PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* NHL PLAY OF THE DAY >> 15-7 Overall Last 6 Days!
(NHL) Ottawa vs. Chicago,
Money Line: -185.00 Chicago (Home)
Result: Win
Money Line: -185.00 Chicago (Home)
Result: Win
The set-up:The Senators and Blackhawks are two of the NHL's most disappointing teams in 2017-18. The Senators took the Penguins to seven games in the Eastern Conference finals last season but are well out of playoff contention this season, at 21-28-9. As for the Blackhawks, they had a Western Conference-best 109 points last season but like Ottawa, Chicago is a playoff afterthought this season, at 25-27-8. Tonight's matchup features Ottawa at Chicago and both clubs are sitting 13 points out of the final playoff spot in their respective conferences.
Ottawa: The Senators ended January on a six-game slide but had won six of nine this month before dropping a 5-2 decision at Nashville on Monday night. Ottawa is one of about a half-dozen teams with a worse point total than the Blackhawks and the Senators have 10 losses in their last 16 games. They are very likely to miss the playoffs only one season after reaching the Eastern Conference finals and coming within one goal of reaching the Stanley Cup finals. Forward Ryan Dzingel, who missed the past two games due to personal reasons, returned to practice Tuesday and will be back in the lineup against the Blackhawks. Mark Stone has six points in five games since returning from injury and leads the team with 19 goals and 50 points. Defenseman Karlsson, the team's top player last postseason, has a modest 46 points in 53 games, after posting 71 points last season and 82 the season before.
Chicago: The Blackhawks unleashed some of their frustrations by mauling Metropolitan-leading Washington 7-1 on Saturday but followed that up with a listless 3-1 home loss to Los Angeles 48 hours later, falling to a pathetic 1-8-1 in February. It appears Chicago is poised to be a seller before Monday's NHL trade deadline. The Blackhawks are on track to miss the postseason for the first time since the 2007-08 campaign. Forward Anthony Duclair, acquired earlier this season from Arizona, has been a healthy scratch for three of the past four games but will be back in the lineup to face the Senators. Patrick Kane played in his 800th game Monday and leads the team in goals (22) and points (55).
The pick: Sure, Chicago is a mess but the Senators own the fewest road wins in the league at 7-17-4, getting outscored 3.43-to-2.18 GPG away from home. Winning in Chicago is a rare occurrence for the Senators, who put an end to a seven-game, 15-year drought in the Windy City with a 4-3 victory back in December 2016 but they were steamrolled by the Blackhawks 8-2 on Jan. 9. Make Chicago a 10* play.
Ottawa: The Senators ended January on a six-game slide but had won six of nine this month before dropping a 5-2 decision at Nashville on Monday night. Ottawa is one of about a half-dozen teams with a worse point total than the Blackhawks and the Senators have 10 losses in their last 16 games. They are very likely to miss the playoffs only one season after reaching the Eastern Conference finals and coming within one goal of reaching the Stanley Cup finals. Forward Ryan Dzingel, who missed the past two games due to personal reasons, returned to practice Tuesday and will be back in the lineup against the Blackhawks. Mark Stone has six points in five games since returning from injury and leads the team with 19 goals and 50 points. Defenseman Karlsson, the team's top player last postseason, has a modest 46 points in 53 games, after posting 71 points last season and 82 the season before.
Chicago: The Blackhawks unleashed some of their frustrations by mauling Metropolitan-leading Washington 7-1 on Saturday but followed that up with a listless 3-1 home loss to Los Angeles 48 hours later, falling to a pathetic 1-8-1 in February. It appears Chicago is poised to be a seller before Monday's NHL trade deadline. The Blackhawks are on track to miss the postseason for the first time since the 2007-08 campaign. Forward Anthony Duclair, acquired earlier this season from Arizona, has been a healthy scratch for three of the past four games but will be back in the lineup to face the Senators. Patrick Kane played in his 800th game Monday and leads the team in goals (22) and points (55).
The pick: Sure, Chicago is a mess but the Senators own the fewest road wins in the league at 7-17-4, getting outscored 3.43-to-2.18 GPG away from home. Winning in Chicago is a rare occurrence for the Senators, who put an end to a seven-game, 15-year drought in the Windy City with a 4-3 victory back in December 2016 but they were steamrolled by the Blackhawks 8-2 on Jan. 9. Make Chicago a 10* play.
