NHL commissioner Gary Bettman upheld the six-game suspension for Boston’s Brad Marchand, who received a match penalty for high-sticking and punching Pittsburgh goalie Tristan Jarry. Jarry has frozen the puck with 25 seconds remaining, and Marchand moved around the referee to punch Jarry in the head, leading to a skirmish. While a linesman took Marchand away, he swung his stick at Jarry’s mask. This is the eighth suspension of Marchand’s career and second of this season. He can return on February 24, but his absence has likely been a factor in a rough patch for the Bruins. Let’s take a look at your NHL bets for this weekend on the ice.
Top Betting Games of the Weekend
Saturday, February 19
Seattle Kraken at Calgary Flames (10:00 pm ET, ESPN+)
The expansion Kraken have played four games since coming out of the All-Star break, and they have lost three of them, giving up at least five goals in each loss. They did win at Anaheim, 4-3, last Friday, but they have lost the other three games by a combined score of 16-7, including a 5-3 loss in Winnipeg on Thursday. In that game, Vince Dunn, Marcus Johansson and Jordan Eberle all scored for the Kraken, and they managed to tie the game at 3 just over seven minutes into the third period. However, the Jets elevated their offense and finished things off despite Philipp Grubauer’s 24 saves.
The Kraken next head to Calgary, where the Flames are riding an eight-game winning streak. These haven’t been cheap wins either; since the All-Star break, the Flames have won five games, with at least five goals in each game and an aggregate score of 28-8. Their victims include the Vegas Golden Knights and the Toronto Maple Leafs – no slouches int he standings. They walloped the Anaheim Ducks, 6-2, on Wednesday. Elias Lindholm lit the lamp twice and had an assist, now with goals in six straight games. Dillon Dube, Andrew Mangiapane, Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk also scored. It’s hard to see the Flames slouching against a Seattle team that hasn’t shown much defense.
Final Score Prediction:
Calgary 6, Seattle 3
Sunday, February 20
Minnesota Wild at Edmonton Oilers (8:00 pm ET, ESPN+)
The Minnesota Wild have split their four games since the All-Star break, losing at Winnipeg, winning at home against Carolina and Detroit – and then losing again in Winnipeg. They play Florida on Friday night before visiting the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. In their second loss to Winnipeg, on Wednesday, the Wild peppered the net, but Connor Hellebuyck stopped 33 shots. Joel Eriksson Ek, Dmitry Kulikov and Mats Zuccarello all scored, and despite the loss, the Wild are stil 11-2-1 in their last 14 games. Their only regulation losses have come at the hand of the Jets.
Edmonton has won four in a row, knocking off the Islanders, the Sharks, the Kings and the Ducks, the last win coming in 7-3 fashion on Thursday. The Oilers also play the Jets on the road on Saturday before returning home to host the Wild on Sunday. In the win over Anaheim, the Oilers made it four wins in four games under interim head coach Jay Woodcroft. Evander Kane, Derek Ryan, Jesse Puljujarvi, Warren Foegele and Zach Hyman scored – and Leon Draisatl scored twice in the rout. Mike Smith stopped 27 shots, and it will be interesting to see what happens in this matchup between explosive offenses.
Final Score Prediction:
Edmonton 6, Minnesota 5
