RADIO
The puck drops on five National Hockey League games tonight. Lots of chances to play props and win with Monkey Knife Fight.
Even though the Montreal Canadiens snapped a winless streak last game, they figure to have their hands full with a Calgary Flames team that has won five in a row.
The Boston Bruins have had some uneven performances after starting hot this season, yet they have just one regulation loss in the past 13 games and the Bruins are in Philadelphia to face a Flyers team that is scrambling for a playoff spot and is 14-3-4 at home.
Suddenly, the Washington Capitals are showing some signs of vulnerability, posting a 5-5 record in the past 10 games after six regulation losses in the first 36 games of the season. Carolina is also just 5-5 in the past 10 games but is 11-5-1 in the past 17 games.
The Battle of New York goes at Madison Square Garden, with the Rangers hosting the Islanders. The Isles are ahead in the standings but are 4-4-2 in the past 10 while the Blueshirts are 5-5 in the past 10.
Sitting in last place in the Pacific Division, the Anaheim Ducks have lost three straight games. The St. Louis Blues are on top of the Central Division and have won three straight. Two teams moving in different directions.
Here are some more angles to consider before making Monday puck prop picks on Monkey Knife Fight.
CAROLINA-WASHINGTON
MORE OR LESS
John Carlson LESS THAN 0.5 ASSISTS – It’s been a phenomenal season thus far for the Capitals blueliner and he has 19 assists in 22 home games, recording at least one assist in 12 of 22 games. Carolina is better than average defensively so that could tilt this one in the direction of the under.
Jaccob Slavin LESS THAN 4.5 SHOTS + BLOCKS – Slavin might be underrated generally but this is a significant number to cover and Slavin, particularly since Slavin has been held to four or fewer shots plus blocks in 14 of his past 17 road games.
RAPID FIRE
Nicklas Backstrom +0.5 points vs. Alex Ovechkin – Backstrom has 17 points in 19 home games and has put up 60 points in 61 career games against Carolina. Ovi has 17 points in 22 home games and 93 points in 80 career games against the Hurricanes. That’s a close enough call that getting the extra half point with Backstrom is the way to play.
CALGARY-MONTREAL
MORE OR LESS
Carey Price LESS THAN 29.5 SAVES – Not only do the Canadiens allow just 28.7 shots against per 60 minutes on home ice this season, and Calgary averaging 29.9 shots per 60 on the road, that combined with Carey Price’s struggles in Montreal (.889 SV% in 19 games this season), it’s not likely that he has 30-plus saves in this game. Possible, of course, but not likely.
David Rittich MORE THAN 28.5 SAVES – Somewhat surprisingly the Canadiens are big shot generators, including a league-high 36.3 shots per 60 minutes at home. That volume is enough to push Rittich over even if he doesn’t have a great game.
Mark Giordano LESS THAN 5.5 SHOTS + BLOCKS – This is a big number, even though Giordano has combined for 19 shots plus blocks in his past two road games. However, he was limited to five or fewer in eight of his previous 10 road contests.
RAPID FIRE
Johnny Gaudreau +0.5 points vs. Matthew Tkachuk – While Tkachuk holds an edge in road scoring, with 20 points in 23 games, compared to Gaudreau’s 15 points in 23 games, Gaudreau has been heating up with eight points in the past six games overall and getting the half point as an underdog makes him more appealing.
BOSTON-PHILADELPHIA
MORE OR LESS
Carter Hart LESS THAN 30.5 SAVES – The Flyers are allowing 29 shots against per 60 minutes home this season, the third-lowest rate in the league, and the Bruins are generating 30.1 shots per 60 on the road, making it hard to bank on Hart for 31 or more saves.
Jaroslav Halak MORE THAN 29.5 SAVES – This seems like a closer call. The Flyers are generating 32.5 shots per 60 minutes at home and the Bruins are averaging 31.8 per 60 minutes on the road. Mix in Halak’s .935 save percentage on the road and the over seems more achievable.
David Pastrnak LESS THAN 0.5 GOALS – Pasta is a brilliant scorer, though more effective on home ice. He has 13 goals in 20 road games but has scored goals in just nine of those 20 games away from Boston.
N.Y. ISLANDERS-N.Y. RANGERS
MORE OR LESS
Alexandar Georgiev MORE THAN 29.5 SAVES – The Islanders are not big shot generators, averaging 28.3 shots per 60 minutes on the road, so that steers towards the under, but the Rangers are awful defensively, allowing a league-high 34.5 shots against per 60 minutes at home. With even a decent game, Georgiev can get to the over.
Semyon Varlamov LESS THAN 28.5 SAVES – The Rangers don’t pick up a lot of shots, averaging 30.4 per 60 minutes on home ice, while the Islanders surrender 31.2 shots against per 60 minutes on the road. If the Rangers can bury even a couple that should push this towards 28 or fewer saves.
Mathew Barzal LESS THAN 0.5 ASSISTS – When playing on the road, Barzal hasn’t been nearly as dangerous and has just six assists in 21 goad games. Even if the Rangers are suspect defensively, and they are, it still leans towards Barzal not recording an assist.
ANAHEIM-ST. LOUIS
MORE OR LESS
John Gibson LESS THAN 29.5 SAVES – Since the Ducks are averaging 31.5 shots per 60 minutes on the road and the Blues are averaging 30.8 shots per 60 minutes on home ice, there isn’t a big margin for Gibson to record at least 30 saves against those averages.
Alex Pietrangelo LESS THAN 4.5 SHOTS + BLOCKS – Having a great season, the Blues defender has managed at least five shots plus blocks in nine of 23 home contests this season. That’s not enough to like his chances in this game against Anaheim.
Jaden Schwartz LESS THAN 3.5 SHOTS + BLOCKS – Schwartz rarely blocks shots so he doesn’t get a real boost in that category and has recorded at least four shots plus blocks in just eight of 23 home games this season.
RAPID FIRE
Rickard Rakell +0.5 points vs. David Perron – Perron has been a strong finisher this season and has 13 goals and 21 points in 23 home games, while Rakell has managed 13 points in 19 road games. That is a difference of less than a quarter point per game so getting an extra half point with Rakell is the move.
