3 Expert Picks
The Jets are coming but is it too late for them to sneak into the Western Conference playoff picture? ...
Utah looks to continue its playoff push...
Seattle is desperate for two points. ...
My Total: 6 flat Projected Starters: Ingram (EDM) vs Daccord (SEA) Edmonton has started to show signs of the defensive structure that led them to the Stanley Cup Finals each of the past two seasons. Connor Ingram might be the team's most reliable option since Mike Smith manned the pipes. Over their L5 games the Oilers grade out a top 10 defensive side while the Kraken bottom 5 in generating scoring opportunities. On the other side of the ice the Oilers still have 97 but aren't trying to play pond hockey the same way we saw earlier this year. Seattle has been a bit leaky themselves but with so much at stake for both sides 6.5 on the total was a touch rich for me.
Seattle has a single win on this six-game trip that concludes in Edmonton. The Kraken have lost their past six trips to Rogers Place and are just 5-9-2 since the Olympic break. Joey Daccord (should be him -- Kraken taking forever to make it official) has lost three in a row and has a 4.52 GAA this year against the Oilers. For Edmonton, Matt Savoie has stepped up in place of the injured Leon Draisaitl with goals in three consecutive games. Connor Ingram has won back-to-back outings in net.
The New Jersey Devils still have an outside shot at making the playoffs. Until they are officially eliminated, New Jersey remains a team I want to back. The Devils are 2-0 against the Rangers this season, outscoring them 12-6 and outshooting them 74-38 across both games. New Jersey ranks 14th in shots against and has a +178 shot differential, while the Rangers are ranked 26th with a -294 shot differential. New Jersey ranks 16th in scoring chances, compared to the Rangers at 26th. MSG has been a nightmare for New York, as the team has posted a dismal 11-25 home record. New York is coming off a win against the Panthers, but teams are just 26-40 after facing the defending back-to-back champions.
Hopefully favorites can make one big last push the final two weeks or so of the NHL regular season as underdogs have still been doing well of late. The Isles were small upset home losers Monday, and tonight's starter in net David Rittich had to see action in that 8-3 defeat to Pittsburgh in relief of Ilya Sorokin. Rittich hasn't been great in March with a 4.18 GAA. Overall, he's 3-6-2 away. Buffalo has been off since Saturday and is 10-2-2 in March. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is 3-1-1 with a .937 save percentage in his last five games. The Sabres have beaten Rittich and the Islanders both times this season.
My Projected total: 6 (-110) Expected Goalies: Hofer (STL) vs Nedeljkovic (SJS) The Blues have found their strength; it's playing a compact defensive style in front of two goaltenders that have been very good since the return from the Olympics. San Jose meanwhile still wants to play more open but turning every game into a trackmeet isn't the best recipe for success. I still don't believe the market has captured how good the Blues are defensively limiting chances while the goaltending has shown flashes so we'll go early on this total before the 6.5 disappears from market
The Leafs, 2-8 in their past 10 roadies, have nothing to play for other than pride and could officially be eliminated from playoff contention Monday depending. Anaheim is battling for the Pacific Division title and a terrific 23-10-2 on home ice. Blueliner and trade acquisition John Carlson has eight assists through his first seven games with the Ducks -- most by a player through their first seven games with Anaheim. The Ducks lead the NHL with 25 comeback wins, so don't fret a possible 1-0 hole.
Second of a back-to-back for both, but I think the goalie setup works in our favor. The Blue Jackets have among the fewest regulation home losses in the league but took a tough one Saturday, twice blowing one-goal leads (that hurt) vs. San Jose. But Columbus used its lesser goalie in Elvis Merzlikins, meaning Jet Greaves today. He has a 1.66 GAA and .929 SV over his past six. Boston presumably will have to use backup Joonas Korpisalo in the second of a B2B. He's 3-5-4 away with a 3.51 GAA.
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.
My Price: Flyers +112 Goalies: (PHI) Vladar is confirmed while John Gibson (DET) is expected to start the 2nd leg of a back to back; if Gibson can't go my number drops to Flyers +103 Detroit had a great performance last night vs Buffalo; tallying 3 1st period goals for the first time in a long time and playing from a very positive game state against an overvalued Sabres side. Detroit has all the pressure shifting to them here and they've struggled in back to backs all season; I just can't get to this number. Late in the year I prefer backing teams outside the playoff race that are still fighting and Philly fits that bill. Live dog here for us tonight.
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.