NHL Regular Season Weekly Preview: Week 15
Summary
NHL fans are excited to kick off week fifteen of the regular season, starting this Monday!
Fourteen weeks down and more to come, the hockey year is kept at an entertaining pace with how many players are able to show out for the world, game-in and game-out.
Connor McDavid and his teammates on the Oilers have been thrashing with goals lately, and the rest of the league would say the same.
The number of goals being scored is at an all-time high, meaning defence is slowly becoming a decrepit part of the strategy for most teams.
If you cannot score three to four goals on average per night, you are likely looking at a loss.
Even with the best goalkeepers and defensive sets on ice, there are still huge liabilities as other teams have playmakers who can shoot from anywhere on the ice.
Coaches realize that the season is now at a crucial point, so rotating and depth becomes more important as well.
Winning over the hearts of the fans is important, but also the players.
Week fifteen has a bunch of marquee matchups, so let’s take a look at some of them that are placed on stake.com!
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Dallas Stars versus Vegas Golden Knights - Monday, January 16th
The Dallas Stars are looking competent in all aspects of their game but the goal-scoring one at the moment.
Arguably the most important part of the league at the moment, Stars fans are looking to get back on track with a tough matchup versus the VGK this Monday.
Both teams with big aspirations for this season, Dallas has a defensive edge in this matchup.
Where they have been falling short, however, is the ability to compensate when conceding.
The Stars still rank within the top parts of the league for overall efficiency but haven’t been able to convert power plays and big chances over the past few weeks.
Look for Dallas to try and be more assertive this time around, pushing the tempo to their liking.
VGK are sitting nice, especially after an eventful week on the ice.
VGK has made scoring a top priority within their camp, and it is paying off in dividends.
Trying to edge opponents with every attack they take, VGK has a good idea of what they want to do with each forward move.
They have clarity in the tough moments, making it hard for opponents to really sully them.
Licking their lips for a primetime match against Dallas, look for VGK to wait for mistakes and hurt Dallas on the other end.
Betting Prediction - VGK ML and the over on total goals scored for a game that should be wildly entertaining.
Colorado Avalanche versus Vancouver Canucks - Friday, January 20th
Another Western conference battle will take place this Friday.
Two teams eager to make a mark in the playoffs and potential Stanley Cup, both the Avalanche and Canucks have proven their worth many different times in this season.
The Canucks are looking at a huge turnaround for the rest of the way, though.
Vancouver is starting to gain traction, but their defence has been a cause for concern.
The Avalanche will likely exploit the mismatches they have on offense, so expect there to be some weird goals and big concessions.
Both teams will aim for a shootout, although both would also like to prevent one.
Prediction - Over 6.5 total goals in this game, expect a back and forth affair.