Enterprise Rent-A-Car is teaming up with the NHL to sponsor the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs Hat Trick Challenge. How does the Hat Trick Challenge work? Each day, fans are asked to answer three questions about that day’s game. You can score a hat trick by correctly answering all three questions in a day. At the end of the competition, a Enterprise and the NHL will award a grand prize to the entry which has scored the most Hat Tricks.
The first question of today’s Hat Trick Challenge, sponsored by Enterprise Rent-A-Car, asks fans: Will Los Angeles score a power play goal in Game 1?
Among all 16 playoff teams, the Kings have the fifth-best power play percentage. The Rangers on the other hand has the second-best penalty kill. Now those figures maybe a little skewed since the Rangers and Kings have played more games than anyone else. But you can’t dispute that New York’s 85.9 percent penalty kill rate is legit considering they have played 20 games. What works in Los Angeles’ favor is that Drew Doughty, Jeff Carter, Anze Kopitar, and Marian Gaborik are among the playoff leaders in playoff points. With that much firepower, it will be difficult to keep all of them off the scoreboard when you’re short a player. Look for the Kings to light the lamp at least once on the power play.
The second question in today’s challenge asks if Carl Hagelin will score a goal in Game 1.
I’ve been following Hagelin’s career for years, dating back to his collegiate career at Michigan. If there’s anything he can do, it’s scoring goals. So far in the playoffs he’s scored six goals. But Hagelin has struggled to score goals away from Madison Square Garden as his only road playoff game came in Game 6 against Philadelphia. He’s only gotten two assists on the road in the playoffs as well. Some of you may think he’s due for a goal tonight, but I will have to disagree. Don’t expect Hagelin to score in Game 1.
The final question in today’s Hat Trick Challenge asks which team will win Game 1.
At the time I am writing this 64 percent say the Kings will win. And that’s the way I am leaning. The Rangers have been 6-4 on the road while the Kings have been 5-3 at home. The West teams had better records in the regular season and I have a strong feeling the Kings will take advantage of the cross-country travel the Rangers have to face on short notice and win Game 1. Another thing to note: New York hasn’t played a game outside the Eastern Time Zone since April 3 when they ended a road trip in Denver. Look for Los Angeles to win Game 1, and for New York to make major adjustments heading into Game 2.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car is proud to partner with the NHL to present the 2014 NHL Hat Trick Challenge. For more information, you can follow Enterprise on Facebook and Twitter. Send us a tweet at @HockeyWorldBlog for the chance to earn weekly prizes! And be sure to check out Kukla’s Korner for advice on how to answer the next question, and make sure to enter the Hockey World Blog Enterprise Hat Trick Challenge league.