Today we have a holiday schedule in the NHL with games starting from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. I’ll focus only on the DraftKings night games for our Monday version of the daily fantasy hockey morning coffee.
Washington Capitals @ Pittsburgh Penguins (Pittsburgh, -130, 5.5 over/under)
Arizona Coyotes @ Edmonton Oilers (Edmonton, -220, 5.5 over/under)
The game of the day is cleary the Caps at the Penguins. We have a lot things to think about when constructing our rosters using this game. Here are 10 things to think about:
1.Washington is on the second night of a back-to-back.
2.Pittsburgh’s high-powered offense has only managed six goals over their past three games. 3.Pittsburgh has allowed 15 goals over those three games.
4. Even in their three-game losing streak Pittsburgh has three power play goals, and 10 power play goals over their past 10 games.
5. Pittsburgh has allowed six power play goals over their past four games.
6. Washington is on an nine game win streak where they have recorded four shutouts.
7. Washington has scored 34 goals over their past over their past eight games.
8. Washington is among the best in the NHL on the road with 2.79 road goals per game and only 2.21 goals against per game.
9. Alex Ovechkin has 11 points over his past nine games.
10. Braden Holtby is 6-0-0 over his past seven games played with just six goals allowed and three shutouts.
It makes all the sense in the world to target a team on the road on the second of a back-to-back, and on a small slate we’ll do just that. But I’m not as confident as I normally would be against a team as hot as the Capitals have been. The Penguins have allowed an NHL second-worst 4.25 goals per game in January while Washington has scored an NHL third-best 4.14 goals per game this month.
In 5v5 situations on the road, with the score tied, Washington has the best xGF/60 in the league at 2.81. At home, in 5v5 situations with the scored tied, Pittsburgh has an NHL second-worst xGA/60 of 2.96. But it should also be noted at home, with the same adjustments, Pittsburgh has an NHL third-best xGF/60 of 3.17.
A lot depends on