NHL Betting Info. 2/23

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Preview: Nashville at Toronto
When: 7:30 PM ET, Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Where: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Ontario
The Nashville Predators look to make it two road wins in as many nights when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday. Nashville is coming off a 2-1 shootout triumph at Montreal on Monday, a victory that extended its point streak to six games (3-0-3).
The win also pushed the Predators past Colorado for the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference with two games in hand. Toronto remains in search of its first victory on its four-game homestand after dropping decisions to the New York Rangers and Philadelphia. The Maple Leafs, who occupy the basement in the East and are tied with Edmonton for the fewest points in the league, have lost three straight contests and six of their last seven. Toronto hopes to complete a sweep of the two-game season series after posting a 2-1 shootout triumph in Nashville on Nov. 12.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Tennessee (Nashville), TSN4 (Toronto)
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (28-21-11): Nashville hopes to extend the franchise record it set Monday, when it recorded a point in its eighth consecutive road game (6-0-2). The Predators have not suffered a regulation loss away from home since dropping a 3-2 decision at Chicago on Jan. 12. Colton Sissons, who was sent to the minors in December after recording one goal and one assist in 19 games, signed a three-year contract extension Monday.
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (20-27-10): Toronto has begun to clean house prior to the trade deadline, sending Shawn Matthias to Colorado on Sunday while shipping Nick Spaling and defenseman Roman Polak to San Jose a day later. In return, the Maple Leafs obtained Colin Smith – who was assigned to the American Hockey League – from the Avalanche and the notorious Raffi Torres from the Sharks. Brendan Leipsic, who scored a goal in his NHL debut Feb. 13, was recalled from the AHL’s Marlies.
OVERTIME
1. The Maple Leafs also recalled D Stuart Percy from the Marlies.
2. Nashville D Barret Jackman is questionable after missing Monday’s game with an upper-body injury.
3. Toronto owns a league-high 13 picks for the 2016 draft after acquiring one each from Colorado and San Jose.
PREDICTION: Predators 4, Maple Leafs 2

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Preview: Columbus at Detroit
When: 7:30 PM ET, Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Where: Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan
The Detroit Red Wings look to bounce back from a disappointing road trip and extend their home point streak when they face off against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday. The Red Wings, who scored more than two goals only once while going 0-2-2 on their trek, are 4-0-1 in their last five at Joe Louis Arena.
Detroit is one point ahead of Pittsburgh for the top wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and one behind Tampa Bay for second place in the Atlantic Division. Columbus’ hopes for a postseason berth are all but over as it sits 13 points behind the Penguins, but it has improved its play of late by earning points in seven of its last eight contests (5-1-2). The Blue Jackets are 13-17-1 away from home but have won their last three, including a 6-4 triumph at Boston on Monday. The road team won all three matchups between the former Central Division rivals last season, with Columbus capturing two in Hockeytown.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports, FSN Detroit
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (24-29-7): Boone Jenner has been one of the few bright spots for Columbus this season as he has emerged as one of its top offensive weapons. The 22-year-old recorded his second two-goal performance in four games Monday to raise his season total to 21 – four shy of the combined total of his first two NHL seasons. Scott Hartnell is one goal shy of reaching the 20-goal plateau for the ninth time in his career and one power-play tally away from hitting double digits for the fifth time.
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (29-20-11): Dylan Larkin leads the team with 19 goals and ranks second with 39 points. The 19-year-old is one goal shy of becoming the first Detroit rookie to net 20 since captain Henrik Zetterberg accomplished the feat in 2002-03. Tomas Tatar is fourth on the club in scoring but has gone seven games without a point.
OVERTIME
1. The Red Wings have lost five of their last six games (1-2-3).
2. Columbus G Joonas Korpisalo has made 12 consecutive starts, going 7-2-3 in that span.
3. Detroit C Pavel Datsyuk has scored half of his 12 goals this season on the power play.
PREDICTION: Red Wings 5, Blue Jackets 3

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Preview: Arizona at Tampa Bay
When: 7:30 PM ET, Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Where: Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida
The Tampa Bay Lightning have turned things around with three straight victories and will try to record another when they host the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday. The Lightning had dropped four of five before surviving against Winnipeg 6-5 in a shootout and followed that up with a pair of gritty road victories to pull within five points of Atlantic Division-leading Florida.
“By no means are we satisfied with our play,” Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos told reporters after a 4-2 win at Carolina on Sunday. “But we’re collecting points against some teams that we’re fighting with. And that’s what you want down the stretch.” Stamkos looks to extend his goal-scoring streak to four games against the Coyotes, who dropped a 3-2 decision at Washington on Monday. Arizona has gone 3-3-0 in its last six contests as it attempts to stay in the race for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, the leading scorer for the Coyotes, was in the lineup Monday despite suffering a lower-body injury in the previous game and registered an assist for his 200th career point.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)
ABOUT THE COYOTES (27-26-6): Coach Dave Tippett played seven defensemen Monday, and two of them – Kevin Connauton and Connor Murphy – scored goals as Arizona fell six points behind Colorado for the second wild-card spot in the West. Ekman-Larsson has registered 46 points and rookie Max Domi has notched 41 while captain Shane Doan leads the club with 22 goals. The Coyotes need more from Mikkel Boedker, who has recorded 13 goals but none in his last eight contests.
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (33-22-4): Tampa Bay was 1-for-24 on the power play in its previous seven games before Stamkos netted the winner with the man advantage on Sunday, but the team has allowed short-handed tallies in each of the last three contests. Alex Killorn (four points) and Ryan Callahan (three goals, five points) have prospered since moving to a line with Stamkos four games ago. Leading scorer Nikita Kucherov (49 points) missed Sunday’s game with a lower-body injury and is questionable for Tuesday.
OVERTIME
1. Tampa Bay RW J.T. Brown has scored five of his career-best eight goals in the last 12 games and is tied for the team lead with a plus-16 rating.
2. Arizona was 0-for-6 on the power play Monday and is near the bottom of the league in penalty-killing (77.7 percent) after allowing four goals in its last five games.
3. The Lightning won both meetings last season, scoring 11 goals in the process.
PREDICTION: Lightning 5, Coyotes 2

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Preview: NY Islanders at Minnesota
When: 8:00 PM ET, Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Where: Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul, Minnesota
The Minnesota Wild hit rock bottom after suffering their eighth straight loss last week, resulting in the firing of coach Mike Yeo. Interim coach John Torchetti entered the picture and the Wild promptly ignited their offense and won a season-high four consecutive contests heading into Tuesday’s home tilt with the New York Islanders.
Thirteen different players have found the net as Minnesota has outscored its foes by a 21-8 margin, highlighted by a 6-1 rout of Central Division-rival Chicago during a Stadium Series game on Sunday. “It’s up to (the players), it’s not me,” Torchetti told reporters. “… I want to make sure they keep pushing that and having that attitude and then we want to keep attacking that net whatever chance we get.” New York has also been on a roll, improving to 5-1-1 in its last seven by winning the opener of its season-high seven-game road trip with a 1-0 triumph at New Jersey on Friday. Casey Cizikas scored early in the first period to increase his point total to five (two goals, three assists) in his last five games.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, MSG-Plus2 (New York), FSN North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (31-19-7): Defenseman Ryan Pulock, 21, is in line to make his NHL debut on Tuesday after being recalled from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League. The 15th overall pick of the 2013 draft, Pulock was summoned after fellow blue-liner Calvin de Haan (lower body) was placed on injured reserve. “We will leave (de Haan) home to start just to get some rehab,” coach Jack Capuano told Newsday, “and then as we move forward, hopefully he’ll be able to join us at some point during this trip.”
ABOUT THE WILD (27-22-10): Erik Haula, who was named the NHL’s Second Star of the Week on Monday, recorded his first career three-point performance versus the Blackhawks and has two goals and five assists under Torchetti. Haula’s linemates have also flourished, as veteran Jason Pominville scored three goals and set up three others in the last three tilts while Nino Niederreiter collected two tallies and three assists in the last four games. Niederreiter had one of each against his former team on Feb. 2, but the Islanders skated away with a 5-3 victory.
OVERTIME
1. New York G Jaroslav Halak has lost six of eight career decisions (2-2-4) versus Minnesota despite recording a 1.95 goals-against average.
2. The Wild have scored five power-play goals in the last four contests and 10 in as many contests this month.
3. Islanders D Nick Leddy has one goal and four assists during his five-game point streak.
PREDICTION: Islanders 4, Wild 2

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Preview: Dallas at Winnipeg
When: 8:00 PM ET, Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Where: MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Lindy Ruff knows his Dallas Stars are just one point out of the Western Conference lead, but back-to-back ugly defeats have the veteran coach focused on the basics entering Tuesday’s road game against the Winnipeg Jets. The Stars surrendered 13 goals and 84 shots on goal in losses to Arizona and Boston, and Tuesday’s contest is the first of five in an eight-day span.
“We went through almost every area of our game,” Ruff told reporters following Monday’s practice, two days after Saturday’s 7-3 home loss to the Bruins in which Dallas blew an early 3-1 lead. Winnipeg returns home for six of the next eight contests as it tries to keep its faint postseason aspirations alive with 24 games remaining. The Jets secured just three points on a four-game road swing and have five teams between them and playoff position. “We had the opportunities to put the puck in the net,” Winnipeg captain Andrew Ladd told reporters after a 3-1 loss Saturday at Florida, “and in tight games like that, you have to find ways to do it.”
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Dallas), TSN3 (Winnipeg)
ABOUT THE STARS (37-17-6): Dallas topped the NHL in goals scored with 192 through 60 games entering Monday’s play, led by center Tyler Seguin’s 31 and forward Jamie Benn’s 30 — both among the league leaders — and forward Ales Hemsky has a goal in three of his past four games. But defense has been the big issue of late, as the Stars have allowed three goals or more seven times in the past 10 games. Each member of Dallas’ goaltending duo – Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen – have a save percentage of just .907 — tied for 34th in the NHL through Sunday.
ABOUT THE JETS (25-29-4): Winnipeg hopes center Bryan Little, who leads the team with 17 goals, can return after missing Saturday’s game with a bruised neck. Little likely will be a game-time decision for the Jets, who are in the bottom 10 in the NHL in goals scored while giving up 168 tallies – seventh-most in the league – and have struggled all season on special teams. Rookie forward Nikolaj Ehlers scored his 13th goal Saturday, tied for ninth among first-year players.
OVERTIME
1. Jets D Mark Stuart is sidelined for at least a month with a broken right hand.
2. Dallas F Patrick Eaves likely will not play Tuesday after becoming ill Saturday and missing practice Monday.
3. Winnipeg travels to Dallas on Thursday and the Stars are 3-0-0 against the Jets this season.
PREDICTION: Stars 4, Jets 2

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Preview: Ottawa at Edmonton
When: 9:00 PM ET, Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Where: Rexall Place, Edmonton, Alberta
The Ottawa Senators face an uphill climb in the chase for the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference, but they can match a season-high winning streak when they open a three-game trip through Western Canada with a visit to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. Despite a three-game winning streak, Ottawa resides six points behind eighth-place Pittsburgh.
Goaltender Craig Anderson has been in net for each of the victories, including a pair of shootout wins, for the Senators. Anderson stopped 92-of-102 shots during the streak to earn NHL Third Star of the Week honors on Monday. “I like the style we’re playing right now,” Anderson said. “We’re playing consistent and together as a group and it’s getting us some wins, so it’s some positive reinforcement for us.” The Oilers have dropped a season high-tying four in a row (0-3-1) and seven of eight (1-6-1) as they wrap up a six-game homestand.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, RDS, TSN5 (Ottawa), Sportsnet West (Edmonton), NHL.TV
ABOUT THE SENATORS (28-26-6): Defenseman Dion Phaneuf, acquired in a nine-player blockbuster trade with Toronto, made his first goal with Ottawa count, forcing overtime with a late third-period tally to earn thunderous applause from the home fans. As important as the goal was, Senators coach Dave Cameron heaped praise on Phaneuf for what he has brought to the team’s blue line. “You can’t overestimate what Dion Phaneuf has done in terms of our top-four defensemen and the breakouts, the D-zone coverage,” Cameron said. “All those things have improved since Dion came here.”
ABOUT THE OILERS (22-32-6): Coach Todd McLellan spent Monday’s practice trying to rectify a power player that has converted on 3-of-26 chances over the past eight games since going 3-for-3 with the extra skater against Ottawa on Feb. 4. “It has to create some confidence, create some momentum in games,” McLellan told the team’s official website. “Sometimes that is happening, sometimes it hasn’t. The really good teams prevent the dips.” Jordan Eberle scored twice against the Senators earlier this month, part of a stretch in which he has seven goals and six assists in 10 games.
OVERTIME
1. Anderson has four shutouts in 15 starts versus Edmonton.
2. Oilers rookie Connor McDavid has 15 points in 10 games since returning from a fractured clavicle.
3. Ottawa is 0-for-8 on the power play over the past three contests.
PREDICTION: Senators 3, Oilers 2

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Preview: Calgary at Los Angeles
When: 10:30 PM ET, Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
The Los Angeles Kings have struggled to ignite their offense and watched their once-considerable lead in the Pacific Division dwindle to just two points as a result. With just four goals in their last four contests, the Kings will look to get it in gear on Tuesday when they open a three-game homestand against the Calgary Flames.
Leading scorer and top centerman Anze Kopitar is questionable to play versus the Flames after serving as a spectator in Saturday’s 2-1 overtime victory over Nashville due a lower-body injury. “It literally is one of those where it is like day-to-day, so I’ve been progressively feeling better, and then we’ll just see where that takes me,” Kopitar told the team’s website on Monday. While Los Angeles is struggling to score, Calgary has had great difficulty keeping the puck out of its net. The Flames saw their goals allowed total jump to 27 over the past six games (2-4-0) following Sunday’s 5-2 setback to Anaheim.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, RSNC (Calgary), FSN West (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE FLAMES (26-29-3): Expected to be sellers prior to next week’s trade deadline, the Flames got the early jump on Monday by acquiring Calgary native Hunter Shinkaruk from Vancouver for center Markus Granlund. The 24th overall pick of the 2013 draft, Shinkaruk was assigned to Stockton of the American Hockey League shortly after the deal. The 21-year-old Shinkaruk, who made his NHL debut on Nov. 16, has scored 21 goals and set up 18 others in 45 games with Utica this season.
ABOUT THE KINGS (34-20-4): Tanner Pearson scored in overtime against the Predators for just his third point (two goals, one assist) in the last 16 games. The 23-year-old had a goal and an assist in Los Angeles’ 4-1 victory over Calgary on New Year’s Eve. Jonathan Quick turned aside 23 shots in that contest to improve to 11-7-4 with a 1.79 goals-against average in his career versus the Flames.
OVERTIME
1. Calgary LW Johnny Gaudreau has clobbered the Kings in his brief career, scoring four goals and setting up as many in six encounters.
2. Los Angeles D Drew Doughty has averaged a staggering 33 minutes, 42.5 seconds of ice time over his last two games.
3. The Flames have scored seven power-play goals in their last seven contests.
PREDICTION: Kings 3, Flames 1