NHL Betting Info. 4/6

[TheGame]

NHL notebook: All-Star Scott back in the big leagues
By The Sports Xchange


NHL All-Star John Scott is back in the big leagues after spending the second half of the season in the American Hockey League.
Scott practiced with the Edmonton Oilers on Monday and is active for Tuesday's game against the Vancouver Canucks.
Scott, 33, was voted Pacific Division captain by fans for the 2016 All-Star game, and then was traded to the Montreal Canadiens and re-assigned to the St. John's IceCaps of the AHL. In the end, the league determined Scott would still play in Nashville as voted. He claimed MVP honors, but then went back to the minors and played 27 games with St. John's.
Scott's turn with the Oilers could be for just one game. He said Oilers general manager Marc Bergevin approached him a week ago about a one-game run with Montreal.


---The New Jersey Devils activated left winger Patrik Elias, the club announced.
Elias has been sidelined since mid-December and he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Jan. 12 to repair cartilage damage.
Elias, who turns 40 on April 13, is the Devils' all-time leading scorer with 1,022 points. He has 407 career goals and 615 assists.


---Defenseman Brady Skjei was recalled by the New York Rangers from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League.
Skjei, 22, played in four games with the Rangers earlier this season, registering four shots on goal and two penalty minutes.
He made his NHL debut on Dec. 15 vs. Edmonton. Skjei recorded two hits while skating in a team-high 22:17 of ice time on Feb. 23 at New Jersey. In his most recent game with the Blueshirts on Mar. 8 at Buffalo, Skjei recorded one shot on goal in 17:38 of ice time.


---The Boston Bruins recalled defenseman Colin Miller from Providence of the American Hockey League, the team announced. In a corresponding move, Boston reassigned forward Seth Griffith to Providence.
Miller, 23, has 15 points (three goals, 12 assists) in 39 games with Boston. He had 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 19 games for Providence.
Griffith played in two games for Boston since his recall on March 30. He has seen action in 34 games for the Bruins over the past two seasons and has 11 points (six goals, five assists).


---The Nashville Predators returned defenseman Stefan Elliott to Milwaukee of the American Hockey League.
The 25-year-old Elliott was an emergency call-up last week and saw action in two games but did not contribute any goals or assists.
In 19 games for the Arizona Coyotes earlier this season, Elliott produced two goals, four assists and four penalty minutes.


---The Minnesota Wild reassigned defenseman Mike Reilly to Iowa of the American Hockey League.
The 22-year-old Reilly has played in 29 games for the Wild this season as a rookie and has one goal, six assists and eight penalty minutes. He made his NHL debut on Jan. 9 in Dallas against the Stars.
In 40 games with Iowa this season, Reilly has five goals and 16 assists.

[TheGame]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 4/6

Preview: Blue Jackets (31-40) at Maple Leafs (28-40)


Date: April 06, 2016 7:00 PM EDT


The top of the Eastern Conference standings was determined quite a while ago. The bottom is going down to the wire, and neither team involved is doing much to avoid the undesirable title.


Both Columbus and Toronto have lost five of six, but the Blue Jackets visit the Maple Leafs on Wednesday night with a three-point cushion from the conference cellar and a shot at finalizing things.


Columbus (31-40-8) followed Saturday's 5-1 road win over Carolina with Monday's 4-2 home loss to the New York Rangers. If there was a positive that came from the loss, it was Nick Foligno scoring twice after going 15 contests without a goal. The Columbus captain had been held without a point for the last 12.


"You know what? I just let everything go tonight. Just played the game for what it was. I felt good. I think I needed to do that a lot earlier in the year," Foligno told the team's official website.


The Blue Jackets have given up 3.50 goals per game over the last six with Joonas Korpisalo and Sergei Bobrovsky splitting time in goal. Korpisalo faced the Rangers, so Bobrovsky is expected to return against Toronto hoping to end his own three-game losing streak.


His often-interrupted season includes a 2-7-0 record and 3.39 goals-against average over his last 10 games, though he's 7-3-0 with a 2.11 mark in his career against the Maple Leafs.


The teams have split two games with Toronto looking to take two of three in the series for a second straight season. With three games remaining, a loss to the Blue Jackets would assure the Maple Leafs of last place in the East.


Any progress the Maple Leafs were showing in the middle of last month has fallen off with a three-game losing streak. Over a 1-5-0 span, they've scored 12 goals with five coming in their win in Florida on March 29.


The Panthers avenged that with Monday's 4-3 final to put Toronto (28-40-11) in position for its sixth losing streak of at least four games this season. It's also in danger of losing four straight in regulation at Air Canada Centre for the first time since March 2014 in its home finale.


"It's just a process right now," coach Mike Babcock said. "We like where we're at. We don't like the standings - don't get me wrong. It's hard to believe you're in the last week of the season and you're not preparing for the playoffs. ... There's been lots of positive things happening, but now we have to keep doing them. There's a long way from (our 67 points) and 100 or 115."


Colin Greening scored twice and has three goals in his last two games after managing three in his first 26 of the season. All but one of his games have come with the Maple Leafs after being acquired Feb. 9 from Ottawa in a nine-player deal.


"This system is something that I can thrive in," Greening said. "It's based on skating, being above people, which I think is my best asset - my skating. Besides that, I can't really pinpoint it.


"Just given an opportunity and trying to make the most of it. At the end of the day, if you talk to any player, that's all they want is an opportunity."


Jonathan Bernier and Garret Sparks have been splitting time, so Sparks could be in goal after Bernier faced the Panthers. He's lost three straight and has a 3.58 GAA over a 1-3-0 span.

[TheGame]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 4/6

Preview: Canucks (30-36) at Oilers (30-43)


Date: April 06, 2016 7:00 PM EDT


It was a place where a dynasty reigned, complete with a magnificent seven as "The Great One" made magic on a nightly basis. Where its fast ice led to slick goals and offensive records that remain as NHL standards.


But given the current state of the Edmonton Oilers, closing down Rexall Place on Wednesday night after facing the Vancouver Canucks to move into Rogers Place next season might be the best thing for a franchise struggling to recapture those glory days.


Rexall Place originally opened in 1974 as the Northlands Coliseum, when the Oilers (30-43-7) played in the WHA. By the time they joined the NHL for the 1979-80 season, their fortunes were on the rise mainly on the strength of one player - Wayne Gretzky. His vision and skill revolutionized the game as No. 99 set single-season marks for goals (92 in 1981-82), assists (163 in 1985-86) and points (215 in 1985-86), all of those marks coming after he scored 50 goals in the first 39 games in 1980-81, a feat completed with his five-goal game versus Philadelphia on Dec. 30, 1981.


"You look at some of the records, you look at the things that happened in the building and you can't help but have good memories," goaltender Grant Fuhr told the team's official website. "I got a point ... it was on his 50th."


The Oilers won four Stanley Cup titles in five years from 1984-88, and the misplayed puck by defenseman Steve Smith that caromed off Fuhr's skate and into the net in Game 7 of their 1986 Smythe Division finals against Calgary is arguably the only reason they didn't win five in a row.


"If we had won that series and maybe possibly another cup, there's five in a row right there," forward Dave Lumley said. "It was crushing."


They added that fifth title in 1990 two seasons after trading away Gretzky, the face of the franchise, as Mark Messier filled the leadership and playmaking void. The two were among seven - Fuhr, Glen Anderson, Paul Coffey, Jari Kurri and coach Glen Sather - who are Hall of Famers from those halcyon days, with Randy Gregg, Charlie Huddy and Kevin Lowe five-time champions along with Messier, Fuhr, Anderson and Kurri.


While the talent currently assembled in Edmonton is nowhere near that of the team's glory days, the constant rebuilding of a team that will miss the playoffs for a 10th straight year has resulted in a series of high draft picks - including four No. 1 overall selections in the past six years - who have yet to come together. First-year coach Todd McLellan has had an up-and-down season trying to build around that latest top pick - Connor McDavid - and railed against his team following a 5-0 defeat to Calgary on Saturday that was Edmonton's third home shutout loss in eight games.


'That's the exact (thing) we're trying to eradicate from this group,' said McLellan, whose Sharks teams made the playoffs in his first six seasons. 'You work hard, you try to get some foundation and you give it all back in one night. We were outshot, we were outhit, we were outscored, out-faceoffed, out-power played, out-penalty killed.


'Forget about the wins and the losses, it's just the effort. Because that's freaking embarrassing.'


Edmonton has gone 3-10-1 in its last 14 at Rexall Place, getting outscored 44-25 overall.


'We have to be better as a team,' said forward Taylor Hall, the first of those top picks in 2010. 'You want to play well in that final Battle of Alberta and have a good last home game at Rexall. We are going to have to be better next game.'


Vancouver (30-36-13) seeks a season-high fourth straight victory after defeating Los Angeles 3-2 on Monday. Jared McCann scored the winner in the second period and Ryan Miller made 40 saves for the Canucks, whose wins in the streak have come against the playoff-bound teams from the Pacific Division.


'We're happy with the wins, but we know where we stand,' Miller said. 'We know it's not good enough and we're on the outside looking in. At least on my part, I feel like there's a foundation (for next season).'

[TheGame]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 4/6

Preview: Flyers (39-26) at Red Wings (40-28)


Date: April 06, 2016 8:00 PM EDT


If the schedule makers had an ideal vision for matchups in the season's final week, reality may line up closely.




With three scenarios in play for the Detroit Red Wings, they will try to gain an edge on another hopeful in the Eastern Conference when the Philadelphia Flyers visit Wednesday night.


The Red Wings (40-28-11) can secure a top-three Atlantic Division seed, a wild-card spot or end up watching the playoffs from home, depending on how they fare in their last three games - all against teams in the hunt.


The high-pressure final week starts against Philadelphia (39-26-13) before the Red Wings close the season on the road against Boston on Thursday and the New York Rangers on Saturday. The Flyers, Bruins and Red Wings are in a tight battle for the final wild card, with Detroit and Philadelphia tied at 91 points.


The Red Wings would like to avoid that fall-back plan, however, by edging the Bruins for the final Atlantic spot. Either way, Detroit's last back-to-back set will determine whether the club can extend its streak of 24 postseason appearances - the longest in major North American professional sports.


"I'd say two of the biggest opportunities is the way I'd word it," coach Jeff Blashill told the team's official website. "But we've known that for a while, that it looks like that's the case."


Things seemed bleak after Detroit surrendered 17 goals in a trio of regulation losses during a five-game stretch, but Jimmy Howard earned back-to-back 3-2 wins over Minnesota and Toronto over the weekend.


Detroit is 21-13-6 at home and has won 27 one-goal games.


'The mindset is Philly on Wednesday,' captain Henrik Zetterberg said. 'We knew that we had it in our own hands for the last week.'


Howard served as the backup to Petr Mrazek for most of the season but seems to have regained the starting role, at least for now. He struggled to a 2.91 goals-against average through his first 30 appearances but has a 2.12 GAA in his last four - much better than Mrazek's 4.69 over his past five.


Howard is expected to be in goal again to try and end Philadelphia's dominance in this series. The Flyers have taken the first two meetings this season for three in a row and six of seven, including two of three in Detroit.


Philadelphia had a three-game winning streak snapped Sunday with a 6-2 loss at Pittsburgh as Steve Mason made his ninth consecutive start and second in as many days.


Mason, who had gone 5-1-1 with a 1.67 GAA in his previous seven games, has been relied on heavily down the stretch with Michal Neuvirth out for at least the rest of the regular season with a lower-body injury. Anthony Stolarz has yet to make his NHL debut and recently signed veteran Ray Emery hasn't played in the league since last April.


Still, Philadelphia is 13-4-2 in its last 19 games.


'Every game has been critical for us over the last two months,' coach Dave Hakstol said. 'Do they get bigger as we get into the final week of the season? You could say that, but every game we have left is critical.'

[TheGame]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 4/6

Grand Salami - April


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
4/1 5 25 36 OVER
4/2 11 58 57 UNDER
4/3 5 26 34 OVER
4/4 5 25.5 32 OVER
4/5 11 - - -
4/6 3 - - -
4/7 13 - - -
4/8 1 - - -
4/9 15 - - -

[TheGame]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 4/6

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


Rather hard to imagine already, but it's the final week of the NHL's regular season. And if you happen to be living north of the border or are a fan of a Canadian hockey team, well, sucks for you. That's because all seven teams from that country will miss the playoffs. It's the first time since 1970 that no Canadian team will compete for Lord Stanley's Cup. Back then, the only Canadian teams in the 12-team league were Montreal and Toronto, two of the Original Six franchises. Five Canadian teams made the playoffs last year: the Canadiens, Senators, Canucks, Flames and Jets. But those teams were a combined 15-24, with none advancing beyond the second round. In 2014, Montreal was the only Canadian club in the playoffs.


The Canadiens began this season looking like a lock playoff team and a legitimate Cup contender. They finished second in the NHL last year with 110 points and had the reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner in goaltender Carey Price back. The Habs started the 2015-16 season 19-4-3, but a long-term injury to Price led to a crash. Montreal is the last team from Canada to win the Cup in 1993.


It's going to be a financial hit all over the country. Obviously sports bars might now get fewer patrons if there are no Canadian teams to root for (or against, I suppose). Three years ago, Rogers Sportsnet signed a 12-year, $5.2 billion deal for rights to NHL games. Clearly ratings are going to go down now. At least all of the Canadian teams now a chance to get the No. 1 pick in this year's draft and take Auston Matthews -- who is an American, by the way. And there's always the World Cup of Hockey in September in which Canada will be favored. That eight-team tournament, staged for the first time since 2004, is being played in Toronto.


Big Loss For Bolts


Any realistic chance Tampa Bay had of repeating as Eastern Conference champion went out the window over the weekend with the news that superstar captain Steve Stamkos would miss anywhere from 1-3 months with a blood clot near his right collarbone. He had surgery on Monday and may have played his last game as a member of the franchise with free agency upcoming. Stamkos leads the Lightning with 36 goals and is tied with Nikita Kucherov for the lead with 64 points. Stamkos has averaged 0.59 goals per game since the 2009-10 season, tied with Washington's Alex Ovechkin for No. 1 in the NHL.


The Bolts also will be without one of their top defensemen, Anton Stralman, for at least another month with a fractured left leg. He had nine goals and 25 assists and was plus-16 while playing 22:05 minutes per night. You aren't winning the East without those two.


The team that beat Tampa in last year's Cup Finals, Chicago, also is starting to look doubtful of returning. Other than a 12-game winning streak earlier this season, the Hawks have been very mediocre. They will play the rest of the regular season without both goalie Corey Crawford and No. 1 defenseman Duncan Keith. Crawford hasn't played since March 14 because of an upper-body injury. The Hawks do expect him for the playoffs, and it's possible Crawford gets one game under his belt before then. Keith is suspended through Chicago's first playoff game. He didn't appeal the NHL's decision and was probably lucky he only got six games for hitting Minnesota's Charlie Coyle in the face with his stick on March 25.


The Hawks are going to open the postseason most likely at either Dallas or St. Louis. Chicago is +750 to win another Cup and Tampa now way up at +2000.


This Week's Games To Watch


Philadelphia at Detroit, Wednesday: This game is on the NBC Sports Network. Neither the Flyers nor Red Wings have clinched a playoff spot yet. Detroit has made the playoffs 24 straight seasons, easily the longest active streak in the four major American pro sports. As of Monday, the Wings hold a one-point lead over Boston for third in the Atlantic Division. The third-place team is automatically in. The Flyers hold the final wild-card spot with 90 points, but that's just one more than Boston, which is the first team out. Philly has won two one-goal games vs. the Wings this season. Detroit then has another big one Thursday in Boston before closing at the Rangers. Philly finishes vs. Toronto, vs. Pittsburgh and Sunday at the Islanders.


St. Louis at Chicago, Thursday: St. Louis will make its push for the Central Division title without forward David Backes and goalie Jake Allen. Both have been ruled out the rest of the regular season and will be re-evaluated before the playoffs. Backes is second on the club with 21 goals and fourth with 45 points overall. Allen has appeared in 47 games this season, posting a 26-15-3 record. He has a .920 save percentage, 2.35 goals-against average and is second in the NHL with six shutouts. But the Blues have another good goalie in Brian Elliott. Meanwhile, it's all but a sure thing only one player in the league this season gets to triple-digit points, and that's Chicago's Patrick Kane. He got to 100 points on Sunday with a hat trick and an assist against Boston. Kane is the first American-born player since Doug Weight in 1995-96 to record 100 points in a season. Kane joins the Penguins' Sidney Crosby (104 in 2013-14) and Evgeni Malkin (109 in 2011-12) as the only players to reach 100 points in the past five seasons. He's the first Blackhawk to do it since Jeremy Roenick in 1993-94. Kane is a lock to win the scoring title as he's 12 points ahead of No. 2 Jamie Benn. But Kane's 43 goals are two behind the Capitals' Ovechkin.


Anaheim at Los Angeles, Thursday: This game could be for the Pacific Division title and a first-round playoff matchup against first wild-card team Nashville. The Ducks lead the Kings by one point and both have four left (L.A. was in Vancouver on Monday). This matchup starts a three-game road trip for Anaheim, which then goes to Colorado and Washington. The Avs might not have anything to play for then and the Caps certainly don't. The Kings are home to Winnipeg on Saturday to close the regular season. If the Kings were to win the Pacific Division, it'd be their first division title since the 1990-91 season and just their second in franchise history. The Kings are +350 Western Conference favorites. The Ducks, who are +500 for the conference title, have won the division each of the past three years. Anaheim leads the season series 3-1 with L.A. so it takes any tiebreaker.

[TheGame]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 4/6

NHL


Hot teams
-- Flyers won three of their last four games. Detroit won six of its last nine.
-- Vancouver won its last three games: 4-2/3-2/3-2.


Cold teams
-- Blue Jackets, Toronto both lost five of their last six games.
-- Edmonton lost five of its last six games.


Series records
-- Columbus won five of last seven games with Toronto.
-- Flyers won six of last seven games with Detroit.
-- Canucks won six of their last eight games with Edmonton.


Totals
-- Over is 4-0-1 in last five Columbus games.
-- Six of last eight Detroit-Philly games went over.
-- Five of last seven Vancouver-Edmonton games stayed under.


Back-to-backs
-- None

[TheGame]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 4/6

COLUMBUS (31-40-0-8, 70 pts.) at TORONTO (28-40-0-11, 67 pts.) - 4/6/2016, 7:05 PM


Top Trends for this game.
COLUMBUS is 9-20 ATS (+32.1 Units) after a division game this season.
COLUMBUS is 22-21 ATS (+51.9 Units) in road games second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 31-24 ATS (+60.9 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 10-5 ATS (+15.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 58-103 ATS (-69.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 23-64 ATS (+106.0 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 34-68 ATS (+129.9 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 23-44 ATS (+77.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 9-27 ATS (-20.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.


Head-to-Head Series History
COLUMBUS is 5-3 (+2.5 Units) against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
COLUMBUS is 5-3-0 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.4 Units, Under=-0.8 Units)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


PHILADELPHIA (39-26-0-13, 91 pts.) at DETROIT (40-28-0-11, 91 pts.) - 4/6/2016, 8:05 PM


Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 16-10 ATS (+29.2 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5 or less this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 24-18 ATS (+5.4 Units) second half of the season this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 23-15 ATS (+41.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 22-16 ATS (+41.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.


Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 6-2 (+4.5 Units) against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA is 6-2-0 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+4.1 Units)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


VANCOUVER (30-36-0-13, 73 pts.) at EDMONTON (30-43-0-7, 67 pts.) - 4/6/2016, 7:05 PM


Top Trends for this game.
VANCOUVER is 30-49 ATS (+88.3 Units) in all games this season.
VANCOUVER is 13-21 ATS (-10.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
VANCOUVER is 135-130 ATS (+281.8 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5 or less since 1996.
VANCOUVER is 212-205 ATS (+431.8 Units) in road games second half of the season since 1996.
VANCOUVER is 8-5 ATS (+16.3 Units) in road games vs. division opponents this season.
VANCOUVER is 6-3 ATS (+11.7 Units) in road games after a division game this season.
EDMONTON is 54-108 ATS (-92.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 32-51 ATS (-30.4 Units) in home games when playing with 3 or more days rest since 1996.
EDMONTON is 12-44 ATS (+65.4 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 165-166 ATS (+336.2 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.


Head-to-Head Series History
VANCOUVER is 9-4 (+2.8 Units) against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
VANCOUVER is 9-4-0 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
6 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.9 Units, Under=-0.5 Units)

[TheGame]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 4/6

COLUMBUS vs. TORONTO
Columbus is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Columbus's last 6 games when playing Toronto
Toronto is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Columbus
Toronto is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games


VANCOUVER vs. EDMONTON
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Vancouver's last 6 games when playing on the road against Edmonton
Vancouver is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Edmonton
Edmonton is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Vancouver
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Edmonton's last 6 games when playing at home against Vancouver


PHILADELPHIA vs. DETROIT
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Philadelphia is 13-6 SU in its last 19 games
Detroit is 13-3 SU in its last 16 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Detroit's last 5 games when playing at home against Philadelphia

[Satch]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 4/6

Preview: Columbus at Toronto
When: 7:00 PM ET, Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Where: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Ontario
A pair of last-place teams in the Eastern Conference who are stumbling to the finish line will square off when the Columbus Blue Jackets pay a visit to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night. Columbus, which is last in the Metropolitan Division, and Atlantic cellar dwellar Toronto have each lost five of their last six games.
The Blue Jackets do have one sliver of “motivation” – a victory Wednesday assures that they will finish no worse than 28th in the 30-team league. Coach John Tortorella raised eyebrows by benching goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and making forward Scott Hartnell a healthy scratch for Monday’s 4-2 loss to the New York Rangers. The Maple Leafs have dropped consecutive one-goal decisions to Detroit and Florida and hope to avoid a fourth consecutive setback. Toronto and Columbus have split a pair of decisions this season, with the away team prevailing in each matchup.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Columbus), Sportsnet East/Ontario (Toronto)
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (31-40-8): Hartnell, who hasn’t scored in his last 13 games, was a healthy scratch for the third time this season while Bobrovsky sat in favor of rookie Joonas Korpisalo, leaving the former Vezina Trophy winner one victory shy of establish the franchise wins record. “It’s not my decision,” Bobrovsky said. “I can’t control who is going to play, who is not going to play. I just focus on today, getting better, and move on.” Captain Nick Foligno was demoted to fourth line but tallied twice to end a 15-game goalless drought.
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (28-40-11): Nazem Kadri, suspended for the final four games of the stick for cross-checking Detroit’s Luke Glendening in the back of the head, was at practice Tuesday and said he will not change his style because of the punishment. “I didn’t intend to hit him in the face, but I play with that edge and sometimes those kinds of things happen,” said Kadri, who conceded he put the league “in a tough position.” Forward Colin Greening, acquired in the deal for defenseman Dion Phaneuf, has three goals in his last two contests.
OVERTIME
1. Maple Leafs G Garret Sparks, who has lost three straight and allowed 14 goals in his last four games, will start versus Columbus.
2. Blue Jackets F Boone Jenner, who has six goals in nine games, has scored three times in six contests versus Toronto.
3. Maple Leafs Fs Peter Holland and Leo Komarov practiced Tuesday but are doubtful for Wednesday’s game.
PREDICTION: Maple Leafs 4, Blue Jackets 3

[Satch]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 4/6

Preview: Vancouver at Edmonton
When: 7:00 PM ET, Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Where: Rexall Place, Edmonton, Alberta
Celebrations have been few and far between for the Edmonton Oilers this season but a festive atmosphere is expected on Wednesday when the cellar-dwelling club hosts the Vancouver Canucks in the final home game at Rexall Place. With the legendary Wayne Gretzky slated to be one of the 100 Oilers’ alumni in attendance, the pregame fireworks could be worth the price of admission before the Pacific Division rivals face off for the first of two contests in a four-day stretch to conclude the season.
“We have a chance on Wednesday to feel good about ourselves and to finish well in this rink and give the fans something to cheer about, what they deserve,” Edmonton forward Jordan Eberle told the team’s website. The Oilers certainly haven’t shown much of late, dropping a 5-0 setback to provincial rival Calgary on Saturday for the team’s third straight loss and fifth in six outings. Vancouver has rebounded from a nine-game slide (0-8-1) to defeat each of the three Pacific heavyweights during its season-high winning streak. Ryan Miller, who turned aside 40 shots in a 3-2 triumph over Los Angeles on Monday, had won his first career 12 meetings against Edmonton before making 22 saves in a 2-1 overtime loss on Oct. 18.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, RSNP (Vancouver), RSW (Edmonton)
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (30-36-13): Veteran forward Jannik Hansen is intent on keeping his foot on the gas pedal even though Vancouver’s season has long since sped off course. The 30-year-old Dane has scored two goals and set up three others during the team’s winning streak after being held off the scoresheet in each of the previous six contests. “You’re playing for jobs, opportunities, families, lives,” said Hansen, who also tallied twice in the Canucks’ 2-1 overtime win over Edmonton on Dec. 26. “You can’t do that to your teammates if you just check out and say, ‘OK we’ll see you in October.’ You have to approach the games like it matters.”
ABOUT THE OILERS (30-43-7): Coach Todd McLellan didn’t mince words after seeing his team shut out for the third time in its last eight home games and suffer its 11th loss (3-10-1) in its last 14 at Rexall Place. “We were outshot, we were outhit, we were outscored, out-faceoffed, out-power played, out-penalty killed,” McLellan said following the team’s performance versus the Flames. “Forget about the wins and the losses, it’s just the effort. Because that’s (freaking) embarrassing.” Cam Talbot was blitzed for all five goals on Saturday, but improved to 2-0-2 in his career versus Vancouver after turning aside all 40 shots he faced in a 2-0 win on March 18.
OVERTIME
1. Vancouver C Bo Horvat is riding a three-game point streak (two goals, two assists), but was held off the scoresheet in all three meetings with Edmonton this season.
2. The Oilers will play their home games at Rogers Place next season.
3. The Pacific Division rivals will wrap up their five-game series in British Columbia on Saturday.
PREDICTION: Canucks 4, Oilers 1

[Satch]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 4/6

Preview: Philadelphia at Detroit
When: 8:00 PM ET, Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Where: Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan
The Detroit Red Wings can strengthen their bid for a 25th consecutive postseason appearance when they open a pivotal back-to-back set against playoff contenders with a visit to the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday. Detroit, Philadelphia and Boston each have 91 points as they vie for the final two postseason spots in the Eastern Conference, with the Red Wings clinging to third place in the Atlantic Division by virtue of having one game in hand over Boston ahead of Thursday’s tilt at TD Garden.
Detroit coach Jeff Blashill wants his team to embrace the challenge as it looks to bolster its playoff position at the expense of its adversaries. “Let’s enjoy this. Let’s enjoy the great opportunity we have ahead of us,” Blashill told the Detroit Free Press. While the Red Wings recorded 3-2 wins over Minnesota (Friday) and Toronto (Saturday) to improve to 6-3-0 in their last nine contests, the red-hot Flyers were cooled a bit on Sunday when they suffered just their fourth regulation loss in 19 outings (13-4-2) with a 6-2 setback to Keystone State-rival Pittsburgh. “We’ve forgotten quick about our losses, and to an extent, our wins,” forward Wayne Simmonds told Philly.com. “We try to stay even-keeled. You enjoy it or dwell on what you did quickly. That’s what we’re going to have to do.”
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TVA
ABOUT THE FLYERS (39-26-13): Workhorse goaltender Steve Mason is expected to make his 10th consecutive start and 15th in 16 outings on Wednesday, when Philadelphia begins a stretch of playing four games in five days. “I don’t think you have time to think about it,” forward Jakub Voracek said of the busy slate for the Flyers, who are clinging to the second wild-card spot. “You put everything on the line and hopefully it’s going to work out.” Voracek scored the deciding goal in the shootout of the Flyers’ 2-1 triumph over Detroit on Jan. 17 and Mason made 34 saves in a 4-3 win over the Red Wings on March 15.
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (40-28-11): After seeing its power play struggle throughout much of the season, Detroit has scored at least once with the man advantage in eight straight contests. “The last few games the power play is really working and that’s what’s putting us on the horse,” forward Tomas Tatar said of the Red Wings, who are 11-for-25 with the man advantage in that stretch. Tatar must feel like he fell off a horse after being hit in the lower leg by a shot from defenseman Kyle Quincey during Tuesday’s practice, but is expected to play versus Philadelphia.
OVERTIME
1. Philadelphia’s Evgeny Medvedev could end an 11-game absence as a healthy scratch should he take the place of fellow D Andrew MacDonald, who is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
2. Detroit has played in an NHL-high 46 one-goal games this season (27-8-11).
3. Both teams failed to score on the power play against the other this season, as the Flyers went 0-for-11 and the Red Wings were thwarted on all six of their chances.
PREDICTION: Red Wings 3, Flyers 2