Announcement

**TheGame** · 01-15-2016, 08:48 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 1/15

Preview: Canucks (14-17) at Hurricanes (20-18)

Date: January 15, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Carolina Hurricanes lost to the Vancouver Canucks last week. They haven't been beaten since and they're mighty happy about that.

Seeking their longest winning streak in two years, the Hurricanes will have to beat the Canucks for the first time in six tries Friday night if they're to achieve that.

Carolina (20-18-7) has been outscored 15-5 while losing five straight meetings with Vancouver, falling 3-2 after giving up a goal to Bo Horvat with 1:06 left in regulation on Jan. 6.

The Hurricanes have responded with a season-high four-game winning streak, their longest run since capturing five in a row Dec. 31, 2013-Jan. 9, 2014.

They scored three times in the third period in Thursday's 4-1 victory at St. Louis.

"It's been a good feeling I think in the locker room," left wing Jeff Skinner said. "Everyone likes to win. I think guys have come together over the last little while. We've been playing some pretty good hockey as of late. Hopefully we can keep it going."

Skinner scored one goal and set up another against the Blues, giving him a team-leading 17 goals, just one shy of his total from all of last season. He has just one assist in six career meetings with the Canucks, all ending in losses.

Carolina is likely to have Cam Ward in net after Eddie Lack made 23 saves Thursday. Ward has won three straight starts with a 1.94 goals-against average, but is 1-5-0 with a 3.74 GAA in his last six against Vancouver.

Slow starts have been a problem for the Canucks (17-17-10), who have allowed the first goal in eight straight games. They have managed a 4-3-1 record in that span but surrendered the first three in a 4-1 loss at Washington on Thursday in the opener of this six-game trip.

"We should've come out and scored more goals in the first period and get out to a lead because it's tough playing catch-up with those guys," Horvat said.

Horvat has four goals and three assists during a five-game point streak. He scored twice against the Hurricanes last week, but all six of his goals on the season have come at home.

Radim Vrbata ended a 10-game goal drought Thursday with his 11th of the season. He's failed to score in 10 career matchups with Carolina.

Ryan Miller is likely to return to the bench after making 36 saves against the Capitals after sitting out eight games with a groin strain. Miller, though, has won three straight games against the Hurricanes behind a 1.00 GAA and one shutout.

If Miller sits, Jacob Markstrom would get the call. He's compiled a 2.13 GAA while going 3-1-1 in his last five games, including a 26-save effort against Carolina.

Vancouver's Daniel Sedin failed to score Thursday and remains on 346 career goals, tying him with Markus Naslund for the franchise lead. Sedin has gone nine straight games against the Hurricanes without a goal.

**TheGame** · 01-15-2016, 08:48 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 1/15

Preview: Bruins (19-16) at Sabres (16-22)

Date: January 15, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Boston Bruins' inability to hold a lead heading into the third period of the past two games has prolonged their recent struggles. That current rough stretch included a defeat to the Buffalo Sabres in the same fashion.

As the Bruins try to avoid concluding their five-game trip with a season-high fourth straight defeat Friday night, they'll look to extend the Sabres' lengthiest home slide of 2015-16.

Two nights after taking a 1-0 lead into the third period of a 2-1 loss to the New York Rangers, Boston (21-16-5) failed to hold a 2-1 advantage after two in Wednesday's 3-2 defeat at Philadelphia. The Bruins outshot the Flyers 32-21, including 12-7 in the final period.

'Right now, it's a frustrating time for our team,' said coach Claude Julien, whose club has lost three in a row four times this season. 'Missed opportunities at one end and mistakes at the other, so we've got to turn the tide.'

Mired in a 2-7-1 stretch, Boston has scored 23 non-shootout goals in the last 11 contests. Since opening this trip with a 4-1 victory at New Jersey last Friday, the Bruins have totaled four goals while dropping three straight one-goal decisions.

"(We) just have to stay even-keeled and stick with it," goaltender Tuukka Rask, who has a 3.01 goals-against average while going 0-4-1 in 2016, told the Bruins' official website.

The Bruins led 2-1 after two periods and David Krejci increased the lead with the first goal of the third against Buffalo (17-22-4) at home Dec. 26 before the visitors broke out to win 6-3. Rookie Jack Eichel and Ryan O'Reilly each had two goals with an assist in the final 20 minutes to help the Sabres beat Boston in consecutive games for the first time since February 2012.

Buffalo earned one point in last season's two meetings with Boston at the First Niagara Center, where it's totaled seven goals during an 0-4-1 stretch and yielded nine in the last two contests.

The Sabres, however, return home winners of two straight after suffering six consecutive regulation defeats. Buffalo was outscored 31-15 in the first period prior to claiming a 5-1 advantage in back-to-back wins at Winnipeg and Minnesota.

All the Sabres' offense came in the first 20 minutes of Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Wild.

'We've probably played our best in the first period and not got the goals, not got the scoring chances to go in,' coach Dan Bylsma said. 'In the last two games, it's been the opposite. We've played well in the first, but we've gotten the goals to go in, we've gotten the pucks to get by the goalie.'

Rookie Linus Ullmark stopped 70 of 74 shots in the last two games, but he was demoted to AHL Rochester on Thursday to make room for Robin Lehner. Buffalo's starting goaltender has been out since spraining his right ankle midway through a 3-1 season-opening loss to Ottawa on Oct. 8.

Lehner went 1-2 and allowed 10 goals in three games of rehab work with Rochester.

Eichel, the Massachusetts native who starred one season at Boston University, recorded one point on Buffalo's three-game trip but has four goals and five assists in the last 11 at home.

Patrice Bergeron, Boston's leading scorer, has one point in four games but two goals and four assists in his last nine against Buffalo.

**TheGame** · 01-15-2016, 08:49 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 1/15

Preview: Blackhawks (28-13) at Maple Leafs (12-18)

Date: January 15, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Stingy defense has played a critical role in the Chicago Blackhawks' nine-game winning streak. That trend could very well continue considering the Toronto Maple Leafs' scoring slump.

The reigning Stanley Cup champions aim to extend their remarkable run and hand the Maple Leafs a fourth consecutive loss in Friday night's matchup at Air Canada Centre.

Though Chicago (29-13-4) has gotten plenty of offense during its longest unbeaten stretch since a franchise-record 11-game streak Feb. 22-March 6, 2013, it needed another superb performance from Corey Crawford to increase it. The Montreal-area native made 17 of his 38 saves in the third period to lead the Blackhawks to Thursday's 2-1 victory over the Canadiens and give newly extended coach Joel Quenneville his 783rd regular-season win to move into sole possession of second place on the career list.

Crawford won his seventh consecutive start and has yielded nine goals over his last six, though he could give way to Scott Darling against a Maple Leafs team that's scored just twice during its skid and will be playing its second straight without top-line forward James van Riemsdyk, out 6 to 8 weeks after fracturing his left foot in Saturday's 7-0 shellacking by San Jose.

Van Riemsdyk is tied for the team lead with 29 points and is second with 14 goals, including a team-high five on a power play that's 2 for 29 over the last eight games.

Leo Komarov tops the club with 15 goals but has none over a nine-game stretch as one of several key players that haven't produced of late. Tyler Bozak is on a seven-game goal drought and Joffrey Lupul doesn't have a point in nine straight.

Though the Maple Leafs amassed 42 shots Wednesday against Columbus, their lone goal during a 3-1 loss didn't come until Brad Boyes scored with 2:27 left.

"As much as we could say we out-chanced them and outshot them and all that, catch-up hockey is losing hockey," coach Mike Babcock said.

The Blackhawks are capitalizing on their opportunities, having generated 34 goals over the streak to support the strong work of Crawford and Darling, who won his second straight start with 17 saves in a 3-1 victory over Pittsburgh on Jan. 6.

'There are a lot of factors, but it seems like our team is just coming together,' Crawford said. 'We're not taking as many penalties. We're playing a simple game with speed and skill. And there's a lot more chemistry throughout the lineup.'

Chicago's stars are coming through as well. Patrick Kane has 13 of his league-leading 63 points during the run and captain Jonathan Toews has three goals and four assists over a four-game point streak after recording the opening score against Montreal.

James Reimer will be tasked with keeping both in check as the Toronto netminder seeks his first win since Nov. 20. After missing most of December with a groin injury, Reimer allowed two goals each in recent losses to Los Angeles and Columbus to fall to 0-4-1 in five starts despite a 1.82 goals-against average during that span. Toronto has scored just five goals in those games.

Reimer owns a 4.13 GAA in three starts against Chicago but made 45 saves in a 3-2 home win on Nov. 1, 2014.

The Blackhawks have won nine of the past 11 meetings, including a 4-0 victory in Chicago on Dec. 21, 2014.

**TheGame** · 01-15-2016, 08:49 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 1/15

Preview: Penguins (19-16) at Lightning (20-17)

Date: January 15, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Tampa Bay is on the verge of its first four-game winning streak of the season, and it's probably no coincidence that its top forward is breaking out.

Steven Stamkos has overcome a relatively slow start and most recently paced an impressive road trip, but the Lightning return to Tampa for much of the next five weeks hoping to recapture last season's home-ice magic.

That begins with Friday night's visit from the Pittsburgh Penguins, whose own four-game road trip isn't going quite as well.

The Lightning (22-17-4) are starting a span of 11 of 14 in Tampa with a four-game homestand, and last season's league-best 32-8-1 home record is already out of reach. They're 10-8-2 without consecutive home wins since a three-game streak from Nov. 19-25, going 4-4-1 since.

But home form might not be concerning them too much after winning their last three games, including Tuesday's 4-0 victory in Colorado.

"We played well all the way around," coach Jon Cooper told the team's official website. "We competed really hard, we battled for pucks, we shot pucks even though it didn't look like it. When we're battling, our structure falls into place. When you're executing and you're going tape-to-tape, you can do some pretty good things.

"As this road trip has gone on, we've gotten better and better. It's funny how this trip goes. You lose the first one, you're down 2-0 after two (periods) in one game and you come out with three straight wins."

Stamkos scored twice against the Avalanche, had four goals on the road trip and has nine goals in his last 11 games after going his previous 10 without scoring. The 43-goal scorer from 2014-15 had 11 through his first 32 games.

"He's our leader and he's starting to heat up, and we may get four a night (from him)," Cooper said.

Pittsburgh held Stamkos without a point last season to win two of three as part of an 11-1-0 run in the series, but the loss was the only meeting in Tampa with the Lightning getting a hat trick from Tyler Johnson.

The Penguins (20-16-6) are concluding a four-game road trip hoping for a split after Tuesday's 3-2 overtime loss in Carolina. After scoring 10 goals in two games, they've regressed into old habits with eight over a 1-1-2 stretch. That changed some after falling behind 2-0 midway through the second period.

"It's just desperation," Sidney Crosby said. "We saw the position we were in (and) just got a little bit more desperate. That's how we need to play from the puck drop. ... Being put in that situation was a big part of that."

Even if the team remains inconsistent, some individuals have come around. Crosby assisted on both goals and has 14 points in his last 11 games after managing 19 through 30 contests, and Kris Letang scored for the fourth time in his last six after managing one through his first 27.

Crosby had four assists in the last meeting with the Lightning - a 6-3 Penguins home win on Jan. 2, 2015 - and the center has seven goals and 12 assists in his last seven games against the Lightning. Evgeni Malkin has 13 goals and 13 assists on an 11-game point streak in the series.

They'll likely be firing on Ben Bishop, who is coming off his second shutout of the season and is 10-6-1 with a 1.83 goals-against average and .932 save percentage dating to the first on Nov. 21. Against Pittsburgh, though, he's 0-2-0 with a 4.93 GAA and .856 save percentage in five career games.

Counterpart Marc-Andre Fleury is 7-0-0 in his last eight starts against the Lightning.

**TheGame** · 01-15-2016, 08:49 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 1/15

Preview: Jets (20-21) at Wild (22-13)

Date: January 15, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Coach Mike Yeo is looking for more offense from the Minnesota Wild. Getting the power play going would surely make a major difference.

The Wild look to find a way to create more power-play opportunities as they try to prevent a four-game home losing streak Friday night against the Winnipeg Jets.

Minnesota (22-13-8) is averaging 2.23 goals during a 5-6-2 stretch, and it's been held to two tallies or fewer in eight of those games - losing six. That's a significant drop in production from their 2.80 goals per game over their first 30.

The Wild generated 18 shots in Sunday's 2-1 loss to New Jersey and had 30 two days later while giving up the first three goals in a 3-2 defeat to Buffalo.

"If you're not willing to shoot against a team that's - they're protecting a lead. They're obviously going to play tight, so if you're not trying to create off the shot then you're not going to get much," Yeo told the team's official website.

Power-play chances could go a long way in helping Minnesota avoid a four-game skid at home for the first time since Dec. 17-27, 2014. The Wild is 1 for 23 on the power play over the last 13 games and 0 for 15 in the past eight.

The unit, however, has only been used once in each of the last four games.

"It's a little bit of an excuse, but there really hasn't been a lot of time to get any rhythm with it, whether it is practice or, (getting) one a game," left wing Zach Parise said.

Parise's 16 goals lead the Wild, but he failed to find the net against the Sabres after doing so five times over the previous four games.

He's had a tough time scoring at home with five goals in 19 games. Parise is pointless in his last three there against the Jets (20-21-3).

The Wild are 1-3-1 in their last five meetings with Winnipeg, losing 3-1 at home Nov. 27. Ryan Carter scored for Minnesota, but he's expected to miss two more games with a hand injury that forced him to sit out Tuesday.

The Jets are last in the Central Division but trying to build some momentum. They beat Nashville 5-4 after Blake Wheeler scored 51 seconds into overtime Thursday, snapping their three-game slide after the forward questioned his teammates' commitment to each other.

"I was honest," Wheeler told the team's official website. "It wasn't premeditated to kick anyone in the rear. I think we need to be honest with ourselves. We've been honest with ourselves in the last 24 hours and you could see that pushback (Thursday).

"We had a great feeling in the room and a great feeling on our bench."

The good vibes may continue against the Wild since Wheeler has six points over the last four meetings. He's matched that production while Winnipeg has won three of the last four visits to St. Paul.

Bryan Little has 15 points in 18 career meetings with Minnesota. He enters this one with a team-high 15 goals after ending an eight-game drought Thursday before assisting on Wheeler's winner.

**TheGame** · 01-15-2016, 08:49 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 1/15

Preview: Stars (27-11) at Ducks (16-17)

Date: January 15, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

If the Dallas Stars are to remain a serious contender for the top spot in the Western Conference, they need to turn things around on the road.

Beginning a three-game trip through California, the Stars look to avoid dropping six straight road contests for the first time in five seasons Friday night against the Anaheim Ducks.

Dallas (29-11-4) opened 11-2-1 on the road but has since gone 1-4-3 while allowing an average of 3.9 goals. The Stars have yielded six goals in their last two road games and one other time during the current 0-3-2 stretch away from home. They haven't lost six in a row on the road since a seven-game skid in 2010-11.

"Right now, we've got to go out and win a road game," coach Lindy Ruff told the Stars' official website.

Ruff's club visits San Jose on Saturday and Los Angeles on Tuesday before a three-game homestand leading into the All-Star break, but then plays seven of nine on the road.

Dallas hasn't played since Saturday, when its five-game home winning streak ended with a 2-1 loss to Minnesota. The Stars have lost their comfortable cushion atop the West by going 1-3-1 this month, and the league's highest-scoring team has totaled five goals in the last three games.

Perhaps the recent down time will allow them to regroup.

"I think our energy will be good," Ruff said. "First and foremost, our focus is playing well away from the puck. Getting back to the road game that we can be successful with. The last couple of road games, giving up the number of goals we did, we won't win enough games."

Antti Niemi has lost his past four road games and has an .857 save percentage in the last three. Kari Lehtonen is 0-1-0 with a 7.67 goals-against average in three road starts since posting a 2.00 GAA to win his first seven.

Dallas has gone 2 for 34 on the power play in its last 13 road games, and leading scorer Jamie Benn has no goals with three assists in the last 10.

"We're all not happy about how we're playing," said veteran Jason Spezza, who has nine points in the last seven games. "We've got to just focus on winning our games and getting back to it."

The Stars won both trips to Anaheim last season and posted a 4-3 home victory Oct. 27 in the clubs' only meeting this season. Antoine Roussel scored the winner with 1:28 to play and Benn had three assists.

The Ducks (18-17-7) have alternated wins and losses while going 3-2-0 on a season-high eight-game homestand.

They beat Ottawa 4-1 on Wednesday as second-liners Carl Hagelin and Jakob Silfverberg each had a goal and an assist, and 20-year-old defenseman Shea Theodore scored the first of his career during Anaheim's three-goal third period.

"We need other guys than our top guys to contribute offensively," said Hagelin, who had two points in the previous 16 contests.

The Ducks have scored at least three goals three times on the homestand after doing so once in the previous 12 games. They've yielded 14 non-shootout goals during a 6-2-1 stretch.

"We can't let ourselves get complacent," coach Bruce Boudreau said. "Be ready for Dallas on Friday."

Frederik Andersen made 24 saves Wednesday in his first start since Jan. 1 and has a 1.76 GAA in his last four. He stopped 30 shots at Dallas in October.

**TheGame** · 01-15-2016, 08:49 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 1/15

Grand Salami - January

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
1/1 2 10.5 9 UNDER
1/2 12 61.5 63 OVER
1/3 4 21 22 OVER
1/4 5 27 17 UNDER
1/5 8 43.5 46 OVER
1/6 5 26.5 23 UNDER
1/7 7 38.5 29 UNDER
1/8 6 31.5 34 OVER
1/9 10 53 47 UNDER
1/10 6 30 32 OVER
1/11 4 20.5 22 OVER
1/12 8 42.5 45 OVER
1/13 4 21.5 20 UNDER
1/14 8 42.5 - -
1/15 6 - - -
1/16 10 - - -
1/17 7 - - -
1/18 5 - - -
1/19 8 - - -
1/20 3 - - -
1/21 10 - - -
1/22 6 - - -
1/23 11 - - -
1/24 5 - - -
1/25 6 - - -
1/26 9 - - -
1/27 4 - - -
1/28 No games scheduled - - -
1/29 No games scheduled - - -
1/30 No games scheduled - - -
1/31 No games scheduled - - -

**TheGame** · 01-15-2016, 08:50 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 1/15

NHL

Hot teams
-- Carolina won its last four games, allowing total of seven goals. Canucks are 4-0 in game following their last four losses.
-- Buffalo won its last two games after losing its previous six.
-- Chicago won last nine games, allowing 13 goals in last seven.
-- Lightning won four of their last five games.
-- Anaheim won four of its last six home games.

Cold teams
-- Boston lost eight of its last ten games.
-- Toronto lost its last three games, outscored 12-2.
-- Penguins lost three of their last four games.
-- Winnipeg lost three of its last four games. Minnesota lost five of its last seven.
-- Dallas Stars lost four of their last five games.

Series records
-- Canucks won their last five games with Carolina.
-- Sabres won 6-3/2-1so in last two games with Boston.
-- Blackhawks won eight of last ten games with Toronto.
-- Penguins won nine of last ten games with Tampa Bay.
-- Jets won four of last five games with Minnesota.
-- Road team won four of last five Dalls-Anaheim games. .

Totals
-- Under is 3-0-1 in last four Vancouver-Carolina games.
-- Under is 4-0-1 in last five Boston games.
-- Under is 3-1-1 in last five Blackhawk games.
-- Nine of last ten Pittsburgh-Tampa Bay games went over.
-- Under is 6-2-2 in last ten Minnesota games.
-- Under is 5-1-2 in last eight Anaheim games.

Back-to-backs
-- Vancouver is 3-2 on road if it played night before; teams are 1-6 the night after playing the Caps. Carolina is 5-2 if it played night before; teams are 2-2 the night after playing St Louis. .
-- Chicago is 0-4 on road (5-0 at home) if it played night before; teams are 4-2 the night after playing the Canadiens.
-- Winnipeg is 2-7 if it played the night before; teams are 3-2 night after playing Nashville.

**Satch** · 01-15-2016, 10:08 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 1/15

Preview: Boston at Buffalo

When: 7:00 PM ET, Friday, January 15, 2016
Where: First Niagara Center, Buffalo, New York
The Boston Bruins are struggling to score goals and hold third-period leads during their current tailspin. Boston looks to avoid a season-high fourth straight loss in the finale of its five-game road trip on Friday when they battle the Atlantic Division-rival Buffalo Sabres.
“Right now, it’s a frustrating time for our team,” coach Claude Julien said after a 3-2 setback to Philadelphia dropped the Bruins to 2-7-1 in their last 10 contests. “Missed opportunities at one end and mistakes at the other, so we’ve got to turn the tide.” Like Wednesday’s contest against the Flyers, a third-period lead also went by the boards for Boston in an eventual 6-3 setback to Buffalo on Dec. 26. Former Boston University star Jack Eichel enjoyed a career-high four-point performance by scoring two goals and setting up two others in that contest, but had just one assist on the team’s three-game road trip. Jamie McGinn collected a goal and an assist in the previous meeting with the Bruins and also tallied as Buffalo won its second straight contest with a 3-2 victory over Minnesota on Tuesday.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), MSG-B (Buffalo), Bell TV
ABOUT THE BRUINS (21-16-5): Loui Eriksson pulled into a tie with fellow forwards Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron by scoring his team-leading 15th goal versus Philadelphia and notched a pair of assists in his previous encounter with Buffalo. Bergeron has been held off the scoresheet in two straight and three of his last four contests while Marchand is mired in a 10-game goal drought. Speaking of struggling, Tuukka Rask has dropped five straight decisions (0-4-1) in January and seven of eight overall.
ABOUT THE SABRES (17-22-4): Ryan O’Reilly, who takes a four-game point streak into Friday’s tilt versus Boston, had two goals and an assist in last month’s meeting to increase his career point total to six in seven games. Buffalo was active on its day off Thursday, recalling Robin Lehner from Rochester of the American Hockey League and sending rookie goaltender Linus Ullmark to the Americans. Lehner has been sidelined since spraining his right ankle in a season-opening loss to Ottawa on Oct. 8.
OVERTIME
1. Boston has scored two goals or fewer in eight of its last 11 games.
2. Buffalo is just 8-13-2 at home this season.
3. The road team has won four of the last five contests.
PREDICTION: Bruins 2, Sabres 1

**Satch** · 01-15-2016, 10:09 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 1/15

Preview: Chicago at Toronto
When: 7:00 PM ET, Friday, January 15, 2016
Where: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Ontario
The Chicago Blackhawks attempt to stretch their winning streak into double digits when they visit the Original Six-rival Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday. Chicago extended its run to nine games with a 2-1 triumph at Montreal on Thursday and is two victories shy of matching the franchise record of 11 consecutive wins set Feb. 15-March 6, 2013.
The Blackhawks’ streak has pulled them into a tie with Central Division-rival Dallas for first place in the Western Conference, although the Stars have two games in hand. Toronto is trending in the opposite direction, entering Friday’s matchup with a three-game losing streak during which it has totaled two goals. Brad Boyes recorded the team’s lone tally in Wednesday’s loss to Columbus to give him three in his last seven games after netting only two in his first 27 contests. Chicago and Toronto split their two-game series last season, with each club winning at home.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL Network, CSN Chicago, TSN4 (Toronto)
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (29-13-4): Jonathan Toews is riding a four-game point streak during which he has recorded three goals and four assists. The 27-year-old captain will have hit the 20-goal plateau in each of his nine NHL seasons with three more tallies. Friday’s game marks Joel Quenneville’s first as the second-winningest coach in league history as he notched his 783rd career victory Thursday to snap a tie with Al Arbour.
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (16-18-7): Leo Komarov’s assist Wednesday was his 29th point of the season, tying him with James van Riemsdyk for the team lead. The 28-year-old Estonian tops the club with 15 goals but enters Friday in search of his first in 10 games. Tyler Bozak, who is two points behind Komarov and van Riemsdyk, also has struggled producing goals as he is in the midst of a seven-game drought.
OVERTIME
1. Maple Leafs LW Joffrey Lupul has gone nine games without a point and has recorded two (both goals) in his last 18 contests.
2. Chicago RW Patrick Kane, who leads the league with 63 points, has scored a goal in one of his last seven games.
3. Toronto recalled LW Rich Clune from its American Hockey League affiliate.
PREDICTION: Blackhawks 4, Maple Leafs 2

**Satch** · 01-15-2016, 10:09 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 1/15

Preview: Vancouver at Carolina
When: 7:00 PM ET, Friday, January 15, 2016
Where: PNC Arena, Raleigh, North Carolina
The Carolina Hurricanes are looking like a playoff contender, and they can enhance their position in the Eastern Conference when they host the Vancouver Canucks on Friday. Jeff Skinner recorded a goal and an assist as Carolina posted a 4-1 triumph at St. Louis on Thursday to extend its winning streak to a season-high four games.
The Hurricanes moved into a virtual tie with Boston and New Jersey for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference as they earned a point for the ninth time in 11 games (7-2-2). Carolina will try to take advantage of Vancouver, which is trying to find its way through a see-saw campaign after falling 4-1 at Washington on Thursday in the opener of its six-game road trip. The Canucks stand just outside a playoff position in the West with a record that includes 27 losses overall in 44 outings. However, Vancouver has won five straight meetings with the Hurricanes, including a 3-2 victory at home on Jan. 6.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver), FSN Carolinas
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (17-17-10): Bo Horvat continued his surge with an assist on Thursday, giving him seven points during a five-game streak, but has a team-worst minus-22 rating. Daniel Sedin was blanked at Washington but leads the team with 19 goals and 40 points while twin brother Henrik has notched nine and 28. Jacob Markstrom, who is 3-1-1 in his last five games, could get the start against Carolina after Ryan Miller played on Thursday.
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (20-18-7): Carolina has played solid defense most of the season, but its offense has warmed up of late with 15 goals during the current winning streak. The Hurricanes have seven players with at least 20 points as defenseman Justin Faulk leads the way with 32 while Skinner has a team-best 17 goals. Eddie Lack earned the victory Thursday, meaning Cam Ward is likely to get the start against Vancouver after allowing just seven goals in his last four starts (3-0-1).
OVERTIME
1. Carolina C Elias Lindholm has notched six points and a plus-2 rating in his last four games.
2. Vancouver RW Emerson Etem has registered six shots and no points in two games since being acquired from the New York Rangers.
3. The Hurricanes have scored a power-play goal in four straight games while the Canucks are 9-for-9 on the penalty kill in the same span.
PREDICTION: Hurricanes 4, Canucks 2

**Satch** · 01-15-2016, 10:09 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 1/15

Preview: Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay
When: 7:30 PM ET, Friday, January 15, 2016
Where: Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida
Two teams on the rise look to continue their ascent when the Tampa Bay Lightning host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday. Captain Steven Stamkos is heating up for the Lightning, who have won four of their last five contests, while Pittsburgh has earned at least one point in eight of its last 10 games (5-2-3).
Stamkos has scored four goals in as many games to reach 20 for the eighth straight season to start his career and is prospering on a new line with Ondrej Palat and Vladislav Namestnikov. “It’s just going to keep getting better and better, hopefully,” Stamkos told reporters. “The more we play with each other, the more chemistry and awareness we have on the ice.” The Penguins are as healthy as they have been in a while with oft-injured defenseman Kris Letang serving as a catalyst, posting 12 points in his last eight contests. Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby (39 points in 28 games) and Evgeni Malkin (40 in 30) also have given Tampa Bay fits over the years.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TVA, ROOT (Pittsburgh), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (20-16-6): Malkin, who will join Letang at the All-Star Game, has recorded nine points in his last seven games and will be hoping to make up for his penalty in overtime that led to a loss at Carolina on Tuesday. Crosby (33 points) trails Malkin (39) for the team scoring lead and has registered six multi-point performances in his last 11 games. One of the many reasons the Penguins have turned things around after a rough stretch is their penalty-killing, which is 26-for-27 over the last 10 contests.
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (22-17-4): Tampa Bay has lost just once in five games since Palat returned to the lineup after his second stint on injured reserve this season, and the left wing produced a goal and two assists in the 4-0 win over Colorado on Tuesday. Namestnikov has recorded five assists and a plus-7 rating over his last three contests and shares the team lead with defenseman Victor Hedman at plus-12. Nikita Kucherov tops the club with 34 points and has notched 21 of them in the last 17 games.
OVERTIME
1. Pittsburgh C Nick Bonino suffered a hand injury at Carolina on Tuesday and is expected to miss at least a month.
2. The Lightning are just 10-8-2 at home this season after going 32-8-1 in 2014-15.
3. The Penguins have won 11 of the last 12 meetings but dropped a 4-3 decision at Tampa Bay last season.
PREDICTION: Penguins 4, Lightning 3

**Satch** · 01-15-2016, 10:10 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 1/15

Preview: Winnipeg at Minnesota
When: 8:00 PM ET, Friday, January 15, 2016
Where: Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul, Minnesota
The Minnesota Wild attempt to salvage the finale of their three-game homestand when they face off against the Winnipeg Jets on Friday. Minnesota began the homestand by dropping one-goal decisions to New Jersey and Buffalo and has lost three straight overall (0-2-1) at Xcel Energy Center.
The Wild are tied for last in the Central Division with 113 tallies but have the third-best goal differential at plus-11. Winnipeg looks to post consecutive victories for the first time this month after snapping a three-game slide with an overtime triumph over Nashville on Thursday. Blake Wheeler tallied 51 seconds into the extra session to cap a two-point performance and raise his team-leading total to 43. Wheeler and Bryan Little have recorded five points apiece in three games against Minnesota this season, two of which were won by the Jets.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, TSN3 (Winnipeg), FSN North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE JETS (20-21-3): Little halted his eight-game goal-scoring drought Thursday with his team-leading 15th of the season and added an assist for his second multipoint effort in three contests. Drew Stafford is now one tally behind Little after seeing his drought reach four games. Defenseman Dustin Byfuglien could miss Friday’s contest as he exited the win over Nashville in the third period with an upper-body injury after scoring a pair of goals in the second session.
ABOUT THE WILD (22-13-8): Ryan Carter sat out Tuesday’s loss and also will miss the next two games with a hand injury. “He skated on his own today,” coach Mike Yeo told reporters. “He’s just not feeling well enough to get out there and play the game that he needs to play.” Minnesota is expected to have Nate Prosser in the lineup Friday after the defenseman sat out three contests with a hand injury.
OVERTIME
1. Byfuglien has reached double digits in goals in eight of his last nine seasons.
2. After scoring a career-high 24 goals in 80 games last season, Minnesota RW Nino Niederreiter has netted eight in 43 contests this campaign — none in his last seven.
3. Winnipeg captain Andrew Ladd is mired in an eight-game goal-scoring drought and has tallied once in his last 12 contests.
PREDICTION: Wild 3, Jets 2

**Satch** · 01-15-2016, 10:10 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 1/15

Preview: Dallas at Anaheim
When: 10:00 PM ET, Friday, January 15, 2016
Where: Honda Center, Anaheim, California
The Dallas Stars appeared to have left last season’s road woes in their rearview mirror after winning 11 of their first 14 tilts away from the American Airlines Center. The tide quickly turned, however, and the Central Division-leading Stars look to avoid their sixth straight road defeat on Friday when they open a three-game trek against the Anaheim Ducks.
“We’re all not happy about how we’re playing,” said veteran Jason Spezza, who recorded his ninth point in seven contests with an assist in Saturday’s 2-1 setback to Minnesota. “We’ve got to just focus on winning our games and getting back to it.” While Dallas is 0-3-2 in its last five road contests, Anaheim improved to 6-2-1 in its last nine and 3-2-0 on its season-high eight-game homestand with a 4-1 triumph over Ottawa on Wednesday. Frederik Andersen made 24 saves versus the Senators to up his mark to 6-3-3 since going winless in his first eight appearances of the season.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest-Plus (Dallas), FS Prime Ticket (Anaheim), RSN
ABOUT THE STARS (29-11-4): Captain Jamie Benn scored his team’s lone goal versus the Wild and notched three assists in Dallas’ 4-3 victory over Aanheim on Oct. 27. His brother Jordie is expected to return to the lineup after a two-game absence due to a lower-body injury. “Feeling good. It’s good to get back on the ice and skate with the fellas,” the defenseman told the team’s website. “I just needed that couple days just to do a little rehab and get some rest and back to normal.”
ABOUT THE DUCKS (18-17-7): Jakob Silfverberg likely was inspired to play against his former team, but the 25-year-old Swede has two multi-point performances in his last three contests. Ryan Getzlaf was also inspired – for a much different reason – as he was demoted in-game versus Ottawa after a failed drop pass resulted in a goal. The captain, who responded with an assist to extend his point streak to three games, scored and set up a goal in the previous encounter with Dallas.
OVERTIME
1. Dallas RW Ales Hemsky will draw back into the lineup after missing six straight games with a lower-body injury.
2. Anaheim has thwarted all 28 short-handed opportunities over the last eight contests.
3. Stars G Antti Niemi is 0-2-1 this month and owns a 5-5-4 mark on the road this season.
PREDICTION: Stars 4, Ducks 2

Announcement

NHL Betting Info. 1/15

NHL Betting Info. 1/15

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment