Starting the new week and new month with five intriguing NHL games! Who win take home the big W tonight?
Find all of our free NHL picks for the scheduled games below.
Boston Bruins @ Washington Capitals – 7:00 PM ET
The Boston Bruins lost to Washington on Saturday in overtime, 4-3. Boston got three assists from Patrice Bergeron but goaltender Tuukka Rask was extremely mediocre, stopping 19 of 23 shots. The loss dropped Boston to 5-1-2 however, they have recorded points in seven of their eight games.
They now have scored 25 goals while giving up 17. The +8 goal differential is the best in the East Division. Rask’s performance dropped him to 3-1-1 the season with a 2.49 GAA and a .890 save percentage. Bergeron and Brad Marchand lead in points with 11. Both have five goals as well to lead the team.
❄️🌨☃️🏒🥅☃️🌨❄️#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/v2twvNfGAg
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 31, 2021
With the victory, Washington remains atop the division at 6-0-3. They are just one of two teams who have not suffered a regulation loss this season. The Capitals have scored 35 goals while allowing 29.
Nicklas Backstrom had a goal and two assists and Alex Ovechkin had a goal and an assist in the victory. Vitek Vanacek faced 43 shots, stopping 40. Backstrom leads the team in goals (5), assists (8), and points (13). Vanecek has a 2.78 GAA and a .918 save percentage.
NHL Pick – Washington Capitals (+122)
Spread Pick – Washington Capitals +1.5 (-240)
Total Goals Pick – Over 5.5 (-110)
Nashville Predators @ Tampa Bay Lightning – 7:00 PM ET
Tampa Bay defeated Nashville on Saturday, 4-3. It was a four goal second period that doomed the Predators. Filip Forsberg had two assists in the loss. Pekka Rinne allowed four goals on 33 shots. Nashville is now 4-4-0, seventh in the Central Division.
They have scored 20 goals while allowing 24. It will likely be Juuse Saros in goal on Monday. He has a 2.54 GAA and a .918 save percentage. Forsberg is tied for the team lead in points with Viktor Arvidsson. Both have six points.
Three players had two assists to help lead Tampa Bay to victory. That moved the Lightning to 4-1-1. They have scored 19 goals while allowing 14. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 23 of 26 shots.
He has started all six games for Tampa Bay this season and has a 2.15 GAA and a .925 save percentage. Three players are tied with seven points for the Lightning. That includes Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman, and Brayden Point. Stamkos leads the team with four goals.
NHL Pick – Nashville Predators (+150)
Spread Pick – Nashville Predators +1.5 (-186)
Total Goals Pick – Under 5.5 (+105)
Pittsburgh Penguins @ New York Rangers – 7:00 PM ET
Pittsburgh defeated New York on Saturday in overtime, 5-4. Sidney Crosby scored his fourth goal of the season in the extra session to give the Penguins to victory. Kasperi Kapanen finished with a goal and an assist. Casey DeSmith stopped 30 of 34 shots. Pittsburgh is now 5-3-1, fourth in the division.
They have scored 29 goals while allowing 34. Crosby leads the team in scoring with four goals and eight points. The numbers for DeSmith are not spectacular, but he is getting the job done with a 3.05 GAA and a .875 save percentage.
Putting in the work. pic.twitter.com/38c0tiPZXA
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) January 31, 2021
With the loss, the Rangers are 2-4-2, last in the East Division. They have scored 22 goals while giving up 25. New York got two assists from K’Andre Miller in the loss. Alexandar Goergiev gave up five goals on 38 shots.
It will likely be Igor Shesterkin in net on Monday. He has a 2.73 GAA and a .894 save percentage. Artemi Panarin leads the team in goals (4), is tied for the team lead in assists (5), and leads the team in points (9).
NHL Pick – Pittsburgh Penguins (-112)
Spread Pick – New York Rangers +1.5 (-300)
Total Goals Pick – Over 6.5 (-105)
Vancouver Canucks @ Montréal Canadiens – 7:00 PM ET
Vancouver defeated Winnipeg on Saturday for their fourth straight victory. Thatcher Demko stopped 23 of 24 shots. It was the fourth straight game that the Canucks allowed just a single goal.
The win moved Vancouver to 6-5-0, tied for second in the division with Montréal. They have scored 40 goals while allowing 37. They have now scored and allowed the most goals in the NHL and their +3 goal differential puts them in the positive in this category for the first time this season.
Braden Holtby (3.17) and Demko (3.21) are playing exceptionally well right now. Plus, the Canucks have four players with at least 10 points. Brock Boeser, Bo Horvat, and Quinn Hughes each have 11 points to lead the team. Boeser has eight goals.
Montréal was shut out by Calgary on Saturday, 2-0. That dropped the Canadiens to 5-1-2. They have scored 33 goals while allowing 22. Their +11 goal differential is tops in the division.
Montréal is getting outstanding goaltending out of Jake Allen with a 1.68 GAA and a .933 save percentage. Carey Price will likely be in goal on Monday. He has a 2.92 GAA and a .898 save percentage. Montréal is led in scoring by Tyler Toffoli with nine points. He also leads the team with six goals.
NHL Pick – Vancouver Canucks (+142)
Spread Pick – Vancouver Canucks +1.5 (-190)
Total Goals Pick – Over 6.5 (+105)
Calgary Flames @ Winnipeg Jets – 8:00 PM ET
Calgary defeated Montréal on Saturday, 2-0. That snapped a three-game losing streak. Jacob Markstrom stopped all 37 shots he faced. That moved the Flames to 3-3-1. They have scored 20 goals while allowing 17.
Markstrom has started six of the seven games for Calgary and now has a 2.18 GAA and a .929 save percentage, plus he has two shutouts. Johnny Gaudreau leads the team in goals with five in points with nine.
🎥 Dylan DeMelo on Saturday’s game, what he needs to work on and more. pic.twitter.com/jEKdgkwynF
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) January 31, 2021
Winnipeg lost to Vancouver on Saturday, 4-1. That dropped the Jets to 5-3-0. They have scored 29 goals while allowing 25. Connor Hellebuyck has started six games this season for Winnipeg and has a 2.67 GAA and a .910 save percentage.
The Jets have six players with at least eight points this season, led by Nikolaj Ehlers with 11 points. He also leads the team with five goals. Mark Scheifele leads the team in assists with seven and has 10 points.
NHL Pick – Calgary Flames (-118)
Spread Pick – Winnipeg Jets +1.5 (-290)
Total Goals Pick – Under 6.5 (-130)
Vegas Golden Knights @ San Jose Sharks – 10:00 PM ET – Postponed
*This game has been postponed due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols, a new date has not been confirmed at this time*
The 2021 NHL is well underway now! If you want to catch up with all the latest information, make sure you visit our NHL hub page.
*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of Bet365.
