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With the NHL now into the second month of the season, league parity seems to be at an all-time high. On any given night, any team can rally for a win or fall apart for a crushing loss.
Working through the weeds to pick a winner can be tough, but we’ve got three winners, including an upset pick, for teams who will win on Thursday.
Washington Capitals at New York Rangers Picks
Capitals vs. Rangers Stats Preview
Best Bet: Capitals -113
Washington (6-1-3) has already had one of the most turbulent seasons of any team in the league. It started with goaltender Henrik Lundqvist announcing he would undergo open-heart surgery and miss the season.
Then four players (Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dmitry Orlov, and Ilya Samsonov) all were held out under COVID-19 protocol.
However, the Capitals pressed on, losing their first regulation game Monday against the Boston Bruins after a 3-0 lead slipped away. The Capitals allowed five unanswered goals to lose 5-3 and will be playing with a chip on their shoulders.
Meanwhile, the Rangers (3-4-2) are in a dramatic season of their own. Defenseman Tony DeAngelo was put on waivers following a skirmish with goaltender Alexandar Georgiev. It is unclear what led to the dust-up.
There are also rumors DeAngelo stole the puck after teammate K’Andre Miller scored his first NHL goal. Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton announced DeAngelo had played his last game with the team.
The Capitals are, top to bottom, a better team than the Rangers, and it’s surprising to see the odds this close. Take Washington at -113 to win Thursday night.
Carolina Hurricanes at Chicago Blackhawks Picks
Hurricanes vs. Blackhawks Stats Preview
Best Bet: Hurricanes -190
The Hurricanes (6-1-0) are finally healthy and out of COVID-19 protocol. The same can’t be said for their Thursday opponent, the Chicago Blackhawks (3-4-4).
Chicago has three players on the COVID-19 list (Ryan Carpenter, Lucas Wallmark, Adam Boqvist), and captain Jonathan Toews is still out indefinitely with an undisclosed condition.
Carolina excels in getting pucks on net, averaging 34.3 shot attempts per game (second-most in the league). Meanwhile, the Blackhawks allow 34.2 shots against per game (second-highest in the NHL).
The Hurricanes also lead the league in GAA with a stingy 1.86; Chicago averages 3.00 goals against per game.
While the payout may not be as lucrative, take the Hurricanes to win on Thursday.
Calgary Flames at Winnipeg Jets
Best Bet: Jets +102
In their three meetings with Calgary so far this year, Winnipeg has won twice and lost once. That loss came in the shootout after the Jets tied the game with less than two minutes remaining in regulation.
Winnipeg is still awaiting the arrival of Pierre-Luc Dubois following its trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Dubois is in mandatory quarantine given the international travel required to move from Ohio to Manitoba. He is expected to debut Saturday.
However, even without Dubois, Winnipeg just has Calgary’s number this season. Nikolaj Ehlers has recorded 10 of his 12 points at even strength. Kyle Connor has scored four of his six goals on the power play.
Backup goaltenders David Rittich (0-2-0, 3.56 GAA, .857 save percentage) for Calgary and Laurent Brossoit (2-1-0, 2.98 GAA, .918 save percentage) for Winnipeg are expected to start. I trust Brossoit more in net, and I trust the team that has picked up five of six points in the season series.
Take the Winnipeg Jets to upset the Calgary Flames on Thursday.
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