A few swings and misses isn’t how I wished to return to Deadspin, however there’s nonetheless a full weekend forward and a uncommon two-bet tour to experience by way of Saturday.
From the late slate tonight, we’re specializing in a matchup between two Western Convention bottom-feeders.
The Chicago Blackhawks, in fact, 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 situation 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 evening — his second consecutive outing with that end result — we are able to anticipate Arvid Soderblom because the beginning netminder.
Whereas the Hawks are enduring one more disappointing marketing campaign, Soderblom has been one of many few shiny spots. The 25-year-old Swede is having his finest season thus far, 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 document could not shine, however like with beginning pitchers in baseball, a win-loss document isn’t at all times indicative of efficiency. Blackhawks goalies are going through extra photographs per recreation (31.71) than all however one different group (San Jose Sharks).
Regardless of this, a matchup with the NHL’s lowest-scoring group may also help mitigate that tendency. Plus, we’ll have the man we’d need behind the pipes in Soderblom.
Permitting quite a lot of photographs and producing little or no offense is clearly not a recipe for fulfillment. We’ll rely on that latter behavior, as Chicago averages the fewest photographs per recreation within the NHL (24.8).
There are undoubtedly some gifted skaters inside the Blackhawks offense — like Connor Bedard, Teuvo Teravainen, and Ryan Donato — however lack of depth exterior of them actually places a cap on the group’s collective scoring.
Irrespective of who’s in internet for the Geese, it’ll be somebody dependable. Lukas Dostal had a really robust first half of the season, incomes borderline All-Star consideration — had the sport been performed this yr. John Gibson is a persistently robust veteran.
Decide: UNDER 6 (-120, Caesars)
Bonus Over/Underneath Guess