NHL Betting Info. 3/3

[TheGame]

Preview: Rangers (37-20) at Penguins (32-22)


Date: March 03, 2016 7:00 PM EDT


The New York Rangers' troubles on the road appear to be over, and that turnaround already includes a win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.


The Rangers look to continue their recent domination of the Penguins by matching their longest winning streak in the all-time series Thursday night.


New York is second in the NHL with a 23-6-3 home record, but the club was having a tough time carrying that success onto the road until recently. The Rangers (37-20-6) have won five of their last six away from Madison Square Garden following a 4-12-2 stretch that included giving up an average of 3.44 goals.


They've yielded just 12 goals over the last six on the road, including a 3-0 win at Pittsburgh on Feb. 10 that extend their winning streak there to four games.


New York is 11-1-1 in the last 13 overall meetings, including playoffs. The Rangers have a chance to win five straight against the Penguins for the third time in series history and first since 1973-74.


They're still not taking Pittsburgh lightly, and that's likely due to its 9-2-0 record in its last 11 home games.


"They've been playing well of late, but it's always a big challenge, no matter what, playing Pittsburgh," goaltender Henrik Lundqvist told the team's official website.


Lundqvist has a 1.35 goals-against average while starting each of the last 13 matchups with the Penguins, and he stopped all 34 shots he faced last month. He's allowed just three goals on 119 shots over the last four meetings.


Lundqvist should be back in net after being rested Monday in favor of backup Antti Raanta, who had 26 saves in a 2-1 win over Columbus.


The game marked Eric Staal's Rangers debut a day after he was acquired in a trade with Carolina, but he didn't factor in the scoring and only had one shot.


"He's well-prepared, been around the league for a handful of years now, so he'll adjust," captain Ryan McDonagh said. "He's already getting up to speed quick, asking questions and making sure he's on the same page as everybody. It's a great sign. He's coming around fast."


Staal has averaged a point over 46 career regular-season meetings with Pittsburgh, but he's failed to get any in two this season.


While the Rangers are 11 points clear of the postseason cutoff in the Eastern Conference, the Penguins (32-22-8) are just three in front of Philadelphia for the second wild-card position.


They squandered a two-goal lead to fall 3-2 at NHL-leading Washington on Tuesday in a possible first-round playoff preview. Pittsburgh had a tough time adjusting to the Capitals' physical play, which provided postseason-like intensity.


The Penguins should expect a similar atmosphere Thursday.


"I think we put ourselves in positions to get hit," center Sidney Crosby said. "When you're going back for pucks continuously and you don't execute, they have an opportunity to gain speed and get those hits in.


"That's the type of hockey that it is this time of year."


Crosby has four points in the last two games after getting three over the previous eight. That rough stretch started with a pointless effort and a minus-3 rating against the Rangers. He's got six points over the past 13 meetings and just two in nine at home.


Evgeni Malkin missed the last meeting against New York with a lower-body injury, but he's been held off the score sheet in each of his past six matchups. He found the net Tuesday for his first goal in three games since missing 10 with the injury.

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Re: NHL Betting Info. 3/3

Preview: Blackhawks (40-20) at Bruins (35-23)


Date: March 03, 2016 7:00 PM EDT


The remaining games on Boston's homestand feature the clubs favored to face each other in the Stanley Cup Final, which isn't exactly ideal for a Bruins team that possesses the worst home record of any Eastern Conference team that's currently in playoff position.


The Chicago Blackhawks' schedule isn't exactly doing them any favors, either.


Chicago returns to Boston for the third time since celebrating its 2013 championship on the TD Garden ice looking to send the Bruins to their second loss during their home stretch Thursday night.


The Bruins (35-23-6) are four points back of first-place Florida in the Atlantic Division, but moving up to open the playoffs at home actually could turn out to be a disadvantage. They've gone 14-16-3 in Boston and opened a four-game homestand with a 4-1 loss to Tampa Bay on Sunday.


Patrice Bergeron scored on the power play late in the third period Tuesday to give the Bruins a 2-1 victory over Calgary, and they're likely in for a couple more tough ones before hitting the road.


After this contest with West-leading Chicago (40-20-5), NHL-best Washington visits Saturday to complete the homestand. Boston then begins a stretch of 10 of 13 on the road with a back-to-back set against Florida and Tampa Bay.


"We do have some tough games coming up, so this is pretty good for our team playing against the best teams in the league," forward David Krejci told the team's official website. "We're going to have to play our best game and we'll see where we're at, but we obviously believe in this group."


Boston will be shorthanded for the next four after forward Zac Rinaldo sat out Tuesday for the first of a five-game suspension he received for an illegal hit on Lightning forward Cedric Paquette. Coach Claude Julien realizes the upcoming schedule would be difficult even if his squad was at full strength.


"Let's focus on Chicago, put your energy towards that game. Let's worry about the others as we move on," Julien said. "It's always been the best approach. To me, it's the only approach to take."


Bergeron had a goal and two assists in the Bruins' 6-2 win at Chicago in the most recent meeting Feb. 22, 2015, but the Blackhawks have won three of the last four in Boston, including the clinching victory in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.


Chicago is a favorite to win its fourth Cup in seven years and beat the Capitals 3-2 in a possible Final preview Sunday. It followed that up with a 5-2 victory at Detroit on Wednesday to reclaim sole possession of the West lead.


NHL points leader Patrick Kane had a goal against Washington, then assisted on both of Artemi Panarin's goals and scored one of his own against the Red Wings.


Kane's three power-play points Wednesday gave him a league-most 32 with the man advantage and tied his career high of 88 overall set in 2009-10.


'Everyone has moments when they're not firing on all cylinders, but he still finds ways to contribute offensively,' captain Jonathan Toews said of Kane. 'That shows how much focus and skill he really has this year.'


Much like Boston, the Blackhawks are in the midst of a tough stretch against playoff competition. They'll face Detroit again Sunday followed by St. Louis, Dallas - which are tied for second in the West - Pacific-leading Los Angeles and playoff-hopeful Philadelphia.


Corey Crawford appears ready for the challenge having posted a 2.02 goals-against average over his last three. It's possible, though, that Scott Darling gets the call in this one to complete the back-to-back set.


Tuukka Rask has a 1.75 GAA while winning three of his last four and should get the nod for the Bruins.

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Re: NHL Betting Info. 3/3

Preview: Oilers (24-34) at Flyers (29-22)


Date: March 03, 2016 7:00 PM EDT


It's uncertain if this season could have gone better for the Edmonton Oilers had Connor McDavid not missed significant time with a broken clavicle suffered at Philadelphia in November.


Four months to the day of that injury, McDavid and the visiting Oilers again face the Flyers while looking for a third consecutive victory Thursday night.


McDavid, the 2015 top overall pick, was hurt when he fell awkwardly and was then ridden hard into the boards late in the second period of Edmonton's 4-2 win over Philadelphia (29-22-11) on Nov. 3. Last in the Western Conference, the Oilers (24-34-7) went 14-18-5 while their young star was sidelined.


That record is actually slightly better than the club's 10-16-2 effort with McDavid, and last-place Edmonton has gone 5-8-2 since he returned Feb. 2, averaging just 1.9 goals in the last 13 contests. However, McDavid has recorded 19 of his 31 points in those 15 games and was named NHL rookie of the month for February.


The center appears poised to carry that success over to March after scoring twice in Tuesday's 2-1 overtime victory at Buffalo, a much-anticipated matchup with second overall pick Jack Eichel.


"He's so fast and pushes defenders back," teammate Jordan Eberle told the Oilers' official website of McDavid. "He's able to make a lot of plays that maybe a lot of us can't."


The Flyers didn't see much of that in the first meeting, with McDavid taking two shots and posting a minus-1 rating over 11 minutes.


Though it's unknown how McDavid will approach facing the team he was injured against, his primary focus is to help the Oilers win three in a row for the first time since a season-high six-game run Dec. 2-14. The only other time Edmonton won two straight road games this season was Oct. 17-18.


"It's important for us, in this next month, to keep having something to play for," McDavid said.


Ninth in the East and three points out of the final playoff spot, Philadelphia has much more to play for the rest of the way. The Flyers have earned at least one point in six of seven and are undefeated halfway through a season-high six-game homestand.


'We've got a steep hill for us to climb in order to push back into the playoffs,' said coach Dave Hakstol, whose club has twice won four straight this season. "(But) this group is pretty strong in the locker room; they're a pretty tight group."


Brayden Schenn recorded his first career hat trick and Claude Giroux had four assists in Monday's 5-3 win over Calgary. Philadelphia has averaged 3.7 goals in the past seven and is 4 for 8 on the power play in the last three.


"When the whole team is on the same page it just makes everybody's (job) much easier," Giroux told the Flyers' official website. "Right now we're playing some good hockey 'cause we're playing hard. We're playing the right way. We need to keep playing like this."


Schenn, whose final goal Tuesday was his career-high 21st, has six points on the homestand.


"He's got that talent to be able to score goals from everywhere," Giroux said. "He's a smart player and he's getting better and better every day."


Giroux and Schenn were held without a point in the loss at Edmonton.


The Oilers have totaled four goals during a three-game losing streak at Philadelphia.

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Re: NHL Betting Info. 3/3

Preview: Flames (26-33) at Sabres (25-31)


Date: March 03, 2016 7:00 PM EDT


Hope for the future for the Buffalo Sabres and Calgary Flames revolves around Jack Eichel and Johnny Gaudreau.




These teams have the second-worst records in their respective conferences, and the visiting Flames have lost a season-high six straight as they look to sweep the Sabres on Thursday night.


Buffalo (25-31-8) and Calgary (26-33-4) won't be going to the postseason. That's something the Sabres likely expected after four straight absences resulted in them selecting second in the draft and choosing Eichel. It's more disappointing for the Flames, who ended a five-season playoff drought in 2014-15 and defeated Vancouver in the first round.


In any case, Thursday's matchup will feature two of the NHL's rising young talents in Eichel and Gaudreau. They each won the Hobey Baker Award as the top college player in the country, with Gaudreau claiming that honor in 2014 for Boston College and Eichel the next season for Boston University.


Gaudreau was the star when they first met with the winning goal with 4:50 left in a 4-3 victory Dec. 10, also assisting on Sean Monahan's go-ahead score with 10:35 remaining. Eichel was held without a point.


The Sabres rookie has failed to add to his 41-point total in five straight after Tuesday's 2-1 overtime home loss to Edmonton, in which top overall pick Connor McDavid scored the winner.


'We didn't play well at all,' Eichel said. 'It started with the way we came out. We just didn't do a lot of good things as a team."


Eichel's five-game point drought has coincided with Ryan O'Reilly going down with a lower-body injury Feb. 19. O'Reilly leads the Sabres with 49 points, and Eichel had five points in a four-game run in the last four games they played together.


Buffalo is enduring a 1-3-1 stretch, but that's better than Calgary's recent play. The Flames are 0-5-1 in their skid after falling 2-1 at Boston on Tuesday.


Gaudreau came up empty as his eight-game streak in which he amassed 12 points ended. Rookie defenseman Jakub Nakladal scored the lone goal.


Nakladal won't be the only young player seeing action down the stretch. Garnet Hathaway has played twice as a rookie while Jyrki Jokipakka made his Flames debut Tuesday after being acquired from Dallas.


"We're going to see a lot about the character on this hockey club," coach Bob Hartley told the team's official website. "We have a lot. Guys like Jokipakka and Hathaway and all those guys, they are coming in and they want to make a name for themselves and we have some players that need to put some money in the bank. There is no reason to quit and obviously we're not going to accept anyone quitting."


Four defeats during the slide have been by one or two goals.


"Nobody likes losing and that's what has been happening here lately," Gaudreau said. "We have to change it. I think four or five games could have been the opposite way around."


The Flames acquired goaltender Niklas Backstrom from Minnesota on Monday, but Jonas Hiller is expected to start.

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Re: NHL Betting Info. 3/3

Preview: Wild (29-25) at Maple Leafs (21-31)


Date: March 03, 2016 7:30 PM EDT


The back-and-forth dynamic of Minnesota's season is again taking a positive swing, and competition on a two-game trip against the worst teams in the Eastern Conference could allow it to grow more significant.


The Wild visit Toronto on Thursday night, and the Maple Leafs are beginning a four-game homestand with a three-game losing streak weighing them down.


Minnesota (29-25-10), which finishes the trip in Buffalo on Saturday, defeated Colorado 6-3 Tuesday to string together consecutive wins after a three-game skid. That followed a four-game winning streak after losing eight in a row.


The win over the Avalanche lifted the Wild back into the West's final playoff spot.


"We're in a spot where if we win our games, we're going to be there," goaltender Devan Dubnyk told the team's official website. "It certainly didn't feel that way with the stretch we went on. We've got 18 games now to control our own destiny and that's a spot we're happy to be in."


Nino Niederreiter had two goals and an assist, giving the 23-year-old five goals and four assists in his last nine games. Charlie Coyle scored twice and has 11 of his 21 goals in the last 18 games. Jason Pominville scored for the second straight game and had two assists, giving him five goals and seven assists in his last eight games.


That group could have some added company with Jonas Brodin and Jason Zucker targeting returns from injury, and David Jones could debut after being traded from Calgary at Monday's deadline. Brodin has been sidelined for 13 games because of a broken foot, and Zucker has missed the last five with a concussion.


"We definitely want to stay healthy, and it's going to be competitive getting in the lineup now," interim coach John Torchetti said. "Certain guys are playing well, and you have to work to stay in there, and other guys have to wait their turn to get in.


"I like the way we're playing, and as we go along, we'll pick and choose who we feel fits in certain spots, and gets the opportunity."


The Wild beat the Maple Leafs 1-0 on Dec. 3 to extend their winning streak in the series to four games, a stretch in which Toronto has scored only three times.


The Maple Leafs (21-31-10) fell 3-2 in Washington on Wednesday and have scored four goals on their latest three-game slide with points leader Leo Komarov going without one in his last five. It's been no better on the other end with the Maple Leafs giving up an average of 3.83 goals over a 2-9-1 span.


After the latest loss, coach Mike Babcock issued something of an indirect warning to his young roster.


"I thought some of us were pretty good, and some of us got to compete harder," Babcock said. "If you're not going to compete, it doesn't matter how much skill you have, you're not going to play in the National Hockey League very long."


Jonathan Bernier faced the Capitals, so Garrett Sparks could be in goal to complete the back-to-back set. The rookie Sparks, who returned from AHL Toronto for Monday's 2-1 loss to Tampa Bay after James Reimer was traded to San Jose, hasn't allowed more than two goals in his last four NHL starts.


Dubnyk has won his two games against Toronto since joining the Wild with one goal allowed on 64 shots, including the shutout in December.


Coyle had an assist in that contest and has five points in four career games against the Maple Leafs.

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Re: NHL Betting Info. 3/3

Preview: Lightning (37-22) at Senators (30-27)


Date: March 03, 2016 7:30 PM EDT


Considering how well the Tampa Bay Lightning are playing, it's easy to see why they are so pleased with general manager Steve Yzerman's decision to stand pat at this week's trade deadline.


For the second time in 2016, the visiting Lightning have a chance to match a club record with an eighth consecutive victory Thursday night against the Ottawa Senators.


Two points out of first place in the Atlantic Division and riding its second seven-game winning streak since early January, Tampa Bay (37-22-4) is perfectly content to press forward as is.


"We're comfortable with each other," coach Jon Cooper told the Lightning's official website. "There's no reason to blow this up. We've got a great group of guys, and they know the standard how we want to play and we've had some success.


"I know Steve was looking if there was a piece we could have added to us or to help us out. That's why he's the reigning GM of the year because he's good at doing stuff like that, but when there's not something out there, you just don't make a trade to make a trade."


Tyler Johnson scored both goals as the Lightning won for the 18th time in 23 games Monday, 2-1 at Toronto. They won eight straight Feb. 23-March 6, 2004.


"I think you ask anyone in this locker room, we're very confident in the group that we have," said Johnson, who didn't skip a beat after taking a puck to the forehead in Sunday's 4-1 win at Boston. "We've been working hard and everything's coming together at the right moment."


Giving Ben Bishop a breather, Andrei Vasilevskiy made 31 saves to win his third consecutive start. Bishop has posted a 1.25 goals-against average during a four-game winning streak, all on the road.


Tampa Bay has yielded six goals while winning five consecutive road contests and killed all 17 penalties in the last six away from home. The Lightning can complete a sweep of their four-game trip by taking six straight road contests for the first time since 2007-08.


They outscored the Senators 9-3 to win the first two meetings at home but lost 5-1 at Ottawa on Feb. 8. Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos combined for seven points in the first two games but were blanked in the defeat.


Senators forward Mark Stone had two goals and an assist Feb. 8, part of a 14-game stretch in which he has nine goals and eight assists. He assisted on the first of Jean-Gabriel Pageau's two third-period goals in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to St. Louis that ended in the 11th round of a shootout.


Ottawa (30-27-7) has gone 5-1-1 in its last seven and earned at least a point in four straight home contests, but is five points out of the final wild-card spot in East and will need to pass several teams.


"At this time of the year it's tough to feel good about yourselves after ultimately losing a game," Andrew Hammond, who stopped all 17 shots after replacing an ineffective Craig Anderson, told the NHL's official website. "That's really the position we're in right now."


Anderson has posted a 4.34 goals-against average in his last three starts but made 31 saves against the Lightning at home last month.


Pageau, who recorded a goal and two assists in that victory, has three and five assists during a six-game point streak.

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Re: NHL Betting Info. 3/3

Preview: Devils (30-27) at Predators (32-21)


Date: March 03, 2016 8:00 PM EDT


The Nashville Predators are enjoying their longest win streak of the season, one to which their top defenseman has finally contributed.


They'll vie for a sixth straight victory Thursday night as they host a New Jersey Devils team that's lost six of seven and is struggling to score.


Nashville (32-21-11) won 5-3 over Dallas on Tuesday, as Shea Weber returned with a goal and two assists after missing three games with a lower-body injury. Weber, who had gone pointless in four straight, scored his team-best 12th power-play goal.


'The way the guys were playing while I was out, I was a little nervous to come back,' Weber said. 'I didn't want to be the reason we lost the game, so it was a big win. I thought the guys did a good job."


Filip Forsberg was held without a point after posting two hat tricks in his previous three games. He'll try to score for the first time in four games against the Devils.


That didn't mean he failed to make an impact on a line with Craig Smith and Mike Ribeiro. Smith had a goal and an assist to give him five points in two games and Ribeiro's assist gave him four in two games and 13 in his last 13.


"The Ribeiro line for me was just flying," coach Peter Laviolette said. "A lot of confidence, a lot of speed and they're making things happen when they're out there on the ice."


New Jersey (30-27-7) is searching for answers in the opener of a two-game trip after another listless performance in Tuesday's 3-1 defeat to Carolina. The Devils have scored twice in their three-game slide.


Coach John Hynes doesn't have a solution at the moment.


"I think that's a good question, what's missing," Hynes said. "What's missing is we haven't been good enough to get the end results as of late. It's something that we'll continue to work at."


The Devils average a league-worst 2.2 goals along with the fewest shots per game at 24.6.


"I think one of the things we gotta do a better job of is shoot the puck more," Hynes said.


Kyle Palmieri, with a team-high 23 goals, has none in the last three games. Adam Henrique ended a seven-game goal drought with his 20th Tuesday.


New Jersey could receive an offensive boost Thursday with Devante Smith-Pelly expected to make his club debut after being acquired from Montreal on Monday. Smith-Pelly has six goals and six assists in 46 games this season.


Defenseman David Warsofsky, claimed off waivers from Pittsburgh on Monday, might also make his New Jersey debut.


Cory Schneider has started the Devils' last seven games with a 3.35 goals-against average. He and Keith Kinkaid will likely split the starts on this trip that includes Friday's matchup with the Stars.


"We gotta get on the road trip and see if we can find a way to be better against Nashville," Hynes said.


Pekka Rinne has won his last four starts for Nashville and made 22 saves in a 3-1 victory at New Jersey on Oct. 13, with defenseman Roman Josi scoring twice.

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Re: NHL Betting Info. 3/3

Preview: Islanders (34-20) at Jets (26-32)


Date: March 03, 2016 8:00 PM EDT


The New York Islanders weren't particularly pleased with their latest win, but the Winnipeg Jets probably wouldn't mind stumbling upon one under such circumstances right about now.


The Islanders play the sixth of a seven-game road trip Thursday night in Winnipeg, and the Jets need a win to avoid matching their worst home losing streak since moving from Atlanta.


New York's 3-2 win in Vancouver on Tuesday got it to 4-1-0 to start the trip, though it was outshot 33-24, had only nine shots through 40 minutes, and all three of its goals went in off Canucks defensemen.


"The positive thing is you end up winning it," said Thomas Hickey, who had the game-winning goal for his second in three games and added an assist. "But to a man in here I think we all understand that's not going to win too many hockey games. Our goalie sort of bailed us out there and we got lucky."


More often than not, however, the Islanders (34-20-7) have been earning their wins. They've allowed 11 goals over a 5-1-1 span, and though they gave up a power-play goal to the Canucks, their league-leading penalty kill has taken care of 24 of 27 chances (88.9 percent) in the last 11 games.


Strong goaltending has also had something to do with it as Thomas Greiss played for the first time in nearly two weeks and made 32 saves. Starter Jaroslav Halak figures to face the Jets and has a 1.24 goals-against average over a 3-1-0 span since giving up six goals in a loss to Carolina on Feb. 13. Halak has won his only two career games in Winnipeg with a 1.92 GAA.


He wasn't in goal when the Islanders opened the season series with a 4-2 home win on Oct. 12, and they've won the last three meetings in Winnipeg as part of a 6-0-2 road span against the Winnipeg-Atlanta franchise.


That fits with how the Jets (26-32-4) have played at home recently. Tuesday's 3-2 loss to Florida was their fifth straight there, and the only time since moving from Atlanta for the 2011-12 season they've gone beyond this was a 0-3-3 span from Nov. 18-Dec. 14, 2013. The latest streak has come all in regulation as part of a 2-10-0 home stretch since the calendar turned to 2016.


"Just one of those things," Dustin Byfuglien said. "We try. It's not because of lack of effort. It's just, things ain't gone our way."


The defenseman scored to extend his point streak to a season-best six games, and he has five goals and 10 assists in his last 15 contests.


Winnipeg led 2-1 entering the third period but gave up two goals in the final 20 minutes. Over the last five games, it's been outscored 10-4 in the third period, which accounts for more than half of the 18 goals the Jets have given up in that span.


"We didn't play the third period the way we played the first two," coach Paul Maurice told the team's official website. "We were much better through two periods defensively, and that was the foundation of what we had going."


It was the sixth straight game they've surrendered at least three goals. Ondrej Pavelec has a 3.52 GAA over a 0-3-1 span, while Michael Hutchinson's last four games have produced a 1-2-0 record and a 3.32 GAA. Pavelec has yielded at least three goals in each game of a 1-3-2 stretch against the Islanders.

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Preview: Panthers (36-19) at Avalanche (32-29)


Date: March 03, 2016 9:00 PM EDT


Separated by almost 20 years in age, Jaromir Jagr and Reilly Smith are big reasons the Florida Panthers lead the Atlantic Division.


While Smith looks to increase his career-high goal total, Jagr could achieve another milestone as the Panthers try to win back-to-back road games for the first time in almost two months Thursday night against the Colorado Avalanche.


Smith scored twice and Jagr provided the go-ahead goal as Florida (36-19-8) avoided a third consecutive defeat and regained sole possession of the Atlantic lead with Tuesday's 3-2 win at Winnipeg.


Jagr, who turned 44 last month, and Smith, who will be 25 on April 1, share the team lead with 21 goals. Smith's second Tuesday set a career best in his fourth full NHL season and first with Florida.


'It's awesome when you join a new team and you're able to contribute like this,' said Smith, two points shy of matching his 40 with Boston last season. 'Obviously, I've been given a great opportunity here and I've tried to do my best not to squander it.


"I'm playing with great players. It seems like they're trying to set me up all the time."


Jagr's sixth point in six games left him two behind Gordie Howe (1,850) for third all-time. Though Smith doesn't usually share the same shift as Jagr, he's no less in awe of the Panthers' points leader and future Hall of Famer.


'It's ridiculous, honestly,' Smith said. 'You've kind of got to think twice, just because you don't want to squander the moments you have with pretty much a living legend, right? He's done a great job for our team this year.'


Though the Panthers are amid a 4-1-2 stretch overall, they have lost six of nine road games since winning a team-record six straight Dec. 15-Jan. 10. Florida had lost in Columbus and Minnesota to begin a five-game trip before winning Tuesday.


The Avalanche (32-29-4) are among the league's worst home teams at 14-14-4 and have fallen out of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference by losing three of four overall.


Eleven of the 19 goals they've allowed during that stretch have come in the third period. Minnesota scored three times, two into an empty net, in the third of Colorado's 6-3 loss Tuesday.


Semyon Varlamov has a 4.80 goals-against average in his last three starts and was pulled after giving up three on 12 first-period shots Tuesday. That's given Avs coach Patrick Roy reason to start Calvin Pickard in this contest.


Pickard, who stopped 15 of 16 shots in relief against the Wild, has won two straight starts and owns a 1.94 GAA in his last four appearances.


"(Pickard) is probably going to play the next game," Roy told the team's official website. "I'm not going to throw Varly under the bus here. There are highs and lows in a career, and those things happen. Right now, it's bit of a tougher time for him and Picks has been playing really well."


Colorado's Jarome Iginla scored his 19th goal of the season Tuesday to tie Dino Ciccarelli for 17th place all-time with 608. Iginla, who turns 39 in July, had a five-game point streak against Florida snapped in a 4-1 road loss Oct. 27.


Roberto Luongo made 31 saves that night to improve to 8-1-0 with a 1.53 GAA in his last nine starts against the Avalanche. He's 14-1-2 against them since the beginning of 2009-10, including 6-0-1 in Denver. Luongo has a 1.82 GAA in his last five games overall.

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Preview: Ducks (35-19) at Coyotes (27-30)


Date: March 03, 2016 9:00 PM EDT


Anaheim sat 16 points out of the Pacific Division lead six weeks ago and was just beginning to recover from a dismal start to the season after being a popular pick to make a deep postseason run.


Suddenly, the Ducks are tied atop the division and making their case as strong contenders in the Western Conference.


They'll look to extend their winning streak to 10 on Thursday night when they visit an Arizona Coyotes team trending in the opposite direction.


Anaheim (35-19-8) opened the season by scoring 10 goals in its first 10 games, losing nine of them while becoming the league's early disappointment after finishing a victory short of reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2014-15.


The Ducks lost to Los Angeles on Jan. 17 and the Kings extended their lead to 16 points with a victory on the 19th, but Anaheim won the next day to begin a 16-1-1 stretch.


Corey Perry scored the tying goal in the third before Jakob Silfverberg scored the only goal in the shootout to beat Montreal 3-2 on Wednesday.


Jamie McGinn scored in his debut for Anaheim, which tied idle Los Angeles for the division lead and is adding to a remarkable story as the postseason nears.


"We dug ourselves a hole early. It's nice to see where we've come," Perry said. "But at the end of the day, you still have 20 games left. You have to go out and keep pushing."


The Coyotes (27-30-6) won the first three meetings over the first six weeks of the season before Perry scored in Anaheim's 5-2 win Feb. 5, but Arizona is suffering through a dismal stretch that is making it more and more likely it will watch the playoffs from home.


Monday's 6-0 loss at Pittsburgh capped a winless five-game trip that extended the Coyotes' losing streak to six and dropped them to 5-14-2 since Jan. 14. They lost their third-leading point scorer when they traded eighth-year veteran Mikkel Boedker, who spent that entire time with Arizona, to Colorado hours before the defeat.


"It's really difficult," forward Shane Doan said. "(The trade) doesn't really matter. We were horrendous."


Veteran Alex Tanguay came over in the Boedker deal and practiced with his new teammates for the first time Wednesday, skating on a line with Antoine Vermette and Anthony Duclair. The 36-year-old had four goals and 18 assists in 52 games with the Avalanche.


Arizona sits eight points behind Minnesota for the West's final playoff spot and needs an Anaheim-like hot streak to get back in the hunt.


"I'll have the same approach I've always had - take it one game at a time and prepare as best as possible," Tanguay said. "I'm happy. There's a lot of talent here. There's a lot of young guys and a good mix of veterans.


"I've been playing an offensive role for a long, long time and I haven't had the best of years, but I feel good."


Even if Tanguay can help lift an offense that scored seven times during the trip, Louis Domingue will have to be better in net. He's posted a 4.04 goals-against average while starting each game during the losing streak and now has to contend with the red-hot Ducks, who have outscored opponents 33-18 during their winning streak.


John Gibson made 25 saves Wednesday for Anaheim, which could choose to go with Frederik Andersen in this one. Andersen is 10-0-1 with a 1.89 GAA over his starts since Jan. 13 and made 23 saves to beat the Coyotes in the last meeting.

[TheGame]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 3/3

Preview: Sharks (34-22) at Canucks (24-26)


Date: March 03, 2016 10:00 PM EDT


The San Jose Sharks seem poised to reach the playoffs while the Vancouver Canucks are not, although this week may feel sort of like a postseason series for both.


They play the second of three meetings in a seven-day span Thursday night in Vancouver, as the Canucks will try to slow down the red-hot Joe Pavelski better than they did a few days ago.


San Jose is brimming with confidence thanks to a 7-2-2 surge that has boosted its playoff chances. Joe Thornton has 16 points in that span and Pavelski 10.


'You can just feel the energy that the team brings every night,' center Chris Tierney said. 'We're in a good spot right now and hopefully we build up to the playoffs and try to make a run at it.'


The Sharks (34-22-6) have won consecutive games in which Pavelski has five points, including one goal and one assist in Sunday's 4-1 victory at Vancouver. The Canucks (24-26-12) took the lead into the third period before the Sharks responded with four players scoring.


San Jose had five players score in Monday's 6-2 victory over Montreal, with two goals by Pavelski.


'Any night it can be another line doing the damage," Thornton said. "It's fun to be a part of, and when you're winning it's obviously fun. We've got a real deep team and it's an exciting team to watch right now.'


It's a team that the Canucks will also watch Saturday night in San Jose to complete this odd bit of scheduling.


Vancouver is enduring a 2-6-0 stretch that has likely doomed any hopes of returning to the postseason. The Canucks fell to 2-2-0 on a five-game homestand with Tuesday's 3-2 defeat to the New York Islanders despite a 33-24 edge in shots.


Captain Henrik Sedin says that Vancouver fans need to remain patient. The Canucks have indicated they may give increased ice time to rookies Jake Virtanen and Brendan Gaunce down the stretch.


'You've got to look at the big picture,' Sedin said. 'That's to realize where we are as a team with the (young) guys we have. You've got to look forward and try to come in every day and teach and be positive and try to get better. We can't lay down flat and just play out the rest of the season."


Sedin has 11 points in his last nine games while brother Daniel has 10 in the past eight.


Jannik Hansen, third on the team with 32 points, is uncertain after sitting out Tuesday with an undisclosed injury. Fellow winger Radim Vrbata, who is fifth with 24 points, has missed the last three games with a lower-body injury.


Sunday's game continued an unusual trend in this series in which the visiting team has taken the last nine matchups. The Canucks are 0-4-2 in their last six at home against the Sharks.


San Jose's Martin Jones had never faced Vancouver before he made 23 saves earlier this week. The Canucks' Ryan Miller has allowed eight goals in losing his last two starts to the Sharks after beating them seven straight times.

[TheGame]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 3/3

Preview: Canadiens (30-28) at Kings (37-21)


Date: March 03, 2016 10:30 PM EDT


Six weeks ago, the Los Angeles Kings were comfortably atop the Pacific Division. That's now over, and the Kings have another matchup with the team that caught them looming large.


With a visit from Anaheim on the horizon, Los Angeles will try to avoid overlooking the struggling Montreal Canadiens while debuting its latest addition Thursday night.


The Kings (37-21-4) are tied with the Ducks for first place in the Pacific after leading by 14 points as recently as Jan. 20. Los Angeles' 8-8-1 stretch coupled with Anaheim's incredible 23-4-2 run since Christmas has the bitter rivals now deadlocked.


They'll meet at Staples Center on Saturday after Los Angeles' four-game winning streak ended with Sunday's 4-2 defeat in Anaheim. However, before the Kings make a bid for revenge, they'll host Montreal while the Ducks visit Arizona.


In an effort to add depth up front, the Kings acquired veteran forward Kris Versteeg in a trade with Carolina on Sunday. Versteeg, who has 11 goals and 33 points this season, is a two-time Stanley Cup winner with Chicago.


"I think he gives us some depth and the ability to finish and play all positions for us," coach Darryl Sutter said. "It's important. (Marian Gaborik is) out, and I think that it showed up even (Sunday) where we've been using 3 1/2 lines, basically, when you look at minutes played. Especially in back-to-backs, you need four lines, four good lines."


With Gaborik on long-term injured reserve due to a knee injury, Versteeg has a chance to make an immediate impact.


"I think you don't want to just put your toe in the water, you want to jump right in and try to play whatever way you can that will help the team immediately and make and immediate impact in whatever way that might be," Versteeg told the team's official website. "I have one goal coming here, and that's to win a Stanley Cup."


For now, Versteeg will have to be satisfied with helping the Kings to a fourth straight win at home.


Jonathan Quick has won his last two starts there, stopping 48 of 50 shots. He's 3-2-1 with a 1.84 goals-against average in his last six games, but he wasn't particularly sharp while making 25 saves against the Ducks on Sunday.


Quick has a .951 save percentage during a three-start win streak against the Canadiens, including a season-high 45-save effort in a 3-0 victory at Montreal on Dec. 17.


Goaltending remains a sore spot for the Canadiens (30-28-6), who continue to be without Carey Price (leg). That's the biggest reason why they're six points behind Pittsburgh for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.


Montreal has given up an average of 3.68 goals while going 5-15-2 on the road in 22 games without the reigning Vezina Trophy and MVP winner.


The Canadiens lost for the seventh time in eight road games Wednesday, falling 3-2 in a shootout at Anaheim after opening this four-game trip with Monday's 6-2 defeat to San Jose.


Ben Scrivens is expected to get the nod against his former team. He's lost all four decisions with a 3.99 GAA in five road starts with the Canadiens, and is 1-3-0 with a 4.26 GAA in five career meetings with the Kings.


Alex Galchenyuk has five goals in four games after scoring twice against the Ducks. His 19 goals are one shy of his career high from last season, but he has no points in five games against Los Angeles.

[TheGame]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 3/3

Grand Salami - March


The Grand Salami in pro hockey is decided by adding up all the goals scored in every game scheduled for that particular day. You can wager on 'over' or 'under' the Grand Salami total. The total is set by adding up all listed 'over/under' odds for each game on that particular day.


Note: The Grand Salami will have no action if any game is suspended or cancelled before the regulation time of three twenty minute periods. Also, regardless of the number of goals scored during the shoot out portion of the overtime, the final scored recorded for the game will give the winning team on more goal than its opponent based on the score at the end of regulation time.


*The majority of sportsbooks do not put out a total on the Grand Salami when there is only one game on the card. For tracking purposes, we will continue to show the 'over/under' for goals and combined goals scored on days with just one game.


NHL GRAND SALAMI
Date No. of Games Total Goals Combined Goals Scored Result
3/1 8 48.5 49 OVER
3/2 3 16.5 17 OVER
3/3 12 - - -
3/4 3 - - -
3/5 11 - - -
3/6 6 - - -
3/7 7 - - -
3/8 8 - - -
3/9 6 - - -
3/10 6 - - -
3/11 5 - - -
3/12 12 - - -
3/13 3 - - -
3/14 6 - - -
3/15 8 - - -
3/16 6 - - -
3/17 8 - - -
3/18 6 - - -
3/19 11 - - -
3/20 7 - - -
3/21 4 - - -
3/22 10 - - -
3/23 2 - - -
3/24 11 - - -
3/25 3 - - -
3/26 14 - - -
3/27 3 - - -
3/28 8 - - -
3/29 9 - - -
3/30 3 - - -
3/31 10 - - -

[TheGame]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 3/3

NHL Hockey Odds and Picks: Scouting the Week Ahead
by Alan Matthews


The NHL trade deadline is no different than those in Major League Baseball or the NBA: the rich get richer and the bad teams throw in the towel and accrue assets for the future. Can I tell you with certainty who will win the Stanley Cup after Monday's NHL trade deadline passed? I can't, but I can tell you which teams to bet against the rest of the season.


But let's start with the winners from the deadline, and by winners I mean just for this season, which have to be the Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Florida Panthers, Anaheim Ducks and Colorado Avalanche.


The Caps are +315 favorites to win the Stanley Cup. They sent Brooks Laich, the team's longest-tenured player, to Toronto for forward Daniel Winnik. Laich used to be a good player but is breaking down and had just one goal and six assists this season, playing mostly on the fourth line. Winnik ranked second among NHL forwards in shorthanded time on ice per game last season (3:16) and set career highs in assists (25) and points (34). This year, he had four goals and 10 assists for the sorry Leafs. He's an upgrade even though Laich was hugely respected in the Caps' locker room.


The Blackhawks, who are +625 second-favorites for a fourth title this decade and beat the visiting Capitals in a potential Finals preview on Sunday, probably are the most improved team. GM Stan Bowman was able to keep the team's top young players yet still able to bring back forward Andrew Ladd, a key member of the 2010 Cup team, as well as forwards Tomas Fleischmann and Dale Weise. They also swapped defensemen with the Kings: Rob Scuderi for Christian Ehrhoff. Ladd, acquired from Carolina, had 17 goals and 18 assists this season. He was a very popular player on that 2009-10 Hawks team but was part of the salary-cap purge after winning the Cup. Ladd will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and will cost too much to be re-signed. He had an assist Sunday in his Chicago debut. Weise had 14 goals and 12 assists in Montreal and Fleischmann 10 goals and 10 assists with the Habs. Both those guys will be free agents after the year as well.


The Rangers, +1600 to win the Cup, got perhaps the biggest "name" in Eric Staal from the Hurricanes. Carolina's former captain had spent his entire 12-year career with the club. The four-time All-Star has 10 goals and 23 assists. He joins brother Marc on the Blueshirts. Staal will be a free agent after the season. Noticing a pattern here?


The Panthers added some scoring punch in acquiring wingers Jiri Hudler from the Calgary Flames and Teddy Purcell from the Edmonton Oilers as well as defenseman Jakub Kindl from Detroit. Florida is +1500 for the Cup.


Anaheim landed forward Brandon Pirri from Florida and winger Jamie McGinn from Buffalo. Pirri has only played in 101 games since the start of the 2014-15 season but he has scored 33 goals in those games. He's out with an ankle injury right now. The Ducks are +1400 for the Cup. Colorado (+5000) landed winger Mikkel Boedker from the Coyotes. After Ladd, he was arguably the top rental forward on the market. He had 13 goals and 26 assists with 18 of those points on the power play. The Avs are simply battling to get into the playoffs.


Which teams are worse after the deadline? No question it's Arizona, Toronto, Calgary and Carolina. Those four all loaded up on young players and draft picks in their moves and that may well work out in the long term, but they are clearly in full tank mode the rest of this season. Bet against those clubs accordingly.


This Week's Games To Watch


Anaheim at Los Angeles, Saturday: The Ducks enter the week on an NHL-high eight-game winning streak and are two points behind the crosstown Kings in the Pacific Division. The Kings also made a move at the deadline, getting winger Kris Versteeg from Carolina. L.A. needed some forward depth because it has lost Marian Gaborik to injury. Gaborik will reportedly miss 10-12 weeks with a knee injury. Versteeg had 33 points (11 goals) with the Hurricanes and has plenty of postseason experience as well from his time in Chicago. The Kings moved Gaborik to long-term injured reserve to absorb Versteeg's salary. The Ducks lead the season series with the Kings 2-1 and beat visiting L.A. 4-2 on Sunday to snap the Kings' four-game winning streak. Corey Perry had his ninth career hat trick for the Ducks. The Kings haven't finished first in their division since the 1990-91 season, believe it or not. The Ducks trailed the Kings by 15 points on Jan. 2.

[TheGame]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 3/3

NHL Betting Preview


NY Rangers vs Pittsburgh March 3 7:00 EST


It was the Metropolitan Division that delivered the President’s Trophy winner last season, with the New York Rangers taking the prize for the best regular season record in the NHL. It looks as though that very same division is once again going to be the one were the winner comes from, as the Washington Capitals are proving to be the class team in the league. The three teams that sit behind the Rangers in the Metropolitan are all in playoff berths right now, and it’s the Penguins who are holding on to the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. They have come on strong in the past few weeks, and they will be looking to hunt down the teams sitting above them. That includes taking a run at their division rival New York Rangers on Thursday night. Divisional games are always a little special, and this one looks like being a great match-up.


Why bet on the New York Rangers


The Rangers (37-20-6) are not going to be able to retain the President’s Trophy this season, but they look like an absolute lock for a playoff spot. They have been consistently good all season long, and are on a run that has seen them go 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. They are playing .500 hockey on the road, but have been improving on that record over the last few road trips, going 5-1 in their last 6 games away from home. Included in that mix was a 3-0 win over the Penguins on the road. The Rangers have a very solid record playing division opponents this season, and have gone 12-6-4 against their biggest rivals. They are looking to cement that number two spot in the division, but will need to hold off a surging Penguins team in order to do so. The Rangers are averaging 2.8 GPG, and are giving up 2.5 GPG.


Why bet on the Pittsburgh Penguins


It wasn’t so very long ago that the Penguins (32-22-8) looked like a team in total disarray. Despite having one of the most potent offenses in the league, they struggled to find the net on a consistent basis. There were rumors of off-ice issues, and it all ended with a coaching change that seems to have done the job. The Penguins are now back in a playoff spot, and very much appear to be a team on the rise. The goals are coming again, and that alone makes them a very dangerous proposition. Pittsburgh are a game above .500 versus Metropolitan Division opponents, but their real strength lies in their performance on home ice, where they are 19-9-4. The Penguins are averaging 2.7 GPG, and are giving up 2.5 GPG.


Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction


These division games tend to be tight affairs that are hard to handicap. You have to give the edge to the Penguins on home ice in this one, but it’s going to be close. I have it 4-2 Penguins, with that 4th goal being of the empty net variety.


New York Rangers 2 Pittsburgh Penguins 4