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**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:20 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 2/2

NHL second-half snapshots for all 30 teams
By Randy Sportak, The Sports Xchange

Now that the NHL All-Star Game is complete and John Scott made his kids proud, San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns has completed his transformation into a wookie and Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban retains his status as one of the biggest personalities in the league, the next season marker is Feb. 29.
The annual trade deadline frenzy comes on Leap Day, meaning weeks of speculation, consternation and jostling for positions leading up to one of the most exciting and intriguing days on the NHL calendar.
As the league readies to resume from the fun and festivities of the talent showcase this weekend in Nashville, here is a team-by-team look at where the 30 clubs stand as the race to the Stanley Cup playoffs begins in earnest.

ATLANTIC DIVISION
Boston Bruins
The Bruins have top-end talent in key spots -- center Patrice Bergeron, defenseman Zdeno Chara and goaltender Tuukka Rask -- but a concerning lack of depth.
The most pressing need is a scoring right winger, such as the New York Islanders' Kyle Okposo or the Vancouver Canucks' Radim Vrbata, which would also help strengthen a weak third line. The Bruins have an extra first-round draft choice for shopping purposes, but should they become sellers, they have pending unrestricted free-agent (UFA) winger Loui Eriksson to dangle.

Buffalo Sabres
Don't expect anything like last season's blockbuster deal that brought power forward Evander Kane into the fold.
Forwards such as David Legwand and Jamie McGinn don't create the kind of trade-deadline buzz, and it will be tough to find a taker for Matt Moulson's contract.
The Sabres will continue their steady rebuild centering on rookie sensation Jack Eichel and ready for another top pick.

Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings appear poised to make the playoffs for the 25th consecutive season, a heady feat while retooling on the fly. It helps when a rookie forward like Dylan Larkin has such impact at age 19.
Detroit is bumped tightly to the salary cap but could gain breathing room by unloading goalie Jimmy Howard, who appears to have lost the starting job to Petr Mrazek.

Florida Panthers
The surprising division leaders have oodles of salary-cap space to add the needed forward depth for an actual playoff push.
At question is how much of the future general manager Dale Tallon is willing to mortgage. A run would be worth so much to a club with just one playoff berth in 14 seasons.

Montreal Canadiens
The freefall that has taken the Habs from the hottest team to start the season to outside of a wild-card spot won't likely stop until goalie Carey Price returns from injury.
When that happens is the mystery.
Still, the Canadiens could dearly use another second-line scorer to help them climb, if it is not too late.

Ottawa Senators
Last season's Eastern Conference surprise squad is languishing in no-man's land, not likely good enough to make the playoffs but not bad enough to bank on a top pick.
There isn't a big UFA watch around Ottawa -- agitating winger Chris Neil is about it -- but talk that 22-year-old Cody Ceci could help land Tampa Bay's forward-prospect-turned-malcontent Jonathan Drouin is worth following.

Tampa Bay Lightning
The defending conference champs emerged from their early malaise, but it won't be quiet days.
Lightning GM Steve Yzerman must find a solution to the Drouin mess (the 2013 third overall pick has gone home until he is traded) but also must figure out what to do with captain Steven Stamkos, who will be an unrestricted free agent in July.
Do the Lightning trade Stamkos or risk losing him for nothing? Tough call.

Toronto Maple Leafs
For-sale signs are everywhere. The rebuilding Maple Leafs have eight pending UFAs on their 23-man roster, including forwards P.A. Parenteau and Michael Grabner, defenseman Roman Polak and goalie James Reimer.
After the Leafs manage to extract as many picks and prospects as possible, watch them to try landing Stamkos as a free agent.

METROPOLITAN DIVISION
Carolina Hurricanes
With both center Eric Staal and goalie Cam Ward pending UFAs, the Hurricanes may be poised to sever all ties to their glory seasons of the distant past.
Carolina somehow pulled itself into the playoff picture, but this remains a team a long ways off from another run, so don't be surprised to see a selloff of those main pieces and smaller parts.

Columbus Blue Jackets
Other Eastern bottom-feeders are not surprises, but the Blue Jackets may be the league's biggest disappointment.
The saving grace is adding another top draft choice, but until then, watch for more moves. It would shock nobody if Columbus traded more core parts, such as forwards Scott Hartnell or Cam Atkinson, before another disappointing campaign concludes.

New Jersey Devils
The Devils are a surprise, hitting the break sitting just outside a playoff spot.
They are loaded with 30-something forwards who are pending UFAs in the likes of Tuomo Ruutu, Lee Stempniak, Stephen Gionta, Jordin Tootoo and even Patrik Elias, but the market for any of those players may be thin.
Should they look to add, the biggest need is scoring, but this team really can't afford to surrender much youth or picks.

New York Islanders
The time has come for the Islanders to make a statement. A playoff meeting with the rival New York Rangers is shaping up, so what better opportunity for the boys from Brooklyn. Therefore, watch for GM Garth Snow to look to make a splash.
That said, Snow has a couple of players to manage in pending UFA Okposo and defenseman Travis Hamonic, who asked for a trade for personal reasons earlier in the season.

New York Rangers
This is a club looking like an aging boxer who knows the young up-and-comer may knock him out, but the Rangers are still capable of another long playoff journey.
It would help if they turned their road record around.
While the Blueshirts could look to move defenseman Keith Yandle, they could also move a young talent -- big winger Kevin Hayes has been in the coach's doghouse -- for a much needed scoring piece.

Philadelphia Flyers
Want a long-shot team to make a run to a playoff spot? The Flyers could be it.
They went into the break on a 6-3-1 stretch, and any team with star forwards Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek shouldn't be written off.
The Flyers would love to unload Sam Gagner, and they may move fellow forward Michael Raffl, but they could pull themselves into the mix and be a buyer.

Pittsburgh Penguins
For all the troubles in the Steel City -- the offensive woes of center Sidney Crosby, which have recently turned, and winger Phil Kessel -- the Penguins currently hold a playoff position.
They made some needed moves bringing in defenseman Trevor Daley and speedy winger Carl Hagelin, but they still need to make more.
Pittsburgh's bottom two forward lines don't strike much fear in their opponents.

Washington Capitals
The conference-leading Caps have a nine-point lead on the second-place Panthers, plus games in hand.
Could this finally be the year for Alex Ovechkin and crew?
Washington certainly has the deepest roster in the conference, and maybe the whole league, but don't expect GM Brian MacLellan to stand pat.
If veteran center Mike Richards can't show he is still a legit NHLer, the Caps will be looking for more depth up front. More pressing is another defenseman, to be prepared for a lengthy playoff run.

CENTRAL DIVISION
Chicago Blackhawks
The defending Cup champions have rocketed to the top spot in the Western Conference.
That said, there are holes for GM Stan Bowman to fill. The third and fourth lines could be improved, and the need for blue-line depth is obvious.
Would Bowman be willing to move prospects such as center Marko Dano or defenseman Ville Pokka to find another key piece or two?

Colorado Avalanche
A month ago, the Avalanche looked on pace to repeat their disappointing 2014-15 campaign. Now, they are holding a wild-card spot in the difficult Central Division.
With all their talent up front, it shouldn't be a surprise Colorado is in the hunt, but going forward, the need for another puck-moving defenseman must be addressed.

Dallas Stars
After a torrid first couple of months, the Stars fell back down between Christmas and the break.
They are still a dangerous team, and GM Jim Nill knows his squad can make some noise come playoff time, so he will be aggressive to add, with the need for a second-pair defenseman among his quests. He has a nice collection of young prospects to land it.

Minnesota Wild
It is a shame a team as good as the Wild could miss the playoffs simply by being in the league's best division. Despite a deep roster, Minnesota has a major flaw in its lack of offensive production.
As much as Minnesota's problems would be solved if Thomas Vanek would produce as in years past, the time may come for the Wild to move one of their very good defensemen, such as Matt Dumba, for scoring help.

Nashville Predators
The Predators made their big splash by acquiring top-line center Ryan Johansen from Columbus for rising star defenseman Seth Jones.
It took some time to see results, but Nashville went into the break on a four-game winning streak and holding a playoff spot.
Going forward, watch for only a couple of depth moves.

St. Louis Blues
The Blues are in a familiar spot, a strong regular-season team that must make playoff noise.
A lack of offense remains an issue, although the imminent return of Jaden Schwartz from the ankle injury that kept him out all season will help.
Still, don't be surprised if the Blues add another winger for second/third-line duty. It could make the difference for coach Ken Hitchcock, who likely can't afford another early playoff loss.

Winnipeg Jets
Unless they turn their fortunes in a big way, the Jets will be sellers, which would be a big disappointment for the team that made the playoffs last season.
Winnipeg has a couple of big-name pending UFAs in captain Andrew Ladd, a left winger, and defenseman Dustin Byfuglien, and the team will be hard-pressed to keep both. Keeping one may be difficult, so watch for a possible bidding war.

PACIFIC DIVISION
Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks are looking more like the team that was one win from upending the Blackhawks in last year's conference final, pulling within striking distance of a playoff position after a dreadful start.
Defenseman Cam Fowler should soon return from a knee injury, but forward Shawn Horcoff has 19 more games on his suspension for a performance-enhancing-drug violation.
It is hard to believe coach Bruce Boudreau would keep his job if this team misses the playoffs, but there are signs of life.

Arizona Coyotes
The early-season success wasn't supposed to last, but the Coyotes are hanging in there, still holding a playoff spot.
It would make a great story if Arizona could punch a ticket to the second season, but with No. 1 goalie Mike Smith on the shelf at least a couple more weeks due to injury, it will be difficult.
Should the Coyotes be sellers, they have some desirable pending UFAs in forwards Shane Doan, Mikkel Boedker and Boyd Gordon and defenseman Nicklas Grossmann.

Calgary Flames
Last season's West Conference upstarts headed into the break floundering, with a 4-8-1 run since late December and eight points out of a playoff spot.
A torrid February may save their season, but the Flames are likely to sell off as many vets as possible, with forwards Jiri Hudler and David Jones, defenseman Kris Russell and goalies Karri Ramo and Jonas Hiller all UFAs.

Edmonton Oilers
All the high hopes in Edmonton after drafting Connor McDavid have been replaced with the all-too-familiar feeling of another season near the bottom of the standings.
The good news for the Oilers is McDavid is due back very soon from the broken collarbone he sustained three months ago.
And while the Oilers have some pending UFAs to trade, the big question is whether they deal away one of their talented young forwards, such as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, for defense help.

Los Angeles Kings
The Cup champs of 2012 and 2014 -- see a pattern developing -- are running away with the Pacific Division and poised for another lengthy playoff run.
The Kings added center Vincent Lecavalier and defenseman Luke Schenn, but don't think they are done.
History has shown their brain trust covets depth on defense in anticipation of a Cup chase. A depth forward would likely be in the sights, too.

San Jose Sharks
Did you know the Sharks are the NHL's hottest team over the past 10 games? They posted an 8-0-2 record before the break.
They also have buried a couple of depth forwards, Ben Smith and Raffi Torres, in the minors to save some money against the cap.
Bank on them using that space for a defenseman in the hopes they will be the team that comes out of California during the Stanley Cup tournament.

Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks are just a couple of points outside a playoff spot, and they received a boost before the break when center Brandon Sutter returned from injury.
With a strong February, the temptation will be there to make a push for the playoffs, but a more likely route will be to fall off the pace and continue reloading by trading away Vrbata and defensemen Matt Bartkowski, Yannick Weber and the injured Dan Hamhuis.

**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:20 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 2/2

Preview: Wild (23-17) at Islanders (22-16)

Date: February 02, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Just 84 seconds from an uplifting win to take into the All-Star break, the Minnesota Wild got a potentially big power-play opportunity. What happened next epitomized the midseason skid that has become the norm for the team in five years under coach Mike Yeo.

The Wild gave up a short-handed goal and went on to lose 2-1 in the shootout to Arizona last Monday. The defeat, leading scorer Zach Parise said, was "probably as tough as you're going to see."

The Wild had a welcome seven-day respite and return Tuesday night to start a three-game road trip against the New York Islanders. The mystery, once again, will be whether they can play up to their potential.

"It's no secret. We've got a great team in here. Every team goes through little dips throughout the season, so it's just about getting out of it," said goaltender Devan Dubnyk, whose misplay allowed the Coyotes to tie the game with 73 seconds left after the Wild held a 24-6 shots advantage through two periods.

The Wild (23-17-9) closed January in a 1-6-1 slump yet are one point back of Nashville for the Western Conference's final playoff spot.

"It seems like we go through it all the time," forward Charlie Coyle said, "but I don't think we're the only team to go through this."

More than two-thirds of NHL teams, in an average season, experience at least one losing streak of five or more games. The Wild have been no exception, with two such skids in 2014-15 and one in 2013-14. They recovered to make the playoffs both times.

"We do have a tendency sometimes to make things a little more difficult on ourselves than we wish we did," Yeo said. "But this is another opportunity to fight through some adversity, to build as a team, to get through hard times. And those are things you have to do in the playoffs. To take another step as a team, you don't do that in the regular season. You can set yourself up a little bit. But it's done in the playoffs, and so we have to get there."

Dubnyk has posted a 1.67 goals-against average in a 1-4-1 span. Coyle has a career-high 13 goals. Parise has been his usual relentless, productive self. Defenseman Ryan Suter has rebounded from a poor season. The Wild are sixth in the league in goals allowed with 2.31 per game.

But too many of the top-line forwards paid to deliver goals and assists have not done enough, from Jason Pominville to Mikael Granlund to Nino Niederreiter.

"Right now, when the game's on the line, we're not making the winning play," Yeo said. "Whether it's protecting a lead, whether it's getting a lead when the game's tied, right now we're not making the winning play. That's what we have to fix here."

The second half at least starts against a team they've beaten three straight times, including twice in New York.

The Islanders (25-16-6) also find themselves a point off the playoff cut line. They entered the break with a 4-2 home loss to Detroit last Monday, and despite going 3-1-1 in their last five, feel uneven efforts are holding them back.

"Hopefully we can find our game in the last 30-some odd games heading into the playoffs," forward Matt Martin said. " ... It's a tight race but we have to play more consistency. The way we've played haven't been consistent enough."

Jaroslav Halak has gone 2-1-1 with a 1.72 GAA in his last four starts, and he's 2-0-1 with a 0.86 mark in his last four against the Wild.

Brock Nelson scored his 19th goal against the Red Wings, giving him six in his last seven games and getting him within one of the career high he established in 82 games last season.

**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:21 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 2/2

Preview: Rangers (25-17) at Devils (23-20)

Date: February 02, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The New York Rangers return from the All-Star break looking to improve their play on the road and kick-start a sputtering power play.

Their latest trip across the Hudson could mark the way toward a solution.

With Rick Nash out again, the Rangers aim for their longest winning streak in New Jersey when they visit the Devils on Wednesday night.

New York (27-17-5) is second in the Metropolitan Division but just three points ahead of the Islanders and four in front of the Devils (25-20-5), who are ninth in the Eastern Conference.

"It's important that we remain in the moment now," goaltender Henrik Lundqvist told the team's official website. "We have to realize what we have to do; and I really think we have the group to do something special if we push ourselves to get it done."

The Rangers' tenuous playoff position can be traced to a 3-10-2 record over the last 15 road games compared to a 18-5-2 home mark on the season.

The power play hasn't helped, converting just 5 of 35 chances over the last 13 games with a paltry 1-for-24 performance in eight road contests during that stretch.

"We need to spend time on our special teams, and like I said last week, we need to be better on the road," coach Alain Vigneault said. "We know that, but I do believe this group is on the right track here."

That's not the case with Nash, who didn't practice Monday and will miss a third straight game with a bone bruise in his left leg. The left wing has been the subject of criticism with just 12 goals after scoring a career-high 42 last season.

"Rick Nash is a quiet leader in our group and he leads by example, he brings it every night and is a top-six forward that will be badly missed," center Derek Stepan said.

The injury could lead to more playing time for J.T. Miller, who has five goals in six games to match his output from his previous 27. He's failed to get a point in eight career games against the Devils.

New York, though, has scored 17 goals while winning four straight matchups in New Jersey and is 4 for 13 on the power play in the previous three.

Lundqvist has won three straight there with a 1.97 goals-against average and is 5-0-1 with a 1.64 GAA in the past six overall. He made 22 saves at home Oct. 18 but gave up Lee Stempniak's overtime goal in a 2-1 loss that ended a six-game series win streak.

Stepan had New York's tally, giving him seven with three assists over the past six against New Jersey. He enters this one with six points in six games.

While reaching the playoffs is a minimum expectation for the Rangers, it would be a boon to the rebuilding Devils after failing to qualify for three straight seasons.

This month will be vital for New Jersey with eight of its 13 opponents currently sitting higher in the standings. The Devils face the Rangers three times over that span.

"It's sort of make-or-break time for us to make the playoffs this next stretch," Stempniak said. "It's in division games so those are points where you beat the teams you're chasing and you close the gap pretty quickly, and if you lose, it can run away from you pretty quickly."

New Jersey's 2.24 scoring average is the lowest in the East, so it'll likely continue leaning on All-Star goaltender Cory Schneider, who is 22-15-5 with a 2.03 GAA that ties for third-best in the NHL.

Schneider had 26 saves against the Rangers in October after going 0-3-1 with a 3.79 GAA over the previous four meetings.

**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:21 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 2/2

Preview: Maple Leafs (13-22) at Bruins (23-18)

Date: February 02, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Boston Bruins sat seventh in the Eastern Conference at this point last season before collapsing down the stretch and missing the playoffs.

Perfectly aware they're in the same position this season, the Bruins have no plans of suffering the same fate.

Postseason talk is far off for Toronto coach Mike Babcock, who hopes the last-place Maple Leafs can snap out of their scoring funk and avoid a fifth consecutive loss to Boston on Tuesday night.

The Bruins (26-18-5) are in the thick of a tight East race coming out of the All-Star break and won five of six before falling 6-2 to Anaheim last Tuesday. The club is fourth in the Atlantic but just one point behind Tampa Bay and Detroit, which hold the final two of the division's three automatic playoff berths.

Boston held one of the conference's wild-card spots heading into last February but ended up losing its last three games of the season and finished two points behind Pittsburgh for the final slot.

"A lot can happen, and we saw that last year," said forward Brad Marchand, whose five-game scoring streak ended against the Ducks. "It doesn't really matter where we are right now. It's more about where we are at the end of the year. One point can be the difference."

Every Bruins player enjoyed time off during the break except Patrice Bergeron, who was excused from Monday's practice by coach Claude Julien after playing in the All-Star Game a day earlier.

Tuukka Rask was expected to get an extra day off, but he was forced into action against Anaheim when Jonas Gustavsson was removed after the first period because of an illness. Gustavsson has been placed on injured reserve, and Malcolm Subban was recalled from the AHL on Monday.

"That's what you try to do when you get a break - really take your mind off the game of hockey a little bit and get ready for that grind because the second half after the All-Star break is always very hectic," Rask said. "Every team is fighting for that playoff spot. It's going to be really tight, so hopefully we're ready for that."

Rask has a 1.62 goals-against average while winning all three meetings with the Maple Leafs (17-22-9) this season, including a 3-2 victory in the most recent Jan. 16. Marchand's scoring streak began on his winner with 47 seconds remaining in that one.

Bergeron scored twice and has 10 goals and nine assists over his last 12 - including playoffs - against Toronto, which is tied for the fewest points in the league.

The Leafs have scored 11 times during a 1-7-2 slump that includes four straight losses, two coming by a 1-0 score. Tampa Bay got the game's only goal in the first period Wednesday as Toronto dropped to 0 for 26 on the power play over its last nine.

Babcock tinkered with his lines in Monday's practice hoping to provide a spark.

"We've had a lot (of scoring chances) and don't finish. We've had a ton on the power play and we don't finish," Babcock said. "We've got to figure out a way to score some goals. We went through this early and we're going through it now. We've got to continue to fight hard and work through it."

James Reimer will get the start in net against the Bruins. He's tied for second in the league with a .932 save percentage but has lost nine of his last 10 starts. Reimer has also dropped his last four regular-season outings against Boston despite a 1.70 GAA.

**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:21 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 2/2

Preview: Canadiens (21-22) at Flyers (19-18)

Date: February 02, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Mired in a miserable two-month stretch, the Montreal Canadiens remain positive despite feeling a sense of urgency to save their fading season.

Expecting to have ailing captain Max Pacioretty in the lineup, the visiting Canadiens look to begin a post-All-Star break turnaround Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Montreal (24-22-1) has gone from the top spot in the Eastern Conference to three points out of the final wild-card berth thanks to a 5-18-1 slide. The club went into the break after back-to-back 5-2 losses to Columbus, the East's worst team.

"We haven't found the answer yet, but that doesn't mean we won't find it," forward Brendan Gallagher told the Canadiens' official website. "Like I said, the guys here still believe and care."

But the talk isn't the only thing that needs to be positive.

"This is the time to stand up and push back," Gallagher said. "We cannot take this anymore. This has to be the end of this. Nobody likes this feeling right now. We all hate the results that we're getting, and it's up to us to change them."

Star goaltender Carey Price won't be the answer while still dealing with a leg injury that's kept him out since Nov. 25 - seven days before the collapse began. Price was 10-2-0 with a 2.06 goals-against average, and Montreal has yielded an average of 3.1 goals in the 27 games since he last played.

The Canadiens have already lost more player games to injuries (102) than all of 2014-15 (88), but they believe Pacioretty won't miss time despite taking a slap shot to the face last Tuesday against the Blue Jackets. Though Pacioretty doesn't have a point in the last four games, he leads the team with 19 goals and is obviously an important all-around presence.

"He's the leader of this hockey club. He draws a lot of attention from the opposition, but if we don't have him, we have to move on without him," Gallagher said. "Nobody feels sorry for us right now, so we can't feel sorry for ourselves. We can't well up or sit around."

Gallagher is second on the team with 12 goals but has one in the last nine games, and the Canadiens have averaged 1.8 in their last 19. They're 1-6-1 since beating New Jersey on Jan. 6 for their most recent regulation victory. The previous night, Montreal fell 4-3 at Philadelphia in the teams' only meeting of the season.

That began a 5-0-1 stretch for the Flyers (21-18-8), but they followed that run with a three-game skid before Wednesday's 4-3 overtime victory at NHL-leading Washington. Philadelphia is five points out of the East's final wild-card spot.

"We're playing the right way, and we can't get frustrated when we don't get the results," All-Star Claude Giroux told the Flyers' official website. "We just have to be patient with it and wait for our chances."

Jakub Voracek has recorded half of his eight goals in the last seven games along with six assists. Teammate Brayden Schenn has five goals and six assists in the past 11, highlighted by a three-point performance against Montreal. Schenn has three goals with seven assists in his last eight against the Canadiens.

Though bruising winger John Scott's feel-good All-Star Game story culminated with an MVP award Sunday, it doesn't appear Montreal will recall him from their AHL affiliate any time soon.

Philadelphia is 6 for 18 on the power play in the last four games after previously converting an East-worst 15.3 percent. Montreal is 8 for 80 since Dec. 3.

**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:21 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 2/2

Preview: Senators (19-21) at Penguins (23-17)

Date: February 02, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

(AP) - So what if the calendar reads early February? The way the Pittsburgh Penguins figure it, the playoffs have already started.

Pittsburgh took a modest three-game winning streak into the All-Star break, part of a 5-1-2 surge that moved the Penguins into the Eastern Conference's eighth and final postseason spot.

The solid two-plus week stretch showed tangible proof of new head coach Mike Sullivan's aggressive mindset. Yet the job is hardly finished, and Sullivan's players know it as the Penguins resume play Tuesday night versus the Ottawa Senators.

"Our playoffs basically start now," captain Sidney Crosby said.

In the crowded East, where 11 teams are separated by nine points in the standings, there really isn't any choice.

The days when Pittsburgh and its top-heavy roster could float above the fray and watch the clubs below it scramble for position are long gone. The Penguins (24-17-7) are right in the middle of the fight for the second straight year.

It took until the final day of the regular season to lock down a playoff berth last spring. While they hope it doesn't come to that, they insist they're prepared for the 10-week sprint to the finish.

"With our position and understanding where we're at, our desperation has got to be at its highest," Crosby said. "That should bring out the best of us."

There were flashes of that desperation before the break.

A team that struggled to score early in the season has found the back of the net four times in its last six games, and Crosby has 10 points on a seven-game scoring streak thanks in part to a renewed effort at shooting the puck and spending more time around the goal.

While Crosby is encouraged, the two-time MVP doesn't consider his team's interest in getting toward the blue paint second nature - at least not yet.

"It's something on a game to game basis, you really have to remind yourself and work to get there," he said.

"Just because you've done it four or five games in a row means you're going to get there in the next one. It's a tough spot to go ... there's a lot that goes in it but the results look easy when it goes well."

The uptick offensively has taken some of the pressure off goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who basically held things together as the Penguins floundered in front of him through the season's first two months.

Fleury is 5-0-1 in his last six home starts with a pair of shutouts, including a 2-0 victory over perennial thorn New Jersey last Tuesday that sent Pittsburgh into the midseason hiatus on a high.

"I think we managed to put ourselves in a good spot before the break and we've got to keep going to make sure we stay that way," Fleury said.

The addition of Carl Hagelin has provided an immediate boost - he takes a four-game point streak into Tuesday's matchup - and general manager Jim Rutherford will almost certainly keep pressing to improve a roster that remains very much a work in progress.

The Penguins remain convinced their best hockey is in front of them. The trick now is turning the flashes they've shown of truly turning it around into something more lasting.

"I believe our team understands the circumstance we're in," Sullivan said. "We've been in this position for a while now. We've spoken about it at length. I believe this is a mature group and we have good leadership, strong leadership."

Ottawa (23-21-6) stumbled into the break with three losses in four games and enters this contest three points behind Pittsburgh for that last postseason berth.

The better play that followed Bobby Ryan calling his teammates out for their inconsistency was evident in patches Wednesday, but his goal wasn't enough in a 3-2 loss to Buffalo in which the Senators couldn't find a third-period equalizer despite outshooting the Sabres 22-2 in the final 20 minutes.

"We had chances to tie it up, but at the same time we don't want to put ourselves in positions like that where we have to score not only once, but twice to win the game," said defenseman Erik Karlsson, the team's lone All-Star representative.

Karlsson is fourth in the league with 52 points, but he and the Senators were blanked 2-0 at Pittsburgh on Oct. 15 in the only previous meeting this season. Evgeni Malkin and Daniel Sprong scored goals 2:02 apart early in the second period and Fleury turned aside 22 shots for the Penguins.

Malkin has 19 goals in 30 regular-season games against the Senators. Pittsburgh is 4-0-1 at home versus Ottawa since a 5-1 defeat Jan. 10, 2012.

**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:22 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 2/2

Preview: Panthers (24-15) at Capitals (33-8)

Date: February 02, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Coach Barry Trotz offered high praise to the Florida Panthers after some of their players helped knock off his squad in this weekend's All-Star showcase.

Trotz and the Washington Capitals will try to turn the tables - minus Alex Ovechkin - by earning their 11th consecutive home victory over the Panthers on Tuesday night in a matchup of the Eastern Conference's top teams.

The Atlantic Division's All-Star team, led by Florida coach Gerard Gallant, edged Trotz's Metropolitan Division squad 4-3 in the opener of the 3-on-3 tournament Sunday in Nashville. The Atlantic lost 1-0 to the Pacific Division in the championship.

Two Panthers players at opposite ends of the age spectrum, Aaron Ekblad and Jaromir Jagr, scored in the opener. Florida's Roberto Luongo stopped all 12 shots he faced in the title game.

"They're a great young team. People in Florida should be excited about their hockey team," Trotz said.

The Capitals (35-8-4) will have to face the Panthers without Ovechkin because he skipped the All-Star festivities to heal from a lower-body injury, earning him an automatic one-game suspension.

Ovechkin is tied for second in the league with 28 goals.

"We have to make the right decision," Trotz said. 'You don't win a Stanley Cup. You don't get two points for (the All-Star) Game. You get prize money. For us, it's not about the prize money. We have a bigger goal, and if we want to get to where we want to get to, we can't do it without Alex Ovechkin being 100 percent."

Aside from Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Braden Holtby participating in All-Star weekend, Washington has played just one game since Jan. 19 due to Winter Storm Jonas. A 4-3 overtime loss to Philadelphia on Wednesday ended a 12-game home win streak and kept the Capitals from matching a franchise record.

Their 10-game win streak over Florida at the Verizon Center is their longest active one versus any opponent. It is also the Panthers' longest current skid in any building.

Florida (29-15-5) is 11 points behind Washington for the East lead and the league's best record, but enters the second half with a five-point cushion over Detroit and Tampa Bay in the Atlantic.

"It's nice right now to be at the place where I envisioned we would be," Luongo said. "There's still a lot of work left to be done. That goes without saying, and we're not satisfied with anything that we've done so far because really we haven't done anything.

"The growth of our team has been great over the last year and a half. It's exciting to think about the future and realize we have a chance to do something special."

The Panthers outscored opponents 14-3 while winning their final three games before the break, but those were all at home. They were outscored 12-3 in losing their last three road games after winning six in a row, part of a franchise-record 12-game win streak overall.

Both meetings with the Capitals this season have been in Florida, with the Panthers falling 2-1 in overtime Oct. 31 and winning 4-1 on Dec. 10. Jagr, who turns 44 later this month, scored in the victory as did Ekblad, who returned from an upper-body injury Jan. 22.

Florida has won the last 15 games Ekblad has played as he's posted a plus-11 rating.

"He's a bright, bright star and one of those guys that maybe doesn't get noticed enough right now," Trotz said of Ekblad, who turns 20 on Sunday.

The Capitals got their top-scoring defenseman, John Carlson, back in their final game before the break following a month-long absence due to a lower-body injury.

**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:22 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 2/2

Preview: Stars (29-14) at Jets (22-24)

Date: February 02, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The good news for the Dallas Stars is January is over. The bad is there's no guarantee a week off for the All-Star break did anything to end their slump.

A good start to getting past it would be to win consecutive games for the first time since before Christmas, which could happen Tuesday night with a visit to the last-place Winnipeg Jets.

Dallas (31-14-5) entered the break with a 2-1 home win over Calgary on Jan. 25, but it capped a 3-6-2 month as part of a 5-7-3 span since a three-game winning streak Dec. 19-22. A team that once had a comfortable lead atop the Western Conference finds itself three points back of Chicago in the Central Division, though it has three games in hand.

"It's important to know that we had a bad month, but I think it's also important to know that we're a good team and we know how we play when we have success. We're in a good position," center Jason Spezza said. "The naturalists kind of split hairs a little bit. I think we've just got to take a deep breath and get back to the way we were playing at the start of the year."

The Stars might begin with re-establishing some offensive consistency. Dallas' 3.20 goals per game trails only Washington (3.32), and the Stars are 3-10-3 when scoring two goals or less.

They had eight such games in January, matching their combined total from the first 39 contests. Top scorer Jamie Benn was limited to four goals and two assists in the month's 11 games, while Tyler Seguin had two goals and one assist. It amounted to an average of 2.18 goals in January.

"We're misfiring on some really good opportunities that we've got to be better at executing," said coach Lindy Ruff, whose team is 4 for 35 (11.4 percent) on the power play over the last 13 games. "If I had to pick a time to struggle, I would struggle now versus having us struggle near the end of the year."

But there's also been a fall off in the Stars' own zone. They surrendered 3.18 goals per game in January with Antti Niemi at 2-3-2 with a 3.02 goals-against average and .888 save percentage after going 16-6-3 with 2.25 and .919 marks in the first three months with his new club. Niemi hasn't faced the Jets this season and is 3-3-1 against them with a 3.32 GAA and .885 save percentage.

The Stars have won the first two meetings this season, both in Dallas.

The Jets (22-24-3), who need consecutive wins to conclude a six-game homestand with a split, were nothing special in January either and have been plenty inconsistent offensively with 2.12 goals per game over a 7-9-1 span dating to Dec. 21. They ended a three-game losing streak with last Tuesday's 5-2 win over Arizona following four straight games of being limited to a goal.

All-Star Dustin Byfuglien has three goals and an assist in the last two games, but any hope for consistency going forward might be highlighted by Nikolaj Ehlers. The rookie forward had a hat trick against the Coyotes and has six of his 12 goals in the last seven games. Ehlers was assisted by new linemate Blake Wheeler on all three.

"It's tough to find, and it doesn't happen much," Ehlers said of the connection he had with Mark Scheifele and Wheeler. "I think we all have great speed and we used that well today."

Connor Hellebuyck is expected to be in goal having posted a 2.03 GAA and .926 save percentage over a 2-3-0 span.

**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:22 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 2/2

Preview: Blues (25-16) at Predators (22-18)

Date: February 02, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

(AP) - Kevin Shattenkirk spent much of an extended, week-long All-Star break catching some rays on the beach in Mexico.

The St. Louis Blues defenseman reported back Monday for a rigorous workout feeling refreshed for the stretch drive. The Blues are fourth overall in the NHL standings and will be looking to strengthen their position starting Tuesday night with a road matchup against the surging Nashville Predators.

'Salt water cures everything,' Shattenkirk joked.

Coach Ken Hitchcock presided over a practice that lasted 1 1-2 hours in a message to players that it's time to surge. All-Star Vladimir Tarasenko, tied for fourth in the league with 25 goals, awaited the rest of the team in Nashville.

'Coming back at this time of year is like trying to catch a freight train on the move,' Hitchcock said. 'You've got to create your own intensity. You really, really have to push each other.'

Captain David Backes spent much of the break sitting in front of the fireplace at his home in Minnesota, and being a full-time dad. He used 16 hours driving back and forth to his home pondering what's ahead.

'It's some clear-head time to think things through,' Backes said. 'The break's been really good to get re-energized.'

The Blues (28-16-8) could be getting top forward Jaden Schwartz back soon from a broken left ankle that has sidelined him 45 games.

Hitchcock thought Schwartz lagged the first half of Monday's practice but improved after the break. Both coach and player said the main test will be adjusting to the physical side of the game and what Hitchcock called a 'chaotic atmosphere' in traffic.

'I want to get out there as soon as I can,' Schwartz said. 'I feel pretty good now. There's a few things on the ice I've got to work on yet.'

The Blues are in a strong position despite the lack of a true hot stretch - a four-game winning streak in early October was their best run. But they finished the first half strong, with points in nine of 11 games.

They're in third place in the Central Division, six points behind Chicago and three behind Dallas.

St. Louis has been held back by injuries to Schwartz and forward Paul Stastny, who missed 16 games early in the season with a broken right foot, but a pair of rookies has helped compensate. Forward Robby Fabbri has 11 goals and defenseman Colton Parayko leads the team with a plus-18 rating along with 19 points.

'We certainly set ourselves up,' defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said. 'We had a few extra days opposed to other teams and hopefully that give us a little bit of an extra jump in the second half.'

There's no timetable for goalie Jake Allen's return from a groin injury, however, so Brian Elliott will be playing basically every night.

'Until (Allen) gets on the ice with us and starts stopping pucks, I can't even give you a clue when he'll be back,' Hitchcock said.

Elliott has been the everyday goalie since Allen was sidelined Jan. 8 at Anaheim, and that'll be the case for the foreseeable future given untested rookie Phoenix Copley is the backup. Allen has five shutouts and Elliott none, but the two are very close in goals-against average - Allen at 2.17 and Elliott at 2.23.

'There's no rest. There's no such thing as giving guys breaks,' Hitchcock said. 'I think everybody wants to play as much as they can.'

Together, that pair is 16-2-8 in one-goal games, among the best in the NHL. Elliott says he's ready for the grind.

'This is when the big boys come to play,' he said.

St. Louis has won all three games with Nashville (24-18-8) to extend its win streak in the series to four. Allen started the three matchups this season, while Elliott is 6-4-0 with a 2.20 GAA in 10 meetings.

The Predators enter on a season-high four-game win streak - all on the road - in which they allowed one goal in each contest. Pekka Rinne picked up the first three victories after going 0-4-1 with a 3.73 GAA in his previous five starts.

The run helped Nashville move into the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference, one point behind Colorado and one ahead of Minnesota.

"We're battling our way back into the playoff picture here," captain Shea Weber said. "The last four games have really helped."

**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:23 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 2/2

Preview: Blue Jackets (17-27) at Oilers (15-26)

Date: February 02, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

When play resumes after the All-Star break, it's usually a time for NHL teams to gear up for a postseason run.

At the other end of the standings, the Edmonton Oilers and Columbus Blue Jackets may instead be focused on gaining the services of Auston Matthews.

These are two of three clubs tied with an NHL-worst 43 points as they resume their dismal campaigns Tuesday night, with the Oilers expected to welcoming back Connor McDavid for this home matchup.

Instead of playoff positioning, Edmonton (19-26-5) and Columbus (19-27-5) could be more worried about draft positioning. Matthews is considered the top available player, and these teams are among six within four points of each other at the bottom of the NHL standings who no doubt are coveting the No. 1 overall selection.

The Oilers picked first last year and grabbed McDavid, the consensus top selection.

McDavid is nearing a return since breaking his clavicle Nov. 3 and practiced with Bakersfield of the American Hockey League over the break. After centering a line with Jordan Eberle and Benoit Pouliot and getting the approval of coach Todd McLellan at practice Monday, McDavid - who had 12 points in 13 games - is eager to get back to playing.

"Anxious is probably the better word,' he said. 'I'm excited. It feels like my first game all over again.

"The doctors wouldn't let me play if I wasn't 100 percent,' he said. 'They say it's safe to play, so it's safe to play.'

His return could help a power play ranked fifth-worst at 16.6 percent. Edmonton is already without Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who is third on the team with 30 points and out with a lower-body injury.

The Oilers lost their final three games before the break, falling 4-1 to Nashville on Jan. 23.

Columbus is expected to have coach John Tortorella back for this three-game trip. Tortorella broke two ribs falling after a collision with forward Rene Bourque during an outdoor practice Jan. 22 and did not coach the last three games before the break.

The Blue Jackets are seeking their second three-game win streak after back-to-back 5-2 victories over Montreal last Monday and Tuesday. Cam Atkinson scored four goals and added an assist while Brandon Saad had three goals.

"I think we're going to take this momentum down the home stretch after this much-needed break," defenseman Dalton Prout said.

Joonas Korpisalo started both of those contests, improving to 4-0-1 with a 1.57 goals-against average in his last five starts. Edmonton will start Cam Talbot or Anders Nilsson.

The Blue Jackets are allowing a league-worst 3.16 goals per game while the Oilers are fourth-worst at 2.96.

Edmonton's Taylor Hall can match a season-best, six-game point streak. Hall, who took part in Sunday's All-Star Game, has seven points in his last five.

"It was a ton of fun," Hall said. "The city of Nashville, their fans were awesome. Just being around the guys and being able to experience the whole All-Star event was a whole lot of fun."

Columbus ended a slide of six straight regulation losses in Edmonton with a 4-3 shootout win March 18. The Blue Jackets have won three straight overall in this series.

**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:23 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 2/2

Preview: Kings (28-16) at Coyotes (23-20)

Date: February 02, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Though the surprising Arizona Coyotes took some knocks just before the All-Star break, they remain in position to make a run at their first postseason appearance in four years.

With coach Dave Tippett joining select company in his 1,000th game, the host Coyotes try to take four of five meetings from the Pacific Division-leading Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night.

Arizona hasn't reached the playoffs since falling to Los Angeles in the Western Conference finals in 2011-12, but the young squad appears on its way to returning after matching its win total from last season.

The Coyotes (24-20-5), third in the Pacific with 53 points, are 11-2-2 in the division. They're also 3-0-1 against the Kings following a 3-2 win in their last home game Jan. 23.

Max Domi and Anthony Duclair rank fourth and fifth among rookies in points with 32 and 25. Louis Dominque, the rookie of the month for January, made 26 saves against Los Angeles after stopping 29 shots in a 4-3 overtime home loss to them Dec. 26.

Dominque, however, has had some time to think about what went wrong after allowing a season-high goal total on 25 shots in a 5-2 loss at Winnipeg last Tuesday, the club's final game before the All-Star break. The Coyotes have gone 2-4-1 in their last seven.

"Our young players are helping grow this organization," Tippett told the team's official website. "There's lots of learning to do yet but they're competitive in every game, and they want to do well and they want to learn, so it's a step in the right direction."

Tippett is set to become the 24th coach to reach 1,000 games. The former Kings assistant ranks eighth among active coaches and 20th on the all-time wins list with 512.

Some of his club's shortcomings have been at the offensive end as Arizona has totaled eight goals while going 1 for 23 on the power play in the last six games. The Coyotes, though, have scored 13 goals in four games against Los Angeles and have gone 4 for 10 with the man advantage in the past two.

Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson has totaled four goals while producing at least one point in each of the four matchups, while winger Mikkel Boedker has four assists in the past two.

Los Angeles All-Star Jonathan Quick has a 2.19 goals-against average, but he's posted a 3.36 mark in dropping his last three starts. He's also struggled in this series, going 1-3-0 with a 3.25 GAA.

The Kings (30-16-3) lost three of four before the break and will play eight of the next nine on the road, though that could prove to be a positive. They've won six of eight there.

'We've got to make sure Tuesday we're as sharp as we were before and get it going again," center Anze Kopitar said. "The ground that we gained on some teams is going away quick.'

Vincent Lecavalier has four goals over his last seven games, though he's failed to score in his past six matchups with the Coyotes. Dustin Brown has scored in each of the past three against Arizona but his goal in last month's meeting was his only tally in his last 13 games overall.

**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:23 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 2/2

Preview: Blackhawks (32-16) at Avalanche (26-22)

Date: February 02, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Back from the All-Star break, the Chicago Blackhawks won't have their captain available to help avoid a fourth loss in five games.

While Jonathan Toews serves his one-game suspension for missing the annual exhibition, the Western Conference leaders try to halt their recent road woes by keeping the Colorado Avalanche from a sixth win in seven games Tuesday night.

Toews sat out the All-Star festivities because of an illness that forced him to leave last Tuesday's 5-0 loss at Carolina. By league rules, he's suspended for one regular-season game - either immediately before or following the All-Star Game.

Though Toews has gone a season-high five straight games without a point, his overall presence is obviously vital to Chicago's success.

"It's disappointing," teammate Patrick Kane said. "We'll definitely miss him (in) an important game."

Chicago (33-16-4) owns a three-point lead in the West but went 1-3-0 leading into the break, getting outscored 11-3, following its franchise-record 12-game winning streak. All three defeats were on the road, and two were shutouts.

"We should have a sour taste in our mouth," said Kane, the NHL leader with 30 goals and 43 assists. "We'll try to start (the second half) the right way."

It begins with three more road games, also heading to Arizona and Dallas this week before returning home.

The Blackhawks won their only visit to Colorado this season, 4-3 on Toews' overtime goal on New Year's Eve, and most recently beat the Avalanche 6-3 in Chicago on Jan. 10. Kane had three goals and two assists in those two meetings after Colorado had won the first, 3-0 at home Dec. 15.

The wild-card leader in the West, Colorado (27-22-3) opens a four-game homestand seeking a season-high fourth straight win at the Pepsi Center. The club's 5-1-0 stretch overall before the break included wins in all four games decided by one goal.

"We're having a lot of fun," All-Star forward Matt Duchene said. "We've showed the character we have in that (dressing room)."

Duchene had a goal and an assist and Gabriel Landeskog scored twice as the Avs overcame a 2-0 hole to beat Los Angeles 4-3 on Wednesday.

"The last game you play is also fresh in everyone's minds, and you want to build off of that and feel good about yourself during the break," Landeskog told the Avalanche's official website. "We wanted to make sure that we played as good as we could."

Landeskog has three goals in three games after going seven in a row without one. He has two with six assists during a six-game point streak against Chicago.

Duchene has three goals and three assists against the Blackhawks this season.

Teammate Semyon Varlamov's has an 0.99 goals-against average and a .972 save percentage during a four-game winning streak, but he hasn't played since Jan. 23. He's been involved with a civil trial brought on by an ex-girlfriend stemming from a domestic incident in October 2013. A verdict is expected Tuesday, but it's uncertain if he would be able to play.

Backup Calvin Pickard has given up seven goals in the last two contests.

Chicago's Corey Crawford posted a 1.40 goals-against average in January prior to being pulled for yielding three goals in the first period last Tuesday. He allowed five goals while splitting his two starts this season against Colorado.

**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:23 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 2/2

Preview: Sharks (24-18) at Ducks (20-18)

Date: February 02, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

(AP) - After an up-and-down start to the season, the San Jose Sharks went into the All-Star break on quite the roll.

Led by a rejuvenated Joe Thornton, All-Stars Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns and newcomer goalie Martin Jones, the Sharks have earned at least a point in 10 straight games for their longest streak in five years - when they made their last trip to the conference finals.

'When you're playing this good you don't want a break,' Thornton said. 'You just want to play every other day like we've been doing because you feel so good. We've been playing a lot of minutes. If the guys use the rest the right way we'll be fine coming out of the break.'

The Sharks enjoyed six days off before starting a four-game road trip Tuesday night against the Anaheim Ducks. Players from these clubs teamed up to win the All-Star game for the Pacific Division, with Anaheim's Corey Perry scoring in the 1-0 victory over the Atlantic Division. Burns assisted on that goal, and Ducks goalie John Gibson made seven saves.

While Anaheim (22-18-7) is outside playoff position despite having won three straight and five of six, the Sharks (26-18-4) come back in second place in the Pacific thanks to an 8-0-2 stretch that vaulted them from sixth place. It's the best run for the team since going 9-0-1 from Jan. 15-Feb. 9, 2011.

After missing the playoffs last year for the first time since 2003, the Sharks are once again a contender in the Western Conference.

'We put ourselves in a decent spot, have some momentum,' forward Tommy Wingels said.

It was an odd start to the first season under coach Peter DeBoer as the Sharks struggled to generate any consistent play at home but were outstanding on the road. San Jose lost 12 of the first 17 games at the usually imposing Shark Tank but offset that with a perfect six-game road trip in November and other good stretches away from home, including wins in its last four road contests.

Injuries to center Logan Couture, who missed 30 games with two lower-body ailments, and shorter stints that forced the team to play without one of its top defensemen for eight games hindered the Sharks.

But with the team mostly healthy in January, DeBoer made a key lineup change that has helped spark this recent run. He moved the inconsistent Tomas Hertl to the top line with Thornton and Pavelski, where he has shined with six goals and five assists during the 10-game streak.

Thornton has scored in all 10 of those games, recording two goals and 12 assists, and has 25 points over the past 19 contests to become the 33rd player in NHL history to reach 1,300.

'We've got some confidence, he definitely has some confidence and he's making some great plays and it's typical Jumbo,' Pavelski said. 'It's what he does. Since Hertl's come on and found his stride here, it's been definitely a fun line to be on.'

DeBoer also separated Couture and Patrick Marleau, giving the team strong centers on three lines. That depth has helped lead to the success of the past few weeks.

'I don't think it's any secret that that kind of slotted everybody in the right places,' DeBoer said. 'All of a sudden our depth scoring is increasing, which is huge. The reality of this league is it's a one-goal-a-night league. And certain players are one-goal-a-night players on the positive and either defending or creating. We're just on the right side of that now.'

The Ducks have plenty of hot players as well. Perry has keyed their current 10-3-2 stretch with 10 goals, and David Perron has two goals with three assists in the past four games.

The defense has been solid as well. Anaheim has allowed an average of 1.8 goals over the last 13 games while killing all but two of its opponents' 45 power plays.

"I'm hoping they feel good about themselves, but at the same time, we're not in a playoff position yet," coach Bruce Boudreau said after last Tuesday's 6-2 win in Boston. "... (The break) might be coming at the worst time for us, but at the same time, when we get out of it, I hope they're hungry for more of the same."

**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:24 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info. 2/2

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

After a very entertaining new format in the All-Star Game, the NHL is back in action on Tuesday night. The Washington Capitals enter the second half of the season with an NHL-best 74 points. They have a 15-point lead over the second-place New York Rangers in the Metropolitan Division and an 11-point lead over Atlantic-leading Florida for the East's top seed in the playoffs. The Caps are +400 favorites to win the Stanley Cup and +175 for the East title. Tampa Bay is next in the East at +550.

Defending Cup champion Chicago leads the Western Conference with 70 points. The Blackhawks, led by Hart Trophy favorite Patrick Kane, are three ahead of the No. 2 team in the West and Central Division, Dallas. Chicago is +500 to win a fourth Cup this decade and +275 for the West, with Pacific-leading Los Angeles second at +350.

Of course, this is also Super Bowl week, Dportsbooks have a couple of NHL props to go with the game. You can bet total shots on goal by Washington's Alex Ovechkin on Super Bowl Sunday at home against Philadelphia in an NBC national TV game against the total touchdowns scored in the Super Bowl. Both options are -120. Ovechkin usually leads the NHL in shots and does this season with 234, 29 more than No. 2 Brent Burns, a Sharks defenseman. Ovechkin averages about 5.1 shots per game. He has eight shots in two games this season against the Flyers. I rather doubt there will be more than five touchdowns in the Super Bowl with two very good defenses. I'd take Ovechkin there.

You can also wager the total number of goals in the Carolina vs. Montreal game on Sunday vs. total catches by Panthers tight end Greg Olsen. Both are -120. The Habs beat the Hurricanes 3-2 in the only meeting this season on Dec. 5 in Raleigh. Montreal is 10th in the NHL in scoring at 2.7 goals per game and Carolina 23rd at 2.4 per game. Olsen is easily Cam Newton's favorite target and has had six catches in each playoff win thus far. I'd say he's good for at least that many again. I'd definitely take him on that prop.

McDavid To Return On Tuesday

It's probably too late in the season for him to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie, but mega-hyped 19-year-old center Connor McDavid will return to Edmonton's lineup on Tuesday against Columbus. McDavid has been out since Nov. 3 when he broke his collarbone against the Flyers. In 13 games this year, the 2015 first overall pick has five goals and seven assists. He was named the NHL's Rookie of the Month for October.

McDavid had been skating with the Oiler's AHL affiliate since early last week and took "bumps" from teammates after being cleared for contact. The Oilers were 5-8-0 with McDavid in the lineup and are 19-26-5 overall for 43 points. That's 13 points out of the last wild-card spot in the Western Conference and but also 10 points out of third place in the Pacific Division. The Calder winner, barring a major injury of his own, will be Chicago's Artemi Panarin, who leads all rookies with 46 points and with 17 goals.

This Week's Games To Watch

Chicago at Colorado, Tuesday: The Hawks are -125 favorites, even they will be without captain Jonathan Toews. He is suspended for the game because he pulled out of the All-Star Game even though he had a legitimate reason to do so: an illness. But the NHL has that rule in place so there aren't mass defections from the game like in the Pro Bowl. I sort of agree with it, but if a player is legitimately hurt/ailing then the league shouldn't suspend the player. Toews has 19 goals and 16 assists this season. The time off might have been good for Toews as he closed January on a five-game scoring drought. It's the last meeting of the regular season between the Hawks and Avalanche. Chicago has won two of three games vs. Colorado. Toews has two goals and two assists vs. the Avs. Calvin Pickard will be in Colorado's net for this one with Semyon Varlamov unavailable.

Florida at Washington, Tuesday: The Capitals are -150 favorites even though they will be without Ovechkin, who is suspended for the same reason Toews is. Ovechkin is dealing with a lower-body injury but expects to be back in the lineup on Thursday. Ovechkin has 28 goals and 14 assists this season. The Panthers and Capitals have split two meetings thus far, both in south Florida. This is their final regular-season matchup. Ovechkin has a goal and two assists vs. the Panthers. His teammate, Evgeny Kuznetsov, was named on Monday as the NHL's first star of the month for January. He scored four goals and had 12 assists in 10 games. This game is nationally televised by the NBC Sports Network.

Anaheim at Los Angeles, Thursday: This game also is on the NBC Sports Network. The Ducks are probably the biggest disappointments in the NHL. They were the West's top seed in last year's playoffs and lost to Chicago in a seven-game West Finals. But the Ducks have just 51 points in 47 games, and they are five points out of the second wild-card spot in the conference. Anaheim is last in the NHL in scoring but might be snapping out of its funk with 24 goals over the past six games, five of which are wins. The Kings lead the Pacific Division by seven points over San Jose but lost three of four ahead of the break. This is L.A.'s final game before a season-high seven-game road trip. The Ducks and Kings somehow have played just once so far this season, a 3-2 L.A. road win on Jan. 17.

Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay, Friday: The Lightning were playing their best hockey when the break hit, winning eight of their past nine. They also ended Chicago's NHL-best 12-game winning streak. I still say the Bolts will take the Atlantic Division title unless they actually do trade superstar Steve Stamkos (more on that later this month). Tampa Bay finished with the best January points percentage (.818) in the NHL. The Lightning scored three or more goals in seven of 11 January games. Pittsburgh closed the first half on a three-game winning streak. The Lightning won the lone meeting thus far, 5-4 in overtime in Tampa on Jan. 15. Vladislav Namestnikov completed a hat trick in overtime.

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