RADIO
Happy Valentine’s Day hockey fans. With the basketball All-Star break upon us, the National Hockey League is the place to play props on Monkey Knife Fight.
Tonight’s schedule includes four games, none of which are especially competitive. The New York Rangers are in Columbus to face a Blue Jackets team that is winless in three but has one regulation loss in the past 13 games.
Montreal travels to Pittsburgh for an uphill fight against a Penguins team that recently added scoring winger Jason Zucker via trade.
The stumbling San Jose Sharks go to Winnipeg to take on a Jets team that is locked in a battle for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Finally, the New Jersey Devils are in Carolina and the Hurricanes, who are 10-10-1 in the past 21 games, need to get back on track if they are going to find a playoff berth.
Here are some angles to keep in mind when making Friday’s hockey prop picks on Monkey Knife Fight.
N.Y. RANGERS-COLUMBUS
MORE OR LESS
Elvis Merzlikins LESS THAN 32.5 SAVES – Elvis has been incredible for the Blue Jackets, and especially at home where he has a .960 save percentage but the Blue Jackets also play pretty sound defensive hockey, allowing 28.0 shots per 60 minutes on home ice and Merzlikins averages 29.5 saves per 60 on home ice. Even with Columbus defenseman Seth Jones injured, it’s difficult to see a Rangers team that averages 29.0 shots per 60 on the road generating enough offensively for Merzlikins to even have enough chances for saves.
Artemi Panarin MORE THAN 0.5 ASSISTS – The Rangers’ current star was an offensive driver for a few seasons in Columbus and has generated 20 assists in 26 road contests this season, recording assists in 15 of 26 games. He may face a tough test against Merzlikins but the odds are still leaning towards Panarin picking up at least one helper.
RAPID FIRE
Mika Zibanejad +0.5 shots + blocks vs. Jacob Trouba – Zibanejad is hugely productive, generating more than 4.1 shots plus blocks per road game this season. While this season hasn’t been ideal for Trouba, he too is very productive, generating more than 4.5 shots plus blocks per road game. It’s close but give the edge to the Rangers’ best center.
MONTREAL-PITTSBURGH
MORE OR LESS
Carey Price LESS THAN 34.5 SAVES – Overall, this hasn’t been a banner season for Price but he is rocking a .921 save percentage on the road. Even so, the Penguins are averaging 30.2 shots per 60 at home and Price has averaged 30.8 saves per 60 minutes on the road. So how does he get to 35 saves? The absence of Shea Weber probably makes the Habs more vulnerable defensively but maybe not to that degree.
Evgeni Malkin MORE THAN 0.5 ASSISTS – While Malkin does have 18 assists in 20 home games, he has recorded at least one assist in 11 of those 20 games. That’s not quite as overwhelming but against a mediocre Montreal team that’s enough to count on Malkin for one helper.
Sidney Crosby MORE THAN 0.5 ASSISTS – Because of injury, the sample size is smaller for Crosby, but he does have 15 assists in 14 home contests. He has at least one assists in nine of those 14 games which is, again, enough to like Crosby for at least one assist.
SAN JOSE-WINNIPEG
MORE OR LESS
Connor Hellebuyck LESS THAN 31.5 SAVES – Hellebuyck is averaging 29.4 saves per 60 minutes on home ice this season and is facing a toothless Sharks attack that generates 28.4 shots per 60 on the road. Given those numbers, 32 saves is asking a lot.
Patrik Laine MORE THAN 3.5 SHOTS + BLOCKS – One home ice Laine is averaging 3.9 shots per game, before we even get to blocked shots. Once those blocked shots are added in, Laine is putting up more than 4.4 shots plus blocks per game.
RAPID FIRE
Erik Karlsson +0.5 point vs. Mark Scheifele – Certainly Scheifele should be the favorite in this matchup but Karlsson has 19 points in 26 road games (0.73 points per game), while Scheifele has 27 points in 30 home games (0.90 points per game). That’s close enough to prefer Karlsson plus the half point.
NEW JERSEY-CAROLINA
MORE OR LESS
Sebastian Aho MORE THAN 3.5 FANTASY POINTS – An unheralded star player, Aho has seven goals, four assists and 24 shots on goal during a seven-game point streak. He will be a handful for the Devils to contain.
RAPID FIRE
P.K. Subban -0.5 shots + blocks vs. Andrei Svechnikov – Oddly enough, even though Subban is having a terrible season and Svechnikov is enjoying a breakout campaign, this is still an advantage for Subban, who is averaging 3.9 shots plus blocks per road game while Svechnikov sits at 3.0 per home contest.
