First period

Jacob Truba got the scoring started for Anaheim with an unassisted goal. Despite trailing 1-0 after the first, Soderblom stopped 16 of 17 shots on goal.

Second period

The Ducks unleashed 27 shots on goal in the second period. The Ducks got goals from Mason McTavish, Beckett Sennecke, Alex Killorn and Leo Carlsson to take a commanding lead of 5-1.

Third period

Carlsson potted another goal, this one on the power play, to give the Ducks a 6-0 lead. The lone offensive bright spot for the Hawks was Tyler Bertuzzi scoring his 15th goal of the season. Connor Bedard and Artyom Leshunov received assists on the Bertuzzi goal.

we’re on the board pic.twitter.com/Uvng1f1sPE

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 8, 2025

Frank Vatrano added his third goal of the season to put the finishing touches on the Blackhawks’ loss.

Analysis

How bad have the Blackhawks been in the last two games?

FINAL: Ducks 7, Blackhawks 1

First time since 1951 that the Hawks have lost by 6+ goals in consecutive games.

First time any NHL team has done so on consecutive nights since the Atlanta Thrashers in November 2000.

— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) December 8, 2025

In addition to two bad games, the Blackhawks might be losing patience with Sam Rinzel. Rinzel’s minutes have been significantly decreased on this West Coast trip. While he averages 16:36 on the season, he played a low of 9:30 against Vegas. In the two games against Los Angeles, he played 13:13 and 12:40. In Sunday’s matchup, Rinzel played 14:52, with only Matt Grzelcyk and Connor Murphy playing fewer minutes.

While we all anointed Rinzel as a top-pairing defenseman, this has clearly been a tough stretch for the young player.

In an ironic stat of the night, Soderblom made a career-high 46 saves and still surrendered seven goals in the loss.

In their last 10 games, the Hawks are 2-6-2. The team and coaching staff need to take the next two days and regroup. The Hawks’ next game will be on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. CST against the New York Rangers.

The post RECAP: Blackhawks trounced 7-1 by Ducks appeared first on The Rink.

The Blackhawks could not have had a worse start, yet the team showed some resolved and was able to win this game. The Hawks’ comeback was fueled by Bedard.

First period

The Ducks jumped all over the Hawks, who were still asleep from their pregame nap. Cutter Gauthier found the back of the net 15 seconds into the contest. Less than a minute later, Olen Zellweger put the Ducks up 2-0 in the game’s opening 60 seconds.

With the Hawks reeling, Anaheim piled on with a goal from Chris Kreider just past the midway point. Thanksfully for the Hawks, Ryan Strome cross-checked Wyatt Kaiser for a power play. On the power play, Tyler Bertuzzi cashed in his 13th goal of the season, tipping home a Frank Nazar shot.

Tyler Bertuzzi tips in Frank Nazar’s shot on the power play for his 13th goal of the season. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/tZUiwxFTRX

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) November 30, 2025

The first period ended with the Hawks down 3-1.

Second period

Entering the game, the Hawks’ worst period statistically was the second period. The Hawks flipped the script in this contest.

Ryan Greene got the scoring started with his fourth goal of the season, burying a pass from Bedard for the goal.

Ryan Greene has goals in back to back games pic.twitter.com/yZQpao4hcx

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) November 30, 2025

The Hawks scored again with a goal from Colton Dach, leveling the score at 3-3.

I don’t know if this Teuvo Teravainen pass was intended for Ryan Donato, but Colton Dach quickly snagged it and goes top shelf on the power play for his 3rd goal of the season. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/hSKFoRW56a

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) November 30, 2025

Third period

With the scored tied at 3-3 in the third, Bedard took over. Bedard beat the Ducks’ new goalie, Ville Husso, for the eventual game-winner.

Connor Bedard that was NASTY pic.twitter.com/Lg0vI5IXsj

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) November 30, 2025

Bedard extinguished the Ducks’ comeback hopes with an empty-net goal to seal things at 5-3. After the goal, Bedard gave the Anaheim bench some words. The Bedard words led to a scrum after the final whistle with Mason McTavish.

Analysis

The Hawks overcame a 3-0 deficit in what could have been a disastrous finish to a tough home stand. With the win, the Hawks become the fifth team in NHL history to overcome a 2-0 deficit in the first minute of the game. The Hawks also snapped their longest losing streak of the season.

Bedard

Bedard continues to have an impressive third year in the NHL. In this matchup, he brought his goal-scoring touch with two goals and two assists. He brought a fire to his game that hopefully will continue to fuel the Blackhawks this season. He was not afraid to show his emotions while jawing with his friend McTavish.

Bedard has now recorded five four-point games at the age of 20. Only seven other NHL players have more four-point games at the age of 20.

Greene

Greene was ticketed for Rockford to start the year and was recalled ahead of opening night due to injuries. He has been fantastic for the Hawks. He has played in all zones and situations and can be moved up and down the lines. With the goal on Sunday, he has now has goals in two consecutive games.

Bertuzzi

Bertuzzi continues to be an offensive driver for the Hawks. He notched his 13th goal of the season on the power play. With 20 points already this season, Bertuzzi is nearly halfway to his point production from last season.

The Hawks must now go on a West Coast trip starting with the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday. Puck drop is scheduled for 9 p.m. CST.

The post RECAP: Blackhawks score five unanswered to beat Ducks 5-3 appeared first on The Rink.

While the Ducks are also a young team, they now have a veteran coach in Joel Quenneville. This was Quenneville’s first appearance at the United Center since being reinstated to the NHL.

First and second periods

To be frank, very little of consequence happened in the first 40 minutes, sending things to the third deadlocked at 0-0.

Third period

The Hawks finally got the scoring started with a goal from Frank Nazar midway through the stanza.

#franksway pic.twitter.com/Esa9BPQrpJ

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 20, 2025

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Unfortunately, the Hawks’ lead evaporated late in the third period on a goal from Mason McTavish.

Overtime

In overtime, Connor Bedard played the majority of the session. With a little more than a minute remaining overtime, Bedard found Ryan Donato for the game-winner.

BEDARD TO DONATO AND THE HAWKS WIN IN OVERTIME!!! pic.twitter.com/MA17k5bzob

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 20, 2025

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Analysis

The Hawks recorded at least a point in their fourth consecutive game with the overtime win. While the win was great, there were some negatives. The Hawks once again took too many penalties with five, while Anaheim only took three. The Wyatt Kaiser delay-of-game penalty was costly in that MacTavish tied the game on that power play.

Now onto to the positives of the game, Bedard and Spencer Knight were spectular in the win. Despite not scoring a goal in the game, Bedard was peppering Lukas Dostal with dangerous shots all game. He recorded a career-high nine shots on goal in this one. He also spent the majority of overtime on the ice and skated the length of the ice on the game-winning shift.

In addition to Bedard being very good, Knight had another stellar performance for the Hawks. In his 100th career game, he saved 38 of 39 shots for a .974 save percentage. Knight continues to keep the Blackhawks in games with his stellar play.

On defense, the Blackhawks got good games from three of their youngest on the blue line. Sam Rinzel was the best defenseman on the ice. Kaiser was solid in his own zone and contributed the primary assist on the Nazar goal. Artyom Levshunov played well and appeared to be more physical in this contest.

With the game-winning goal, Donato has now recorded a point in four straight games. As a streaky offensive player, it is great to see him streaking in the right direction.

The Hawks now get a breather, as their next game is not until Thursday in Florida against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The post RECAP: Donato delivers in Blackhawks’ 2-1 overtime win over Ducks appeared first on The Rink.

First period

The Blackhawks struck first when Isaak Phillips scored his first goal of the season and second of his career. Connor Bedard skated the puck into the Anaheim zone and fed a streaking Phillips, who snapped a shot from the right circle and over the glove of Dostal at 12:57 to give the Hawks a 1–0 lead.

philly’s first goal of the year pic.twitter.com/26SoZwVlYm

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) November 4, 2024

Teuvo Teravainen made it 2–0 with his fourth of the season later in the frame. With the Hawks on the power play, Taylor Hall skated the puck into the right circle and fed Teravainen for a one-timer from the left faceoff dot at the 16:44 mark.

turbo-charged pic.twitter.com/j8RvDlh766

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) November 4, 2024

The Hawks would take the two-goal lead into the locker room after 20 minutes.

Second period

After a mostly scoreless second period, Seth Jones lit the lamp on the power play with his second of the season. Jones one-timed a Bedard pass from the right circle at 18:05.

an absolute rocket from seth pic.twitter.com/VQ6MLeufB0

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) November 4, 2024

The Hawks led 3–0 after two periods.

Third period

The Ducks finally broke through when Brock McGinn scored his second of the season. The Ducks created a 2-on-1 in front of the Hawks’ net with Ross Johnston feeding McGinn for the goal. Soderblom thought he froze the puck but it trickled in under his pad and over the goal line at the 10:16 mark. The Hawks’ lead was cut to 3–1.

Ryan Donato scored his team-leading seventh of the season to give the Hawks a 4–1 lead. A scramble in front of the net resulted in Donato poking in the rebound at 17:43. On the goal, Bedard recorded his third assist of the game.

if you don’t know now you know: ryan donato is on fiiiiiiiire pic.twitter.com/rvVB2ngqxq

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) November 4, 2024

Mason McTavish added a power-play goal with four seconds remaining in the game. For McTavish, it was his first of the season, which made the final score 4–2.

Analysis

It was a strong ending to a five-game road trip where the Hawks won their last two to finish the trip at 3–2. Soderblom had a strong performance against the Ducks with 37 saves while the Hawks received strong contributions throughout the lineup. In addition to Bedard’s three assists, Hall added two assists and the power play picked up two goals.

The Hawks return home on Wednesday for a nationally televised game against Patrick Kane and the Detroit Red Wings. Puck drop is 7 p.m. CST on TNT with the radio call on 720 WGN.

The post RECAP: Hawks’ 4–2 win in Anaheim completes winning road trip appeared first on The Rink.

Hockey is back on the menu! With the regular season less than a month out, the Rookie Face-off tournament is here to showcase the future of the Colorado Avalanche. Friday night saw the baby Avalanche taking on the Anaheim Ducks rookie squad in the first of three games.

A largely even rookie game saw the Avalanche fall short 4–3 as Ducks rookie Cutter Gauthier torched the baby burgundy and blue. Callie Clang held the young Avalanche off the board through the first period and much of the second. Despite a valiant comeback effort spearheaded by Calum Ritchie (more on him below), the Avalanche rookies fell just short. Below are the important points from an exciting and fast-paced first game broken down via the frame presented in classic cinema: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

The Good

Calum Ritchie: All eyes were on the young Oshawa Generals star drafted 21st overall by the Avalanche in last year’s entry selection. He did anything but disappoint. All three Avalanche goals saw assists from Ritchie, with the first two being primary assists.

His first assist saw him possess the puck on the power play down low, drawing in three Ducks defenders, and then wiring a gorgeous apple to Jason Polin for the easy tap-in.

Things we love to see!

A look at Polin’s goal #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/KoGD46Vfig

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) September 14, 2024

Ritchie’s second primary assist saw a set-play where Ritchie won the face-off (music to Colorado fans ears) directly to Oskar Olausson for a rocket into the back of the net.

Cal Ritchie won the draw and Oskar Olausson sailed it home. pic.twitter.com/4b3BaHHDRm

— Meghan Angley (@megangley) September 14, 2024

Overall Ritchie’s line controlled play, back checked well (zero goals against), and looked like the only line in Colorado’s 21st ranked prospect pool that could compete with Anaheim’s first ranked squad.

Sean Behrens: Behrens is the only defender on the rookie roster most Avalanche fans will be familiar with by name, and he showed why. Behrens ran the power play and did a fantastic Cale Makar impression of the job with an assist. He was consistently noticeable with the puck on his stick and controlled the defensive zone well. Behrens seemed like the only Avalanche rookie defender really able to process odd-man rushes at speed and broke-up three such chances. The one blemish on Behren’s first game might sit for the final 1:49 of the game in the penalty box for a trip. That said, it seems like Cutter Gauthier is inflated with helium in the minds of the official who made that call, so I feel confident putting him here.

The Bad

Defenders not named Sean: The other five defenders on the ice for Colorado looked positively over matched by the speedy rookies in Anaheim’s class. The speedy rookies in Anaheim’s class repeatedly hemmed in the third pairing of Mitch Young and Connor Mayer, resulting in both of them allowing ugly goals against. There was a disastrous sequence where second pairing defenseman Garrett Pyke were caught standing still at the blue line when the puck had already been chipped past center ice. This left his partner Bryan Yoon alone in a two on one break and Yoon looked like a deer in the headlights. Instead of protecting his netminder by taking out either man, Yoon skated backwards slowly and then half-dove to prevent the cross-crease pass that had already been made. Marek Howell had the best day, but was almost invisible save for the penalty he committed. Not good.

Sidorov

He buries the cross-ice pass from Cutter to make it 4-2! pic.twitter.com/t84Fj0Hupn

— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) September 14, 2024

Rilen Kovacevic: The fourth line right-wing for the rookie Avalanche sure had himself a night. Kovacevic found himself wide open on a breakaway early, only to wire it directly into Callie Clang’s pad. Gauthier burned him multiple times and he couldn’t get back in time to help the defense. He finished his night by taking two bad penalties, both of which were provoked by Anaheim players whom Rilen was jawing with all night. It’s rookie season, and this was certainly an immature performance.

The Ugly

The third goal against: Gauthier was very good. Rookie goalie for the Avalanche Vinny Duplessis was well on his way to making “the good” until the third goal happened. Gauthier came into the corner just beneath the goal line and sent the puck to the net, hoping for a crashing teammate. Instead, the puck hit the inside of Duplessis’ skate and deflected right into the back of the net. Rookie goaltending at its purest.

Cutter

His centering pass bounces home to put us back up two!#FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/wDqhDUDJ74

— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) September 14, 2024

That’s a wrap for day one of the Rookie Face-off. Tomorrow the rookies face-off against the Seattle Kraken rookies at 4:00 P.M. MDT. You can stream the entire rookie tournament for free on Coloradoavalanche.com.

The post Key Takeaways as Avalanche Lose First Game of Rookie Face-off appeared first on The Rink.

First period

The first period ended in 0–0 stalemate.  The Hawks led in shot attempts 21–19, shots on goal 13–7 and scoring chances 9–8.

Second period

In the second period, Arvid Soderblom’s flaws reared their ugly head. Alex Killorn scored short side on Soderblom to give the Ducks a 1–0 lead.  Brett Leason added his 11th goal to give the Ducks a 2–0 lead. Killorn then potted his second goal of the period to give the Ducks a 3–0 lead. Later in the period, Alex Vlasic and Leo Carlsson had an accidental knee-on-knee collision. Carlsson left the game with an injury while Vlasic remained in the game.

Third period

In the third period, Ryan Strome fought Vlasic for the collision with Carlsson. Frank Vatrano scored his 30th goal at the end of a 5-on-3 power play to put the final nail in the Blackhawks’ coffin. The final score was 4–0.

Analysis

It is time to turn the page on Soderblom and give one of their AHL goalies a look. He is still making the same mistakes he has made all season and has allowed four goals in his last three starts. He currently has the worst goals against average in the NHL at 4.02. He currently has the lowest save percentage in the NHL at .876 and has recorded zero shutouts this season. Drew Commesso or Jaxson Stauber can replicate this type of production at the very worst while getting some NHL experience. For Stauber, it might be a reward for becoming the Rockford IceHogs’ franchise leader in consecutive wins. For Commesso, it would be a taste of the NHL and hopefully his first step into becoming an NHL regular down the road.

The Blackhawks’ next game is against the 32nd-place San Jose Sharks in the battle of the worsts on Saturday at 9:30 p.m. CDT.

The post RECAP: Blackhawks’ road woes continue, fall 4–0 to the Ducks appeared first on The Rink.

Goalie fight! Cmon!!!! #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/ajZFA696zN

— Puckin Hostile (@PuckinHostile.bsky.social) (@PuckinHostile) March 13, 2024

Anaheim took a 1–0 lead halfway through the first period on a Brett Leason shorthanded goal, following an absolutely beautiful backhand stretch pass from defenseman Cam Fowler next to his own goaltender. Just a minute later, Ryan Donato tied the game up for Chicago 1–1 on the power play. The first period ended all tied up despite the home team outshooting the Ducks 18–9.

The Blackhawks went down again, just a minute into the second period with another Leason goal off a Jarred Tinordi turnover, but that was all she wrote for the Ducks offense. Chicago got goals from Philipp Kurashev, Seth Jones and Bedard on just six second-period shots to take a 4–2 lead into the third period. Bedard’s goal, his 20th of the season, was a rocket of a one-timer with just 29 seconds left in the period fed to him by Kurashev, who had four points of his own on the night in the 250th game of his career.

Three more third-period goals from MacKenzie Entwistle, Kurashev and Tyler Johnson put the Ducks down for the night and had the United Center rocking so hard that the wave was going around the lower bowl. Mrazek finished with 27 saves for his 14th win of the season and the Blackhawks’ 18th of the season.

With his one goal and four assists on the night, Bedard has posted three goals and seven assists for 10 points in his last four outings. Sorry, Wild fans, but the Calder race is officially over…as if it was not already.
Bedard and Kurashev’s linemate Nick Foligno added four assists.
The Blackhawks had a very impressive 65.4% face-off percentage. Bedard was the only Blackhawks center to win less than half of his draws (33.3%). Jason Dickinson won 83%, Foligno won 78%, Entwisle won 67% and Johnson won 67%.
The Blackhawks had four power play goals (Donato, Jones, Kurashev and Johnson).
Plus/minus is a greatly imperfect stat, but Jaycob Megna was on the ice for three even-strength goals.

The Blackhawks will have a couple of days off and host the Los Angeles Kings on Friday evening at the United Center. The puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CDT.

The post RECAP: Blackhawks make Duck soup in 7–2 trouncing of Anaheim with Bedard’s five-point night appeared first on The Rink.

As usual, the day started out pretty slowly for Colorado. Right before their morning skate, they announced they had made a move.

BENNY MEYERS WITH 43 SECONDS LEFT! Jack Ahcan sends it up to Cedric Paré for the drop pass to Meyers. Meyers shoots and the Eagles complete the comeback win! They have now won 8 in a row!!!!!!! #Avs #GoAvsGo    #EaglesCountry @TheRinkColorado pic.twitter.com/0QfjiHmUc9

— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) March 2, 2024

Deadline Day

The team sent Ben Meyers over to the Anaheim Ducks for their 2024 fifth round pick. Colorado now will have two picks in the fifth round this year. The Avalanche signed Ben Meyers in April 2022 as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Minnesota. Meyers played a fill-in role on the fourth line for the Avalanche, showcasing strong forechecking skills with limited offense. When Meyers was on the Colorado Eagles, it was a different story. Meyers primarily played on the top line and power play unit. Last year, the forward split his time between the NHL and AHL, so playing under head coach Greg Cronin is familiar territory. Given the recent influx of forwards, Meyers is likely to receive increased playing time in Anaheim. This is helpful for both teams.

Ben Meyers requires 21 more NHL games played to retain his RFA status. Anaheim #FlyTogether only have 20 games remaining this season, and therefore Myers will be a UFA 6 at the end of the season. https://t.co/8wahWuszSK

— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) March 8, 2024

Conclusion

The Colorado Avalanche would keep it light for the actual deadline day. The Colorado Avalanche did all the heavy lifting in the days prior with the four trades. Meyers needed 21 games to keep his restricted free agent status or he would be a Group 6 unrestricted free agent. The feeling I am getting is that Colorado wanted to part ways with him after this season. The Avalanche are so overloaded in forward that the Eagles may not see many call ups after this point. Overall, the Avalanche came out of the deadline as a better team. They filled in the bottom six and the second line center, both issues all season. The one thing that is an issue is that they did not get a solid back up goaltender. Justus Annunen and Ivan Prosvetov cannot handle the backup roll in the playoffs. Getting a solid, experienced backup goaltender is something that has to be addressed this summer.

The post Slow day wraps up Avalanche trade deadline appeared first on The Rink.

A scoreless first period was literally a tale of two halves. The first half of the frame saw the Ducks control the play and take advantage of some poor defensive coverage by the Hawks, however, Mrazek stopped every shot he faced. The second half of the period saw the Hawks start to get their legs underneath them and generate some zone time, which helped generate two power play chances. For the Hawks, their best line of the first period was Cole Guttman centering Tyler Johnson and Taylor Raddysh. Guttman used his speed to enter the zone cleanly, which turned into scoring opportunities.

It took nearly half the game until a goal was scored and it was Philipp Kurashev who registered his fifth of the season on the power play. Tyler Johnson won a board battle against two Anaheim defenders then went cross-ice to Bedard, who juggled the puck but managed to feed Kurashev, who fired a one-timer from the slot to give the Hawks a 1–0 lead at 9:21 of the second.

THERE IT IS pic.twitter.com/G4lMkJCwbw

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 8, 2023

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The Hawks took the 1–0 lead in the locker room after 40 minutes. While the Hawks had the lead, Mrazek was far and away the best player on the ice during the middle period, stopping all 16 shots he faced, many of which were high-quality chances.

The third period began with the Ducks on the power play, which the Hawks would kill. However, the entire third period felt like the Hawks were on a 20-minute penalty kill, as the Ducks poured it on and Mrazek stopped every shot he faced in the third and 37 for the game to give the Hawks a 1–0 win and put a stop to their four-game skid.

Analysis

This was your classic “goalie win,” with Mrazek making several huge saves with the Ducks spending most of the game in the Hawks’ zone. While the Hawks gave up a lot of scoring chances and were outshot 37–25, Louis Crevier, playing in just his second NHL game, played a solid and simple all-around game. He was positionally sound in the defensive zone and played with a lot of poise and confidence. The one blip on the radar for Crevier was getting caught flat-footed in the middle of the ice, leading to an Anaheim rush, but Alex Vlasic hustled down the ice and bailed Crevier out even though he was called for a very questionable penalty.

The Hawks return to home ice on Saturday night against the St. Louis Blues. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. CST on NBCSCH with the radio call on 720 WGN.

The post RECAP: Mrazek, Blackhawks blank Ducks appeared first on The Rink.

Takeaways

— Through three games so far in an Avalanche sweater, Sam Malinski looks excellent. With an average of just over 15 minutes of ice time in all three games, he has a plus-1 rating. In the second period, the puck bounced over his stick and he could chase down the player and pin them in the corner. He prevented any possibility of a shot on the play. He even blocked three shots on net. The kid will be something special soon.

— Kurtis MacDermid opened the scoring with an amazing foot to stick goal. His hard work over the summer continues to show, as he is shooting 66.7%. The last two games he has played in, he has scored. He does not shoot often, but when he does, look out.

Kurtis MacDermid buries MacKinnon's feed to open up the scoring for the Avalanche just 1:40 in!#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/6p4Tzetub2

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) December 6, 2023

— The hit on Byram, although clean, may be a worrisome thing for the young defenseman. He has a history of concussions (missing 56 games last season), and has yet to play a full season in the NHL. Max Jones put a shoulder square into Byram’s chest as he sent the puck into the zone. Logan O’Connor did not agree with the hit and jumped Jones right away. Neither Jones or Byram played any shifts in the third period.

Max Jones leans into Bowen Byram pic.twitter.com/C6ccUPurn5

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) December 6, 2023

— The mixup of the forward lines is just what the Avalanche needed. Having O’Connor jump from the fourth to the first line is a move that I like. He has a lot of speed, can forecheck and has great vision to make a play.

Logan O'Connor locates the rebound and bangs it home to extend Colorado's lead to 3!#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/yhBef737Jw

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) December 6, 2023

Conclusion

After a challenging road trip, Colorado returned home and needed to regain focus. This game was the one to do it. They have four more at home and have already earned two out of 10 points. The replacements in Malinski, Caleb Jones and Oskar Olausson have done an outstanding job so far with the next-man-up mentality. Thursday night’s match against the Winnipeg Jets will be a genuine test for the Avalanche. The Jets sit only four points behind Colorado in the standings and are 7–3–0 in their last 10 games.

The post Avalanche back on track, but lose Byram in victory over Anaheim appeared first on The Rink.

Let’s analyze the Avalanche’s success on Wednesday night.

Bottom six

I have been stressing the need for the bottom six to score. On a night that they started showing up on the score sheet with nine total points between the six forwards, the team dominated. There were four goals and five assists among that group, not to mention the forechecking that caused some plays were outstanding. If they all continue to play like this, they will not struggle.

Ross Colton turns on the jets to O'Connor's sneaky pass and tallies to put the Avalanche up by 3!#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/XTrOyLNc4e

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) November 16, 2023

Cale Makar

The young Norris Trophy defenseman was on another level on Wednesday. He had three assists, one of which was during the power play and was +3 for the night. Cale Makar would also tie Valeri Nichushkin for the team high with five shots on goal. At some points in the game, Makar made getting away from an opponent look easy with the pressure bearing down on him.

Makar drawing the "oooo's" and "ahhhh's" from the Ball Arena crowd with his escapability on this play pic.twitter.com/UIjbj8RIqO

— Ryan Sikes (@ryan_sikes10) November 16, 2023

Valeri Nichushkin

Rather than running the rails toward the goal, Nichushkin found a new way to score some goals. Having his first multi-goal game since Oct. 12, 2022, against Chicago and his 10th overall, Nichushkin placed himself right in front of the goal and waited. He would redirect shots from both Devon Toews and Makar to help lead the Avalanche to the win. Typically, this would be Gabriel Landeskog’s job in front of the net, but I have seen Nichushkin at practices working on his redirects.

Val Nichushkin re-directs Devon Toews' blast from the point and in. 2-0 #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/IAcECn0sOz

— Ryan Sikes (@ryan_sikes10) November 16, 2023

Analysis

Not much went wrong for Colorado on Wednesday night. They were very aggressive on the forecheck and backcheck and on zone exits. The Avalanche found their identity in Seattle and kept to it at home against the Ducks. They should have no issues if they keep playing like this. They will play again on Saturday against the dreaded division rival, the Dallas Stars, at the American Airlines Center.

The post Avalanche have their groove back appeared first on The Rink.

Despite the adversity, the Blackhawks jumped out to an early lead with a Tyler Johnson power play goal. With all the lineup changes, Johnson has taken up residency as the net front presence on the power play. Thus far, the move to the front of the net has paid off for Johnson. Sadly, the early lead would not last, as the Ducks responded quickly. The Ducks scored two goals in the first period and never look back securing a 4–2 victory.

• Max Domi got an assist on the Tyler Johnson goal and extended his point streak to six games.
• Anaheim received goals from Isac Lundestorm, Jakob Silfverberg, Max Jones and Troy Terry.
• Andreas Anthanasiou scored his 13th goal of the season and could be a player a contender wants at the deadline.

The highlight of the Blackhawks game was the in-between period interview with Domi.

This Max Domi interview was hilarious #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/mJBRjqvPOY

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) February 28, 2023

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With the Patrick Kane trade all but complete, the expectation is that the Blackhawks could still move Domi or Athanasiou before Friday’s NHL trade deadline. The race to the bottom is now entering its next phase this season.

The Blackhawks’ next game is Tuesday at 8 p.m. CST against the Arizona Coyotes.

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• The Blackhawks were a step slow to start the game, trailing 2–0 early and having been outshot 16–1 with eight minutes left in the first period. Chicago’s two goals before the end of the second period were registered to Jarred Tinordi and Filip Roos; both goals were the defenseman’s first goal of the season.
• Max Domi and Patrick Kane each had two assists. Both forwards were rewarded, and outside of Jonathan Toews, have been the two most effective forwards so far this yearly season at generating chances.
• Arvid Soderblom continued his excellent start to the season with a 38-save performance. Anaheim’s Troy Terry scored 19 seconds into the game, but Soderblom settled back in and kept his team in the game. Keep an eye on Kyle Davidson jumping at the chance to send down Soderblom as soon as he can to stop the Arvid bus that is ruining his plans for a high pick in the draft.
• The “most unlikely hero award” goes to Tinordi, as he scored his second goal of the game with just under four minutes left in the third period. At the time, Chicago was being outshot 40–22 but had found the back of the net three straight times. Tinordi doubled his career goal output in the game, as he entered the contest with two career goals in 122 games played.

The Blackhawks are back in action on home ice on Monday, as the Carolina Hurricanes drop the puck at 7:30 p.m. CST.

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Coming into Wednesday’s game, the lineups were vastly different than the two lineups that were used when the teams met on March 8.

First period

The first seven minutes of the game were fast and furious, with both teams trading scoring chances. Both Kevin Lankinen and John Gibson stopped A+ chances for each team.

At the midway point in the first period, the Blackhawks MacKenzie Entwisle drew a tripping penalty on Kevin Shattenkirk. On the power play, the puck came out Taylor Raddysh, who buried the puck top shelf for the game’s first goal on a top-corner snipe. Less than three minutes later, former Rockford IceHogs forward and current Anaheim Duck Sam Carrick tied the score at one goal apiece. Carrick was able to sneak a shot past Lankinen, as there appeared to be a miscommunication between the Blackhawks’ defense and its goalie.

Despite the first period ending tied at 1–1, the Blackhawks once again appeared to control the play against the Ducks. A big reason for the Hawks’ strong first period was the play of Sam Lafferty. Lafferty was generating scoring chances and using his speed to facilitate other scoring chances for the Blackhawks. Lafferty appears to have found a home with the Blackhawks as a high-energy guy.

Second period

At the start of the second period, the Ducks came out with some energy and drove the puck hard to the net. Lankinen was tested early and often by the Ducks.

With less than nine minutes to go in the second period, Alex DeBrincat was tripped to halt his breakaway attempt. On their second power play of the game, DeBrincat feathered a pass across the ice to Patrick Kane, who buried the one-timer past Gibson for the Blackhawks’ second goal of the game.

With less than two minutes left, Lankinen had to stand tall again, as Seth Jones made an ill-advised pass in the defensive zone. Trevor Zegras intercepted the Jones pass and put a shot on Lankinen. Lankinen was able to fend off the chance and maintain the Blackhawks’ one-goal lead.

The second period ended with the Blackhawks still in the lead 2–1.

Third period

In the third period, the Ducks got themselves back into the game with another goal from Carrick. After Jonathan Toews lost a defensive zone draw, the Ducks got a shot from the point. Adam Henrique corralled the rebound and fired a pass between his legs to Carrick, who tapped in the pass.

With the game tied at 2–2, the red-hot Dylan Strome answered the Ducks’ goal and gave the Blackhawks the lead for good. Strome now has nine goals in his last 10 games. On the play, Strome was assisted by Riley Stillman and Kane. It was Kane’s second assist on the night.

DeBrincat sealed the victory with an empty net goal for the Blackhawks.

Analysis

The Blackhawks now have to sort out who is going to be part of the rebuild. With Fleury no longer in the fold, the team figures to get extended looks at Lankinen and Collin Delia. While Delia’s future appears to be predetermined, the Blackhawks could be still evaluating Lankinen. Saturday’s victory was a good start for Lankinen, who has feasted on lesser competition in the past.

The Blackhawks also signed college free agent goalie Jaxson Stauber out of Providence College. The 22-year-old goalie signed a two-year entry-level contract that starts next season. Stauber went 11–7–5 with a .916 save percentage this season for the Friars. For his college career, he went 21–14–2 with a .921 save percentage. Scouts describe Stauber as quick and athletic but in need of some refinement. He joins Arvid Soderblom as the only goalies currently under contract for next season.

The Hawks return to the ice Thursday night for a road duel with the Los Angeles Kings. Puck drop is scheduled for 9 p.m. CDT.

The post Blackhawks top Ducks 4–2 in Anaheim appeared first on The Rink.

Kane’s biggest beneficiary, Strome, started the scoring on the first shot of the game. Strome one-timed a dandy of a feed from Kane to make it 1–0. DeBrincat recorded the secondary assist on the play.

You think Dylan Strome and Patrick Kane want to keep playing together? Buzzing.#Blackhawks  #CHIvsANA
pic.twitter.com/zTYUirlnkI

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) March 9, 2022

The Blackhawks doubled their money minutes later, when Kane found DeDrincat in the high slot. The Cat shifted just below the right circle and beat John Gibson to the short side. The Hawks’ first two goals marked the fourth time in four games that both DeDrincat and Strome found the back of the net.

Kane, DeBrincat, and Strome have been dominating this first period. If that’s the #Blackhawks top line next season, I have no issues with that #CHIvsANA pic.twitter.com/bicWxAzWG3

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) March 9, 2022

With just over six minutes to go in the first, DeBrincat returned the favor by sending a pass to Kane in the high slot. Kane fired a wrist through the wickets of Gibson to make it 3–0.

https://twitter.com/WallyMaz18/status/1501379133544312835?s=20&t=_1unprYWFbDgtpLCGiDCbQ

The onslaught continued. With under three minutes and the Ducks with a delayed penalty, Kane notched his fourth point of the period, sending a pass to the front of the net that Ryan Carpenter niftily deflected over Gibson’s shoulder for a commanding 4–0 advantage.

Caleb JonesPatrick KaneRyan Carpenter

Carpenter deflects Kane’s pass for his 3rd goal of the season to put the #Blackhawks ahead 4-0 in the 1st period! Kane already has 4 points (1G, 3A) in under 18 minutes of playpic.twitter.com/QahWkFo6MC

— Talkin’ Hawkey (@TalkinHawkey) March 9, 2022

Apparently, 4–0 was clearly not enough. With 24 seconds to play in the frame and Chicago killing a penalty, Brandon Hagel and Jonathan Toews combined on a 2-on1 and Toews beat Gibson to make it an astonishing 5–0 heading into the second period.

Brandon HagelJonathan Toews

Hagel & Toews hookup on a 2-on-1 while shorthanded to put the #Blackhawks up 5-0! Toews picks up his 5th goal of the season & 1st since way back on Jan. 4th vs. Colorado. Goal No. 350 for Toews in his career as well.pic.twitter.com/MmgTWsCVVL

— Talkin’ Hawkey (@TalkinHawkey) March 9, 2022

Twenty seconds into the second period, Hagel struck after being sprung on a breakaway pass from Jake McCabe. He tucked away a backhander to make it 6–0 not even 21 minutes into play.

https://twitter.com/WallyMaz18/status/1501386589641003036?s=20&t=UufnY8toqiMWxty4xL55MA

Anaheim would not go quietly, responding with three straight goals. Jakob Silfverberg got the Ducks on the board, making it 6–1 before the quarter mark of the second period. Later, Trevor Zegras scored on the power play to make it 6–2, and less than a minute later, Adam Henrique narrowed to gap to 6–3.

But the Hawks kept on coming. Strome would get his second of the night off a backhand feed from Kane, who registered his fifth point of the night. The period would end with the home side leading 7–3.

Seth JonesPatrick KaneDylan Strome

Kane makes a magnificent backhand sauce pass to set up Strome for his 5th goal in the last 3 games to put the #Blackhawks ahead 7-3! Kane ties a career-high with his 5th point (1G, 4A) of the game.https://t.co/8xhwJeiXb5

— Talkin’ Hawkey (@TalkinHawkey) March 9, 2022

To cap off the game, late in the third period, Kane found Strome one more time in a carbon copy of Strome’s second goal. Strome buried the wrist shot to secure the hat-trick and notch Kane’s sixth point of the night in the process. DeBrincat also finished the evening with four points.

Hat trick for Dylan Strome and 6th point for Patrick Kane. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/YGJ1r5hSd2

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) March 9, 2022

Marc-Andre Fleury was steady in the net for the Hawks, making 29 saves on the night. The Blackhawks head east to face the Boston Bruins on Thursday night for a 6 p.m. CST puck drop.

The post RECAP: Kane-Strome-DeDrincat line propels Hawks to big win over Ducks appeared first on The Rink.

Head Coach Dave Hakstol started goaltender Chris Driedger in net with his shiny new custom set of pads.

The game immediately started off much like the wild west, as Ryan Donato and Isac Lundestrom scored 12 seconds apart to go along with a fight between Jamie Oleksiak and Nicolas Deslauriers. The Kraken took a 2–1 lead late in the first period on a goal by Vince Dunn, which they took into the first intermission. Anaheim led in shots 11–6, but Driedger held the lead.

The Ducks came out in the second period and took a 3–2 lead after another goal by Lundestrom and a power play goal from Rickard Rakell. Donato tied the game back up late in the second with his second goal of the game, as his teammates outshot the Ducks 15–11.

In the third period, both teams fought for the lead in a tightly contested, low-event 20 minutes. The Kraken led in shots 6–5 and the only goal was the eventual game-winner from Jordan Eberle with 1:48 remaining in regulation. This turned out to be a much-needed tough win against a good opponent for the Seattle team.

Anchor points

Donato has been such a great find for this club. He led the Kraken in overall Corsi with 63%. I would love to see them lock him up for a couple more years to bolster the middle six. He can likely be had for a reasonable salary, one would assume.

I am still leaning toward Driedger in net for the Kraken. He was under fire in close all night and kept them in the game long enough to pull out a win. He just seems to give them more of a chance to win night in and night out. Unfortunately, it seems like salary is going to dictate the rotation more than actual results. The stats are not lying. If they want to continue to tank and try to get Shane Wright, I am not opposed to that, but if they are really trying to win some games, they need to play Driedger more.

Austin Czarnik dressed for his first game with the Kraken and was a big part of Donato’s first goal. I am more of a believer in Czarnik than some, and he could turn out to be a shrewd waiver claim. He only played 10:45 and had 60% overall Corsi, which was good for fourth overall on the Kraken.

The Kraken crushed in most 5-on-5 metrics except faceoffs. You have to give them credit for battling, but this is clearly not sustainable or a long-term plan for success.

5-on-5 Corsi (total shot attempts) 55%–45%
5-on-5 Fenwick (Unblocked shot attempts) 56%–44%
5-on-5 High-danger chances for 80%–20%
5-on-5 Expected goals for 66%–34%
Face-off percentage 56%–44%

The Kraken are off until Monday when they will host the Toronto Maple Leafs at Climate Pledge Arena. The puck drop is scheduled for 6 p.m. PST.

The post RECAP: Kraken come back on the road to beat Ducks 4–3 appeared first on The Rink.

The Blackhawks may not be a playoff team but it does not discount their efforts of late. They are playing fine hockey and capitalizing on their chances. 

The first period was uneventful in the scoring category. Multiple chances from both teams early were kicked away by solid goaltending. Given the Blackhawks ranking toward the bottom of the league in scoring, being able to jump out to an early lead would be beneficial. And that came in the second period with a goal from fan-favorite Brandon Hagel. 

THIS SEQUENCE HAS EVERYTHING pic.twitter.com/F4tVLb2vsH

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 16, 2022

This was a crazy sequence leading to Chelsea Dagger for the Blackhawks. It is something you do not see every day and it makes for great highlight reel material. 

The Blackhawks would score their second and third goals in the third period to seal the deal. Kane scored on the powerplay and Kubalik tallied an empty net with minutes remaining.

THIS DUO pic.twitter.com/7in1jUd3Pd

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 16, 2022

Fleury stopped 37 shots and one helmet removal of a Ducks player. He has been a joy to watch. He has been the backbone of the win streak and when there is a big save to be made, he shows up again and again. 

STAT OF THE GAME

#Blackhawks have 15 high-danger chances at 5-on-5, per @NatStatTrick. That’s a new season-high.

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) January 16, 2022

This is nice to see. Like Eddie Olczyk always says, get pucks and people to the blue paint and good things will happen. The Blackhawks have to fight for those “greasy goals” because a lot of the time, they are outmanned in the offensive skill department.

The Blackhawks have a 4 p.m. CST puck drop in Seattle on Monday before a home-and-home matchup with the Minnesota Wild this weekend. 

The post Blackhawks shutout Ducks 3-0 to extend the win streak appeared first on The Rink.

The second game of a back-to-back are always difficult, which is why the Kraken’s lackluster first period was no surprise. They managed only six shots on Ducks starter Anthony Stolarz, who was carrying a five-game home winning streak.

The Duck put up all the scoring they would need in a six-minute span of the opening frame against Kraken starter Philipp Grubauer. Zegras and Derek Grant put the home team up 2–0 late in the first period and anaheim never looked back. Grant’s goal was of the shorthanded variety, while Zegras’ goal was even strength.

Terry put the Duck up 3–0 early in the second period, on the power play, which probably had the Kraken faithful wondering if the game was going to end up being a blowout.

Recently red hot Ryan Donato (say that three times) ended any hopes of a Stolarz shutout late in the second period on a great cross-ice pass from Jordan Eberle while on the man advantage. That would be all the offense that the Kraken could manage, though.

Donato’s seventh goal of the season is now the second-best goal total of his NHL career in just 26 games, after 14 goals in 62 games with the Wild in 2019-20. A total that it looks like he will eclipse some time this season.

Donny with goals in back-to-back games pic.twitter.com/XFW9iw6zLD

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) December 16, 2021

The third period seemed like both teams just wanted to get over this game without any injuries as they combined for only 11 shots. Anaheim’s Sam Carrick added an additional insurance goal off the skate of third period replacement Chris Driedger to increase the lead to 4–1, but clearly, Anaheim took their foot off the pedal and the Kraken had nothing left in the tank.

Anchor points

Grubauer did not play terrible, but he certainly wants the shorthanded Clark goal back.  The first goal was not his fault, as Jared McCann was nudged into him and the third goal was a loose puck right in the slot that Terry buried.  What can you do when your team only scored one goal?  Driedger did not fare much better, with his team running on fumes by the time he came into the game.

The power play is clicking for the Kraken (or at least maintaining). Donato’s power play goal in the second period has Seattle on the verge of climbing into the middle third of the league at 17.7%.

I am not sure who’s brilliant idea it was to put the Kraken on the national game in the second game of a back-to-back but it was a terrible idea before the game, and certainly a terrible idea after the fact. A late west coast game where neither team managed more than 24 shots on net had to tank the ratings.

Advanced Metrics
5-on-5 Corsi (total shot attempts) 56% – 44%
5-on-5 Fenwick (Unblocked shot attempts) 60% – 40%
5-on-5 High Danger Chances For 75% – 25%
5-on-5 Expected Goals For 64% – 36%
Faceoff Percentage 55% – 45%

The Kraken are off until Saturday, when they return home to Climate Pledge Arena to face Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and struggling Edmonton Oilers. The puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. PDT.

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Kraken lines vs Ducks –

Schwartz – Geekie – Eberle
Tanev – Gourde – McCann
Johansson – Wennberg – Jarnkrok
Donato – Sheahan – Donskoi

Giordano – Oleksiak
Larsson – Lauzon
Soucy – Dunn

— Marisa Ingemi (@Marisa_Ingemi) November 12, 2021

Anaheim wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, as 18-year-old rookie Mason MacTavish continued his great play five minutes into regulation play with his second goal of the season. This was a lead that the Ducks never lost. MacTavish’s goal was the only one of the first period, but Anaheim poured the pressure on all period. Shots on goal wound up 16–4 in favor of Anaheim, which tells you all you should need to know about momentum.

The flood gates opened in the second period as far as goal scoring and physicality went. Seattle got a goal by Jaden Schwartz sandwiched between Anaheim goals from Terry and Josh Mahura before defensemen Josh Manson and Jeremy Lauzon took to fisticuffs. Lauzon had taken a double minor against Ducks forward Max Comtois, which meant he was probably going to have to answer the bell shortly after.

Jared McCann cut the Ducks’ lead to 3–2 for about 10 minutes, but veteran defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk scored his fourth goal of the season late in the period to take the teams into the intermission as Anaheim held a 4–2 lead. The shot totals were slightly more balanced than the first period with the Ducks still holding a lead 11–7 and an overall lead of 27–11.

The third period was as wide open as the second, with just a bit less physicality. Jordan Eberle continued his hot play with a goal four minutes into the third period, which temporarily cut Anaheim’s lead to one goal at 4–3.

wenny with the sauce, ebs with the finish! pic.twitter.com/9eU4AbOxxJ

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) November 12, 2021

The two Pacific Division rivals then traded goals from Hampus Lindholm and McCann’s second of the night, just a minute apart. This led to a 5–4 game with just under 10 minutes remaining in regulation, which led to Head Coach Dave Hakstol pulling the goalie with under three minutes remaining.

Empty net goals by Sam Carrick and Terry made the score look much more lopsided than it actually was, but the Ducks walked away with their sixth win in a row nonetheless. For Terry, it was his 13th straight game with a point, and for Seattle, it was their third straight loss.

Anchor points

The two empty-net goals were not on Philipp Grubauer, but he still was not up to the level that the Kraken need him to be at. He stopped 29 of 34 shots, but this is not going to keep Seattle afloat. They are going to need his save percentage above .900 (preferably .910) if they are going to compete in the Pacific. Mahura let his goal go from the blue line and Grubauer swatted at it like it was a bunch of flies. Shattenkirk’s goal was nothing special and also outside the face-off dot. Lindholm’s goal was also from the blue line. He did make some nice stops sliding across his crease, but he needs to stop more of the simple long ones.

It is not fair to harp on the power play too much in this game. There were only two power plays combined. That said, if Seattle was able to convert, this game was tied heading into the final minutes.

With the shot disparity, Anaheim led in analytics across the board (58% Corsi, 58% Fenwick, 58% high-danger chances for and 60% expected goals for). Hakstol tinkered with the lines, but just about any line with Alexander Wennberg centering was pretty good analytically. Morgan Geekie and Yanni Gourde had rough nights with anyone they played between.

The Kraken will have today off and host the Minnesota Wild Saturday night. The puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. PST.

The post RECAP: Ducks out-pace Kraken for sixth straight win appeared first on The Rink.

I have become more invested in sports gambling over the past year or so. How invested, you may ask? Last week, I was refreshing the box score to a KHL game in my Uber on my way home from a night out with friends. I love the entertainment and the opportunity to earn some spending money. 

Basics of hockey betting

Money line — Winning team 

Puck line — Team wins by at least two goals (-1.5 when placing a bet)

Three-way line — Team wins in regulation 

Over/under — Total goals scored during a game including overtime but not a shootout 

Parlay — A combination of two or more bets 

Last night, the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the defending champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning, in extravagant fashion, 6–2. The Penguins were the underdogs, and playing their money line at plus odds would have been a sweet win. The over also hit (5.5). For the nightcap, the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Seattle Kraken by a score of 4–3. That over (5.5) also hit, however, the Golden Knights, the favorite, did not cover the puck line by only winning by one goal. 

Tonight, we have five games on the slate. Let’s dive into my picks.

(All odds courtesy of BetRivers IL)

Montreal Canadiens (+160) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (-186)

O/U: 6

In terms of how I make my picks, everyone has their strategy. For me, it is a mix of gut and research. 

Both teams are missing arguably their best players tonight in Carey Price for the Montreal Canadiens and Auston Matthews for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Canadiens are also without defensemen Shea Weber for the entire year and Joel Edmundson will miss the start of the regular season. Forwards Paul Byron and Mike Hoffman are also on long-term injured reserve. It is a banged-up Canadiens team traveling to Toronto. Mitch Marner is also a game-time decision, but I would expect him to play. 

My pick: Over 6. The Maple Leafs have the firepower on offense even without Matthews in the lineup, and the Canadiens have their own sharpshooters in Cole Caufield and Tyler Toffoli. I think goals come early and often tonight in Toronto. 

New York Rangers (-107) vs. Washington Capitals (-109) 

O/U: 6.5

One thing to note. O/U 6.5 means there must be at least seven goals for the bet to settle as a win. As for the Maple Leafs-Canadiens game, the O/U is set at 6, which also means there must be at least seven goals for a win. However, without the .5, if the game finishes with six total goals, it would be considered a “push” and you get your wagered money back. 

First off, neither team have plus odds. I would consider this a toss-up. So, if you would want plus odds on either one of them, you could play the three-way line or the Washington Capitals are -1 at +160. A $10 wager would win $16 and the payout would be $26. 

The New York Rangers are locked and loaded. They are healthy and ready to go to battle with their slew of assistant captains. I really like their roster. They made several additions in Barclay Goodrow, Ryan Reaves and former St. Louis Blues forward Samuel Blais. Their back end is solid, led by Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox and Jacob Trouba. And, their goaltending duo of Igor Shesterkin and Alexandar Georgiev gives new head coach Gerard Gallant options.

As for the Capitals, there are plenty of familiar faces. They will be without Nicklas Backstrom tonight and for the foreseeable future. Vitek Vanecek will tend the pipes tonight, and the Capitals will be ready to prove they are capable of another run at the Cup. 

My pick: Capitals three-way +145. I will ride the Capitals on home ice tonight. The building will be electric and Alex Ovechkin will shine on the first regular-season game broadcast on TNT. 

Chicago Blackhawks (+170) vs. Colorado Avalanche (-200) 

O/U: 6.5 

Even with no Nathan MacKinnon tonight after testing positive for COVID-19, the Colorado Avalanche are the heavy favorite at home. It is not shocking considered the Avs are one of the favorites to win it all this year. Their roster is loaded with stars all over the place. This is a team that will be entertaining all year and favored in the majority of their contests. 

The Chicago Blackhawks are running out a new-look squad headlined by goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and defensemen Seth Jones. Jonathan Toews is back after missing all of last season with an illness. The rebuild was short-lived in Chicago, and, at least on paper, General Manager Stan Bowman has put together a playoff-contending roster.  

My pick: Hawks ML +170. Homer pick? Absolutely. There is plenty of excitement coming into this season, and I am going to ride it on opening night. Fleury will keep them in the game and give them the chance to pull out the victory.

Vancouver Canucks (+160) vs. Edmonton Oilers (-186)

O/U: 6.5 

I had to think about this game for a bit. There were a lot of angles I was looking into. First off, I liked the over until I saw Mike Smith was 4–0 with a .937 save percentage for the Edmonton Oilers against the Vancouver Canucks last season. This one is tough. I feel that the Oilers are a deeper team offensively, but I lean toward the Canucks’ defense. But, I had to settle on something to try and win some cash for the weekend shenanigans. 

My pick: Oilers three-way -121. Conor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are one of the best duos in the NHL. In March of last season, The two have combined on an NHL-best 197 goals since 2016–17. Insane! Riding these guys tonight is the safe bet. 

Winnipeg Jets (-132) vs. Anaheim Ducks (+112) 

O/U: 5.5 +100

It is always hard to pass up an O/U at plus odds, so think about it. 

Hey, a road favorite! The Winnipeg Jets have had a winning record on the road for the past five seasons. It is a balanced roster and is destined to finish near the top of the Central Divison. As for the Anaheim Ducks, their roster is nothing special. They have finished toward the bottom of the league the past three seasons. Trevor Zegras will be the highlight of the team this season, as he will be in the race for the Calder Trophy with Cole Caufield and Spencer Knight. Maybe they surprise some people, but right now it does not look like it.

My pick: Jets -1.5. I think they win comfortably. John Gibson is the likely starter in the net for the Ducks, and while he is not a bad goalie, I do not like the defense in front of him. Ride the Jets into the night.

I would parlay:

— Leafs O 6/Jets -1.5 +425

Props I like:

— Canadiens team total including overtime over 2.5 -115

— Toews to have a point +105

— Zegras to score +310

Let’s start off the year with a bang! Happy gambling!

The post Tommy’s Puckline Picks — Oct. 13, 2021 appeared first on The Rink.