The Calgary Flames have won four straight games to get themselves into the thick of playoff contention as they host the Chicago Blackhawks. We continue our NHL odds series with a Blackhawks-Flames prediction, pick, and how-to watch.
The Flames find themselves just two points behind the Winnipeg Jets for the final playoff spot. The next game for the Jets is against this Calgary Flames team tomorrow, so a win tonight would put them in a virtual tie, and give the Flames a chance to top them tomorrow night. This makes tonight a massive game for the Flames. On the other side is the Blackhawks. The Blackhawks have not won since March 16th and overall, have failed to even be competitive.
Here are the Blackhawks-Flames NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NHL Odds: Blackhawks-Flames Odds
Chicago Blackhawks: +1.5 (+132)
Calgary Flames: -1.5 (-160)
Over: 6.5 (+100)
Under: 6.5 (-122)
How To Watch Blackhawks vs. Flames
TV: SN360/NBCSCH/ESPN+
Stream: NHLPP/ ESPN+
Time: 9:00 PM ET/ 6:00 PM PT
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Blackhawks Could Cover The Spread
The Blackhawks have a lot to figure out if they are going to keep this game close. First has to be in goal. Alex Stalock has the three most recent wins for the Blackhawks, but he is not expected to be in the goal tonight for Chicago. That is expected to be Petr Mrazek. Mrazek has lost six of his last seven starts, and in the one game he did not lose, he left with the game due to injury. It has not been all bad for him though. He is averaging three goals per game in the six losses, but an average of three goals against him should notch him one win, not six losses.
Mrazek is facing a plethora of shots on him, averaging 32.5 shots per game against him in the games he has started. The defense needs to help slow that down. Part of that is possessing the puck, which the Blackhawks have struggled at in their last nine games. They only have one game in the last nine in which they had positive control of the puck, and before that, in the two games in which they controlled the ice, they won both.
The biggest issue for the Blackhawks has been scoring. They are averaging under two goals per game in their last nine, which will not win anything in the NHL. Leading goal scorer Taylor Raddysh has not scored since the last time Chicago won, and in that game, he had a hat trick. While he is still picking up some assists, he needs to be the primary goal-scorer for the team, a job that he has vacated.
Why The Flames Could Cover The Spread
Darryl Sutter has the Flames on a mission. In their last six games, they have played nearly perfectly. They have gotten over 40 shots in four of the six games. they have outshot their opponents in all but one game. The Flames have scored six power-play goals in the last six games. They have only let in two power-play goals in that same timeframe. Calgary has been near 50% or better in puck control in all six of their games. Goaltending has been solid, and they are 5-1 in that span.
Jacob Markstrom is expected to be back in the net tonight, and depending on which Markstrom the Flames get, this could be a good game for the Flames. In his last outing, he was pulled after giving up two goals on nine shots in the first period against Anaheim. Before that, he had three solid games, netting three wins. While those were good, back on March 20th he gave up six goals in two periods before being pulled in a Flames loss. If he is on his game, the Flames will win, if not, he should get the early hook.
Leading pointsman Tyler Toffoli has also found his groove recently. He has 15 points in his last ten games, with seven goals and eight assists. In there he has five games in which he snagged more than one point, all of which led to Calgary wins. He has been willing this team back into the playoff hunt, and that continues tonight.
Final Blackhawks-Flames Prediction & Pick
The Blackhawks are just bad. They are getting good enough goaltending to get wins, but they are not scoring nearly enough. The lack of production from Raddysh and the rest of the offense is cause for concern. At the same time, Calgary is scoring very well. They have to win this game, and it will show tonight. The difference between the two offensive units is enough, and Calgary covers.
Final Blackhawks-Flames Prediction & Pick: -1.5 (-160)
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