NHL Grind Down: Thursday, February 25th - Page Two

by Tom Woollam (elctrceye) Last Updated 2016-02-25 19:57:10

Winnipeg Jets at Dallas Stars – 08:30 PM EST

Winnipeg Jets					Dallas Stars
			Ondrej Pavelec					Kari Lehtonen
			Record					Record
			25-30-4					38-17-6
Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%	Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%
Team Stats	2.54	2.93	16.30%	77.50%	Team Stats	3.23	2.79	21.50%	79.20%

Winnipeg is once again on the outside looking in as their 54 points is good for last place in the Central division. After losing their last four games they roll into Dallas on the second half of a home and home which saw the Stars beat the Jets on their home ice Tuesday night by a score of 5-3. Bryan Little is once again ruled out of this one leaving Blake Wheeler and Dustin Byfuglien to pick up the slack. Wheeler leads the team in points and has lit the lamp twice while assisting on four other in the last six games. Byfuglien has been bust Tallying eight points in the last ten games he has played. Mark Scheifele seems to be getting used to playing with Wheeler and Nikolaj Ehlers on the top line as he has scored twice and added an assist on another goal in his last three games. Andrew Ladd would be your one-off in this game as he skates on the second line and has scored four goals in his last three games. Ride him while he is hot.

Head coach Lindy Ruff has gone back to making it easy for the DFS world as he has put his top line of Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn and Jason Spezza on the top power play unit to go along with second liner Patrick Sharp and defenseman John Klingberg. Benn and Seguin have been averaging over a point a game in the last ten games while Spezza has netted five goals for a total of eight points in the last ten games he has played in. Klingberg assisted on three goals last game after going scoreless in the previous three games. There is no need to get fancy here as those five players all have 45 points or more while the next in line is Alex Goligoski who has 25 points.

Editor’s Note

Just when you thought it was safe, Valeri Nichushkin has moved to the top line with Seguin and Benn. It does appear however that Spezza will stay on the top power play unit.

Elite Plays

WIN: Blake Wheeler
DAL: Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn

Secondary Plays

WIN: Dustin Byfuglien, Mark Scheifele, Andrew Ladd
DAL: John Klingberg, Patrick Sharp, Jason Spezza

Nashville Predators at Chicago Blackhawks – 08:30 PM EST

Nashville Predators					Chicago Blackhawks
			Pekka Rinne					Corey Crawford
			Record					Record
			29-21-11					38-19-5
Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%	Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%
Team Stats	2.56	2.56	19.70%	79.70%	Team Stats	2.82	2.39	22.60%	79.90%

Nashville may be travelling Chicago at just about the wrong time after the Blackhawks embarrassing loss on national television last Sunday afternoon. Head coach Peter Laviolette has made the line of Filip Forsberg, Mike Ribeiro and Craig Smith the team’s top power play unit. Forsberg is red hot after his three goal game bolstered his numbers up to more than a point a game over the last ten games while Ribeiro has been cruising along with nine assists in the last ten games he has played. Smith has added two goals and two assists in his last five games. I am not sure whether the supposed top line that features Ryan Johansen and James Neal have just been drawing into some bad luck or the fact that Calle Jarnkrok may not the winger for them but for some reason their only points in the last five games have been two assists by Neal. Keep an eye on defenseman Shea Weber as he was scratched last game with a lower body injury leaving the spoils to Roman Josi and Ryan Ellis. Regardless of Weber’s return Josi is always on the top power play unit and has garnered nine pints in his last ten games. The Predators have only scored seven goals in the last four games so use some caution here, especially against a tough Chicago team at home.

The outdoors were not kind to the Chicago Blackhawks as the upstart Minnesota Wild took them to the woodshed and gave them a good old whipping by a score of 6-1 on Sunday afternoon. Chicago has been in a back and forth battle with the Dallas Stars and need to rebound if they want to stay in the hunt for Central division supremacy. Marian Hossa should start skating this week which will put Richard Panik on a line with Jonathan Toews and Andrew Shaw. The line of Patrick Kane, Artemi Panarin and Artem Anisimov is the one we want to target for cash games tonight. Kane leads the team with 84 points in 62 gamed while Panarin is right behind him pushing for rookie of the year honors with 57 points in 60 games. Chicago has scored eight power play goals in the last four games and could easily get a few chances against a Nashville team that is playing their third game in four nights. Toews, Shaw and Kane play up front while defensemen Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook man the points on the team’s top power play unit. Both Keith and Seabrook have been productive of late so it’s just a matter of whose salary fits better into your lineup as to which one you will use.

Elite Play

NSH: Filip Forsberg
CHI: Patrick Kane

Secondary Plays

NSH: Mike Ribeiro, Roman Josi, Craig Smith, James Neal, Ryan Johansen
CHI: Artemi Panarin, Artem Anisimov, Jonathan Toews, Andrew Shaw, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook

New York Islanders at Calgary Flames – 09:00 PM EST

New York Islanders					Calgary Flames
			Jaroslav Halak					Jonas Hiller
			Record					Record
			32-19-7					26-30-3
Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%	Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%
Team Stats	2.83	2.45	19.90%	87.20%	Team Stats	2.69	3.05	16.00%	73.20%

The Islanders look to improve on their 13-11-3 road record as they play their third game of the current seven-game road trip in Calgary tonight. The New Yorkers have won both games by only letting up one goal in those two games and if they can keep the Gaudreau line in check, they have a good chance of making it three in arrow. John Tavares makes a great one-off play tonight on the road as he is the team leader in scoring and has recorded six goals to go along with seven assists in his last ten games. Ryan Strome and Josh Bailey skate next to him on the team’s top line but aren’t productive as the center that gets most of the power play time. I like the second line here in this game as Calgary has been prone to give up some goals at times which would make Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen decent plays for tonight’s contests. They both play on the top power play unit and have good numbers over the last two weeks with Okposo registering ten points in the last ten games while Nielsen has found the scoresheet seven times over the last eight games he has played in. Nick Leddy is the play on defense as he is averaging a point a game over the last nine games.

There is nothing secretive about the Calgary Flames, in fact it’s pretty easy. Take them at home and stay away from them on the road. This one line team is currently in seventh place in the Pacific division with 55 points and basically need a miracle to jump over three teams to catch the Colorado Avalanche for the last playoff spot. Johnny Gaudreau is the choice here as he has scored 41 of his 58 points on home ice. There’s no need to check and see if the Flames have played more home games so far this season as they have played 30 home games to 29 away games. Sean Monahan is the second choice as they skate together on the top line and top power play unit and also has similar numbers. Monahan’s are a bit less however as he has 27 of his 40 points on home ice. Jiri Hudler rounds out the top line while Mark Giordano and Dougie Hamilton are the choices back at the point. Giordano looks like he is getting back into form as he has scored two goals in his last three games.

Elite Plays

NYI: John Tavares
CAL: Johnny Gaudreau

Secondary Plays

NYI: Kyle Okposo, Nick Leddy, Frans Nielsen
CAL: Sean Monahan, Jiri Hudler, Mark Giordano, Dougie Hamilton

Ottawa Senators at Vancouver Canucks – 10:00 PM EST

Ottawa Senators					Vancouver Canucks
			Craig Anderson					Ryan Miller
			Record					Record
			29-26-6					23-24-12
Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%	Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%
Team Stats	2.79	3.00	18.00%	74.70%	Team Stats	2.34	2.80	17.30%	81.30%

Ottawa is another team that’s on the outside looking in but darn if they aren’t trying to make it interesting. The Senators have won their last four games by only scoring 11 goals so it’s pretty obvious that they have been getting some good goaltending over the past few weeks. There have been two players that have stood out in the last ten games. Mark Stone has scored seven goals to go along with three assists and defenseman Erik Karlsson has 12 points, after that it gets pretty slim. Mike Hoffman hasn’t found the scoresheet in five games while Kyle Turris hasn’t registered a point in the nine games since he returned from injury and they play on the top line with Stone. I would say the second line on the road could be a decent play but Bobby Ryan, Ryan Dzingel and Mika Zibanejad have a combined four goals and five assists over the last nine games, so there’s really not much there. Dion Phaneuf is another defensive option as he has been productive of late by tallying six points in his last nine games.

Vancouver finally broke out of their four game slump to beat the Colorado Avalanche by a score of 5-1 on Sunday night. Daniel and Henrik Sedin lead the team in points and should be the ones to target in this one. Ottawa continues to give up goals while the top Vancouver line seems to be heating up by evidence of both Sedin’s each scoring a goal and adding seven assists for a total of 16 points over the last five games. Line mate Jannik Hansen has tried to keep pace by scoring three goals to go along with two assists in the last five games he has played in. If you want a contrarian play look no further than the second line that features Radim Vrbata and Sven Baertschi. Both can be streaky at times but should get some chances on the power play as they skate on the top unit with Danial and Henrik. Ben Hutton is the choice on defense as he gets the top minutes on the team’s top power play.

Elite Plays

OTT: Erik Karlsson, Mark Stone
VAN: Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin

Secondary Plays

OTT: Dion Phaneuf, Mike Hoffman, Bobby Ryan
VAN: Ben Hutton, Radim Vrbata, Sven Baertschi

Edmonton Oilers at Los Angeles Kings – 10:30 PM EST

Edmonton Oilers					Los Angeles Kings
			Cam Talbot
			Record					Record
			22-33-6					35-20-4
Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%	Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%
Team Stats	2.41	3.05	17.80%	80.00%	Team Stats	2.66	2.31	22.30%	81.90%

The Oilers have won only one game in their last nine games and after tonight, that number will probably be the same. I mean is there any team in the league that has a player like Mark Letestu on their top power play unit and on the point no less? The top line of Connor McDavid, Jordan Eberle and Benoit Pouliot all get the top power play minutes up front and have been averaging at least a point a game each over the last ten games. Taylor Hall is getting back into form as he has scored two goals in the last four games and makes a great one-off play tonight as there is no doubt the Kings will try to shut down the Edmonton top line. Leon Draisaitl skates with Hall if you wanted to get a little more exposure to the oiler’s second line.Andrej Sekera plays the point on the power play but I am thinking there are better plays at the defensive position tonight.

Anze Kopitar returned to the Kings lineup and promptly lit the lamp in their 2-1 victory over Calgary on Tuesday night. Hopefully Kopitar’s return will help Milan Lucic and Dustin Brown as they have only registered one assist over the last five games. The Kings have only scored six goals in the last five games so it’s no wonder that Jeff Carter and Tyler Toffoli have a combined two points in the last five games. Los Angeles should start to score a bit more now that they are healthy, especially tonight against a bad Edmonton team. Drew Doughty is the play on defense as he has registered 11 points in the last ten games. Jake Muzzin is in play on the point and looks like he is starting to heat up as he has a goal and assist in his last two games. Small sample size for sure, but it’s a start.

Elite Plays

EDM: Connor McDavid, Jordan Eberle
LAK: Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty

Secondary Plays

EDM: Benoit Pouliot, Taylor Hall
LAK: Jeff Carter, Milan Lucic, Tyler Toffoli, Jake Muzzin

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