NHL 3 Game Parlay Pick

Game 1 Preview: New Jersey Devils @ Tampa Bay Lightning

The New Jersey Devils have been having troubles with some injuries. Defenseman Paul Martin and wingers Patrick Elias and Jay Pandolfo have all and are expected to miss significant time. Still, the Devils have persevered and been absolute beasts on the road, going 6-0 for the season. Martin Brodeur got his first day off of the season on Thursday against the Bruins, so he should be well-rested for Tampa.  

The Tampa Bay Lightning are coming off a big 5-2 win over the Senators on Thursday. Steven Stamkos scored twice and is completely destroying the notion of “sophomore slump.” Stamkos has 14 points in 10 games this season and is showing real offensive leadership during Vincent Lecavalier’s season-long scoring drought. Martin St. Louis has 11 assists to lead the team. The Lightning have been playing real well at home; they’re 4-0-1 on the year.  

Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning 

Game 2 Preview: Atlanta Thrashers @ Ottawa Senators 

After starting 4-1, the Atlanta Thrashers have lost four straight, the latest a 4-3 loss to the Capitals. It won’t get any easier with the injuries to Ilya Kovalchuk and Nik Antropov. The Thrashers are a young team, and it will be interesting to see how they respond to injuries to two of their top scorers. If history is any indication, it won’t go well. The team is pretty terrible without Kovalchuk in the lineup.  

Ottawa’s 5-2 loss to Tampa was ugly, but more of an aberration to the season than a trend. Pascal Leclaire missed the game with an illness, and the Sens were forced to go with not-ready-for-primetime Brian Elliot. Jason Spezza also missed the game, and he’s been a focal point of Ottawa Senators success this season. But as long as Leclaire’s in net, the team has a chance to beat anyone. They exhume loads of confidence when Leclaire’s between the pipes. When he’s not…that’s a different story.   

Pick: Ottawa Senators 

Game 3 Preview: Edmonton Oilers @ Boston Bruins 

The Edmonton Oilers have been ravaged by the H1N1 Virus in recent weeks, to the point where practices were being cancelled and players sent home. But they were able to beat Detroit on Thursday, which is always a big deal for the Oilers. Dustin Penner is playing the way he has always been expected to, and despite being on the wrong side of 35, Nikolai Khabibulin is showing no signs of slowing down.  

The Boston Bruins aren’t happy with their start to the season. 5-5-1 is not a becoming record for a team that finished first in the East last season. They’ve been missing the contributions of Milan Lucic and Marc Savard, both out with long-term injuries. The 3-4 home mark also hurts. But there have been flashes of brilliance from Tim Thomas and the Bruins in this young season; eventually the team will click again. They’re too talented not to.