NHL Grind Down: Thursday, March 24th - Page Two
Los Angeles Kings at Winnipeg Jets – 08:00 PM EDT
| Los Angeles Kings | Winnipeg Jets | ||||||||
 |  | Michael Hutchinson | |||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 44-24-5 | 30-37-6 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.70 | 2.26 | 20.50% | 81.30% | Team Stats | 2.52 | 2.92 | 14.60% | 78.50% |
The Kings have dropped back-to-back games on the road and will look to avoid only their third three-game losing streak of the season. They will take on a Jets team which picked up a rare win on Tuesday night against the catastrophic Canucks. The Kings boast a top-10 rated power play unit and draw a good matchup against the Jets mediocre penalty kill. Furthermore, the Jets are one of the most penalized teams in the league. The best option for the Kings is the outstanding Anze Kopitar who has 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists, +16) in 23 post All-Star break games. Also take a look at Tyler Toffoli who has excelled on the road this year, tallying 27 points (14 goals, 13 assists, +18) with 102 shots on goal (2.76 per game) in 37 games.
Blake Wheeler continues his outstanding season as the underrated winger has 64 points (19 goals, 45 assists) in 73 games. The Jets will need a big game from him tonight if they want to send the Kings to their third consecutive loss. Winnipeg has scored only one power play goal in their last 10 games and will not find scoring tonight much easier as the Kings lead the league in fewest goals allowed at just 2.26 per game. Outside of an ultra contrarian stack of Wheeler’s line, which is expected to have Nikolaj Ehlers a part of it, the Jets should be avoided.
Elite Plays
LA: Anze Kopitar, Tyler Toffoli
WPG: Blake Wheeler
Secondary Plays
LA: Jeff Carter, Drew Doughty
WPG: Mark Scheifele
Vancouver Canucks at Nashville Predators – 08:00 PM EDT
| Vancouver Canucks | Nashville Predators | ||||||||
 | Ryan Miller |  | Pekka Rinne | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 27-33-12 | 37-23-13 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.26 | 2.83 | 16.50% | 81.90% | Team Stats | 2.73 | 2.55 | 19.80% | 81.00% |
It gets uglier and uglier for the Canucks who have been shutout in three consecutive games. They have allowed a staggering 99 shots on goal in their last two games. Both Sedins are banged up, and their defense is a mess. It has been Miller and Markstrom standing on their head just to keep the final scores from looking like blowouts. Nashville has scored 5, 5, 4, 4 and 5 goals in their last five home games and they should easily find their way to three or more again tonight considering how hopeless the Canucks look.
As mentioned above, the Predators have potted 23 goals in their last five home games as both the first line duo of Ryan Johansen and James Neal as well as the second line duo of Filip Forsberg and Craig Smith have been outstanding over the past month. Neal has five goals in his last four games and Forsberg has been a beast on home ice as he has 32 points (19 goals, 13 assists, +10) in 35 games. The dynamic duo of Shea Weber and Roman Josi are very safe tonight and at least one of them should find their way in the scoresheet. The Canucks have not scored a goal in 228 consecutive minutes making Pekka Rinne an elite option in net, especially with the goal support he should receive.
Elite Plays
VAN: None
NSH: Filip Forsberg, James Neal, Shea Weber, Roman Josi, Pekka Rinne
Secondary Plays
VAN: None
NSH: Ryan Johansen, Craig Smith, Ryan Ellis
Calgary Flames at Minnesota Wild – 08:00 PM EDT
| Calgary Flames | Minnesota Wild | ||||||||
 | Niklas Backstrom |  | Devan Dubnyk | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 31-36-6 | 35-28-11 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.74 | 3.08 | 15.90% | 75.60% | Team Stats | 2.61 | 2.50 | 18.90% | 77.80% |
The Flames have struggled on the road all season long as they are a miserable 11-21-1 away from the Saddledome. They will start Nicklas Backstrom in net. Backstrom picked up his first win in two years the other night in Montreal, making 21 saves on 22 shots. The long-time Wild goalie will need to be sharp again against a Minnesota team fighting for a playoff berth. Outside of being pulled in New Jersey, Devan Dubnyk has been rock solid having allowed three or less goals in his previous 16 starts. While Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan are capable of going off at any time, Calgary should be avoided.
After an extremely ugly 7:4 loss in New Jersey one week ago, Minnesota has responded with three wins in a row, two of which came against the Blackhawks and Kings. They are in a good spot here against a road-weary Flames team who has the second-worst penalty kill and has allowed the most goals per game (3.08) in the league. Jason Pominville is expected to return tonight on a line with Nino Niederreiter and Erik Haula, both of who have been playing well, while Zach Parise will move back to the first line as Jason Zucker is a healthy scratch. Parise’s price has come down over the last month but for good reason, as he does not appear 100%. His linemates Mikko Koivu and Charlie Coyle have bargain prices and make for strong options as the Wild should be able to find the back of the net a few times tonight.
Elite Plays
CGY: None
MIN: Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu
Secondary Plays
CGY: Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, Mark Giordano
MIN: Devan Dubnyk, Charlie Coyle, Ryan Suter
Philadelphia Flyers at Colorado Avalanche – 09:00 PM EDT
| Philadelphia Flyers | Colorado Avalanche | ||||||||
 | Steve Mason |  | Semyon Varlamov | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 35-24-13 | 38-31-4 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.58 | 2.57 | 18.20% | 80.90% | Team Stats | 2.66 | 2.79 | 19.40% | 82.10% |
In what would be a great game to watch if the Avalanche were healthy, the Flyers will travel to the Pepsi Center tonight on the heels of a blown two-goal lead with a minute left in Columbus. This will be their third game in four nights, and the thin Denver air could catch up to them as the game goes on. Nonetheless, the Flyers’ top line of Schenn, Giroux and Simmonds should be in line for a good game. Giroux has goals in back-to-back games and peppered Bobrovsky with nine shots on goal on Tuesday night. The Flyers’ captain is averaging nearly a point per game on the road and should find his way into the scoresheet again tonight against an Avalanche team giving up the third most shots per game in the league.
Colorado is without its top two centers, Matt Duchene and Nathan MacKinnon, which hurts a team which peripherals already say should not be anywhere near a playoff position. The Avalanche did however get their captain, Gabriel Landeskog, back on Sunday. Landeskog picked up a goal and an assist and will be relied upon heavily tonight against the Flyers. The Flyers looked gassed on the back-to-back Tuesday night as they gave up a whopping 53 shots on goal. Carl Soderberg has picked up his play in the two weeks as the former Bruin has five points in six games and will play alongside his fellow Swede.
Elite Plays
PHI: Claude Giroux, Brayden Schenn, Shayne Gostisbehere
COL: Gabriel Landeskog, Carl Soderberg
Secondary Plays
PHI: Wayne Simmonds, Jakub Voracek
COL: Mikkel Boedker, Jarome Iginla, Tyson Barrie
Dallas Stars at Arizona Coyotes – 10:00 PM EDT
| Dallas Stars | Arizona Coyotes | ||||||||
 | Kari Lehtonen |  | Louis Domingue | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 44-21-9 | 32-34-7 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 3.24 | 2.85 | 22.30% | 80.80% | Team Stats | 2.62 | 2.99 | 18.60% | 78.10% |
Even with the loss of Tyler Seguin, the Dallas Stars are scoring goals including six the other night in Chicago. Dallas is the highest scoring team (3.24 goals per game) and has the league’s third-best power play (22.3%). They should like their chances to score some more goals against a Coyotes team ranked near the bottom in the league when shorthanded. Furthermore, the Coyotes have surrendered the fourth-most goals per game (2.99). Jason Spezza has points (8 goals, 2 assists) in nine of his last 10 games played and makes for a good play tonight, even though a good chunk of those games came when he was skating alongside Tyler Seguin. Jamie Benn, second in the league in points, is a fantastic play tonight. Benn has four goals and eight assists in his last 10 games and figures to be involved again tonight, especially alongside a hot Cody Eakin and Patrick Sharp who is back after missing some time.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson returned for the Coyotes last game and did OEL-like things, recording an assist and a +3 rating. He is the Coyotes best offensive threat, especially at home where he has been absolutely fantastic: 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists, +13) in 35 games. He makes for an elite play against a team which struggles dealing with dynamic defensemen. Soon-to-be 40 year old Coyotes’ captain Shane Doan can be considered for tournaments as Doan has 28 points (18 goals, 10 assists, +7) in 33 home games.
Elite Plays
DAL: Jamie Benn, Cody Eakin, John Klingberg
ARI: Oliver Ekman-Larsson
DAL: Jason Spezza, Patrick Eaves
ARI: Alex Tanguay, Shane Doan, Michael Stone