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NHL
Saturday, January 30
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Thrice the Ice: Hockey Night in Canada
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Montreal Canadiens at Ottawa Senators (-175, 5.5)
Kicking off Hockey Day in Canada is an important division battle between the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators.
The Habs are 25-25-5 and have lost their last two games. They are one of eight teams separated by two points vying for the final three playoff spots in the East.
The Senators are 30-21-4 and have won eight games in a row following a five-game losing streak.
Backups taking charge
Dave Stubbs of the Montreal Gazette is of the opinion that Montreal plays better with backup Jaroslav Halak between the pipes.
Halak is 14-8-1 with a 2.43 GAA, a .927 save percentage and three shutouts. Price, meanwhile, is 11-17-4 with a 2.73 GAA, a .913 save percentage and no shutouts.
“I really have confidence in both our goaltenders,” coach Jacques Martin told reporters.
Ottawa backup goaltender, Brian Elliot, has started the team’s last six games (all wins) and has given up only six goals during the run.
Key matchup
Montreal power-play vs. Ottawa penalty-kill
Montreal’s power play ranks second-best in the NHL with a 24.7 percent conversion rate.
The Senators have not yielded a power-play goal during their eight-game winning streak (23 consecutive penalty kills) and are 37 for their last 38 (97.4 percent).
"A lot of it is the way we play as a system, as a team,” Ottawa forward Mike Fisher told the Ottawa Citizen.
Solid lines
James Gordon of the Ottawa Citizen observes that the Senators have a full complement of forwards.
Jason Spezza, Daniel Alfredsson, Milan Michalek and Nick Foglino have all recently returned from injury.
"Depth is always a good thing when you don't have to rely on one or two guys and you can't just key on one line," coach Cory Clouston said after practice on Wednesday.
The Sens are averaging 3.38 goals during their winning streak.
Montreal has struggled offensively and has not scored an even strength goal in over two games.
Vancouver Canucks at Toronto Maple Leafs (+140, 6)
The Vancouver Canucks have owned the Toronto Maple Leafs since the lockout, winning all five of their recent meetings.
Vancouver is 33-18-2 and has won six games in a row. The Canucks lead the Northwest Division.
The Maple Leafs are 17-27-10 and are in the middle of a four-game losing streak (0-3-1). Toronto leads the last-place Carolina Hurricanes by one point.
Unhappy trails
The Maple Leafs have allowed the first goal a league leading 37 times this season with a 6-24-7 record in those games.
Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star observes that the Maple Leafs are 0-25-5 when trailing after two periods.
“I’m not impressed when we outshoot a team after spotting that team a two- or three-goal lead and then have a great third period,” Brian Burke told the Toronto Star.
The Canucks are 12-12-2 when allowing the first goal – the third best record in the league.
The goal is goals
Vancouver is missing three of its top six defensemen, but its forward group is healthy and producing.
"Offensively, we've never felt this way knowing everybody can chip in," Canucks forward Alex Burrows told reporters.
The Canucks have scored at least three goals in their last six games and forward Henrik Sedin leads the NHL in points.
The Maple Leafs are third last in the NHL scoring goals at home (2.43 per game) and only Niklas Hagman has reached the 20 goal mark.
The road (trip) is long
The Canucks may be one of the hottest teams in the NHL, but that could be due to Vancouver playing a disproportionate amount of home games.
At home, the Canucks are 23-7-1 but they are just 10-11-1 on the road.
As Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province points out, opponents will use the benefit of having the last line change to gain favorable match-ups against Vancouver’s battered defensive corps.
Edmonton Oilers at Calgary Flames (-215, 5.5)
Called the “Battle of the Losing Streaks” by John Down of the Calgary Herald, the Edmonton Oilers, losers of 12 in a row (0-10-2) meet the Calgary Flames, who have dropped nine straight (0-6-3).
The Oilers have the NHL’s worst record at 16-30-6 and are 22 points behind the 26-20-8 eighth-placed Flames.
Time to panic?
Calgary has earned a point in its last two games and has impressed coach Brent Sutter despite the losses.
"We’re right there, now we have to get on top of it . . . but we just have to stay with it, keep pushing.”
Edmonton is hoping the return of forwards Mike Comrie and Gilbert Brule will end its streak.
"When a team is a going through a tough stretch sometimes a little change or a tweak, whether it's a player move or not, you hope it will help," Comrie told reporters.
Under-whelming offense
For the first quarter of the season, Calgary had one of the NHL’s top offenses. Now, the Flames rank 29th in the NHL, averaging just 2.48 goals a game.
The Flames have scored more than three goals once in their last 16 games (a 5-4 loss to Anaheim).
The Oilers rank 23rd at 2.54 goals per game and have scored more than three goals only once during their 1-17-2 slump.
The over/under is 5-5 in the teams’ last 10 games with the last two games going under.
Dome-ice advantage?
Calgary has been strong at home since the lockout, but this year the Flames are only 12-12-3 at home and are on a six-game home losing streak (0-5-1).
During that span, offensive leaders Jarome Iginla and Olli Jokinen have combined for no goals and only one assist.
Edmonton has not won on the road since a victory over the St. Louis Blues December 11.
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Saturday, January 30
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thrice the Ice: Hockey Night in Canada
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Montreal Canadiens at Ottawa Senators (-175, 5.5)
Kicking off Hockey Day in Canada is an important division battle between the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators.
The Habs are 25-25-5 and have lost their last two games. They are one of eight teams separated by two points vying for the final three playoff spots in the East.
The Senators are 30-21-4 and have won eight games in a row following a five-game losing streak.
Backups taking charge
Dave Stubbs of the Montreal Gazette is of the opinion that Montreal plays better with backup Jaroslav Halak between the pipes.
Halak is 14-8-1 with a 2.43 GAA, a .927 save percentage and three shutouts. Price, meanwhile, is 11-17-4 with a 2.73 GAA, a .913 save percentage and no shutouts.
“I really have confidence in both our goaltenders,” coach Jacques Martin told reporters.
Ottawa backup goaltender, Brian Elliot, has started the team’s last six games (all wins) and has given up only six goals during the run.
Key matchup
Montreal power-play vs. Ottawa penalty-kill
Montreal’s power play ranks second-best in the NHL with a 24.7 percent conversion rate.
The Senators have not yielded a power-play goal during their eight-game winning streak (23 consecutive penalty kills) and are 37 for their last 38 (97.4 percent).
"A lot of it is the way we play as a system, as a team,” Ottawa forward Mike Fisher told the Ottawa Citizen.
Solid lines
James Gordon of the Ottawa Citizen observes that the Senators have a full complement of forwards.
Jason Spezza, Daniel Alfredsson, Milan Michalek and Nick Foglino have all recently returned from injury.
"Depth is always a good thing when you don't have to rely on one or two guys and you can't just key on one line," coach Cory Clouston said after practice on Wednesday.
The Sens are averaging 3.38 goals during their winning streak.
Montreal has struggled offensively and has not scored an even strength goal in over two games.
Vancouver Canucks at Toronto Maple Leafs (+140, 6)
The Vancouver Canucks have owned the Toronto Maple Leafs since the lockout, winning all five of their recent meetings.
Vancouver is 33-18-2 and has won six games in a row. The Canucks lead the Northwest Division.
The Maple Leafs are 17-27-10 and are in the middle of a four-game losing streak (0-3-1). Toronto leads the last-place Carolina Hurricanes by one point.
Unhappy trails
The Maple Leafs have allowed the first goal a league leading 37 times this season with a 6-24-7 record in those games.
Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star observes that the Maple Leafs are 0-25-5 when trailing after two periods.
“I’m not impressed when we outshoot a team after spotting that team a two- or three-goal lead and then have a great third period,” Brian Burke told the Toronto Star.
The Canucks are 12-12-2 when allowing the first goal – the third best record in the league.
The goal is goals
Vancouver is missing three of its top six defensemen, but its forward group is healthy and producing.
"Offensively, we've never felt this way knowing everybody can chip in," Canucks forward Alex Burrows told reporters.
The Canucks have scored at least three goals in their last six games and forward Henrik Sedin leads the NHL in points.
The Maple Leafs are third last in the NHL scoring goals at home (2.43 per game) and only Niklas Hagman has reached the 20 goal mark.
The road (trip) is long
The Canucks may be one of the hottest teams in the NHL, but that could be due to Vancouver playing a disproportionate amount of home games.
At home, the Canucks are 23-7-1 but they are just 10-11-1 on the road.
As Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province points out, opponents will use the benefit of having the last line change to gain favorable match-ups against Vancouver’s battered defensive corps.
Edmonton Oilers at Calgary Flames (-215, 5.5)
Called the “Battle of the Losing Streaks” by John Down of the Calgary Herald, the Edmonton Oilers, losers of 12 in a row (0-10-2) meet the Calgary Flames, who have dropped nine straight (0-6-3).
The Oilers have the NHL’s worst record at 16-30-6 and are 22 points behind the 26-20-8 eighth-placed Flames.
Time to panic?
Calgary has earned a point in its last two games and has impressed coach Brent Sutter despite the losses.
"We’re right there, now we have to get on top of it . . . but we just have to stay with it, keep pushing.”
Edmonton is hoping the return of forwards Mike Comrie and Gilbert Brule will end its streak.
"When a team is a going through a tough stretch sometimes a little change or a tweak, whether it's a player move or not, you hope it will help," Comrie told reporters.
Under-whelming offense
For the first quarter of the season, Calgary had one of the NHL’s top offenses. Now, the Flames rank 29th in the NHL, averaging just 2.48 goals a game.
The Flames have scored more than three goals once in their last 16 games (a 5-4 loss to Anaheim).
The Oilers rank 23rd at 2.54 goals per game and have scored more than three goals only once during their 1-17-2 slump.
The over/under is 5-5 in the teams’ last 10 games with the last two games going under.
Dome-ice advantage?
Calgary has been strong at home since the lockout, but this year the Flames are only 12-12-3 at home and are on a six-game home losing streak (0-5-1).
During that span, offensive leaders Jarome Iginla and Olli Jokinen have combined for no goals and only one assist.
Edmonton has not won on the road since a victory over the St. Louis Blues December 11.
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