RADIO
Sunday offers a solid six-game schedule starting with early afternoon action in Pittsburgh, where the Penguins host the Rangers.
Pittsburgh has slipped one point out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, sitting behind the Carolina Hurricanes while playing one fewer game. The Penguins have the second-best goal differential in the Atlantic Division, but that only highlights how the Penguins have underachieved to this point of the season.
The Rangers aren’t a playoff team, but they’re a lively opponent, capable of knocking off the Penguins if they aren’t sharp. And, lately, they haven’t been sharp.
Here are some angles to consider before dropping the puck for your monkeys on Sunday.
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RANGERS-PITTSBURGH
OVER/UNDERS
Sidney Crosby UNDER 1.5 POINTS – He’s having a great season and just had three points in a loss to the Flames Saturday, but Crosby has had 11 multi-point games in 27 home contests this season. The Rangers would qualify as below-average opposition but expecting two-plus points is still a big ask.
Mika Zibanejad UNDER 4.5 SHOTS + BLOCKS – It’s not easy to combine for five shots plus blocks in a game, and Zibanejad has only done It twice in his past 11 road games. Maybe he pulls it off, but the odds suggest the under here.
ST.LOUIS-MINNESOTA
Zach Parise OVER 0.5 POINTS – Though he’s been more productive on the road this season, the veteran Wild winger does have points in 16 of 28 home games, and that’s good enough to expect him to find the scoreboard in this one.
Alex Pietrangelo UNDER 4.5 SHOTS + BLOCKS – While the Blues captain has gone for a combined five shots and blocks in four of the past five road games, he’s done it less than half of the time in 23 road games overall and on the second game of a back-to-back maybe this is not the one to expect a dominating defensive performance.
BUFFALO-NEW JERSEY
OVER/UNDERS
Kyle Palmieri OVER 0.5 POINTS – This is going against trend, because the veteran winger has recorded points in just two of the past 11 home games.
Jack Eichel OVER 0.5 POINTS – The Sabres’ star center has points in 18 of 26 road games this season and it’s fair to say that the Devils goaltending qualifies as below average.
PHILADELPHIA-DETROIT
OVER/UNDERS
Andreas Athanasiou OVER 0.5 POINTS – Detroit’s skilled winger has hit the 20-goal mark for the first time and has points in seven of his past nine home games. If the Wings catch Cam Talbot for his Flyers debut then all the better.
RAPID FIRE
Claude Giroux -0.5 points vs. Thomas Vanek – This is pretty close to their respective averages, with Vanek scoring 12 points in 24 home games and Giroux posting 27 points in 28 road games, but Giroux seems like the safer bet.
MONTREAL-FLORIDA
Aleksander Barkov OVER 0.5 POINTS – He’s been held off the scoresheet in three consecutive games but the Panthers’ No. 1 center has 33 points in 28 home games this season. Catching the Habs on the second half of a back-to-back is a favorable matchup.
RAPID FIRE
Shea Weber -0.5 shots + blocks vs. Frank Vatrano – While Vatrano is a surprisingly prolific shooter, Weber’s advantage lies in his blocked shots. This isn’t a lopsided matchup by any means, but Weber has a higher ceiling.
WASHINGTON-ANAHEIM
OVER/UNDERS
Alex Ovechkin UNDER 1.5 POINTS – It’s a tall order to count on multi-point games on the road, and Ovi has been held under two points in nine of his past 11 away from home. The Ducks are awful, but they can easily lose without surrendering two points to Ovechkin.
Evgeny Kuznetsov OVER 0.5 POINTS – On the other hand, this seems like a low bar for Kuznetsov to clear. With 16 points in his past 10 games, he’s up over a point per game on the season.
