Week 21 of the 2021-22 NHL season is upon us and the league is closing in on the final quarter of the season. With that, the NHL trade deadline for the 2022 season is also fast approaching. Now is the time when teams have to decide what the future holds for them, their fans and their players. In short, we are closing in on the most important span of the NHL season.
Today, we look at three of the most important games on the NHL schedule for today, Thursday, March 17, 2022.
Before we dive into the big games on tonight’s NHL schedule, check out the odds for the 2022 NHL Playoffs and the latest odds on Stanley Cup Futures.
Carolina vs. Toronto
Date & Location: Thursday, March 17 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
How to Watch: Sportsnet NOW, NHL Live
Two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference meet tonight in Toronto when the No. 2 Carolina Hurricanes travel north to face the No. 4 Maple Leafs. Tonight marks the third meeting of the season between the two clubs. The ‘Canes won the first game of the series at home (4-1). The Leafs evened things up with a 4-3 OT win at home.
Toronto is one of the highest-scoring teams in the Eastern Conference with 223 goals, but the team’s goals allowed (181) leaves something to be desired. Carolina scores fewer goals than Toronto (198), but the team’s goal differential of plus-59 is better than the Leafs thanks to the team allowing the fewest goals in the NHL at 139.
Goaltending is what this game is going to come down to. Carolina has one of the best goalies in the NHL in Frederik Andersen. He leads the NHL in goals-against average (2.06), is second in save percentage (.929) and tied for second in wins (30). The Maple Leafs have been without their starting goalie, Jack Campbell, for the past three games and the team has gone 1-2 in those outings.
Auston Matthews, who leads the NHL in goals with 45, has six goals in his past five games. He is the player to watch in this game as he has three goals in the two games against the Hurricanes this season.
Pick: Carolina to beat Toronto
Pittsburgh vs. St Louis
Date & Location: Thursday, March 17 at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, MO
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
How to Watch: Sportsnet NOW, NHL Live
The Pittsburgh Penguins travel to St. Louis tonight to face the Blues for the second and final time of the 2022 NHL season. Pittsburgh won the first meeting of the clubs, handing the Blues a 5-3 loss on the Penguins’ home ice in January. The Penguins are the No. 6 team in the Eastern Conference heading into this matchup, while the Blues sit in the No. 3 spot in the West.
The Blues are the higher scoring team of the two clubs, netting 211 goals to the Penguins 198. Meanwhile, the teams are pretty even in goals against with the Penguins allowing 164 goals this season and the Blues letting in 165.
St. Louis is 5-3-2 in its last 10 games. Pittsburgh is 5-4-1 over that same span.
The Blues have an issue in goal. Ville Husso is playing better than Jordan Binnington, but the team has a lot of money invested in Binnington. Binnington also has a no-trade clause. Both players have started five of the past 10 games. There is no controversy in the Penguins net, Tristan Jarry, who is tied for fourth in wins with 29, is the go-to netminder.
Sidney Crosby leads the Penguins in scoring in the past five games with seven points (3 goals, 4 assists). As for the Blues, Vladimir Tarasenko has eight points in the team’s past five outings (1G, 7A)
Pick: St. Louis to beat Pittsburgh.
Florida vs. Vegas
Date & Location: Thursday, March 17 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV
Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
How to Watch: Sportsnet NOW, NHL Live
Barring a complete collapse, the Florida Panthers, who are the No. 1 team in the Eastern Conference, will make the playoffs. The same cannot be said of the Vegas Golden Knights, who are currently the No. 8 team in the Western Conference. Vegas is only one point ahead of the Dallas Stars and Vancouver Canucks and two points in front of the Winnipeg Jets. The Anaheim Ducks, who trail the Golden Knights by three points, are also in the hunt for a spot in the 2022 NHL Playoffs. Vegas needs as many wins as they can get.
Florida leads the NHL in goals this season with 246. Vegas is in the middle of the pack with 191 goals. The Panthers also have an advantage over Vegas in goals allowed at 171 vs. 189.
Tonight’s meeting between these clubs is the second time they face off this year. Florida won the first game 4-1 in January. Florida is 6-3-1 in its past 10 games, while Vegas is on a 3-7-0 run and in the midst of a five-game losing skid.
Vegas has allowed 23 goals in its past five games and scored only 11. Florida has three games where it has scored six goals in its past six games. In short, Vegas is in big trouble against a team as potent as the Panthers.
Pick: Florida to beat Vegas.
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