NHL Daily Picks: Penguins, Red Wings, Senators all face crucial Easter games – CBSSports.com
The Penguins must avoid another stumble against the Flyers as playoff race tightens. (USATSI)
Welcome to the NHL Daily Picks, where CBS hockey writers Chris Peters and Adam Gretz share their predictions for select games every day. Today’s Daily Picks focuses on the incredibly tight playoff race in the Eastern Conference with three games with big-time postseason implications.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC
At some point, desperation has to set in for the Penguins. After dropping two straight, including a game to the team they’re set to play Sunday, the Penguins must have a realistic fear that the playoffs are no longer a guarantee. They’re dead even with the Boston Bruins in the wild card right now with a game in hand. They trail the Washington Capitals by two points for third in the Metropolitan and the Ottawa Senators are three back in the wild-card race. The Pens are unlikely to drop out, but a win will not be easy to come by Sunday afternoon. The Flyers are seeking a season sweep of the Penguins after going 3-0-0 to date. Philly earned an emphatic 4-1 win over their in-state rivals Wednesday and now meet with even higher stakes. The Flyers have nothing to play for except to spoil their neighbors’ playoff chances, which should be plenty motivating. The Penguins, meanwhile, will hope to get Evgeni Malkin back after he was a late scratch Wednesday and missed Saturday’s loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. They’ll need all the help that they can get against a Flyers club that has just plain had their number. Pick: Flyers 3, Penguins 2
Washington Capitals at Detroit Red Wings, 5 p.m. ET, NHLN
Thanks to a game in hand and a big shootout win over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday, the Red Wings are still in third place in the Atlantic, but the Bruins are breathing down their necks. Meanwhile, the Capitals missed out on a chance to clinch a playoff spot by losing to the Senators in overtime after climbing back from a 3-0 deficit. Washington currently owns third place in the Metropolitan Division, but a win leapfrogs them over the New York Islanders for second, giving them home ice in the first round of the playoffs. The Red Wings just have to keep holding off the Bruins and the Senators, who just won’t go away in the wild-card race. These two teams will have just two games to go after this one, so expect an absolute dogfight for the two (or three) points available in this game. Pick: Capitals 4, Red Wings 2
Montreal Canadiens at Florida Panthers, 7:30 p.m. ET
The Panthers were officially eliminated from playoff contention Saturday after a 4-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Their reward is playing the Atlantic-leading Canadiens in the second half of a back-to-back. That’s a rough way to go. The Habs have a big incentive to try to come away with two points as they’re currently tied with the Lightning with 104 points. Even though the Panthers are out of it, don’t expect them to mail it in, but they’ve struggled against Montreal this season. The Habs own a 3-0-1 record against the Panthers and with a lot more on the line, they should be looking to come away with the needed points to keep Tampa (um, there has to be a better way to say this) … at bay. Pick: Canadiens 3, Panthers 1
Ottawa Senators at Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:30 p.m. ET
The Maple Leafs may already be calculating their draft lottery odds, but the Senators could not be facing a bigger game Sunday. After a dramatic 4-3 overtime win over the Capitals, the Senators are still alive in what is a pretty crazy playoff race in the East. They trail wild-card holders Pittsburgh and Boston by three points. They still need help to get into the playoffs, but a big two points would go a long way for Ottawa. The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, have a small carrot dangling in front of them that may mean something to the players. The Battle of Ontario has been played to a split so far this season with each team having won two games. Sunday is the final meeting and a series win for Toronto might actually generate some positivity inside the Maple Leafs’ dressing room. Both teams are coming off games Saturday night, so there’s little time to rest up. The Sens have been a great story, but without getting two points against the Leafs, their playoff chances would take a devastating — but not yet fatal — blow. Pick: Senators 3, Maple Leafs 1
St. Louis Blues at Chicago Blackhawks, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN
Sunday marks the first of two gigantic games between these Central Division rivals in just four days. They’ll meet again Thursday in what could be another massive tilt to help determine playoff seeding and home ice. The Blues lead Chicago by one point for second place in the Central Division standings. However, a win for the Blues also would allow them to overtake the Nashville Predators for first in the division. The Blackhawks could leapfrog the Blues with a regulation win and pull even with the Predators with 104 points. So this is a moderately big game on top of this being one of the league’s great modern rivalries. Chicago has won the past two meetings after dropping the first contest. Regardless of outcome, there’s still a good chance these two teams play each other in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight year. If it happens, that’s going to put an awfully good hockey team on the golf course far too early, but that’s why both of these teams should be clawing to try to unseat the Preds for first. The Central race is as compelling as ever with just a few games left. Pick: Blues 2, Blackhawks 1
Three stars
1. Mark Stone, Ottawa Senators: The Senators rookie has been near unstoppable of late. He has points in each of his past five games and 17 points over his past 15. Additionally, Stone has had success against the Maple Leafs this season with four points in four games including a pair of goals. It hass been an incredible run for the 22-year-old forward.
2. Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens: After getting a rare night off, Price should be fresh for his Easter evening tilt with the Panthers. He’s 1-0-1 in two appearances against Florida this season and owns a .941 career save percentage in 14 contests vs. the Panthers. Price is playing out the last days of what should be an MVP campaign and could seal it by helping the Habs win the Atlantic.
3. Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals: Ovechkin doesn’t have any points in his two games against Detroit this season, but has 16 over 13 career games against the Wings. With the Capitals close to clinching a spot in the postseason, expect the Great 8 to do what he does best after getting skunked Saturday night.
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