There is less than a month of regular season games to play in this already epic year of NHL! With 4 games on the agenda today we have got each game covered in detail below, have a read through for all our NHL picks.
Boston Bruins @ Pittsburgh Penguins – 3.00 PM EDT
The Bruins couldn’t make it 3 from 3 against the Sabres on Saturday, losing 6-4 and seeing their 6 game long win streak halted.
After letting in just 1 goal in the 2 games prior, the effects of playing in a back to back game seemed to have hit the Bruins harder than it did the Sabres as they lapsed defensively, conceding 6 goals while taking more shots.
Despite the loss, the Bruins’ successes lately have seen them come within 6th points of the Capitals on top of the table, with the second best record over the last 10 games.
Taylor Hall stood out again with another good performance, picking up a goal and assist in just his second game for the club. Steven Kampfer stole the show with his 3 point effort, scoring one and assisting another 2.
🎥 Bruce Cassidy, Kevan Miller and Steven Kampfer speak to the media following the #NHLBruins 6-4 loss in Buffalo: pic.twitter.com/taJFCdEUjr
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) April 24, 2021
They now head to Pittsburgh to begin a 2 game series with the Penguins who are currently the best performing team in the division with a last 10 record of 7-2-1, and a win streak of 3 games.
The Penguins once again defeated the struggling New Jersey Devils, notching their third straight win against them in 5 days.
They went up early in yesterday’s game, scoring the first 3 goals of the game unanswered before the Devils pulled 2 back, the Jersey side continued to push for the equaliser, eventually sending all their bodies up front, allowing Sidney Crosby to bury an empty netter for the win.
NHL Pick – Boston Bruins (-110)
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Buffalo Sabres @ New York Rangers – 6.00 PM EDT
The Sabres redeemed themselves on Friday with their 6-4 over the Bruins, luckily preventing a clean sweep over 3 games on home soil.
It was the third win from the last 6 games for the Buffalo side, and they have now won at least one game of their last 2+ game series’.
After being kept to just 1 goal over the first two games, the Sabres were much stronger this time around, up 5-1 with just 8 minutes to play and capitalizing on 2/4 power play opportunities.
It was a big win for the Sabres, highlighted by a hat trick from Sabres’ leading goal scorer, Sam Reinhart. Reinhart scored both of the power play goals for the Sabres, and buried the closing goal of the game to restore the 2 goal cushion.
The Rangers got back to winning ways after losing their 2 previous games in a row, they got some revenge against the Flyers with a 4-1 victory for beating them the day before.
Their homestand continues with 5 of their next 6 games to be played at Madison Square Garden, first up is 2 games against the Sabres. The Rangers currently boast the lead on the head to head record with the Buffalo side (4-2).
NHL Pick – New York Rangers (-310)
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New Jersey Devils @ Philadelphia Flyers – 6.00 PM EDT
The Devils’ nightmare continued as they were defeated for a season high 9th straight game yesterday to the Penguins. It was the final match of a 3 game series of which they lost 16-9 on aggregate.
They have now played either the Rangers or the Penguins for each of the 9 defeats and now find themselves just 1 point ahead of the bottom place Sabres.
The Jersey side are set to begin another long series today, this time against the also struggling, Philadelphia Flyers, over 2 games in Philadelphia and 2 games in Jersey.
While they will be glad not to be playing the Penguins again, the Devils are in the unfortunate position of having to open this series with a 24 hour turnaround since their last game, while the Flyers have not played since Friday.
“We’re trying to play our best. It’s a learning experience for our team right now. Trying to find ways to win, play the right way.”
Blackwood speaks after today’s 4-2 loss. #NJDevils | @UnibetUS pic.twitter.com/tZygRcU7FQ
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) April 24, 2021
After a taste of success, the Flyers got back to their losing ways with a most recent 4-1 loss to the Rangers in New York, their 7th defeat from the last 10 games played.
It was the second game of a 2 match series, and the Flyers once again outshot the Rangers, however, they weren’t able to replicate the same success they had from power plays in their first game.
The extended 4 game series with the Devils is the result of postponed games earlier in the season, with only 3 games played between the sides this year the Flyers currently lead 2-1.
NHL Pick – Philadelphia Flyers (-210)
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Columbus Blue Jackets @ Tampa Bay Lightning – 7.00 PM EDT
After a 3 day break the Blue Jackets and the Lightning pick up where they left off with the final match of their 2 game set in Florida.
Despite capitalizing on the only penalty the Lightning gave them 10 minutes into the game and holding a lead until halfway through the match, the Blue Jackets would lose 3-1 for their season high, 8th straight losses, and their 15th from the last 17 games.
The Columbus side has been let down by the inability to convert even though they often take just as many shots as their opposition. They have only scored more than 3 goals on a 1 occasion over the last 20 games, the worst in the league, and have done so while conceding plenty.
The Lightning took a while to get the ball rolling, not scoring until a Blake Coleman effort in the 14th minute of the second period put them 1-1. Ondrej Palat popped up halfway through the third with the goal to put the Lightning ahead before Coleman buried an empty netter to put the game to bed.
The Lightning have struggled to be consistent lately, of their last 8, 2 or more game series they have lost at least 1 of the 2 games every single time, a statistic that doesn’t bode too well as they wrap up the series today.
NHL Pick – Tampa Bay Lightning (-335)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
