Good Lord!
Reviews are coming as the day moves on.
They will be short and sweet (or not).
May come back to add more later.
29 Colorado at 20 Boston
Boston should be able to win this the way they have been playing and the way Colorado has been playing. One good, one not so. Krecji has been kept quiet of late - no puck deposits in the last six games - if he finds his hands tonight, easy win. Colorado will have to outplay all four of Boston's lines, which I think they will have trouble doing.
Boston 8/2
6 St. Louis at 2 New York Rangers
Part of me feels this will be an exposing of the Rangers' tonight. The blueshirts have been giving up opportunities and luck has been smiling. Maybe they are getting to rebounds and winning the battles in their end after initial shots. St Louis has the power to reveal what is happening. St. Louis is deep and when they get healthy, they might be the deepest set of forwards in the league - though without any single GREAT player (maybe Tarasenko, but too early to know).
Funny stat: Henrik Lundqvist has allowed 2 or fewer goals in 11 of 12 starts. His backup goalie, Antti Raanta has allowed 1 or fewer in all three of his starts. Always about the goalie, even when it isn't.
Tossup 5/5
4 Washington at 23 Philadelphia
Philly is a weird team. Washington should win, even if the Flyers play their best. But Somehow the Flyers do shut down teams when they play hard and well. Washington being shutout two in a row - that would be crazy. (I still need to watch that Detroit game - Ovechkin had 15 shots with no goals.)
Washington 6/4
8 Minnesota at 24 Carolina
Carolina, woe is me, Carolina! This team creates but doesn't finish. If they do, they can win. Minnesota is not giving up easy goals. Zach Parise is still out, but the team seems to be carrying on.
Minnesota 7/3
17 Vancouver at 16 Ottawa
Ottawa will have to play better in their own zone. There offense looked pretty creative in their last, but the defense zone saw terrible coverage. Vancouver played a solid game against Columbus. Ottawa have dropped a bit since last season, I think it is systemic. They didn't give up the great chances and rebounds they have this season. We'll see if Vancouver can take advantage. Vancouver is a mediocre team that plays well together. They need better pieces.
Ottawa 6/4
26 Calgary at 14 Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay continues to slide. How can this team NOT score? It makes little sense to me, unless they just aren't working. The lines are being jumbled for the game tonight. Calgary is playing better - they are generating some offense it seems (18 goals in their last 5games). If they get three in this one, they should win. I still am holding on to the idea that this Lightning is good and just not putting it all out there. They have to turn it around at some point.
Tampa Bay 6/4
22 Buffalo at 21 Florida
Florida is not a bad team. But they aren't playing so well. Buffalo has that young energy and when Jack Eichel is that energy, the team has a chance every night. He isn't quite in that category, but he is certainly getting there. I enjoy watching him play. Add a very solid Sam Reinhart and the Sabres have a bright future.
Buffalo 7/3
30 Toronto at 7 Nashville
Nashville's offense looked pretty sharp against the Senators the other night. They were getting in front of the goalie and making nice passes. Their own zone coverage faltered a bit, though. If they get the one part right and continue with the other, Toronto doesn't have a chance. And that is a Maple Leafs team that is playing better hockey. Otherwise, Toronto can finish as well as Ottawa did and this could be a barn-burner. Toronto beating Dallas twice now is hard to understand.
Nashville 7/3
12 New Jersey at 9 Chicago
Patrick Kane. This is really a tossup in my mind but I will take Kane's side anyway.
Chicago 6/4
11 Winnipeg at 3 Dallas
With the exception of how they play against Toronto, Dallas is the best team in the league. Benn and Seguin over Wheeler and Byfuglien.
Dallas 8/2
27 Edmonton at 25 Arizona
Edmonton had a nice win vs Anaheim last night. Their forwards are very skilled finishers. I think Arizona will get chances and if they finish a good percentage of them, they win. Edmonton's defense protects the middle, I think they can win.
Tossup 5/5
13 New York Islanders at 5 Los Angeles
The Kings losing to Arizona Tuesday night and Columbus last week keeps me from believing the Kings are fully on stride right now. But they are close. The Isles have a lot to work on but they can beat anyone on a given night. They have that kind of offense.
Los Angeles 6/4
Predictability score: 6.42
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