Friday 12/11/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[superbeets]

French Ligue 1 TODAY 19:30

Rennes

v

Caen

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		5/4	11/5	23/10	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT RENNES	RECENT FORM
HLAWHDADHLAD​ Most recent​	1 - 4 3 - 2 1 - 1 1 - 0	ALHWHDAWADHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Rennes have won one of their last 12 league games

EXPERT VERDICT: Rennes have won just once since mid-September and they look too short against Caen. The visitors are third in the Ligue 1 table and picked up a creditable draw against Monaco in their previous away outing. They can earn another draw against their out-of-form hosts.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1

 

[superbeets]

German Bundesliga TODAY 19:30

Mainz

v

Stuttgart

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT1		23/20	13/5	23/10	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT MAINZ	RECENT FORM
HLADHWADHWAW​ Most recent​	1 - 1 3 - 2 3 - 1 3 - 1	AWHWALHLALHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Stuttgart have conceded at least two goals in ten of their last 12 Bundesliga away games

EXPERT VERDICT: A five-match unbeaten run has helped Mainz re-establish themselves in the top half of the table and their revival can continue with a home victory over struggling Stuttgart. Mainz won successive home games in November and are 12 points superior to second-bottom Stuttgart, who have the worst away record in the division.

RECOMMENDATION: Mainz
1

 

[superbeets]

Spanish La Liga TODAY 19:30

Getafe

v

Sociedad

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS3		8/5	11/5	9/5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT GETAFE	RECENT FORM
HLALHDHWALAL​ Most recent​	0 - 1 2 - 2 2 - 1 1 - 0	HLALHWALALHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Getafe have earned 13 of their 14 points in home games

EXPERT VERDICT: Real Sociedad look to be improving since the dismissal of David Moyes but they could face a difficult evening on the outskirts of Madrid. Getafe are also in the lower half of the table but they have a strong home record and are capable of checking Sociedad’s progress

RECOMMENDATION: Getafe
1

 

[superbeets]

Championship TODAY 19:45

Wolves

v

Nottm Forest

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS1		5/4	12/5	5/2	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT WOLVES	RECENT FORM
AWALHDADHDAW​ Most recent​	0 - 3 1 - 2 5 - 1 2 - 1	ALALHWALHWHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Nottingham Forest have lost their last four Championship away games

EXPERT VERDICT: Wolves have won just one of their last four league meetings with Nottingham Forest and have won only two of their nine games at Molineux this term, losing three times. Forest have won three of their last four matches but have scored only six goals in nine away trips.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1

 

[superbeets]

Scottish Championship TODAY 19:45

Queen of Sth

v

Raith

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
ALBA		6/5	13/5	2	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT QUEEN OF STH	RECENT FORM
ALHLAWHWALHD​ Most recent​	2 - 1 2 - 0 1 - 0 0 - 1	HLALHLADHDAW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: The hosts have let in 19 goals in nine home games

EXPERT VERDICT: These two sit fifth and sixth in the Scottish Championship and there could be little to separate them on the pitch. Queen of the South have home advantage but their defence has been poor and a Raith side who have scored seven goals in their last four games can snatch a point.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1


REFEREE: Craig Charleston STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Championship Sa 12Dec 12:30

MK Dons

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Ipswich

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS1		5/2	5/2	6/5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT MK DONS	RECENT FORM
HLHWALHDADAL​ Most recent​	3 - 3	HDHWAWHDAWHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Last week’s loss to Middlesbrough was Ipswich’s first defeat in six games

EXPERT VERDICT: MK Dons are without a win in four Championship matches and have lost five of their nine home games this season, scoring just eight times along the way. Only Birmingham have scored more Championship away goals than Ipswich, and Town have lost just three of nine away games

RECOMMENDATION: Ipswich
3

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Kings (17-8) at Penguins (14-10)

Date: December 11, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

After each victory, Alec Martinez and Milan Lucic find each other on the ice, gather themselves, leap off their skates and bump chests. Then they do it again.

"Two chest bumps for two points," Martinez explained.

The Los Angeles Kings certainly are having more fun than last season, when they became the first defending Stanley Cup champions in eight years to miss the playoffs. They're sitting comfortably atop the Pacific Division and seek a sixth consecutive win as they continue their road trip against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night.

Martinez scored in overtime of Game 5 of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final to give the Kings their second title in three years, but Los Angeles finished two points out of the Western Conference postseason in 2014-15 to become just the fifth defending champ in the expansion era to watch the playoffs from home.

The Kings (18-8-1) have moved past that disappointment, though, and are nearly halfway to the 40 wins they had last season. Lucic and Martinez assisted on Jeff Carter's tying goal with 1:27 left in regulation Tuesday, then Martinez scored in overtime as Los Angeles began a six-game trip with a 3-2 win over Columbus.

It improved to 5-0 in OT and is 1-1 in shootouts after suffering 15 defeats past regulation last season, when Lucic was still with Boston. He came over in an offseason trade and has 10 goals and eight assists.

Oh, and 36 chest bumps.

"I don't think it's stopping any time soon," Martinez said. "It's just a testament to Looch. Just a microcosm of how much we've benefited as a team with his addition."

Lucic scored twice and Jake Muzzin added a goal and two assists in Saturday's 5-3 win over Pittsburgh (15-10-2), which returns home after completing a 2-2-0 road trip.

Beau Bennett scored two of the Penguins' three third-period goals Wednesday to lift them to a 4-2 win over Colorado. Patric Hornqvist had the other and Olli Maatta finished with two assists for Pittsburgh, which was playing for the first time since Pascal Dupuis announced he won't return to hockey because of health concerns related to blood clots.

'It's great to win with the boys,' Bennett said. 'We just have to continue and go on a little bit of a streak here.'

Bennett in particular was more aggressive, tying his season high with six shots on goal after not recording more than three in any of his previous 18. Coach Mike Johnston also was impressed with Bennett's physical nature.

"Beau was good," Johnston said. "I don't know how many hits he had, but Beau, when he's competing, his skills will start to take over and he got some open ice."

Marc-Andre Fleury made 24 saves and allowed fewer than three goals three times on the trip, with the exception being the loss to the Kings. Fleury had shut them out in each of his two prior matchups and went 6-2-0 with a 1.70 goals-against average in his previous eight career starts against Los Angeles.

Jonathan Quick has a 1.52 GAA while starting each game during the Kings' current 6-0-1 stretch. He had to make only 17 saves to beat Pittsburgh last week as the Kings outshot the Penguins 37-20.

Despite that win, Quick is just 2-2-3 with a 2.61 GAA in his career against Pittsburgh.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Red Wings (15-8) at Devils (12-10)

Date: December 11, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

It's been nearly a month since the Detroit Red Wings lost in regulation. That's only happened twice in almost 12 years against the New Jersey Devils.

The Red Wings try to get at least one point for a 13th straight game as they aim for their longest winning streak against the Devils on Friday night.

Detroit is 8-0-4 since a 3-1 loss at Boston on Nov. 14 had it middling with an 8-8-1 record.

The Red Wings (16-8-5) have since turned into contenders in the Atlantic Division, sitting four points back of first-place Montreal.

"It doesn't really matter right now," center Henrik Zetterberg said. "It's a long way to go. We know we're playing well. If we're playing like this we're going to get our points and then we'll be there in the end."

Detroit beat the Canadiens 3-2 on Thursday after Justin Abdelkader and Darren Helm scored 1:11 apart in the third period.

"We're playing better," Zetterberg said. "Still, it's not perfect."

It's still impressive enough considering Detroit hasn't strung together 13 games in a row with at least a point since a stretch that bridged two seasons in 2007. The Red Wings last did it in a single season with a 20-game run March 9-April 17, 2006.

Abdelkader has five goals in the last five games after scoring once over the previous 22.

This is the seventh set of games on back-to-back days for the Red Wings and they've split each of them between Petr Mrazek and Jimmy Howard. Mrazek had 23 saves Thursday, increasing the likelihood that Howard gets the call.

Howard is 4-0-1 with a 2.31 goals-against average over his last five starts, and he won both of his meetings with New Jersey last season behind a 1.50 GAA.

The Red Wings have an 11-2-1 record over the last 14 matchups with the Devils (14-10-4), winning four straight. Both teams have failed to put together a winning streak longer than that in the all-time series that dates to 1974-75 when the Devils were the Kansas City Scouts.

Things have already been made tougher for New Jersey with Travis Zajac (upper-body injury) ruled out for a fourth straight game. Now, they'll be without Adam Henrique, who has a team-high 13 goals.

The left wing suffered a lower-body injury in a collision with Toronto goaltender Garret Sparks in the second period of Tuesday's 3-2 shootout loss.

"We love those guys, but we're going to have to deal with being without them," left wing Mike Cammalleri told the team's official website.

Cammalleri, the team leader with 30 points, was pointless against the Maple Leafs after scoring four goals and assisting on three others over the three previous games. He has 12 points in the past nine home games, and he scored twice there before missing his shootout attempt in a 5-4 loss to Detroit on Nov. 28, 2014.

Lee Stempniak continues to be a big surprise for New Jersey. The rugged right wing is in position to extend his point streak to five games for the first time since Oct. 16-24, 2013, with Calgary.

He has a goal in each of the last two games and four in his last seven against the Red Wings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jets (14-13) at Blackhawks (15-10)

Date: December 11, 2015 8:30 PM EDT

The Chicago Blackhawks haven't exactly capitalized on Patrick Kane's franchise-record point streak.

With Kane on the cusp of a 25th straight game on the score sheet, the Blackhawks seek a bounce-back performance Friday night and their second win over the Winnipeg Jets in under a week.

Kane has collected 38 of his NHL-leading 44 points during his 24-game streak, which is the longest in the league since Sidney Crosby went 25 in a row during the 2010-11 season. He scored his 15th goal of that stretch Thursday, but Chicago (15-10-4) fell 5-1 at Nashville to split a home-and-home set.

"It is a silver lining, and it is great for him," said goaltender Scott Darling, who had 29 saves. "He is playing great, like he always does. So it is good for him."

Kane's dominance, however, doesn't have the Blackhawks racking up wins. They're 13-7-4 during his streak compared to Pittsburgh going 19-5-1 during Crosby's stretch.

"It's nice to see (Kane continue his streak), but I know he's the type of guy that would rather have a win than keep the streak going," forward Andrew Shaw told the team's official website.

Chicago, though, is opening a four-game homestand and is 10-3-1 at United Center, including 9-2-1 during Kane's streak. That includes a 3-1 win over Winnipeg on Sunday in which Kane assisted on Artemi Panarin's empty-net goal with 46 seconds left. He has 17 points in 15 career meetings with the Jets (14-13-2) after getting four in the past three.

The Blackhawks have won three of the last four matchups with Winnipeg, and Corey Crawford has a 2.00 goals-against average while starting each of them. He had 30 saves Sunday before making 36 in a 4-1 win over the Predators two days later.

Crawford is 8-2-1 with a 1.82 GAA over his last 11 home games.

Winnipeg's only loss over its last four games came at Chicago, but each of the victories were at home, including Thursday's 6-4 win over Columbus.

The Jets are 1-7-1 in their last nine road games, giving up an average of 4.11 goals.

With games on back-to-back days, Winnipeg is likely to turn to Michael Hutchinson. However, he's 0-6-1 with a 3.98 GAA over his last eight road games, seven of them starts.

He stopped 29 of 31 shots at Chicago on Sunday, but he's 4-1-1 with a 1.33 GAA in six career starts against the Blackhawks.

If Hutchinson sits for a second straight game, the Jets would start Connor Hellebuyck. The rookie has won his first four starts with a 1.72 GAA since being called up from Manitoba of the AHL after starter Ondrej Pavelec sprained his knee last month.

Hellebuyck made 25 saves against the Blue Jackets after giving up one goal in each of his first three games. Since the performance came in a win, coach Paul Maurice joked about it.

"Send him down. He's got a one-goal limit," he said.

Mathieu Perreault matched his career high with four points Thursday after coming up empty at Chicago. The center's only points in six career visits to United Center were two goals in a 5-1 win Dec. 23.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Flyers (11-11) at Stars (20-5)

Date: December 11, 2015 8:30 PM EDT

Dallas has won in a variety of ways on its six-game point streak, though the latest method requiring a late goal after blowing a four-goal lead is one the NHL leader would rather not repeat.

Philadelphia visits Friday night, and the Stars' success against the Flyers lately has been far more stingy and structured.

In Tuesday's 6-5 home victory over Carolina, Dallas (21-5-2) led 4-0 after the first period and 5-1 after two, but the Hurricanes scored the next four before Patrick Sharp's winner with 19 seconds left in the third.

Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin had a goal and three assists each, and Valeri Nichushkin and John Klingberg both added three points. Benn, tied with Seguin with a team-high 39 points, had gone his previous three games without a point.

The Stars, who lead the Central Division by eight points, can now post their first seven-game point streak since Dec. 17-31, 2013.

"We've had some funny games lately," Benn told the team's official website. "We were down 3-0 in Minnesota and came back. We were up 3-0 in Calgary and lost. We pretty much dominated Edmonton and lost. We didn't do much tonight and won a game, so I think in the end hockey evens itself out. Two points is two points."

They broke out of a 0-for-11 power-play funk by going 2 for 3, and even if it was canceled out by the Hurricanes posting the same mark, Seguin said some production was a relief. Philadelphia's penalty kill is just 6 for 10 in the last four games with a power-play goal allowed in each.

"Special teams is huge for us. We really focus on them," Seguin said. "We hadn't been getting too many consistent looks on the power play as of late throughout the games, but a lot of chances tonight and we're happy we could bear down."

Kari Lehtonen faced Carolina and allowed five goals on 30 shots before being replaced late, so Antti Niemi figures to start. Since allowing at least three goals in six straight games, Niemi has gone 5-1-2 with a 2.22 goals-against average over his previous eight.

He also beat Philadelphia earlier this season to get to 3-1-0 with a 1.61 GAA and .947 save percentage in the regular season against the Flyers.

The Stars have consecutive 2-1 wins in the series, including in Philadelphia on Oct. 20 with usual suspects Seguin and Benn each scoring and assisting the other.

The Flyers (11-11-6) helped Dallas' division lead remain where it is with a 4-2 win in St. Louis on Thursday behind a goal and two assists from Claude Giroux. The center has scored in three of his last four games with four assists, but coach Dave Hakstol was highlighting the team effort.

"What I see tonight is we had good goaltending, we had a good four-line effort, all six defensemen did a good job," Hakstol said. "... It's a tough place to win and it's a good team win for us."

After Michal Neuvirth played against the Blues, Steve Mason should get the nod in net. Mason, however, was pulled from his latest start after allowing three goals on 10 shots and has surrendered seven on 44 shots faced in his last two. He's 2-5-0 with a 3.03 GAA in his last eight against the Stars.

Dallas will likely have Jason Demers back from a three-game absence because of an upper-body injury. The defenseman returned to practice Wednesday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wild (14-7) at Coyotes (13-14)

Date: December 11, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

A franchise-record shutout streak allowed the Minnesota Wild to string together wins despite some tepid offensive production before that run ended in their latest game.

With top goaltender Devan Dubnyk still injured, the Wild could use a breakout performance from their scorers and would appear to have a promising chance against a team that's struggling mightily to keep opponents from lighting the lamp.

The Arizona Coyotes, though, return to the desert seeking their longest home win streak in two seasons Friday night, but they have often come up short lately against the Wild.

Minnesota (14-7-5) has totaled 13 goals in its last seven games but had won three in a row before a 2-1 overtime loss in Colorado on Monday. The Wild went 178:52 without giving up a goal until Tyson Barrie got a shot past Darcy Kuemper in the second period.

Zach Parise, however, assured his team would earn a point for a fifth consecutive game by scoring with 6:09 left in regulation.

Kuemper started after Dubnyk was forced to leave in Saturday's 3-0 home win over Colorado because of a strained groin. Dubnyk will stay behind in Minnesota when the team completes a three-game road stretch.

"He wasn't quite feeling 100 percent so there's no point in rushing things," coach Mike Yeo said after practice in Minnesota on Thursday. "It's getting closer. ... He just doesn't have full confidence in pushing side to side right now."

Kuemper will start Friday but it's unclear if he'll play the second half of back-to-back contests Saturday against San Jose. Kuemper recorded one of his five career shutouts in his only game against the Coyotes, stopping 26 shots in a 2-0 victory Oct. 23, 2014.

He might not need as much to outduel his Arizona counterpart this time given that the Coyotes have been outscored 24-10 in a season-high five consecutive losses. Mike Smith was charged with three goals on 21 shots in a 4-1 loss in St. Louis on Tuesday.

The Blues went ahead for good on a short-handed tally with nine seconds to go in the second period. Arizona has given up a league-worst seven goals while on a power play.

"They got a fortunate bounce on it, but we've seen too many of those happen this year," coach Dave Tippett said. "It was another story where we try hard and come up short."

Having played its first five games this month on the road, Arizona (13-14-1) will try to end its December drought with its first five-game home win streak since an eight-game run from Oct. 19-Nov. 16, 2013.

Minnesota is 2-4-4 in its last 10 road games but has won its last five at Arizona.

In a 4-3 victory Oct. 15 in Arizona, Parise had a goal and an assist to lead the Wild to a sixth consecutive overall win in the series. The winger has scored in each of the last three matchups, and has totaled nine goals and five assists in his 13 lifetime.

Arizona's Anthony Duclair has scored a goal in each of his first two games against the Wild, but he has one assist in his last seven games.

Max Domi had a goal and an assist in the latest meeting, but Arizona's leading goal scorer (10) has tallied two in his past 12 games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rangers (17-8) at Oilers (10-15)

Date: December 11, 2015 9:30 PM EDT

As they prepare to honor the architect of their glory years, the Edmonton Oilers are playing their best hockey in what seems like ages.

While the surging Oilers aim to continue their most successful stretch of the season, the New York Rangers hope to jump-start a slumping offense Friday on a special night for Rangers president Glen Sather.

Edmonton (12-15-2) has won the first four games of a homestand it will conclude by raising a banner in recognition of Sather, the general manager during the Oilers' run of five Stanley Cups in a seven-year span from 1984-1990. Also the coach for the first four of those titles, the 72-year-old had served as the Rangers' GM from 2000 until resigning in July.

Sather's former team has fared better than his present one of late, with New York (18-8-3) having scored three times in three one-goal losses over a 1-2-1 stretch.

The Rangers failed to take advantage of several chances in Wednesday's opener of a three-game trip through Western Canada, going 0 for 5 on the power play while outshooting Vancouver 33-25 in a 2-1 loss.

'There's no doubt in the first two periods I felt we carried the play,' coach Alain Vigneault said. 'We had some good opportunities and good looks, but weren't able to capitalize on them."

Two of New York's top offensive performers are particularly struggling. Mats Zuccarello has gone without a point in four straight and scored one of his team-high 11 goals over the last nine. Rick Nash has managed two assists in the past six.

The Rangers still have been receiving strong play from Henrik Lundqvist, who's lost two of his last three starts despite yielding four goals.

Lundqvist made 16 saves in a 2-0 win at Rexall Place on Dec. 14 that earned New York a season-series split.

Edmonton's upswing has coincided with Anders Nilsson having established himself as the No. 1 goaltender, a role former Ranger Cam Talbot struggled in during the season's early stages.

Nilsson owns a 1.85 goals-against average while starting nine of the last 10 games and a 1.93 mark in working all four on this homestand. He recorded 25 saves in Wednesday's 4-3 overtime victory over San Jose, coach Todd McClellan's first against a Sharks team he directed the previous seven seasons.

"I'm happy for our guys," McLellan said. "We've managed to string some wins together and feel more confident."

The Oilers can win five straight for the first time since March 26-April 3, 2013. Their five-game home winning streak is the longest since a seven-game run Feb. 4-March 2, 2008.

With rookie sensation Connor McDavid still several weeks away from returning from a fractured clavicle, Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle have carried Edmonton's offense of late. Both have scored in three straight, with Hall recording Wednesday's winner 3:59 into overtime after Ryan Nugent-Hopkins forged a 3-all tie with 4:37 left in regulation.

"The best part of our game tonight was our pushback," Eberle said. "We found a way to get another one. When they scored, we found a way to tie it. I thought when we needed to, we were there and we found a way to get two points. That's all that matters."

Friday's game will be the 1,000th for Vigneault as a coach. The 54-year-old owns a 538-349-77 record with 35 ties over 13 seasons with Montreal, Vancouver and the Rangers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hurricanes (10-14) at Ducks (10-12)

Date: December 11, 2015 10:00 PM EDT

The Carolina Hurricanes managed to earn a win to close out this past weekend despite a lackluster defensive effort, but they weren't as fortunate in their latest game.

They now face an Anaheim team that hasn't scored too often of late but has shined at the other end of the ice.

The Ducks will try for another stingy performance Friday night while registering a fifth consecutive win over the Hurricanes.

Carolina (10-14-4) prevailed 5-4 against visiting Arizona on Sunday by scoring two goals in the final five minutes, and Justin Faulk netted the winner with 17 seconds to go on a power play.

The Hurricanes almost outdid themselves Tuesday in Dallas, rallying from a four-goal deficit after the second intermission to tie the game with 6:43 left.

The Stars' Patrick Sharp, though, tallied a power-play goal with 19 seconds remaining in a 6-5 victory, handing Carolina its fifth consecutive road defeat in the opener to a four-game trip.

"A shot on the ice through a guy, right? You either need a penalty killer or need a save, one or the other or you'd like both," coach Bill Peters said.

Faulk had a pair of goals, including his league-leading 11th on the power play. If the defenseman can continue that success, it might be enough to lead Carolina past the Ducks (11-12-5) for the first time since a 3-2 shootout win Nov. 15, 2013.

The Hurricanes have also lost in four consecutive trips to Anaheim (0-2-2) since a 3-1 win Oct. 19, 2008.

The Ducks' formula for their most recent victory was quite the opposite of Carolina's. They have totaled four goals in their last three games but have won the past two.

John Gibson registered a 1-0 victory against San Jose last Friday, his second shutout in four games. Coach Bruce Boudreau chose to stick with him Sunday against Pittsburgh, and Gibson rewarded him with a 2-1 victory.

He's allowed a combined three goals in four of his six consecutive starts.

Chris Stewart provided Anaheim with the go-ahead goal in the second period Sunday, and Corey Perry had his fifth in seven games.

"When you can hold a one-goal lead against two very good offensive opponents in the third period, it's the way teams win championships," Boudreau said. "Not that we're there yet, but that's the start of what we're going to do. If we're not going to score a lot of goals, we have to win those games 2-1, 1-0, or 3-2 if we're lucky."

The Ducks had a little more cushion in a 4-1 win in Carolina on Nov. 16 with former Hurricanes netminder Anton Khudobin making 24 saves. Carl Hagelin tallied one goal and two assists for Anaheim.

The Ducks have scored a combined 10 goals in their last two home matchups with Carolina and needed a late rally for a 5-4 overtime victory in the most recent contest Feb. 3.

Anaheim scored twice in the final 11 minutes of regulation, with Perry netting the tying goal with 4:08 remaining. He then registered his second assist that night on Ryan Getzlaf's game-winner.

Perry has seven goals and seven assists in his last nine matchups against Carolina. Getzlaf has five goals and seven assists in his past 10.

The Hurricanes haven't lost six in a row on the road since their 0-5-1 start last season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Hot teams
-- Kings won their last five games, with three OT wins.
-- Red Wings won four of their last five games.
-- Chicago won three of its last four home games.
-- Dallas Stars won seven of its last ten games. Flyers won five of their last seven games.
-- Edmonton won five of its last six games.
-- Minnesota won three of its last four games.
-- Anaheim won three of its last four games.

Cold teams
-- Penguins lost four of their last six games.
-- New Jersey lost five of its last eight games.
-- Winnipeg lost four of its last five road games.
-- Rangers lost six of their last eight games.
-- Arizona lost last five games (all on road); they won last three at home.
-- Hurricanes lost four of their last six games.

Series records
-- Kings lost five of last seven games with Pittsburgh.
-- Devils lost their last four games with Detroit.
-- Blackhawks won three of last four games with Winnipeg.
-- Flyers won four of their last five visits to Dallas.
-- Rangers won three of last four visits to Edmonton.
-- Coyotes lost their last six games to Minnesota
-- Ducks won six of last seven games with Carolina.

Totals
-- Three of last four Pittsburgh games went over the total.
-- Over is 4-1-1 in last six Detroit games.
-- Under is 7-3 in last ten Winnipeg games.
-- Over is 3-0-1 in last four Philly games.
-- Five of last six Ranger games stayed under total.
-- Under is 6-1-1 in last eight Minnesota games.
-- Over is 4-0-1 in last five Carolina games.

Back-to-backs
-- Red Wings are 4-2 if they played the night before.
-- Winnipeg is 2-4 if it played the night before.
-- Flyers are 1-3 if they played the night before.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pistons (12-11) at 76ers (1-22)

Date: December 11, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The Detroit Pistons appear to have a good chance to rebound from a heartbreaking loss, though nothing has come easy for them against the Philadelphia 76ers.

As they try to avoid a fifth straight road defeat, the inconsistent Pistons look to end their inexplicable struggles in their series with the woeful 76ers on Friday night.

Although Detroit (12-11) has been tough to beat at home, it had a five-game winning streak there snapped Wednesday when Matt Barnes hit a half-court shot with 1.1 seconds left to give Memphis a stunning 93-92 victory.

Andre Drummond finished with 18 points and 19 rebounds, while Reggie Jackson contributed 18 points and seven assists. The Pistons held the lead throughout the second half but were outscored 26-18 in the fourth quarter in their second straight defeat.

'It's the toughest loss all season,' Jackson said. 'It was a good basketball game, just with something unimaginable and unexplainable happening at the end.'

Detroit has been solid offensively at home, averaging 109.6 points on 46.3 percent shooting in its last five games. The production has waned on the road, where the Pistons have scored 89.6 on 38.8 percent shooting while dropping eight of nine.

Jackson has averaged 22.5 points and made 20 of 47 (42.6 percent) from 3-point range in 11 home games, but he's only scored 10.2 while missing 21 of 26 from 3 over his last six on the road. The point guard appeared to injure his leg late in the first half Wednesday before playing the final two quarters with a brace on his knee.

Jackson, averaging a team-high 19.3 points, has scored 10.3 on 31.8 percent shooting in his last four against Philadelphia dating to his time with Oklahoma City.

The Pistons should be able to end their road woes against Philadelphia, but the 76ers have had more success against them than any other opponent over the past 20 months. They've won four of five meetings, including three in a row at home.

NBA-worst Philadelphia (1-22) beat Detroit last season after a 1-18 start and is hoping to do it again while ending a deadlock with the 1993-94 Dallas Mavericks and 1970-71 Cleveland Cavaliers for the worst start in league history.

After suffering the fifth-largest defeat (51 points) in franchise history to San Antonio on Monday, the 76ers couldn't hold on after taking a four-point lead into the fourth quarter of Thursday's 100-91 loss at Brooklyn.

Jahlil Okafor had 22 points and 10 rebounds in his second game since returning from a two-game suspension. Robert Covington, though, was held to six points on 3-of-10 shooting after averaging 17.1 over his previous nine.

'I'm trying to play more games and just getting (my) flow back," Okafor said. "I'm going to try to keep getting better and play every game.'

Philadelphia, which shot 39.1 percent and 4 for 31 (12.9 percent) from 3-point range, ranks last in the NBA with 90.8 points per game and a minus-5.2 rebounding margin.

Although they have the league's leading rebounder in Drummond (16.7), the Pistons have been outworked 110-84 on the glass in their last two games. Drummond has only averaged 7.6 points and 10.0 boards in his last five against Philadelphia.

The Pistons have scuffled offensively in this series, shooting 37.1 percent - including 29.6 from beyond the arc - in the past five meetings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Heat (12-8) at Pacers (12-8)

Date: December 11, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

It's no secret the Indiana Pacers missed Paul George during a disappointing campaign last season, and he made a point to come back better than ever to help them become contenders again in the Eastern Conference.

Although he's putting up the best numbers of his career, even George's impressive efforts haven't been enough lately.

The Pacers look to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat by winning a ninth straight regular-season home meeting with the Miami Heat on Friday night.

George missed all but the final six games of 2014-15 after suffering a freak leg injury in a USA Basketball exhibition, but he's gotten back to being his old self and the No. 1 offensive option for the Pacers (12-8).

He's averaging 27.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists, all per-game numbers that project to be career highs. George has six 30-point games over his last seven, a stretch during which he's averaging 33.6.

Indiana, though, has dropped the last three, including Saturday when George scored a career-high 48 points in a 122-119 overtime loss to Utah and 33 in a 131-123 defeat to Golden State on Tuesday.

The Pacers rallied to trim a 32-point deficit to six in the final minute but couldn't get any closer. They tied a franchise worst by allowing 44 points in the first quarter and allowed their most total points since a 132-89 loss to New York on Jan. 3, 2010.

Indiana gave up an average of 95.3 points over its first 17 but has allowed 125.3 per game during its losing streak.

The Pacers were much better defensively in the first meeting with Miami (12-8) on Nov. 6, holding Dwyane Wade to nine points on 4-of-15 shooting in a 90-87 home victory.

George finished with 36 points and 12 rebounds for the Pacers, who haven't lost in the regular season to Miami at Bankers Life Fieldhouse since Feb. 14, 2012.

"Every team is different from the first time seeing them to now," George said. "We're a different team now (as well). Everybody gets more locked in, more dialed in to what they're doing. It's going to be a different ballgame. We can't come out here and expect that we're going to beat them easily because we beat them already. It's going to be an even tougher game for us."

The Heat also appear much improved after going 37-45 and missing the playoffs in its first season in five years without LeBron James while also dealing with Chris Bosh missing most of that season with a blood clot in his lungs.

Bosh struggled Wednesday, though, scoring a season-low seven points in a 99-81 loss to Charlotte. Miami suffered its second straight defeat while shooting just 38.7 percent and tying its season low for total points.

Tyler Johnson scored a career-high 20 off the bench, and Wade and Gerald Green added 11 apiece. Luol Deng scored five points off the bench in his first action since missing six games with a left hamstring strain.

Wade felt the Heat looked out of sorts.

'Everybody means well,' Wade said. 'On the road, you can't come out and spar with them offensively. You've got to get to your game right away. Not that it's going to guarantee a win, but it'll settle us and let us get better shots.'

Bosh had 21 points and 11 rebounds in the first meeting for the Heat, who are 2-4 on the road.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cavaliers (14-7) at Magic (12-10)

Date: December 11, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

(AP) - Kyrie Irving's getting on a plane with the Cleveland Cavaliers. His next trip could be onto the floor.

The All-Star point guard, who hasn't played since breaking his left kneecap in Game 1 of last season's NBA Finals, could make his much-anticipated 2015-16 debut in the next few days.

Coach David Blatt said Thursday that Irving - and starting guard Iman Shumpert, who has been out with a right wrist injury - will travel with the team and may play either Friday against the Orlando Magic or Tuesday in Boston.

"There's a chance that one of the two or both will play on the trip, but there's also a chance they don't," Blatt said following practice at Cleveland Clinic Courts. "We'll see how they're feeling."

Irving and Shumpert both made it through their third full practices Thursday and will accompany the team on the two-game swing. Blatt stressed the team will stay cautious. Cleveland's eyeing a return to the Finals and the Cavs don't want to unnecessarily rush back two of their best players.

"We're in December," Blatt said. "Not a normal situation. Both of them are coming back from pretty serious injuries, but they are progressing."

Irving played in a career-high 75 games last season before getting hurt while making a move in the finals against Golden State, which defeated the Cavs in six games.

Cleveland leads the Eastern Conference with a 14-7 record, quite an accomplishment considering the Cavs have been without two starters. Once Irving and Shumpert return, Cleveland will be as healthy as it has been since the beginning of last spring's playoffs.

Irving will give the Cavs another playmaker and scorer, while Shumpert provides them with a perimeter defender who can match up with the opponent's best wing player.

"They give us a real boost, a real shoot in the arm because of their particular skills and what they bring to the table for us," Blatt said.

With Shumpert out, J.R. Smith has been starting alongside Mo Williams. Blatt said he has yet to decide if Shumpert will return to the starting lineup.

Whenever Irving and Shumpert return, Blatt promised to ease them back before increasing their minutes to normal levels.

"I'd like to see them be able to come and play significant minutes or at least minutes that give them the chance to feel the court long enough to contribute or get something out of it," Blatt said.

The Cavs still have LeBron James to lean on. After resting in Saturday's loss at Miami, James had 33 points and 10 rebounds as Cleveland rallied from an 18-point deficit in Tuesday's 105-100 win over Portland that snapped a three-game skid.

Irving finished with 33 points in a 123-108 win March 15 in the most recent meeting in Orlando. Kevin Love scored 34 and hit six 3-pointers Nov. 23, while J.R. Smith added 26 with six 3s in a 117-103 victory in the first matchup this season.

The Cavs have won the past 11 games against the Magic by an average of 14.1 points.

After riding a five-game winning streak, Orlando dropped two of the last three on a five-game road swing. Nikola Vucevic had 21 points and 11 rebounds Wednesday, but the Magic (12-10) struggled down the stretch in a 107-104 loss at Phoenix.

"In order for us to turn the corner, we have to be consistent night in and night out," forward Tobias Harris said.

Orlando will try to bounce back at home, where it has won seven of its past eight.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Warriors (23-0) at Celtics (13-9)

Date: December 11, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

As the Golden State Warriors continue to pile up wins, they're beginning to lose healthy bodies.

It's uncertain whether Klay Thompson will play as the unbeaten Warriors attempt to reach another milestone Friday night against the Boston Celtics.

Golden State (23-0) matched the 2012-13 Miami Heat for the second-longest streak in NBA history with a 27th consecutive regular-season victory on Tuesday. Its 131-123 win at Indiana may have come with a cost, however, after Thompson rolled his right ankle in the latter stages.

The injury isn't believed to be serious, but the Warriors could still hold Thompson out with the team playing consecutive nights. Golden State concludes a seven-game trip Saturday in Milwaukee.

Golden State has already withstood Harrison Barnes' six-game absence due to an ankle injury that will sideline him at least another week.

"One of the great things about this team is our guys are confident all the way down the line," interim coach Luke Walton said. "We've seen that consistently with Brandon (Rush) and Ian (Clark) filling in for Harrison."

Thompson would be tougher to replace, however, especially with the 2015 All-Star coming off a season-high 39 points on Tuesday. He's shot 51.9 percent on 3-pointers, highlighted by a 10-for-16 effort against the Pacers, while averaging 25.4 points over his last five games.

'It was one of those nights where I got a lot of great looks," Thompson said. "Going in I felt great. 'I felt like I was due for a game like that.'

Backup guard Leandro Barbosa also is questionable with an illness that kept him out against Indiana, potentially leaving the Warriors further short-handed against a Celtics team that's won four of five and may be able to match the defending NBA champs' offensive prowess.

Boston (13-9) has averaged 108.0 points during the five-game surge and had eight players finish in double figures in Wednesday's 105-100 win over Chicago. Among them was former Warrior David Lee, who tallied 12 points and six rebounds in 18 minutes after missing the previous two games with a bruised right heel.

Lee, traded by Golden State to the Celtics in July to clear salary cap space, averaged 16.7 points and 9.3 rebounds in five seasons with the Warriors.

Isaiah Thomas scored all 20 of his points in the second half in Boston's fourth straight home win. The explosive point guard is one of four Celtics, along with Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder and Kelly Olynyk, averaging at least 14.8 points and shooting over 43 percent from 3-point range over the past four.

"Just knowing any given night you don't know who's going to be that guy, that's the strength of this team," Thomas said. "You can't just focus in on one guy because we've got so many other guys who can put the ball in the basket and make plays."

That depth has the Celtics believing they can match up with Golden State, which can extend the best road start in NBA history with a 14th consecutive win.

'They're in the same league as us,' said center Jared Sullinger, who's grabbed 36 rebounds during Boston's two-game win streak. 'They get paid on the first and 15th just like us.'

Golden State has won four straight in the series, with Thompson finishing with 31 points in a 114-111 home victory Jan. 25 and Stephen Curry scoring 37 in a 106-101 win at Boston on March 1.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bucks (9-14) at Raptors (14-9)

Date: December 11, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

Beating the league's best team outside the Bay Area didn't do much to excite Toronto Raptors coach Dwane Casey.

A win over the last-place Milwaukee Bucks, however, would give him some delight.

The Raptors look to end a disturbing trend of following encouraging victories over good teams with losses to lesser opponents Friday night when they host a Bucks club trying to avoid a ninth straight road loss.

San Antonio arrived in Toronto for Wednesday's matchup riding a four-game winning streak and boasting the league's top defense, but Casey's club became the first team this season to make more than half its shots against the Spurs in a 97-94 victory.

DeMar DeRozan had 28 points and Kyle Lowry added 19 as Toronto (14-9) shot a season-high 57.8 percent on 64 shots - its fewest in a win since December 2009 - and never trailed.

Although the Raptors dropped the Spurs to 18-5, Casey won't be completely satisfied until he sees his team replicate that performance.

Already this season, Toronto has followed victories at Oklahoma City, at Washington and at Atlanta with defeats at Orlando, and home against Phoenix and Denver.

'We have to build a consistent identity of playing this way if we're serious about doing anything,' Casey said. 'We can be up and down and get happy on the farm and do all this on one night and come back and lay an egg the next night.

'We have to make sure we tend to our business and keep this same concentration, execution in the next game.'

One of Toronto's biggest problems in its defeats has been its 3-point defense, as it's gone 2-6 when opponents make at least 10 3s. It is 12-3 when holding teams to nine or fewer 3-pointers.

Limiting the damage from the perimeter shouldn't be a problem against Milwaukee, which has been outscored by an average of 17.9 points during its eight-game road skid and is averaging just 84.6 points in the last five.

The Bucks (9-14) were 2 of 10 from 3-point range in Wednesday's 109-95 home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers and are shooting 25.0 percent on 3s in their last three road games. Their average of 11.8 3-point attempts in five December games is the fewest in the league.

'Right now we're not a team that takes a lot of 3s,' Bucks coach Jason Kidd said. 'You play to your strength and ours is in the paint.'

The Bucks are averaging 46.9 points in the paint for the Eastern Conference's second-best mark, but they're not particularly efficient converting there. Their 56.3 shooting percentage from less than five feet from the basket is in the bottom half of the league.

Visiting Toronto on Nov. 1, the Raptors outscored the Bucks 52-44 in the paint in a 106-87 home victory - their seventh win in the last eight meetings. Toronto made 11 of 25 3-pointers while the Bucks were 5 of 19.

Michael Carter-Williams had 12 points on 3-of-10 shooting with seven assists and four turnovers in that game and has alternated good and bad performances in the last four contests. He has totaled 40 points on 56.3 percent shooting with 16 assists and four turnovers in the two good ones but has combined for 14 points on 29.4 percent shooting with 12 assists and nine turnovers in the other two.

Toronto's starting backcourt of backcourt duo of DeRozan and Lowry are averaging 49.0 points on 47.5 percent shooting in five games this month.