Tonight is the second edition of the NHL’s “Frozen Frenzy,” and if you’re a hockey fan, Christmas came two months early. Starting at 6:0o pm EST straight through until 2:00 am EST, every team in the NHL will play, which leads to a plethora of drama and storylines as the night goes on. On your way home from work, grab some extra snacks and cold beverages and buckle up for an incredible night of hockey. You may want to call in sick tomorrow, but you didn’t hear that here.
NHL’s Only Perfect Team Looks To Stay Hot
The Winnipeg Jets are a perfect 5-0-0 to start the season and look to keep it going against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. The puck drops at 8:00 pm EST. The Jets are a good team, but it’s the way they’ve been winning that has surprised everyone. Connor Hellebyuck is one of the premier goaltenders in the NHL, and even though they lost some key pieces, their defense is still one of the top units in the league. The Jets are second in the NHL in goals allowed per game, giving up only 1.60. That is no shock to anybody.
The real shock, even though it’s only been five games, is the rate at which they’re scoring. They lead the NHL with 4.80 goals per game, and the production is coming from the top. Scheifele and Connor lead the team with five and four goals respectively. Five players have two goals, and only six skaters haven’t scored yet. Yes, there are 77 games left, but being the first team to 10 points should do nothing but help their case as the season progresses.
NHL’s Only Winless Team Looks To Heat Up
If there was an award for the team that had the best offseason, the Nashville Predators would have won it. That’s what makes this 0-5-0 start such a head-scratcher. Last year, they got off to a rough start as well, before rallying in the second half of the season and making a terrific run to the playoffs. But this year was supposed to be different. Adding Stamkos, Marchessault, and Skjei instantly makes the Preds a contender. On paper at least.
Through five games, the Preds are 30th in the NHL with 2.00 goals per game and 31st in goals against per game with 4.60. The 2 GPG is insanely low, but it’s not for a lack of trying. The Preds lead the NHL in shots per game with 35.4, they just can’t seem to buy a goal, and they can’t seem to buy a save either. Star Goalie Juuse Saros has a 3.64 goals against average and an .875 save percentage through four games.
The rational theory is they made a lot of big changes and it’s going to take time for the team to gel together and get in a rhythm. The season is far from over, but the math tells us it’s going to be an uphill climb. The Jets are already 10 points ahead of the Preds and hold first place in the division. The Preds can still make the playoffs, of course. There are 77 games left after all. However, they need to start winning soon. Another five straight games of losing and this season may be officially over. The Preds are home to the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night. The puck drops at 8:45 pm EST.
Avs Look to Get Hot, Kraken Look To Stay Hot
Two and a half hours into the frenzy is a sneaky good matchup between the Colorado Avalanche and Seattle Kraken. The puck drops at 8:30 pm EST. The Kraken missed the playoffs last year after beating the Avs in the playoffs the year before. The Central Division is going to be extremely competitive, and since the Jets and Stars have already racked up 10 points each, every game has a little more weight. Even in October.
After some key signings in the offseason, including a coaching change, the Kraken have started the season 4-2-0, and are currently on a three-game winning streak. The key for Seattle tonight is going to be their scoring. In three of their four wins, they scored five goals or more. In their two losses, they scored a total of two goals. Colorado may be off to a shaky start, but they still score a ton of goals.
The Avalanche started the season 0-4, and stopping pucks has been one of their bigger issues. In those four losses, they allowed five or more goals in all of them and six or more goals in three of them. Scoring four goals per game is great, but if you give up five goals a game, that’s bad. Simple math.
They have since won two in a row, but the Sharks and the Ducks aren’t the cream of the crop when it comes to NHL teams. Tonight’s contest against the Kraken will be a big test. That being said, the ambulance is full in Colorado. Toews, Drouin, and Lehkonen are all still out of the lineup, while Landeskog is still hoping to come off of long-term injured reserve at some point in the season.
Final Thoughts
It’s hard to pick only three storylines when literally every team in the NHL is playing. Here are the rest of the Frozen Frenzy matchups (All times EST): Capitals @ Flyers – 6:oo pm, Wild @ Panthers – 6:30 pm, Lightning @ Devils – 6:45 pm, Stars @ Sabers – 7:00 pm, Rangers @ Canadiens – 7:15 pm, Maple Leafs @ Blue Jackets – 7:30 pm, Red Wings @ Islanders – 7:45 pm, Jets @ Blues – 8:00 pm, Canucks @ Blackhawks – 8:15 pm, Avalanche @ Kraken – 8:30 pm, Bruins @ Predators – 8:45 pm, Senators @ Utah – 9:15 pm, Penguins @ Flames – 9:30 pm, Sharks @ Ducks – 10:15 pm, Kings @ Golden Knights – 11:00 pm
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