Leafs Notes: Home Cooking

The Toronto Maple Leafs are off to a hot start, thanks to its balanced lineup and speed. The Maple Leafs will be at home this week facing the Los Angeles Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues.

Monday, 10.15.18 vs. Los Angeles Kings-7:30 p.m.

The first test of the week for the Maple Leafs will be the Los Angeles Kings, who are without starting goaltender, Jonathan Quick. There is no doubt that the Maple Leafs need to be better defensively to help out their goaltender. They should get plenty of pucks to the net to test the Kings goalie early and often. Toronto will want to get off to a fast start and put some pucks in the back of the net to get going and keep the home crowd in the game. The Maple Leafs should take advantage of their power play opportunities since they have one of the best power plays in the League, while the Kings have one of the worst penalty kills.

Matchup of the Game

The goalies will be the players of this game to keep an eye on. Frederik Andersen is injured for the Leafs so Garret Sparks get the start between the pipes. It will likely be Jack Campbell, who has started the majority of the games while Jonathan Quick has been out, but it could also be Petr Budaj for the Kings. The Kings are going to need a spectacular showing from whichever goalie gets the start because the Maple Leafs have one of the best offenses in the League. Sparks is going to need to be sharp as well since the team tends to play wide open and gives up a lot in front of him. 

Thursday, 10.18.18 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins- 7 p.m. 

The Maple Leafs have a few days off between games but then the Penguins come to town. The Maple Leafs are going to need to make sure that they play with discipline since the Penguins have deadly power play. Toronto needs to play a strong game at even strength and keep the top six of the Penguins in-check. They want to get plenty of pucks to the net since Matt Murray has had a rough start to the season, while Casey DeSmith has been better, but can be beat. The Leafs will want to have the lead entering the final period of play since they can finish out games when leading.

Matchup of the Game

There will be two big matchups to watch in this game, and that will be how each team handle the opposition's top two lines. Who does Mike Babcock matchup against Sidney Crosby? Does he go with Nazem Kadri's line or does he go with Matthews' line for power against power? Who gets the job of trying to defend the Malkin line? Is it Tavares' line or does he save Tavares for the Crosby line and matchup Kadri's line against Malkin and company?

Saturday, 10.20.18 vs. St. Louis Blues- 7 p.m.

The St. Louis Blues are off to a slow start after the hype of the offseason and acquiring some offensive help. The Maple Leafs will need to get the first goal of the game to keep the home crowd in the game. Toronto will want to play a discipline game since the Blues power play is operating over 30% on the season. They should try to get in on the forecheck to force turnovers and get some pucks toward the net. The Leafs want to play a smart hockey game and use their speed to draw some penalties.

Matchup of the Game

The power play units for both teams are ranked in the top 10 in the League. The Maple Leafs are ranked 2nd , while the Blues have a 6th ranked power play. The Blues have two balanced units, while the Leafs have depended on the first unit to get the power play scoring.

Weekly Prediction

The Maple Leafs will finish the week at 1-2-0 in their three games. They will win against the Kings, but then lose back-to-back games to the Penguins and Blues. The Penguins will be a good challenge for the Leafs to see if they can beat a perennial playoff team, or if they are not quite there yet. If the Leafs want to steal some points, then they are going to need to play better on the defensive side of the puck and be aware of what is going on around them on the ice. 

Shooting Stars: Weekly Preview 2/25/28-3/3/18

The Dallas Stars will look to gain some valuable points in the playoff race to get better positioning coming down the stretch. It won't be an easy week for the Stars, but the points are there for the taking.

The Stars will take on the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night. Dallas will need to have the lead entering the final period of play since they are only 1-18-1 when trailing going into the third period. The Stars need to get their power play going since the Flames have a mediocre penalty kill. Dallas wants to find a way to stop the top two lines of the Flames since they produce most of the points for the team. They should also try to get plenty of shots on goal to test the goalie of the Flames. The Stars will want to be smart with the puck and not have turnovers because the Flames have speed that can burn you especially in the transition game.

The Flames should try to have the lead entering the final period of the game since they are only 5-13-0 when trailing entering the final period. Calgary needs to finish the game better than they have been this year if they want a chance at gaining the two points. The Flames should play with some discipline since they do not have a very good penalty kill. Calgary will want to get a good game out of their goaltender since the Stars have some players that can really put the puck in the net. The Flames will need to play team defense in order to beat the Stars. 

The Stars need to get the first goal of the game to keep the home crowd in the game. They will also need to play a good defensive game including the forwards. Dallas will need to get off to a good start, set the tone early in this one and get the first goal of the game. The Stars are going to need to find a way to get their power play going because they have too many good players on it for it to be struggling. The goalie is going to need to have a big game to keep his team in the game.

The Bolts need to play with discipline since their one weakness has been the penalty kill this year. Tampa Bay should get the first goal of the game to keep the home crowd in the game and have the momentum. The Lightning want to win the special teams battle since both teams play a solid even strength game. The Bolts goaltender will need to make some big saves throughout the game and make the easy saves too. Tampa Bay is going to need to find a way to stop the balanced attack of the Flyers by making them defend in their own zone.

On Saturday night, the Stars week comes to an end with a game against the struggling St. Louis Blues. The Stars need to get off to a good start in the game, come out with some energy and be ready for a St. Louis team that has fallen out of a playoff spot. Dallas will want to win the battle at even strength since the special teams of both clubs are mediocre. The Stars should get some good goaltending with the goalie making saves and keeping them in the game. Dallas will need to have the lead entering the final period. 

The Blues absolutely need to avoid another slow start in this one and they need to be ready to play from the drop of the puck. If the Blues can get the first goal of the game then that should help the team's confidence a lot. They'll need to have the lead entering the final period of the game since they aren't the best team when trailing after the second period. The Blues goaltending is going to need to be good in this one since the Stars have a ton of offensive power. The Blues have too much fire power on their power play for them to be struggling the way they have so they should find a way to get the power play going. 

3 Things: St. Louis Blues @ Nashville Predators: 2/25/18

The Nashville Predators look to gain an important two points in the playoff race and Central Division when they take on the St. Louis Blues on Sunday afternoon.

The puck will drop at noon, eastern time and will be shown on NBC.

Here are three things to watch in this Central Division matchup:

1.) READY TO PLAY FROM PUCK DROP- ST. LOUIS

The Blues need to be ready to play from the start of this game. They have been struggling lately, and not playing their best hockey. St. Louis needs to make sure that they are engaged, whether it be physically or mentally from the beginning of this game. The Blues need to win the battles, get to the loose pucks and not turn the puck over. It could help if the Blues can manage to establish a forecheck early and often to get some sustain offensive zone time.

2.) START- NASHVILLE

The Predators should look to get off to a good start and set the tone early in this one. There are two huge points on the line and the home crowd will be behind their team. The Preds should look to get the first goal of the game to put some doubt in the mines of the Blues players. Nashville should establish the forecheck and cycle game early and get some shots on goal.

3.) SPECIAL TEAMS- ST. LOUIS & NASHVILLE

The Blues have mediocre special teams while the Predators have very good special teams. The Blues need to find a way to get their power play going since they have too much talent on it for it to be ranked 28th in the League. St. Louis has a middle of the pack penalty kill, but will need to be better since the Preds power play is very good. The Predators power play is ranked fourth in the League, while their penalty kill (82.4%) is ranked eighth in the League. It should be interesting to see how each team's power play does against some decent penalty killing.

Preds Prey: Weekly Preview 2/25/18-3/3/18

The Nashville Predators look to stay atop the Central Division even with having to play three of their four games on the road.

The week will begin on Sunday with a big Central  Division game against the St. Louis Blues, who haven't been playing well of late. The Predators will then visit Winnipeg to take on another Central Division foe in the Jets. They will then travel to Edmonton to face Connor McDavid and the disappointing Oilers. Nashville will end the week with another game on the road, where they will take on the Vancouver Canucks.

On Sunday afternoon, the Predators look to gain a valuable two points from the St. Louis Blues, who have not looked good in their last five games. The Preds will need to make sure that they get off to a good start in this game and set the tone early. Nashville should be good with the puck because the Blues can force some turnovers. The Predators want to establish the forecheck and cycle game to keep the puck in the offensive zone and make the Blues defend. The Preds need to win the special teams battle since the Blues have a power play that is not very good considering the players on both of their power play units. Nashville should keep an eye on Brayden Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko when they are on the ice since they are the two leading scorers for the Blues this year.

The Blues need to be engaged in the game from the drop of the puck, whether that is physically or just getting some early offensive zone pressure. St. Louis is going to have to be willing to work for the puck and win puck battles since Nashville won't make it easy for them to do so with two big points on the line. The Blues need to be discipline because the Preds power play is among the best in the NHL. St. Louis will want to get the first goal of the game to have some of the momentum on their side and take the home crowd out of the game. The Blues need to be aware of when and where Viktor Arvidsson and Filip Forsberg are on the ice since those two can produce points.

On Tuesday night, Nashville will be in Winnipeg with another two huge points on the line. The Predators will want to play with discipline since the Jets power play is ranked third in the League. The Preds need to be very good while at even strength since the Jets special teams are ranked in the top 10. Nashville should get the first goal to take the home crowd out of the game. The Predators will need the goaltending to be very good and make saves. The Preds need to be aware of when and where Patrik Laine and Blake Wheeler are on the ice because they are two of the top scorers on the Jets.

The Jets need to be aware of the Nashville defensive corp since they like to join the play in the offensive zone and will use the stretch pass to get ahead of the defender. Winnipeg should keep an eye on P.K. Subban and Roman Josi since those two defensemen are the leading the defensive group in points. The Jets want to have a lead entering the third period since they only have points in four of the 17 games they've trailed going into the final period of the game. Winnipeg should try to win the special teams battle since both teams are pretty good playing at even strength. The Jets will absolutely need to get a good game from the goaltender since the Preds will get their chances.

On Thursday night, the Preds will take on Connor McDavid and the struggling Oilers. Nashville will want to take advantage of a weak penalty kill of the Oilers (56.8%) at home. The Predators need to avoid mistakes and turnovers that can lead to odd man rushes and scoring chances. The Preds will want to be good in the neutral zone to slow down the speed of the Oilers. Nashville should try to have the lead entering the final period of the game. The Predators need to be aware of when McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are on the ice because they can use their speed to produce points.

Edmonton needs to figure out a way to get some secondary scoring because Draisaitl and McDavid have been doing most of the damage offensively this year. The Oilers will want to get their special teams on track, or at least stay out of the penalty box so they don't have to kill any penalties. Edmonton needs to get the first goal of the game and build off that momentum. The Oilers should try to use their speed to create some havoc through the neutral zone and in offensive zone. Edmonton will need a big game from the goaltender, who will need to have a big game.

Nashville finishes out their week on Friday night against the Vancouver Canucks. The Preds will want to play a discipline game because the Canucks power play is surprisingly good, like top 10 in the League good. The Predators should attack, get some offensive zone pressure and some scoring chances. Nashville should take advantage of a weak penalty kill of the Canucks and not play down to their opponent.

Vancouver needs to have a good start to the game, and establish the forecheck. The Canucks should try to win the even strength play since the penalty kill is not great. Vancouver wants to be discipline since the Predators have a really good power play. The Canucks need to play a good defensive game and make sure that the gap is not too big. Vancouver should keep an eye on Kevin Fiala and Ryan Johansen since they can put up some points.

Shooting Stars: Weekly Preview 2/11/18-2/17/18

The Dallas Stars will look to gain some important points in the playoff race this week. They only play two games this week with a four day break between games.

The Stars will start the week off on Sunday with a visit from the Vancouver Canucks, who are seventh in the Pacific. The Canucks are 3-7-0 in their last 10 games played. Dallas will then have the next four days off before they return to action to face Central Division rivals, the St. Louis Blues. The Blues are a hot team having won seven of their last 10 games. 

Dallas starts the week off against a struggling Canucks team. The Stars need to be ready to play from the drop of the puck and not look ahead to the game against the Blues. Dallas should try to stay out of the box because the power play has been the one area that has been clocking this season for the Canucks. The Stars need to keep an eye on the Sedin twins when they are on the ice since they can put up some points. The Stars want to take advantage of a weak penalty kill by the Canucks and score on some of their power play opportunities.

The Canucks want to get off to a good start in this game and establish a tone early. Vancouver needs to establish a forecheck early and often to make the Stars play in the own zone and not be able to get any offensive attack time. The Canucks should stay out of the box since they have one of the worst penalty kills in the League. Vancouver needs to win the even strength battle and try to score some goals. The Canucks need to get a good game from the goaltending because the Stars will get their chances and have more than one guy that can put the puck in the net. 

The Stars will have some time to rest and prepare for what should be a Central Division battle against the Blues. Dallas will want to get off to a fast start and establish the forecheck game early to make the Blues play in their own end. The Stars need to have the lead entering the final period of the game since they only have one regulation win when trailing after two periods. Dallas will want to get a good game from the goaltending since the Blues have a balanced lineup and find ways to score. The goalie should try to have good rebound control and keep the Blues from second opportunities. Dallas should have a better finish to this game since the third period has been a problem for the team all season.

St. Louis should try to get the first goal of the game to take the home crowd out of the game early. The Blues will want to find a way to stop the balanced lineup of the Stars, who can put the puck in the net and create chances in the offensive zone. St. Louis needs to have a better start to this game since they have only score 35 goals in the first periods of games this year. The Blues want to find a way to get a struggling power play going since it could be the deciding factor in the game with both teams being pretty even at even strength.

Sabres Slashes: Weekly Preview 1/28/18-2/3/18

The Buffalo Sabres are looking to continue the momentum of two shutout wins against the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks before the All Star Break.

They will take on the New Jersey Devils tonight at home. On Thursday night, the Florida Panthers come to town, and then they end the week by facing the St. Louis Blues.

Buffalo needs to get off to a fast start in this game, and set the pace early. The Sabres need to win the special teams battle since they haven't exactly been the strongest team on the power play and penalty kill this season. Buffalo should try to force some turnovers to spend some time in the offensive zone, and get some shots on goal to test the goalie out early in the game. The Sabres will have to figure out a way to stop Taylor Hall, who leads the Devils in goals, assists and points since he will be returning to the lineup after missing a few games due to injury. Buffalo will want to use its speed to create in the offensive zone and draw some penalties.

The Devils should test out the goaltending early and often since a both teams are coming off of the All Star Break. New Jersey will want to establish the forecheck and cycle game to spend some time in the offensive zone. The Devils need to take advantage of a weak Sabres' penalty kill. New Jersey will want to try to get off to a fast start and get the first goal of the game if they want to try to get on a roll to acquired some points. The Devils need to make sure that they don't play down to their opponent, and stay focused.

On Thursday night, the Sabres take on a fellow Atlantic Division team in the Florida Panthers, who have been struggling lately. Buffalo needs to get pucks on net with traffic especially if the veteran goalies James Reimer and Roberto Luongo aren't back from their injuries. They'll want to test the young starting goalie. The Sabres should come out with more energy to get better starts to games since they've been outscored 44-22 in first periods of games. Buffalo needs to play with discipline since they don't have the best penalty kill. The Sabres want to be the better team while playing at even strength since the Panthers have struggled in this area. Bufffalo will want to stop the balanced attack of the Panthers especially Jonathan Huberdeau and Vincent Trocheck.

The Panthers will want to have the lead entering the third period since they are only 5-17-3 when trailing after two periods. Florida needs to get the power play going against a weak penalty kill since they have the talent on the power play to score some goals. The Panthers will need to get off to a better start and set the tone early in the game. Florida will need to take care of the puck because the Sabres have a few guys that can take advantage of turnovers like Jack Eichel and Evander Kane. The Panthers need to break out of a slump and this would be the perfect game to do so.

Buffalo ends the week with a visit from the St. Louis Blues, who have been playing better hockey as of late. The Sabres will need a good defensive game from top to bottom since the Blues have the fire power to score a ton of goals. Buffalo needs the goaltending to come up big in this game since the Blues will have their chances. The Sabres will need to play a good game at even strength. Buffalo will need to stop the balanced attack of the Blues, and to be aware of the Blues defense corps since they can rack up some points.

The Blues need to make sure that they have the lead entering the final period. St. Louis needs to make sure that they get the first goal of the game and keep attacking. The Blues need to make sure that they play a good game and don't lose focus to the Sabres, who are looking to play spoiler for teams in the playoff race. St. Louis will need to stop Jack Eichel and get plenty of shots on goal with traffic in front. The Blues will need to make sure that they are good at even strength since they don't have the best special teams numbers in the League.

Flying Forward: Weekly Preview 12/31/17-1/6/18

The Philadelphia Flyers will finally start to see some teams in their own conference and division. Philadelphia will have two chances to gain some ground on Metropolitan Division opponents this week.

The Orange and Black will take on divisional rival, the Pittsburgh Penguins, on Tuesday night on national television as the game will be aired on NBCSN at 7:00 p.m. The Islanders will then visit Philly on Thursday night in another big divisional game. The Flyers will end their week with a  visit form Brayden Schenn and the St. Louis Blues, who have been struggling lately.

The Flyers are going to need to find a way to stop Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel since they are the two top point producers on the Pens. Philadelphia needs to play with discipline because the Penguins have the third best power play in the NHL. The Orange and Black want to win the even strength battle since the penalty kill is a weak one. The Flyers need to have a better start to this game since the first period has been a problem for Philly all season. They have been outscored in the first period 33-25 so far. Philly will need to play with energy from the drop of the puck and established the tone of the game early.

The Penguins will want to take advantage of a weak Flyers penalty kill that is ranked 29th in the League. Pittsburgh also needs to get off to a better start since they have been outscored 41-29 in first periods of game. The Pens need to have the better of the even strength play. Pittsburgh needs to have the lead entering the final period of the game since they only have four wins when trailing after two periods, but don't have a loss when leading after two periods. The Pens want to get good goaltending since the Flyers can put the puck in the net, if they are at the top of their game. The Penguins are going to need to get shots on goal and traffic in front of the opposing goaltender.

The Isles will visit the Wells Fargo Center on Thursday night for another big divisional game. The Flyers need to find a way to stop Josh Bailey, John Tavares, Anders Lee and company. One way to do that is to get a good forecheck established early, spend some time in the offensive zone, and get plenty of shots on net since the goaltending hasn't been great for New York this year. Philly needs to stay out of the penalty box since the Isles have a dangerous power play that can put the puck in the net. The Orange and Black want to get the first goal of the game, and build from there. The Flyers need to establish a forecheck and cycle game early and often.

New York needs to stay out of the penalty box since the Flyers have a good power play in their own right. The Islanders need to get good goaltending in this game, which is something that has been lacking at times this year. The Isles should try to get an early goal, and make the Flyers play from behind. New York needs to have a better start to this game since they have struggled in first periods of games this year. The Islanders will want to be aware of when Sean Couturier and Claude Giroux on the ice since they have had some good chemistry this year, and can put up some points when on the ice together.

Brayden Schenn makes his return to Philly with this new team, the St. Louis Blues. The Flyers need to make sure that they keep the duo of Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko in-check when they are on the ice. The Orange and Black need to get off to a fast start and have some jump right from the drop of the puck. Philadelphia wants to avoid mistakes and turnovers in this game since the Blues have a decent transition game. The Flyers need to have a solid defensive effort and cash in on their chances when they have them.

The Blues need to get good goaltending in this game whether it should be Jake Allen or Carter Hutton. St. Louis wants to play a full 60 minute game, and not have lapses throughout the game. The Blues should try to get their power play going against the Flyers, who have one of the worst penalty kills in the NHL. St. Louis will need to keep an eye on Wayne Simmonds and Shayne Gostisbehere, who can lead the Flyers offense in different ways. Brayden Schenn should be playing in another gear since he plays against his former team. 

3 Things: Nashville Predators @ St. Louis Blues (12.27.17)

The Nashville Predators look to get back on track after losing three straight games before the holiday break. It won't be easy as they face the leaders of the Central Division, the St. Louis Blues.

Here are three things to watch for in tonight's game:

1.) SOLID ROAD EFFORT- NASHVILLE

The Preds need to get back on track, and one way to do that would be with a nice road victory to take over the lead in the division. Nashville will need to be really good defensively, and the forwards are going to need to help out. The Preds will need to limit the mistakes with and without the puck and avoid turnovers. The Predators should get a good forecheck going early and win some battles along the boards. Nashville is going to need to be in good positioning and help each other out should the someone be out of position.

2.) EYE ON NASHVILLE D- ST. LOUIS

The Blues are going to need to keep an eye on the defensemen for the Predators. The defense corps isn't afraid to join the play in the offensive zone or shoot the puck. Nashville's defense will use the breakout pass to try to get out of their own zone quick so the Blues will also need to be aware of that. The Preds defensemen can also skate and move the puck extremely well so the Blues need to be aware of them at all times.

3.) GOALTENDING- NASHVILLE & ST. LOUIS

The goaltenders could play a big part in the outcome of the game. It could come down to one big save by either starting goalie. The goalies need to be square to the shooters and not give up too many rebounds chances because that leads to second chance opportunities. The goaltenders must make the easy save and not give up any soft goals. The players are going to need to get in front of the goalies to make life miserable and so they can't see the puck. This game could very well come down to which goalies makes the timely saves, whether at even strength or on special teams. 

Shooting Stars: Weekly Preview 12/24/17-12/30/17

The Dallas Stars look to pick up some pivotal points against the competition this week since they play two games against Central Division opponents.

The Stars will visit the Minnesota Wild tonight. Dallas will then come home for a Friday night game against the St. Louis Blues, who are currently leading the division by one point.

Dallas will need to get off to a fast start against the Wild, including getting the first goal of the game to take the home crowd out of the game. The Stars need to win the special teams battle and try to get their power play back on track, which has been struggling lately. Dallas needs to have a solid defense effort including the forwards helping out and limiting their mistakes with and without the puck. They need to avoid the mental lapses that can happen throughout the game. One of the biggest problem with the Stars this year has been their consistency, whether it has been from period-to-period or game-to-game, and they need to play a consistent 60  minutes on the road tonight to get two points. The Stars will need to keep an eye on Eric Staal, who leads the Wild in goals and points. 

The Wild need to be better at even strength since they've allowed more goals than scored when playing 5-on-5 hockey. Minnesota needs to find a way to contain Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin, and they can do that by having sustained offensive zone pressure. The Wild must stop the balanced attack of the Stars since they can roll four lines that can get scoring chances. Minnesota should have a better finish to the game if they want a chance at getting two big points at home. Alex Stalock is going must have a big game and make crucial saves for the Wild tonight. 

Dallas will return home on Friday night to take on a St. Louis team that has been average in their last 10 games played. The Stars should come out with some energy, get in on the forecheck and get the first goal of the game to keep the home crowd into the game. Dallas need to limits their mistakes because the Blues will take advantage of them. The Stars must be aware of when Brayden Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko are on the ice since they are the leading scorers on the team. Dallas needs to get good goaltending in this game, and not allow any soft goals. The Stars should try to have the lead entering the third period since they have zero third period comebacks this year.

St. Louis needs to have the lead entering the third period since they only have two wins in regulation when trailing after two periods. The Blues should keep an eye on when Alexander Radulov and John Klingberg are on the ice because they can score and setup teammates. St. Louis needs to get their power play going because that is one of the weak spots on the team. The Blues just need to get some shots on net, and make sure that there is traffic in front. St. Louis is giving up way too many third period goals this year (45), but they have also scored a lot (46). 

Preds Prey: Weekly Preview 12/24/17-12/30/17

The Nashville Predators will look to put some distance between themselves and the competition this week since all three of their games are against Central Division opponents.

The Predators will take on the St. Louis Blues tonight with just one point separating the two teams for the top spot in the Central. On Friday and Saturday, the Preds will play a home-and-home series with the Minnesota Wild. The teams will be in Minnesota on Friday night and Nashville on Saturday night. There should be some good hockey played between the divisional rivals.

The Preds will need to keep an eye on Brayden Schenn, who leads the Blues in goals, assists and points this season. Nashville will need to get good goaltending from whichever goalie starts tonight's game. The Predators need to be very good while at even strength since the Blues have scored 73 even strength goals on the season to Nashville's 64. The Preds should try to have the lead entering the third period since they have only forced overtime twice in the nine times they have been trailing after the second period this year. Nashville needs to get off to a good start and play a solid 60 minute defensive road game.

The Blues will need to get their power play going since it is ranked 24th and a clear weakness on this team. St. Louis needs to be aware of where the Preds defensemen are on the ice since they like to join the play in the offensive zone or make the long stretch pass to start a breakout of their own zone. The Blues should also keep an eye on Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson because both players have speed and can finish a play. St. Louis will need to get some stellar goaltending tonight since the Preds know how to put the puck in the opposition's net. The Blues will need to get the first goal of the game and come out playing with some energy.

On Friday night, the Predators will play the first of a home-and-home series with the Minnesota Wild. The Preds will need to use their speed in transition to get behind the Wild defensemen. Nashville will need to have their skating legs so they can draw penalties. The Predators need to get shots on goal and have someone in front of the net for second chance opportunities. Nashville need to have a better finish to games since that has been the one area where they have really struggled this year. They have been outscored 41-31in the final period of games, and that needs to change. The Preds will also need to find a way to contain Jason Zucker and Eric Staal, who lead the team in points and goals.

The Wild will need to play really well at even strength since they have given up more goals at even strength than they've scored this year. Minnesota need to keep an eye on Kevin Fiala and Kyle Turris, who have played well together since the trade to acquire Turris. The Wild should try to get pucks on net and bury the chances that they get throughout the game. Minnesota will need to get plenty of traffic in front of the net, and get good goaltending of their own for this game.

On Saturday night, the venue changes but the opponents are the same as the Wild visit the Preds. Nashville needs to take advantage of a weak road penalty kill of the Wild and put some pucks in the net when on the man advantage. The Preds need to be good on the forecheck and force some turnovers. The Predators will need to have good energy from the start of the game to the end of the game since this will be the back end of a back-to-back series with the Wild. Nasvhille needs to have good goaltending again, and play with discipline, which may be hard to do since they are the most penalized team in the League.

The Wild need to stay out of the penalty box since the Preds have a solid power play. Minnesota needs to get the first goal of the game to take the home crowd out of the game a little. The Wild should try to have the lead entering the final frame since they only have one regulation win and an overtime loss when trailing after two periods. Minnesota needs another good game from its goaltender, whether it is Devan Dubnyk or Alex Stalock. The Wild need to have a good start to the first half of the first period.

Sabres Slashes: Weekly Preview 12/10/17-12/16/17

The Buffalo Sabres look to get back on track after losing three of their first four games to start the month of December.

The Sabres will take on one Western Conference team and three Eastern Conference teams this week. On Sunday night, they'll face the St. Louis Blues, who will be without Jaden Schwartz due to an ankle injury. They will then come home to face the struggling Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night. It's back on the road to face the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night, and Buffalo finishes out their week with a game at home against the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Sabres need to have some kind of energy to start this game against the Blues or they will be down a few goals before they know it. Buffalo will need to get the first goal of the game, and keep attacking. They will need to establish a forecheck early and often because the best way to stop the Blues offense is to make them defend. The Sabres will need to play with discipline and avoid a parade to the penalty box since the Blues have a good power play. Buffalo will need to get a good game from the goaltender, who will need to make some saves since the Blues should get their chances.

St. Louis will need to get the first goal of the game to keep the home crowd in the game. The Blues lines will be a bit different looking tonight with the loss of forward Jaden Schwartz, and it should be interesting to see how the loss of Schwartz affects the play of Brayden Schenn since the two have developed some chemistry early on this year. St. Louis will need to find a way to keep Evander Kane and Jack Eichel off the board since they have a hand in a lot of the offense for the Sabres. The Blues will need to force some turnovers, since the Sabres will turn the puck over especially in their own zone. St. Louis needs to not play down to the opponent tonight, and just play their game.

Buffalo will then face a struggling Ottawa Senators, who have been shutout in three of their last four games. The Sabres will need to find a way to stop Derick Brassard and Erik Karlsson, who are among the leading point producers on the Senators roster. Buffalo will need to watch the speed of Ottawa in transition since they can get the pucks behind the defensemen. The Sabres will need to attack and not sit back in this game since the Sens have been struggling to score lately. Buffalo needs to get the power play going and the Senators are not one of the better penalty killing teams in the League. The Sabres will need to make sure that they have the lead going into the third period.

The Senators will need to figure out a way to get their offense going in this game. They are playing one of the worse teams in the NHL, and they should be able to put some pucks into the net. Ottawa will need to get the first goal of the game to get some confidence going and then build on the lead from there. The Sens need to have a good game from the starting goalie, who needs to make saves and not allow any soft goals. Ottawa will need to have a better effort all around then they have had the past few games. It would be a good idea for them to just get pucks on net, and then crash the net for any rebounds or loose pucks in the crease area.

The Sabres then take on the Flyers on Thursday night in Philly. Buffalo will need to get the first goal of the game since the Flyers are a better team when playing with the lead. The Sabres will need to keep attacking and get some sustained pressure in the offensive zone to keep the new balanced lines off the board for Philly. Buffalo will need to stay out of the penalty box since the Flyers have a decent power play even though they have allowed four shorthanded goals against this year. The Sabres will need to keep Jake Voracek and Shayne Gostisbehere in check since they play a big part in the offense. Buffalo will need to be aware of the Philadelphia defense since they have no problem joining the play in the offensive zone.

The Flyers will need to keep the new look lines and balanced attack going against the Sabres. Philly needs to not play down to their opponent since they have been known to do this the past few years. The Flyers will need to get in on the attack, establish a forecheck early in the game and force a ton of turnovers throughout the game. The Orange and Black need to be better with the puck, and limit their mistakes since they have had plenty of costly turnovers lately. Philly needs to avoid the penalty box since the penalty kill has been in the bottom of the League all season long. The Flyers need to be aware of where Jack Eichel and Jason Pominville are on the ice.

Buffalo face the Hurricanes at home on Friday night. The Sabres will need to get off to a really good start in this game, and score some first period goals. Buffalo will need to keep Teuvo Teravainen and Jeff Skinner in check while they are on the ice. The Sabres need to avoid turnovers and mistakes with the puck since Carolina can make you pay for your mistakes. Buffalo will need to get their home power play going since they have only converted on 8.9% of their home power play opportunities. The Sabres need to get some offense from the defense even if they are just pitching in with assists.

The Hurricanes will need to get the first goal of the game to take the crowd out of the game. Carolina will need to be better on special teams since they haven't had the most success on them all season. The 'Canes will need to find a way to stop Jack Eichel and Evander Kane, since they are the two top point getters on the team. Carolina will need to get some stops from their goaltender and to play a solid, 60 minute game.

Shooting Stars: Weekly Preview 12/3/17-12/9/17

The Dallas Stars will look to keep the momentum going coming off of a 3-2 shootout win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday night.

The Stars have an opportunity to pick up some important points within the Division since they play three divisional games this week. On Sunday night, they will travel to Colorado to take on the Avalanche. They will take on the red hot Nashville Predators on Tuesday night, and then travel to St. Louis for a match up against the first place Blues. They will finish up their week at home against the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Stars will need to make sure that they know where Nathan MacKinnon is at all times when he is on the ice since he leads the Avalanche in assists and points. Dallas needs to have a big game from Kari Lehtonen, who needs to make saves and not allow any soft goals. The Stars also need to take advantage of the weak penalty kill of Colorado even though the Avalanche are very good at killing penalties at home (~90%). Dallas will need to make sure that they have the lead after the second period since they have yet to have any third period comebacks. The Stars will need to finish the game better than they have all season, and play really good defense since they have been outscored 29-17 in third periods this year.

Colorado need to play a full 60 minute game since they tend to have trouble containing teams in the second period, where they have been outscored 34-26. The Avalanche need to make sure that they have a lead after two periods since they have only gotten points in two games when trailing entering the third period this year. The Avs need to stay out of the penalty box since their overall penalty kill hasn't been great despite its success at home, and the Stars power play can be lethal at times. Colorado will need to contain the top line of Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Alexander Radulov if they want to have any chance at winning or keeping the game close. The Avalanche will also need to keep an eye on John Klingberg when he is on the ice because the defenseman like to join the play in the offensive zone, and leads the Stars in assists this year.

Dallas returns home on Tuesday night to take on the defending Western Conference Champions, Nashville Predators, who are coming off of a red hot month of November. The Stars will need to play a solid defensive game and keep the balanced attack of the Preds off balance. Dallas will need to be aware of the Predators defensemen, who like to join the play in the offensive zone, and even rush the puck up the ice. The Stars need to play a discipline game since the Preds have one of the best power plays in the League. Dallas will need a big game from either Ben Bishop or Kari Lehtonen since the Preds offense has been clicking lately. The Stars will also want to get the first goal of the game to keep the home crowd in the game.

Nashville will want to keep the balanced attack coming against the Stars, since Dallas can also put the puck in the net. The Predators will need to have a lead entering the final frame since they don't have a third period come-from-behind win in five tries. The Preds will need to have a better start to the game and bring the energy from the drop of the puck. Nashville will also need to get its power play going on the road since they have only six power play goals in 48 opportunities so far. The Predators will need to have a big game from the goaltending since the Stars can put the puck in the net, and keep coming even when down.

The Stars will play their third straight divisional game on Thursday night when they visit the St. Louis Blues. Dallas will need to get the forecheck game going early to keep the offensive attack going and the Blues in their own end, defending. The Stars will need to keep an eye on Brayden Schenn and Jaden Schwartz, who are the two leading point producers on the team, and just happen to play on the same line. Dallas will need to take advantage of their power play opportunities since the Blues penalty kill at home is under 80%. The Stars will need to make sure that they play a solid team defensive game including the defensemen, forwards and goalie. They will want to avoid the turnovers and take care of the puck since the Blues will force the opposition to turn the puck over.

St. Louis will be bringing their physical game, but they need to be discipline while bringing that physical game. The Blues will need to force some turnovers especially in the offensive and neutral zones. St. Louis will need to keep an eye on Seguin and Radulov, who are putting decent offensive numbers while playing together. The Blues will need to get a good game from the goaltending and not allow any soft goals. St. Louis wants to get the first goal of the game to keep the crowd fully involved in the game.

The Stars end their week with a non-divisional game against the Vegas Golden Knights. Dallas will need to keep an eye on William Karlsson, who is red hot and the leading goal scorer and point producer on Vegas. The Stars will need to get another good game from their goaltending since the Golden Knights have a balanced lineup that can get pucks on net. Dallas will need to take full advantage of playing at home since they haven't been great on the road this year. They need to get the first goal and keep attacking, don't sit back and try to hold onto the lead or they will get burned by the Golden Knights.

The Golden Knights will need to the goaltending to come up big for them since the Stars can put the puck in the net. Vegas will need to be better closing out the game since they have been outscored 36-27 in the third periods of games this year. The Golden Knights should know where Jamie Benn is on the ice at all times. Vegas need to stay out of the penalty box because they don't do a good job killing penalties, and the Stars have a dangerous power play. The Golden Knights need to play a solid, 60 minute road game and limit the chances of the Stars.

Preds Prey: Weekly Preview 11/19/17-11/25/17

The Nashville Predators will look to continue their hot streak this week as they face a couple of Central Division foes and a team that is struggling in all aspects of the game.

The Predators will face the Winnipeg Jets, Montreal Canadiens and St. Louis Blues this week. They have a chance to gain some points within the division and those points are always important and they want to get as many as they can.

Nashville will need to make sure that they contain Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele by spending time in the offensive zone, and not taking any bad penalties. The Predators will need to get the first goal of the game and keep the crowd involved from the start. Nashville will need to have a better start to this game since they've struggled in first periods of games at times this year. The Preds will need to stay out of the penalty box since the Jets' power play is operating at almost 22%. Nashville will need to get traffic in front of Connor Hellebuyck since he has had a great start to the season, and has taken over the number one goalie position over Steve Mason.

The Jets will need to find a way to contain Filip Forsberg, who leads the Preds in all three major offensive categories. Winnipeg will need to be aware of the Predators defense since they like to join the play in the offensive zone and can put up some points. The Jets need to get the first goal of the game to quiet the crowd. Winnipeg will need to stay out of the penalty box since Nashville's power play can strike at any time. The Jets will need to shoot the puck and make sure they get plenty of traffic in front of the net.

The struggling Canadiens visit Nashville on Wednesday night. The Predators will need to shoot the puck since the Habs are starting a rookie goalie, and are struggling defensively. Nashville will need to get off to a fast start, attack and get in on the forecheck. The Preds need to get the tone from the beginning of the game and not sit back at any point. Nashville shouldn't look past the Habs to the Blues because that would be a mistake even though the Habs are really struggling.

The Habs will need to be aware of where Filip Forsberg is on the ice at all times. They need to make sure that they play a discipline game and not give the Preds anymore chances on the power play than necessary. Montreal will need to be consistent within the game, and stay focused instead of having lapses throughout the game. The Habs will need to get anyone on the roster going and have a big game. Montreal will need to find a way to keep Roman Josi and P.K. Subban out of the offense for the Preds.

The Predators finish up their week against the St. Louis Blues, who are one of the best teams in the League. Nashville will need to contain the line of Jaden Schwartz, Brayden Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko since they have been on fire to start the season. One way to stop that line is to win offensive zone draws since they start a lot of the time in the offensive zone. The Preds will need to play a solid all around game for 60 minutes. Nashville will need a big game out of Pekka Rinne, should he be starting in this game. The Predators need to finish better since they have been outscored 25-17 in the third period of games this year.

The Blues will need to get off to a fast start and get the first goal of the game. St. Louis will need to stay out of the penalty box since the Preds have a very good power play. The Blues will need to be aware of how much the defense likes to chip in on the offensive side of the puck. St. Louis will need to play a good game at even strength to beat the Preds. The Blues will also need to have a big game from the goaltender, who will need to make saves when needed.

3 Things: Stars vs. Blues

The Dallas Stars look to bounce back from its first loss of the season last night against the Vegas Golden Knights. The Blues have had the last two days off after opening the season against the Pittsburgh Penguins with a win. 

Here are three things to look for in tonight's game:

1.) Bouce Back- Stars

The Stars are looking to bounce back from a loss in its home opener last night where goaltender Ben Bishop was pulled in favor of Kari Lehtonen. Dallas will need to get better goaltending from Lehtonen, who is 13-6-3 with a 2.18 goals against average and .921 save percentage against St. Louis in his career. The Stars are going to need to stay out of the penalty box because they took seven penalties last night. The team defense needs to be better and get some sustained offensive pressure. Dallas did get 46 shots on goal last night, but Marc-Andre Fleury managed to only let one of those shots get by him.

2.) Fast Start- Blues

The Blues need to get off to a fast start especially since the Stars played last night and then had to travel to St. Louis afterwards. Dallas will be looking to get off to a good start since they lost last night and don't want to lose back-to-back games. St. Louis needs to get in on the forecheck and win puck battles along the boards. The Blues need to use the crowd to get off to the fast start, and get the first goal. St. Louis needs to get traffic to the front of the net to possibly get some deflections or just to make Lehtonen work to try and track the puck.

3.) Avoid the Penalty Box- Stars & Blues

Dallas found themselves taking way too many penalties last night, but Vegas just couldn't capitalize on the man advantage. If they repeat the parade to the penalty box then it could be trouble since St. Louis has a decent power play. The Blues will also want to avoid taking too many penalties because of all the talent that the Stars have on its power play unit. Both teams better hope that if there is a parade to the penalty box tonight that their goalies can come up large while down a man. 

Shooting Stars: Weekly Preview 10/4/17-10/7/17

The Dallas Stars will kick off its season with a back-to-back set. They'll face the Vegas Golden Knights at home on Friday night and then take on the St. Louis Blues on the road on Saturday night.


If the Stars want to open the season with a win then they will need to feed off the crowd and get off to a fast start. They will need to get in on the forecheck and force the Golden Knights to turn the puck over. The Stars will need to establish an offensive zone attack and then keep taking it to Vegas. Dallas will have to use all four lines and get production from all of its lines. The biggest thing is that the Stars don't look past the Golden Knights and just expect the win. They will need to keep focus and not look ahead to the divisional matchup against the Blues on Saturday night.

The Golden Knights are going to have to have a sound road effort. The team will want to control the pace by getting in on the forecheck and pressuring the Dallas defense. The Golden Knights are also going to want to get a ton of traffic in front of Ben Bishop and get the goalie moving laterally. Vegas is going to want to stay out of the penalty box since the Stars have a pretty good power play. The Golden Knights are not a young team despite it being their first season in the NHL.

On Saturday night, the Stars travel to St. Louis for a big divisional game. It will only be the second game of the year for the Stars, but these points are big because the Central Division is going to be tight this year. Dallas is going to want to try to hold Vladimir Tarasenko off the board.  The Blues have a balanced attack so the Stars need to get off to a fast start and get some puck towards the net. They will also need to get some chances and spend some time in the offensive zone to keep the Blues offense off the board. Dallas is going to have to keep an eye on the defense of the Blues since they will get involved in the offense.

The Blues are going to have to find a way to deal with the balanced attack of the Stars, who have four lines that can produce. They will need to pressure the Stars defense to force some turnovers, which can lead to chances. St. Louis will need to stay out of the penalty box and play a disciplined game. The Blues need to get the first goal of the game to keep the crowd in the game.

Flyers Trade Brayden Schenn to the Blues

The trades started coming early and often on NHL Draft Day, but once the Draft started all was quiet on the trade front until the Dallas Stars decided to get things moving.

The Stars and Chicago Blackhawks traded late first round picks, and then the door starting opening for some other things to happen. The biggest trade of the night involved the Philadelphia Flyers and the St. Louis Blues. Philly had already taken center Nolan Patrick second in the Draft, but the team decided it wasn’t going quietly into the night. 

The Flyers traded center Brayden Schenn to the Blues in exchange for the 27th pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, center Jori Lehtera and a conditional first round pick in 2018. The conditions on the additional draft pick are that it is top 10 protected for 2018. If the pick is in the top 10 for the Blues next season then the pick would be deferred to a 2019 first rounder, and the Flyers would also receive a 2020 3rd rounder should this be the case. 

After the trade was announced, Philadelphia was on the clock with the 27th pick in the Draft, and they chose center Morgan Frost. According to a write up on Frost by The Hockey Writers, the kid is smart and has hockey sense. He doesn't give up on the play, is a good skater and a great passer. The downside of Frost is that he needs to learn to shoot more instead of looking pass first and he needs to build up his strength. The center won’t be ready to play in the NHL for a few years, but the Flyers have enough depth at center that he can take his developing.

A change of scenery could probably wind up being a good thing for Jori Lehtera. He would have been the odd man out in St. Louis since Vladimir Sobodka came back last season from playing overseas, and signed a contract extension last season. Lehtera’s offensive production has been slipping the past few seasons in St. Louis. The center only has seven goals, 15 assists and 22 points in 64 regular season games played last season. He also was a healthy scratch a few times, and was watching games from the press box.

Lehtera has good vision, which makes him a decent playmaker. He has size, but doesn’t use it nearly enough. He shies away from being physical and he doesn’t like to hit. The veteran center is probably an upgrade over Schenn in his own zone. Lehtera needs to find a way to be consistent for 60 minutes of hockey game and throughout a full season. The center won 49.16% of his face-offs that he took last year.

Lehtera has two years left on his current contract, which has a cap hit of $4.7 million per season. He will become an unrestricted free agent after the  2018-19 season.

Schenn is a natural center, but whether he will remain there with the Blues is to be determined. In 79 games last year, he had 25 goals, 30 assists, 55 points and seven game-winning goals. He played at even strength and on the power play, where he registered 17 goals and 28 points. The biggest reason the Flyers were willing to part with the young center is mostly likely due to his lack of production while playing at even strength. He only scored eight goals at even strength and almost half of his total points came while on the man advantage.

There were times last season when he was completely shut down by the opposition at even strength. He isn’t exactly known for being the best defensive forward in the League, and he is known for being a little slow to get back in position to make a good defensive play. If the Blues want to keep him at center then he’s going to have to improve in the face-off circle. Schenn needs to become more consistent in all phases of his game and the forward needs to be better with his game-to-game consistency. 

Schenn has  been know to stand up for his teammates and get in on the forecheck. He has three years remaining on his current contract, which has a cap hit of $5.125 million per season. Schenn will be a free agent at the end of the 2019-20 season.

This is the second trade in about six months where the Flyers have taken on a player whose team needs to get rid of him for salary cap purposes. Let’s just hope this doesn’t become the norm for Ron Hextall and the Flyers.