NHL Grind Down: Tuesday, January 31st - Page Two
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Boston Bruins at Tampa Bay Lightning
| Boston Bruins | Tampa Bay Lightning | ||||||||
 | Tuukka Rask |  | Ben Bishop | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 25-21-6 | 22-22-6 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.48 | 2.56 | 17.40% | 86.50% | Team Stats | 2.68 | 2.88 | 22.80% | 80.20% |
After losing four games in a row the Bruins have bounced back to win their last two games before the break. The top line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak should be looked at for tournament play as this is the line that makes this team go. Marchand is certainly in the discussion for your cash game plays as well as he not only leads the team in goals and assists but has chalked up 19 points in the last 14 games. Pastrnak’s 20 goals in 45 games is just one off the pace from the team lead. David Krejci centers the second line that features Frank Vatrano and David Backes. Krejci has seven points since January 1st while Vatrano has netted four goals in the last 14 games. Ryan Spooner skates with the top line when the Bruins draw a penalty and that could come into play here as Boston has tallied four goals in the last five games with the man advantage. Torey Krug is the play on the back line as 13 of his 31 points with the man advantage. Now that the Bruins sit in third place in the Atlantic Division they will need to keep winning to stay there.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have won only three games in their last 12 attempts which has successfully dropped them to sixth place in the Atlantic Division. This of course would not qualify for the end of the season tournament so if they have any thoughts of playing into May they had better get moving. Nikita Kucherov is the safe bet here as he not on has 11 points in the last 13 games he also leads the team with 44 points in 43 games. Ondrej Palat and Vladislav Namestnikov skate with Kucherov at even strength and should see some decent match ups tonight. Jonathan Drouin is another scorer that the Lightning possess as he has grabbed ten of his 31 points over the last month. Brian Boyle and Valtteri Filppula skate with Drouin at even strength with Filppula being the better choice to pair with him. Tyler Johnson skates on the third line and is fifth on the team with 15 goals and 14 assists. As you can see Tampa is trying to spread the scoring across three lines which only works if you actually have the talent to do so. Defenseman Victor Hedman is the play from the blue line as he has racked up a team leading 18 points with the man advantage.
Elite Plays
BOS: Brad Marchand
TB: Nikita Kucherov
Secondary Plays
BOS: David Pastrnak, Patrice Bergeron, Torey Krug, David Krejci, Ryan Spooner
TB: Victor Hedman, Ondrej Palat, Jonathan Drouin, Valtteri Filppula, Tyler Johnson
Buffalo Sabres at Montréal Canadiens
| Buffalo Sabres | Montréal Canadiens | ||||||||
 | Anders Nilsson |  | Carey Price | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 20-19-9 | 29-14-7 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.44 | 2.73 | 22.50% | 74.10% | Team Stats | 2.98 | 2.48 | 23.50% | 79.70% |
Buffalo has been one of those teams that has been trying to get better through making decent draft picks and adding a couple of pieces. Unfortunately injuries has taken its toll on the Sabres but not enough to put them totally out of the playoff picture as they are seven points away from the last spot in the Eastern Conference. Kyle Okposo, Ryan O’Reilly and Tyler Ennis skate as the team’s top line while Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart and Marcus Foligno skate as the second line. Okposo leads the team with 21 goals and 31 points while O’Reilly has chalked up 11 of his 29 points in the last 11 games. Eichel and Reinhart join those two on the top power play unit that has scored five goals over the last six games. If I had to choose I’d take the latter two for tournament play as Eichel has 21 points in 27 games played while Reinhart is just one point away from the team lead. Rasmus Ristolainen is the play on the back line as he has grabbed 17 of his 28 points while quarterbacking the team’s top power play unit.
Before the break Montreal had lost games to the Islanders, Red Wings and the Sabres as they had managed to win just three of their last eight games. They still lead the Atlantic Division by seven points but will look to righting the ship tonight if they want to stay there. Max Pacioretty, Phillip Danault and Alexander Radulov will be the line to look at for cash game play as they have combined for 14 goals and 16 assists over the last month. Pacioretty leads the team with 21 goals and 39 points while Radulov has the most assists on the team with 25. Artturi Lehkonen could be swapped out for Danault as he takes his place on the top power play unit that has netted six goals over the last four games before the break. Shea Weber is usually the defenseman to target but Nathan Beaulieu makes for a cheaper play as both have registered seven power play points over the last month. Look for Montreal to come out with a purpose and avenge the home loss they suffered to this same team on January 21st.
Elite Plays
BUF: None
MTL: Max Pacioretty
Secondary Plays
BUF: Jack Eichel, Rasmus Ristolainen, Ryan O’Reilly, Kyle Okposo, Sam Reinhart, Evander Kane
MTL: Alexander Radulov, Shea Weber, Nathan Beaulieu, Artturi Lehkonen, Phillip Danault
Ottawa Senators at Florida Panthers
| Ottawa Senators | Florida Panthers | ||||||||
 | Mike Condon |  | James Reimer | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 26-15-6 | 21-19-10 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.62 | 2.60 | 17.30% | 82.50% | Team Stats | 2.26 | 2.64 | 15.50% | 84.10% |
Ottawa has been keeping pace in the Atlantic Division by winning six of their last ten games. Their 58 points has them in second place for the moment with Boston and Toronto right on their heels. Mike Hoffman is the easy one-off here as he usually skates on the third line but was spotted skating with Derick Brassard and Mark Stone on occasion in their last game before the break. Hoffman has seven goals and three assists in the last ten games and now leads the team with 17 goals to his credit. Brassard leads the team with 35 shots on goal over the last ten games but has registered eight assists while Stone is tied for second on the team with Hoffman with 35 points so far this season. Kyle Turris centers Ryan Dzingel and Bobby Ryan against a Florida team that had surrendered just nine goals in their last five games before the break. All Star Erik Karlsson is the play from the back line as he leads the team in scoring with 39 points in 47 games. Dion Phaneuf can be used as an alternative here as he skates on the team’s top power play with Karlsson and has seen 11 of his 20 points come with the man advantage.
Although Aleksander Barkov skated back on the 27th he is still a good two weeks away from playing in an actual game. The Panthers superstar has been sidelined for the last 14 games which has seen the team drop into fifth place in the Atlantic Division. Vincent Trocheck has been on fire of late as his 15 points over the last 13 games would suggest. Jussi Jokinen and Reilly Smith skate with him on the team’s top line and could be looked at for tournament play tonight. Jonathan Marchessault and Jaromir Jagr skate on the team’s second line but it is Marchessault who gets to skate with the top line when the Panthers draw a penalty. Marchessault is second on the team in scoring with 14 goals and 17 assists despite missing seven games so far this season. Keith Yandle and Aaron Ekblad are the choices on the back line. Yandle’s 25 points is ten more than Ekblad’s but that hasn’t stopped Ekblad from leading the team with 161 shots on goal. Florida will need to break out of their scoring slump to win this one and that may be asking a bit too much.
Elite Plays
OTT: Mike Hoffman
FLA: Vincent Trocheck
Secondary Plays
OTT: Mark Stone, Erik Karlsson, Kyle Turris, Derick Brassard, Dion Phaneuf
FLA: Jonathan Marchessault, Keith Yandle, Reilly Smith, Jaromir Jagr
Winnipeg Jets at St. Louis Blues
| Winnipeg Jets | St. Louis Blues | ||||||||
 | Ondrej Pavelec |  | Jake Allen | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 23-25-4 | 24-20-5 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 2.85 | 3.08 | 17.80% | 76.90% | Team Stats | 2.80 | 3.08 | 22.20% | 83.20% |
The Jets come into this one winning six of their last 13 games but they have been playing better of late. Five of the other games they didn’t win were one-goal games and haven’t been shut out since October. Nikolaj Ehlers, Patrik Laine and Bryan Little make up the team’s top line that also doubles as the power play go-to line. Both Ehlers and Little have each racked up 14 points over the last 14 games while Laine has lit the lamp three times to go along with seven assists in the last six games he has suited up for. Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler have been clicking as well with Scheifele adding 16 of his team leading 48 points over the last month. Wheeler leads the team with 161 shots on goal and is the team’s third best scorer with 41 points. Dustin Byfuglien and Jacob Trouba both make a decent play from the back line but if you have been paying attention Josh Morrissey has been moved up to the top power play unit who has seven points in 14 games. Winnipeg should be able to score against a St Louis team that has had its struggles of late.
The Blues are another team that has fallen on hard times as they have only been able to muster three wins in the last nine games. This has put them into a seventh place tie with the Calgary Flames with 53 points with Los Angeles and Vancouver right on their heels with 52 points. Vladimir Tarasenko, Jori Lehtera and Jaden Schwartz skated on the team’s top line which has Tarasenko leading in in both goals and assists with 21 and 26 respectively. Now it appears that Vladimir Tarasenko will join Paul Stastny and Alexander Steen on the team’s top line which should bode well for the home team tonight. Steen has 13 points in the last 12 games while Stastny has netted five goals and five assists over that same time frame. Kevin Shattenkirk is the choice on the back line as he has 18 power play points to give him a total of 33 points so far this season. Alex Pietrangelo may be a cheaper option as he skates next to Shattenkirk when the Blues have the man advantage.
BLUES UPDATE:
Evidently head coach Ken Hitchcock has gone back to using Lehtera with Tarasenko and Schwartz while David Perron will join Stastly and Steen
Elite Plays
Win: Mark Scheifele
STL: Vladimir Tarasenko
Secondary Plays
WIN: Nikolaj Ehlers, Patrik Laine, Blake Wheeler, Bryan Little, Dustin Byfuglien
STL: Jaden Schwartz, Alexander Steen, Kevin Shattenkirk, Paul Stastny
Toronto Maple Leafs at Dallas Stars
| Toronto Maple Leafs | Dallas Stars | ||||||||
 | Frederik Andersen |  | Kari Lehtonen | ||||||
| Record | Record | ||||||||
| 23-15-9 | 20-20-10 | ||||||||
| Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% | Stats | GF/GP | GA/GP | PP% | PK% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Stats | 3.06 | 2.70 | 23.30% | 85.40% | Team Stats | 2.70 | 3.12 | 17.20% | 74.00% |
The Maple Leafs have won 11 of their last 15 games and are now on the doorstep of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Their 55 points is right behind Boston and Philadelphia’s 56 points for the last spot in the conference. The good news is that Toronto has played 47 games while Boston and Philadelphia have played 52 and 50 games respectively. Auston Matthews leads the team with 23 goals while line mate Connor Brown makes for a good compliment as he has registered eight of his 21 points in the last 12 games. James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak and Mitchell Marner should be the line that Dallas will try to shut down but the question remains unanswered as if they can actually do that or not. Both Marner and van Riemsdyk lead the team with Matthews as they all have collected 39 points so far this season. William Nylander could be a decent one-off here as he leads the team with 15 of his 31 points coming with the man advantage. Speaking of the power play defenseman Jake Gardiner and Nikita Zaitsev split time on both units with both of them making a decent play tonight. Gardiner has 23 points while Zaitsev has collected a quiet 20 points so far this season.
Much like the Winnipeg Jets the Dallas Stars have played enough bad hockey to put themselves in fifth place in the Central Division with 50 points. They heed to jump over two other teams just to have a shot at the eighth playoff spot which is currently held by both Calgary and St Louis with 53 points. Tyler Seguin leads the team with 18 goals and 29 assists while playing on a line with Jason Spezza and Antoine Roussel. Besides Devin Shore, Seguin is the only other player to suit up for all 50 games so far this season. This should give you a good indication as to why Dallas has had its struggles this season. Jamie Benn is second on the team with 41 points as he has had Cody Eakin as his center while Patrick Eaves skates on the opposite wing. Seguin, Benn, Spezza and Eaves are the ones chosen to play on the top power play unit and it’s no coincidence that all four occupy the top four spots on the Stars scoring depth chart. Defenseman John Klingberg is the last Dallas player to have over 25 points on the team as he quarterbacks the top power play unit. Dallas has scored four power play goals in the last five games which makes these five the better plays from the Stars side. If you are going to pair them up keep Seguin with Spezza and Benn with Eaves.
Elite Plays
TOR: Auston Matthews
DAL: Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn
Secondary Plays
TOR: James van Riemsdyk, Mitchell Marner, Tyler Bozak, Nazem Kadri, Connor Brown, Jake Gardiner
DAL: Patrick Eaves, John Klingberg, Jason Spezza