Ryan Hartman wasn't having any of Evander Kane's antics during the Minnesota Wild's 5-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night.

Kane went after Wild star Kirill Kaprizov late in the contest, which drew a crowd. Hartman came to Kaprizov's defense and got mixed up with Kane.

Hartman was seen giving Kane the middle finger as the scrum was breaking up. Officials gave the pair game misconducts: Kane received a two-minute minor for roughing and a two-minute minor for cross-checking, while Hartman just received an additional roughing minor.

Hartman didn't back down from calling Kane out postgame, either.

"It goes to show, we had five guys in there. They didn’t have one guy in there to help him," Hartman said, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo. "I don’t think any of their guys are going to defend him.”

Hartman added that if he gets fined for his obscene gesture towards Kane on the way off the ice, it will be "well worth it."

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The injury-plagued Vegas Golden Knights finally have their captain in the lineup for the first time since February.

Mark Stone is playing against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night after missing nearly one-third of the 82-game schedule with a back injury.

The star Golden Knights winger collected eight goals and 20 assists over 28 contests before sustaining the ailment.

Vegas moved goaltender Laurent Brossoit along with forwards William Carrier and Nolan Patrick to injured reserve, clearing enough cap space to activate Stone. The Golden Knights moved the trio to LTIR to facilitate the move, according to CapFriendly.

That brings the team's current number of players on LTIR to seven, the most by any NHL club in a season simultaneously since at least 2015.

Stone's usual linemate and fellow star forward, Max Pacioretty, came back Saturday after missing the last 12 games himself. The Golden Knights have had a slew of players out with both short- and long-term injuries this season. It's forced them to battle for a playoff spot down the stretch that they may have already secured otherwise.

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Edmonton Oilers superstar Leon Draisaitl likes the way his club is rounding into shape as the Stanley Cup Playoffs approach.

"We know when we play our game, and we stick to what we're good at, we're a really hard team to beat," Draisaitl said Tuesday. "We obviously have a lot of offense, but if we stick to the way we want to compete defensively and stick to our details ... I wouldn't want to play us in the first round or in the playoffs in general."

He added: "It is important, with that being said, that we do stick to our details and take pride in doing the little things right."

The Oilers have been one of the league's top teams since Jay Woodcroft replaced Dave Tippett as head coach on Feb. 10. Since the switch, Edmonton sits third in the NHL with 41 points across 29 games, and have seen improvements in many five-on-five metrics over that span:

(Analytics source: Evolving-Hockey)

The turnaround under Woodcroft has helped the Oilers' playoff odds jump from a coin flip to a near certainty. With 90 points and nine games remaining, Edmonton holds a 98.3% chance to qualify for the postseason entering Tuesday's clash with the Minnesota Wild, according to MoneyPuck.

The Oilers also have a strong chance to secure home-ice advantage in the first round, currently holding a four-point cushion on the Los Angeles Kings for second place in the Pacific Division with a game in hand.

Draisaitl, as expected, has played a central role in the Oilers' surge. The 2020 MVP is up to 101 points this season, and has 17 goals and 20 assists since the coaching change.

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Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jake Allen and defenseman Justin Barron will miss the remainder of the season due to injuries, the team announced Tuesday.

Both players are expected to be available for the start of fall training camp.

Allen is on the shelf with a groin injury. He sustained the ailment during the first period of Saturday's showdown against the Toronto Maple Leafs and was unable to return to the contest. Allen was limited to just 35 games this season and missed about nine weeks after suffering a lower-body injury in January.

The 31-year-old performed admirably on a struggling Canadiens squad, logging a .905 save percentage and 3.30 goals against average.

Barron, 20, is dealing with an ankle injury that won't require surgery. Montreal acquired him from the Colorado Avalanche at the deadline in a move that sent Artturi Lehkonen out west. Barron suited up for just five games as a Canadien before getting hurt, putting up one goal and one assist.

Meanwhile, forward prospect Emil Heineman, who the Canadiens acquired from the Calgary Flames as part of the Tyler Toffoli trade, has an upper-body injury. There's no timeline for his return.

The Canadiens previously announced that they shut down Jonathan Drouin as well after he underwent wrist surgery.

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The Rangers and Flyers meet Wednesday night, with each team playing the second game of a back-to-back. The Flyers will have played in Washington, while the Rangers will have hosted the Hurricanes. Although Philadelphia is the host, both teams will have an element of overnight travel going into the game. That should cancel out the marginal adjustment we make for teams playing back-to-back games.

The next variable we use to make our own moneylines is home-ice advantage. While we rely on a larger sample size to calculate that, let's take a glance at what each team has done at home versus on the road this season.

Based on this season's results, the Rangers are 8% less likely to win a road game, while the Flyers are 7% more likely to win at home.

In a neutral situation, the Flyers' season-long metrics suggest they're closer to the Rangers than we'd think. However, we know better, having followed the two teams this campaign.

The Flyers have gotten progressively worse throughout the season, recording just four wins since dealing their captain, Claude Giroux. Between the pipes, Carter Hart (minus-1.5) and Martin Jones (minus-5.5) have been subpar in goals saved above average.

Conversely, the Rangers have ridden the back of Vezina-favorite Igor Shesterkin (35.5 GSAA) to a 34-14 moneyline record in his starts.

The key element in pricing this game relates to its back-to-back nature - but not due to rest. Instead, with the Rangers facing another playoff team in the Hurricanes on Tuesday night, they're likely to play Shesterkin at home and then go with backup goaltender Alexandar Georgiev (12-11 on the moneyline this season) in Philadelphia.

By the time moneyline prices open Tuesday night, we'll know who's in net for New York and have a better idea of how likely it is Philadelphia repeats what it managed to do April 3 - beat the Rangers.

The recipe

Before the 2021-22 campaign, we devised a three-part series on how to use the regular-season point-total market to create team ratings, how to interpret home-ice advantage, and then how to use those to create your own moneylines.

This season's on-ice predictive metrics make up 85% of our total rating. Basing 15% of the ratings on preseason "priors" allows us to emphasize team metrics without going all-in on what's happened during this campaign, which is still a relatively small sample size that includes some tainted results from when COVID-19 ravaged lineups.

I also have a 5% win probability consideration for a side playing in the second game of a back-to-back with travel and 3% without travel.

How to use the guide

What follows is my fair price on the matchups (true moneyline) and the moneyline price I would need to bet on each side. I just need a 1% edge for a favorite if we're getting better than a fair price on the team more likely to win. For the underdog, I'll need 4% or better to make it a bet. You can establish your own threshold - you may decide on a higher cutoff for bigger underdogs, like 6%-7%. On games I've projected could be a near coin flip, a 2.5% edge is enough to make a wager worthwhile.

Wednesday, April 13

Compare the "Price to Bet" column with the prices the market offered. From there, compile a list of bets. After you make your bets, come back before puck drop on game night to see if line moves created a valuable bet that wasn't there before. At that point, compare the price of your opening bet to its late price to see how much closing-line value you may be getting.

Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.

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Monday night was very quiet in the NHL world, with just one game - played between a pair of non-playoff sides - on the schedule.

It's a much different story Tuesday, as we have a whopping 14-game slate to look forward to.

We'll use our best bets to focus on a pair of road teams that desperately need points. Let's dive in.

Kings (-145) @ Blackhawks (+120)

The Los Angeles Kings are in the midst of a three-game losing streak, which is far from ideal considering they're fighting for their playoff lives.

Luckily for them, they're in the ultimate get-right spot against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Blackhawks dropped eight of their last 10 games, posting some truly putrid underlying numbers.

At five-on-five, they've conceded 14.93 high-danger chances per 60 minutes, placing them ahead of only the lowly Montreal Canadiens in that time. Their share of the high-danger chances sits below 40%.

That spells trouble against this Kings team. Los Angeles generated high-danger chances at a more efficient rate over the last 10 than everyone but the Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins, and Edmonton Oilers. Its share of the high-danger chances sits at over 51% - nearly 11% clear of Chicago.

While the Kings' goaltending has been a problem of late, the same can be said for the Blackhawks. Chicago will turn to journeyman netminder Collin Delia, who's posted a mediocre .905 save percentage in the AHL this season. He'll likely have a tough time given how effective Los Angeles has been at generating top-tier scoring opportunities.

Look for the Kings to get back on track.

Bet: Kings (-145)

Golden Knights (-140) @ Canucks (+115)

Not long ago, the Vegas Golden Knights were in a cold spell that seemed destined to cost them any chance of a playoff spot. They've righted the ship to get back within striking distance, winning six of the last seven games.

They're full value for their recent success, controlling upward of 54% of the expected goals and more than 57% of the high-danger chances at five-on-five. Those are powerhouse numbers.

The Vancouver Canucks have loosely hung around in the playoff race as well, but they don't have much more to offer than capable goaltending right now. Their share of the expected goals sits below 50% over the last 10 games, and they've controlled only 44.8% of the high-danger chances.

Vegas should be able to get the better of Vancouver at five-on-five, just as it did in each of their two previous meetings this month.

Captain Mark Stone has a realistic chance of rejoining the lineup for this game, which would make the red-hot Golden Knights even better at both ends of the ice and further increase the gulf between these two teams.

Thatcher Demko is more than capable of keeping the Canucks in games they don't belong in, however, which is why I'm electing not to go with a regulation play.

Bet: Golden Knights (-140)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

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The NHL is back in full force with 28 teams set to hit the ice tonight.

That means there's an obnoxious number of player props to comb through. We're going to take a closer look at three of my favorites.

Jonathan Huberdeau over 2.5 shots (-139)

Huberdeau failed at home last time out against the Sabres, but we're going right back to him Tuesday as the Panthers play host to the Ducks.

Huberdeau has registered at least three shots in 25 of his last 29 games in Florida, good for an 86% hit rate. He hasn't registered less than three shots in consecutive home games since October.

I don't see the Ducks being the team that forces the exception. They have been one of the league's worst shot suppression sides for a while now, and Huberdeau tallied three shots against them on the road in their previous meeting.

Look for him to enjoy the same kind of success while getting cushy usage at home.

Kirill Kaprizov over 3.5 shots (-114)

Kaprizov is another guy with insane home splits. He has a 64% hit rate on the season - compared to 35% on the road - and has registered at least four shots in eight of the last nine games in Minnesota.

Kaprizov has proven to be matchup proof. In that nine-game span, he has gotten the job done against the Bruins, Avalanche, Penguins, and Kings - four playoff-bound teams with strong defensive metrics.

While the Oilers have played well since swapping coaches, they're not a team we have to avoid, especially with left-wingers. They have been below average at suppressing shots versus that position since March 1, with just 11 teams conceding more.

This isn't a mouthwatering matchup, but it isn't one we have to avoid either. Given Kaprizov's home success, there's plenty of value in backing him at this price.

Nico Hischier over 2.5 shots (+100)

Hischier is a player who needs a premium matchup to confidently back. It just so happens he has one against the Coyotes.

Arizona has been putrid defensively all season. The Coyotes give up shots in bulk on a nightly basis, conceding the most to opposing centers. They've allowed 12.25 shots per game to centers since the beginning of March, which ranks them 30th in the NHL.

New Jersey is missing a number of key forwards, including star center Jack Hughes. That leaves even more on Hischier's plate offensively. He hit against the Coyotes the last time they met, and I expect a similar result this time around.

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

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Shortly after Auston Matthews scored for the second time Saturday night, nonchalantly bumping his 2021-22 goal tally to 58 through 67 games, veteran teammate Jason Spezza rotated his head on the Toronto Maple Leafs' bench.

Spezza, a former NHL star and noted hockey savant, then flashed Sheldon Keefe a dumbfounded look. At that moment, the Maple Leafs head coach later recalled, Spezza's eyes conveyed the equivalent of, "Wow, this is something special."

"I was surprised (Matthews) stopped at two, to be honest," Keefe, himself amazed, told reporters following Toronto's 3-2 win over Montreal. "With the way that he was playing, it felt like he was going to have a serious night."

Matthews' production has been so prolific of late that his performances are graded on a curve. A "serious night" for all but a handful of NHLers is a goal, maybe two. Matthews, who on Saturday became only the 13th player in history to score 50 over a 50-game stretch, has four hat tricks since Dec. 1.

On the year, Matthews is averaging 0.87 goals per game, which ties him with legends Phil Esposito (1971-72 and 1973-74) and Jari Kurri (1985-86) for the 20th-highest rate all time, minimum 50 games. The 24-year-old center is on pace for 67 tallies in 77 contests, which would be the greatest goal-scoring campaign since Mario Lemieux's preposterous 69 in 70 games in 1995-96.

With Matthews scorching hot and the Leafs' regular-season schedule winding down, there's no better time than now to dive into what makes the MVP favorite such an unstoppable force. To do so, we rewatched all 58 of his goals and assessed his statistical profile to find compelling trends and patterns.

Here's what stood out:

1. Attack mentality

Matthews' default setting is attack mode.

The 2016 first overall draft pick first showed this mode during his four-goal NHL debut six years ago, and he's certainly called upon it many times. But in 2021-22, Matthews seems extra hungry.

He'll march through the neutral zone with purposeful strides, blitzing the open ice with the puck glued to his stick and his jersey flapping in the air. He'll beat an opponent to a loose puck in the offensive zone thanks to his excellent skating ability and tireless motor. He'll welcome physical play and sometimes initiates contact if there's a decent chance he can gain possession.

The puck, in his mind, is Auston Matthews' puck - nobody else's.

This attack mode was definitely initiated on his 24th goal of the season:

Notice how Matthews doesn't settle for a scoring chance from the top of the circle or go wide on the defender. Instead, he skates into the opponent's orbit, manufacturing a screen on the goalie before firing a bullet into the top corner.

Not many NHLers have the audacity to do that. Matthews does it regularly.

Defensive players simply can't afford to play him loosely. And no matter the situation - whether he's on his forehand or backhand, square to the goalie or at a sharp angle - the chances of No. 34 going for it are very high.

Matthews ranks first in the NHL in shots on goal with 320 and trails only shot volume king Alex Ovechkin and David Pastrnak in attempts with 542.

What's most impressive about Matthews' attack mentality is how he deploys his energy and enthusiasm in a responsible manner. At 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, he could be a wrecking ball on the ice. He prefers to pick his spots.

There's a grace and finesse to his playing style. He's in command of his body and the puck while skating downhill - a testament to his next-level agility, balance, and puck control - and he has soft hands and a cool head in traffic.

2. All-purpose sniper

Matthews' skill set is terrifying. From the size and strength, to the intelligence and skating, to the puck skills and finishing ability, he's truly the complete package.

Knowing which tool to pull out of his toolbox in any given scenario is a vitally important - and often overlooked - part of his genius as a goal-scorer.

Of Matthews' 320 shots on goal, 176 have been wrist shots - no surprise for the man armed with the NHL's quickest, most deceptive release. He's also recorded 43 slap shots, 41 snap shots, 31 backhands, 16 tips, nine wraparounds, and four deflections. He's scored on 27 wrist shots, eight snaps, eight backhands, seven tips, six slaps, and two wraparounds.

Matthews showcased his tipping talent on Goal No. 27:

The possibilities seem endless.

More than 400 games into his career, that patented catch-and-release shooting technique continues to baffle goaltenders. He can blast a puck just as well mid-crossover as standing still. He can one-time the puck top corner after a give-and-go, turn a change of possession into a goal in the blink of an eye, deke out the goalie in tight, score off one foot, and so on and so on.

This versatility vaults Matthews from 40-goal territory to the 60-goal sphere.

Matthews has outperformed MoneyPuck's expected goals model by 20 goals this season. That's a stunning gap, and the distribution of his offense reveals even more: Matthews' 38.1 expected goals are split fairly evenly, with 14.1 in the high-danger area, 13.5 medium danger, and 10.4 low danger.

As illustrated below, Matthews prioritizes the high-percentage areas of the offensive zone yet generates offense from basically everywhere. (Green dots represent shots on goal, the red are missed attempts, and the yellow are goals.)

Watching his goals, it was mildly surprising to see Matthews bury so many pucks in and around the crease. Given how deadly he is from range, it's easy to forget he also consistently puts himself in position to tap in the 2-foot putt.

In other words, the understated moments, when he's lurking in the shadows, balance out the wow moments, when the degree of difficulty is off the charts.

3. The Marner effect

Matthews' goals are rarely fluky, as he beats goalies cleanly almost every time.

The vast majority can be attributed to his brilliance as a sniper. The rest can mostly be linked back to the ace playmaking of Mitch Marner.

Marner, who's been on the ice for 896 of Matthews' 1,374 minutes this season, leads all Leafs with 24 assists on Matthews' goals. (Michael Bunting, the third member of Toronto's elite top line, has 17 assists in 844 minutes together, while defenseman Morgan Rielly is third with 13 assists in 714.)

Half of Marner's 24 helpers are primary assists, including this nifty centering pass against the Colorado Avalanche for Matthews' 11th goal:

The Avs' defensive-zone coverage leaves plenty to be desired in that clip. However, without Marner's deft work below the dots, Matthews doesn't get a prime scoring chance. It takes a cerebral and crafty player like Marner to quickly identify the opportunity and then deliver the puck.

When Marner weaves through the offensive zone with the puck, defenses tend to shift some of their focus off Matthews. This allows him to creep into open pockets of ice. And, since Marner is one of the best in the world at threading the needle, Matthews often ends up with the puck on his stick, unguarded, and geared up to whip home a pretty goal.

Given his size and resume, it seems laughable that opponents would ever "lose" Matthews. Yet they do all the time. His chemistry with the wizardly Marner - along with the rookie Bunting and Rielly - is a primary reason why.

4. Pocket-picker

The NHL, unfortunately, doesn't officially track the wingspans of its players. If it did, Matthews would surely rank highly among the top goal scorers.

His reach is a huge asset in keeping opponents at bay on the offensive side of the puck, and it's equally crucial to his contributions as a Selke Trophy-caliber defensive player. Every once in a while those two worlds collide as Matthews picks the pocket of an opponent and then scores. Exhibit A:

That puck-stripping element of his game has become another signature over the past three years. A ferocious backchecker and sneaky stick-lifter, he's already accumulated a career-high 82 takeaways this season. He's the only forward in the league's top five.

Of course, not every steal leads to a goal. But a takeaway gives the Leafs possession of the puck, and Toronto's underlying numbers are superb when Matthews is on the ice. Mix in 53 blocked shots and a 56.3% faceoff success rate and Matthews is in the conversation for best two-way forward.

Matthews' steady defensive improvements underline one final trend from the tape review and statistical deep dive: He earns most of his goals. Only 15 of 58 have come on the power play, with the remaining 43 at even strength against shutdown lines. He has nine game-winners, five more than his empty-net tally.

Matthews is in a class of his own right now as a goal-scorer. And, with 10 games remaining, he's not done yet.

John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).

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