NHL Betting Info. 5/19

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NHL notebook: Canadiens, Reway reach contract agreement
By The Sports Xchange


The Montreal Canadiens agreed to terms with forward Martin Reway on a three-year, two-way contract Wednesday.
Reway, 21, completed the 2015-16 season with Fribourg-Gotteron in the Swiss National League A, posting 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in 19 games. The 5-foot-9, 173-pound winger began the season with Sparta Praha of the Czech Extraliga and registered 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in 14 games. A native of Prague, Czech Republic, Reway amassed 73 points (22 goals, 51 assists) and 74 penalty minutes in 67 regular-season games since making his pro debut in Europe in 2014-15. He added one goal and six assists in seven playoff games.
Reway produced 112 points (42 goals, 70 assists) and 104 penalty minutes in 90 regular-season games with Gatineau in the QMJHL (2012 to 2014). He also recorded 27 playoff points.
Selected in the fourth round of the 2013 NHL draft, Reway participated in the Canadiens' Development Camp in July 2013.


--The Dallas Stars signed defenseman Chris Martenet to a three-year entry-level contract, beginning in the 2016-17 season.
Martenet, 19, finished the 2015-16 season ranked sixth in the Ontario Hockey League and fifth on the London Knights with a career-high plus-44 rating. He registered 12 points (three goals, nine assists) and a career-high 85 penalty minutes in 67 regular-season games in his second season in the OHL.
Martenet also had six penalty minutes and a plus-3 rating in 18 postseason games, helping London win the OHL championship and advance to the 2016 Memorial Cup.
The 6-foot-7, 200-pound native of St. Louis, Mo., was selected by Dallas in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL draft.


--The Minnesota Wild agreed to terms with free agent goaltender Adam Vay on a two-year, entry-level contract.
Vay, 22, posted a 3.67 goals-against average and .911 save percentage in three games for Hungary at the 2016 IIHF World Championship in Russia this month.
Vay appeared in 39 games with Debreceni HK in the MOL League (Hungary and Romania) in 2015-16 and posted a 2.77 goals-against average, .927 save percentage and two shutouts.
Vay went 28-4-0 with a 2.03 goals-against average, .923 save percentage and five shutouts in 32 games with El Paso in the Western States Hockey League in 2014-15.

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Re: NHL Betting Info. 5/19

Preview: Blues (49-24) at Sharks (46-30)


Date: May 19, 2016 9:00 PM EDT


SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) When Peter DeBoer took over as coach in San Jose one of the first tasks he wanted to complete was making sure the Sharks were more than just a power-play team.


Improved depth and 5-on-5 play helped get San Jose back to the postseason after missing it a year ago, but come playoff time that power play has served as an impressive weapon and a barometer for the team's success.


One game after getting shut out on the man advantage, the Sharks struck twice following St. Louis penalties in a 4-0 win Tuesday night that tied the series at one game apiece heading into Game 3 on Thursday in San Jose.


'It creates momentum for us,' DeBoer said Wednesday. 'I think that's what you're looking to do with your special teams both ways, is create momentum. I think when our power play scores, that creates momentum. I think when we kill penalties like we did last night, like that four-minute penalty, I think that creates momentum the other way for us. That's what you're looking to do as a coach, is get momentum out of your special teams. I think that does that for us.'


The Sharks lead the NHL with 15 power-play goals this postseason and their 30 percent success rate is tops among all teams that have played more than one round. San Jose is 13-for-32 on the power play in nine playoff wins, compared to 2-for-18 in its five losses.


With a five-man top unit that has years of experience together, San Jose is a finely tuned unit. Joe Thornton is the playmaker, spending most of his time along the half-boards or behind the net. He has plenty of options.


Brent Burns scored both power-play goals in Game 2 off one-timers that St. Louis goalie Brian Elliott had little chance to save. Captain Joe Pavelski led the team with 12 power-play goals in the regular season, with many coming on deflections in front of the net or rebounds. Logan Couture and Patrick Marleau bring versatility with the ability to create plays for teammates or score on big shots of their own.


'Our power play's pretty free-flowing,' Thornton said. 'Really just can't key on one guy. We got five guys that can hurt you. I think for us it's just the way you move around, it's really hard to defend.'


The Blues managed to neutralize the Sharks in Game 1 when they killed all three power plays in a 2-1 victory. They were short-handed five times in Game 2, including a slash behind the play by Troy Brouwer that led to the Sharks' second goal of the game and an interference call on Steve Ott for hitting Pavelski from behind when the puck was not in the area.


'The penalties you don't like at this time of year are reactionary penalties,' coach Ken Hitchcock. `We had two reactionary penalties yesterday, one in the first game. Those are the ones you don't like. Doesn't matter who takes them, veterans, rookies. That's a sign that the other team has a little bit of an advantage, they're making you react to anything happening on the ice. Those are the ones you don't like.'


The other big difference in Game 2 was that the Blues failed to take advantage of their power-play chances. After getting a man-advantage goal from captain David Backes to open the scoring in Game 1, St. Louis went 0-for-6 on the power play Tuesday night, including a weak four-minute chance early in the third period when Marleau was called for a high-sticking penalty and the Sharks lead was only 2-0.


San Jose used 13 of its 18 skaters for more than a minute of penalty-killing time with top defensive pair Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Justin Braun each spending more than 5 minutes on the ice with the Sharks short-handed.


The Blues managed 12 shots on the power play but were unable to beat Martin Jones as the Sharks did a good job controlling rebounds and keeping St. Louis to the outside.


'You want to use the power play to get momentum,' forward Robby Fabbri said. 'Last night we didn't execute on any of them. Just the way some games go. We got to stay confident and go with our next chances.'


NOTES: Hitchcock said he plans to tinker with his lineup for Game 3 but gave no specifics. ... DeBoer said Thornton looked fine Wednesday after taking a slash on his left hand from Jay Bouwmeester during the game.

[TheGame]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 5/19

NHL


Thursday's game


San Jose-St Louis (1-1)
Road team won four of last five St Louis-San Jose games; Blues won four of last seven games overall aganst the Sharks, winning 7-2/1-0 in last two visits here. St Louis won five of last eight games (over 3-2-3) overall; they won last three road games. Sharks won last four home games by combined score of 18-7 (over 2-0-2). San Jose is 2-8 on power play in series, the Blues are 0-7. St Louis is 5-2 on road so far in playoffs, San Jose is 5-1 at home in playoffs, losing one game to the Kings.


Playoffs tally: 1st round-- Home: 23-24, Over: 16-17-14
2nd round-- Home: 16-9, Over: 11-5-9
Conference finals-- Home 2-3, Over 1-3-1

[Satch]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 5/19

Preview: St. Louis at San Jose

When: 9:00 PM ET, Thursday, May 19, 2016
Where: SAP Center at San Jose, San Jose, California

Matchup Edge

STL	Edge in:	SJ
	Offense
	Defense
	Power Play
	Penalty Kill
	Face Offs
	Discipline
	Goaltending

After seizing home-ice advantage with a dominant victory in St. Louis on Tuesday, the San Jose Sharks look to continue the momentum when they host the Blues in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals Thursday night. The Sharks rolled to a 4-0 victory in Game 2, their fifth victory by a margin of at least three goals in the past 10 games.

The Blues were outplayed in both games at home and only a stellar performance by netminder Brian Elliott in Game 1 is keeping them from staring at a 2-0 series deficit. "(They have) got their 'A' game going right now, and it's our job to catch up," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock told reporters about San Jose. "We have played two 'B' games, and I think at times quite frankly, we're fortunate it's 1-1. We'll take 1-1 right now with the way we've played." The Sharks were 18-20-3 during the regular season at SAP Center - the worst home mark of any playoff team - but have rectified those issues by winning five in a row there, with their only loss coming in overtime in the first round. "SAP Center is different come playoff time," San Jose forward Logan Couture told reporters. "It's full, it's loud, it's an intimidating building, and that definitely helps."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, CBC, TVAS

ABOUT THE BLUES: St. Louis captain David Backes acknowledged that San Jose was the best team for five of the six periods in Games 1 and 2, one reason why coach Ken Hitchcock said he is planning to make changes to his lineup to jump-start his team. "I think changing your lineup has a real impact. There can't be any emotion in the coaches' decisions at this time," Hitchcock told reporters Wednesday. "You have to do what's best for your team. ... We're probably going to have to make a few more tomorrow and hopefully they work." Leading scorer Vladimir Tarasenko (seven post-season goals) registered a game-high six shots on goal Tuesday but has been held off the scoresheet in the series.

ABOUT THE SHARKS: Brent Burns established franchise records for a defenseman during the regular season with 27 goals and 75 points and has not slowed down in the playoffs, netting a pair of power-play goals in Game 2 to give him six for the postseason. "Best I've ever seen," San Jose coach Pete DeBoer told reporters about Burns' shooting prowess from the point. "I think (it's) just how he can get it off from every angle, how he can get it to the net off balance, in bad spots. He finds a way to get it there. If it's in the right spot, it's going in. That's a great weapon for us." Couture had a pair of assists Tuesday to set a team playoff record with 19 points.

OVERTIME

1. San Jose is 15-for-50 on the power play in the postseason.

2. The Blues are 5-2 on the road in the playoffs as opposed to 4-5 at home.

3. Burns is the 11th defenseman in history with multiple goals in more than one playoff game.

PREDICTION: Sharks 3, Blues 2

[Satch]

Re: NHL Betting Info. 5/19

Trends - St. Louis at San Jose
W/L Trends

St. Louis

Blues are 9-2 in their last 11 games following a home loss of 3 or more goals. Blues are 4-1 in their last 5 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game. Blues are 21-7 in their last 28 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game. Blues are 20-7 in their last 27 road games. Blues are 24-9 in their last 33 vs. Pacific. Blues are 16-7 in their last 23 vs. Western Conference. Blues are 35-16 in their last 51 road games vs. a team with a losing home record. Blues are 23-11 in their last 34 overall. Blues are 41-20 in their last 61 Thursday games. Blues are 2-5 in their last 7 Conference Finals games.

San Jose

Sharks are 5-0 in their last 5 home games. Sharks are 20-7 in their last 27 vs. a team with a winning record. Sharks are 42-15 in their last 57 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600. Sharks are 5-2 in their last 7 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game. Sharks are 2-6 in their last 8 Thursday games. Sharks are 2-11 in their last 13 Conference Finals games.

OU Trends

St. Louis

Under is 6-1-2 in Blues last 9 Thursday games. Under is 5-1 in Blues last 6 vs. Pacific. Over is 4-1-2 in Blues last 7 road games. Over is 14-4-8 in Blues last 26 games playing on 1 days rest. Under is 5-2-1 in Blues last 8 following a home loss of 3 or more goals.

San Jose

Over is 5-0-1 in Sharks last 6 Thursday games. Over is 2-0-3 in Sharks last 5 home games. Over is 4-1-3 in Sharks last 8 games playing on 1 days rest. Over is 3-1-3 in Sharks last 7 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game. Under is 3-1-1 in Sharks last 5 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600. Over is 3-1-2 in Sharks last 6 games following a win. Over is 5-2-4 in Sharks last 11 overall. Over is 5-2-3 in Sharks last 10 vs. Central. Over is 5-2-4 in Sharks last 11 vs. Western Conference.

Head to Head

Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings. Blues are 7-2 in the last 9 meetings in San Jose. Over is 3-1-1 in the last 5 meetings in San Jose. Road team is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.