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**Satch** · 04-14-2016, 09:23 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info 4/14

Eastern Conference Outlook
By Alex Smith

Washington Capitals vs. Philadelphia Flyers
2015-16 Head-to-Head Record: Tied 2-2 SU, 1-1-2 O/U
Home team has won 6 of the Last 9 Meetings
Flyers: 7 of the Last 10 Meetings
Capitals: Lost 12 of Last 17 Road Playoff Games

Two clubs who's playoff history dates back to the vicious Patrick Division battles during the 1980s, The Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers are set to clash once again in the first round of this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Capitals have had a monstrous campaign, dominating for well over 3/4ths of the season. Washington set a new record for most wins (56/57), most points (120/121/122) and they captured their second President's Trophy in franchise history. Led by their superstar captain Alexander Ovechkin, who notched his 3rd consecutive 50-goal season and goaltender Braden Holtby, who ended the season tied with Martin Brodeur for most wins by a goaltender in a season with 47, the Caps have been the odds-on favorite to win the Stanley Cup since after the New Year.

However, we have seen President's Trophy-winning clubs fall short of the grand prize time and time again. The 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks are the last club to win both the President's Trophy and Stanley Cup in the same year, and that was a shortened season due to a lockout. You have to go back to the 2001-02 Detroit Red Wings to find a club that won both trophies in a full 82-game season year. Philadelphia returns to the postseason after a down year in 2015-16.

The Flyers, led by first year coach Dave Hakstol, played simple, stripped-down hockey this year, focusing on puck possession, clean neutral-zone play and balanced lines that provided a good wealth of scoring all season. Forwards Wayne Simmonds & Claude Giroux along with rookie D-man Shayne Gostisbehere have been the 3 key pieces for this club's success offensively, while goaltender Steve Mason has turned in a decent ledger this season for the Flyers, but he has yet to prove his worth in a postseason series. With a 2-6 career playoff record, he will the biggest piece of the puzzle in order for them to pull what would be a big upset.

The Flyers haven't fully returned to the "Broad Street Bullies" just yet, but they play a strong, physical brand of hockey that is a contrast from the fast, offensive possession style that the Capitals have made an art form of this season. While these two teams have a built-up rivalry and some tight contests between each other, this Washington team is on a mission to get over their recent playoff struggles. This team will turn on an extra gear in this series and advance to the 2nd Round in what should be a deep postseason run.

Prediction: Capitals in 6

Washington Capitals
(Record: 56-17-8; 120 Points - Presidents' Trophy Winners)
O/U Record: (21-12-19 at 5 / 12-17 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#5: 21.9%)
Penalty Kill: (#2: 85.2%)
# of OT/SO Games: 19

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015
(Beat NY Islanders in 7, Lost to NY Rangers in 7)
(7-7 SU, 3-9-2 O/U & 7-7 ATS Last Postseason)

14-14, 6-17-5, 18-10 ATS Last 5 Series
5-12 Last 17 Playoff Road Games

Current Form: On a 3-6 SU Run Last 9 Games
PK Unit: 20 Kills/22 Chances Last 9 Games

Leading Scorers: Evgeny Kuznetsov (20g, 77pts)
Alex Ovechkin (50g, 71pts), Nicklas Backstrom (20g, 70pts)
Justin Williams (22g, 52pts), T.J. Oshie (26g, 50pts)

#1 Goalie: Braden Holtby (48-9-7, 2.20 G.A.A; .923 Sv% with 3 SO in 65 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 16-18, 1.92 G.A.A; .936 Sv%)

Philadelphia Flyers
(Record: 41-27-14; 96 Points)
O/U Record: (23-11-20 at 5 / 8-18 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#11: 18.9%)
Penalty Kill: (#20: 80.5%)
# of OT/SO Games: 27

Last Playoff Appearance: 2014 (Lost to NY Rangers in 7)
(3-4 SU, 3-2-2 O/U & 3-4 ATS in that Series)
8-10 SU, 10-6-2 O/U & 8-10 ATS Last 3 Playoff Series

Current Form: On a 15-8 SU Run
On a 6-3 SU Run Last 9 Games as a Favorite

Leading Scorers: Claude Giroux (22g, 67pts)
Wayne Simmonds (32g, 60pts), Brayden Schenn (26g, 58pts)
Jakub Voracek (11g, 55pts), Shayne Gostisbehere (17g, 46pts)

#1 Goalie: Steve Mason (23-19-10, 2.51 G.A.A; .918 Sv% w/ 4 SO in 53 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 2-6, 3.11 G.A.A; .907 Sv% in 8 GS)

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Detroit Red Wings
2015-16 Head-to-Head Record: Tied 2-2, 1-3 O/U
Home team has won 10 of last 14 meetings
Lightning: Beat Red Wings in 1st Round Last Year in 7 Gms
Red Wings: 25 Straight Postseason Appearances (Longest Streak in North American Sports)

This rematch from last year's opening round series will have a much different feel this time around. The Tampa Bay Lightning enter this series as defending Eastern Conference Champions after beating the Red Wings in a thrilling seven-game series that was very physical and showcased the defensive prowess from both clubs that hadn't been their mantra during the season prior.

One major change in this match-up will be the absence of Bolts star winger Steven Stamkos, who is out indefinitely after surgery to correct a blood clot in his arm. Stamkos was 2nd in points scored for this Tampa club that has had trouble off and on all season finding consistent secondary scoring, a trait that carried them deep into the playoffs just a season ago. Detroit fought off Boston to grab the 3rd spot in the Atlantic Division on the final weekend of the season to extend their postseason record to 25 consecutive seasons.

Kudos to 1st year coach Jeff Blashill for handling the pressure of dealing with rotating injuries, shaky goaltending and maintaining a record that the Motor City faithful take great pride in. With that said, this series will be a test of which club's offense can heat up at the right time. The Wings will be looking for a boost from rookie sensation Dylan Larkin and veteran mainstay Pavel Datsyuk, who has announced this will be his last NHL season at the conclusion of the playoffs. The oft-injured winger is one of the last members from the Detroit clubs that won Stanley Cups in 2002 & 2008.

The goaltending tandem of Jimmy Howard & Petr Mrazek were the glaring weakness in this series last year, and it seems like not much has changed in that time. Jimmy Howard has been solid as of late, winning 6 of his last 9 starts, but Petr Mrazek, who started all 7 games in the 2015 series, has lost 4 of his last 5 starts. For the Bolts, it's Ben Bishop who has been turning in yet another solid season between the pipes. The 6'7" netminder has won 6 of his last 8 starts and held opponents to 2 or fewer goals in 6 of his last 9 appearances overall. This will be another tightly contested series where goals will be at a premium, and small mistakes will be critical.

Prediction: Lightning in 6

Tampa Bay Lightning
(Record: 46-31-5; 97 Points)
O/U Record: (23-25-10 at 5 / 11-16 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#28: 15.8%)
Penalty Kill: (#7: 84%)
# of OT/SO Games:

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015
(Beat Detroit in 7, Beat Montreal in 6, Beat NY Rangers in 7, Lost to Chicago in 6)
(14-16, 12-17-1 and 16-14 ATS Last 5 Series dating back to 2014)

Current Form: 0-4 SU Last 4 as an Underdog, 3-6 Last 9 Road Games,
PK has allowed 1 Goal in 5 of Last 8 Games

Leading Scorers: Nikita Kucherov (30g, 66pts)
Steven Stamkos (36g, 64pts - Injured), Victor Hedman (10g, 47pts)
Alex Killorn (14g, 40pts), Ondrej Palat (16g, 40pts)

#1 Goalie: Ben Bishop: (35-21-4, 2.06 G.A.A; .926 Sv% with 6 SO in 60 GS)
(Career Playofff Record: 13-11, 2.18 G.A.A; .921 Sv%)

Detroit Red Wings
(Record:41-30-11; 93 Points)
O/U Record: (25-28-16 at 5 / 6-14 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#13: 18.8%)
Penalty Kill: (#14: 81.5%)
# of OT/SO Games: 22

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 (Lost to Tampa Bay in 7)
(3-4 SU, 2-4-1 O/U & 3-4 ATS in that Series)
19-23 SU, 13-17-12 O/U & 23-18 ATS Last 5 Postseasons

Current Form: 5-13 SU Last 18 Road Games
Power-Play has scored at least 1 Goal in 9 of Last 11 Games
Howard: 6-3 SU Last 9 Starts
Mrazek: 1-4 SU Last 5 Starts

Leading Scorers: Henrik Zetterberg (13g, 50pts)
Pavel Datsyuk (16g, 49pts), Tomas Tatar (21g, 45pts)
Dylan Larkin (23g, 45pts), Gustav Nyquist (17g, 43pts)

Goalies:
Jimmy Howard (14-14-5, 2.80 G.A.A; .906 Sv% in 33 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 21-24, 2.53 G.A.A; .919 Sv%)

Petr Mrazek (27-16-6, 2.33 G.A.A; .921 Sv% w/4 SO in 49 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 3-4, 2.11 G.A.A; .925 Sv%)

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Pens lead 3-1 SU, 1-1-2 O/U
Road Team has won 7 of Last 10 Meetings
Under is 5-2-2 Last 9 Meetings
Rangers: Beat Penguins in 5 Games of first round in 2015
Penguins: Lost 6 of Last 10 meetings vs. Rangers

Another first round re-match from last postseason takes place as the scorching hot Pittsburgh Penguins take on the New York Rangers.

It was the Blueshirts who made short work of Sidney Crosby and company last April as the Rangers won the series 4 games to 1, but this season, the Penguins have picked up 3 wins in their 4 meetings. Earlier in the year it was the Rangers that were the all the rage in the Eastern Conference, starting off on a 18-7-3 run, but then cooling off once the injury bug started to hit and affect key guys like goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, and defensemen Kevin Klein & Dan Girardi.

Now it's Pittsburgh that has been one of the best teams in the NHL down the stretch, winning 16 of their last 20 contests to bounce from a fringe team on the bubble of reaching a Wild Card berth to firmly planting themselves into 2nd place in the Metropolitan Division. The mid-season coaching change, hiring Mike Sullivan to replace Mike Johnston, worked out very well, as this dynamic offense, led by Crosby, Evgeni Malkin & newly acquired Phil Kessel finally woke up and took charge, scoring goals in bunches for most of the 2nd half of the season.

Pittsburgh's only major concern has to be their current situation in net. Marc-Andre Fleury has missed time this season on two separate occasions with concussion issues, and while rookie Matt Murray looked stellar in goal during Fleury's recent absence, he too was injured in their season finale, suffering a blow to his head and is now listed as questionable for the start of this series.

As of now, should Fleury & Murray both be ruled out, the goaltending duties would be on Jeff Zatkoff & Tristan Jarry, the latter of which has never even appeared in an NHL contest. This will be an all-out battle, given these two clubs' history with one another. And while the offense for Pittsburgh has been electric, the question mark between the pipes is just big enough to cause some serious concern. I'll give the edge to King Henrik's club to edge out a close series victory.

Prediction: Rangers in 7

Pittsburgh Penguins
(Record: 48-26-8; 104 Points)
O/U Record: (26-16-12 at 5 / 10-17 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#16: 18.4%)
Penalty Kill: (#5: 84.4%)
# of OT/SO Games: 18

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 (Lost to NY Rangers in 5)
(1-4 SU, 1-4 O/U & 5-0 ATS in that Series)
16-17 SU, 16-16-1 O/U & 16-17 ATS Last 6 Series

Current Form: On a 16-4 SU Run Last 20 Games
Scored 4+ Goals in 11 of Last 14 Games
PK Unit: 41 Kills / 45 Chances over Last 14 Games

Leading Scorers: Sidney Crosby (36g, 85pts)
Kris Letang (16g, 67pts), Phil Kessel (26g, 59pts)
Evgeni Malkin (27g, 58pts) Patric Hornqvist (22g, 51pts)

Goalies:
Marc-Andre Fleury (35-17-6, 2.29 G.A.A; .921 Sv% w/5 SO in 58 GP)
(Career Playoff Record: 53-44, 2.65 G.A.A; .906 Sv%)
(Last 5 Years Postseason: 15-20, 2.86 G.A.A; .905 Sv%)

Matt Murray (9-2-1, 2.00 G.A.A; .930 Sv% in 13 GS)
Rookie Was Starting in Place of Fleury, who was out with a concussion, but he suffered a head injury in the Season Finale and is questionable as well.

Jeff Zatkoff (4-7-1, 2.79 G.A.A; .917 Sv% in 11 GS)
(No NHL Playoff Experience)

New York Rangers
(Record: 46-27-9; 101 Points )
O/U Record: (20-29-16 at 5 / 8-9 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#14: 18.6%)
Penalty Kill: (#26: 78.2%)
# of OT/SO Games: 16

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015
(Beat Pittsburgh in 5, Beat Washington in 7, Lost to Tampa Bay in 7)

11-8 SU, 6-12-1 O/U, 5-14 ATS Last Postseason
40-41 SU, 24-40-17 O/U & 31-50 ATS Last 5 Postseasons
4-5 in 1st Home Game of Series since 2013

Current Form:On a 7-4 SU & 6-0-5 O/U Run Last 11 Games
Allowed 2+ Goals in 18 of Last 19 Games
Lundqvist: 4-8 SU Last 12 Starts

Leading Scorers: Mats Zuccarello (26g, 61pts0
Derick Brassard (27g, 58pts), Derek Stepan (22g, 53pts)
Keith Yandle (5g, 47pts), J.T. Miller (22g, 43pts), Chris Kreider (21g, 43pts)

#1 Goalie:
Henrik Lundqvist (35-21-7, 2.48 G.A.A; .920 Sv% with 4 SO in 64 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 54-56, 2.22 G.A.A; .923 Sv% with 9 SO)

Florida Panthers vs. New York Islanders
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Panthers lead 2-1 SU, 1-0-2 O/U
Home Team has won 6 of the Last 10 Meetings
Underdogs have won 6 of the Last 10 Meetings
Over is 8-0-2 Last 10 Meetings
Panthers: 18-8 SU Last 26 Home Games
Islanders: On a 7-4 SU Run Last 11 Games Overall

It's a Cross-Divisional clash as the Atlantic Division Champion Florida Panthers open the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New York Islanders.

This has been a miraculous season for the 'Cats, as many people picked this club to fall somewhere between a Wild Card entry and a Top 5 Lottery Pick for the next Draft. However, with a solid blend of youthful talent and some crafty veterans, the Panthers not only reached the playoffs for the 2nd time in this decade, but with 103 points, the team set a new record for most points in franchise history, en route to winning their 2nd ever division title.

The "Ageless Wonder," 46-year old Jaromir Jagr is not only still skating on an NHL roster, but he leads this club in points and has really set an example for the younger guys on this hockey team with his tireless work ethic and love for this game. He's a perfect locker room guy to have around up-and-coming stars like Vincent Trocheck, Jonathan Huberdeau, Aaron Ekblad & Nick Bjugstad.

The New York Islanders had a nice honeymoon season in their new digs at the Barclays Center over in Brooklyn, reaching the playoffs for the 3rd time in 4 seasons. The core of this club remains intact from last year, with star winger john Tavares leading the way, along with contributions from Forwards Kyle Okposo & Brock Nielson. This club is tough & gritty and will bang the boards with anyone in the league.

Their one weakness heading into the postseason is their defense, and that's as a result of injuries sweeping through their blue line and goaltenders as of late. D-men Travis Hamonic & Calvin de Haan both missed time late in the season with ailments, the former has yet to return to the line-up. In net, Starter Jaroslav Halak has been out for over a month with a groin issue, and Thomas Greiss has been moved to the #1 role, but his new back-up, Jean-Francois Berube, went down a week ago with a lower body issue, and he's questionable for Game 1.

Should something happen to Greiss, who virtually has no NHL playoff experience, the task of tending net would go to either Berube or Christopher Gibson, who barely even have a week's worth of NHL season time on their pads.

This will be a fun series to watch, as we get to see Florida in the playoffs, which is a rare treat, and we also get to see a great fan base in Brooklyn cheer on their squad. Both teams have made great strides over the last couple of seasons to reach this point and we will see a pair of hungry hockey clubs battle it out in this one. I like the Panthers here to win their first playoff series in over 20 years.

Prediction: Panthers in 6

Florida Panthers
(Record: 47-26-9; 103 Points, Atlantic Division Champions)
O/U Record: (25-18-18 at 5 / 8-13 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#23: 16.9%)
Penalty Kill: (#24: 79.5%)
# of OT/SO Games: 17

Last Playoff Appearance: 2012 (Lost to New Jersey in 7)
(3-4 SU, 2-2-3 O/U & 5-2 ATS in that series)

Current Form: On an 11-5 SU Run Last 16 Games Overall
PK Unit has allowed 1+ Goals in 9 of Last 11 Games
Offense has scored 3+ Goals in 13 of Last 17 Games

Leading Scorers: Jaromir Jagr (27g, 65pts)
Jussi Jokinen (18g, 60pts), Aleksander Barkov (28g, 59pts)
Jonathan Huberdeau (20g, 59pts), Vincent Trocheck (25g, 53pts - Injured)

#1 Goalie: Roberto Luongo (34-19-6, 2.35 G.A.A; .922 Sv% w/4 SO in 59 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 32-31, 2.54 G.A.A; .916 Sv% with 5 Shutouts)

New York Islanders
(Record: 45-27-10; 100 Points)
O/U Record: (11-9-8 at 5 / 22-32 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#17: 18.3%)
Penalty Kill: (#4: 84.5%)
# of OT/SO Games: 21

Last Playoff Appearance:2015 (Lost to Washington in 7)
(5-10 SU, 6-7-1 O/U & 8-5 ATS Last 2 Postseasons)

Current Form: Over is 8-2-1 Last 11 Games
On a 4-1 SU run Last 5 Games as a Favorite

Leading Scorers:
John Tavares (33g, 70pts), Kyle Okposo (22g, 64pts)
Frans Nielsen (20g, 52pts), Brock Nelson (26g, 40pts)

Goalies:
Jaroslav Halak (18-13-4, 2.30 G.A.A; .919 Sv% w/3 SO in 36 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 13-15, 2.39 G.A.A; .924 Sv%) (Injured-Groin)

Thomas Greiss (23-12-4, 2.36 G.A.A; .924 Sv% in 38 GS)
(No NHL Playoff Experience)

**Satch** · 04-14-2016, 09:24 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info 4/14

Western Conference Outlook
By Alex Smith

Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Stars lead 4-1 SU, 3-2 O/U
Road Team has won 6 of the Last 9 Meetings
Favorite has won 5 of the Last 8 Meetings
Over is 6-2 Last 8 Meetings
Stars: On a 13-5 SU Run Last 18 Games Overall
Wild: 2-5 SU Last 7 Playoff Games

With a dramatic 3-2 victory in their regular season finale at home, the Dallas Stars clinched both the Central Division crown and the top seed in the Western Conference, and will now open the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Minnesota Wild in the first round.

Dallas has been one of the best teams in the league all season from an offensive standpoint, with one of the best power-play units converting at a 22% clip, led by the duo of forwards Jamie Benn & Tyler Seguin, the two combined for 74 Goals & 87 Assists during the season.

Minnesota comes into this series on a 5-game losing streak, after previously winning 6 in a row. Their schizophrenic offensive attack has been the primary cause for their roller-coaster season, which saw a bit more stability once John Torchetti was brought in as new Head Coach late into the season. The Wild went 15-11-1 down the stretch with the former Chicago assistant at the helm. Injuries have bit this club as of late, as two key forwards Thomas Vanek & Zach Parise, could miss the start of this series. That duo combined for 43 goals during the season.

The keys to this series will undoubtedly come down to Goaltending & Special Teams. Dallas has been platooning between the Finnish duo of Antti Niemi & Kari Lehtonen all season. While both netminders have turned in respectable records this year, the 32-year old Niemi holds a 10-4-2 career record versus the Wild, which could give him the starting edge, despite Lehtonen winning 6 of his last 7 starts.

Devan Dubnyk will start between the pipes for Minnesota, and he will have to shake off his recent struggles if the Wild stand a chance of advancing out of the first round for the 3rd consecutive year. Dallas' PP shouldn't have too much of a struggle against the Wild's penalty-killing units.

Minnesota is ranked 4th-worst in the league in PK% at just under 78%. The Wild are a disciplined team, that stresses puck possession, but if they can't find the back of the net, they do get frustrated easily, which can turn into penalties.

If the Stars' blue-line corps can do enough to keep quality shots away from either netminder, this could be a very quick series for the club that once called the Twin Cities home over 2 decades ago.

Prediction: Stars in 5

Dallas Stars
(Record: 50-23-9; 109 Points - Central Division Champions)
O/U Record: (2-1-1 at 5 / 43-33 at 5.5 / 0-2 at 6)
Power Play: (#4: 22.1%)
Penalty Kill: (#10: 82.3%)
# of OT/SO Games: 17

Last Playoff Appearance: 2014 (Lost to Anaheim in 6)
(2-4 SU, 4-2 O/U & 4-2 ATS in that series)

Current Form: On a 9-2 SU run Overall and 6-0 Run at home.
5-1 SU Last 6 as a Favorite
PP has scored at least 1 Goal in 6 of Last 9 Games
PK Unit 50 Kills/53 Chances in the Last 15 Games
Lehtonen: 6-1 SU in his Last 7 Starts

Leading Scorers: Jamie Benn (41g, 88pts)
Tyler Seguin (33g, 73pts), Jason Spezza (33g, 63pts)
John Klingberg (10g, 57pts), Patrick Sharp (20g, 54pts)

Goalies:
Kari Lehtonen (25-10-2, 2.76 G.A.A; .906 Sv% in 39 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 2-6, 3.88 G.A.A; .874 Sv%)

Antti Niemi (25-13-7, 2.68 G.A.A; .905 Sv% in 43 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 35-26, 2.74 G.A.A; .907 Sv%

Minnesota Wild
(Record: 38-33-11; 87 Points)
O/U Record: (21-25-20 at 5 / 8-8 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#15: 18.5%)
Penalty Kill: (#27: 77.9%)
# of OT/SO Games: 15

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015
(Beat St. Louis in 7, Lost to Chicago in 4)
10-18 SU, 14-9-6 O/U & 14-15 ATS Last 5 Series
0-5 in Game 1's Last 5 Series

Current Form: On an 0-5 SU run
Offense held to 30< SOG in 7 of Last 9 Games

Leading Scorers: Mikko Koivu (17g, 56pts)
Zach Parise (25g, 53pts), Ryan Suter (8g, 51pts)
Mikael Grandlund (13g, 44pts), Nino Niederreiter (20g, 43pts)

#1 Goalie: Devan Dubnyk (32-27-6, 2.33 G.A.A; .918 Sv% with 5 SO in 65 GS) (Career Playoff Record: 4-7, 2.53 G.A.A; .908 Sv%)

St. Louis Blues vs. Chicago Blackhawks
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Blues lead 3-2 SU, 2-1-2 O/U
Road Team has won 5 of the Last 7 Meetings
Underdog has won 4 of the Last 6 Meetings
Blackhawks: 3-10 in Game 1 of Playoff Series since 2011
Blues: Lost to Chicago in 6 Games in 2014 first round

A historic division rivalry is renewed once again in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the defending Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks look to officially begin their quest for a repeat, start off battling against the St. Louis Blues.

The Hawks & Blues face-off in an opening round series just 2 postseasons ago, where the Blues held a 2-0 series lead and dropped 4 straight, leading to the 2nd of what became 3 consecutive first round exits, while Chicago went all the way to Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, losing in Overtime to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion LA Kings.

This year's series has a similar setup, with St. Louis clinching home-ice less than a week ago after picking up a 2-1 OT win against these Hawks, in a game where they trailed for virtually the entire game, and tied up the contest with under a minute left and picking up the 2nd point early in the extra frame.

Both teams have superb offenses and talented defenders, but some hot & cold spells with goaltending. Chicago's top netminder Corey Crawford has returned after missing 11 starts with concussion-like symptoms, but he showed a bit of rust in his last start, a 5-4 OT loss at Columbus to conclude the regular season. The 2-time Cup Winner was looking like a Vezina Trophy Finalist during the 1st Half of the Season, going 28-12-2 with 7 shutouts before the All-Star Break, but faltering down the stretch with a 7-6-3 record.

The Blues are riding the hot pads of Brian Elliott, who suffered a mid-season injury, only to return and dominate between the pipes with a 12-1-1 record in his last 14 starts. Jake Allen was also very strong in net during Elliott's absence, but he is now out with his 2nd significant injury of the season and is questionable to even back-up his 31-year old counterpart.

The hottest offensive line in all of hockey has been the trio of Patrick Kane, Artemi Panarin & Artem Anisimov. The 2013 Conn Smythe Winner will be adding to his trophy room collection this Summer regardless of how the Playoffs fare, as Kane becomes the 1st ever American-born player to win the Art Ross Trophy for most points scored during the regular season with 106. In addition, the 25-year old rookie Panarin led all first-year players with 76 points and is a shoe-in for the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year.

With all of this being said, the Hawks will need this line to produce as well as major contributions from Captain Jonathan Toews and veteran Marian Hossa, who is slated to return from a minor leg injury in time for this series. St. Louis has been a very tough team and they will be playing with a chip on their shoulder knowing that they have done well against Chicago during the season and will look to avenge their playoff defeat from 2 years ago. This club has just enough talent to pull off their first series win since 2012.

Prediction: Blues in 7

St. Louis Blues
(Record: 49-24-9; 107 Points)
O/U Record: (29-31-10 at 5 / 3-9 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#6: 21.5%)
Penalty Kill: (#3: 85.1%)
# of OT/SO Games: 22

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 (Lost to Minnesota in 7)
11-17 SU, 12-12-4 O/U & 10-18 ATS Last 4 years

Current Form: On a 14-4 SU run Last 18 Games.
Brian Elliott: 12-1-1 Last 14 Starts
Under is 6-4 Last 10 Games
PK Unit: 24 Kills/26 Chances over Last 10 Games

Leading Scorers:
Vladimir Tarasenko (40g, 74pts), Alex Steen (17g, 52pts)
Paul Stastny (10g, 48pts), David Backes (21g, 45pts),
Kevin Shattenkirk (14g, 44pts)

Goaltenders:
Brian Elliott (23-8-6, 2.01 G.A.A; .931 Sv% with 4 Shutouts in 37 GS)
(Career Playoff Record:6-10, 2.55 G.A.A; .898 Sv%)

Jake Allen (26-15-3, 2.35 G.A.A; .920 Sv% with 6 Shutouts in 44 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 2-4, 2.20 G.A.A; .904 Sv%)

Chicago Blackhawks
(Record: 46-27-9; 103 Points)
O/U Record: (11-16-22 at 5 / 12-14 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#2: 22.6%)
Penalty Kill: (#22: 80.3%)
# of OT/SO Games: 20

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 (Beat Nashville in 6,
Beat Minnesota in 4, Beat Anaheim in 7, Beat Tampa Bay in 6)
45-26 SU, 34-27-10 O/U & 36-35 ATS Last 5 Years
3-10 SU in 1st Road Game of a Series since 2010 Cup Final

Current Form: On a 5-3 SU run Last 8 Games Overall
Offense has scored 3+ Goals in 6 of Last 8 Games.
PK Unit: 32 Kills / 35 Chances over the Last 13 Games
7/19 on the Power-Play over the Last 5 Games

Leading Scorers:
Patrick Kane (46g, 106pts - Art Ross Trophy Winner)
Artemi Panarin (30g, 77pts - Leads All Rookies)
Jonathan Toews (28g, 58pts), Brent Seabrook (14g, 49pts)

#1 Goalie: Corey Crawford (35-18-5, 2.34 G.A.A; .924 Sv% in 58 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 45-29, 2.23 G.A.A; .921 Sv% with 5 SO's)

Anaheim Ducks vs. Nashville Predators
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Predators lead 2-1 SU, 2-0-1 O/U
Over is 9-0-1 Last 10 Meetings
Ducks: 7-3 SU Last 10 Meetings
Predators: 7-9 SU Last 16 Playoff Games

One of the biggest comeback stories in this NHL season will be taking part in the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the Anaheim Ducks take on the Nashville Predators in a first round series.

The Ducks got off to a 5-12 SU start to the season and looked like they would be a lottery pick contender, but they were able to muster through the storm and finished the 2nd half of the season with a 25-11 run over the last 3 months to climb all the way back and win the Pacific Division on the very last day of the regular season.

The longtime duo of Corey Perry & Ryan Getzlaf, along with a ton of young core players like Hampus Lindholm & Josh Manson, and the goaltending of Frederik Andersen & John Gibson all contributed to what was a magical run after a disastrous start.

For Nashville, the Predators were looking to expand on what had been a nice 2015-16 campaign, ended abruptly by the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks. The club had a bit of a roller-coaster season and eventually made the playoffs with a late push in, clinching the top Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

Wingers James Neal & Filip Forsberg hold down the offense for the Preds while veteran goalie Pekka Rinne leads a slightly-above average defense. Once considered one of the top goaltenders in the world, the 33-year old starter has logged a lot of ice time and has shown signs of fatigue in the last couple of seasons.

Both of these clubs possess solid Special Teams units, with Anaheim leading the league in both Power-Play & Penalty Kiliing percentage. Nashville's numbers rank within the middle of the league, but this time of year is all about momentum, which is certainly on the side of the Ducks. This will be an interesting series to watch, but I don't expect any shocking finishes here.

Prediction: Ducks in 5

Anaheim Ducks
(Record:47-25-11; 103 Points - Pacific Division Champions)
O/U Record: (21-24-16 at 5 / 11-10 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#1: 23.1%)
Penalty Kill: (#1: 87.2%)
# of OT/SO Games: 18

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015
(Beat Winnipeg in 4, Beat Calgary in 5, Lost to Chicago in 7)
21-15 SU, 17-12-7 O/U & 16-18 ATS Last 6 series

Current Form: On a 5-3 SU Run Last 8 Games
On a 6-4 SU Run Last 10 Games as a Favorite
6-14 SU This Season as an Underdog

Leading Scorers:
Ryan Getzlaf (13g, 63pts), Corey Perry (34g, 62pts)
Ryan Kesler (21g, 53pts), Richard Rakell (20g, 43pts)

Goalies:
John Gibson (21-13-4, 2.07 G.A.A; .920 Sv% w/4 SO in 37 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 2-2, 2.70 G.A.A; .919 Sv% in 4 Starts

Frederik Andersen (21-9-7, 2.36 G.A.A; .917 Sv% w/ 2 SO in 36 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 14-7, 2.54 G.A.A; .913 Sv%)

Nashville Predators
(Record: 41-27-14; 96 Points)
O/U Record: (19-15-18 at 5 / 14-16 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#10: 19.7%)
Penalty Kill: (#16: 81.2%)
# of OT/SO Games: 20

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 (Lost to Chicago in 6)
2-4 SU, 5-1 O/U and 4-2 ATS in 2015 Playoffs

Current Form:
1-6 Last 7 Road Games, 5-2 Last 7 Home Games
5-1 Last 6 as a Favorite, 5-16 Last 21 as an Underdog

Leading Scorers:
Filip Forsberg (33g, 63pts), Roman Josi (14g, 61pts)
James Neal (31g, 57pts), Shea Weber (20g, 51pts)

#1 Goalie: Pekka Rinne (34-21-10, 2.48 G.A.A; .908 Sv% w/4 SO in 66 GS)
(Career Playoff Record:15-19, 2.48 G.A.A; .914 Sv%)

Los Angeles Kings vs. San Jose Sharks
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Sharks lead 3-2 SU, 3-0-2 O/U
Road Team is 7-4 SU Last 11 Meetings
Over is 4-2-1 Last 7 Meetings
Kings: 3rd-Fewest Goals Allowed in NHL (192)
Sharks: Blew 3-0 Lead to Kings in 2014 first round

Two hated Pacific Division rivals clash in this opening round series between the Los Angeles Kings and the San Jose Sharks.

These two squads faced off just 2 postseasons ago, with the Sharks suffering a historic collapse after taking a 3-0 series lead, allowing the Kings to come back and win 4 straight en route to their 2nd Stanley Cup in 3 years. That series loss was the catalyst for San Jose to fire coach Todd McLellan and a shake up of leadership and infusion of youth within the Sharks locker room.

Now this team is hungry again and ready to make another run into the playoffs after a one-year rebuild. The Kings also look primed and ready to make a deep postseason push after missing out on the playoffs last year, becoming the first team since the 2007-08 Carolina Hurricanes to miss the postseason a year after winning the Stanley Cup.

Both of these teams are built in similar fashion, with big, strong forwards up front who have the skills to score but also the toughness to bang bodies along the boards. They each have very dangerous Power-Play attacks and neither club takes a ton of dumb penalties. However, given the nature and history of this rivalry, we will definitely see our fair share of hits, collisions, extra-curriculars after the whistles, and maybe even a fight or two break out. The one glaring edge in this match-up is goaltending.

Jonathan Quick is one of the best goalies in the world when he's hot and with his deep playoff experience, he is always a guy the Kings can rely on to steal a game within a series. He'll either face off against his old back-up in Martin Jones, who has done a stellar job this season for SJ, but doesn't have any postseason experience, or James Reimer, who was acquired from Toronto near the Trade Deadline. The 28-year old backstop has played in one postseason series a few years ago, and has looked good since joining the club with a 6-2 record.

I expect this to be one of the roughest and toughest series of all of the first round match-ups, and with the past events looming in the heads of those veteran Sharks players like Joe Thornton & Patrick Marleau, I expect the San Jose club to see "Red" whenever the Silver & Black hit the ice, and I look for them to get past LA in this opening round.

Prediction: Sharks in 7

Los Angeles Kings
(Record:48-28-6; 102 Points)
O/U Record: (24-27-23 at 5 / 4-5 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#8: 20%)
Penalty Kill: (#15: 81.4%)
# of OT/SO Games: 18

Last Playoff Appearance: 2014
(Beat San Jose in 7, Beat Anaheim in 7, Beat Chicago in 7, Beat NY Rangers in 5)
16-7 SU, 14-8-4 O/U and 15-11 ATS in 2014 Playoffs

Current Form:
On a 4-7 SU Run Last 11 Games Overall
1-5 SU Last 6 Road Games
Allowed 3+ Goals in 8 of Last 11 Games

Leading Scorers:
Anze Kopitar (25g, 73pts), Jeff Carter (24g, 61pts)
Tyler Toffoli (30g, 57pts), Milan Lucic (20g, 54pts)

#1 Goalie: Jonathan Quick (40-23-5, 2.22 G.A.A; .919 Sv% w/ 5 SO in 68 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 45-31, 2.22 G.A.A; .923 Sv% with 9 Shutouts)

San Jose Sharks
(Record: 46-30-6; 98 Points)
O/U Record: (19-18-8 at 5 / 23-14 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#3: 22.5%)
Penalty Kill: (#21: 80.5%)
# of OT/SO Games: 15

Last Playoff Appearance: 2014 (Lost to Los Angeles in 7)
(3-4 SU, 5-1-1 O/U & 3-4 ATS in that series)
58-56 SU in Playoffs from 2004-2014 (10 Appearances)

(Note: 2013 Sharks became the 4th team in Stanley Cup Playoff History to blow a 3-0 Series lead with 1942 Red Wings, 1975 Penguins, 2010 Bruins)

Current Form: On a 5-2 SU Run Last 7 Games overall
10-3 SU Last 13 Road Games
Power-Play has scored at least 1 Goal in 12 of Last 15 Games

Leading Scorers:
Joe Thornton (19g, 82pts), Joe Pavelski (38g, 78pts)
Brent Burns (27g, 75pts), Patrick Marleau (25g, 48pts)

Goalies:
Martin Jones (37-23-4, 2.27 G.A.A; .918 Sv% w/6 SO in 65 GS)
(Only NHL Playoff experience: 56 Minutes of Relief in 2 GP)

James Reimer (6-2, 1.62 G.A.A; .938 Sv% with 3 Shutouts in 8 GS for SJ)
(Career Playoff Record: 3-4, 2.88 G.A.A; .923 Sv%)

**Satch** · 04-14-2016, 09:24 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info 4/14

Betting 101: How to safely bet the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs

The NHL playoffs, more so than any other sport’s postseason, are about as different from the regular season as you can get.

Teams that dominated during the regular schedule suddenly find themselves on the brink of elimination, and clubs that squeaked into the playoff picture can catch fire and ride a hot goalie all the way to the Stanley Cup.

In order to help hockey bettors navigate the upside-down world of postseason puck, we asked some top handicappers to share their best tips, tactics, and trends when it comes to successfully wagering on the NHL’s second season.

Hot goaltenders

Like pitching in baseball, goaltending can singlehandedly win a playoff series. Year after year, hockey bettors witness incredible performances between the pipes and make a small mint riding these red-hot keepers.

On the other side of the coin, not having a proven No. 1 goalie can quickly put a wrap on the season – no matter how many goals a team can score. Jesse Schule points to the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have been ushered out of the playoffs the past four years thanks to shaky play in the crease.

When looking to narrow down the field to legitimate Stanley Cup contenders, its always good look at the goaltenders first. Which ones are capable of carrying a team on their shoulders if need be? Who can steal a game, or even a series?

The Washington Capitals are hoping the sensational campaign by Braden Holtby can finally get them over their playoff woes and deliver a Stanley Cup. Holtby finished the season with a 48-9-7 record, just one win short of Martin Brodeur's record for wins in a single season. He also owns a 2.20 goals against average and .922 save percentage heading into the playoffs.

Depth and toughness

Ever watch a hockey player get interviewed about his team’s deep postseason run? More often than not, the guy’s face looks like someone dropped a plate of spaghetti on the floor and then tried to sew it back together.

The NHL playoffs are a grueling challenge of teams’ overall talent and toughness. When a series goes six or seven games, the true depth of a roster is drawn to the surface.

Injuries can spoil an NHL bet faster than a Shea Weber slapshot and knowing which teams are healthy, getting healthy, and beat up entering the playoffs is a good way to gauge just where you should put your money.

Some teams that were banged up earlier this season are healthy now and could perform better than expected, while the opposite could be true of teams suffering through multiple injuries at the moment.

Teams that can get production from their third and fourth lines are the ones who survive, while clubs that rely on a few key players to carry the team often find themselves trading hockey sticks for golf clubs. Opponents draw up schemes to shadow and lock down these stars and force role players to beat them.

It's important to consider depth. Which teams can roll four lines and get steady production from their role players? Unlike other sports, the NHL playoffs aren't all about the superstars. It's the grinders that often decide which team is left standing in June.

Physicality also plays a major role in the outcome of the playoffs, with every hit looked at as an investment. Finesse teams can get worn down over the course of a series while teams that like to lay the lumber excel in the furious pace of the postseason.

“Some teams might not be the fastest and most skilled, but instead they out-work, out-hit, and physically dominate their opponents,” says Schule.

Road Warriors

Another big difference between the NHL playoffs and other sports’ tournaments is the importance - or lack thereof - when it comes to home ice.

In basketball and football, having the crowd on your side is crucial to a championship run. However, in hockey, bettors get great value with road teams in the postseason. Hot home teams like Dallas or the New York Rangers may be good fade bait while tough road clubs, like San Jose, can hold added pop on the road.

“Other than getting the final line change, there is really not much of an edge for the home team,” says Steve Merril. “Obviously, the crowd will be supporting them. But unlike the NBA, it does not influence officials as much, as penalties are normally called evenly and on an alternating makeup basis. NHL playoffs is the one sport where I feel home teams are generally overvalued, especially since travel is not a factor and both teams in a best-of-seven series have the same travel schedule.”

Ben Burns believes each NHL postseason game is unique and doesn't carry as much momentum from one contest to the next. Teams quickly make adjustments, line changes and roster moves based on the game before and can have a completely different feel when they face off next. A high-scoring Game 1 can produce a low-scoring Game 2 with teams tightening up on defense.

Special teams

Referees do tend to let a lot more slide in the postseason compared to regular season action, so it makes it even more important for teams to capitalize on those man-advantages when the whistle does blow.

“It is absolutely imperative to score on the power play, in order to discourage opponents from taking cheap shots at your best players,” says Schule.

Entering the postseason, the Anaheim Ducks boast the top power-play attack in the league with 56 goals with the man advantage and a 23.0 power-play percentage. At the bottom of the scale, the Tampa Bay Lightning boast the lowest power-play percentage in the playoffs at 15.8 percent.

When it comes to playing a man down, the Ducks are just as good at killing those penalties off, as they are at scoring with the man advantage. They rarely got burned with a man in the box ranking first in the NHL with an 87.2 penalty-kill percentage. The Blues and Capitals followed them, each killing off 85.1 percent of their penalties. The Minnesota Wild have the worst penalty kill among playoff teams at 77.9 percent.

Editor's note: This article was originally published in April 2014. Stats and info have been updated to reflect this NHL season

**Satch** · 04-14-2016, 09:24 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info 4/14

NHL notebook: Leafs sign Rielly, Kadri to six-year deals
By The Sports Xchange

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed defenseman Morgan Rielly and forward Nazem Kadri to new six-year contracts on Wednesday.
They both could have become restricted free agents on July 1.
Rielly, 22, led all Maple Leafs' defensemen with a career-high 36 points (nine goals, 27 assists) while skating in all 82 games this year. The native of Vancouver, British Columbia, also led the team with 23:13 of average ice time per game. Since entering the league in 2013-14, Rielly has collected 92 points (19 goals, 73 assists) in 236 regular-season games.
Kadri, 25, led the Maple Leafs with 45 points (17 goals, 28 assists) in 76 games this season. In parts of seven NHL seasons, the London, Ontario, native has registered 197 points (81 goals, 116 assists) and 207 penalty minutes in 326 regular-season games.

---The New York Rangers recalled forward Marek Hrivik from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League.
Hrivik, 24, skated in five games with the Rangers this season, registering one assist and a plus-three rating. He made his NHL debut on Feb. 21 and tallied his first career NHL assist/point on Feb. 23 at New Jersey. Hrivik also recorded two shots on goal, posted a plus-one rating, and led all Rangers forwards with 18:18 of ice time on April 9 against Detroit.
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Hrivik skated in 68 games with the Wolf Pack this season, recording 41 points (12 goals, 29 assists) and 18 penalty minutes.

---After Arizona fired general manager Don Maloney on Monday, the Coyotes made a point to let it be known that coach Dave Tippett was in no danger.
President and CEO Anthony LeBlanc said Tippett, who has two years left on his contract, would be back. Tippett also had a chance to leave and decided against exercising an out clause in his contract. According to reports, the Coyotes will give Tippett more control over player personnel.
The search for a new GM will be led by Coyotes majority owner Andrew Barroway, alternate governor Gary Drummond and LeBlanc

**Satch** · 04-14-2016, 09:24 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info 4/14

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

I love the NHL but honestly don't watch much hockey during the regular season. But I would argue that the Stanley Cup playoffs are the best postseason of any major American sport, and the pucks drops on them starting Wednesday.

Certainly the top storyline has to involve the Chicago Blackhawks, the team of the decade. Chicago has won three Stanley Cups in the past six seasons but has yet to repeat. The last team to go back-to-back was the Detroit Red Wings in 1997 & '98. These Hawks don't look as good as last year's club, but if any team knows how to flip a switch, it's this one. Patrick Kane finished with an NHL-high and career-best 106 points to become the first American-born player to win the Art Ross Trophy as top scorer. Kane, who had 27 multipoint games, has to be the NHL MVP, which will be announced later this summer. And the Hawks should have the Calder Trophy winner as Rookie of the Year in Kane's linemate Artemi Panarin, who led all rookies with 77 points. The last Hawk to win that award? Kane in 2007-08.

Chicago is +450 to win the Western Conference and +750 to win the Cup. The Hawks open at St. Louis on Wednesday night. A reminder that Chicago will be without top defenseman Duncan Keith, the reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP, for that game as he finishes a suspension. The Hawks and Blues are both -110 on the series line.

St. Louis will get back captain David Backes after he missed the final week or so with an injury. The Blues won three of the five regular-season meetings, with three of the five games decided after regulation. The Blues took a 2-0 lead in the first round of the playoffs two years ago against Chicago and then proceeded to lose the next four games. This franchise hasn't won a playoff series since the 2011-12 season, and I highly doubt Coach Ken Hitchcock is brought back if it happens again.

The other main story is that of the Presidents' Cup-winning Washington Capitals. Alex Ovechkin won yet another Rocket Richard Trophy as the NHL's top goal-scorer with 50. It's the fourth straight season and sixth time overall he has done that. But Ovechkin's teams have flamed out in the postseason, failing to reach the conference finals with him. The Capitals have not played past the second round since they reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 1998.

The Caps are +400 favorites to win the Cup and +150 to win the East. It's actually pretty rare for a team to win the Presidents' Trophy and Stanley Cup in the same season, doing so just eight times. Chicago was the last in 2012-13. Washington opens against Philadelphia, a team I didn't think would make the playoffs and which has a negative goals differential (minus-4). Washington is -265 on the series line with Philadelphia at +225. The teams split four regular-season meetings.

Probably the marquee playoff matchup is Pittsburgh against the New York Rangers. The Pens won three of the four meetings and are -155 series favorites. Back in 2014, the Penguins won Game 4 of the conference semifinals against the Blueshirts at Madison Square Garden to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. However, the Rangers won the next three and also ousted Pittsburgh last year in five games.

Both teams have injury questions. New York captain Ryan McDonagh is dealing with an upper-body injury, reportedly a broken hand, and won't start Game 1. It's not clear if he will play at all. Fellow defenseman Dan Girardi is questionable, as is center Eric Staal, who was acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes in a trade on Feb. 28.

Pittsburgh remains without Evgeni Malkin, who has been sidelined since March 11 due to a suspected wrist/hand injury. He's not likely to play in the opener at least. Who will be in net for the Pens? Marc-Andre Fleury hasn't played since March 31 due to a concussion but was at practice on Monday. Youngster Matt Murray was great in Fleury's place but he was injured on Saturday -- a possible concussion -- and being called day-to-day. Why was he playing in a meaningless game?

The other significant injury to watch around the league is to the Stars' Tyler Seguin. He has been out since March 17 with an Achilles injury but was at practice on Monday. Coach Lindy Ruff wouldn't say if Seguin could play in Game 1 against Minnesota on Thursday. Seguin had 33 goals and 40 assists in 72 games for the NHL's highest-scoring team. The Stars probably don't need him to beat Minnesota, which enters the playoffs on a five-game losing streak. Dallas, the West's top seed, is -175 on the series line.

My Western Conference picks to advance are: Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles (over San Jose) and Anaheim (over Nashville), so chalk there. In the East: Washington, NY Rangers, NY Islanders (over Florida) and Detroit (over Steven Stamkos-less Tampa Bay).

**Satch** · 04-14-2016, 09:25 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info 4/14

Preview: Flyers (41-27) at Capitals (56-18)

Date: April 14, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) When the Washington Capitals were coasting down the stretch, defenseman Matt Niskanen conceded 'it's hard to turn it on' come playoff time. Capitals players talked about it then, what the intensity level would rise to when the playoffs start.

On the eve of facing the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round, the Capitals say they have put concerns about complacency behind them. It's no longer about manufacturing urgency but rather staying on an even-keel in what should be an emotional series.

'It's just making sure it doesn't get too high, making sure we're prepared and level-headed and focused going in instead of just (being) too excited just to be here that we start making mistakes out of excitement and overplaying situations,' goaltender Braden Holtby said. 'Making sure we're ready, we're prepared to put a full, all-in effort in.'

While the Capitals clinched the Presidents' Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout before another Eastern Conference team clinched a playoff spot, the Flyers have been all-in for months. They needed to go 15-5-3 since Feb. 25 just to get into the playoffs as the second wild card in the East.

'It was tough, I'm not going to lie,' Flyers forward Jakub Voracek said after clinching Saturday. "A lot of road games, a lot of tough games, a lot of skating, a lot of traveling. But you know, we dig in.'

The Capitals didn't have to dig in, yet they still went 11-6-4 since the trade deadline.

'You get concerned about habits that start to become evident,' Washington general manager Brian MacLellan said. 'I think the challenge has been for the coaching staff to balance out where we were in the standings and still hold our team accountable to get us ready to be playing the right way at the end.'

The NHL's divisional format allows for plenty of opportunities for familiarity-breeding contempt, but even more so in this series because the Capitals and Flyers met March 30 in Philadelphia.

'Playing the Flyers a couple times in really that last month was very helpful for us just so you got a good feel,' Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. 'I think it helps the players. It probably helps the Flyers, as well. I don't think there's an advantage one way or the other, but I think there's a comfort knowing what you're getting into.'

---

Some things to know about the Capitals-Flyers series:

LET'S GET PHYSICAL: These aren't the Broad Street Bullies, but Wayne Simmonds and the Flyers won't shy away from physical play. Philadelphia has a reputation for running opposing goaltenders, so Holtby understands what's coming his way. Washington isn't as big as it was in the 2015 playoffs without Troy Brouwer and Joel Ward, but forward Tom Wilson should being able to provide the muscle. If he keeps his head on straight, he can play on the same edge as the Flyers.

EXPERIENCE OF THE KINGS: The Capitals added winger Justin Williams and center Mike Richards, who won the Stanley Cup with the Los Angeles Kings in 2012 and 2014, for this time of year. Williams and Richards are also former Flyers players who know all about the playoff intensity in Philadelphia. Williams and Richards have about as much combined playoff experience as Philadelphia's entire Game 1 lineup combined, so the Flyers are hoping to pick up the pace fast.

THE NOT-SO-FRIENDLY GHOST: Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere is the quarterback of the power play, and his offensive infusion changed the team's season when he was called up in the fall to replace the injured Mark Streit. Nicknamed 'Ghost,' Gostisbehere brings a dynamic from the blue line no other player in the series has, and the Capitals' penalty kill will be tested. Washington only gave up multiple power-play goals in a game twice this season.

OVECHKIN THE THREAT: The last time the Capitals and Flyers met in the playoffs back in 2008, Alex Ovechkin had four goals and five assists in the seven-game series. Ovechkin is a more complete player now and coming off his seventh 50-goal season, so he's a threat to score on the power play and at even strength. The Flyers could just try to shut Ovechkin down and let Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov beat them.

SNIDER ON THEIR MINDS: The Flyers learned of the death of founder and owner Ed Snider on Monday morning at the age of 83 following a two-year battle with bladder cancer. Captain Claude Giroux said Snider 'is the Philadelphia Flyers,' and the team will wear patches on their uniforms to remember him. The Flyers are dedicating the playoffs to Snider's memory.

**Satch** · 04-14-2016, 09:25 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info 4/14

Preview: Islanders (45-27) at Panthers (47-26)

Date: April 14, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) The days of the Florida Panthers playing before a largely empty arena are not exactly long gone. It was just last season when the franchise was setting attendance futility records, getting attention for plenty of wrong reasons.

The narrative has changed completely since.

No longer hockey's official doormat, the Panthers won the Atlantic Division title, set records for wins and points in a season and now can set their sights on ending the league's second-longest current drought between playoff series wins. They open the Eastern Conference playoffs Thursday at home against the New York Islanders, the team that just happens to have the longest such drought.

Florida hasn't won a series in 20 years. The Islanders haven't won one in 23 years. But both were 100-point clubs this year, and it's not farfetched for either to be thinking that they can win it all.

'If you're going into the playoffs thinking you can't do it, you might as well kick yourself right out of the playoffs,' Florida defenseman Erik Gudbranson said.

The Panthers are in the playoffs for just the second time since 2000, falling in seven games to eventual finalist New Jersey in 2012. The Islanders have lost their last eight playoff series going back to 1993, and lost to Washington in seven games in last year's opening round.

'It takes a lot of luck, a lot of health, a lot of special teams and great goaltending to get by a round,' Islanders coach Jack Capuano said. 'If we do those things we have a chance to get by Round 1. I got a lot of confidence in these guys that they're going to compete at a high level. You have to have a short memory. If you have a bad shift, if you lose a hockey game, you better bounce back. Those are the things we're going to concentrate on.'

---

Here's some of what to watch going into the series:

BACK TO BACK: The series starts with a rare playoff back-to-back on Thursday and Friday, with the NHL saying it was necessary because of a 'combination of factors' with other events scheduled at both arenas. The Panthers' BB&T Center couldn't host a potential Game 1 on Wednesday because of a concert; the Islanders' Barclays Center has conflicts on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday. According to STATS, the Islanders were 9-3-3 on the second night of back-to-backs this season, the Panthers were 8-4-2.

GOALIE ISSUES: Florida would seem like it rates a serious edge here, at least from an experience factor. The Panthers' Roberto Luongo will be playing in his 65th playoff game Thursday night, his 63rd as a starter. New York - with Jaroslav Halak still injured - will go with Thomas Greiss, whose only Stanley Cup playoff game action was a 40-minute relief stint in 2010.

JAGR FACTOR: No one in NHL history has more goals against the Islanders than Florida's Jaromir Jagr, who has lit the lamp 64 times at their expense (three of those coming in postseason play). Jagr was born before the Islanders' franchise started play, was a two-time Stanley Cup winner before the Florida franchise played its initial game, yet even at 44 has proven that he remains an elite talent.

TIES THAT BIND: The Islanders' last series win came against Jagr and the Pittsburgh Penguins, and if that wasn't enough the architect of that New York team was Bill Torrey - who would soon become the first president of the Panthers. Torrey, one of the most respected executives in NHL history, has a banner retired in his honor by both the Islanders and the Panthers, and still has family living in New York. Torrey is an assistant to Panthers GM Dale Tallon.

SEASON SERIES SUCCESS: Florida's Aleksander Barkov had five points (2-3-5) in the three games against the Islanders this season, while Luongo stopped 81 of 87 shots. For the Islanders against Florida, defenseman Marek Zidlicky (0-3-3) was the leading scorer in the season series. Greiss beat the Panthers in his only appearance against them, stopping 23 of 25 shots.

**Satch** · 04-14-2016, 09:25 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info 4/14

Preview: Wild (38-33) at Stars (50-23)

Date: April 14, 2016 9:30 PM EDT

DALLAS (AP) Patrick Sharp is getting ready to face Minnesota in a playoff series for the fourth year in a row. It will be the first for the Dallas Stars, the franchise with roots in the Twin Cities.

Known as the North Stars before moving south to Dallas in 1993, the Stars are the top seed in the Western Conference. They open their first-round series at home Thursday night against the Wild, the team that eventually replaced them in Minnesota.

'I'm sure it means something to the fans,' Stars center Jason Spezza said. 'For us as players, it's a little different generation for us, we weren't directly involved in it.'

Spezza and Sharp were acquired in trades the past two offseasons, and with the high-scoring young All-Star duo of Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin helped lead Dallas to its first No. 1 seed since 2003.

The Wild, in their 15th season since entering the NHL as an expansion team, are hurting going into their fourth consecutive playoff appearance. Top scorer Zach Parise (25 goals) won't even travel for the first two games because of an upper-body injury that has kept him off the ice for more than a week.

'It changes lines and the combinations we have and special teams. In every area of the game, it will have an effect,' center Mikko Koivu said. 'But if he's in, if he's not, then we've got to react to that as a team and go from there.'

The Wild will also be without Thomas Vanek (18 goals) while Erik Haula, a solid third-line center who defends well, will likely be a game-time decision.

When the Stars won their only Stanley Cup title in 1999, they beat Buffalo and Lindy Ruff, now their third-year coach. Sharp was part of his third Stanley Cup championship last season with the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Stars won four of five meetings this season against Minnesota, three in overtime along with a 6-3 win that included two empty-net goals - among the Stars' NHL-record 24 empty-netters and NHL-best 265 goals overall this season. Minnesota's victory was 2-1.

But the last of those games was Feb. 9, before the Wild fired Mike Yeo and named John Torchetti the interim coach.

'Their defense is involved a little bit more ... Offensively, I think they've got a little bit more giddy-up and go in them,' Ruff said. 'There's going to be some structure changes for them and there might be personnel that are in or out. The playoffs, I wipe the slate clean and you start from Game 1.'

Some things to know when the Central Division foes meet in the playoffs for the first time:

SEGUIN SKATING: All-Star forward Tyler Seguin was back on the ice this week after missing Dallas' last 10 games because of a small cut of his left Achilles tendon. Seguin had 73 points in 72 games before getting hurt. Ruff said Wednesday that Seguin was available to play, but that a decision for Game 1 wouldn't be made until Thursday. Seguin and Benn (89 points) are the NHL's highest-scoring teammates over the past two seasons.

WILD ENDINGS: Minnesota has finished its last three playoff appearances with losses to Chicago and Sharp. The Wild lost a first-round series in 2013 when the Blackhawks went on to win the Stanley Cup. The two teams met in the second round each of the last two seasons after Minnesota's first-round upsets - over Colorado in 2014 and St. Louis last year.

WHICH FIN IN NET?: Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen have split goaltending duties for the Stars all season, and likely will do so to start the playoffs after both Finnish players recorded 25 wins this season. Ruff said he wouldn't name a starting goalie before Game 1.

DIFFERING FINISHES: Minnesota ended the regular season with five straight losses, after winning six in a row before that. While the Wild were 15-11-1 after Torchetti took over as coach, they had the fewest points (87) by a Western Conference playoff team since San Jose in 1999-2000. Dallas won eight of its last 10 games, including 3-2 over Nashville in the regular season finale when Spezza had a hat trick and the Stars clinched the top seed.

---

This story corrects to say Dallas is the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference for the first time since 2003, not 1999-2000.

**Satch** · 04-14-2016, 09:26 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info 4/14

Preview: Sharks (46-30) at Kings (48-28)

Date: April 14, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES (AP) Almost every NHL contender has a few ghosts of past failures that they must exorcise on the path toward the Stanley Cup.

The San Jose Sharks have a monster in their closet, and they've got to face it in the first round.

Just two years ago, the Los Angeles Kings rallied from a 0-3 series deficit in the first round to eliminate San Jose in humiliating fashion at the Shark Tank. The momentum propelled the Kings to their second championship, and it sent the Sharks on a spiral that bottomed out last spring with their first non-playoff season in over a decade.

Although Peter DeBoer wasn't on the Sharks' bench for that collapse, the coach knows all about it, and he hopes his players don't let it linger in their minds.

'Obviously there are a lot of teams left in the wake of the Kings who aren't leaving with good feelings over the last five or six years,' DeBoer said. 'It's a great test. You have to go through the best to win this trophy, and we're starting from one of the best.'

Few NHL opponents know each other better than these California rivals. They're about to face off in the postseason for the fourth time in six seasons, with several core players on both teams remaining from every series.

The Sharks won the first two meetings in 2011 and 2013, but the Kings made up for it in 2014. Los Angeles rode that momentum past Anaheim, Chicago and the New York Rangers to the franchise's second Stanley Cup championship, but missed the postseason along with San Jose last spring after three years of playoff grind finally caught up.

'It doesn't affect us at all,' Kings coach Darryl Sutter said of the 2014 series. 'The teams are pretty familiar with each other. We're close in terms of style, standings, all the critical stats, if you take any of that, if it makes any difference at all. I think it doesn't. It starts over. Everybody's at zero. The roster changes. If you're going back to two years ago, then two years ago it didn't affect it when the Sharks beat the Kings. It doesn't. It has no bearing on anything.'

Here are some more things to watch when the series opens at Staples Center on the day after Kobe Bryant's retirement game:

JONER'S TURN: Martin Jones will start the series opener for the Sharks in a familiar building. Jones won a championship ring during two years as Jonathan Quick's backup, appearing in two Kings playoff games in 2014. Realizing that the gifted goalie known in LA as 'Joner' would never supplant Quick, the Kings traded him to Boston last summer in a deal for Milan Lucic, and the Bruins shipped him to San Jose. 'It's a fun building to play in, (but) I think the novelty of playing the old team has kind of worn off,' Jones said.

UP THE MIDDLE: The Kings and Sharks have two of the NHL's best collections of playmaking centers. Joe Thornton, Logan Couture and Patrick Marleau center San Jose's top three lines, while Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter and Vincent Lecavalier line up down the middle for Los Angeles. Both teams rely heavily on the skills of their pivots to generate offense. The 36-year-old Thornton is having a renaissance season, while Kopitar and Carter have been outstanding down the stretch.

DEPTH CHARGE: The Sharks realize they can't take a break against the Kings and Sutter, who methodically rolls four lines and grinds away at every opponent. The same strategy led the Kings to two Cups, and Lecavalier's midseason arrival has given a boost to the scoring production on Los Angeles' third line. 'I think LA has really won being a four-line team,' DeBoer said. 'You can't understate the importance of their third and fourth lines over the past five or six years and their Cup wins. They kind of set the bar, and that's where everyone else is trying to get to.'

MISSING OUT: The roles are reversed in this series from past playoff matchups, with the Kings generally considered the favorite after leading the Pacific Division for most of the season. The Sharks are still regrouping from last season's reset and subsequent revitalization, yet they finished only four points behind the Kings and five behind first-place Anaheim.

**Satch** · 04-14-2016, 09:26 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info 4/14

Sportsbooks don't want these five teams to win the Stanley Cup
By JASON LOGAN

Among sports championships, the NHL’s Stanley Cup is not only the most kick-ass trophy in the bunch (you can drink champagne out of it. Try that with the World Series trophy/diorama) but it is considered by most to be the toughest title to earn.

The NHL playoffs are a grueling test of skill and will for 16 select hockey teams, and it’s not always the No. 1 seeds doing battle in the Cup final either. That unpredictability makes the NHL futures market a breeding ground for live long shots.

We talk to sportsbooks in Las Vegas and online about which NHL clubs would dish out the biggest body check to the futures book should they hoist Lord Stanley this season. Here are five teams the bookies are cheering against in the NHL playoffs:

Chicago Blackhawks (Open: +600, Now +700)

The defending Stanley Cup champs were bet early and often since sportsbooks tossed up their 2015-16 NHL futures. Bookmakers may be breathing a little easier with Chicago stumbling down the stretch and dropping to the No. 6 seed in the West, meaning a first-round matchup with the St. Louis Blues (10/1 to win Cup).

Johnny Avello, executive director of race and sports for Wynn Las Vegas, says his book always sees money on the Blackhawks – and all Chicago pro sports teams for that matter. He’s among a group of operators rooting against the Blackhawks this postseason.

"The Chicago Blackhawks are always a liability,” Avello said. “They're bet early in the season, and they were the winner last year so when you put up your futures book for the following year they're bet then. And if they perform throughout the season, of course, they're going to be bet throughout the season."

Online books are also pushing for an early exit from the defending champs. Offshore market BetNow.eu opened Chicago at 5/1 and hockey fans didn’t waste time making their opinion heard.

“At the start of the season, plenty considered that this could be the year that the Stanley Cup hangover would finally go away, they were at +500 at that time,” an oddsmaker says regarding their liability on the Blackhawks.

Pittsburgh Penguins (Open: +1,200, Now: +800)

The Penguins’ star-studded roster is always a draw at the NHL futures book, especially after Pittsburgh added Phil Kessel to the mix last summer. The Pens were slow out of the blocks, with captain Sidney Crosby struggling to find his All-Star form, and were as high as 30/1 around Christmas.

However, Pittsburgh caught fire in the final month of the schedule, winning 18 of its final 23 games and earning the third spot in the East. The Penguins open against the New York Rangers in the first round of the playoffs – still waiting on the status of top goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.

“We took significant action from some value players on the Penguins about a month ago when they were better than +2,200,” says John Lester.

Pittsburgh also boasted a big price with Nevada sportsbook operator CG Technology, which operates books at The M, Cosmopolitan, and Venetian. They had the Penguins anywhere from 6/1 to 25/1 over the course of the NHL season.

“Most of the liability on them is at 20/1 and 25/1, including a $4,000 bet at 25/1 from January (that would net a $100,000 payout),” Jason Simbal, vice president of risk management for CG Technology, said.

Los Angeles Kings (Open: +1,000, Now: +600)

The Kings opened with an appealing price to win the Stanley Cup and that drew in many hockey bettors looking for a live underdog. Los Angeles is always a contender with solid goaltending and one of the best bluelines in the league.

“Los Angeles was a popular team with our bettors all season,” Greg Sindall says. “Almost all of the money is in the 8/1 to 10/1 range where they were listed for most of the season. It wasn’t until mid-March or so that the odds came down a bit.”

In Las Vegas, the Southern California teams always draw money from the wave of tourists making their way to Sin City from L.A. The Kings are no exception, and were priced between 5/1 and 15/1 at CG Technology sportsbooks.

“Most of the money was bet at 12/1 and then we took a $7,000 bet at 7/1 (which would pay $49,000),” Simbal said.

San Jose Sharks (Open: +6,000, Now: +1,800)

Another California club that is giving books the chills this postseason are the Sharks, who were monstrous long shots to open the schedule at some sportsbooks. Online market Bookmaker.eu wasn’t as generous with their opening odds on San Jose and have seen most of their action on the Sharks come in the past week, with many NHL fans liking the value with the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.

“The Sharks have seen the most money at the futures window since the playoff teams were set,” says Lester. “We opened them at +2,400 and now they're hovering around +1,900.”

Anaheim Ducks (Open: +800, Now, +1,000)

Books aren’t big fans of hockey in the Golden State this postseason, with the Ducks also holding futures liability in some markets. Anaheim, the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, was well respected by oddsmakers out of the gate, but did watch its odds climb as high as 30/1 just after the New Year.

“Anaheim was a popular pick in the offseason last summer but people really piled on in the winter when they were priced in the 20/1 to 30/1 range,” says Sindall. “They are too good of a team to not have turned it around and those odds were too hard to pass up for many bettors.”

**Satch** · 04-14-2016, 09:26 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info 4/14

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Thursday's NHL betting previews

Eight more teams hit the ice for the first time in the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thursday night with both number one seeds (Washington Capitals and Dallas Stars) and one of the most hyped matchups of the opening round between the San Jose Sharks and the Los Angeles Kings.

No. 8 Philadelphia Flyers at No. 1 Washington Capitals (A:+190, H:-230, O/U: 5)

After exceeding expectation by capturing the second Presidents' Trophy in franchise history, the Washington Capitals look to avoid the end result that befell them the last time the club emerged with the NHL's best record. No stranger to early exits in the playoffs, the Capitals attempt to get off on the right foot on Thursday when they host the upstart Philadelphia Flyers in Game 1 of their opening-round series.

"I can't go to the bank and they're going to give me anything," coach Barry Trotz said after his club finished 11 points better than the next closest team (Dallas). "Other than (home ice), we're entitled to nothing." While Washington had a fair amount of time to prepare for the playoffs, Philadelphia punched its ticket during its penultimate game of the regular season. The Flyers rode a blistering 15-5-3 stretch over the final 23 contests to leap over four teams and secure the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. Included in that stretch was a 2-1 shootout win over the Capitals on March 30 that evened the four-game regular-season series at two victories apiece.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, TVA

ABOUT THE FLYERS (41-27-14, 46-36 ATS, 32-30 O/U): To a man, many of the Philadelphia players dedicated the team's spirited late-season surge to owner Ed Snider, who died on Monday after a two-year battle with bladder cancer. "We'll be playing with heavy hearts. But at the end of the day, I think Mr. Snider wanted us to win a Stanley Cup," forward Wayne Simmonds told Philly.com. Simmonds scored seven times in his last seven games to set a career high in goals (32) and added two more assists in that stretch to match a personal best with 60 points.

ABOUT THE CAPITALS (56-18-8, 37-45 ATS, 33-33 O/U): Captain Alex Ovechkin reached the 50-goal plateau for the seventh time in his career this season, with two of those tallies coming against Philadelphia. The three-time Hart Trophy winner traditionally has tormented the Flyers to the tune of 48 points (31 goals, 17 assists) in 41 career encounters. Goaltender Braden Holtby tied Martin Brodeur's NHL record with 48 wins in a season, but managed only two at Philadelphia's expense and owns a 6-4-6 mark with a 2.76 goals-against average versus the Flyers.

TRENDS:

* Flyers are 4-1 in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
* Capitals are 1-4 in their last 5 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
* Under is 12-3-3 in Flyers last 18 after scoring 5 goals or more in their previous game.
* Under is 4-1 in Capitals last 5 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Flyers are 8-3 in the last 11 meetings.

No. 7 New York Islanders at No. 2 Florida Panthers (A:+120, H:-140, O/U: 5)

The visiting New York Islanders and Florida Panthers begin their first-round playoff series on Thursday in search of something neither team has seen in a long time: the second round. The Islanders last won a postseason series a staggering 23 years ago while the Atlantic Division champion Panthers' most recent visit to the second round came during their unlikely run to the Stanley Cup Final in 1996.

"I know our fan base is dying for it," New York captain John Tavares (team-leading 33 goals) said of ending the prolonged drought. "They've been itching for us to obviously get past the first round, get over that hump." Whether the club did its best to get over the hump at the end of the season is open to debate, with Rangers coach Alain Vigneault heaping criticism toward Islanders coach Jack Capuano - noting that the latter openly rested his players to avoid a date with white-hot Pittsburgh in favor of a series with Florida. The Panthers are pretty potent in their own right, setting franchise records in wins (47) and points (103). Future Hall of Famer Jaromir Jagr has tormented the Islanders like no other, recording 64 goals versus the club in his decorated career.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, CNBC, RSN, TVAS2, MSG-Plus (New York)

ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (45-27-10, 34-48 ATS, 34-40 O/U): After missing last year's first-round loss to Washington, Travis Hamonic isn't about to let history repeat itself as the defenseman eyes a return to the ice on Thursday. "I'd be lying if I said there wasn't some deja vu there, certainly, but the prognosis was better than we originally anticipated," Hamonic told the team's website. While Hamonic is a game-time decision after missing his last six contests with a lower-body injury, goaltender Thomas Greiss has been confirmed to start after posting a career high in wins (23) - including a 23-save performance in a 3-2 victory over Florida on March 14.

ABOUT THE PANTHERS (47-26-9, 41-41 ATS, 33-31 O/U): Veteran goaltender Roberto Luongo, who was selected by New York with the fourth overall pick of the 1997 draft, turned aside 81-of-87 shots as Florida took two of three in the season series. "I'm glad we are at the point we are right now, but that being said, there is still a lot of work to be done," Luongo told the Miami Herald. "So right now, I don't really want to reflect on anything but (Thursday) night." Aleksander Barkov has benefited from the presence of Jagr, scoring a team-leading 28 goals - with two tallies and three assists coming in three games versus the Islanders this season.

TRENDS:

* Islanders are 6-1 in their last 7 games following a loss of 3 or more goals.
* Panthers are 13-3 in their last 16 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
* Under is 4-1 in Islanders last 5 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Over is 7-0-1 in Panthers last 8 home games.
* Islanders are 1-4 in the last 5 meetings.

No. 8 Minnesota Wild at No. 1 Dallas Stars (A:+155, H:-175, O/U: 5)

It will be a meeting of the past and the present when the Central Division champion Dallas Stars open the postseason against the visiting Minnesota Wild on Thursday night in Game 1 of their best-of-seven series. The Stars, the top seed in the Western Conference, played 26 seasons in Minnesota before bolting the state and relocating to Texas in 1993.

The ties to the past aside, Dallas may be more interested in another history - making a deep run in only its second postseason appearance in the past eight seasons. The Stars, who were bounced in the opening round two years ago, could receive a huge boost with the potential return of second-leading scorer Tyler Seguin, who missed the final 10 games of the regular season. The situation is just the opposite for the Wild, who will be without top goal scorer Zach Parise for at least the first two games. Dallas won four of the five regular-season matchups - three in overtime - and prevailed in all three meetings at Minnesota.

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, TVAS3, Sportsnet360, FSN North/FSN Wisconsin (Minnesota), FSN Southwest (Dallas)

ABOUT THE WILD (38-33-11, 39-43 ATS, 29-35 O/U): Parise, who scored 25 goals and averaged 29 tallies over the past three seasons, aggravated a back injury and is listed out as indefinitely, prompting goaltender Devan Dubnyk to term his absence "an extraordinary loss for us." Forward Thomas Vanek, an 18-goal scorer, is dealing with an upper-body injury and also will miss at least the first two games while center Erik Haula (14 goals) will travel with the team to Dallas but already has been ruled out for the series opener. Dubnyk sparked last season's run to the playoffs and came on strong over the second half this year, but he lost his final four decisions following a six-start winning streak.

ABOUT THE STARS (50-23-9, 41-41 ATS, 45-36 O/U): Seguin, who was within reach of matching his career-high total of 37 goals when his Achilles tendon was sliced by a skate on March 17, practiced fully Wednesday and has been cleared to play, but coach Lindy Ruff said "First is health" when determining his availability. Dallas doesn't lack for firepower with captain Jamie Benn finishing second in scoring with 89 points after leading the NHL last season while Jason Spezza matched Seguin with 33 tallies and Patrick Sharp scored 20 times. Ruff has not settled on one goaltender, alternating the tandem of Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen, who each registered 25 victories this season.

TRENDS:

* Wild are 0-8 in their last 8 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
* Stars are 6-0 in their last 6 home games.
* Over is 5-1-3 in Wild last 9 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Over is 13-3 in Stars last 16 vs. Central.
* Wild are 5-22 in the last 27 meetings in Dallas.

No. 5 San Jose Sharks at No. 4 Los Angeles Kings (A:+120, H:-140, O/U: 5)

The Los Angeles Kings pulled off the near-impossible in their last postseason meeting with the San Jose Sharks, overcoming a 3-0 series deficit to win their first-round matchup, and went on to capture their second Stanley Cup championship in three years. San Jose will have revenge on its mind when the Pacific Division rivals meet in Los Angeles on Thursday for Game 1 of their opening-round showdown.

The Sharks are comfortable away from home as they set a franchise record for road wins by posting a league-best 28-10-3 record. Los Angeles is hoping its trend of winning Cups in alternate years continues as it claimed the trophy in 2012 and 2014. That likely will depend on the performance of 2012 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Quick, who set a franchise record with 40 wins during the regular season. San Jose went 3-1-1 in the season series, winning both visits to Los Angeles.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, CNBC, CBC, TVA; CSN California (San Jose); FSN West (Los Angeles)

ABOUT THE SHARKS (46-30-6, 38-44 ATS, 42-33 O/U): San Jose will turn to someone familiar with its opponent in Game 1 as former King Martin Jones will start in net. The 26-year-old goaltender, who was acquired from Boston four days after Los Angeles traded him to the Bruins last summer, went 37-23-4 with six shutouts and a 2.27 goals-against average in his first season as a starter and got the decision in all five meetings with the Kings. The Sharks likely will receive a boost on the blue line as Marc-Edouard Vlasic is expected to play in the series opener after missing the final 12 regular-season games with a knee injury.

ABOUT THE KINGS (48-28-6, 28-54 ATS, 28-32 O/U): Los Angeles is hoping to have Marian Gaborik and defensemen Alec Martinez and Matt Greene in the lineup at some point during the series, as all three participated in practice Wednesday. Gaborik has been sidelined for two months with a knee injury, Martinez sat out the final week of the regular season with an undisclosed ailment and Greene has not played since Oct. 13 because of a shoulder ailment that required surgery in December. Tyler Toffoli, who became the first King to hit the 30-goal plateau since Anze Kopitar in 2008-09 with 31, looks to carry over his strong play as he finished the season with nine points (four goals) in his final eight games.

TRENDS:

* Sharks are 5-0 in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
* Sharks are 0-4 in their last 4 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Kings are 4-0 in their last 4 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Under is 7-0-1 in Sharks last 8 road games.
* Over is 5-1-1 in Kings last 7 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Sharks are 4-12 in the last 16 meetings in Los Angeles.

**Satch** · 04-14-2016, 09:29 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info 4/14

No. 7 New York Islanders at No. 2 Florida Panthers (A:+120, H:-140, O/U: 5)
The visiting New York Islanders and Florida Panthers begin their first-round playoff series on Thursday in search of something neither team has seen in a long time: the second round. The Islanders last won a postseason series a staggering 23 years ago while the Atlantic Division champion Panthers’ most recent visit to the second round came during their unlikely run to the Stanley Cup Final in 1996.
“I know our fan base is dying for it,” New York captain John Tavares (team-leading 33 goals) said of ending the prolonged drought. “They’ve been itching for us to obviously get past the first round, get over that hump.” Whether the club did its best to get over the hump at the end of the season is open to debate, with Rangers coach Alain Vigneault heaping criticism toward Islanders coach Jack Capuano – noting that the latter openly rested his players to avoid a date with white-hot Pittsburgh in favor of a series with Florida. The Panthers are pretty potent in their own right, setting franchise records in wins (47) and points (103). Future Hall of Famer Jaromir Jagr has tormented the Islanders like no other, recording 64 goals versus the club in his decorated career.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, CNBC, RSN, TVAS2, MSG-Plus (New York)
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (45-27-10, 34-48 ATS, 34-40 O/U):
After missing last year’s first-round loss to Washington, Travis Hamonic isn’t about to let history repeat itself as the defenseman eyes a return to the ice on Thursday. “I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t some deja vu there, certainly, but the prognosis was better than we originally anticipated,” Hamonic told the team’s website. While Hamonic is a game-time decision after missing his last six contests with a lower-body injury, goaltender Thomas Greiss has been confirmed to start after posting a career high in wins (23) – including a 23-save performance in a 3-2 victory over Florida on March 14.
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (47-26-9, 41-41 ATS, 33-31 O/U):
Veteran goaltender Roberto Luongo, who was selected by New York with the fourth overall pick of the 1997 draft, turned aside 81-of-87 shots as Florida took two of three in the season series. “I’m glad we are at the point we are right now, but that being said, there is still a lot of work to be done,” Luongo told the Miami Herald. “So right now, I don’t really want to reflect on anything but (Thursday) night.” Aleksander Barkov has benefited from the presence of Jagr, scoring a team-leading 28 goals – with two tallies and three assists coming in three games versus the Islanders this season.
TRENDS:
* Islanders are 6-1 in their last 7 games following a loss of 3 or more goals.
* Panthers are 13-3 in their last 16 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
* Under is 4-1 in Islanders last 5 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Over is 7-0-1 in Panthers last 8 home games.
* Islanders are 1-4 in the last 5 meetings.

**Satch** · 04-14-2016, 09:30 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info 4/14

No. 8 Minnesota Wild at No. 1 Dallas Stars (A:+155, H:-175, O/U: 5)
It will be a meeting of the past and the present when the Central Division champion Dallas Stars open the postseason against the visiting Minnesota Wild on Thursday night in Game 1 of their best-of-seven series. The Stars, the top seed in the Western Conference, played 26 seasons in Minnesota before bolting the state and relocating to Texas in 1993.
The ties to the past aside, Dallas may be more interested in another history – making a deep run in only its second postseason appearance in the past eight seasons. The Stars, who were bounced in the opening round two years ago, could receive a huge boost with the potential return of second-leading scorer Tyler Seguin, who missed the final 10 games of the regular season. The situation is just the opposite for the Wild, who will be without top goal scorer Zach Parise for at least the first two games. Dallas won four of the five regular-season matchups – three in overtime – and prevailed in all three meetings at Minnesota.
TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, TVAS3, Sportsnet360, FSN North/FSN Wisconsin (Minnesota), FSN Southwest (Dallas)
ABOUT THE WILD (38-33-11, 39-43 ATS, 29-35 O/U):
Parise, who scored 25 goals and averaged 29 tallies over the past three seasons, aggravated a back injury and is listed out as indefinitely, prompting goaltender Devan Dubnyk to term his absence “an extraordinary loss for us.” Forward Thomas Vanek, an 18-goal scorer, is dealing with an upper-body injury and also will miss at least the first two games while center Erik Haula (14 goals) will travel with the team to Dallas but already has been ruled out for the series opener. Dubnyk sparked last season’s run to the playoffs and came on strong over the second half this year, but he lost his final four decisions following a six-start winning streak.
ABOUT THE STARS (50-23-9, 41-41 ATS, 45-36 O/U):
Seguin, who was within reach of matching his career-high total of 37 goals when his Achilles tendon was sliced by a skate on March 17, practiced fully Wednesday and has been cleared to play, but coach Lindy Ruff said “First is health” when determining his availability. Dallas doesn’t lack for firepower with captain Jamie Benn finishing second in scoring with 89 points after leading the NHL last season while Jason Spezza matched Seguin with 33 tallies and Patrick Sharp scored 20 times. Ruff has not settled on one goaltender, alternating the tandem of Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen, who each registered 25 victories this season.
TRENDS:
* Wild are 0-8 in their last 8 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
* Stars are 6-0 in their last 6 home games.
* Over is 5-1-3 in Wild last 9 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Over is 13-3 in Stars last 16 vs. Central.
* Wild are 5-22 in the last 27 meetings in Dallas

**Satch** · 04-14-2016, 09:31 AM

Re: NHL Betting Info 4/14

No. 5 San Jose Sharks at No. 4 Los Angeles Kings (A:+120, H:-140, O/U: 5)
The Los Angeles Kings pulled off the near-impossible in their last postseason meeting with the San Jose Sharks, overcoming a 3-0 series deficit to win their first-round matchup, and went on to capture their second Stanley Cup championship in three years. San Jose will have revenge on its mind when the Pacific Division rivals meet in Los Angeles on Thursday for Game 1 of their opening-round showdown.
The Sharks are comfortable away from home as they set a franchise record for road wins by posting a league-best 28-10-3 record. Los Angeles is hoping its trend of winning Cups in alternate years continues as it claimed the trophy in 2012 and 2014. That likely will depend on the performance of 2012 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Quick, who set a franchise record with 40 wins during the regular season. San Jose went 3-1-1 in the season series, winning both visits to Los Angeles.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, CNBC, CBC, TVA; CSN California (San Jose); FSN West (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE SHARKS (46-30-6, 38-44 ATS, 42-33 O/U):
San Jose will turn to someone familiar with its opponent in Game 1 as former King Martin Jones will start in net. The 26-year-old goaltender, who was acquired from Boston four days after Los Angeles traded him to the Bruins last summer, went 37-23-4 with six shutouts and a 2.27 goals-against average in his first season as a starter and got the decision in all five meetings with the Kings. The Sharks likely will receive a boost on the blue line as Marc-Edouard Vlasic is expected to play in the series opener after missing the final 12 regular-season games with a knee injury.
ABOUT THE KINGS (48-28-6, 28-54 ATS, 28-32 O/U):
Los Angeles is hoping to have Marian Gaborik and defensemen Alec Martinez and Matt Greene in the lineup at some point during the series, as all three participated in practice Wednesday. Gaborik has been sidelined for two months with a knee injury, Martinez sat out the final week of the regular season with an undisclosed ailment and Greene has not played since Oct. 13 because of a shoulder ailment that required surgery in December. Tyler Toffoli, who became the first King to hit the 30-goal plateau since Anze Kopitar in 2008-09 with 31, looks to carry over his strong play as he finished the season with nine points (four goals) in his final eight games.
TRENDS:
* Sharks are 5-0 in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
* Sharks are 0-4 in their last 4 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Kings are 4-0 in their last 4 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Under is 7-0-1 in Sharks last 8 road games.
* Over is 5-1-1 in Kings last 7 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Sharks are 4-12 in the last 16 meetings in Los Angeles

Announcement

NHL Betting Info 4/14

NHL Betting Info 4/14

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