Cnotes National Hockey League February Rated Plays - Trends - News - Etc. !!

[CNOTES]

Preview: Rangers (25-17) at Devils (23-20)
Date: February 02, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Wild (23-17) at Islanders (22-16)
Date: February 02, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Canadiens (21-22) at Flyers (19-18)
Date: February 02, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Maple Leafs (13-22) at Bruins (23-18)
Date: February 02, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Senators (19-21) at Penguins (23-17)
Date: February 02, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


There were flashes of that desperation before the break.


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Panthers (24-15) at Capitals (33-8)
Date: February 02, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Blues (25-16) at Predators (22-18)
Date: February 02, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

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


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


'Salt water cures everything,' Shattenkirk joked.


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Stars (29-14) at Jets (22-24)
Date: February 02, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Blue Jackets (17-27) at Oilers (15-26)
Date: February 02, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Kings (28-16) at Coyotes (23-20)
Date: February 02, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Blackhawks (32-16) at Avalanche (26-22)
Date: February 02, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Sharks (24-18) at Ducks (20-18)
Date: February 02, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

 

[CNOTES]

EASTERN CONFERENCE


ATLANTIC DIVISION W L OT PTS ROW GF GA HOME ROAD L10 STREAK


Florida 29 15 5 63 24 135 108 16-7-2 13-8-3 6-3-1 W3


Tampa Bay 27 18 4 58 25 130 117 15-8-2 12-10-2 8-2-0 W1


Detroit 25 16 8 58 24 122 124 11-10-5 14-6-3 6-3-1 W1


Boston 26 18 5 57 23 147 131 11-13-2 15-5-3 5-4-1 L1


Montreal 24 22 4 52 21 136 134 12-10-2 12-12-2 2-7-1 L2


Ottawa 23 21 6 52 19 139 155 12-8-4 11-13-2 4-6-0 L1


Buffalo 20 26 4 44 19 114 136 9-15-2 11-11-2 5-5-0 W1


Toronto 17 22 9 43 13 114 134 7-8-7 10-14-2 1-7-2 L4




METROPOLITAN DIVISION W L OT PTS ROW GF GA HOME ROAD L10 STREAK

Washington 35 8 4 74 33 158 104 18-3-2 17-5-2 7-1-2 L1


N.Y. Rangers 27 17 5 59 25 142 129 18-5-2 9-12-3 6-3-1 W1


N.Y. Islanders 25 16 6 56 22 130 118 15-8-3 10-8-3 5-4-1 L1


Pittsburgh 24 17 7 55 23 121 120 14-7-4 10-10-3 5-2-3 W3


New Jersey 25 20 5 55 23 114 118 11-10-3 14-10-2 5-5-0 L1


Carolina 23 20 8 54 23 123 135 12-9-5 11-11-3 7-2-1 W2


Philadelphia 21 18 8 50 19 109 127 11-7-5 10-11-3 6-3-1 W1


Columbus 19 27 5 43 17 133 163 9-11-4 10-16-1 4-4-2 W2





WESTERN CONFERENCE


CENTRAL DIVISION W L OT PTS ROW GF GA HOME ROAD L10 STREAK


Chicago 33 16 4 70 32 147 122 21-5-1 12-11-3 7-3-0 L1


Dallas 31 14 5 67 29 162 133 19-6-0 12-8-5 3-6-1 W1


St. Louis 28 16 8 64 25 129 128 16-8-3 12-8-5 5-2-3 L2


Colorado 27 22 3 57 26 143 142 12-10-3 15-12-0 6-4-0 W1


Nashville 24 18 8 56 22 129 131 13-7-3 11-11-5 5-4-1 W4


Minnesota 23 17 9 55 23 121 115 14-8-3 9-9-6 2-6-2 L2


Winnipeg 22 24 3 47 22 126 140 13-10-1 9-14-2 4-5-1 W1






PACIFIC DIVISION W L OT PTS ROW GF GA HOME ROAD L10 STREAK


Los Angeles 30 16 3 63 28 129 113 15-9-1 15-7-2 5-4-1 L1


San Jose 26 18 4 56 24 142 129 10-12-2 16-6-2 8-0-2 W1


Arizona 24 20 5 53 23 131 146 13-9-3 11-11-2 5-4-1 L1


Anaheim 22 18 7 51 20 101 111 14-8-4 8-10-3 7-3-0 W3


Vancouver 20 19 11 51 16 122 139 9-9-4 11-10-7 5-3-2 L2


Calgary 21 24 3 45 20 126 146 14-10-0 7-14-3 3-6-1 L3


Edmonton 19 26 5 43 15 122 149 13-10-1 6-16-4 3-5-2 L3

 

[CNOTES]

NHL MONEYLINE


NHL > (5) TORONTO@ (6) BOSTON | 2016-02-02 19:05:00 - 2016-02-02 19:05:00
Play AGAINST TORONTO using money line in Road games second half of the season
The record is 3 Wins and 29 Losses for the last two seasons (-25 units)


NHL > (17) COLUMBUS@ (18) EDMONTON | 2016-02-02 21:05:00 - 2016-02-02 21:05:00
Play ON COLUMBUS using money line in Road games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game
The record is 14 Wins and 6 Losses for the last two seasons (+17.15 units)


NHL > (5) TORONTO@ (6) BOSTON | 2016-02-02 19:05:00 - 2016-02-02 19:05:00
Play AGAINST TORONTO using money line in Road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season
The record is 0 Wins and 15 Losses for the last two seasons (-15 units)


NHL > (21) CHICAGO@ (22) COLORADO | 2016-02-02 21:05:00 - 2016-02-02 21:05:00
Play ON CHICAGO using money line in All games after a non-conference game
The record is 19 Wins and 3 Losses for the this season (+15.75 units)


NHL > (7) MONTREAL@ (8) PHILADELPHIA | 2016-02-02 19:05:00 - 2016-02-02 19:05:00
Play AGAINST PHILADELPHIA using money line in All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 16 Wins and 40 Losses for the last two seasons (-31.45 units)


NHL > (21) CHICAGO@ (22) COLORADO | 2016-02-02 21:05:00 - 2016-02-02 21:05:00
Play ON COLORADO using money line in All games vs. division opponents
The record is 12 Wins and 4 Losses for the this season (+11.25 units)


NHL > (7) MONTREAL@ (8) PHILADELPHIA | 2016-02-02 19:05:00 - 2016-02-02 19:05:00
Play AGAINST PHILADELPHIA using money line in All games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season
The record is 4 Wins and 15 Losses for the last two seasons (-14.75 units)


NHL > (19) LOS ANGELES@ (20) ARIZONA | 2016-02-02 21:05:00 - 2016-02-02 21:05:00
Play ON ARIZONA using money line in All games vs. division opponents
The record is 11 Wins and 4 Losses for the this season (+11.45 units)


NHL > (17) COLUMBUS@ (18) EDMONTON | 2016-02-02 21:05:00 - 2016-02-02 21:05:00
Play ON COLUMBUS using money line in All games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game
The record is 23 Wins and 13 Losses for the last two seasons (+19.6 units)


NHL > (11) FLORIDA@ (12) WASHINGTON | 2016-02-02 19:35:00 - 2016-02-02 19:35:00
Play ON WASHINGTON using money line in All games
The record is 33 Wins and 10 Losses for the this season (+17.1 units)


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


NHL PUCKLINE


NHL > (5) TORONTO@ (6) BOSTON | 2016-02-02 19:05:00 - 2016-02-02 19:05:00
Play AGAINST TORONTO in Road games second half of the season
The record is 3 Wins and 29 Losses for the last two seasons (-25 units)


NHL > (17) COLUMBUS@ (18) EDMONTON | 2016-02-02 21:05:00 - 2016-02-02 21:05:00
Play ON COLUMBUS in Road games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game
The record is 14 Wins and 6 Losses for the last two seasons (+17.15 units)


NHL > (5) TORONTO@ (6) BOSTON | 2016-02-02 19:05:00 - 2016-02-02 19:05:00
Play AGAINST TORONTO in Road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season
The record is 0 Wins and 15 Losses for the last two seasons (-15 units)


NHL > (21) CHICAGO@ (22) COLORADO | 2016-02-02 21:05:00 - 2016-02-02 21:05:00
Play ON CHICAGO in All games after a non-conference game
The record is 19 Wins and 3 Losses for the this season (+15.75 units)


NHL > (7) MONTREAL@ (8) PHILADELPHIA | 2016-02-02 19:05:00 - 2016-02-02 19:05:00
Play AGAINST PHILADELPHIA in All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 16 Wins and 40 Losses for the last two seasons (-31.45 units)


NHL > (21) CHICAGO@ (22) COLORADO | 2016-02-02 21:05:00 - 2016-02-02 21:05:00
Play ON COLORADO in All games vs. division opponents
The record is 12 Wins and 4 Losses for the this season (+11.25 units)


NHL > (7) MONTREAL@ (8) PHILADELPHIA | 2016-02-02 19:05:00 - 2016-02-02 19:05:00
Play AGAINST PHILADELPHIA in All games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season
The record is 4 Wins and 15 Losses for the last two seasons (-14.75 units)

NHL > (19) LOS ANGELES@ (20) ARIZONA | 2016-02-02 21:05:00 - 2016-02-02 21:05:00
Play ON ARIZONA in All games vs. division opponents
The record is 11 Wins and 4 Losses for the this season (+11.45 units)


NHL > (17) COLUMBUS@ (18) EDMONTON | 2016-02-02 21:05:00 - 2016-02-02 21:05:00
Play ON COLUMBUS in All games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game
The record is 23 Wins and 13 Losses for the last two seasons (+19.6 units)


NHL > (11) FLORIDA@ (12) WASHINGTON | 2016-02-02 19:35:00 - 2016-02-02 19:35:00
Play ON FLORIDA in All games after a 3 game unbeaten streak
The record is 11 Wins and 2 Losses for the this season (+9.8 units)


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


NHL TOTALS


NHL > (15) ST LOUIS@ (16) NASHVILLE | 2016-02-02 20:05:00 - 2016-02-02 20:05:00
Play OVER NASHVILLE on the totalin Home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season
The record is 11 Overs and 1 Unders for the last two seasons (+10.45 units)


NHL > (15) ST LOUIS@ (16) NASHVILLE | 2016-02-02 20:05:00 - 2016-02-02 20:05:00
Play OVER NASHVILLE on the totalin Home games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 19 Overs and 4 Unders for the last two seasons (+14.65 units)


NHL > (9) OTTAWA@ (10) PITTSBURGH | 2016-02-02 19:05:00 - 2016-02-02 19:05:00
Play OVER OTTAWA on the totalin Road games revenging a loss versus opponent
The record is 10 Overs and 2 Unders for the this season (+9.2 units)


NHL > (21) CHICAGO@ (22) COLORADO | 2016-02-02 21:05:00 - 2016-02-02 21:05:00
Play OVER COLORADO on the totalin All games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game
The record is 11 Overs and 2 Unders for the this season (+9.85 units)


NHL > (17) COLUMBUS@ (18) EDMONTON | 2016-02-02 21:05:00 - 2016-02-02 21:05:00
Play OVER EDMONTON on the totalin All games on Tuesday nights
The record is 7 Overs and 0 Unders for the this season (+7.15 units)


NHL > (13) DALLAS@ (14) WINNIPEG | 2016-02-02 20:05:00 - 2016-02-02 20:05:00
Play UNDER WINNIPEG on the totalin All games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game
The record is 1 Overs and 9 Unders for the this season (+7.9 units)

NHL > (21) CHICAGO@ (22) COLORADO | 2016-02-02 21:05:00 - 2016-02-02 21:05:00
Play UNDER CHICAGO on the totalin All games after a non-conference game
The record is 15 Overs and 33 Unders for the last two seasons (+17.7 units)

 

[CNOTES]

Capitals running away with the East
February 1, 2016


It certainly looks like the Washington Capitals are running away with the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.


The 14-point gap between the Metropolitan Division-leading Capitals and the second-place New York Rangers is almost as big as the one between New York and the last-place Columbus Blue Jackets. The Capitals' overall conference lead over the Florida Panthers is 11 points.


Coach Barry Trotz insists his team won't be complacent in the second half of the NHL season.


''We've had a good grasp of playing in the moment and not worrying what we did,'' Trotz said of the 35-8-4 Capitals, who are atop the NHL coming out of the All-Star break. ''There's no arrogance. I think there's a lot of confidence, but I don't think there's any arrogance.''


Confidence is justified as the Caps have only lost two consecutive games once and haven't lost two in a row in regulation. They have the league's best power play and fourth-best penalty kill, and goaltender Braden Holtby is among the leaders in wins, goals-against average and save percentage.


In front of Holtby, Washington has its deepest blue line in the Alex Ovechkin era and finally has a legitimate No. 2 center in All-Star Evgeny Kuznetsov. The combination of Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Kuznetsov makes the Caps hard to handle up front.


Even with a history of playoff disappointments, the Caps are the favorites to come out of the East and win the Stanley Cup, but the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning could be their biggest hurdles. Florida has given Washington fits already this season, and Tampa Bay is playoff-tested after a trip to the 2015 final.


Here are five other story lines to watch in the Eastern Conference in the second half of the NHL season:


CROSBY'S BACK: After the slowest start of his career, Sidney Crosby is back to his point-a-game self with 31 in his past 28 games and the Pittsburgh Penguins are soaring since firing coach Mike Johnston and promoting Mike Sullivan. Pittsburgh has won three in a row and looks legit once again. Imagine a Capitals-Penguins first-round matchup and a re-ignition of the Crosby-Ovechkin rivalry.


PRICE NOT RIGHT YET: Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price has been out since late November with a lower-body injury. Before he got hurt, Price was 10-2-0 with a 2.06 goals-against average and .934 save percentage, and the Canadiens were leading the Atlantic Division. Now they're out of a playoff spot. Montreal needs Price back, and in MVP form, or its season is over.


SEEN STAMKOS: Steven Stamkos can become an unrestricted free agent this summer, so Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman has a decision to make. If a contract can't be worked out before the Feb. 29 trade deadline, might the Lightning look to trade Stamkos, or will they try for one more Stanley Cup run and take their chances? Stamkos also has a no-movement clause, so he holds the trump card.


COULD'VE BEEN A CONTENDER: Five East teams - the New Jersey Devils, Carolina Hurricanes, Canadiens, Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers - are within five points of a playoff spot. The standings can flip over in a night, so expect plenty of fluctuation with 13 teams in the race. Sorry Toronto, Buffalo and Columbus: There's always next year.

BOSTON BREWIN': Changes in Boston were swift after the Bruins missed the playoffs a year ago, but coach Claude Julien remains and his team is built for when the hockey gets tough. If All-Star center Patrice Bergeron and goaltender Tuukka Rask are on top of their games, the Bruins are a threat to everyone, including the upstart, division-leading Panthers.

 

[CNOTES]

Top pick Connor McDavid expected to return to Oilers lineup on Tuesday


The 2015-16 rookie class was expected to be a great one when the season began, and with Jack Eichel, Artemi Panarin, Dylan Larkin and Coyotes teammates Max Domi and Anthony Duclair all excelling, it has not disappointed.


What has been so amazing about this year's crop of rookies living up to the hype is that the best and most talented one of the bunch, Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid, the top pick in the 2015 draft, has missed all but 13 games after breaking his clavicle just one month into the season.


When the Oilers return to the ice on Tuesday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets in their first game back after the All-Star break, they will do so with McDavid in the lineup according to TSN's Oilers reporter Ryan Rishaug.


McDavid was injured in a Nov. 4 game against the Philadelphia Flyers when he went hard into the boards behind the net.


He has not played for the team since.


McDavid is one of the most anticipated players -- perhaps the most -- to enter the NHL since Mario Lemieux and has the potential to be a franchise and game-changing player.


Before the injury his career was off to an incredible start with 12 points in his first 13 games, including 11 in the eight games that preceded the injury.


Given how tight the Pacific Division standings have been this season his injury turned out to be a pretty big blow to the Oilers' playoff chances. Even though the Oilers currently have the worst record in the Western Conference and are 10 points out of a playoff spot, having an impact player like McDavid in the lineup (not to mention defenseman Oscar Klefbom who has also missed significant time this season) could have almost certainly made the difference in a couple of games over the past three months and at least kept them in the race a little bit longer.


Instead, McDavid's injury put them right back into the running for another top pick in the NHL draft if the numbers end up going their way again in the lottery.


It is looking like they might once again have the best odds.

 

[CNOTES]

Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack

Six of the best minor league prospects for the Atlanta Braves........


1Az) Dansby Swanson, SS--Acquired in Shelby Miller trade.


2Az) Aaron Blair, P-- Went 7-2, 3.16 in 12 AAA starts.


1) Kyle Newcomb, P-- Acquired from Angels in Andrelton Simmons deal.


2) Hector Olivera 3B/OF-- Cuban defector will be 31 on April 5.


8) Mallex Smith, OF-- Hit .340 in AA, .281 in AAA last season.


12) Manny Banuelos, P-- Was 1-4, 5.13 in six starts in majors LY.


**********


Armadillo: Tuesday's List of 13: Nobody asked me, but.........


13) Louisville 71, North Carolina 65-- First half of this game was a brickfest; UNC was 3-17 on arc for the game-- they're shooting 30.2% for the year. No bueno.


12) Two of Louisville's best players this year are Damion Lee and Trey Lewis, a pair of graduate transfers, Lee from Drexel, Lewis from Cleveland State. As an Oakland A's fan, I'm sensitive to big-money teams poaching players from schools with less cash, so this "free agency" that has popped up in college basketball bothers me.


ESPN's announcers didn't seem too anxious to talk about the graduate transfer rule, but I'm wondering what the coaches of Drexel (3-18) and Cleveland State (7-16) think?


11) One of the great lines I've ever heard was back when I was an assistant high hoop coach-- this is November of 1993, I'm pretty sure, after we lost our second game of what would be a very long season. The head coach looked at the players and said, "......when things start going bad, the rats start jumping off the ship."


I'm not doing it justice; but he delivered the line with great timing and disdain, but it underlines one of the unfortunate facts of our culture-- people are frontrunners, and as I start to learn more about politics from watching too much TV, it appears that this may be more true in politics than it is in sports. Someone loses and people are fast to hop off the bandwagon. It is too bad.


10) Donald Trump got beat last night, the headline the front page of the NY Daily News today is: "Dead Clown Walking". When you're cocky and arrogant and then you lose, people take pleasure in piling on. We'll see how this plays out.


Mike Tyson once said: "Everyone's got a plan until they get punched in the mouth." Now we'll see how Trump reacts to figuratively getting punched in the mouth.


9) Weekly update on Showtime's Billions: You watch a show like this and you hear about politics, the less you like or trust people. Just a bunch of weasels.


This week, the main character buys stock in a snack food company that made his favorite snack as a kid, because they changed the recipe to increase profits and now the snack doesn't taste as good. So he buys stock in the ompany, gets two board members fired, one of whom is sleeping with his main rival's father (its a soap opera, dammit).


8) No one told the Phoenix Suns players the team fired coach Jeff Hornacek; how do you run a business that way? There are only 15 players; how difficult would it be for a group text to go out?


7) NHL teams playing on second night of a back/back are 83-114 this year against teams that didn't play the night before. Under is 12-9 (with several pushes) in games involving two teams who were both on back end of a back/back.


6) Brandt Snedeker won the Farmers Open golf tournament Monday; he was the only guy in the field to break par (he played his 4th round Sunday) in the last round, which had an average stroke count of 77.9, the highest 4th-round scoring average on Tour in the last 33 years. Brutal winds made the course really difficult.


5) Golfer Jim Furyk is out for three more months after wrist surgery


4) Duke is out of the top 25 for the first time since April, 2007.


3) Terrible news for UNLV's Ben Carter, who blew out his ACL Saturday night in the loss to San Diego State. Tough guy, a glue guy, hard to replace.


2) Texas 67, Baylor 59-- I think Shaka Smart is little bit overrated; he got the Texas job because of his pressing style at VCU, but because of the roster he inherited, this Texas team is playing at pace #319 in country, very slow. Anyway, Texas is 6-3 in Big X- this was a good win for them. I'm just curious as to how Smart will recruit the next couple years, if he'll try to re-create Havoc and press like West Virginia does.


1) This is 2016, technology is running amok and yet in Iowa, they have an outdated way to choose who wins their state's delegates. It makes no sense, but it is how things are done. maybe at some point, they can join the 21st century. One thing for sure, it'll be four years before any of these politicians step foot in Iowa again.

 

[CNOTES]

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, February 2

Hot teams
-- New Jersey won four of last five games; Rangers won three of last four.
-- Bruins won five of their last seven games.
-- Penguins won four of their last five games.
-- Florida won last three games, outscoring foes 14-3. Washington won seven of its last nine.
-- Nashville won last four games, allowing one goal in each game.
-- Columbus won four of its last six games.
-- Avalanche won five of their last six games.
-- San Jose won eight of its last ten games. Ducks won five of their last six.

Cold teams
-- Minnesota lost seven of its last eight games. Islanders lost three of last four at home.
-- Maple Leafs lost nine of their last ten games.
-- Montreal lost seven of its last eight games. Flyers lost four of their last six.
-- Ottawa lost three of its last four games.
-- Dallas Stars lost five of their last seven games. Winnipeg lost six of its last nine.
-- St Louis lost six of its last eight road games.
-- Edmonton lost seven of its last nine games.
-- Kings lost three of their last four games. Arizona lost five of its last seven.
-- Chicago lost three of its last four games, after winning 12 in a row.

Series records
-- Islanders lost last three games with Minnesota.
-- Rangers won six of last seven games with New Jersey.
-- Bruins won their last four games with Toronto.
-- Flyers lost three of last four games with Montreal.
-- Penguins won three of last four games with Ottawa.
-- Washington won four of last six games with Florida.
-- Dallas Stars won three of last four games with Winnipeg.
-- Blues won their last four games with Nashville.
-- Oilers won six of last nine games with Columbus.
-- Kings lost three of last four games with Arizona.
-- Road team won six of last eight Chicago-Colorado games.
-- Ducks won last two games with San Jose, both 1-0 scores.

Totals
-- Under is 7-1-1 in last nine Minnesota games.
-- Under is 7-3-1 in last eleven New Jersey games.
-- Under is 7-2-2 in last eleven Toronto games.
-- Over is 4-0-2 in last six Montreal games.
-- Over is 4-1-1 in last six Pittsburgh games.
-- Over is 5-0-2 in last seven Washington games.
-- Under is 3-0-1 in Dallas Stars' last four games.
-- Last three St Louis games stayed under the total.
-- Three of last four Columbus games went over total.
-- Under is 4-1-1 in last six Los Angeles games.
-- Under is 5-1-2 in last eight Chicago games.
-- Over is 4-1-1 in last six San Jose games.

Back-to-backs
-- None

 

[CNOTES]

NHL

Tuesday, February 2

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. NY ISLANDERS
Minnesota is 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against NY Islanders
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Minnesota's last 9 games when playing on the road against NY Islanders
NY Islanders are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against Minnesota
NY Islanders are 4-8 SU in their last 12 games when playing Minnesota

7:00 PM
MONTREAL vs. PHILADELPHIA
Montreal is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Montreal's last 6 games on the road
Philadelphia is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games at home
Philadelphia is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games when playing Montreal

7:00 PM
NY RANGERS vs. NEW JERSEY
NY Rangers are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games
NY Rangers are 3-12 SU in their last 15 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New Jersey's last 6 games
New Jersey is 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against NY Rangers

7:00 PM
OTTAWA vs. PITTSBURGH
Ottawa is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Ottawa's last 5 games on the road
Pittsburgh is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Pittsburgh is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Ottawa

7:00 PM
TORONTO vs. BOSTON
Toronto is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston
Toronto is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Toronto
Boston is 17-6 SU in its last 23 games when playing at home against Toronto

7:30 PM
FLORIDA vs. WASHINGTON
Florida is 15-4 SU in its last 19 games
Florida is 3-12 SU in its last 15 games when playing Washington
Washington is 12-1 SU in its last 13 games at home
Washington is 12-3 SU in its last 15 games when playing Florida

8:00 PM
DALLAS vs. WINNIPEG
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Dallas's last 6 games when playing Winnipeg
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Dallas's last 5 games
Winnipeg is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Winnipeg's last 6 games when playing Dallas

8:00 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. NASHVILLE
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of St. Louis's last 5 games on the road
St. Louis is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Nashville
Nashville is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing St. Louis
Nashville is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

9:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. COLORADO
Chicago is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Colorado
Chicago is 13-3 SU in its last 16 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Colorado's last 5 games at home
Colorado is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Chicago

9:00 PM
COLUMBUS vs. EDMONTON
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Columbus's last 6 games on the road
Columbus is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Edmonton's last 9 games when playing at home against Columbus
Edmonton is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Columbus

9:00 PM
LOS ANGELES vs. ARIZONA
Los Angeles is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games on the road
Los Angeles is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Arizona
Arizona is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Arizona's last 6 games

10:00 PM
SAN JOSE vs. ANAHEIM
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Jose's last 6 games when playing Anaheim
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Jose's last 5 games when playing on the road against Anaheim
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Anaheim's last 5 games when playing at home against San Jose
Anaheim is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against San Jose

 

[CNOTES]

NHL
Dunkel

Tuesday, February 2


Columbus @ Edmonton

Game 17-18
February 2, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Columbus
9.931
Edmonton
8.774
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Columbus
by 1
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Edmonton
-140
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Columbus
(+120); Under

Los Angeles @ Arizona

Game 19-20
February 2, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Los Angeles
10.886
Arizona
11.659
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Arizona
by 1
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Los Angeles
-150
5
Dunkel Pick:
Arizona
(+130); Over

Chicago @ Colorado

Game 21-22
February 2, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago
12.738
Colorado
8.950
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago
by 4
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago
-130
5
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago
(-130); Under

Minnesota @ NY Islanders

Game 1-2
February 2, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
11.870
NY Islanders
12.885
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
NY Islanders
by 1
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
NY Islanders
-145
5
Dunkel Pick:
NY Islanders
(-145); Over

San Jose @ Anaheim

Game 23-24
February 2, 2016 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Jose
11.259
Anaheim
12.809
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Anaheim
by 1 1/2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Anaheim
-135
5
Dunkel Pick:
Anaheim
(-135); Over

NY Rangers @ New Jersey

Game 3-4
February 2, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
NY Rangers
12.419
New Jersey
10.187
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
NY Rangers
by 2
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
NY Rangers
-130
5
Dunkel Pick:
NY Rangers
(-130); Under

Toronto @ Boston

Game 5-6
February 2, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
11.563
Boston
10.627
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 1
5 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston
-180
5
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(+160); Over

Montreal @ Philadelphia

Game 7-8
February 2, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Montreal
12.322
Philadelphia
10.871
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Montreal
by 1 1/2
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Philadelphia
-125
5
Dunkel Pick:
Montreal
(+105); Under

Ottawa @ Pittsburgh

Game 9-10
February 2, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Ottawa
11.419
Pittsburgh
12.940
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Pittsburgh
by 1 1/2
5
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Pittsburgh
-185
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Pittsburgh
(-185); Under

Florida @ Washington

Game 11-12
February 2, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Florida
11.703
Washington
12.562
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 1
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
-150
5
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(-150); Over

Dallas @ Winnipeg

Game 13-14
February 2, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Dallas
11.170
Winnipeg
12.583
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Winnipeg
by 1 1/2
6 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Dallas
-120
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Winnipeg
(+100); Over

St. Louis @ Nashville

Game 15-16
February 2, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
St. Louis
12.583
Nashville
11.272
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
St. Louis
by 1 1/2
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Nashville
-130
5
Dunkel Pick:
St. Louis
(+110); Under