The final two months of the NHL regular season have arrived and teams are looking to make a final run at a playoff spot. Divisional and conference battles have heated up. There are six games scheduled for March 3. I will examine four games with some rivalry matchups in the mix. The featured game is the Florida Panthers hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Tampa Bay Lightning versus Florida Panthers
Two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference face off in this Florida battle. Tampa Bay has won seven in a row and Florida has won five of their last six. Both teams are “burning hot” on the Team Strength Oscillator and Tampa Bay is +31 to +28 on the Power Ranks Indicator. The teams have been trending on opposite sides of the “over/under” line with a score prediction of 4-3 in favor of Florida with 90 percent confidence. The teams have split the previous two games between them this season. Tampa Bay is a relatively mediocre 13-13-2 on the road and Florida is 18-10-2 at home. The Lightning is +53 to +30 in scoring differential edge. I like Florida at home by a single goal but pass on the over/under.
New York Islanders versus New York Rangers
In this New York rivalry, the Rangers come in three points ahead of the Islanders in the Metropolitan Division. The Rangers are “burning hot” versus “ice cold up” on the Team Strength Oscillator and +19 to +7 on the Power Ranks Indicator. The teams have been involved in games “over” the line in 1o of the last 12 games combined. Note that the score prediction of 4-2 in favor of the Rangers comes with only 55 percent confidence. The Islanders have been very inconsistent regarding their favorite/underdog status, as indicated by the Team Volatility Oscillator. The Rangers are slightly over .500 at home as are the Islanders on the road. The Rangers have had their way with the Islanders this season, winning both games by a combined score of 10-3. I like the Rangers in another multiple-goal margin of victory in a game “over” the line.
San Jose Sharks versus Toronto Maple Leafs
Here’s a matchup featuring two teams heading in opposite directions. San Jose has the worst record in the league and “dead” on the Team Strength Oscillator while Toronto is “burning hot” and second in the Atlantic Division. Toronto is +30 to 0 on the Power Ranks Indicator and has a scoring differential edge of +20 to -71. The teams haven’t met this season but Toronto won last meeting by a 7-1 score. The score prediction is Toronto by a 6-2 margin with 68 percent confidence. There is little reason to think the Sharks can stay close in this one. I like the Maple Leafs by at least three goals in a game “over” the line.
Los Angeles Kings versus Chicago Blackhawks
The Kings are battling for a top spot in the Pacific Division and the Blackhawks have the second-worst record in the NHL. Los Angeles is 3-3 over the last six and “average” on the Team Strength Oscillator versus 1-5 and “dead” status. Both teams are trending in games “over” the line and the Kings have a +19 to -52 scoring differential edge. Chicago is showing great stability, sitting at +21 on the Team Volatility Oscillator. This indicates they are very consistently playing with regard to their favorite/underdog status. Chicago upset Los Angeles in their only meeting this season on the road. There will be no upsets this time around. Go with the Kings by at least two goals in a game “over” the line.
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