NHL Grind Down: Tuesday, December 20th - Page Two
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Anaheim Ducks at Montréal Canadiens
| Anaheim Ducks | Montréal Canadiens | ||||||||
 | Jonathan Bernier |  | Carey Price | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 17-11-5 | 20-7-4 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.82 | 2.76 | 25.00% | 81.40% | Team Stats | 3.06 | 2.19 | 19.40% | 80.70% |
The top line of Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Rickard Rakell will be the trio that the Montreal Canadiens will try to stop tonight. Anaheim is in the mix for the Pacific Division lead but their downfall just may be their play on the road. Although it is right around five hundred it could be a lot better especially since they have two lines that can score on a regular basis. Getzlaf and Perry are at the top of the Ducks scoring list while Rakell is scoring at a clip of a point a game since his return. Ryan Kesler can either be used as a one-off as he is right up there with Perry and Getzlaf in points or you can choose to use the full second line for GPP play. Jakob Silfverberg and Andrew Cogliano are the players to target here, especially Silfverberg who was tied for the team lead in shots with 92 going into last night’s game. Cam Fowler is usually the choice on the back line as he gets to quarterback a lot of talent from the point when the Ducks get the man advantage. Nine of his 20 points have come from the power play with Sami Vatanen has registered nine of his 14 points while on the power play. Montreal is a tough team at home so maybe the tired Ducks won’t have the energy to take this one away from the home team.
Montreal is one of the toughest teams to beat on home ice especially after a loss. The lines were changed up a bit for Saturday’s game at Washington in which the Canadiens were able to walk away with a 2-1 victory. Max Pacioretty and Alexander Radulov saw Phillip Danault join them on the top line while Paul Byron, Torrey Mitchell and Brendan Gallagher skated as the team’s second line. Tomas Plekanec was moved all the way down to the third line with Artturi Lehkonen and Brian Flynn. Andrei Markov is a question mark for tonight’s game on the back line as he left the last game with an upper-body injury. This means that Shea Weber or Jeff Petry would be the play on the back line and the choice is easy. If you want to go the slow and steady pace then Weber is the play, if you want to go recent production then Petry is the guy you want to click on tonight. Petry has four points and a team leading 18 shots over the last five games while Pacioretty leads the team with 25 points while collecting five goals and two assists over the same time period. Montreal has only lost two games on home ice all year and host an Anaheim team that played last night in Toronto.
Elite Plays
ANA: Rickard Rakell, Ryan Getzlaf
MTL: Max Pacioretty, Alexander Radulov
Secondary Plays
ANA: Corey Perry, Cam Fowler, Sami Vatanen, Jakob Silfverberg
MTL: Shea Weber, Brendan Gallagher, Phillip Danault, Jeff Petry
Detroit Red Wings at Tampa Bay Lightning
| Detroit Red Wings | Tampa Bay Lightning | ||||||||
 | Petr Mrazek |  | Ben Bishop | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 14-14-4 | 15-14-3 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.31 | 2.78 | 13.00% | 82.80% | Team Stats | 2.78 | 2.78 | 22.80% | 78.20% |
The Red Wings finally got their scoring together as they put a six-spot up against the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday night. This was refreshing as Detroit had lost the last four games and had only found the back of the net just three times in those games. They were supposed to play in Carolina last night but due to ice compression problems the game was canceled so it’s off to Florida to face the undermanned Tampa Bay Lightning. Henrik Zetterberg, Tomas Tatar and Anthony Mantha serve as the team’s top line with Tatar having the hot hand now by scoring three of the last eight goals while Zetterberg leads the team with 21 points in 32 games. It seems that head coach Jeff Blashill has changed up the second line a bit as Gustav Nyquist will now skate with Frans Nielsen and Thomas Vanek. Just based on talent alone makes this group a nice GPP play as all three players are tied for third on the team in points with 17 with Vanek being the one-off as he has his points in just 21 games. Dylan Larkin is stuck on the third line as he leads the team in shots with 96 of them. It looks like Mike Green will need to be re-evaluated before he jumps back on the ice at the point which means one of the other defensemen will have to step up. Niklas Kronwall gets the extra power play duty but he just doesn’t shoot enough to make any difference. In 19 games he has 16 shots and two assists so maybe taking a flyer on Danny Dekeyser or Xavier Ouellet may look tempting, I don’t think I’d take that chance. Not with 11 other games on the slate as you can surely find someone better at that price point.
Tampa has more problems than they can shake a stick at as now they have placed Nikita Kucherov on the injured reserve list. This is a tough game for the Lightning as both teams are within striking distance of third place Boston in the Atlantic Division. Vladislav Namestnikov, Alex Killorn and Brayden Point skate on the second line as Jonathan Drouin, Brian Boyle and Valtteri Filppula is the line to target here on home ice. This line has accounted for seven of the last 14 goals Tampa has scored with Drouin leading the way by lighting the lamp four times. Conversely Filppula has chipped in with a goal and six points over the last five games. Victor Hedman is the play from the back line as he has the same statistics as Filppula over the last five games while quarterbacking the team’s top power play unit. Tyler Johnson also skates on the top unit with Hedman, Boyle, Point and Filppula as eight of his 17 points have come with the man advantage so far this season. The only thing the Lightning may have going for them is the fact that Detroit played in Carolina last night but until they get some solid lines together it may be best to use caution here.
Elite Plays
DET: None
TB: None
Secondary Plays
DET: Henrik Zetterberg, Anthony Mantha, Thomas Vanek, Dylan Larkin
TB: Victor Hedman, Vladislav Namestnikov, Alex Killorn, Jonathan Drouin, Valtteri Filppula
Colorado Avalanche at Minnesota Wild
| Colorado Avalanche | Minnesota Wild | ||||||||
 | Semyon Varlamov |  | Devan Dubnyk | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 11-18-1 | 18-8-4 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.17 | 3.20 | 16.50% | 80.30% | Team Stats | 2.93 | 1.93 | 16.70% | 84.30% |
Not much has changed since I last wrote about the Colorado Avalanche. They still have the least points in the league, they still have the least goals in the league with 65 and they still stink, plain and simple. Nine goals in the last five games is not something to write home about nor should they so it really doesn’t matter how much they shake up the lines, they just aren’t a good team. Nathan MacKinnon is tie with Matt Duchene for the team lead in points with 21 points as he skates with Mikko Rantanen and the slumping Gabriel Landeskog. Duchene has put up his points in 25 games played which makes him the closest thing to a safe play as anyone on this team. Mikhail Grigorenko and Rene Bourque are the lucky ones to get exposure to Duchene but even these guys are close to unplayable. With a team not scoring like Colorado it’s very tough to recommend anyone so if you had to Duchene and MacKinnon are the choices here. Tyson Barrie has seen all kinds of extra ice time as his power play time makes him the only player to average over 23 minutes of ice time per game. His one assist in the last five games gives him 13 points on the season. Yes, it’s that bad.
With all of talk about winning streaks going on in the Metropolitan Division Minnesota has been quietly working on one of their own. The Wild will go for their eighth straight win at home against a Colorado team that is 7-8 away from Pepsi Center. The top line of Eric Staal, Zach Parise and Jason Pominville is the one to target here as they also serve as the team’s top power play unit. Staal leads the team in both goals and assists while Parise seems to be finally getting up to speed as evidence of his four points and a team leading 17 shots on goal over the last five games. Mikael Granlund, Mikko Koivu and Jason Zucker have tallied five goals and six assists over the last five games while third liner Nino Niederreiter is probably a one-off play here as his five points over the last five games has boosted his season total to 20. If you want to try to catch lightning in a bottle I wouldn’t be opposed to pairing Niederreiter with his line mate Charlie Coyle who is second on the team in points with 10 goals and 12 assists. Defenseman Ryan Suter is always in play when the Wild are scoring, which they are, but you can also use Matthew Dumba for some salary relief as both play the point when the Wild draw a penalty. Colorado has won just two games in their last 12 making Minnesota at least worth a look tonight.
Elite Plays
COL: Matt Duchene
MIN: Eric Staal
Secondary Plays
COL: Nathan MacKinnon, Tyson Barrie, Mikko Rantanen
MIN: Zach Parise, Ryan Suter, Mikko Koivu, Charlie Coyle, Nino Niederreiter
Ottawa Senators at Chicago Blackhawks
| Ottawa Senators | Chicago Blackhawks | ||||||||
 | Mike Condon |  | Scott Darling | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 18-11-3 | 22-8-4 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.47 | 2.63 | 16.80% | 82.40% | Team Stats | 2.82 | 2.32 | 18.10% | 73.90% |
With consecutive wins over the Islanders and New Jersey the Senators have been able to tread water for the moment as they still remain in second place in the Atlantic Division. Tonight the completion will be a little tougher as they try to steal a win at Chicago against the Blackhawks tonight. Kyle Turris, Bobby Ryan and Ryan Dzingel comprise one solid line while the second line of Zack Smith, Derick Brassard and Mark Stone provides some scoring punch as well. Smith and Stone are the ones to watch here as they have each compiled six points over the last five games. Stone also is second on the team in scoring with ten goals and 16 assists through 31 games. Ryan has been hot of late as well as he has scored three of his six goals over that same time frame. Erik Karlsson is usually the play on the back line as he leads the team in points with 30 but Dion Phaneuf has had a resurgence of sorts since being put on the top power play unit with Karlsson. Turris, Brassard and Stone join the two defensemen when the team draws a penalty and should be the first players to target tonight.
Not to be outdone the Chicago Blackhawks have a nice little five game win streak of their own going into tonight’s contest. The only question will be whether or not Artem Anisimov will lace them up or not as he was held out of Sunday’s game with an upper-body injury. Jonathan Toews moved to the top line with Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin while Vincent Hinostroza centered Ryan Hartman and Marian Hossa. Regardless of what happens Kane and Panarin are the plays tonight on home ice as they have combined 16 points in the last five games with Panarin lighting the lamp four times en route to 11 points. The 11 points has shot Panarin up to the top of the Blackhawks scoring chart with 34 points in 34 games while Kane is hot on his heels with 32. If Anisimov comes back then that would complete what would appear to be a decent cash game stack for tonight’s contests. Hartman and Hossa make for a decent duo for GPP play as they have combined for seven points over the last five games while Hossa leads the team in goals with 16. Defenseman Duncan Keith has registered five of his 22 points over the last five games as he is a staple on the Blackhawks top power play unit. Brent Seabrook can be used here as well as his 19 points certainly doesn’t pale to Keith’s numbers but falls a little short in the shot department where Keith holds the edge by a 74-49 margin. The Hawks should keep rolling tonight and could be the highest owned team in cash game play tonight.
Elite Plays
OTT: Mark Stone, Erik Karlsson
CHI: Artemi Panarin, Patrick Kane
Secondary Plays
OTT: Kyle Turris, Bobby Ryan, Ryan Dzingel, Derick Brassard
CHI: Marian Hossa, Duncan Keith, Jonathan Toews, Brent Seabrook
St. Louis Blues at Dallas Stars
| St. Louis Blues | Dallas Stars | ||||||||
 | Jake Allen |  | Antti Niemi | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 17-11-5 | 13-14-6 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.79 | 2.88 | 21.70% | 88.60% | Team Stats | 2.55 | 3.06 | 16.50% | 77.40% |
The Blues switched up their lines last night which enables them to make their top power play from three different lines. I am not a big fan of this as I think it takes away from the chemistry a little bit but when you are talking about Ken Hitchcock at the helm, it’s anything goes. Vladimir Tarasenko and Robby Fabbri are the ones to target here as they get the call when the Blues draw a penalty for the extra ice time. Jori Lehtera joins them at even strength but has been in the doghouse countless times this season and his statistics show that. Tarasenko leads the team in both goals and assists going into last night’s game with 15 and 22 respectively so one would think that a guy like Lehtera skating next to him would have more than ten points this season. Alexander Steen and Jaden Schwartz join the deadly duo on the top power play unit with Steen playing on a line with Patrik Berglund and David Perron while Schwartz gets Paul Stastny and Nail Yakupov at even strength. Kevin Shattenkirk is second on the team in scoring from the point and should be strongly considered for your cash game play tonight. Going into last night’s game 13 of Shattenkirk’s 22 points came with the man advantage. While we are at it if you are really desperate maybe take a peek at defenseman Brad Hunt as he had collected four points in the four games he had played in before last night’s game.
Dallas head coach is about the biggest troll you will find when it comes to saying one thing and doing another. He would like you to believe that splitting up Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn is a good idea. He will even go as far as to put them on different lines in practice and while yes, they will start the game on different lines they soon get paired back together at any sign of trouble. Take Saturday for example as they started on different lines against Philadelphia but once the Flyers scored the first goal, they were back together almost immediately. Patrick Eaves should join them on the top line which should make them the line to target here at home against a Blues team that is 4-9-1 away from the home crowd. I don’t have to sell you one Benn and Seguin but as far as Eaves goes, he leads the team in goals with 11 of them and that’s good enough for me. Jason Spezza makes for a decent one-off here as he centers the second line but gets exposure to the top power play unit. He has found the scoresheet four times over the last five games which now has him at five goals and ten assists in 26 games. Jiri Hudler and Lauri Korpikoski join him on the second line and should only be used as a deeper tournament play. John Klingberg is the play on defense as he quarterbacks the team’s top power play unit. Much like Tyson Barrie, he also leads his team in terms of ice time per game with just under 23 minutes on a nightly basis. Dallas is lethal enough to score a few tonight as long as Lindy Ruff can control himself and keep the parts together.
Elite Plays
STL: Vladimir Tarasenko
DAL: Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin
Secondary Plays
STL: Jaden Schwartz, Kevin Shattenkirk, Alexander Steen, Paul Stastny
DAL: Jason Spezza John Klingberg, Patrick Eaves