goalies: Igor Shesterkin v. Semyon Varlamov
All of NYC and the country of Russia will be watching this one tonight. The Battle of New York will be headlined by two strong Russian goalies going head-to-head. Shesterkin, as well as the Rangers, has been on a tear recently, winning each of his past 3 starts with 2 of them coming in shut-out fashion. Varlamov has consistently been among the top goalies in the league this year and is a big reason why the Islanders are shoe-in for the playoffs. This game is a toss up but I will be rolling with the hotter team and that's the Rangers who have won 4 in a row.
The Bet: Rangers Moneyline
Prediction: Rangers 3-2 Islanders
Carolina Hurricanes v. Tampa Bay Lightning
Projected Goalies: Alex Nedeljkovic v. Curtis McElhinney
These two teams played last night and it was the Lightning who walked away with an overtime victory. A regulation win would have given Tampa top spot in the Central Division but the extra period means that Carolina can hold on to the perch, for now. In any back-to-back the most important matchup is the goalie matchup and while McElhinney has recorded many more career starts then Nedeljkovic, it is the young goalie who I will back this evening. McElhinney is 3-5-1 this season with a near 3.50 GAA and a sub .900 save percentage...just some food for thought.
The Bet: Hurricanes Moneyline
Prediction: Hurricanes 4-3 Lightning
New Jersey Devils v. Pittsburgh Penguins
Projected Goalies: Scott Wedgewood v. Tristan Jarry
The Devils had a moment there a few weeks ago where it looked like they were picking up their play. Then the trade deadline arrived, their GM sold all of their veteran players on expiring deals for draft picks, and the team has suffered since. New Jersey has lost 6 in a row and are just giving up goals left and right. The Devils have conceded at least 4 goals in all but one of those 6 consecutive defeats. Tonight, they will get a Penguins team spearheaded by Sidney Crosby, this is a mismatch.
The Bet: Penguins Puckline, Over 5.5 Total Goals
Prediction: Devils 2-5 Penguins
Detroit Red Wings v. Dallas Stars
Projected Goalies: Jonathan Bernier v. Jake Oetinger
There is a recurring theme in tonight's slate and that is Central Division back-to-backs. In the third iteration of that ilk we have the Red Wings v. Stars matchup which last night required the shootout and resulted in a Dallas win. The Stars are beginning to streak as they have won 3 in a row and have secured points in 7 straight games. All things points to another Stars victory tonight but I will be rolling with the underdog Red Wings. Detroit rarely wins but when they do it is with Bernier in net, who owns an above .500 win percentage on a team that is dead last in its division.
The Bet: Red Wings Moneyline
Prediction: Red Wings 3-2 Stars
Toronto Maple Leafs v. Vancouver Canucks
Projected Goalies: David Rittich v. Braden Holtby
These two teams met on Sunday and boy if I had previewed that game I would have been all over Toronto and I would have been completely wrong. The Canucks won 3-2 in OT despite it being their first game since March 24th due to the longest Covid-19 pause any North American sports team has faced in the regular season. Their win this past weekend was nothing short of remarkable given the circumstances surrounding the players on the ice and those that had to watch from off the ice. The Maple Leafs have dropped 4 in a row and a big reason has been inconsistency in goal. Jack Campbell’s unreal start to the season has cooled off and with Freddy Andersen still injured they have been forced to play the below average Rittich far more than they would like to. With Rittich in net tonight and Holtby coming off a vintage performance, I can not back the Leafs, but nor will I bank on a tremendous upset happening again.
The Bet: Over 5.5 Total Goals
Prediction: Maple Leafs 4-3 Canucks
Anaheim Ducks v. Los Angeles Kings
Projected Goalies: John Gibson v. Cal Petersen
You know that meme of the Lamborghini parked under a garage outside a shanty house? That is John Gibson in Anaheim. Gibson might just be the best pure goalie in the NHL outside of Andrei Vasilevskiy and he gets no respect and no help because the Ducks are so bad. In his past 4 games, Gibson has played the Golden Knights and Avalanche twice, each, and has maintained above .920 save percentage in half those contests against two of the best teams in the league. He has the ability to steal a win for a garbage, rebuilding team like Anaheim, every night he starts. Tonight is no different.
The Bet: Ducks Moneyline
Prediction: Ducks 2-1 Kings
