NHL Saturday – Three-Game Eastern Conference Parlay

Game 1 Preview: Washington Capitals at Toronto Maple Leafs

The Alex Ovechkin show is back. The superstar forward missed a couple of weeks with injuries, but returned on Tuesday and scored Washington’s first goal in a 4-2 win over the Rangers. The Caps were 4-2 without Ovie, are definitely happy he’s back. The Washington Capitals’ net minders are still looking for a winning rhythm, which is easier said than done. But as long as Ovechkin’s in the lineup, there’s always a chance for a Washington victory.   

The Leafs blew a 3-0 lead to the Carolina Hurricanes, who own the league’s worst record, on Thursday. They retook the lead, then blew a 5-4 lead with two seconds left. They then lost in a shootout. Toronto Maple Leafs has lost five straight after beating Detroit 5-1. They’re facing a Washington team that just got Alex Ovechkin back. They’re not winning.  

Pick: Washington Capitals 

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Game 2 Preview: Detroit Red Wings at Montreal Canadiens  

The Detroit Red Wings are slowly heating up, and that’s bad news for the rest of the league. They had a four-game win streak snapped against Dallas on Wednesday, but that seemed like more of an aberration than a trend. Henrik Zetterberg is one of the hottest players in the league, recording 5 points in a game against Anaheim last week and leads the team with 23. He scored Detroit’s only goal Wednesday against the Stars, giving him 8 on the season. 

The Montreal Canadiens were flying high after their shootout win over Carolina on Tuesday, but is there much to be proud of after barely beating the worst team in the league; a team that is without it’s two top players (Cam Ward and Eric Staal)? Carey Price has definitely played better, but he has to have more than a couple good games in a row to justify putting your entire faith back into him.  

Pick: Detroit Red Wings 

Game 3 Preview: Buffalo Sabres at Ottawa Senators

It was bound to happen eventually to Ryan Miller. Miller was shellacked against Florida on Wednesday, allowing 5 goals on 23 shots in a 6-2 loss. Miller has been arguably the league’s best goalie all season, so a bad game is nothing to be worried about if you’re a Sabres fan. The Buffalo Sabre remain one of the most balanced teams in the league; their leading scorer, Clarke MacArthur, has only six goals, but it seems like everyone is always involved. That’s the sign of a successful team. 

Ottawa’s coming in with a modest two game win streak, a 3-2 win over Toronto on Tuesday and a 6-2 shellacking of Pittsburgh on Thursday. Pascal Leclaire has answered recent critics of his play by stringing together a few good games in a row. Mike Fisher has been smoking hot recently, with 5 points in his last two games. He’s also receiving multiple shout-outs from girlfriend Carrie Underwood, who mentions Fisher on her newest album and has been asked about him a lot during her media tour. Not a bad life for Mr. Fisher.  

Winning Pick: Buffalo Sabres