Friday 11/23/2018 ... Comps / Bonus Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Requests Etc

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Washington Wizards vs. Toronto Raptors Preview and Predictions 11-23-2018

NBA Predictions 22nd November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/22/2018

The Toronto Raptors ended a four-game road trip with three straight victories and look to extend their winning streak to four in a row when they return home to take on the Washington Wizards on Friday. Playing without star forward Kawhi Leonard, who was rested on the second half of a back-to-back, the Raptors rolled to a 124-108 win at Atlanta on Wednesday.

Three players scored at least 21 points, including Kyle Lowry as part of a triple-double, and Toronto dominated on the glass 55-34. Lowry had a season-high 17 assists and continues to lead the NBA with 10.5 per game, prompting center Jonas Valanciunas (team-high 24 points) to say: "That was kind of fun. It's easy to play with this kind of point guard." The Wizards capped a 3-2 homestand with a 125-118 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday. John Wall and Bradley Beal combined for 57 points as Washington rallied from a 24-point deficit.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCS Washington, TSN (Toronto)

ABOUT THE WIZARDS (6-11): After a 2-9 start, rumors of the team listening to trade offers on Wall and Beal and even a testy practice that led to Wall being fined for yelling at head coach Scott Brooks, a rally like the one Washington put forth Tuesday was needed, but still not enough. "We've still got a lot of stuff to fix," Beal told reporters. "I'm still not happy. I know everybody's not happy with where we are." Center Dwight Howard (lower body) missed the game and is questionable for this one, which could yield another start underneath for Thomas Bryant (seven points in 19 minutes against the Clippers).

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (15-4): Leonard has yet to play both ends of a back-to-back and the team is 5-1 without him, but Toronto's top scorer could become a more consistent presence on the court in the near future. "I don't really know on that. I think we're getting closer," coach Nick Nurse told the media when asked if and when Leonard would play on consecutive days. "I will say this, there's been zero issues as far as any, too much minutes, or too long a run. He feels good, so I think the early plan here through 18, 20 games is going really well." Forward Pascal Siakam had 22 points in the win over the Hawks and is averaging 17.3 on 64.1 percent shooting in November.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Lowry had 28 points and 12 assists while Leonard sat in a 117-113 win at Washington earlier this season.

2. Wizards G Austin Rivers is 3-for-16 from the floor over his last three games.

3. Lowry needs 10 points to become the fourth Raptor to reach 8,000 with the franchise.

PREDICTION: Raptors 114, Wizards 108

 

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Charlotte Hornets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Preview and Predictions 11-23-2018

NBA Predictions 22nd November 2018 by Gracenote
Hornets vs. Thunder Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 11/22/2018

Kemba Walker went from scoring machine to facilitator, and the Charlotte Hornets still pulled out a win. Walker will try to continue showing off his well-rounded game and lead the Hornets to a third consecutive victory when they visit the Oklahoma City Thunder in the opener of a two-game trip on Friday.

Walker, who scored 60 points in an overtime loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday and followed that up with 43 points in a win over the Boston Celtics on Monday, handed out a season-high 11 assists to go with 16 points in Wednesday's 127-109 triumph over Indiana. "It shows what kind of fight we have," Walker told reporters. "We know that Philly game - it was a tough one for us. It was a tough loss for us. But we bounced back with the game against Boston and tonight. ... I'm glad that we came out, we came out and fought. We came out and we executed, and we had a huge win for us, huge win for us." Charlotte will need to execute at its best against the Thunder, who are winners of 11 of their last 13 and dominated the defending champion Golden State Warriors in a 123-95 road win on Wednesday. "Just making the right play," star point guard Russell Westbrook, who finished with a triple-double, told reporters, "Simple as that. Being able to find open guys and get them in scoring position. You never know who is going to do it. It opens the floor for everybody and it's a good way to attack."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Charlotte), FS Oklahoma

ABOUT THE HORNETS (9-8): Shooting guard Jeremy Lamb led seven scorers in double figures with 21 points on Wednesday while going 5-of-7 from 3-point range. "I just took what the defense gave me," Lamb told reporters. "I had a lot of open threes. Kemba was penetrating and Cody (Zeller) hit me a couple of times, Frank (Kaminsky) hit me a couple times, so I was able to get some open ones and thankfully I was able to knock them down." Zeller and Kaminsky combined for 26 points on 11-of-20 shooting out of the center position.

ABOUT THE THUNDER (11-6): Just as Walker can turn from scorer to facilitator for the Hornets, so can Westbrook for Oklahoma City. The former MVP managed 11 points on 5-of-15 shooting Wednesday but handed out 13 assists and was pleased with his performance. "My job is to see the game, read the game. The game will tell you what you need to do," Westbrook told reporters. "As a point guard my job is to facilitate and have control of the game."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Thunder rookie SG Hamidou Diallo was carted off the floor after suffering a lower leg injury on Wednesday, but x-rays ruled out a serious injury.

2. Charlotte SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (ankle) sat out the last four games and is day-to-day.

3. Westbrook collected 29 points and 10 assists in a 111-107 win at Charlotte on Nov. 1.

PREDICTION: Thunder 123, Hornets 119

 

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Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls Preview and Predictions 11-23-2018

NBA Predictions 22nd November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/22/2018

The Miami Heat continue to have all sorts of problems when trying to defend their home court, so they'll try their hand on the road again when they visit the Chicago Bulls on Friday. The Heat suffered their fifth consecutive home loss with Tuesday's 104-92 setback against Brooklyn in a game that saw the hosts get outscored 30-15 in a dismal fourth quarter.

"You can definitely see guys not playing just free with their game," Miami guard Dwyane Wade told reporters. "We're overthinking at times. In this game, you don't want that. You just want to play." The Bulls have the same ugly home record (3-7) as the Heat but Chicago has split its last four at the United Center and topped visiting Phoenix 124-116 on Wednesday. Jabari Parker finished with 20 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists as the Bulls shot a season-high 56.8 percent to snap a four-game losing streak. "I thought our outlet passes were crisp," Chicago coach Fred Hoiberg told the media. "I thought they were up the floor, and I thought our guys did a good job of getting down quickly. We didn't hang our heads. We had a couple answer-back plays after they scored where we scored on the other end, and those are important. Those are big plays. We need all those points."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Miami), WGN (Chicago)

ABOUT THE HEAT (6-11): Center Hassan Whiteside had 21 points and 23 rebounds against Brooklyn but his fellow starters combined to produce 43 points on 16-of-48 shooting. Wade did not help much off the bench with five points on 2-of-8 from the floor as he returned from a seven-game layoff following the birth of his daughter. Point guard Goran Dragic (knee) is expected to miss his third straight game Friday and Tyler Johnson (hamstring) will sit out the team's two-game road trip.

ABOUT THE BULLS (5-13): Chicago continues to operate without several key injured players, but forward Lauri Markkanen (elbow) had "his best conditioning workout" on Wednesday, according to Hoiberg, and both Markkanen and guard Kris Dunn (knee) took part in pick-and-roll drills. Zach LaVine has been carrying the load for the shorthanded squad and he returned from a one-game layoff due to an illness to provide 29 points and six assists against the Suns. Second-year man Ryan Arcidiacono has filled in for Dunn and had 14 points while making 4-of-6 3-pointers Wednesday, improving to 46.2 percent from beyond the arc.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Heat SG Josh Richardson has missed all six of his 3-point attempts in two games since tying a career high with seven made 3s at Indiana last Friday.

2. Whiteside is day-to-day with knee tendinitis.

3. Miami took three of four meetings last season.

PREDICTION: Heat 109, Bulls 107

 

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San Antonio Spurs vs. Indiana Pacers Preview and Predictions 11-23-2018

NBA Predictions 22nd November 2018 by Gracenote
Spurs vs. Pacers Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 11/22/2018

The San Antonio Spurs attempt to break out of their slump when they visit the Indiana Pacers on Friday. The Spurs dropped seven of their past nine games, including a 104-103 setback against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday.

San Antonio got off to a solid 6-2 start but now the losses are adding up and the team finds itself tied with the Dallas Mavericks for the 11th best record in the Western Conference. "Win or lose, there are always things you can do better," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told reporters afterward. "It is a game of mistakes so you try to make fewer than your opponents." Indiana had a three-game winning streak snapped when it suffered a 127-109 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday. Star guard Victor Oladipo (knee) missed the past two games and his status for Friday will likely be determined in the hours prior to the game.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (San Antonio), FS Indiana

ABOUT THE SPURS (8-9): Popovich referred to the chemistry issue after the loss to Memphis as his team certainly is still learning how best to operate after the trade of former star Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors. "We're trying to get guys to know each other and get to know the system," Popovich said. "That's our goal - to keep getting better and reducing errors and giving ourselves opportunities to win." Standout guard shooting guard DeMar DeRozan - acquired in the Leonard deal - scored 24 points against the Grizzlies and scored 20 or more in six straight games while averaging 24.3 during the stretch.

ABOUT THE PACERS (11-7): Indiana hasn't fared well when Oladipo is out of the lineup and is 1-8 without him over the past two seasons, including an 0-7 mark last season. Small forward Bogdan Bogdanovic is playing well with four 20-point outings in the past five games and he has made 18-of-28 3-point attempts over the past six contests. Center Myles Turner has just one double-double in a tame start and hasn't scored more than 12 points in any of the past nine outings.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Pacers won the past three meetings, including a 116-96 rout in San Antonio on Oct. 24.

2. Spurs C Pau Gasol (foot) is expected to miss his ninth straight game.

3. Indiana backup SF Doug McDermott is averaging 13.5 points on 9-of-14 shooting over the past two games.

PREDICTION: Pacers 105, Spurs 100

 

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Phoenix Suns vs. Milwaukee Bucks Preview and Predictions 11-23-2018

NBA Predictions 22nd November 2018 by Gracenote
Suns vs. Bucks Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 11/22/2018

The Milwaukee Bucks already announced themselves as contenders in the Eastern Conference with their play early this season, but they might have just shown the league how high their ceiling really is. The Bucks will try to follow up one dominating performance with another when they host the Phoenix Suns on Friday.

Milwaukee shot 52.8 percent from the floor and held the Portland Trail Blazers to 36.2 percent in a 143-100 shellacking at home on Wednesday, but the team still thinks it can improve. "I think we definitely have made a statement so far," Bucks star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo told reporters. "I think teams, when they come to Milwaukee, they know they're going to play a great team and they've got to play hard and play well. At the end of the day, I think we're getting better every day. We have a long way to go until April, May and June." The Suns are trying to get better every day as well but continue to fall short in the win column and suffered their third straight loss with a 124-116 setback at Chicago on Wednesday. The positives come from the development of young players, and No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton pulled off his 10th double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds on Wednesday.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FS Arizona (Phoenix), FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

ABOUT THE SUNS (3-14): Part of the current developmental plan is rounding out the game of 22-year-old foundation piece Devin Booker. The shooting guard is taking on more responsibility in the offense and is operating as the point guard for all or parts of games. Booker is averaging 9.5 assists over the last four games but totaled 16 turnovers in that span, including six in Wednesday's setback.

ABOUT THE BUCKS (13-4): Antetokounmpo led the way with 33 points on 13-of-20 shooting Wednesday but came up just shy of a triple-double with 16 rebounds and nine assists. "I knew that," Antetokounmpo told reporters. "My teammates told me to go get (the triple-double), so that's what I tried. ... I always go to Tony (Snell). He was able to knock down some shots. Thon (Maker) did the same thing. Then some didn't go in. It was a great win overall." The performance marked the third straight double-double for Antetokounmpo, who is averaging 26.3 points, 12.9 rebounds and 5.8 assists.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Bucks SF Khris Middleton scored over 20 points in four of the last five games.

2. Suns SF T.J. Warren is averaging 23.9 points over the last seven games.

3. Milwaukee took the last six in the series.

PREDICTION: Bucks 132, Suns 114

 

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Orlando Magic vs. Denver Nuggets Preview and Predictions 11-23-2018

NBA Predictions 22nd November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/22/2018

The Denver Nuggets hope to gain some momentum from a huge win on the road when they come home to face the improved Orlando Magic on Friday night. Denver had dropped six of seven games before holding on for a 103-101 victory at Minnesota on Wednesday as veteran forward Paul Millsap registered a season high-tying 25 points on 11-of-13 shooting.

"We just played free. Everybody played in attack mode," Nuggets guard Monte Morris told the Denver Post. "Our players who need to make plays down the stretch went out and did it." The Nuggets have dropped three of their last four at home after winning the first six and will be tested against a dangerous offensive team in Orlando, which scored at least 130 points in two wins before suffering a 93-91 loss to Toronto on Tuesday. The Magic have won seven of their last 10 games overall after a disappointing start and center Nikola Vucevic has played a big part, averaging a team-high 20 points overall - 27 over the last four contests. "He's playing better than I've ever seen him play," Toronto coach Nick Nurse told reporters of Vucevic. "It used to be he'd get 20 and 12 or something and it was like you didn't even notice or it didn't matter. But now, it's in the rhythm of what they're doing. He's got this look on his face that says give me the ball and I'm going to score it."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Orlando), Altitude (Denver)

ABOUT THE MAGIC (9-9): Vucevic was held to 14 points Tuesday, but hauled in a season-high 18 rebounds to record his sixth double-double in seven games and 12th on the season - tied for fifth in the league. Evan Fournier poured in 27 points against Toronto and averages 16.7 - third on the team behind Vucevic and Aaron Gordon (17.1), who scored a season-high 31 in the win over the New York Knicks on Sunday. Guard Terrence Ross has cooled off the last two outings (6-of-23 from the field) after a four-game stretch in which he was 25-of-40 from the floor.

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (11-7): Millsap missed some time on the court Wednesday when he suffered a facial laceration, but the 33-year-old added five rebounds and five steals during his big night. "He's a tough cat. I'm sure he's going to have a nice headache in the morning," coach Michael Malone told reporters after the game. "But he's a pro - he came back in and wanted to get right back in the game and helped us pull out the victory." Gary Harris leads the team in scoring with 310 points in 18 games while Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray each have 309 in the same amount.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Orlando F Jonathan Isaac is averaging 12.5 points on 9-of-16 shooting the last two games.

2. Jokic is tied for eighth in the league in double-doubles with 11 and is averaging 10.1 rebounds along with 7.1 assists.

3. The Nuggets have swept a pair of games in the last two season series, including a 125-107 victory at home last November.

PREDICTION: Magic 106, Nuggets 101

 

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Utah Jazz vs. Los Angeles Lakers Preview and Predictions 11-23-2018

NBA Predictions 22nd November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/22/2018

The Los Angeles Lakers are soaring with LeBron James and look to record their seventh victory in eight games when they host the Utah Jazz on Friday. James posted 32 points and 14 rebounds in his return to Cleveland on Wednesday as new his club continued its roll with a 109-105 victory.

Lakers coach Luke Walton is impressed with a lot of things when it comes to James but he really is amazed at how the superstar blocks out distractions. "The great ones have that ability," Walton told reporters. "When they're on the basketball court nothing else matters, other than what they're trying to do. Their focus level seems to somehow get higher with the louder the noise gets. I don't know how. I don't know why." Utah dropped four of its last five games after falling 119-110 at home to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday. "We have to figure it out," center Rudy Gobert told reporters of the club's lackluster start. "There's nothing to overthink. It starts with me, and then once I do what I have to do, I think the team's gonna follow."

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, NBATV, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Utah), Spectrum SportsNet (Los Angeles)

ABOUT THE JAZZ (8-10): Utah has been a solid defensive squad in recent seasons but the intensity has been lacking and the Jazz allowed at least 113 points in all four losses of the five-game stretch. "We have to be able to defend better to win," Utah coach Quin Snyder told reporters. "If I could point to one thing, it's our communication. That's the thing that links you together and makes you be able to defend as a group." The Jazz have given up more than 100 points in 12 of the past 14 games, and have allowed more than 120 four times this season.

ABOUT THE LAKERS (10-7): Second-year point guard Lonzo Ball was 1-of-11 shooting while scoring two total points in a two-game span before tallying 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting to go with seven rebounds and six assists against the Cavaliers. "That was one of my favorite parts of our game - how much he was attacking the rim," Walton said afterward. "Even the ones that he didn't finish, I didn't care. Just seeing him get downhill and be physical and playmake." Forward Kyle Kuzma scored 12 points and is averaging just 11.8 points over the last six games after topping 20 points in four of the first 11 contests.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Jazz went 3-0 against the Lakers last season and won the past seven meetings.

2. Utah star SG Donovan Mitchell scored 35 points against the Kings for his third 30-point outing of the campaign.

3. Los Angeles C JaVale McGee hit all six of his shots against the Cavaliers and is 22-for-31 over the past four contests.

PREDICTION: Lakers 123, Jazz 107

 

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Portland Trail Blazers vs. Golden State Warriors Preview and Predictions 11-23-2018

NBA Predictions 22nd November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/22/2018

The Golden State Warriors and the Portland Trail Blazers are both coming off embarrassing defeats, but while one could be considered a blip, the other is becoming a pattern. The defending-champion Warriors will try to break that pattern and snap a four-game slide when they host the Trail Blazers on Friday.

Portland was playing the second night of a back-to-back after beating the New York Knicks 118-114 on Tuesday and had no bounce in a 143-100 loss at Milwaukee the next night. "It was a tough start, obviously we knew it was going to be a long trip," Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard told reporters. "Dropped the first two against quality teams (the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers), teams that can beat you. We bounced back and win two games, which is what we wanted to do, then you come here, arguably the best team in the East on their floor and we were a step slow." The Warriors failed to win on a three-game trek through Texas only to come home and get flattened by the Oklahoma City Thunder 123-95 on Wednesday. "It wasn't pretty tonight, and it hasn't been these last four games," shooting guard Klay Thompson told reporters. "But if you want to take a positive out of tonight, it's the first time we've ever lost four games under (head coach) Steve (Kerr). That's pretty amazing when you think about it."

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, NBCS Northwest (Portland), NBCS Bay Area (Golden State)

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (12-6): Portland is making the final stop of a six-game, 10-day trip at Golden State but was not ready to use fatigue as an excuse for Wednesday's performance, in which the team shot 36.2 percent from the floor. "We're not the first team to go on a trip like this and it's not our first time," Lillard told reporters. "We aren't going to lean on that and make an excuse about being tired. It's early in the season. We haven't even played 20 games yet. There were a lot of things that we could've done to be much better, whether we were tired or not." Lillard is averaging 27.6 points on the trip, including a 40-point outing in a win at Washington on Sunday.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (12-7): Golden State is dealing with injuries to two All-Star players in Stephen Curry (groin) and Draymond Green (toe) along with some personality clashes among teammates. "Our guys, they're not gonna get too discouraged," Kerr told reporters. "They know, especially the guys who have been in this league for a long time, they know the drill. We haven't felt this a whole lot here the last few years - maybe once or twice - but this is part of being in the league. You're banged up, you lose games. You just fight your way out of it and get healthy and you keep going, and things'll turn." Green is day-to-day while Curry is expected to miss several more games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Trail Blazers SF Maurice Harkless (knee) returned from a 12-game absence on Wednesday and scored two points on 1-of-5 shooting in 13 minutes.

2. Golden State SF Kevin Durant is 2-of-22 from 3-point range over the last five games.

3. Portland took the final two meetings last season after dropping seven in a row in the series.

PREDICTION: Trail Blazers 117, Warriors 106

 

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New York Rangers vs. Philadelphia Flyers Preview and Predictions 11-23-2018

NHL Predictions 22nd November 2018 by Gracenote
Rangers vs. Flyers Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 11/22/2018

The New York Rangers have reversed course on what many assumed would be a rebuilding season by posting a 9-1-1 mark in their last 11 games to ascend toward the top of the Metropolitan Division. The red-hot Rangers vie for their fourth consecutive victory on Friday afternoon when they visit the Philadelphia Flyers, who have dropped four in a row (0-3-1) to tumble into a share of last place in the division.

Filip Chytil converted a 2-on-1 rush just 29 seconds into Wednesday's 5-0 romp over the cross-town New York Islanders to become the first teenager in Rangers history to score a goal in five straight games. "When you're hot, you're hot," fellow forward Kevin Hayes said of the 19-year-old Chytil. "... It's impressive. It's a tough league to score goals in and he's doing it at will right now." New York takes a less-than-desirable 3-5-2 road record into a date with Philadelphia, which has its own problems as the whispers of Joel Quenneville potentially replacing head coach Dave Hakstol have grown louder after the team surrendered four first-period goals in Wednesday's 5-2 setback in Buffalo. "Lost battles. Didn't make plays. Played on our heels ... Not acceptable. Pretty (ticked) off," said captain Claude Giroux, who scored to give him seven (two goals, five assists) of his club-best 25 points in his last seven games.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, NBC

ABOUT THE RANGERS (12-8-2): Chris Kreider has turned it up a notch over the last two weeks, scoring six goals among his 11 points in that stretch to raise his club-best totals to 12 and 20, respectively. Mika Zibanejad hasn't been too shabby in his own right, setting up two goals versus the Islanders to give him a team-leading 12 assists and at least a point in seven of his last nine games (two goals, seven assists). Hayes has turned it on after a sluggish start with 11 (three goals, eight assists) of his 14 points in his past 11 contests.

ABOUT THE FLYERS (9-10-2): After scoring first in six straight games, Philadelphia fell behind for the fourth consecutive contest on Wednesday -- much to the chagrin of physical defenseman Christian Folin. "We've talked about it from the start of the season about wanting to have good starts," the 27-year-old Swede told Philly.com. "... Then we have two days off and we come and we show that kind of a start. No emotions whatsoever. Just flat." Alex Lyon, whose season debut went off the rails with four goals on 12 shots before being replaced by Calvin Pickard, turned in strong performances in a pair of wins over the Rangers in 2017-18.

OVERTIME

1. Philadelphia C Travis Konecny scored three goals and set up two others in four games versus New York last season.

2. Rangers D Neal Pionk has five power-play points (one goal, four assists) in his last five contests.

3. Flyers RW Wayne Simmonds has scored in back-to-back games to boost his team-leading goal total to nine.

PREDICTION: Rangers 5, Flyers 1

 

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Edmonton Oilers vs. Anaheim Ducks Preview and Predictions 11-23-2018

NHL Predictions 23rd November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/23/2018

The Edmonton Oilers hope that a coaching change will continue reversing their fortunes as they resume their three-game California road trip Friday against the Anaheim Ducks. Edmonton began the Ken Hitchcock era with a 4-2 overtime victory over San Jose on Tuesday after firing Todd McLellan earlier in the day, giving it two wins in eight games (2-5-1) since a promising 8-4-1 start.

"That's what it has to be (a wake-up call)," Edmonton's Connor McDavid, the two-time defending Art Ross Trophy winner, told reporters Wednesday after scoring his 100th career goal. "Anytime you bring in a new coach, that's kind of the last option I would say before shipping everyone out. This is a chance for us to come together and turn this around." Anaheim is coming off a 4-3 victory over Vancouver on Wednesday that snapped its three-game slide (0-1-2) and hasn't put together a winning streak while going 4-8-4 since starting the season 5-1-1. "We're taking small steps right now," Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf told reporters after recording a goal and an assist for the second straight game. "We're getting better and better. We're going to continue to build and try to get this group pushing the right way every night and every shift." The clubs have split their last four regular-season contests - all one-goal affairs, with three decided in overtime or a shootout - since Anaheim defeated Edmonton four games to two in the 2017 Western Conference semifinals.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, Sportsnet West (Edmonton), FS West (Anaheim)

ABOUT THE OILERS (10-10-1): McDavid (team highs of 13 goals and 31 points) and Leon Draisaitl (13 goals) have combined for six goals and 11 points during their four-game point streaks. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has notched 20 points, but no other Edmonton player has more than nine - with Milan Lucic (five points, club-worst minus-8 rating) scoring once this season and twice in his last 67 games. Cam Talbot (5-8-1, 3.31 goals-against average, .888 save percentage) has lost five straight starts, allowing 20 goals during that span.

ABOUT THE DUCKS (9-9-5): Ondrej Kase, who recorded 20 goals in his second NHL season in 2017-18, has scored in each of his last two games -- his fourth and fifth contests of the campaign after missing the first 18 with a concussion. Getzlaf and Pontus Aberg share the club lead with six goals apiece while Rickard Rakell (three goals this season, 99 career) continues to struggle with one tally in his last 13 games. Anaheim continues to play four rookie defensemen with Hampus Lindholm (lower body) and Cam Fowler (face) out indefinitely.

OVERTIME

1. McDavid became the first Edmonton player to record 30 points in 21 or fewer games since Mark Messier needed 19 contests to accomplish the feat in 1989-90.

2. Ducks G John Gibson (7-7-4, 2.58, .927), who posted his 100th career win on Wednesday, is 6-1-3 with a 1.97 GAA and .933 save percentage in 10 contests versus the Oilers.

3. Anaheim has allowed three power-play goals on four chances over its last two games.

PREDICTION: Ducks 3, Oilers 2

 

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Winnipeg Jets vs. Minnesota Wild Preview and Predictions 11-23-2018

NHL Predictions 22nd November 2018 by Gracenote
Jets vs. Wild Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 11/22/2018

The Minnesota Wild enter Friday's home contest against the Winnipeg Jets looking for a better third period than they displayed in Wednesday's 6-4 victory over Ottawa, overcoming a sloppy final 20 minutes to hold on after giving up three consecutive goals to blow a 4-1 lead. Center Eric Staal made sure the Wild stopped a two-game losing streak by netting his second goal of the game with 5:58 to play, after Minnesota was forced to yank goaltender Devan Dubnyk.

"I don't want to make that change," Minnesota coach Bruce Boudreau admitted to reporters afterward. "But I thought we needed a break, and we needed something without calling a timeout." Much as the Wild were dissatisfied with their finish Wednesday, the Jets said the same about their opening period at Calgary, when they allowed five goals en route to a 6-3 defeat. It was all downhill for Winnipeg after forward Brandon Tanev scored 15 seconds into the contest as goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was pulled after giving up three goals on nine shots. "It was just embarrassing," Winnipeg forward Patrik Laine told the media afterward.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, TSN3 (Winnipeg), FS North, FS Wisconsin (Minnesota)

ABOUT THE JETS (12-6-2): Laine continued his hot streak with a pair of goals, giving him a team-leading 13 on the season and five through the first two contests of Winnipeg's four-game road trip. Forward Blake Wheeler moved into a tie for second place in the league in assists with his 22nd, but the Jets surrendered a season high in goals while losing in regulation for the first time in six games. Backup goaltender Laurent Brossoit made 14 saves in relief, but allowed the final two goals of the opening period.

ABOUT THE WILD (13-7-2): Staal's first multi-goal game of the season powered Minnesota to its 12th victory in the past 17 games, while center Mikael Granlund recorded three assists for his second three-point game in the past seven contests. Backup goaltender Alex Stalock, making just his sixth appearance of the season, stopped the only shot he faced after relieving Dubnyk. The Wild finished 2-for-4 on the power play and have converted 14-of-47 power-play opportunities in their past 13 games.

OVERTIME

1. Laine, who led the NHL with 20 power-play goals last season, shares the league lead with eight in 2018-19.

2. Minnesota hosts the Jets and Arizona before playing four of its next five away from home.

3. The Jets bested the Wild in five games in the opening round of the Western Conference playoffs last spring.

PREDICTION: Jets 4, Wild 3

 

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New York Islanders vs. New Jersey Devils Preview and Predictions 11-23-2018

NHL Predictions 22nd November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/22/2018

The New York Islanders had a pair of streaks come to an end Wednesday, losing for the first time to a Metropolitan Division foe this season and suffering their first loss in nine games to the crosstown rival New York Rangers. Losers of five of seven (2-4-1), the Islanders will try to avert a third straight defeat when they visit the New Jersey Devils on Friday afternoon.

New York blanked the visiting Devils 3-0 earlier this month before its current swoon, which has included lopsided losses to Dallas (6-2) and the Rangers (5-0) in the last two games. "Some guys who have played well, have slipped a little bit," Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. "We've got to get back on the rails here." The Devils have lost eight of 10 on the road, but they have been a different team at home with a 7-1-2 mark following Wednesday's 5-2 win over Montreal. "Any win is good right now, but it's great to get those home wins, and as long as we get those home wins, we put ourselves in a good spot," New Jersey goaltender Keith Kinkaid said.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, MSG, MSG Plus (New York, New Jersey)

ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (10-8-2): Trotz changed up his lines during Thursday's practice, moving Anthony Beauvillier back with the No. 1 unit alongside center Mathew Barzal and Josh Bailey while Brock Nelson was reunited with captain Anders Lee and Jordan Eberle. "It's on us," said Beauvillier, who scored four times in the two games before Wednesday's drubbing. "We've just got to get back to basics, back to the grind mentality, the grit. It's easy to fix. It's not about Xs and Os. It's about execution and commitment." Thomas Greiss made 35 saves in posting a shutout of the Devils on Nov. 3.

ABOUT THE DEVILS (9-9-2): Pavel Zacha failed to hit the scoresheet in his first 12 games, sandwiched around a demotion to the minors, but he scored twice against Montreal to give him four goals in his last three contests. "I'm trying to focus on my game, on my skating and being hard to play against and just trying to win my puck battles and going to the net," Zacha said. "I had a lot of chances before, but now they're going in for me. The confidence is a little better now (than) before I went to the AHL." Nico Hischier score Wednesday in his return from a four-game injury absence.

OVERTIME

1. Islanders F Matt Martin, who has missed eight straight games in a row, is close to returning, Trotz said.

2. Devils F Kyle Palmieri is the eighth different player in franchise history with 12 goals in the first 20 games of a season.

3. Islanders F Cal Clutterbuck is expected to play Friday after illness forced him to sit out against the Rangers.

PREDICTION: Devils 3, Islanders 2

 

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Detroit Red Wings vs. Washington Capitals Preview and Predictions 11-23-2018

NHL Predictions 22nd November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/22/2018

The Detroit Red Wings dug themselves a deep hole with losses in nine of their first 10 games this season, but have climbed back into the playoff race and hope to continue the surge Friday afternoon against the host Washington Capitals. The Red Wings have won nine of their last 11 contests after rallying to knock off New Jersey and Boston in overtime the last two games.

"It means a lot to all of us," Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard, who has a .947 save percentage the last five games, told reporters. "American Thanksgiving, you want to be hovering right around the playoffs, or in, and we are. It could have been very easy for all of us after seven games to just hang it up, but there's a lot of character in this room. ... So it's no shock to anyone in this room that we were able to turn it around." The Red Wings have surrendered 14 goals in the last seven games and will test that improving defense against the reigning Stanley Cup champions, who have won four of five despite dealing with injuries. With top-line center Evgeny Kuznetsov and nine-goal scorer T.J. Oshie out for the third straight game Wednesday, the Capitals absorbed 39 shots and found a way to defeat Chicago 4-2. "Obviously, it was a shorter summer for us and a shorter time to prepare ourselves for the season," Washington forward Andre Burakovsky told reporters after scoring Wednesday. "Just to get back after a year that we had, I think it's tough to get in and get going right away. So we're building our game slowly."

TV: 4 p.m. ET, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet Pacific, FS Detroit, NBCS Washington

ABOUT THE RED WINGS (10-9-2): Speedy forward Andreas Athanasiou scored the tying and winning goals against Boston and has tallied five times while setting up three others in his last six games. "Early in the season he wasn't getting points but he deserved more," Detroit coach Jeff Blashill told reporters of Athanasiou. "From Day 1, he's been very engaged. ... The nights when he hasn't been at his best, the one thing he can still do is find a way to make a play. His 'B' game has been better and then is 'A' game is always good." Dylan Larkin leads the balanced Red Wings with 19 points and his eight goals are one behind team leader Athanasiou.

ABOUT THE CAPITALS (11-7-3): Kuznetsov (21 points) and Oshie (14) did not skate Thursday, and it is unlikely they will play either Friday or Saturday afternoon against the New York Rangers. Captain Alex Ovechkin has seven of his team-leading 15 goals in his last 11 contests and shares the club lead in points (24) with center Nicklas Backstrom, who tops the Capitals with 18 assists and scored in two of the last three games. Goalie Braden Holtby turned aside 37 shots against Chicago and boasts a .950 save percentage over his past five outings while defenseman Michal Kempny (plus-7 rating) scored his first goal of the season.

OVERTIME

1. Washington F Devante Smith-Pelly has two goals in the last three games and needs one point to reach 100 in his career.

2. Detroit D Mike Green, who spent his first 10 seasons with the Capitals, is slated to play his 800th NHL game Friday.

3. The Capitals have earned at least a point in eight straight games against the Red Wings (6-0-2).

PREDICTION: Capitals 4, Red Wings 3

 

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Montreal Canadiens vs. Buffalo Sabres Preview and Predictions 11-23-2018

NHL Predictions 23rd November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/23/2018

The Buffalo Sabres attempt to extend their longest winning streak in more than 10 years when they host the Montreal Canadiens on Friday. Buffalo is on a seven-game run, its longest since opening the 2006-07 season with 10 straight victories, that began with an overtime triumph in Montreal on Nov. 8.

The Sabres' latest win came Wednesday, when they scored four goals in the first period en route to a 5-2 home victory over Philadelphia. Evan Rodrigues and Sam Reinhart each recorded a tally and an assist for Buffalo, which is off to its best 10-game start at home since posting an identical 7-2-1 mark in 2009-10. Montreal is coming off its second straight loss, a 5-2 setback in New Jersey on Wednesday. Max Domi continued his torrid pace in the defeat, scoring his team-leading 11th goal to give him six tallies and nine assists during his 11-game point streak.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, TSN2, RDS (Montreal), MSG (Buffalo)

ABOUT THE CANADIENS (11-7-4): Andrew Shaw has been hot of late, registering five goals and four assists over his last seven games. The 27-year-old right wing is closing in on several milestones as he needs two tallies and one assist to reach the century mark in both categories and is three points away from 200 for his career. Domi has been kept off the scoresheet once in his last 17 games and only three times in 22 contests this season.

ABOUT THE SABRES (14-6-2): Jeff Skinner scored his team-leading 15th goal Wednesday, 14 of which have come in his last 15 contests. The 26-year-old former Calder Trophy winner is five away from reaching the 20-goal plateau for the fourth consecutive campaign and seventh time during his nine-season career. Reinhart has collected 10 points over his last nine games, registering four two-point performances in that span.

OVERTIME

1. The Canadiens recalled D Brett Kulak from Laval of the American Hockey League on Thursday.

2. Buffalo D Marco Scandella (lower body) is expected to miss his second straight contest despite participating in Thursday's optional practice.

3. Montreal C Jonathan Drouin's next game will be his 100th with the club since being acquired from Tampa Bay.

PREDICTION: Sabres 4, Canadiens 3

 

[bmd1803]

Calgary Flames vs. Vegas Golden Knights Preview and Predictions 11-23-2018

NHL Predictions 23rd November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/23/2018

The first-place Calgary Flames try for their fourth straight victory when they visit the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday with a hot goaltender and a potent offense that has scored 13 goals in its last two games. Calgary completed a 3-1-0 homestand with a 6-3 win over Winnipeg on Wednesday, with David Rittich stopping 37 shots for his sixth straight victory.

"We've got three (wins) in a row right now, and I think everyone in our locker room feels great," Rittich (8-1-0, 2.04 goals-against average, .930 save percentage) told reporters. "We have to keep it the same, still push them back and play in their zone, doesn't matter who we're playing against." The Flames led 5-1 after one period Wednesday, becoming the fourth team in NHL history to score five or more goals in the first session of consecutive games. Calgary crushed Vegas 7-2 on Monday behind two goals apiece from Sean Monahan and Matthew Tkachuk for its second straight victory over the Golden Knights by a combined score of 14-3 since losing the first three encounters (15-5). Vegas bounced back from Monday's debacle with a 3-2 victory at Arizona on Wednesday behind Max Pacioretty's second goal of the game at 3:36 of overtime.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One, Sportsnet West - joined in progress (Calgary), AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Vegas)

ABOUT THE FLAMES (13-8-1): Sam Bennett has recorded two goals and two assists in his last two games since being elevated to a line with Mikael Backlund and Tkachuk after totaling the same numbers in his first 20 contests of the season. Johnny Gaudreau has notched two goals and five assists in his last three games, giving him 26 points - one behind team leader Tkachuk - and a club-high 18 assists while Monahan (25 points), who has collected three goals and three assists in his last three games, is tied for the team lead in talies (12) with Tkachuk.

ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (10-12-1): Jonathan Marchessault (team bests of 19 points and a plus-4 rating) is the only Vegas player with a double-digit goal total (10). Pacioretty has scored in three straight games, netting four of his six tallies during that span, while Tomas Nosek (club-worst minus-13) recorded his second goal of the campaign on Wednesday. Marc-Andre Fleury (10-8-1, 2.58, .901) made 19 saves Wednesday for his third victory in four starts and is 10-4-1, with a 2.31 GAA and .922 save percentage in 16 games versus Calgary.

OVERTIME

1. Flames C Dillon Dube, a second-round pick in the 2016 draft, scored his first NHL goal Wednesday in his 16th game.

2. Vegas C Cody Eakin (eight goals, 12 points in 20 games this season) set up a tally on Wednesday, giving him five goals and three assists in his last nine contests.

3. Calgary RW Michael Frolik (seven goals in 20 games) missed Wednesday's game with a lower-body injury.

PREDICTION: Golden Knights 3, Flames 2

 

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Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Preview and Predictions 11-23-2018

NHL Predictions 22nd November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/22/2018

The Toronto Maple Leafs posted their seventh win in eight games with a 4-2 triumph over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday before falling short in Carolina two days later for just their second road loss in 11 outings this season. The Maple Leafs bid to dust themselves off and salvage a split of their road trip on Friday when they visit Nationwide Arena to face the Blue Jackets.

John Tavares became the fifth player in Maple Leafs' history and first since 1943-44 to score 11 or more goals in his team's first 11 road games when he tallied in the first period of Wednesday's 5-2 setback against the Hurricanes. The 28-year-old Ontario native, who also scored in the first encounter with Columbus and has a club-best 14 tallies, has made himself at home on the road with 17 of his 26 points coming away from Scotiabank Arena. The Blue Jackets have had a few days to lament seeing a late defensive miscue on a faceoff cost them dearly as they bid adieu to both a three-game winning streak and season-best seven-game point stretch (5-0-2) against the Maple Leafs. "We played well enough to win, and not to get a point out of it off just a simple coverage off a faceoff, it just (ticks) you off," coach John Tortorella said. "It's pee-wee coverage and we didn't handle it. It's frustrating."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN4 (Toronto), FS Ohio (Columbus)

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (15-7-0): Kasperi Kapanen had an assist in the first meeting with the Blue Jackets before tallying midway into the third period versus the Hurricanes to give him six of his nine goals scored on the road. "You see the confidence and seeing how deadly or how effective his tools are - his shot, his skating ability - the confidence that's growing in that and the impact he can make and how hard he can be to defend," Tavares said of Kapanen. Mitch Marner set up a pair of tallies versus Columbus to push his team-leading totals in assists and points to 22 and 28, respectively.

ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (12-7-2): NHL First Star of the Week Cam Atkinson extended his career-best goal-scoring streak to five games by opening the scoring against Toronto and added an assist on linemate Pierre-Luc Dubois's tally to boost his point total to 11 (seven goals, four assists) in that stretch. "I'm putting myself in good positions," the 29-year-old Atkinson said, according to The Columbus Dispatch. "I think that's plain and simple. My linemates are making good passes and I'm just burying them." Dubois is riding a five-game point streak (four goals, five assists) and Artemi Panarin has four assists in his last two games to boost his team-leading point total to 22.

OVERTIME

1. Columbus G Sergei Bobrovsky, who is expected to make his 400th career start on Friday, has allowed 12 goals on 219 shots in seven contests this month.

2. Toronto is 3-for-21 on the power play in its last eight games.

3. The Blue Jackets scored six power-play goals in the last seven contests after going 6-for-56 in their first 14 outings.

PREDICTION: Maple Leafs 4, Blue Jackets 2

 

[bmd1803]

Florida Panthers vs. Carolina Hurricanes Preview and Predictions 11-23-2018

NHL Predictions 22nd November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/22/2018

The Carolina Hurricanes have pulled themselves out of a tailspin by gaining at least a point in five of their last six contests and look to complete a six-game homestand with another victory Friday against the Florida Panthers. The Hurricanes have followed up a five-game losing streak with a 4-1-1 run after an impressive 5-2 victory over Toronto on Wednesday.

"It's huge," Carolina power forward Micheal Ferland told reporters after scoring for the fourth time in five games Wednesday. "Coming into (Wednesday), we wanted to make a statement that we could play with any team. I thought we played really good." The Hurricanes are fourth in the Metropolitan Division and three points out of first while the Panthers have dropped three of their last four to reside at the bottom of the Atlantic Division. Florida has games in hand on everyone above it in the Atlantic, but comes in off a 7-3 loss at Sunshine State-rival Tampa Bay on Wednesday despite recording 43 shots on net. "Just too many unforced errors," Panthers left wing Mike Hoffman told reporters after extending his point streak to 17 games. "You can't be giving up that many goals if you expect to win any game."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Florida, FS Carolinas

ABOUT THE PANTHERS (8-8-3): Hoffman has 10 goals and 10 points during his streak and leads the team with 20 points - one better that right wing Evgenii Dadonov (nine goals), along with defenseman Keith Yandle (15 assists). Captain Aleksander Barkov (18 points) has scored in back-to-back contests while fellow forward Jonathan Huberdeau owns four assists in the last four games and is one shy of 100 goals for his career. Florida has scored at least one power-play goal in 10 consecutive games, going 14-for-38 in that stretch, and moved to sixth in the league at 25.6 percent.

ABOUT THE HURRICANES (10-8-3): Sebastian Aho has posted seven points in the last six contests after a three-game drought and leads the team with 24 - seven better than fellow forward Teuvo Teravainen, who is slated to play his 300th game Friday. Rookie Andrei Svechnikov, 18, scored his fifth goal Wednesday and coach Rod Brind'Amour told reporters: "You see the confidence starting to come out of him. He's hanging on to pucks in the offensive zone, taking it to the net really hard." Center Victor Rask returned to the lineup against Toronto after missing 20 games with a hand injury.

OVERTIME

1. Florida G Roberto Luongo has surrendered 16 goals on 88 shots in his last three appearances.

2. Carolina F Justin Williams has scored in back-to-back games to reach 100 with the franchise.

3. The Hurricanes have points in five of the last six meetings (4-1-1), including three straight victories at home.

PREDICTION: Hurricanes 5, Panthers 3

 

[bmd1803]

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Preview and Predictions 11-23-2018

NHL Predictions 22nd November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/22/2018

Captain Steven Stamkos looks to build off a season-best, four-point performance when his Tampa Bay Lightning go after a seventh straight victory in the series against the visiting Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night. Stamkos recorded a goal and three assists in Wednesday's 7-3 rout of Florida and is averaging nearly a point per game after a slow start to the campaign.

"He was amazing," Tampa Bay forward Yanni Gourde told reporters of Stamkos, who joined him and J.T. Miller on a new line Wednesday. "He was winning puck battles. He was so fast. He was shooting the puck. It was a great game for him and it was really fun to play with him." The Lightning recorded a modern era record 33 shots in the second period of a 6-3 victory over the Blackhawks on Oct. 21 and Chicago last beat Tampa Bay 1-0 in overtime early in the 2015-16 season. The Blackhawks saw a four-game point streak (2-0-2) come to an end Wednesday despite registering 39 shots on net in a 4-2 setback at Washington to open a three-game trip. "We're disappointed," Chicago coach Jeremy Colliton told reporters after the loss. "We could have got some points today and we didn't. But we're good enough. We have a good enough team. We've just got to tighten up a little bit."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, NBCS Chicago

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (8-9-5): Right wing Patrick Kane has not scored in his last six games, but added four assists in that stretch to maintain his lead on the team with 25 points. Captain Jonathan Toews (19 points) is hot on his trail with two goals and four assists during a five-game point streak and fellow forward Brandon Saad has scored in three consecutive contests to push his season total to seven after coming up empty the first eight games. Chicago has struggled on special teams of late, going 3-for-24 on the power play over nine games and killing 6-of-10 attempts in the past five contests.

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (15-6-1): Right wing Nikita Kucherov has wielded a hot stick of late to take over the team lead in points with 27 after recording two goals and seven assists during a four-game run. Kucherov skated on a line with second-leading scorer Brayden Point (team-best 14 goals, 26 points) and Tyler Johnson in Wednesday's victory and notched his fourth power-play tally of the season. Defenseman Ryan McDonagh continued his All Star-worthy campaign with three points against Florida and owns 16 overall to go along with a club-best plus-12 rating while logging a team-most 23:06 per game.

OVERTIME

1. Kane has 21 points in 16 career games against the Lightning, but managed one assist and a minus-3 rating in the first meeting this season.

2. Tampa Bay G Louis Domingue boasts two 40-save victories in the last three contests and turned aside 33 shots to beat the Blackhawks last month.

3. Chicago D Duncan Keith, who has yet to score a goal this season, snapped a nine-game point drought with an assist Wednesday.

PREDICTION: Lightning 5, Blackhawks 2

 

[bmd1803]

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Boston Bruins Preview and Predictions 11-23-2018

NHL Predictions 22nd November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/22/2018

The return of superstar Sidney Crosby to the lineup provided a much-needed jolt for the skidding Pittsburgh Penguins, who ended a four-game slide behind a stellar performance by their team captain. Crosby and the Penguins will look to post back-to-back wins for the first time this month when they visit the Boston Bruins on Friday night.

Crosby scored one goal and set up two others as Pittsburgh rolled to a 5-1 rout of Dallas on Wednesday for only its second victory in 11 games (2-7-2). "I think our team gets a foot taller when he is in our lineup because of the inspiration that he is for our group," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said of Crosby. "Not only is he a great player ... but he's a terrific teammate and he cares so much about the Penguins and trying to help this team win." The Bruins capped a four-game road trip (1-1-2) with a 3-2 overtime loss in Detroit on Wednesday, but they suffered a pair of key injuries on the trek to top-line center Patrice Bergeron and defensemen Zdeno Chara. "It will be nice to be home. I think we'll all be excited," Boston forward Brad Marchand said. "I think the biggest thing is we have to make sure we stay in the moment, can't get caught up with what's happened in the past, and can't look at the next game."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet360, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario, TVAS, AT&T-Sportsnet-Pittsurgh, NESN (Boston)

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (8-8-4): The afterglow of Wednesday's impressive victory was dimmed by the news on Thursday that Pittsburgh placed starting goaltender Matt Murray on injured reserve due to a lower-body injury. "He was evaluated this morning by our team doctors," Sullivan said. "This is something that he's been dealing with for a couple of weeks. The decision was made this morning to rest and see if that gives him an opportunity to heal. That's where we're at." Casey DeSmith gave up three goals in 5:27 in his lone appearance versus the Bruins last season.

ABOUT THE BRUINS (11-6-4): While the injury to Bergeron removes a key cog on one of the NHL's most potent lines, Boston received an unexpected boost from its fourth unit in Wednesday's setback to the Red Wings. Chris Wagner netted his second goal of the season off an assist from Sean Kuraly and, along with linemate David Backes, the trio produced 10 shots on goal against Detroit. "I think we're starting to build a little more chemistry," Wagner said. "We're starting to make plays coming over the blue instead of just dumping it in every time and chasing it."

OVERTIME

1. Boston is 8-1-2 in its last 11 versus Pittsburgh and has won five in a row at home.

2. Crosby has 13 goals and 50 points in 36 games against the Bruins.

3. Boston F David Pastrnak, the NHL leader with 17 goals, has six in nine games against the Penguins.

PREDICTION: Bruins 3, Penguins 2

 

[bmd1803]

Colorado Avalanche vs. Arizona Coyotes Preview and Predictions 11-23-2018

NHL Predictions 23rd November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/23/2018

The Colorado Avalanche are scary enough 5-on-5, but when they get the NHL's No. 1 power play going with the likes of Mikko Rantanen, Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog displaying their immense talents, watch out. Colorado, which is 9-for-13 with the man advantage over its last five games, completes a stretch of three straight road contests Friday against the Arizona Coyotes.

"Execution has been there," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar told reporters. "Our guys are hungry to score on the power play. We got a lot of talent, especially now that both units are contributing." Rantanen, MacKinnon and Landeskog have combined for 13 points (four goals) in the last two games - a 7-3 victory over Los Angeles on Wednesday and a 4-3 overtime win against Anaheim on Sunday - including three goals and seven assists on a power play that's clicking at 32.9 percent. Arizona lost to Vegas 3-2 in overtime on Wednesday, falling to 2-4-2 after a promising 7-5-0 start to the season. The Coyotes, however, will provide Colorado's power play with a stern challenge as they lead the league in penalty-killing at 91.9 percent.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Altitude2 (Colorado), FS Arizona Plus

ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (11-6-4): MacKinnon (team-high 14 goals, 31 points) was runner-up to New Jersey's Taylor Hall for the 2018 Hart Trophy and Rantanen is well on his way to becoming a finalist this season. The 22-year-old Finn, who was the 10th overall pick in the 2015 draft, leads the NHL with 34 points and 26 assists while Landeskog (13 goals, 23 points) is on pace for a career season. Colorado also is getting support from its secondary lines as Carl Soderberg (seven goals, 15 assists) notched two assists on Wednesday, giving him two goals and five assists in his last six games.

ABOUT THE COYOTES (9-9-2): Derek Stepan scored twice on Wednesday, including once with a man advantage to provide a boost to the NHL's sixth-worst power play (15.6 percent). Stepan and Brad Richardson share the team lead in goals with six, while Clayton Keller and Michael Grabner have five apiece. Keller leads the team with 13 points after recording an assist on Wednesday for his first point in four contests.

OVERTIME

1. Arizona RW Josh Archibald is eligible to return after serving a two-game suspension for an illegal head shot on Nashville's Ryan Hartman on Nov. 15.

2. Rantanen was fined $2,000 by the league Wednesday for embellishment - his second offense - during a Nov. 14 game versus Boston.

3. The teams have split the last 10 meetings, with the Avalanche prevailing in the last encounter in Arizona 6-2 on Dec. 23, 2017 for their sixth victory in their last eight games at Gila River Arena.

PREDICTION: Avalanche 3, Coyotes 2