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 trip 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 outdoors a playoff spot and at risk of lacking the postseason for a seventh consecutive 12 months.
Offense has been the largest problem for each side, because the Geese are scoring the fewest objectives per recreation within the league with 2.55. Chicago, in the meantime, is barely forward of them, averaging simply 2.66. Stout goaltending may preserve issues tight tonight.
Neither beginning goalie has been confirmed but, however after Petr Mrazek was tagged for 5 objectives Wednesday night time — his second consecutive outing with that end result — 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 finest season to this point, posting career-best marks in goals-against common (3.02) and save proportion (.906).
Soderblom’s play seems to have additionally propelled him previous Mrazek for the beginning job. His 7-15-5 file might not shine, however like with beginning pitchers in baseball, a win-loss file isn’t at all times indicative of efficiency. Blackhawks goalies are dealing with extra pictures per recreation (31.71) than all however one different crew (San Jose Sharks).
Regardless of this, a matchup with the NHL’s lowest-scoring crew may also help mitigate that tendency. Plus, we’ll have the man we’d need behind the pipes in Soderblom.
Permitting plenty of 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 recreation within the NHL (24.8).
There are positively some proficient skaters throughout the Blackhawks offense — like Connor Bedard, Teuvo Teravainen, and Ryan Donato — however lack of depth outdoors of them actually places a cap on the crew’s collective scoring.
Regardless 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 12 months. John Gibson is a persistently sturdy veteran.
Choose: UNDER 6 (-120, Caesars)
Bonus Over/Beneath Wager
