Late Game NHL Picks for 2/18
We had some early afternoon games and these things take time, hence the two volumes today. Here's what we found when looking at the evening/late-night Saturday games.
Canadiens @ Maple Leafs
Canadiens +1.5 +130
Over 6.5 Goals -110
Toronto is projected to start someone called (checks notes) Joseph Woll tonight, which shows you how much they respect Montreal. Woll has played one game this season in which he stopped 36 of 40 shots. The Leafs are excellent at home, 21-6-4. Montreal isn't great on the road, only 9 of their 23 wins have come away from home.
The Maple Leafs are comfortably ahead of Florida in the division, but Tampa is right on their heels. It's a game Toronto needs, so we should expect them to score enough to win. With the goalie situation, it's quite possible Montreal gets one or two more than projections show.
They've played twice this season to scores of 3-2 and 4-3.
Rangers @ Flames
Rangers 1st Period +115
Rangers +130
The wrong team appears to be favored in this game. New York is playing like a team with deep playoff aspirations having won seven straight. Calgary's points leader Elias Lindholm is day-to-day while the Rangers have a clean bill of health.
Nobody scores more first-period goals than the Rangers. In recent games, they've scored 1, 3, 1, 3, and 2 goals in the first period.
These two played last week for the first time this season, Lindholm was active and New York won 5-4 in overtime.
Coyotes @ Kings
Kings -1.5 +110
Arizona has won a couple of games in a row, but it's not the most solid win streak you've ever seen. Nashville imploded in the third period and they caught Tampa with a backup goaltender. This is not that sort of situation, but perhaps we're getting better odds because of what the recent stats show.
Either way, the LA Kings are rolling. They've won three games in a row by a combined score of 17-5. Arizona is bad enough to be in the mix for Bedard and they just won two...this looks like a "paycheck game" for the Coyotes.
Flyers at Canucks
Flyers +100
Under 6.5 +120
These two teams are both in the ditch together, but one is much healthier than the other. Vancouver is decimated by injury, neither team is showing life. We're talking about a 21-win team vs a 22-win team here. Five of the last six matchups have ended 3-2 or 2-1.
If Flyers starting goaltender Carter Hart needs a break, then the 5-0 kid Samuel Ersson just rejoined the team and is just waiting for another shot.
There are four games we did not get to this afternoon, but the day is young. Thank you for clicking on Patriot Sports, best of luck to all those who ride along!