NHL Betting Info. 4/8

[TheGame]

NHL notebook: Blues' Ott diagnosed with colitis
By The Sports Xchange


St. Louis Blues center Steve Ott has been diagnosed with colitis and will be out up to two weeks.
Ott was on the verge of getting back into the lineup following double-hamstring surgery, which forced him to miss the past 53 games. Colitis is an inflammation of the lining of the colon.
Ott played in 21 games this season and had two assists.


---The Tampa Bay Lightning recalled forward Jonathan Drouin and defenseman Matt Taormina from the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League.
The Lightning reassigned defenseman Slater Koekkoek to Syracuse.


---The Buffalo Sabres recalled forwards Evan Rodrigues and Cole Schneider from the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League.
Both players will be joining the Sabres for their first career recall.


---The Dallas Stars recalled center Jason Dickinson from the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League.
In his first full season of professional hockey, Dickinson has posted 50 points in 69 games for Texas.


---The Edmonton Oilers signed defenseman Caleb Jones to a three-year entry level contract, the team announced.
Jones, 18, had 55 points (10 goals, 45 assists) in 72 games for Portland of the Western Hockey League.

[TheGame]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 4/7

Preview: Blue Jackets (32-40) at Sabres (34-35)


Date: April 08, 2016 7:00 PM EDT


Dan Bylsma and John Tortorella have both hoisted the Stanley Cup as coaches and have expectations their players often have trouble meeting, leading to plenty of frustrating moments during their first seasons overseeing the rebuilding of fledgling clubs.


Buffalo's progression has been most noticeable lately, though, giving Bylsma plenty of hope for the future. Tortorella just witnessed one of Columbus' best performances since he took the job eight games into the season.


They'll meet in the NHL's only game Friday night as the Sabres look to sweep the season series from the visiting Blue Jackets by winning a season-high fourth straight.


Bylsma took over Pittsburgh with 25 games left in 2008-09 and guided the Sidney Crosby-led Penguins to the Stanley Cup months later. He recorded 100-point seasons in four of the next five, but he never came close to that postseason success again and was fired after last season.


Buffalo (34-35-11) hired Bylsma shortly after, trusting him to guide a young core that includes rookie Jack Eichel through a rough patch and into contention down the road. The Sabres have made strides and are riding their first three-game winning streak since Nov. 7-12 following Tuesday's 3-1 victory over New Jersey.


Eichel scored his 24th goal and assisted on Ryan O'Reilly's 21st in support of Chad Johnson, who made 18 saves.


"This shows how much we've grown," Johnson said. "Get rid of October with that learning curve as a group, with a new coach and new players. After that, we've showed we can be a good team."


Eichel and O'Reilly scored in Buffalo's 4-2 win over Columbus on Oct. 12, nine days before the Blue Jackets fired Todd Richards and hired the brash and demanding Tortorella.


Columbus (32-40-8) began the season with eight straight losses and dropped its first under Tortorella, but it also has shown some progress despite sitting at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division.


Tortorella won the Cup with Tampa Bay in 2004 and hasn't been shy about expressing his frustration with the inconsistency of the young Blue Jackets. They've won two of three, though, and dominated the third period of Wednesday's 5-1 win over Toronto.


Brandon Dubinsky, who also played four seasons under Tortorella with the New York Rangers from 2008-12, scored twice, and Brandon Saad added a goal and an assist.


Dubinsky's 17 goals are his most since a career-high 24 in 2010-11.


"If we're going to progress as a team, (Dubinsky) has to score," Tortorella said. "He's a guy that ends up with a lot of chances. He has more to give - he knows that - and if we're going to be a better team, he has to (score more)."


Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves and set a franchise record with his 97th victory since joining the club in 2013, when he won the Vezina Trophy in the lockout-shortened season.


"It's a great honor," Bobrovsky said. "I hope there are more to come."


Bobrovsky struggled against the Sabres back in October, though. He was out with an injury when Eichel finished with two assists in Buffalo's 4-0 victory Feb. 19.


Johnson won the first meeting and could be in net again for this one. He has a 2.13 goals-against average while winning five of his last seven starts.

[TheGame]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 4/8

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 59.5 62 OVER
4/6 3 16.5 17 OVER
4/7 13 - - -
4/8 1 - - -
4/9 15 - - -

[Satch]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 4/8

Preview: Columbus at Buffalo
When: 7:00 PM ET, Friday, April 8, 2016
Where: First Niagara Center, Buffalo, New York
The Buffalo Sabres have a chance to post their longest winning streak of the season on Friday night when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets in their final home game. The surging Sabres made it three victories in a row with a 3-1 win at New Jersey on Wednesday night to improve to 7-2-2 over their last 11 games.
Buffalo got off to a 3-7-0 start to this season and later had a pair of six-game skids before turning things around. “This shows how much we’ve grown,” goaltender Chad Johnson said after the latest victory. “Get rid of October with that learning curve as a group, with a new coach and new players. After that, we’ve showed we can be a good team.” Likewise, the Blue Jackets would like to turn back the clock after stumbling out of the gate with eight straight defeats. Following a four-game skid, Columbus is starting to get their offense untracked, sandwiching a pair of 5-1 victories around a 4-2 setback to the New York Rangers over its last three contests.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Columbus), MSG Buffalo
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (32-40-8): A two-time 20-goal scorer with the Rangers, Brandon Dubinsky tallied twice in Wednesday’s win to boost his total to 17 – his highest in four seasons with Columbus. “If we’re going to progress as a team, (Dubinsky) has to score,” coach John Tortorella said. “He’s a guy that ends up with a lot of chances. He has more to give – he knows that – and if we’re going to be a better team, he has to (score more).” Brandon Saad has scored five times in four games and is one shy of his first 30-goal season.
ABOUT THE SABRES (34-35-11): Forward Tyler Ennis, sidelined since suffering a concussion on Dec. 30, practiced Thursday for the first time since he sustained the injury, although he will be held out of the final two games. “To say I wasn’t scared at some point would be probably a lie, but I feel so good right now. I feel great. I feel 100 percent,” Ennis said. “I wish we could play 82 more games.” Buffalo promoted Cole Schneider and Evan Rodrigues from Rochester of the American Hockey League and both are expected to make their NHL debuts on Friday.
OVERTIME
1. C Jack Eichel has 24 goals and is bidding to become the first rookie to lead Buffalo in that catergory since Ray Sheppard (1987-88).
2. Blue Jackets G Sergei Bobrovsky set a franchise record with his 97th victory while halting a three-start skid.
3. Buffalo has won both meetings this season, outscoring Columbus 8-2.
PREDICTION: Sabres 4, Blue Jackets 3

[Satch]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 4/8

Hot teams
— Sabres won last three games, allowing five goals.
Cold teams
— Blue Jackets lost five of their last seven games.
Series records
— Sabres won four of last six games with Columbus.
Totals
— Over is 5-0-1 in last six Columbus games.
Back-to-backs
— None