With only a third of the NHL regular season left to play, teams are bunched in a fight for playoff positioning. A full slate of games will be played on February 25, featuring several interesting conference and interconference battles. I will look at five games, with the Tampa Bay Lightning hosting the Edmonton Oilers in the headline matchup.
Toronto Maple Leafs versus Boston Bruins
Toronto is second in the Atlantic Division, and Boston is sixth. The Maple Leafs are 3-3 over the last six games and “average down” on the Team Strength Oscillator, while the Bruins are 2-4 and “ice cold down” during the same stretch. The teams are trending on opposite sides of the over/under line with a score prediction of 4-3 in favor of Boston with 61 percent confidence. Toronto has a +13 to -25 scoring differential edge and +20 to +9 on the Power Ranks Indicator. The Maple Leafs are 19-11-0 at home, while the Bruins have struggled to a 9-15-3 road mark. Toronto has won two of the three previous meetings between the teams this season, both teams winning on home ice. I like that trend to stop in this one, picking Toronto by two goals but passing on the “over/under” bet.
Calgary Flames versus Washington Capitals
Neither team comes in playing their best hockey. The Flames are “ice cold down” and 2-4 over the last six and Washington it “average down” and 3-3 during the same period. The Capitals still have the best record in the Eastern Conference and the Flames are in the middle of the Pacific Division. Washington has posted a 17-4-6 home record and Calgary is a touch under .500 on the road at 10-11-4. The teams are trending in games “over” the line with a score prediction of 4-3 in favor of Washington with 52 percent confidence. Washington has the best scoring differential in the Eastern Conference at +56 and has a +26 to +11 edge on the Power Ranks Indicator. The Capitals won the first game between the teams by a score of 3-1 on the road. I like the Capitals to win again by a similar margin in a game “over” the line
Edmonton Oilers versus Tampa Bay Lightning
Edmonton comes in with the best record in the Pacific Division and Tampa Bay is third in the tight Atlantic Division. The Lighting is “burning hot” after going 5-1 over the last six games, while the Oilers are “average down” after a recent 3-3 stretch. The teams have been involved in games “over” the line in 11 of the last 12 and both are among the league leaders in scoring differential at +44 and +30, in favor of Tampa Bay. The score prediction is 4-3 in favor of Tampa Bay with a relatively high level of confidence of 72 percent. Edmonton won by a 2-1 score in a defensive battle in the only game between the teams this season. Both teams are showing good stability on the Team Volatility Oscillator. Tampa Bay will be a home favorite and will go with the Lightning by a goal in a game “over” the line.
New York Rangers versus New York Islanders
In a battle for New York supremecy, the Islanders host the Rangers. The teams are neck and neck in ther middle of the Metropolitan Division. Both teams are 3-3 over the last six and trending in games “over” the line. The Rangers have a +15 to +10 edge on the Power Ranks Indicator and -3 to -10 in scoring differential edge. Surprisingly the teams have only met once so far this season with the Rangers winning at home, 5-2. The Islanders home record of 13-11-2 is nearly identical to teh Rangers road record of 13-12-2. This game is nearly a toss up, giving a slight edge to the Islanders playing at home. I like the Islanders by a single goal but pass on the “over/under” bet.
Detroit Red Wings versus Minnesota Wild
Both teams are coming in play well. The Red Wings are 5-1 over the last six and “burning hot down” and the Wild is “burning hot” after going 4-2 during the same stretch. Minnesota is third in the Central Division and Detroit is in middle of the pack in the Atlantic Division. The teams are trending on opposite sides of the over/under line with a score prediction of 3-2 in favor of Minnesota but with only 50 percent confidence. Minnesota has the edge in scoring differential but Detroit has a better road record than Minnesota’s home record. This is the first meeting between the teams since December 27, 2023. The Wild is more consistently playing with regard to their favorite/underdog status. I like a road win in this one for the Red Wings in a game “under” the line.
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