Down the Frozen River

Tag: Connor Keith

  • Game of the week: January 21-27

    Whether you measure by games played or the All-Star Break, the middle of the season is upon us. Are you an optimist and see all the hockey remaining on the schedule? Or is the glass half empty, formerly full with games now gone by? While you’re figuring that out, here’s the NHL’s offering of games this week.
    NHL SCHEDULE: January 21-27
    TIME (ALL TIMES EASTERN) VISITOR HOST NATIONAL BROADCAST(S)/ Result
    Monday, January 21
    3 p.m. Nashville Colorado 4-1
    4 p.m. St. Louis Los Angeles 3-4
    6 p.m. Minnesota Vegas 4-2
    7 p.m. San Jose Florida 2-6
    Tuesday, January 22
    7 p.m. San Jose Washington 7-6 (OT)
    7:30 p.m. Arizona Ottawa 3-2
    8:30 p.m. New York Islanders Chicago Blackhawks 2-3 (SO)
    9 p.m. Carolina Calgary 2-3 (OT)
    9 p.m. Detroit Edmonton 3-2
    Wednesday, January 23
    7:30 p.m. Washington Capitals Toronto Maple Leafs NBCSN, SN, SN360, TVAS
    7:30 p.m. Arizona Montréal RDS, SN1
    9:30 p.m. Minnesota Colorado
    10 p.m. Nashville Vegas NBCSN
    10 p.m. St. Louis Anaheim
    10:30 p.m. Carolina Vancouver ESPN+
    Thursday, January 24
    No games scheduled – All-Star Break
    Friday, January 25
    No games scheduled – All-Star Break
    Saturday, January 26
    NHL All-Star Game from San Jose, Calif.
    Sunday, January 27
    No games scheduled – All-Star Break
    As you can see, the fun we gain in having the All-Star festivities in San Jose scheduled for this weekend is largely negated by this week’s half-serving of fixtures. Them’s the breaks, I suppose. As for some of this week’s biggest games, we needed to look no further than Monday’s matchup between Nashville and Colorado, a rematch of the First Round from last April’s playoffs. Also, F Alex Galchenyuk is making his first trip back to Montréal tonight, his former home of six seasons. W Micheal Ferland and D Dougie Hamilton were in the same boat last night in Calgary, their home for four and three seasons, respectively. While Galchenyuk will surely receive a warm welcome this evening, I’m much more interested in a tilt taking place in the Mojave Desert between two Western Conference foes.
    Boasting the second-best record in the Central Division, the 29-18-4 Nashville Predators enter tonight’s game with a bit of a limp. Though they won their last tilt against Colorado 4-1, they’ve only managed a 2-3-1 record in their past six outings – a mark that makes Nashville fortunate it has built up a nine-point lead on third-place Minnesota. What is most alarming about this rough patch for the Preds is that their latest struggles are usually among the team’s greatest strengths. Since January 10, Nashville has allowed an average of 3.67 goals per game and 32.5 shots per game. Those both rank seventh-worst in the NHL in that time – a far cry from the Preds’ season marks of 2.61 goals against per game ([t]second-best) and 29 shots against per game (fifth-best). Is this just a case of the Predators being worn out after 51 games so far this season? Considering the Predators’ entire defensive corps is healthy right now, I’d say this very well could be the answer. They’ll take a four-day bye period in addition to the four-day All-Star Break to recuperate for the final 30 games if that is the case. However, eight days off doesn’t do Head Coach Peter Laviolette any good tonight. He needs to find a way to get his troops to perform better tonight, especially since they’re heading into one of the toughest arenas in the league and taking on a hot team in the Golden Knights. On the season, Nashville’s defense has been headed by D Ryan Ellis (two blocks per game and a team-high 42 takeaways) and W Austin Watson (three hits per game). Watson has maintained his role as the team’s leading hit-thrower during this stretch, but his production has dropped to 2.2 hits per game since January 10. Similarly, Ellis’ blocks-per-game production has dropped to 1.5 in his last six outings, falling behind D Mattias Ekholm and D Roman Josi‘s matching 1.8 blocks per game. With only four takeaways in his last six games, Ellis is still a dominant threat in that department considering his position. However, the Predator that really been creating steals lately is F Filip Forsberg, who has averaged a takeaway per game since January 10. Mix in the fact that he’s averaging almost a point per game during this run, and you find a player who’s not at fault for his club’s recent defensive inefficiencies and lack of results. Regardless of who is taking the blame, one player who definitely isn’t happy about the situation is 18-12-3 G Pekka Rinne. Even though Rinne has been having a solid campaign (made evident by his .915 save percentage and 2.47 GAA on the season, the latter of which is tied for sixth-best in the NHL), he’s been a terrible victim of his team’s defensive effort of late. Rinne has only won one of his last four starts, posting a horrendous .878 save percentage and 4.27 GAA in those outings. Rinne has faced the Golden Knights twice in his career, but is still looking for his first victory against the second-year franchise. In the previous two matchups, he has managed a .928 save percentage and 2.44 GAA, highlighted by a 36-save performance on December 8, 2017 that ended in a 4-3 six-round shootout victory for Vegas. Rinne earned
    After rattling off a seven-game winning streak, the 29-18-4 Vegas Golden Knights have propelled themselves into third-place in the Pacific Division with 10 points separating them from Vancouver. However, those winning ways have gone by the wayside in the last two weeks, as Vegas has alternated results in its last five outings for a 2-3-0 record. Vegas lost to the Sharks 3-2 on January 10, followed two days later by a 4-3 overtime win in Chicago. January 15 saw the Golden Knights lose 4-1 in Winnipeg, but a trip home was just the medicine they needed to beat the Penguins 7-3. Most recently (Monday, to be precise), the Wild came to T-Mobile Arena and emerged with a 4-2 win. Does this pattern mean the Knights are ensured two points tonight? If Vegas wants to take its fate into its own hands, it should surely continue what it is doing on the defensive end. Despite the consistently inconsistent results, one thing that has remained constant is the Golden Knights’ blue line, which has allowed only 27.2 shots against per game since January 10 – the fourth-best mark in the league in that time. Leading that defensive charge is none other than F Tomas Nosek (seven takeaways in Vegas’ last five games), RW Ryan Reaves (4.4 hits per game since January 10) and D Nate Schmidt (two blocks per game during this run), despite the fact that injured LW William Carrier (five hits per game), D Brayden McNabb (1.9 blocks per game) and D Shea Theodore (49 takeaways) lead the team in their respective statistics for the season. A major reason for these inconsistent results is the Golden Knights’ scoreboard does not reflect their positive defensive performance. A major reason for that has been the lackluster play by G Marc-Andre Fleury in his last five starts. Even though he boasts a .911 save percentage and 2.5 GAA (tied for ninth-best in the NHL) for the entire season, he’s managed only a .895 save percentage and 2.85 GAA in his last five starts. In fact, Fleury has allowed at least two goals per game in his last seven outings – a surprising statistic for the netminder whose six shutouts double the eight players’ marks that are tied for second place. If history will decide this tilt, Fleury will certainly bring his A-game against Nashville. He boasts a 9-5-1 record against the Predators, bolstered largely by five-straight wins between 2010-14 during his tenure with Pittsburgh. In those 15 appearances, he owns a career .927 save percentage and 1.95 GAA – dominant marks for any netminder against any one club. Of course, those marks are in the past. Which team enters the All-Star Break with two more points to their credit? Since both teams have managed approximately equal offense since January 10 (the Preds’ 3.33 goals per game is slightly higher than Vegas’ 3.2), I’ll consider that a wash. Instead, I’ll lean towards the Golden Knights earning tonight’s victory on the backs of their solid defensive play.

  • Game of the week: January 14-20

    It’s the final week before the All-Star Break that features all 31 teams in action!

    Let’s take a look at the schedule:

    NHL SCHEDULE: January 14-20
    TIME (ALL TIMES EASTERN) VISITOR HOST NATIONAL BROADCAST(S)/
    Result
    Monday, January 14
    7 p.m. Colorado Toronto 6-3
    7 p.m. Chicago New Jersey 5-8
    7 p.m. Minnesota Philadelphia 4-7
    7 p.m. St. Louis Washington 4-1
    7:30 p.m. Montréal Canadiens Boston Bruins 3-2 (OT)
    9 p.m. Buffalo Edmonton 2-7
    Tuesday, January 15
    7 p.m. St. Louis Blues New York Islanders 1-2 (OT)
    7 p.m. Carolina Hurricanes New York Rangers 2-6
    7 p.m. New Jersey Columbus 1-4
    7:30 p.m. Florida Montréal 1-5
    7:30 p.m. Anaheim Detroit 1-3
    8 p.m. Washington Nashville 2-7
    8 p.m. Los Angeles Minnesota 2-3 (SO)
    8 p.m. Vegas Winnipeg 1-4
    8:30 p.m. Tampa Bay Dallas 2-0
    10 p.m. Pittsburgh San Jose 2-5
    Wednesday, January 16
    7 p.m. Colorado Ottawa 2-5
    7:30 p.m. Boston Philadelphia 3-4
    9:30 p.m. Buffalo Calgary 4-3 (OT)
    10 p.m. Edmonton Vancouver 3-2 (SO)
    10 p.m. San Jose Arizona 3-6
    Thursday, January 17
    7 p.m. St. Louis Boston 2-5
    7 p.m. New Jersey Devils New York Islanders 1-4
    7 p.m. Chicago Blackhawks New York Rangers 3-4
    7:30 p.m. Toronto Tampa Bay 4-2
    8 p.m. Winnipeg Nashville 5-1
    8 p.m. Anaheim Minnesota 3-0
    8:30 p.m. Los Angeles Dallas 2-1
    Friday, January 18
    7 p.m. Toronto Florida 1-3
    7 p.m. Montréal Columbus 4-1
    7:30 p.m. New York Islanders Washington Capitals 2-0
    7:30 p.m. Ottawa Carolina 4-1
    9 p.m. Detroit Calgary 4-6
    9 p.m. Pittsburgh Arizona 3-2 (OT)
    10 p.m. Buffalo Vancouver 3-4
    Saturday, January 19
    1 p.m. Anaheim New Jersey SN
    3 p.m. Los Angeles Colorado  
    7 p.m. Ottawa St. Louis CITY
    7 p.m. Winnipeg Dallas SN360
    7 p.m. New York Rangers Boston Bruins NHLN
    7 p.m. Philadelphia Montréal CBC, ESPN+, TVAS
    7 p.m. San Jose Tampa Bay  
    8 p.m. Florida Nashville  
    9 p.m. Columbus Minnesota  
    10 p.m. Pittsburgh Vegas ESPN+
    10 p.m. Calgary Flames Edmonton Oilers CBC, CITY, SN, SN1, SN360
    Sunday, January 20
    12:30 p.m. Washington Chicago NBC, TVAS
    3 p.m. Anaheim Ducks New York Islanders SN1
    4 p.m. Detroit Vancouver ESPN+
    7 p.m. Arizona Toronto NHLN, SN
    9:30 p.m. Carolina Edmonton SN1, SN360

    If rivalries are your jam, you’ve loved this week’s schedule since there’s at least one rivalry being played every day except Sunday. Monday saw the Habs make a trip to the Hub, followed the next day by the Ducks in Detroit (once a rivalry, always a rivalry). The Bruins were back at it Wednesday in the City of Brotherly Love, while another Original Six tilt took place Thursday with the Blackhawks visiting the Broadway Blueshirts. Speaking of New York, the Islanders headed to D.C. yesterday to take on the Caps, while two sets of arch-rivals square off this evening: the frequently-featured Rangers and Bruins wage war at 7 p.m., followed by the Battle of Alberta at 10.

    If playoff rematches are more your speed, you preferred Winnipeg’s schedule. The Jets hosted Vegas Tuesday, followed two days later by a trip to Nashville.

    Finally, there’s more than a few major homecomings happening this week, the biggest of which is 10-year veteran D Adam McQuaid‘s first game in Boston wearing a crest other than the Spoked B when the Rangers come to town tonight.

    Also making returns were W Magnus Paajarvi (now a Senator, he called St. Louis home for five seasons), David Quinn (the Rangers hired him from Boston University where he’d been the head coach for five seasons) and Barry Trotz (after winning the Stanley Cup in his fourth year at Washington’s helm, Trotz signed with the Islanders this offseason).

    While many of these tilts are exciting, the game that really sticks out to me involves two of the top teams in their respective conferences that were Stanley Cup favorites entering the campaign.

    If not for Wednesday’s 6-3 loss in Glendale to the Coyotes, the 28-14-7 Sharks would be considered the hottest team in the NHL. They entered that tilt riding a seven game winning streak and have posted a dominant 9-2-2 mark in their last 13 outings.

    There’s no doubt that Tampa Bay (tonight’s opponent) and division-rival Calgary boast two of the NHL’s best offenses. However, San Jose’s 3.57 goals per game for the entire 2018-19 season ranks third best in the league, and that attack only looks stronger when we focus on this 13 game run. Since December 22, the Sharks have averaged a whopping 4.31 goals per game, which ties the Flames for tops in the league.

    Spearheading that onslaught of offense is none other than D Erik Karlsson, the man supposedly suffering a down season. His personal goal count may not be as high as he’d like (he’s registered only three through 47 outings this season), but struggles are otherwise few and far between nowadays considering he’s posted 1-18-19 totals in his past 11 games.

    Of course, Karlsson isn’t San Jose’s only blue liner that likes to get involved in the offensive zone. D Brent Burns – a favorite for the Norris Trophy at the midway point of the season – is only a point behind Karlsson since December 22, posting 5-13-18 marks.

    The defensemen are joined by LW Evander Kane (6-10-16 totals since December 22) and F Tomas Hertl (9-5-14) in averaging over a point per game during the Sharks’ outstanding winning run.

    I’m of the opinion that the primary responsibility of a team’s defensive efforts is to limit opposing shots on goal, so – in a way – this dominant offense that maintains extended possessions is also performing marvelously well for 22-8-4 G Martin Jones. The Sharks have allowed only 28.31 shots against per game since December 22, the fourth-best mark in the NHL in that stretch.

    As for actual defensive efforts, it’s hard not to have been impressed by Burns (team-leading 19 takeaways) and Kane (2.9 hits per game) during this run.

    Of course, no matter how well the Sharks have been playing lately, there’s few that would argue that tonight’s hosts, the 36-10-2 Tampa Bay Lightning, are the best team the National Hockey League has to offer. The Bolts have a seven-point advantage in the race for the Presidents’ Trophy, and they haven’t lost back-to-back games since November 10 and 13.

    The reason that’s an important note is due to Tampa Bay’s 4-2 home loss at the hands of the Maple Leafs Thursday night, dropping their record since November 15 to 24-5-1.

    During that dominant run, the Bolts have boasted the league’s top offense, averaging a whopping 4.23 goals per game – many of which have involved Art Ross-leader RW Nikita Kucherov. In Tampa’s last 30 games, Kucherov has notched dominant 15-43-58 totals – five points better than the NHL’s second-best player in that time.

    Joining Kucherov in averaging over a point per game since November 15 are F Brayden Point (21-23-44 totals) and C Steven Stamkos (18-21-39).

    Another player worth mentioning is surely 19-6-2 G Andrei Vasilevskiy, tonight’s likely starter considering this is Tampa’s last game until January 30’s tilt against Pittsburgh. In his past 14 starts, Vasilevskiy has managed an outstanding .922 save percentage and 2.65 GAA, a slight decline from his season marks of .925 and 2.48 due to the defense in front of him allowing 32.73 shots against per game since November 15, the seventh-worst mark in the NHL in that time.

    There’s no doubt these offenses are capable of taking a game over, but both of them playing in the same game will certainly be either club’s greatest challenge they’ve faced in a while.

    In my opinion, this game boils down to the opposing goaltenders. If that is the case, the Lightning have a clear advantage, as Jones’ .903 season save percentage and corresponding 2.72 GAA pale in comparison to Vasilevskiy’s.

    As a result, I think the Bolts can come away from tonight’s tilt with a two or three-goal victory to further cement themselves as the league’s best club.

  • DTFR Podcast #141- The Midseasonies

    DTFR Podcast #141- The Midseasonies

    Nick and Connor talk the latest trades, Torts drama (and latest record), Casey DeSmith’s extension with the Pittsburgh Penguins, as well as a tribute to the careers of Rick Nash and Josh Gorges who both announced their retirement this week.

    Additionally, what’s up with the Edmonton Oilers and St. Louis Blues this season and why can’t they just pick a side? Plus, it’s time to hand out awards for being slightly more than halfway through the 2018-19 regular season. #FlamingNotToFlamingHot

    Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts (iTunes), Stitcher and/or on Spotify. Support the show on Patreon.

  • DTFR Podcast #140- All-Star Finnish Trivia

    DTFR Podcast #140- All-Star Finnish Trivia

    Thoughts on the conclusion and controversies of the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship, as well as a look at the schedule around the league as we near the All-Star Weekend festivities and bye week(s). Nick puts Connor on the spot and asks him some trivia questions that only went so well.

    Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts (iTunes), Stitcher and/or on Spotify. Support the show on Patreon.

  • Game of the week: January 7-13

    It’s the first full week of 2019! What better way to celebrate than with some hockey?

    Here’s this week’s slate of games:

    NHL SCHEDULE: January 7-13
    TIME (ALL TIMES EASTERN) VISITOR HOST NATIONAL BROADCAST(S)/
    Result
    Monday, January 7
    7 p.m. Nashville Toronto 4-0
    7 p.m. St. Louis Philadelphia 3-0
    7:30 p.m. Minnesota Montréal 1-0
    8:30 p.m. Calgary Chicago 4-3
    10:30 p.m. Los Angeles San Jose 1-3
    Tuesday, January 8
    7 p.m. Minnesota Boston 0-4
    7 p.m. New Jersey Buffalo 1-5
    7 p.m. Carolina Hurricanes New York Islanders 4-3
    7 p.m. Florida Pittsburgh 1-5
    7:30 p.m. Philadelphia Washington 3-5
    7:30 p.m. Montréal Detroit 3-2
    7:30 p.m. Columbus Tampa Bay 0-4
    8 p.m. Dallas St. Louis 3-1
    8 p.m. Colorado Winnipeg 4-7
    10 p.m. New York Rangers Vegas Golden Knights 2-4
    10:30 p.m. Edmonton San Jose 2-7
    Wednesday, January 9
    8 p.m. Nashville Predators Chicago Blackhawks NBCSN, SN360, TVAS
    9:30 p.m. Colorado Calgary ESPN+
    10 p.m. Ottawa Anaheim RDS
    Thursday, January 10
    7 p.m. Washington Boston ESPN+, TVAS
    7 p.m. Toronto New Jersey  
    7 p.m. New York Islanders New York Rangers  
    7 p.m. Dallas Philadelphia  
    7 p.m. Nashville Columbus  
    7:30 p.m. Carolina Tampa Bay  
    8 p.m. Montréal St. Louis RDS, TSN2
    8 p.m. Winnipeg Minnesota NBCSN
    9 p.m. Florida Edmonton  
    10 p.m. Arizona Vancouver  
    10 p.m. San Jose Vegas ESPN+
    10:30 p.m. Ottawa Los Angeles RDS
    Friday, January 11
    7:30 p.m. Buffalo Carolina NHLN
    8 p.m. Detroit Winnipeg TVAS
    9 p.m. Florida Calgary  
    10 p.m. Pittsburgh Anaheim ESPN+, SN360
    Saturday, January 12
    1 p.m. Philadelphia New Jersey NHLN, SN
    1 p.m. New York Rangers New York Islanders ESPN+
    7 p.m. Tampa Bay Buffalo  
    7 p.m. Boston Bruins Toronto Maple Leafs CBC, CITY, NHLN, SN1
    7 p.m. Colorado Montréal SN, TVAS
    7 p.m. Columbus Washington ESPN+
    8 p.m. Detroit Minnesota  
    8:30 p.m. Vegas Chicago ESPN+
    9 p.m. St. Louis Dallas  
    10 p.m. Ottawa San Jose CBC, SN1, TVAS
    10 p.m. Arizona Edmonton SN
    10:30 p.m. Pittsburgh Los Angeles  
    Sunday, January 13
    12:30 p.m. Nashville Carolina  
    6 p.m. Anaheim Winnipeg  
    6 p.m. New York Rangers Columbus Blue Jackets NHLN
    7 p.m. Florida Vancouver SN
    7 p.m. Tampa Bay Lightning New York Islanders ESPN+
    9:30 p.m. Arizona Calgary SN1

    Among the week’s biggest games are the usual suspects of rivalries, playoff rematches and player returns.

    In the rivalry department, the Battle of California reignited Monday when the Kings visited San Jose, followed a day later by Philadelphia at Washington and an Original Six showdown between the Canadiens and Red Wings. The Battle of New York will be waged twice this week, starting in Manhattan tomorrow night and heading to Brooklyn Saturday afternoon. Also taking place Saturday is the Battle of the Turnpikes between Philadelphia and New Jersey, as well as another Original Six fixture featuring Boston and Toronto.

    As for rematches from last season’s Stanley Cup Playoffs, Thursday will see Winnipeg make a return to Minnesota in a rematch of the Western Quarterfinals, and a Western Semifinals rematch between San Jose and Vegas. The previously mentioned Bruins-Maple Leafs tilt on Saturday is a rematch of the Eastern Quarterfinals, as is Columbus at Washington on the same day.

    Making his first trip back to Raleigh since being traded to Buffalo this summer, no player’s homecoming is bigger than Jeff Skinner‘s this week. Drafted seventh overall in 2010, Skinner was a member of the Hurricanes for eight seasons before joining Jack Eichel‘s Sabres. While a Cane, Skinner won the organization’s first Calder Trophy and was named the youngest All-Star in North American professional sports history – both in 2011.

    Also making a major homecoming trip is Tanner Pearson, now a member of the Penguins after a mid-season trade ended his six-season tenure in Los Angeles.

    However, the game that excites me the most is going down tonight when the Colorado Avalanche make the trip north into Alberta to take on the Calgary Flames.

    For much of the season so far, 20-15-8 Colorado – the West’s top wild card – was one of the scariest opponents in the league for any team. They boast a dominant top line and a top-five power play (the Avs’ 26.5 percent conversion rate is second-best in the conference).

    However, that has not been the case for the past three weeks, as Colorado has racked up only a lowly 1-5-2 record in its last eight appearances (including regulation losses to Arizona, Chicago and Los Angeles – all also-rans in the Western Conference), causing them to give up third place in the Central Division to Dallas.

    Averaging three goals per game during this run, the offense is still clicking at a good enough pace that the Avalanche should not be struggling – at least not to this extent. Instead, it has been Colorado’s goaltending that has really dropped the ball.

    With 9-5-3 G Philipp Grubauer earning the start last night in Winnipeg (Colorado lost 7-4, for those keeping track at home), it seems likely that 11-8-5 G Semyon Varlamov will get the nod this evening. If that’s the case, he’ll surely have full intention of playing closer to the .912 save percentage and 2.8 GAA he’s managed for the season and not the .891 and 2.97 marks he’s posted in his last two starts.

    Of course, even those numbers are improvements over Grubauer’s. In the former Capital’s last six starts, he’s managed only an .87 save percentage and 3.94 GAA – only slightly worse than the .895 and 3.29 he’s shown for the entire season. With numbers like those and the fact that 0-2-0 G Pavel Francouz looked fairly solid in his NHL debut this season (he managed a .943 save percentage and 1.96 GAA in 61 minutes), it’s a wonder the Czech hasn’t had the opportunity to join the Avs full-time if it would mean Varlamov could take more games off.

    What makes these recent goaltending numbers so frustrating is the fact that Colorado has been playing some solid defense during this stretch of games. In the Avs’ last eight games, they’ve allowed only 29.75 shots against per game – the ninth-lowest mark in the NHL since December 21. W Gabriel Bourque and C Sheldon Dries (both with 2.3 hits per game since December 21), W Matt Calvert (seven takeaways during this stretch) and D Erik Johnson (2.4 blocks per game in his past eight outings) have all played major roles in that success, but they’ll be pushed to the limit tonight when facing the Flames’ imposing attack.

    Speaking of those high-flying Flames, they currently boast the Western Conference’s top record with a 27-13-4 mark – a performance that’s even more intimidating when we keep in mind they have at least one game in hand on the Pacific Division’s two other best teams.

    Tonight’s tilt will be the Flames’ first back in Calgary after a four-game Eastern road trip that saw them earn six of eight possible points. In fact, Calgary enters tonight’s game on an impressive 5-1-1 run in its past seven showings, including wins over solid Western foes in San Jose and Winnipeg.

    Leading that charge is the Flames’ previously mentioned offense, which has few rivals in the NHL lately. Averaging 4.29 goals per game since December 27, Calgary’s attack is ranked fourth in the league and second in the conference in that time.

    An outstanding five skaters are averaging at least a point per game during this run, but none are as intimidating as LW Johnny Gaudreau. With 10-6-16 totals in his past seven games (that’s 1.43 goals and 2.29 points per game), he’s elevated his season marks to 26-38-64, good enough for fourth, (t)fifth and (t)eighth in the NHL in points, goals and assists respectively.

    Joining Gaudreau in averaging at least a point per game during this seven game stretch are C Sean Monahan (2-12-14 totals), F Elias Lindholm (3-8-11), LW Matthew Tkachuk (3-5-8) and D Noah Hanifin (0-7-7).

    Perhaps the most impressive facet of Calgary’s attack is that the Flames are scoring almost all of their goals at even strength, having converted only four of their last 28 power play opportunities (14.3 percent, 12th-worst in the NHL since December 27. While Head Coach Bill Peters would surely like to see his special teams perform better, the fact that the Flames have scored 21 of their last 30 goals (70 percent) at even strength surely makes that an easier pill to swallow.

    A potent attack taking on a slumping goaltending corps is usually a recipe for disaster, but the fact that Colorado boasts a solid offense of its own is what makes this tilt interesting. If the Avalanche want any chance of pulling off the upset, F Nathan MacKinnon, RW Mikko Rantanen and co. will need to do their best to beat 15-4-3 G David Rittich to keep up with the Flames. If they can’t, this could get ugly early.

  • Game of the week: December 31-January 6

    Welcome to 2019! Nothing quite rings in the new year like hockey (shh, nobody asked you what you think, college football!), and in case you haven’t heard, the Blackhawks and Bruins are headed to South Bend, Ind. for this year’s iteration of the Winter Classic.

    However, there’s far more than that tilt going down this week, so here’s all the fixtures for 2018’s finale and the first six days of 2019.

    NHL SCHEDULE: December 31-january 6
    TIME (ALL TIMES EASTERN) VISITOR HOST NATIONAL BROADCAST(S)/
    Result
    Monday, December 31
    12:30 p.m. Nashville Washington 6-3
    1 p.m. Vancouver New Jersey 0-4
    6 p.m. Pittsburgh Minnesota 3-2
    6 p.m. New York Islanders Buffalo Sabres 3-1
    6 p.m. Philadelphia Carolina 1-3
    7 p.m. New York Rangers St. Louis Blues 2-1
    7 p.m. Ottawa Columbus 3-6
    7:30 p.m. Florida Detroit 4-3 (SO)
    8 p.m. Tampa Bay Anaheim 2-1 (OT)
    8 p.m. Los Angeles Colorado 3-2 (OT)
    8:30 p.m. Montréal Dallas 3-2 (OT)
    9 p.m. San Jose Calgary 5-8
    9 p.m. Winnipeg Edmonton 4-3
    Tuesday, January 1
    1 p.m. Boston Chicago 4-2
    8:30 p.m. Philadelphia Nashville 0-4
    9 p.m. Los Angeles Vegas 0-2
    Wednesday, January 2
    7 p.m. Vancouver Ottawa 4-3 (OT)
    7 p.m. Calgary Detroit 5-3
    7 p.m. Pittsburgh Penguins New York Rangers 7-2
    8:30 p.m. New Jersey Dallas 4-5
    9:30 p.m. San Jose Colorado 5-4
    9:30 p.m. Edmonton Arizona 3-1
    Thursday, January 3
    2 p.m. Minnesota Toronto 4-3
    7 p.m. Calgary Boston 4-6
    7 p.m. Florida Buffalo 3-4
    7 p.m. Carolina Philadelphia 5-3
    7:30 p.m. Chicago Blackhawks New York Islanders 2-3 (OT)
    7:30 p.m. Vancouver Montréal 0-2
    8 p.m. Washington St. Louis 2-5
    10:30 p.m. Tampa Bay Los Angeles 6-2
    Friday, January 4
    7 p.m. Winnipeg Pittsburgh 0-4
    7:30 p.m. Nashville Detroit 3-4 (OT)
    7:30 p.m. Columbus Carolina 2-4
    8 p.m. Washington Dallas 1-2 (OT)
    9 p.m. New York Rangers Colorado Avalanche 1-6
    9 p.m. New Jersey Arizona 3-2 (SO)
    10 p.m. Vegas Anaheim 3-2
    Saturday, January 5
    1 p.m. Calgary Philadelphia 3-2 (OT)
    1 p.m. Minnesota Ottawa 4-3
    7 p.m. Buffalo Boston 1-2
    7 p.m. Vancouver Toronto 0-5
    7 p.m. Nashville Montréal 4-1
    7 p.m. Columbus Florida 4-3 (OT)
    8 p.m. New York Islanders St. Louis Blues 4-3
    10 p.m. Edmonton Los Angeles 0-4
    11 p.m. Tampa Bay San Jose 2-5
    Sunday, January 6
    1 p.m. Carolina Ottawa RDS2
    4 p.m. New Jersey Vegas SN
    4 p.m. New York Rangers Arizona Coyotes  
    5 p.m. Dallas Winnipeg ESPN+
    5 p.m. Washington Detroit NHLN
    8 p.m. Edmonton Anaheim SN, SN360
    8 p.m. Chicago Pittsburgh NBCSN

    If you enjoyed the 1988 and 1990 Stanley Cup Finals and rivalries are your jam, this week’s slate of games was made just for you. Both Boston and Edmonton squared off against two rivals this week, with the Oilers taking on Winnipeg on Monday and the Kings on Saturday and the Bruins playing Chicago and Buffalo on Tuesday and Saturday, respectively.

    Speaking of the Kings, their Tuesday tilt in Vegas was a rematch of the First Round from the most recent Stanley Cup playoffs – the only such tilt of the week.

    Finally, in the “Player Returns” department, W Dmitrij Jaskin takes the cake for the longest tenure with his former club, as he was claimed off waivers by the Capitals earlier this season after six campaigns with the Blues – Washington’s opponent on Thursday.

    In an attempt to avoid repeating teams too frequently, I turned my attention away from the Winter Classic (we all knew how it was going to go anyways) and the Flames and Sharks’ major showdown. Instead, let’s take in a pivotal game in the race for the Western Conference’s second wild card.

    To put things simply, life has been much better for the Oilers and their faithful fans.

    As recently as three weeks ago, Edmonton was in third place in the Pacific Division and looking like a real threat for the remainder of the season. However, that impressive 9-2-2 run that got them to that point is long forgotten now, as the 19-19-3 Oil enter tonight’s tilt on a disastrous 1-7-0 skid, accented by last night’s embarrassing 4-0 loss to lowly Los Angeles.

    Without a doubt, the worst aspect of Edmonton’s play over this eight-game run has been the play of its two goaltenders. 12-8-1 G Mikko Koskinen has received six of those starts, but his .869 save percentage and 4.45 GAA in those appearances (compared to a .915 season save percentage and corresponding 2.64 GAA) hardly reflect starters’ numbers.

    However, handing the reins over to 7-11-2 G Cam Talbot has rarely been the fix Head Coach Ken Hitchcock’s club has hoped for, as almost every time they’ve turned to him they’ve gotten the same old Talbot they’ve gotten all year. Boasting an .893 save percentage and 3.23 GAA for the season, Talbot has stayed true to his form for this campaign in his last four appearances since December 16, posting almost identical .888 and 3.25 marks in those outings.

    With both Koskinen and Talbot seeing action in yesterday’s tilt in Tinseltown, it remains unclear which will earn the nod this evening. Koskinen did start against the Kings, but he only logged 13:57 of action before getting pulled due to allowing three goals on eight shots (.625 save percentage). Conversely, though Talbot saw more TOI, his 14-for-15 performance (.933 save percentage) in relief could earn him the opportunity to reclaim his starting job tonight.

    Though not the sole reason for the netminders’ struggles, part of their problems might be related to the Oil’s defensive play of late. Edmonton has allowed an average of 30.7 shots on goal per game this season, a mark that is good enough for 11th-best in the NHL. However, that mark has climbed ever so slightly to 31.75 shots per game in Edmonton’s games since December 16, the 14th-highest in the league in that stretch.

    If any are to blame for that defensive decline, it is surely not F Jujhar Khaira (3.8 hits per game since December 16), C Connor McDavid (10 takeaways in the last eight games) or D Darnell Nurse (1.5 blocks per game during this run), as all three lead the team in their respective statistics.

    There’s certainly still time for Edmonton to rediscover its winning groove, but the Oilers must make sure to stop the bleeding against Anaheim tonight, considering it is those very Ducks they’re trailing by four points for the Western Conference’s second wild card.

    Speaking of teams looking to get off the schneid, the 19-16-7 Anaheim Ducks also fit the bill considering their seven-game losing skid that has seen them earn only two of a possible 14 points.

    Since December 18 (the date of Anaheim’s 3-1 loss at Madison Square Garden, the first of these consecutive losses), no offense in the NHL has been as anemic as the Ducks’. The entire league has averaged 2.84 goals per game since that date, but Anaheim has ranked dead last with an uninspiring 1.57 goals per game.

    Unsurprisingly, no players have averaged a point per game or better during this losing skid – not even the usually reliable C Ryan Getzlaf (9-20-29 totals in 36 games played) or W Ondrej Kase (11-8-19 in 24 appearances). In fact, only eight of Anaheim’s 20 skaters have registered more than a lone point in the Ducks’ last seven games – an alarmingly low number, especially for a team without a dominant top line of the likes of Boston, Colorado or Dallas.

    Of course, it’s not as if Anaheim’s offense has exactly lit up the scoreboard this season. At this point in the campaign, the Ducks have averaged 2.4 goals per game for 2018-19, a mark that ranks second-worst ahead of only their crosstown rivals’ 2.26. However, dropping almost three-quarters of a goal per game is far more noticeable for a team lacking in offensive firepower than it is for a club like Tampa Bay that has averaged over four goals per game for the entire season. The Bolts can spare a goal here or there – the Ducks most certainly cannot.

    And so, that brings us to our usual question: how does all this factor into tonight’s game?

    This evening’s tilt features weak goaltending squaring off against a lackluster offense, and – by virtue of an NHL game being unable to end in a tie – one of them must win.

    Usually I would favor the offense in that matchup, but Anaheim’s attack has been so awful I simply can’t bare to do it. Similarly, I think the Oilers will be fired up to score some goals this evening considering they got blanked by the *former* worst team in the league less than 24 hours ago. Edmonton should come away with two points tonight and pull within two points (not to mention its game in hand on Anaheim) of a playoff spot.

  • DTFR Podcast #139- They Ran Out Of Beer!

    DTFR Podcast #139- They Ran Out Of Beer!

    A bunch of minor trades were made in the last week, the 2019 Honda NHL All-Star Game rosters were released, as well as the 2019-20 outdoor game schedule. Nick and Connor also discuss the legacy that was the 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic and the 2019 IIHF World Junior Quarterfinal upsets.

    Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts (iTunes), Stitcher and/or on Spotify. Support the show on Patreon.

    *Editor’s Note: Of course, after recording this week’s episode, the Philadelphia Flyers claimed G Mike McKenna off waivers from the Vancouver Canucks.

  • DTFR Podcast #138- 2019’s Already Going Down

    DTFR Podcast #138- 2019’s Already Going Down

    Nick and Connor recap and react to the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship so far, review the latest suspensions and injuries, look to the future of the NHL in 2019 and beyond, discuss 2019 All-Star Game captains, Jake Guentzel’s new extension and Jim Lites’ quotes on Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn.

    Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts (iTunes), Stitcher and/or on Spotify. Support the show on Patreon.

  • Game of the week: December 24-30

    Now that the holiday break has come and gone, it’s time to get back into some hockey. Let’s take a gander at all the tilts the NHL has crammed into four days this week.

    NHL SCHEDULE: December 24-30
    TIME (ALL TIMES EASTERN) VISITOR HOST NATIONAL BROADCAST(S)/
    Result
    Monday, December 24
    No Games Scheduled – Christmas Eve
    Tuesday, December 25
    No Games Scheduled – Christmas
    Wednesday, December 26
    No Games Scheduled – Boxing Day
    Thursday, December 27
    7 p.m. New Jersey Boston 5-2
    7 p.m. Columbus Blue Jackets New York Rangers 4-3 (OT)
    7 p.m. Detroit Pittsburgh 2-5
    7 p.m. Carolina Washington 1-3
    7:30 p.m. Philadelphia Tampa Bay 5-6 (OT)
    8 p.m. Buffalo St. Louis 1-4
    8 p.m. Dallas Nashville 2-0
    8 p.m. Calgary Winnipeg 4-1
    8:30 p.m. Minnesota Chicago 2-5
    9 p.m. Vancouver Edmonton 4-2
    10 p.m. Colorado Vegas 1-2
    10:30 p.m. Arizona Los Angeles  1-2
    10:30 p.m. Anaheim San Jose  2-4
    Friday, December 28
    7 p.m. Montréal Florida RDS, TSN2
    7 p.m. Ottawa Senators New York Islanders RDS2
    7 p.m. Toronto Columbus ESPN+
    Saturday, December 29
    1 p.m. Carolina New Jersey SN
    4 p.m. Vegas Los Angeles SN1
    4 p.m. San Jose Edmonton  
    4 p.m. Minnesota Winnipeg  
    7 p.m. Boston Buffalo  
    7 p.m. New York Islanders Toronto Maple Leafs CBC, ESPN+, SN1
    7 p.m. Washington Ottawa CITY, SN360
    7 p.m. Montréal Tampa Bay SN, TVAS
    7 p.m. Philadelphia Florida  
    8 p.m. Pittsburgh St. Louis  
    8 p.m. New York Rangers Nashville Predators ESPN+
    8 p.m. Detroit Dallas  
    9 p.m. Chicago Colorado  
    10 p.m. Arizona Anaheim  
    10 p.m. Vancouver Canucks Calgary Flames CBC, CITY, SN, SN1, SN360
    Sunday, December 30
    8 p.m. Vegas Arizona ESPN+, SN, TVAS

    Rivalries on tap this week included Detroit at Pittsburgh, Calgary at Winnipeg, Minnesota at Chicago and Anaheim at San Jose on Thursday; Boston at Buffalo and Vancouver at Calgary today and Vegas at Arizona tomorrow.

    We also got the pleasure of taking in a few playoff rematches from this spring, including the previously mentioned Anaheim at San Jose tilt Thursday night,  as well as Minnesota at Winnipeg and Vegas at Los Angeles on this evening.

    Finally, a few tilts involved players making homecoming trips to former longtime homes. Now a member of the Sabres after an offseason trade, F Vladimir Sobotka made his first trip back to St. Louis on Thursday, while F Leo Komarov returned to Toronto – his former home of five seasons – today.

    Of all of those, the showdown I’m most interested in is taking place in the Queen City. The Bruins are the healthiest they’ve been all season, while the Sabres are looking to once again regain the form that earned them a 10-game winning streak through much of November.

    Though the 20-14-4 Boston Bruins can currently lay claim to the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot, they are far from comfortable or safe in that position considering the New York Islanders are only two points behind them in the standings with two games in hand.

    However, playing in the Bruins’ favor is their previously mentioned return to good health. With the exception of D Urho Vaakanainen, Boston’s 2017 first-round pick who has a whopping two NHL appearances to his credit, D Charlie McAvoy and LW Brad Marchand, the Bruins have almost achieved full health once again – albeit with F David Backes taking in tonight’s tilt and the next two as well from the press box after he was suspended for a high hit against New Jersey’s F Blake Coleman on Thursday.

    Yes, Boston fans, you did the math correctly: Backes will be unavailable for New Year’s Day’s Winter Classic at Notre Dame Stadium, nor the tough matchup with the Flames on Thursday.

    Of course, there’s always the question of just how much he’ll be missed. He’s been involved in all of the Bruins’ last seven games in which they’ve posted a 3-4-0 record, contributing only four assists and a -5 rating in those outings.

    Now, it might sound like I’m piling on Backes and implying that he does more harm than good when he’s on the ice. While it would certainly be a stretch to say he’d be the best player in white this evening if he were dressing, there’s no doubting the former captain’s defensive contributions. He’s top eight among Bruins forwards since December 14 in hits per game, blocks per game and takeaways (for those wondering, the forwards leading those stats in that time frame are F Noel Acciari [3.8 hits per game], F Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson [1.3 blocks per game] and Marchand [eight takeaways]).

    Instead, what has been letting Boston down during its last seven games is clearly some sub-par goaltending. Despite a defense that has yielded only 28.86 shots against in its last seven showings (a mark that’s sixth-best in the NHL in that time), neither 12-6-2 G Jaroslav Halak nor 8-8-2 G Tuukka Rask – tonight’s starter – has looked all that impressive.

    It goes without saying that Rask is having the worst season of his career this year. His .911 season save percentage and 2.72 GAA are both on pace to be the worst marks of his professional career (barring, of course, his four-game 2007-08 campaign). Making matters even more dreadful for the Bruins’ faithful, Rask’s last two starts have been even more alarming, as he boasts only an .873 save percentage and 4.15 GAA in those outings.

    It probably goes without saying, but he lost both of those games (4-2 against Buffalo and 5-3 at Carolina).

    With a 21-12-5 record, the Buffalo Sabres have settled into third place in the Atlantic Division, though just like Boston, there’s not many points separating them from teams trying to chase them down. Montréal trails the Sabres by only two points, while the Bruins could pull within a point of Buffalo with a win tonight.

    Much of the reason the Sabres are starting to fall back to Earth is their playing .500 hockey of late. Over Buffalo’s last eight games, it has managed only a 4-3-1 record, losing ground on the Maple Leafs in the division standings during Toronto’s five-game winning streak.

    If anyone is to blame for Buffalo’s inconsistencies of late, it’s certainly not 8-1-3 G Linus Ullmark. He’s managed a solid .922 save percentage and 2.71 GAA for the entire season, but he’s been even better in his last three starts, winning all three and posting an impressive .953 save percentage and 1.65 GAA.

    Making those numbers even more impressive, he hasn’t had the luxury of playing behind one of the league’s best defenses. In fact, it’s been quite the opposite. In the Sabres’ last eight games, they’ve allowed 32.75 shots against per game, the 10th-worst mark in the NHL since December 11.

    It is unclear if Ullmark or 13-11-2 G Carter Hutton will be in net tonight, but I would argue that it is this decision that will ultimately determine the outcome of this tilt. Just like Rask, Hutton has not looked particularly good lately, as he has earned only three points in his last five starts due to an average .91 save percentage and 2.78 GAA in those showings (compared to his .916 save percentage and 2.64 GAA for the season).

    Should Hutton get the start, I am confident the Bruins’ offense, which has averaged 3.29 goals per game in their past eight showings, should be strong enough to earn the road victory. However, if Head Coach Phil Housley gives the nod to Ullmark, he has proven to me that he is more than able to lead the Sabres to two points.

  • Game of the week: December 17-23

    The holiday break is so close we can almost taste it, but there’s still a little more work to be done before the NHL begins its three-day break on Monday. Without further ado, this week’s offerings include:

    NHL SCHEDULE: December 17-23
    TIME (ALL TIMES EASTERN) VISITOR HOST NATIONAL BROADCAST(S)/
    Result
    Monday, December 17
    7 p.m. Anaheim Pittsburgh 4-2
    7 p.m. Vegas Columbus 0-1
    7:30 p.m. Boston Montréal 4-0
    7:30 p.m. Nashville Ottawa 3-4 (OT)
    9 p.m. New York Islanders Colorado Avalanche 4-1
    Tuesday, December 18
    7 p.m. Florida Buffalo 5-2
    7 p.m. Toronto New Jersey 7-2
    7 p.m. Anaheim Ducks New York Rangers 1-3
    7 p.m. Detroit Philadelphia 2-3
    8 p.m. San Jose Minnesota 4-0
    8:30 p.m. Nashville Chicago 1-2
    8:30 p.m. Calgary Dallas 0-2
    9 p.m. St. Louis Edmonton 4-1
    9 p.m. New York Islanders Arizona Coyotes 3-1
    10 p.m. Tampa Bay Vancouver 5-2
    10:30 p.m. Winnipeg Los Angeles 1-4
    Wednesday, December 19
    8 p.m. Pittsburgh Washington 2-1
    8:30 p.m. Montréal Colorado 1-2
    Thursday, December 20
    7 p.m. Anaheim Boston SN360
    7 p.m. Florida Toronto TVAS
    7 p.m. Nashville Philadelphia ESPN+
    7 p.m. Minnesota Pittsburgh
    7 p.m. Detroit Carolina
    7 p.m. New Jersey Columbus
    8:30 p.m. Chicago Dallas
    9 p.m. Tampa Bay Calgary
    9 p.m. Montréal Arizona RDS, TSN2
    10 p.m. St. Louis Vancouver ESPN+
    10 p.m. New York Islanders Vegas Golden Knights SN360
    10:30 p.m. Winnipeg San Jose
    Friday, December 21
    7 p.m. Ottawa New Jersey RDS
    7 p.m. Buffalo Washington NBCSN, SN, TVAS
    9 p.m. Chicago Colorado ESPN+, SN360
    Saturday, December 22
    1 p.m. Nashville Boston NHLN, SN, SN1
    1 p.m. Columbus Philadelphia ESPN+
    2 p.m. Florida Detroit
    4 p.m. Montréal Vegas RDS, TSN2
    4 p.m. Los Angeles San Jose NBCSN, SN1
    4 p.m. St. Louis Calgary
    7 p.m. Colorado Arizona
    7 p.m. Anaheim Buffalo
    7 p.m. New York Rangers Toronto Maple Leafs CBC, NHLN, SN, SN1
    7 p.m. Washington Ottawa CITY, SN360, TVAS
    7 p.m. Pittsburgh Carolina
    8 p.m. Dallas Minnesota
    10 p.m. Winnipeg Vancouver CBC, SN360
    10 p.m. Tampa Bay Edmonton CITY, ESPN+, SN1
    Sunday, December 23
    12:30 p.m. Columbus New Jersey SN
    5 p.m. Boston Carolina SN1
    7 p.m. Florida Chicago ESPN+
    7 p.m. Philadelphia Flyers New York Rangers NHLN
    7:30 p.m. Detroit Toronto SN, SN360, TVAS
    8 p.m. Los Angeles Vegas
    8 p.m. Arizona San Jose
    8 p.m. New York Islanders Dallas Stars

    For those that didn’t keep count, that’s a healthy 55 tilts to keep us entertained while family members you simply adore ask a multitude of questions you’d rather they not.

    In the rivalries department, the NHL loaded us up with six showdowns this week, including Boston at Montréal, Pittsburgh at Washington, Los Angeles at San Jose, the Rangers at Toronto, Philadelphia at the Rangers and Detroit at Toronto.

    Two rematches from this spring’s edition of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will also take place: the previously mentioned Pens-Caps game and Los Angeles’ trip to Sin City Sunday night.

    Finally, the biggest player return of the week will take place tonight when F Max Domi makes his first trip back to Glendale to take on the Coyotes, the club that drafted him 12th overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

    However, of all those games highlighted, there’s still another tonight that will have my full attention. Both the Jets and Sharks entered this season with high expectations, but only one has truly flexed its muscles thus far this season. Perhaps that will be just the motivation San Jose needs to find its next gear.

    Currently in a three-way tie for first place in the Western Conference, the 22-10-2 Winnipeg Jets are technically the top team by playing one fewer game than both the Calgary Flames and Nashville Predators.

    Winnipeg’s last outing wasn’t exactly one to be proud of (the Jets fell 4-1 in Los Angeles to the lowly Kings on Tuesday), but it had been riding a five-game winning streak coming into that game. In fact, in their past 11 games, the Jets boast a 9-2-0 record that includes five overtime or shootout victories.

    To the surprise of none, Winnipeg’s greatest strength is undoubtedly its offense. Having averaged 3.56 goals per game for the entire season (the fourth-best mark in the NHL), Head Coach Peter DeBoer will certainly have a plan for how he wants his team to slow down the impressive talents of C Mark Scheifele (21-25-46 points) and RW Blake Wheeler (5-39-44) on Winnipeg’s top line.

    However, that will be a difficult task to pull off because the Jets’ attack has been even more potent than usual during this 11-game run. Since November 29, the Jets have averaged an outstanding four goals per game, which is tied with, coincidentally, San Jose for third best in the league in that time.

    The previously mentioned Scheifele and Wheeler have certainly had their fingerprints all over that dynamic attack, as they’ve posted respective 8-12-20 and 1-14-15 totals in their last 11 outings. However, they’ve also been joined by LW Nikolaj Ehlers (7-5-12), D Josh Morrissey (3-8-11 in nine games) and D Dustin Byfuglien (1-8-9 in seven games) in averaging at least a point per game during this run, creating a defensive nightmare for most teams not as talented as the Sharks on the blue line.

    The San Jose Sharks were supposed to already be atop the Western Conference – if not the entire NHL – according to many preseason reports, yet they find themselves stuck with a 19-11-5 record good enough for only second place in the Pacific Division.

    But don’t read that as the Sharks being a bad team. They’re riding a five-game winning streak and have posted a 7-1-0 record in their past eight outings, so it seems like the team is finally starting to realize its potential. The next question, of course, is just how good can this team be, but that’s an answer the Jets would rather not answer tonight.

    During this eight-game run, San Jose has been clicking on all cylinders; literally everything is gelling, and the numbers are showing just that.

    Perhaps my favorite part of the Sharks’ game right now is their attack. Currently in a tie with Ottawa for eighth-best offense on the season by averaging 3.31 goals per game, the Sharks’ effort since December 2 has made all but Tampa Bay jealous. Led by F Logan Couture‘s impressive 5-6-11 totals in the last eight games, San Jose has managed a dominant 4.25 goals per game during this run.

    Joining Couture in averaging at least a point per game since the beginning of the month are RW Timo Meier (5-5-10 in seven games played), F Tomas Hertl (4-5-9) and D Erik Karlsson (0-8-8).

    That’s right, the same Karlsson that looked like he wasn’t panning out in Silicon Valley is on a bit of a hot streak of late. His goal scoring may be down from his Ottawa days (last season’s nine goals in 71 appearances was a poor season for him, and this year’s pace has him set to register only five markers), but the 10-year NHL veteran is still making his presence known on the scorecard.

    In addition to scoring, this dynamic offense has also had some incredible influence on the defensive zone by maintaining elongated possessions. During this eight-game run, San Jose has allowed only 27.88 shots against per game, the fifth-best mark in the NHL since December 2 and only two shots worse than the Islanders’ league-leading pace set in that same time span.

    Of course, D Justin Braun (2.3 blocks per game since December 2), D Brenden Dillon (2.8 hits per game during this run) and Karlsson (11 takeaways in his past eight outings) have certainly done their fair share on the defensive end as well.

    If anyone is appreciative of that effort, it’s surely 14-7-3 G Martin Jones, tonight’s starter. Though he’s struggled for much of the season (made evident by his unusually low .901 save percentage and 2.81 GAA for the campaign), he’s shown signs of improvement lately. He’s earned five of the Sharks’ last seven wins, posting a much more familiar .936 save percentage and 1.94 GAA in his last seven starts.

    If Jones has finally rounded into form for the year, this Sharks blue line will truly begin to influence play in the offensive zone, which should be a very scary proposition for the entire Western Conference.

    When two high powered offenses are going at it, I usually side with the better of the two goaltenders to determine the game’s winner. In his past eight starts, 15-9-1 G Connor Hellebuyck has earned six wins on the back of a .91 save percentage and 2.72 GAA (both nominal improvements on his .908 season save percentage and associated 2.9 GAA).

    Compare that to Jones’ numbers, and the answer is obvious: the Sharks should come away winners tonight and send the home fans happy.