Looking Ahead – Week 7
Dave Poleck
2011-11-19
A tough decision can be made easier with these charts showing you the best five and worst five schedules for upcoming seven-day periods. Some of you used them last year but for the benefit of new readers here is a refresher. The number next to the team indicates the ‘multiplier’ to use on a player’s point-per-game pace to give you an idea how many points to expect for that week.
How about the New York Rangers? They have won seven straight games, scoring 27 goals while only allowing 11 over that span. Seven straight is nothing to laugh at but there are a few things that tell me they are in for some tough times ahead. First of all, five of the seven games were in the newly renovated MSG. While they did lose their first two at home this year, the crowd was likely still rocking when this streak started after they didn't see a home game for their first seven games. Secondly, after beating San Jose in the first game of the streak, they have faced Anaheim, Montreal, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Carolina and Long Island; not really the cream of the crop of this early season. This streak is going to come to an abrupt halt with their very tough schedule to finish off the month as they play Montreal, Florida, Washington, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
Speaking of seven game winning streaks, the Bruins also reached that mark for consecutive wins without a shootout win over Columbus on Thursday. They have scored 36 goals over this stretch, in which six of the games have been at home. That puts their totals at 13 home games and only four on the road thus far. You would normally expect that they would have a five or six game road trip coming up, but that is not the case. Including the next three that are on the road, they only play 11 of their 18 games left in 2011 on the road. After their horrible start, the B's sit only two points back of Buffalo and have a game in hand.
The Oilers finally finished their seven game, two week road trip in which they struggled as expected, going 3-4 while allowing 22 goals after only allowing 16 goals in their first 10 games. After last night's whipping at the hands of the Sens and a Saturday matchup against the Hawks again, Edmonton goes back on the road for four games against Dallas, Nashville, Minnesota and Colorado.
The Red Wings still continue with their struggle to put the puck in the net. Even after outshooting the Sharks 17-6 in period one Thursday night, they came out of it tied 1-1 after a late shorthanded goal against. Then things took a turn that has been familiar in a lot of the Wings road games this year; they lost. Detroit is now 2-5 away from the Joe and have only scored an astonishing 11 goals in those games. Even worse is that six of those goals came in their first two roads games of the year. They finish off their Pacific road trip against the Kings and Ducks in a back to back this weekend.
The Ken Hitchcock era is going full fledge in St. Louis; they're 4-0-1 and have allowed only four goals during his reign thus far. After three straight home wins, St. Louis has one of the best home records in the League at 7-1-1. They only play two of the their next six at home, but I expect their 3-6 road record to improve with Hitch now behind the bench and the re-emergence of Jaroslav Halak in net.
Friday Nov 18 to Thursday Nov 24, 2010 | ||||||
Best Bets | ||||||
Dallas 3.98 – @Col, SJ, Edm, LA | ||||||
Carolina 3.91 – Buf, Tor, @Phi, Mon | ||||||
Philadelphia 3.44 – @Win, Car, @NYI | ||||||
San Jose 3.28 – @Dal, @Col, Chi | ||||||
New Jersey 3.22 – @TB, @Fla, CBJ | ||||||
Steer Clear | ||||||
Ottawa 0.90 – @Van | ||||||
Minnesota 1.78 – StL, Nash | ||||||
Winnipeg 1.85 – Phi, @Wash | ||||||
Tampa Bay 1.94 – NJ, Tor | ||||||
Anaheim 2.01 – Det, @Phx | ||||||
Saturday Nov 19 to Friday Nov 25, 2010 | ||||||
Best Bets | ||||||
New Jersey 4.33 – @TB, @Fla, CBJ, @NYI | ||||||
Philadelphia 4.30 – @Win, Car, @NYI, Mon | ||||||
Boston 4.19 – @NYI, @Mon, @Buf, Det | ||||||
Pittsburgh 4.15 – @Fla, NYI, StL, Ott | ||||||
Carolina 4.07 – Tor, @Phi, Mon, Win | ||||||
Steer Clear | ||||||
Colorado 1.70 – SJ, Van | ||||||
Ottawa 1.82 – @Van, @Pit | ||||||
Minnesota 2.73 – StL, Nash, Edm | ||||||
NY Rangers 2.91 – @Mon, @Fla, @Was | ||||||
Buffalo 2.93 – Phx, Bos, @CBJ | ||||||
Sunday Nov 20 to Saturday Nov 26, 2010 | ||||||
Best Bets | ||||||
New Jersey 4.43 – @Fla, CBJ, @NYI, NYI | ||||||
Vancouver 4.37 – Ott, @Col, @Phx, @SJ | ||||||
Edmonton 4.31 – @Dal, @Nas, @Min, @Col | ||||||
Boston 4.09 – @Mon, @Buf, Det, Win | ||||||
Carolina 4.07 – Tor, @Phi, Mon, Win | ||||||
Steer Clear | ||||||
Minnesota 1.75 – Nash, Edm | ||||||
Ottawa 1.82 – @Van, @Pit | ||||||
Colorado 2.65 – SJ, Van, Edm | ||||||
St. Louis 2.72 – LA, @Pit, Cgy | ||||||
Buffalo 2.81 – Bos, @CBJ, Wash | ||||||
Monday Nov 21 to Sunday Nov 27, 2010 | ||||||
Best Bets | ||||||
New Jersey 4.43 – @Fla, CBJ, @NYI, NYI | ||||||
Calgary 4.40 – @CBJ, @Det, @StL, @Min | ||||||
Edmonton 4.31 – @Dal, @Nas, @Min, @Col | ||||||
Carolina 4.18 – @Phi, Mon, Win, @Ott | ||||||
Boston 4.09 – @Mon, @Buf, Det, Win | ||||||
Steer Clear | ||||||
San Jose 1.75 – Chi, Van | ||||||
Colorado 1.77 – Van, Edm | ||||||
Ottawa 1.90 – @Pit, Car | ||||||
Detroit 2.68 – Cgy, @Bos, Nas | ||||||
Minnesota 2.75 – Nash, Edm, Cgy | ||||||
Tuesday Nov 22 to Monday Nov 28, 2010 | ||||||
Best Bets | ||||||
Dallas 4.22 – LA, Tor, @Phx, @Col | ||||||
Nashville 4.14 – Edm, @Min, @Det, @Edm | ||||||
Tampa Bay 4.11 – Tor, @Fla, Fla, @Min | ||||||
Edmonton 4.08 – @Nas, @Min, @Col, Nas | ||||||
Los Angeles 3.92 – @StL, @Dal, Chi, SJ | ||||||
Steer Clear | ||||||
Ottawa 1.90 – @Pit, Car | ||||||
San Jose 2.66 – Chi, Van, @LA | ||||||
Detroit 2.68 – Cgy, @Bos, Nas | ||||||
Colorado 2.70 – Van, Edm, Dal | ||||||
Phoenix 2.72 – Ana, Van, Dal | ||||||
Wednesday Nov 23 to Tuesday Nov 29, 2010 | ||||||
Best Bets | ||||||
Vancouver 4.40 – @Col, @Phx, @SJ, CBJ | ||||||
Nashville 4.28 – @Minn, @Det, @Edm, @Cgy | ||||||
Dallas 4.22 – LA, Tor, @Phx, @Col | ||||||
Carolina 4.08 – Mon, Win, @Ott, Fla | ||||||
Calgary 4.02 – @Det, @StL, @Min, Nas | ||||||
Steer Clear | ||||||
Toronto 2.11 – @Dal, @Ana | ||||||
San Jose 2.66 – Chi, Van, @LA | ||||||
Detroit 2.68 – Cgy, @Bos, Nas | ||||||
Colorado 2.70 – Van, Edm, Dal | ||||||
Los Angeles 2.85 – @Dal, Chi, SJ | ||||||
Thursday Nov 24 to Wednesday Nov 30, 2010 | ||||||
Best Bets | ||||||
Edmonton 4.16 – @Min, @Col, Nas, Min | ||||||
Tampa Bay 4.14 – @Fla, Fla, @Min, @Det | ||||||
Minnesota 3.98 – Edm, Cgy, TB, @Edm | ||||||
New Jersey 3.63 – @NYI, NYI, @Col | ||||||
Dallas 3.40 – Tor, @Phx, @Col | ||||||
Steer Clear | ||||||
San Jose 1.72 – Van, @LA | ||||||
Philadelphia 1.77 – Mon, @NYR | ||||||
Los Angeles 1.82 – Chi, SJ | ||||||
NY Rangers 2.68 – @Was, Phi, Pit | ||||||
Detroit 2.68 – @Bos, Nas, TB | ||||||
Friday Nov 25 to Thursday Dec 1, 2010 | ||||||
Best Bets | ||||||
Dallas 3.98 – @Col, SJ, Edm, LA | ||||||
Carolina 3.91 – Buf, Tor, @Phi, Mon | ||||||
Philadelphia 3.44 – @Win, Car, @NYI | ||||||
San Jose 3.28 – @Dal, @Col, Chi | ||||||
New Jersey 3.22 – @TB, @Fla, CBJ | ||||||
Steer Clear | ||||||
Philadelphia 1.77 – Mon, @NYR | ||||||
San Jose 2.59 – Van, @LA, Mon | ||||||
Detroit 2.68 – @Bos, Nas, TB | ||||||
Los Angeles 2.77 – Chi, SJ, Fla | ||||||
Colorado 2.78 – Edm, Dal, NJ | ||||||
Saturday Nov 26 to Friday Dec 2, 2010 | ||||||
Best Bets | ||||||
Edmonton 4.16 – @Col, Nas, Min, CBJ | ||||||
Nashville 4.11 – @Det, @Edm, @Cgy, @Van | ||||||
Columbus 4.01 – StL, @Cgy, @Van, @Edm | ||||||
Minnesota 3.93 – Cgy, TB, @Edm, NJ | ||||||
Colorado 3.75 – Edm, Dal, NJ, StL | ||||||
Steer Clear | ||||||
Toronto 1.89 – @Ana, Bos | ||||||
Philadelphia 1.99 – @NYR, @Ana | ||||||
Boston 2.27 – Win, @Tor | ||||||
San Jose 2.59 – Van, @LA, Mon | ||||||
Los Angeles 2.77 – Chi, SJ, Fla | ||||||
Sunday Nov 27 to Saturday Dec 3, 2010 | ||||||
Best Bets | ||||||
St. Louis 4.34 – @CBJ, @Wash, @Col, Chi | ||||||
Ottawa 4.16 – Car, @Win, @Dal, @Was | ||||||
Columbus 4.01 – StL, @Cgy, @Van, @Edm | ||||||
Calgary 3.99 – @Min, Nas, CBJ, @Edm | ||||||
Nashville 3.99 – @Edm, @Cgy, @Van, Buf | ||||||
Steer Clear | ||||||
Vancouver 1.88 – CBJ, Nash | ||||||
Detroit 2.05 – TB, @Buf | ||||||
Philadelphia 2.11 – @Ana, @Phx | ||||||
Boston 2.19 – @Tor, Tor | ||||||
Los Angeles 2.70 – SJ, Fla, Mon |