Was hoping to be 2-0 in the early window and just call it a day, but in a major rarity the Blue Jackets lost a home game in which they scored first. And home is all this is. Calgary as we have said many times is just completely different in the Saddledome, and this concludes a six-game homestand in which the Flames had won all until blowing a late lead Thursday and falling in OT. The Canucks quit weeks ago and are tanking for lottery purposes. Struggling Nikita Tolopilo gets his first start in net in two weeks. His road GAA on the year is 4.03.
The Sharks were a nice story for a while but have fallen off a cliff with six straight losses to all but end any West wild-card hopes. They are four games under .500 away, and this is the end of a trip. Columbus is right in the middle of the East playoff chase and terrific at home with only eight regulation losses. The Jackets have points in 12 straight home games, tying a franchise record. Overall, Columbus is 20-4-4 since Jan. 11 and leads the NHL in points percentage (.786) in that span.
This will go up probably 20-25 cents by Saturday early puck drop as massive disappointment Florida is shutting guys down left and right with the playoffs a pipe dream at this point. The mini-dynasty is finished. The Islanders need every point they can get for an East playoff spot and already have confirmed No. 1 Ilya Sorokin in net for Saturday. The Vezina candidate leads the NHL with seven shutouts and has won his past two, allowing just one goal on 53 total shots.
The Flames would be Stanley Cup contenders if every game were in Calgary whereas on the road they might be the worst team in the league. Just shocking splits. The Flames are unbeaten in the first four of this six-game homestand. Calgary has overcome a deficit in each of their last two games and can record three consecutive comeback wins for the first time since 2024-25. Netminder Devin Cooley has a 1.85 GAA vs. the Ducks this season. Anaheim is 2-0 in the series but won in OT and a shootout.
Hit a bit of a rough patch in hockey this week as a lot of decent-sized road underdogs have been winning. Rarely good for me. But I don't think this will keep going as this is usually the time of year favorites dominate because they are the ones generally pushing for the playoffs. And that's the case here. The Hawks are playing out the string, while the Flyers absolutely, positively have to get the full two points so I'll just stick with the moneyline. Over his last five outings, netminder Dan Vladar has a 1.76 GAA and a .931 save percentage. Philly eyes the sweep courtesy of a 3-1 win in the Windy City on Dec. 23.
Second of a back-to-back on Wednesday for Boston, which will mean a major downgrade in net (barring something very unusual) to Joonas Korpisalo, who has a single win in his past six with a 3.93 GAA and .876 SV. Buffalo returns to NY from a four-game trip with one of the best home marks in the league at 22-9-3 and off since Sunday. The Sabres have won 32 games when scoring first this season, second most in the league. They lost two early-season meetings with Boston but won the most recent home matchup easily.
The Oilers can't start Connor Ingram in net every single game, so they are going with Tristan Jarry tonight and he's the fade reason. The former Penguin gave up seven in his last start on March 12 and has a brutal 4.17 GAA overall since joining the Oilers in trade from Pittsburgh. The Edmonton offense clearly misses Leon Draisaitl having dropped two straight and totaling two goals. The Mammoth haven't won in four tries in this series since moving to Utah, so they are due. Edmonton is 2-for-16 on the power play over the past five, while Utah's PK 15-for-17 over the last five.
We probably get backup David Rittich on Tuesday for the Isles, but that should be fine as he's 11-3-1 with a 2.48 GAA on home ice. Better numbers than No. 1 Ilya Sorokin. We are at the point of the season where certain teams just have to get two points and this is such a game for the East playoff-hopeful Islanders. Matthew Schaefer is one goal shy of tying the single-season NHL rookie record for a blueliner. Chicago is playing out the string. The Hawks haven't scored more than three goals in 10 straight.
I will say that recent trends indicate we might bet backup Joonas Korpisalo in net for Boston on Tuesday, but I'm not sure it matters as the Leafs are in full Pacers/Wizards/Jazz tank mode. What a shockingly bad season. Lot of changes up yonder coming. The B's have to get the two points as they chase a playoff spot and should still win even with Korpisalo. Maybe they hold off one more game and go with Jeremy Swayman, who has been dominant on home ice. The B's do play again Wednesday and since Swayman's road splits aren't great, I'd sure start him Tuesday and Korpy on Wednesday in Buffalo when the B's probably lose anyways.
Somewhat calm before the storm pre-stretch run in the NHL with just the one game Monday. Simply a must-get two points for the Senators, who are just outside the current East playoff field. They are on a 13-5 run. The Blueshirts are in full quit mode, losing a fourth straight Sunday in a shootout to Winnipeg. Inexplicably, New York is now 9-17-7 at Madison Square Garden, which used to rival whatever the Avalanche's building is called these days as the toughest place for opponents to play in the league. Igor Shesterkin has been average this month with a 3.15 GAA.
The Lightning are certainly light years better than the Flames but it's a tricky spot for Tampa Bay in the second of a back-to-back off a marquee win in Edmonton on Saturday -- always tough to complete the "Alberta Sweep" -- and the end of a long trip. Hall of Fame blueliner Victor Hedman sat Saturday and probably does here and we will get backup Jonas Johansson, who allowed eight goals last time out. That was his third time giving up at least five in his past four outings. Johansson's last win was Jan. 12.
Not sure what to expect from Nashville's Matt Murray (not the Seattle one) in his first NHL start since the 2023-24 season, but he faces a Hawks offense that is third-to-last in the league, and Murray had good numbers in the AHL this year. Chicago's Spencer Knight has a 2.52 home GAA. Two of the three matchups this season in the series have landed Under. The Preds average 2.8 goals away. This is our only book at 6.5 and may flip to 5.5 soon.
Another big game in the East playoff race between these Original Six rivals. Probably a coin flip/pass at a neutral site, but the Bruins are well under .500 away and No. 1 goalie Jeremy Swayman's 3.29 road GAA is nearly a goal higher than at home. The Wings get a few injured guys back but not quite Dylan Larkin yet, so will keep to a half-unit -- also to ensure finishing up in hockey thanks to Columbus' just-completed cover.
I lean toward a push like we got in Jets-Penguins earlier this afternoon but maybe we get lucky. Seattle is no slouch but outscored 9-3 in a two-game skid and .500 away. Columbus has the league's fewest regulation home losses and has won three straight overall. The Blue Jackets, a completely different team since a mid-January coaching change -- turnarounds seem to happen more with NHL midseason coaching changes than other leagues -- are fully healthy and won the first meeting in a shootout.
The Pens can't lose on Kris Letang bobblehead day! I wouldn't mind having one of the future Hall of Famer myself (rather have Sidney Crosby, who just returned from his long injury absence) even if not a fan of the team. It is Pittsburgh's first home game since March 8 and it has won 20 of the past 23 on home ice in this series. The Jets, in the front of a B2B, enter having lost two in a row to probably end any slim playoff hopes. The Pens are an East playoff team as things stand but it's very tight and a regulation loss could knock them out temporarily. Bryan Rust has a five-game points streak and Rickard Rakell seven in a row.