A few swings and misses isn’t how I needed to return to Deadspin, however there’s nonetheless a full weekend forward and a uncommon two-bet tour to experience by Saturday.
From the late slate tonight, we’re specializing in a matchup between two Western Convention bottom-feeders.
The Chicago Blackhawks, after all, are as soon as once more anchored close to the cellar for the fourth straight season. Opposing them would be the Anaheim Geese, who aren’t as low within the standings however are nonetheless exterior a playoff spot and at risk of lacking the postseason for a seventh consecutive yr.
Offense has been the most important concern for either side, because the Geese are scoring the fewest targets per sport within the league with 2.55. Chicago, in the meantime, is barely forward of them, averaging simply 2.66. Stout goaltending may hold issues tight tonight.
Neither beginning goalie has been confirmed but, however after Petr Mrazek was tagged for 5 targets Wednesday evening — his second consecutive outing with that consequence — we are able to anticipate Arvid Soderblom because the beginning netminder.
Whereas the Hawks are enduring yet one more disappointing marketing campaign, Soderblom has been one of many few vivid spots. The 25-year-old Swede is having his greatest season thus far, posting career-best marks in goals-against common (3.02) and save share (.906).
Soderblom’s play seems to have additionally propelled him previous Mrazek for the beginning job. His 7-15-5 file could not shine, however like with beginning pitchers in baseball, a win-loss file isn’t all the time indicative of efficiency. Blackhawks goalies are dealing with extra pictures per sport (31.71) than all however one different crew (San Jose Sharks).
Regardless of this, a matchup with the NHL’s lowest-scoring crew may help mitigate that tendency. Plus, we’ll have the man we’d need behind the pipes in Soderblom.
Permitting numerous pictures and producing little or no offense is clearly not a recipe for achievement. We’ll depend upon that latter behavior, as Chicago averages the fewest pictures per sport within the NHL (24.8).
There are positively some gifted skaters throughout the Blackhawks offense — like Connor Bedard, Teuvo Teravainen, and Ryan Donato — however lack of depth exterior of them actually places a cap on the crew’s collective scoring.
Irrespective of who’s in web for the Geese, it’ll be somebody dependable. Lukas Dostal had a really sturdy first half of the season, incomes borderline All-Star consideration — had the sport been performed this yr. John Gibson is a constantly sturdy veteran.
Decide: UNDER 6 (-120, Caesars)
Bonus Over/Below Guess
