Saturday 12/19/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 15:00

Everton

v

Leicester

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		21/20	14/5	13/5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT EVERTON	RECENT FORM
ADHWADAWHDAD​ Most recent​	2 - 2 3 - 2 2 - 2 2 - 1	AWHWAWHDAWHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Lukaku has scored each of his last seven Everton games

EXPERT VERDICT: Leicester’s remarkable record has been propped up by some especially impressive away form and the Foxes remain unbeaten on the road. However, Everton have the tools to unpick their insecure defence and much-improved Romelu Lukaku looks a bit of value to get the opening goal.

RECOMMENDATION: R Lukaku first goalscorer
2


REFEREE: Jonathan Moss STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 15:00

Man Utd

v

Norwich

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		9/20	7/2	15/2	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT MAN UTD	RECENT FORM
AWHDADHDALAL​ Most recent​	4 - 0 4 - 0 4 - 0 2 - 0	ALHWALHDALHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Man United have let in just one goal in their last nine games at Old Trafford

EXPERT VERDICT: The Old Trafford faithful are losing patience with Louis van Gaal, but his defence has generally been pretty solid in the league. Manchester United should get past struggling Norwich, who have collected just two points from their last seven away games and pose little threat up front.

RECOMMENDATION: Man Utd to win 1-0
1


REFEREE: Michael Oliver STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 15:00

Chelsea

v

Sunderland

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		1/3	9/2	10	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT CHELSEA	RECENT FORM
HWAWADHLHWAL​ Most recent​	3 - 1 1 - 2 2 - 1 1 - 0	ALHLAWHWALHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Sunderland have lost five of their last six away matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Sunderland have been terrible on the road this term and it would be a big shock if the Black Cats won, even at troubled Chelsea. Their 3-1 defeat at Arsenal flattered the Gunners but Sunderland will be quite content to try to soak up pressure at Stamford Bridge in what should be a Blues cruise.

RECOMMENDATION: Chelsea to win 2-0
1


REFEREE: Roger East STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 15:00

Southampton

v

Tottenham

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		7/4	23/10	9/5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT SOUTHAMPTON	RECENT FORM
AWHLALHLHDAL​ Most recent​	2 - 2 2 - 3 1 - 2 1 - 0	HWAWHDADHWHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Just four of the last 13 meetings have been settled by a margin of more than one goal

EXPERT VERDICT: Only Anderlecht have won at home against Tottenham since their opening-day defeat at Old Trafford, but Spurs have collected just three away successes. Saints drew with Aston Villa in their last home game and this may be Spurs’s sixth away draw.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
2


REFEREE: Kevin Friend STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 15:00

West Brom

v

Bournemouth

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		13/8	23/10	19/10	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT WEST BROM	RECENT FORM
HLALHWADHDAD​ Most recent​	1 - 0 2 - 1 4 - 0 2 - 2	ALHLADHDAWHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: WBA’s home matches average three goals per game

EXPERT VERDICT: Tony Pulis has improved West Brom’s goal threat in recent weeks and they should find the net against Bournemouth, who have landed two massive scalps in their last two outings but still offer up chances. The Cherries have won just one of their last eight away games but will push on regardless after the wins over Chelsea and Manchester United.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
2


REFEREE: Mike Dean STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 15:00

Stoke

v

C Palace

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		6/4	11/5	11/5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT STOKE	RECENT FORM
HWAWALHWHWAD​ Most recent​	1 - 2 2 - 1 4 - 1 1 - 2	HDAWHLHWADHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Palace have won just three of their last nine games

EXPERT VERDICT: Stoke have come to life and should have enough to dispatch a Crystal Palace side who are vulnerable on the road. The Potters’ 2-0 victory over Man City was hugely impressive but it didn’t come out of the blue – if you include a League Cup penalty shootout win over Chelsea, Stoke have won eight of their last 13 games.

RECOMMENDATION: Stoke
3


REFEREE: Robert Madley STADIUM:

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MMA OddsBreaker

Parlay: Kowalkiewicz/Markos OVER 2.5 rounds & Lentz/Castillo OVER 2.5 rounds

I fully expect the Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs Randa Markos fight to go the distance. Kowalkiewicz is the more active and volumous striker, but she lacks power, so the fight would likely go the distance if it remains standing. If it hits the floor, Markos should have an edge, but she hasn't demonstrated much finishing ability on the ground either and Kowalkiewicz should be good enough defensively to avoid getting tapped. I'm parlaying that over 2.5 rounds total with the over 2.5 total in the Danny Castillo vs Nik Lentz fight. Both of Castillo's and Lentz's strengths and weaknesses should neutralize each other. Castillo's shaky durability is saved by Lentz's lack of striking power, and Castillo's heavy hands are neutralized by Lentz's ability to absorb significant amounts of punishment and keep plugging forward. I expect both fights to go the distance and it's a fun parlay to play at plus money.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SPORTS WAGERS

Utah -2½ over BYU

The Las Vegas Bowl features a match-up that rekindles an old and historic rivalry, known none another as “The Holy War”. The combatants in this feud have biblical animosity. BYU and Utah share a robust disdain for each other in what is a battle of intrastate bragging rights. These two teams have not met since Utah left the Mountain West for the Pac-12, but the collision has never more intriguing, given the opportunity to renew this agent grudge. In the case of Utah, a win against their most hated foe in a post-season atmosphere can allow them to finish with a 10-win season and further cement their position as one of College Football’s newest big dogs in the yard.

Despite seeing Utah dominate this very bowl game last year against Colorado State, we have seen an initial jump on the Cougars whom were spotted a field goal at the initial open. With consideration to last year’s result in this very bowl for Utah and BYU’s recent struggles in bowl games, it is all the more savory to go the other way with the Utes. In addition, we like this scenario in the case of Utah, as we are getting a cheap price for a team that once ascended as high as third in several college football polls. Utah finished with a 9-3 overall record but we can’t help but delight in some of the Utes impressive results over the course of this season. Utah opened the season with a huge win against the visiting Michigan Wolverines, where it dominated from start to finish and gave the Jim Harbaugh era a tumultuous start in Ann Arbor. Utah also pummeled Oregon 62-20 in Eugene, enabling the Utes to flirt with historic records for visitor scoring at Autzen Stadium. These outcomes are what catapulted the Utes to the aforementioned lofty rankings. Commonly, many analyze results against common opponents to aid in developing a diagnosis or opinion. Both Utah and BYU faced Utah State, Fresno State, UCLA and Michigan. BYU went 2-2 against that quartet while Utah went 3-1. Utah also faced USC, Washington, Arizona, Arizona State and California, all of which were teams ranked at one point this season. The strength of schedule edge certainly resides with Utah, whom bolsters a more rigorous schedule to that of BYU, whose only opponent to achieve a top twenty-five ranking outside out of the aforementioned clubs was Boise State. If strength of schedule and record against common opponents is not enough, Utah’s four-game winning streak in this rivalry series combined with BYU’s two-game bowl losing streak are a couple more nuggets that work to our advantage. The cheap line here suggests this is a fair fight but we’re not buying that perception. The Cougars played a slew of weak teams this year that skewed a lot of their offensive numbers. Against good teams, however, the Cougars were exposed as a very average team and average teams seldom defeat vastly superior ones in important Bowl Games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL notebook: Blackhawks' Kruger undergoes wrist surgery
By The Sports Xchange

Chicago Blackhawks forward Marcus Kruger underwent successful surgery to repair a dislocated left wrist, the team announced Friday.
Kruger, 25, will be able to resume hockey activities in four months. He has one assist in 33 games this season.
Kruger went into the boards hard during the second period of the Blackhawks' 4-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night. He skated off the ice in pain and went back to the locker room.
The Blackhawks also recalled forward Phillip Denault from the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League.
Danault, 22, has one goal and one assist in six games with Rockford this season. The Victoriaville, Quebec, native appeared in two games with Chicago last season, including his NHL debut on Nov. 22, 2014. He also recorded 38 points (13 goals, 25 assists) in 70 regular-season games and five points (three goals, two assists) in eight postseason appearances with Rockford.

---The New York Rangers recalled goaltender Magnus Hellberg and defenseman Chris Summers from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL.
The Rangers also assigned defenseman Brady Skjei to Hartford.
Hellberg, 24, has appeared in 18 games with the Wolf Pack this season, posting an 8-8-2 record, along with a 2.62 goals-against average and .908 save percentage.
Summers, 27, has skated in 67 career NHL games over parts of five seasons with the Rangers and Arizona Coyotes, registering two goals, seven assists and 47 penalty minutes.
Skjei, 21, played in two games with the Rangers after being recalled on Dec. 15, making his NHL debut against Edmonton.

---The Buffalo Sabres assigned forward Cal O'Reilly to the Rochester Americans of the AHL.
O'Reilly played in two games for Sabres this season and had no goals and one assist.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blackhawks (18-11) at Sabres (13-16)

Date: December 19, 2015 1:00 PM EDT

Despite a turbulent summer in Buffalo, Patrick Kane returns to his hometown playing the best hockey of his career.

Back for the first time since he was the subject of a lengthy sexual assault investigation there, Kane tries to help the Chicago Blackhawks to an eighth consecutive victory over the Sabres on Saturday.

It's been a little more than four months since Kane was accused of those allegations at his suburban Buffalo home while celebrating Chicago's third Stanley Cup in six seasons. In the end, Kane wasn't charged and never played like the entire situation was a distraction.

He leads the NHL with 47 points, though his club-record 26-game point streak ended Tuesday.

Considering what Kane endured through the investigation and the pressure of the streak, coach Joel Quenneville doesn't believe his return this weekend will be anything the 27-year-old can't handle.

"He's gone through (several) months of being under a lot of attention, (and) he's gone through a really busy stretch here," Quenneville said. "I don't know if it's going to be much different."

Kane appeared to receive plenty of support from his hometown during those troubling times, and is likely to receive a warm welcome at the First Niagara Center on Saturday. He's scored in his last three games against the Sabres (14-16-3), and has five goals with four assists in nine all-time. A broken clavicle kept Kane from playing in Chicago's 4-3 win at Buffalo on April 3.

The Blackhawks (18-11-4) have averaged 4.0 goals during a six-game winning streak against the Sabres, and scored that many to conclude a 3-1-0 homestand with Thursday's 4-0 victory over Edmonton.

Kane got back on track with an assist, Corey Crawford made 33 saves and the line of Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa and Teuvo Teravainen combined for three goals and six assists.

"I liked our game," Quenneville told the NHL's official website. "We didn't give up much, and that's the first step when we measure our team performance, and we generated enough (offensively)."

Toews, who had a goal with two assists, recorded one more point than in the previous 10 contests. He has five goals and two assists in the last five against the Sabres.

Crawford has recorded a shutout in three of four starts, and allowed four goals while posting an 0.67 goals-against average to win five of the last six.

"I feel good right now," he said. "I'm really focused and I'm seeing the puck well throughout the whole game and getting a lot of help too from everyone."

Crawford is 5-0-0 with a 1.80 GAA against Buffalo but with Western Conference foe San Jose in town Sunday, he could sit while the Blackhawks try to avoid a fourth consecutive road defeat. Backup Scott Darling has started two of the last three on the road, where he's 0-3-2 with a 3.60 GAA as a starter.

A winner in four of five at home, Buffalo has allowed four goals while winning three of four overall. Chad Johnson made 44 saves and Evander Kane snapped a six-game point drought with his seventh goal in Thursday's 3-0 home win over Anaheim.

'We're playing a lot better defensively in front of the crease and boxing guys out than we did at the beginning of the year, and you see the results,' Johnson said.

Following his first shutout since March 2014, Johnson has won three straight at home and owns a 1.23 GAA in his last four starts there.

Buffalo defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen has six points in the last five games.

Chicago forward Marcus Kruger, a key player on the penalty kill, will be out four months after he had surgery to repair a dislocated left wrist suffered against the Oilers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Flames (14-14) at Blues (18-10)

Date: December 19, 2015 3:00 PM EDT

It's been four years since the Calgary Flames last won in St. Louis, but a decade since they've had a winning streak this long.

The scorching Flames go for an eighth consecutive win Saturday afternoon against a Blues team seeking a sixth straight victory in this series.

Though Calgary (15-14-2) has achieved most of the success at home during its unbeaten run - its longest since winning eight straight from Nov. 1-16, 2005 - it's opened a challenging four-game trip by yielding two goals in victories over Nashville and Dallas. After making 21 saves in Tuesday's 2-1 decision over the Predators, Karri Ramo had 35 as the Flames shut down the Stars' high-powered offense in Thursday's 3-1 triumph.

Sent to the minors earlier this season, Ramo has cemented himself as Calgary's No. 1 goaltender by winning five straight starts and allowing four goals over his last three.

'We're playing way better as a five-man unit,' said Ramo of the Flames' defensive improvement. 'Our D and forwards have been playing way better together, and we are cutting our turnovers. We are not giving them anything."

The Flames have turned it around in spite of an anemic power play that's 0 for 12 over a four-game stretch and 2 for 47 in the past 14. Calgary has outscored teams 25-12 at even strength during the surge.

That disparity may need to continue if Calgary is to halt a five-game skid to St. Louis (19-10-4) and earn its first win at Scottrade Center since April 1, 2011. The Flames have been outscored 22-7 in six consecutive road losses in the series.

The Blues rank second in the NHL with a 87.4 percent penalty kill and hadn't allowed a power-play goal in nine straight prior to Thursday's game against Nashville, in which David Backes and Vladimir Tarasenko scored in the third period to rally St. Louis to a 2-1 win.

Tarasenko has scored in four straight and has six goals over his last seven to tie for the league lead with 20. The standout wing is the first Blues player since Hall of Famer Doug Gilmour (1983-88) to reach that mark in three consecutive seasons before age 25.

'I'll tell you 16 or 17 of his goals have been really important,' coach Ken Hitchcock said. 'He's been outstanding when the game's on the line.'

Backes has four goals and three assists over a six-game point streak and Kevin Shattenkirk has eight points during a six-game run. Both have been prime contributors to a power play that's 6 for 11 through the past five games.

"We've needed our power play, it's come through for us big time," Hitchcock said.

Calgary is receiving strong production from its skilled youngsters as well, with 22-year-old Johnny Gaudreau having amassed seven goals and five assists during the streak while 21-year-old Sean Monahan has nine points. Monahan scored for the fourth time in five games Thursday.

The duo will face a goaltender in top form if Jake Allen draws another start. He stopped 27 shots against Nashville to move to 4-1-0 with a 1.41 goals-against average over his past five outings.

Brian Elliott started when the Blues posted a 4-3 win in Calgary on Oct. 13 behind rookie Colton Parayko's two goals.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Kings (18-9) at Maple Leafs (7-13)

Date: December 19, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Kings got back on the winning track in their last game. Their schedule, however, won't be doing them any favors for the rest of 2015.

The Kings continue to navigate a brutal stretch of more than three weeks almost entirely on the road as they complete a six-game trip against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night.

Jonathan Quick made a season-high 45 saves, Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty scored in the second period and Los Angeles (20-9-2) beat flagging Montreal 3-0 on Thursday. The Kings avoided a third straight loss thanks to Quick, whose team was outshot 15-4 in the third.

"After two tough losses, it's hard to come back and really play your best game, and i thought we play well tonight," defenseman Drew Doughty said. "I know that Quickie maybe had to make too many saves, but to get a win in this arena against a tough hockey team, it's big for our club."

Quick and the Kings bounced back from a 5-3 defeat to Ottawa on Monday as they maintained their solid lead over San Jose in the Pacific Division.

That cushion could prove key to Los Angeles still being in first place by the new year. After Saturday's contest, the Kings return home to face the Sharks on Tuesday. After the four-day holiday break, they head back out on a four-game, six-day trip that starts in Arizona and moves through Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary, ending the stretch Dec. 31.

Los Angeles will go more than a month without playing back-to-back games at home.

"We learned a lot from last year and how games can slide, one after another, and like I said tonight was a big, probably the most important game for us on this trip, and now that we're through that, it's focusing on going into Toronto," forward Dustin Brown said.

"If you look our games that we win, we get off to a really good start; even tonight I thought we started really well."

The Kings are 13-1-0 when leading after two periods.

Although they're closing out a long trip, Los Angeles could prove to be the better-rested team Saturday. Toronto (10-13-7) has played past regulation in the first three games of its four-game homestand, dropping the last two in overtime.

Both defeats came by 5-4 scores, the most recent to San Jose on Thursday. Brent Burns banked the winning goal off Maple Leafs center Peter Holland's leg midway through the extra period.

Toronto fell behind 2-0 in the first period before scoring four straight goals, but the Sharks sent it to OT with the last two goals of the third.

Jonathan Bernier stopped 26 of 29 shots after Garret Sparks left in the first period with what coach Mike Babcock termed a "long-term" lower-body injury.

James Reimer is already out with a groin injury, meaning Bernier takes over the No. 1 role on a team that's alternated goalies throughout the season.

'He's starting the next game,' Babcock said of Bernier, 0-8-3 with a 3.46 goals-against average. 'He's got to dig in, and he's got to compete and he's got to battle and he's got to find his mojo. He gets an opportunity now that he might not have gotten, so work and keep it.'

Los Angeles avoided a third consecutive loss in this series with a 2-0 home victory Jan. 12. The Kings dropped the latest meeting at Air Canada Centre 4-3 in a shootout last Dec. 14, but are 6-0-2 in their last eight at Toronto.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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

Date: December 19, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

Salary cap flexibility played a role in the Anaheim Ducks trading Kyle Palmieri during June's NHL draft. The New Jersey Devils were more than happy to bring the forward back to the Garden State.

Anaheim might be regretting that move as it sits last in the league by a wide margin in goals heading into its first matchup with New Jersey since that deal Saturday night.

Palmieri had 43 goals and 46 assists in 198 regular-season games for the Ducks after they selected him with the No. 26 overall pick in 2009. He tied a career high with 14 goals in just 57 contests in 2014-15 but is scheduled to become a restricted free agent after this season.

With other key Anaheim players set to hit the free-agent market next summer, general manager Bob Murray was forced to deal Palmieri, who's from Montvale, New Jersey, for a pair of draft picks.

"The problem when your guys are drafted very well and you get a bunch of good young players, all of a sudden they accumulate and you can't sign them all the same," Murray told the NHL's official website in June.

"After (Palmieri) gets 20 goals next year, which I think he will, then I'd really be in trouble. So this is just being proactive to stay ahead of the curve, get something for him before that happens and then he's really tough to move at that point."

Murray was right, as Palmieri is on pace to score way more than 20 goals. He's tied with Adam Henrique for the team lead with 13, scoring six times and adding three assists in the last 10 games for New Jersey (16-12-4).

Palmieri assisted on Sergey Kalinin's power-play goal as the Devils lost for the second time in three games Thursday, 5-1 to Florida. He leads New Jersey with career bests of five goals and 12 points on the power play.

'Kyle's been a real big piece of the puzzle for us this year,' coach John Hynes said after Friday's practice. 'He's come in and he's been a real strong worker. He's been very competitive on the puck and he's gotten some good opportunities that's he earned to play in our top six and get some quality power-play time.'

Anaheim (11-14-5) hasn't had many good games just seven months removed from losing to Stanley Cup champion Chicago in the Western Conference finals after holding a 3-2 lead in the series.

The Ducks are last in the NHL with 55 goals - the next-closest team has 67 - are tied with Toronto and Columbus for the fewest points in the league (27) and are 3-9-1 as the visitor for the fewest road wins in the NHL.

'We don't have enough hunger, we don't have enough drive,' captain Ryan Getzlaf said.

Anaheim opened a four-game trip through New York and New Jersey with a 3-0 loss to Buffalo on Thursday. The Ducks have been outscored 12-2 in dropping three in a row away from home.

'Quite frankly, when your best players aren't your best players you're not going to win the game,' coach Bruce Boudreau said. 'And that's the bottom line. And on a too consistent basis, our best players aren't our best players.'

The Ducks have won three straight in the series after an 0-2-2 stretch.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Flyers (13-12) at Blue Jackets (12-19)

Date: December 19, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The last time the Columbus Blue Jackets faced the Philadelphia Flyers, Scott Hartnell returned from a benching to spark the NHL's worst team to a victory.

Now it could be Ryan Johansen's turn to do the same.

Coach John Tortorella benched Johansen in the club's last game, and the center figures to return Saturday night when the Blue Jackets seek a seventh straight home win over the Flyers.

Hartnell, a former Flyer, responded with a goal and two assists in a 4-1 win at Philadelphia on Dec. 4 after being scratched the night before. The veteran agreed with the move to scratch Johansen for Wednesday's 7-5 victory at Arizona.

"It has to be a more consistent effort by everyone and Joey's right up on the top of the list," said Hartnell, who has seven points in his last four games against Philadelphia. "He needs to play better and he needs to be more effective when he's out there."

Johansen has 22 points in 31 games to rank second on the team behind Hartnell but some sloppy puck-handling in Tuesday's 5-1 loss to Dallas drew the Tortorella's ire.

"He is an important guy to our organization, let's not kid ourselves, he's a very important guy," Tortorella said. "I think in this situation it's just a reset for him in trying to have him understand what we're looking for, not just in the points but in the play."

Johansen, who held out before signing a three-year deal before last season, accepted the benching.

"I want to be a Blue Jacket more than anything in the world," he said. "I love this group of guys and I love throwing on the Blue Jacket jersey and I've got to learn from it."

Columbus (12-19-3) responded with its highest scoring effort of the season to end an 0-3-2 slide. The Blue Jackets improved to 1-7-1 in games started by backup goalies, as Curtis McElhinney made 27 saves and stayed in the contest despite a nasty late collision.

McElhinney has been starting in place of injured former Flyers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.

Defensemen Jack Johnson and David Savard, the club's leaders in ice time, both missed their first games with injuries and are uncertain Saturday,

Philadelphia (14-12-6) is 1-6-2 in its last nine meetings with Columbus, and 0-4-2 in the last six on the road.

Former Blue Jackets goalie Steve Mason started for the first time in four games Thursday and made 36 saves for his second shutout in a 2-0 win over Vancouver. Michal Neuvirth, among the NHL's leaders with a 2.06 goals-against average, has emerged as the Flyers' No. 1 goalie by winning five of his last six starts.

Mason has started once in Columbus as a visitor. Neuvirth has won both career starts versus the Blue Jackets.

"It's an important area to have depth in and these two guys are pushing each other, they're working hard every day and whichever guy is in there is giving us an opportunity to win," coach Dave Hakstol said.

Philadelphia winger Jakub Voracek has five points in a three-game run. He seeks his first win in five tries as a visitor against the team that drafted him in 2007.

Defenseman Luke Schenn could return after missing five games with a lower-body injury.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hurricanes (12-15) at Penguins (14-13)

Date: December 19, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The Pittsburgh Penguins allowed more goals in their last game than they've scored on an entire four-game losing streak. The Penguins aren't just failing to make strides. They're regressing toward a black hole.

The Carolina Hurricanes haven't been able to avoid debilitating stretches, and their latest effort could have them on alert for another heading into Saturday night's meeting in Pittsburgh. If there's optimism to be had in either dressing room, it might center around facing the other five times between now and the middle of March.

The Penguins (15-13-3) fell 6-2 to Boston Friday, dropping the home-and-home set with the Bruins by a 9-2 total to begin a three-game homestand. They've been outscored 15-5 on the 0-3-1 span despite averaging 38.3 shots per game, with the last three defeats coming in regulation.

"As I said to them after the game, this league is unforgiving," coach Mike Sullivan told the team's official website. "We have to pull up our boot straps. We can't feel sorry for ourselves. We can't get discouraged. We have to be more determined. We have to rely on each other and we have to help each other."

Sidney Crosby had two assists after going without a point in the first three losses. He entered with 19 points, so he's finally topped 20 in 31 games after doing so last season in 13. Evgeni Malkin has two points in the last seven games, though he had scored five goals in four home games prior to Friday. Phil Kessel has been the worst of the three scorers with a mere assist in seven games and two goals in 16 home games this season.

Conor Sheary had a goal and an assist in his second NHL game, but was left conflicted.

"Bittersweet is a good word," said Sheary, who was playing on Pittsburgh's top line. "Obviously, we're not winning right now, so it's kind of tough in the room, but obviously an exciting time for me. I was glad to get a goal."

Unsurprisingly, the Penguins done nothing on the power play on the skid or over an entire 1-5-1 span with a 0-for-19 mark. For the season, Pittsburgh ranks 29th (14.2 percent) after scoring at a 22.2 percent rate over the previous three seasons.

Carolina (12-15-5), however, ranks 26th in penalty kill at 76.9 percent.

The Hurricanes are coming off Friday's 2-0 home loss to Florida, which followed a 4-3 overtime defeat in Philadelphia three nights before. Another would make it four losing streaks of at least three games before the calendar flips to 2016.

"We were good defensively for the most part here tonight, so we've got to find a way to generate some offense and some speed and bounce back," said coach Bill Peters, though his team had been plenty efficient offensively with 26 goals in six games prior to the shutout.

Jeff Skinner has handled much of that with nine goals in that span, but he's never scored in eight career games in Pittsburgh.

Cam Ward faced the Panthers, so Eddie Lack could be in goal in Pittsburgh. Lack has given up four goals in each of his last two starts while posting a 3.41 goals-against average and .878 save percentage on a 2-2-1 span this month. His only game in Pittsburgh was a 22-save shutout just over a year ago while with Vancouver.

Jeff Zatkoff played Friday for the Penguins. With Marc-Andre Fleury out due to a concussion, Matthew Murray could make his NHL debut.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Canadiens (19-10) at Stars (22-7)

Date: December 19, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

While there's never a good time to lose six out of seven games, the Montreal Canadiens couldn't have picked a worst one.

Mired in their worst stretch of the season, the Canadiens now face their first eight-game road trip in nearly half a century starting Saturday night against the Western Conference-leading Dallas Stars.

Montreal (20-10-3) has spent most of this season atop the East with a comfortable lead in the Atlantic Division. This month, however, has not been a good one for the Canadiens, who have lost six of seven since winning their first game in December. That slump and Boston's surge has moved the Bruins within three points in the division.

Playing without reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner Carey Price figured to make things more difficult for Montreal, but it's a lack of offense and not goaltending that's been the big problem recently.

Rookie Mike Condon has lost four consecutive starts despite allowing three goals or fewer in each game, and current backup Dustin Tokarski has surrendered only seven goals in three starts this month.

Montreal registered a season-high 45 shots in Thursday's 3-0 loss to Los Angeles, going scoreless on three power-play opportunities.

"We dominated a lot of these losses,' coach Michel Therrien said. 'This bad stretch will make us a better team. We're playing good hockey, so we're not panicking.'

Therrien's team has scored just 11 times during the 1-6-0 stretch while going 0 for 21 on the power play.

"It's a challenge (to stay positive)," forward Lars Eller told the team's official website. "In general, while I've been here, we've had a team that responds well to these kinds of challenges. We have a strong degree of confidence in the room. I still think it shows on the ice."

Just about Montreal's entire roster is struggling with its top three scoring forwards - Tomas Plekanec, Max Pacioretty and Alex Galchenyuk - combining for one goal in the past seven games.

Up next for the Canadiens is their first eight-game trip since 1968 that includes a matchup with the Bruins in the Winter Classic on New Year's Day. They'll be tested right away against a Dallas team that is tied with Washington for the top spot in the league's overall standings.

The Stars (23-7-2), though, have been cooled with two losses in three games following a 5-0-2 run. They suffered just their fourth home loss with a 3-1 defeat to red-hot Calgary on Thursday.

"We have a target on our backs, and we know that," defenseman Alex Goligoski told the team's official website. "We are seeing some pretty good games from other teams right now. It's going to be like that the rest of the way."

It's no surprise that the key to beating the Stars is limiting Tyler Seguin (42 points) and Jamie Benn (41), who have both been held without a point in Dallas' last three losses. They rank second and third in the scoring race.

Seguin has six goals and eight assists in his last nine games against Montreal, while Benn has three goals and six points in his past five meetings.

Dallas also hasn't received much production from its power play of late. That unit is 2 for 30 in the last nine games and scoreless on its last 16 chances.

These teams split two meetings last season with each winning on home ice.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wild (17-7) at Predators (13-11)

Date: December 19, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

Mikko Koivu just matched his best two-game point output for a Minnesota Wild team on the verge of its first four-game winning streak.

The Nashville Predators are searching for answers as they near their first four-game slide.

Koivu and the Wild hope some solid work at home on the power play translates to the road when they meet the Predators on Saturday night.

Minnesota (17-7-6) has received eight points from Koivu in this win streak, with seven in the last two games to match his best two-game stretch from Oct. 14-16, 2008. He endured a seven-game pointless run before the last three.

The Wild, seeking their first four-game win streak since a five-game surge March 21-28, have outscored foes 13-4 in this run.

'Now it's been going in,' Koivu said. 'For sure we want to score as much as we can but at the same time I think we've been good defensively. That allows us to be good offensively as well.'

Nashville (15-11-6) is 0-2-1 in its last three with the defeats all by one goal following Thursday's 2-1 loss at St. Louis. It marked the first time in three games that the Predators were outshot, but they are tired of looking for excuses.

"We've played games where we sit there and say that we were better with the offensive-zone chances; that's not what matters. What matters is the scoring. We're not beating teams and we have to be better," defenseman Shea Weber told the Predators' official website.

The Wild won their last two games at home, 6-2 over Vancouver on Tuesday and 5-2 over the New York Rangers on Thursday. They went 5 for 8 on the power play.

Minnesota has come up empty on its last 14 power-play chances on the road. Nashville has one of the league's worst penalty kills at 76.0 percent.

"I think we worked on it a lot in practice lately, and just all the boys, as a group, it doesn't really matter who's out there, everyone is talking about plays, and what they see, and I think that communication helps a lot," Wild defenseman Matt Dumba said. "Guys are just making hard plays, good reads, and getting the puck to the net."

The Wild are 4 for 10 on the power play in the season series after splitting two home meetings. They have won four straight at Nashville.

Predators forward James Neal, who has a team-high 12 goals, has gone three straight games without one and six in a row against the Wild in which he has come up empty.

No goalie has started more games than Nashville's Pekka Rinne, who will likely make his 28th on Saturday. Minnesota is expected to start Devan Dubnyk, who returned Thursday after missing four games with a groin injury.

The Predators haven't lost four straight since going 0-4-2 to close 2014-15.

"They'll be a desperate team," Wild coach Mike Yeo said. "Games haven't gone their way lately but we know that they get geared up to play us and we know they're a good team at home so it'll be a good challenge."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Islanders (15-10) at Coyotes (14-15)

Date: December 19, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

The New York Islanders are seeking a quick offensive turnaround when they complete a short western road trip, and they appear to have a good chance against their next opponent.

The Arizona Coyotes have been the NHL's worst defensive team this month and will be attempting to recover from their most inferior performance of the season Saturday night.

New York (18-10-5) is looking to avoid losing three straight for the first time in six weeks, held to one goal in each of the past two games despite having 34 shots in each.

"At the end of the day, you've got to score more than one goal if you're going to win in the NHL," coach Jack Capuano said after Thursday's 2-1 loss at Colorado. "I want to score some goals. We've played pretty sound defensively, but we've got to find a way.

"Certain guys on the back end, our defensemen, are not even close to the points we had last year. They've got to get more involved in the offense, and we need some forwards to step up as well."

Nick Leddy led Islanders defensemen with 10 goals last season but has none through 33 games. Travis Hamonic tops New York in ice time but doesn't have a point in 11 straight games, and fellow blueliner Johnny Boychuk has no goals and two assists in his last 14.

Making matters worse, points leader Kyle Okposo will miss the next two games with a nagging lower-body injury.

The Islanders will finish their two-game trek out west by taking on a team that's given up 4.6 goals per game while going 1-6-1 this month.

Arizona (14-15-2) gave up its highest goal total at home since 2010 in a 7-5 defeat to Columbus on Thursday. It was the Coyotes' first home loss in regulation since Nov. 7 and second in a row after five straight wins.

Anders Lindback gave up four goals on 10 shots in his third consecutive start in place of Mike Smith, who is expected to miss at least seven more weeks because of a lower-body injury. Louis Domingue allowed two goals on 10 shots in his first NHL appearance this season, spoiling the Coyotes' highest-scoring game in 2015-16.

"We're at the point right now where we're giving away easy goals," forward Jordan Martinook said. "Pretty much every goal that (the Blue Jackets) got was a mistake and a breakdown in our coverage. It's just something that we're dealing with right now and we need to correct it going forward."

Lindback has a 4.08 goals-against average in five games this month and has lost four straight to the Islanders. He allowed four goals in a 5-2 defeat to New York on Nov. 16 in the first of this season's two meetings.

Brock Nelson, who has both of the Islanders' goals in the past two games, had the first of New York's four third-period goals against Arizona and John Tavares scored two.

The Islanders have won the past three meetings, totaling 10 goals in the last two as Nelson had a goal and an assist in each. Tavares has five goals and five assists in eight lifetime matchups with the Coyotes but has one point in his last seven games.

Arizona's Mikkel Boedker has three goals and four assists in seven career games against the Islanders and scored in last month's meeting.

New York, 10-3-1 against Western Conference teams, is 26 for 26 on the penalty kill in its last 11 games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Oilers (12-17) at Avalanche (16-16)

Date: December 19, 2015 10:00 PM EDT

It took some time, but the Colorado Avalanche have finally found their rhythm this month.

The Edmonton Oilers appear to be headed in the wrong direction following an undefeated start to December.

The Avalanche can extend their season-high winning streak to five by handing the visiting Oilers a third consecutive defeat Saturday night.

Colorado (16-16-1) is 7-2-0 in December after a middling first two months.

"You know what? It's early in the season, and I think it's just a matter of playing some good hockey and winning some hockey games," coach Patrick Roy told the NHL's official website.

"Not only are we at the .500 mark (in terms of wins and regulation losses), which is something we're happy about right now ... we're having a good month. It's important for us to continue to play that way."

Paced by goaltender Semyon Varlamov, the Avs have yielded an average of 1.6 goals this month after giving up 3.1 in the first two. They've outscored their last four opponents 11-4.

Varlamov went 5-7-1 with a 3.28 goals-against average and .887 save percentage in October and November, but is 6-1-0 with a 1.14 and .965 since. After stopping 29 shots for his first shutout of the season in a 3-0 win at Chicago on Tuesday, the veteran made 33 saves in Thursday's 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders.

"We're playing solid defensively," Varlamov said. "Everything comes from defense. If we're playing solid defense, we're going to get success.

"It feels really good. I hope we're going to continue to do the same thing because the guys work really hard right now. Everybody is really focusing and we're battling."

Edmonton (14-17-2) has been outscored 8-2 in back-to-back losses to the Rangers and Blackhawks. Prior to those defeats, the Oilers opened the month by averaging 3.7 goals in a season-high six-game winning streak.

'We've clawed our way back into the fight, so we can't afford to lose back-to-back games like this," defenseman Eric Gryba said after Thursday's 4-0 loss at Chicago. "We've got to start believing in ourselves a little bit more ... We don't have the luxury of taking nights off. It's going to be a war for us."

Cam Talbot made 33 saves Thursday but has posted a 3.70 GAA while losing seven of his last nine starts.

"Expectations for each of the individuals were a lot higher than what we got from them (Thursday)," coach Todd McLellan told the Oilers' official website.

Talbot is likely to give way to Anders Nilsson, whose five-game winning streak ended against the Rangers. Nilsson has a 3.61 GAA in three starts after posting a 1.75 in his previous five.

Taylor Hall has one point in three games after recording five goals and four assists in the previous four contests. He scored a goal in each of Edmonton's final two meetings with Colorado last season - both Oilers victories - and has seven with seven assists in his last nine in the series.

With two goals Thursday, Colorado defenseman Francois Beauchemin has three and three assists in the past five games.

The Avs have been succeeding despite going 1 for 23 on the power play in the last nine contests.