NHL Grind Down: Saturday, March 12th - Page Three
New Jersey Devils at Los Angeles Kings – 10:30 PM EST
| New Jersey Devils | Los Angeles Kings | ||||||||
 |  | ||||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 32-29-7 | 40-22-4 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.19 | 2.41 | 20.90% | 82.20% | Team Stats | 2.68 | 2.27 | 22.30% | 80.80% |
New Jersey surprised the hockey world a few nights ago as they blanked the Sharks in the tank 3:0. The Devils are once again the biggest underdog of the night. They have managed a total of 34 shots on goal the last two games and they’ll struggle to find any room again tonight against the Kings. New Jersey is rock bottom in goals scored per game and much like Vancouver, their players should be avoided in all formats. They’ll need an exceptional effort from Kinkaid once again and also hope the Kings are looking ahead to their upcoming game in Chicago.
The Kings have played well all season long. At home, they are 21-11-1 including back-to-back wins scoring five goals and four goals, respectively. Sutter’s move to put Jeff Carter on the top line with Milan Lucic and Anze Kopitar has worked wonders as Carter has scored three goals on a whopping 15 shots on goal in these two games. Carter has played well at home where he is +10 and has 25 points in 32 games. With Kopitar centering him, Carter’s stock is rising. Kopitar has been one of the best players in the league all season long as he has 58 points (20 goals, 38 assists, +26) in 65 games. This line sets up as one of the safest of the evening. Goalie Jonathan Quick is in play, but given the limited number of shots he will see, he is only a secondary play as he will likely need to be extra sharp to pay off his salary.
Elite Plays
NJ: None
LA: Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter, Drew Doughty
Secondary plays
NJ: None
LA: Tyler Toffoli, Jake Muzzin, Jonathan Quick
Washington Capitals at San Jose Sharks – 10:30 PM EST
| Washington Capitals | San Jose Sharks | ||||||||
 | Ondrej Pavelec |  | |||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 49-13-5 | 37-24-6 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 3.18 | 2.30 | 23.70% | 84.50% | Team Stats | 2.91 | 2.60 | 21.90% | 79.60% |
Washington has played twelve consecutive one-goal games. How’s that for consistency? This is the second meeting of the year between these two teams. The last was early in October when the Sharks surprisingly pounded the Caps 5:0 in Washington. Don’t expect the same thing here. Washington is second in the league in goals per game and boasts the leagues best power-play. Alex Ovechkin is in play here of course, though his salary will cost you. A third of Ovechkin’s 61 points have come on the power-play and much of the Sharks lack of success last season can be attributed to their weak penalty kill. This year, it’s been better, but not by much. Nicklas Backstrom has eight points in his last eight games and has been rock solid on the road where he has 34 points (12 goals, 22 assists) in 33 games. Given his moderate price and the likelihood Washington finds success on the power-play, the often underlooked Swede is in play. Additionally, young Evgeny Kuznetsov, who is having a remarkable season, is a strong choice as well.
The Sharks threw up a stinker the other night as they were blanked by the Devils. It marked the end of a torrid stretch by defenseman Brent Burns who had four goals and five assists in a five game stretch. His price is in the clouds now, but it’s for good reason as he has unbelievable upside. While a matchup vs. Washington and their fourth-best penalty kill is less than ideal, the Sharks will need a strong effort from Burns and company to edge the Caps here. That brings us to Joe Pavelski who has five goals and five assists in his last 10 games. He’s the Sharks biggest goal scoring threat and should find his way to a handful of shots, but whether or not they beat Holtby is something you must consider. Jumbo Joe Thornton is also in the mix as the underappreciated distributor has been routinely finding the scoresheet for months now.
Elite Plays
WSH: Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov
SJ: Joe Pavelski, Brent Burns
Secondary plays
WSH: Nicklas Backstrom
SJ: Joe Thornton, Logan Couture