NHL Picks: Crosby to continue surge as Penguins top Canadiens – CBSSports.com
Welcome to the NHL Daily Picks where hockey writers Adam Gretz and Chris Peters make their picks for all of the day’s games.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m. ET
The good news for the Penguins is they are starting to play better hockey under new coach Mike Sullivan. The bad news is it isn’t always showing up in the results and it’s been difficult for them to gain any significant ground in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Even though they enter Saturday’s game having dropped two games in a row to the Blackhawks, they have still earned at least a point in four of their past five games … but they still sit in 11th place in the Eastern Conference on the outside of the playoff picture. They have a great chance to make up some ground on Saturday against a Canadiens team that has had its own issues winning hockey games over the past month-and-a-half. And like the Penguins, the Canadiens are probably playing better hockey than their recent record indicates.
The biggest issue for Montreal during its recent rough patch has been injuries to Brendan Gallagher and Carey Price. Gallagher is finally back in the lineup and helping to improve their top line, but Price isn’t expected to be back in the Montreal crease until after the All-Star game, which means he is still looking at another three to four weeks before he is back in a game. And that is going to continue to be a huge loss to overcome because none of the Canadiens’ current goalies can come close to matching his production. Until that changes, wins are going to be a struggle no matter how well the team in front of the goalies plays.
Making matters worse for the Canadiens’ goaltenders on Saturday is the fact Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is starting to rediscover his game. He is shooting more, he is scoring more, and he is starting to look like Sidney Crosby again after the worst start to a season in his career. He now has 12 points in his past nine games, including six goals. After recording just five points in his first 11 games, he now has 26 in the 28 that followed.
If the Penguins are going to get back into the playoff picture they’re going to need more of that type of play from Crosby. And he should continue it on Saturday night in Montreal. Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins 4, Montreal Canadiens 1
The rest of Saturday’s picks
Washington Capitals 4, New York Rangers 2
New York Islanders 3, Philadelphia Flyers 1
Boston Bruins 4, Ottawa Senators 3
Carolina Hurricanes 3, Columbus Blue Jackets 2
San Jose Sharks 5, Toronto Maple Leafs 3
Dallas Stars 4, Minnesota Wild 2
Arizona Coyotes 3, Nashville Predators 1
Tampa Bay Lightning 5, Vancouver Canucks 2
Los Angeles Kings 3, St. Louis Blues 1
Sidney Crosby has been starting to score again for the Pittsburgh Penguins. (USATSI)
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