Saturday 2/13/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 12:45

Sunderland

v

Man Utd

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT1		15/4	5/2	3/4	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT SUNDERLAND	RECENT FORM
ALAWALHDHLAD​ Most recent​	1 - 1 2 - 1 1 - 2 0 - 1	ADAWHLAWHWAD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Sunderland have not conceded more than once in their last eight home league games

EXPERT VERDICT: Wayne Rooney’s improved run of form has given Manchester United a glimmer of optimism in an otherwise gloomy season, but the Red Devils face a tough task to grab a Champions League spot and could suffer another setback at Sunderland. The Black Cats have turned in some improved performances in recent weeks, with the draw at Anfield the latest flash of hope as they look to avoid relegation.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1


REFEREE: Andre Marriner STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 15:00

C Palace

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Watford

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		23/20	11/5	5/2	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT C PALACE	RECENT FORM
ALALHLHWHLAD​ Most recent​	1 - 0 2 - 3 4 - 0 3 - 2	ALALHWAWHDAL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Crystal Palace have failed to score in five of their last eight league games

EXPERT VERDICT: Crystal Palace’s point at Swansea last Saturday ended a run of five straight defeats for the Eagles in the Premier League and goals are in short supply – they have netted only three times in those six outings. Watford have lost three on the spin away, without scoring in any of them.

RECOMMENDATION: No goalscorer
1


REFEREE: Robert Madley STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 15:00

Bournemouth

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Stoke

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		21/20	12/5	5/2	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT BOURNEMOUTH	RECENT FORM
HLHWADAWAWHL​ Most recent​	3 - 1 1 - 0 1 - 1 4 - 0	HDALAW*ALALHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Stoke have conceded 15 goals in their last seven league games

EXPERT VERDICT: Stoke's promising season fell apart after cup exits against Liverpool and Crystal Palace in the same week and recent Premier League performances have reflected that bitter disappointment. The Potters have lost 3-0 to Manchester United and Everton and could be heading for a fourth straight league loss.

RECOMMENDATION: Bournemouth
2


REFEREE: Graham Scott STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 15:00

Everton

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West Brom

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		1/2	3	6	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT EVERTON	RECENT FORM
ADHLALAWHWAW​ Most recent​	0 - 0 0 - 0 2 - 1 2 - 0	AWHDHDHDALAD*​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: West Brom have scored only eight away goals

EXPERT VERDICT: Everton’s oddly frustrating season continues to be a great source of annoyance to their fans and followers, but West Brom are typically so unambitious on the road that it’s hard to see them outscoring the Toffees. The Baggies will look to catch them on the break but could cave under long periods of pressure.

RECOMMENDATION: Everton
2


REFEREE: Michael Oliver STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 15:00

Swansea

v

Southampton

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		19/10	23/10	7/5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT SWANSEA	RECENT FORM
ALHLHWAWADHD​ Most recent​	0 - 1 0 - 1 0 - 0 3 - 0	HLHWHWAWADHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Southampton have kept five straight clean sheets

EXPERT VERDICT: Southampton have tightened up defensively with five straight clean sheets, including shutouts at Manchester United and Arsenal and they can take a point from this trip. Improving Swansea are are unbeaten in four with 1-1 draws against West Brom and Crystal Palace in their last two outings.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
2


REFEREE: Jonathan Moss STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 15:00

Norwich

v

West Ham

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		29/20	12/5	21/10	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT NORWICH	RECENT FORM
HLALALHLHLAL​ Most recent​	3 - 1 0 - 0 1 - 2 1 - 1	ALHDADHWALHD*​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: West Ham have kept only two clean sheets in their last six Premier League outings

EXPERT VERDICT: Norwich’s defeat at Aston Villa was their fifth consecutive league loss and their record against top half teams is poor – the Canaries have lost seven, drawn four, and won only twice with a woeful defence getting them into plenty of trouble. That said, West Ham have lost their last two league road trips and goals looks the best bet.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
2


REFEREE: Mike Jones STADIUM:

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Soccer: EPL Best Bets - Week 26
By Chris David

Week 25 Recap

Leicester City (+475) stole the headlines again last week as it stunned Manchester City 3-1 at Etihad Stadium. The win was their eighth on the road this season and they currently sit five points clear in first place of the Premier League standings. The Foxes were the only underdogs to win in Matchday 25 as favorites wound up going 6-1 overall with three draws, while the ‘under’ produced a 6-3-1 mark. Through 25 weeks of the season, favorites are 112-66 with 72 draws. The ‘under’ has gone 126-118-6.

Futures Update

With 13 weeks left in the season, oddsmakers have made Leicester a 2/1 co-favorite with Arsenal to win the championship and those odds will likely change quickly with the pair meeting each other on Sunday. Prior to the season, the Foxes had odds as high as 2000/1 while Arsenal was a 7/2 betting choice. Manchester City (10/3), Tottenham (9/2) and Manchester United (40/1) are the next three teams that appear to have a competitive shot to unseat any of the top pair.

Top 4

All eyes will be on Sunday’s action as the top four Premier League teams will be playing against one another, something that hasn’t happened in eight years.

Manchester United at Sunderland (Saturday, NBCSN, 7:45 a.m. ET)

It’s not uncommon to see Manchester United (-140) listed as a road favorite but certainly expected when you face Sunderland (+420), who is trying to stay out of the relegation zone. They currently sit in 19th place and are four points out of the coveted 17th position.

Even though United defeated Sunderland 3-0 at Old Trafford in late September, backing the club on the road has been a dicey situation this season. They’re 5-4-4 and only managed one victory (1-2-2) in its last five as visitors.

The Black Cats have gone 3-3-6 at home but their defense (13 goals) has been much better in front of its fans than on the road (36 goals) and that effort has helped the ‘under’ go 8-4 from the Stadium of Light.

Both clubs enter this game off draws last week and Manchester should’ve probably beaten Chelsea if it wasn’t for a late goal and Sunderland’s remarkable rally against Liverpool for a 2-2 tie was a stunner.

Manchester could pull up a little bit this week with a Thursday trip to Denmark for a Europa League battle against Midtjylland. However, a win by Sunderland seems unlikely based on recent form at the Stadium of Light versus Man United. The Black Cats are 0-4-9 in their last 13 at home versus the Red Devils.

Chelsea vs. Newcastle United (Saturday, NBC, 12:30 p.m. ET)

Chelsea (-240) will look to remain unbeaten (3-6-0) under manager Guus Hiddink on Saturday as the club welcomes Newcastle United (+675) to Stamford Bridge. Diego Costa captured the heroics last week for the Blues as he scored a late equalizer in their 1-1 draw against Man United. Unfortunately for Chelsea, it lost defender Kurt Zouma (knee) for the season and most expect Gary Cahill to take his place in the starting lineup.

New Castle snapped a two-game losing streak last week in a 1-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion at home but enters this game with four consecutive road losses. The club has only scored one goal during this span and has managed just six away goals this season, which is the lowest in the EPL. Overall, the Magpies (2-1-6) have only managed seven out of a possible 36 points on the road. New Castle hasn't had much success off a win this season, going 1-1-3.

The pair played to a 2-2 draw in late September at St. James’ Park and it should be noted that Chelsea has failed to beat New Castle when they did not keep a clean sheet (0-3-4) in the last 11 meetings. It’s a longshot to see the Magpies score in this spot, especially against an improving Chelsea defense.

Similar to United, Chelsea has a much bigger battle on deck as it meets Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the Champions League knockout round this Tuesday from France.

Arsenal vs. Leicester City (Sunday, NBCSN, 7:00 a.m. ET)

Despite sitting in first place of the EPL standings, Leicester City (+375) continues to be listed as a heavy underdog. The 3-1 shocker over Man City last Saturday was impressive but repeating that effort on the road against Arsenal (-140) will be just as difficult.

As a bettor, it’s hard to go against the value of Leicester. At nearly 4/1 odds, why wouldn’t you back a club that has only lost one league game (8-4-1) on the road, which came in a 1-0 loss on Boxing Day against Liverpool. Many pundits believed that Leicester would fall apart after that setback but they’ve silenced everybody with a seven-game unbeaten (4-3-0) run. What’s even more impressive is that the Foxes have only allowed two goals during this span. In their first 18 games, they gave up 25.

A large part of those 25 goals came on Sept. 26 when Arsenal lit up Leicester 5-2 at King Power Stadium, which included a hat-trick from Alexis Sanchez. Will the Gunners deliver similar treatment this Sunday and burst the bubble of Leicester? Arsenal snapped a four-game winless streak last Sunday with a 2-0 victory over Bournemouth but the team still appears to have issues on offense, especially at home.

The Gunners have gone 7-3-2 at home this season while outscoring opponents 16-7 from the Emirates. Meanwhile, the Foxes have netted a league-best 26 away goals. The total on this game is sitting at 2 ½ and shaded slightly to the ‘over’ (-125) and it’s apparent that something has to give.

Manchester City vs. Tottenham (Sunday, NBCSN, 11:15 a.m. ET)

In the second key matchup Sunday, Manchester City (+105) will look to rebound at home against a red-hot Tottenham (+260) squad. The Spurs have won four straight games and they’re unbeaten in their last 11 road battles (6-5-0) in league play.

Tottenham has the best goal differential in the league at plus-26 (45-19) and the 19 goals allowed is also tops in the league. The Spurs' defense will be tested against a City offense that has netted a league-best 47 goals and 34 of them occurred at home.

City is 9-1-3 at Etihad Stadium this season and the common theme in the losses is defense, which allowed nine total goals in the setbacks. Some pundits have labeled the Citizens as bullies and those points should be taken. Manchester City has played seven games against teams currently in the Top 6 spots of the EPL table and they’ve gone winless (0-4-3) in those encounters.

One of those losses occurred on Sept. 26 as Tottenham blasted City 4-1 at White Hart Lane. Prior to that result, the Citizens had won four straight against the Spurs and they outscored them 16-2 in those victories. The ‘over’ has cashed in eight of the last 10 encounters and this week’s total (2 ½, Over -140) is expecting another high-scoring affair.

Make a note that City is expected to get a boost on defense with center back Vincent Kompany returning to action from a calf injury. Also, the Citizens have dropped six games this season and they’re 4-1 after a loss. Coincidentally, that setback was the aforementioned defeat to the Spurs. Total bettors should note that City and its opponents have combined for 26 goals in those five games after a loss.

The Spurs stay on the road later this week as they visit Italy for a Europa League battle against Fiorentina while the Citizens don’t begin Champions League action until Feb. 24 when it visits Dynamo Kyiv.

Fearless Predictions

Our 2016 winning streak ended last week (-360) and it would've been a profitable one if Arsenal or Bournemouth knocked in at least one more goal. We have 10 more games on tap this week and the goal is to cut into our overall deficit, which is nearing two dimes ($1,535). With the NBA on hiatus and football over with, we’re posting eight selections this week which includes four on the big games this Sunday.

Straight – Under 2 ½ (+125) New Castle United-Chelsea – 2 Units

Straight – Watford (+260) over Crystal Palace – 1 Unit

Straight – West Ham United (+205) over Norwich City – 1 Unit

Straight – Over 2 ½ (+115) Manchester United-Sunderland – 1 Unit

Straight – Under 2 ½ (+110) Leicester City-Arsenal – 2 Units

Straight – Leicester City-Arsenal Draw (+295) – 1 Unit

Straight – Over 2 ½ (-140) Tottenham-Manchester City – 3 Units

Straight – Manchester City (+105) – 2 Units

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Drivers to Watch - Saturday

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Sprint Unlimited
Saturday, February 13th – 8:00 p.m. EDT
Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL

The NASCAR season begins on Saturday with the Sprint Unlimited exhibition race at Daytona International Speedway. This race features a very strong field, but there will be no points rewarded to any of the drivers.

The Sprint Cup drivers will, however, be excited to get back out there. The 187.5-mile course serves as a great tune-up for the actual season and these drivers are always excited to earn themselves some bragging rights amongst their peers.

One thing worth noting about this race is that it is broken down into segments. There will be a 25-lap segment and then a mandatory caution. After that caution, the drivers will go for another 50 laps.

One guy that will be happy to be back at this event is Kevin Harvick. Harvick has really done well at this race in the past, winning in 2009, 2010 and 2013. He has shown very few signs of rust coming off of the short offseason and will surely be in the hunt to win again on Saturday.

Matt Kenseth, however, will be looking to win this thing as well. He won in 2015 and certainly wouldn’t mind making a statement by winning it in back/back years.

With that out of the way, let’s now take a look at some solid picks to win this year’s installment:

Drivers to Watch

Kevin Harvick (10/1) - As previously mentioned, Harvick has been a monster at this exhibition race in his career. Three championships since 2009 says a lot about his comfort level on this track and it’s not like he’s coming off of a bad season either. Harvick made it to the Championship 4 in 2015 and is looking to go a step further by being the 2016 Sprint Cup Champion. He can send a message to his opponents by winning here once again and is an excellent pick at 10/1.

Martin Truex Jr. (15/1) - Like Harvick, Truex Jr. was also in the Championship 4 in 2015 and he is getting some very favorable odds coming into this race. At 15/1, Truex Jr. is a very good pick after the way he performed a year ago. He racked up 23 top-10 finishes last season and won a race as well. He has shown a lot of signs of improvement over the past few years and this has the potential to be a career year for him. He also happened to have finished second in this race a year ago.

Kurt Busch (15/1) - Busch did not get to the Championship 4 in 2015, but he had a solid season and was in the Eliminator 8. Busch won two races a year ago and also had a total of 10 top-10 finishes. He is one of the best drivers in the world, but he also may have a competitive advantage in this one. Busch will be using a new car in this race and it is the first time anybody has used it in competition. If it ends up being a good one then placing a unit or two on Busch at 15/1 will be well worth it. He’s also no slouch at this race in general, as he was the winner at the Sprint Unlimited in 2011.

Danica Patrick (60/1) - Since this field is filled with a ton of talented drivers, there are not many great dark horse picks. One person that stands out is Danica Patrick. Patrick ended 2015 on a solid note, finishing in the top 20 at two of the final three races. She also has made a number of pit crew changes this offseason, so she is hoping that she can take her driving to another level this season. This exhibition is a good opportunity for her to notch a victory and putting a unit on her at 60/1 just might pay off on Saturday.

Odds to win 2016 Sprint Unlimited

Dale Earnhardt Jr. 6/1
Jimmie Johnson 8/1
Joey Logano 10/1
Kevin Harvick 10/1
Kyle Busch 10/1
Matt Kenseth 10/1
Brad Keselowski 15/1
Carl Edwards 15/1
Denny Hamlin 15/1
Kasey Kahne 15/1
Kurt Busch 15/1
Martin Truex Jr. 15/1
Austin Dillon 25/1
Jamie McMurray 25/1
Kyle Larson 25/1
Clint Bowyer 30/1
Greg Biffle 30/1
Paul Menard 30/1
Ryan Newman 30/1
Aric Almirola 50/1
Danica Patrick 50/1
AJ Allmendinger 60/1
Casey Mears 60/1
Ricky Stenhouse 60/1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL notebook: Flames place G Ramo on IR
By The Sports Xchange

The Calgary Flames placed goaltender Karri Ramo on injured reserve Friday due to a leg injury.
Ramo, 29, had to leave Thursday night's game against San Jose after a collision with Sharks forward Joonas Donskoi. With just three minutes left in a 5-5 game, Donskoi carried the puck down the right wing and was tripped by Flames defenseman Mark Giordano. Ramo's left leg was slammed against the post.
The Flames won 6-5 in a shootout as Ramo stopped 29 of 34 shots before being helped off the ice. He has a 17-18-1 record with a 2.63 goals-against average and .909 save percentage in 37 games this season.
The Flames recalled goaltender Joni Ortio from the Stockton Heat of the American Hockey League to take Ramo's place on the roster. Ortio, 24, is 9-9-0 in 20 games for Stockton this season, with a 3.36 goals-against average and .893 save percentage.

---The Buffalo Sabres placed rookie forward Daniel Catenacci on injured reserve.
Catenacci left Thursday night's game late in the third period after taking a vicious hit from Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Radko Gudas, who was given a five-minute penalty for charging.
Catenacci was evaluated for a concussion after he had his head down and did not see the hit coming from Gudas in Buffalo's 5-1 loss at Philadelphia.
Catenacci, 22, has played in three games with the Sabres this season, with no points, since joining the Sabres for his first career recall on Feb. 5. He has 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 36 games for the Rochester Americans of the AHL this season.
The Sabres also recalled forward Philip Varone from their AHL affiliate. Varone, 25, leads Rochester with 12 goals in 38 games this season.

---The Winnipeg Jets activated goaltender Ondrej Pavelec from injured reserve.
Pavelec, 28, has been on IR since Nov. 22 with a knee injury, missing 33 games. Before getting injured, he was 5-6-1 with a 2.82 goals-against average and .906 save percentage in 15 games this season.
The Jets also reassigned goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. Hellebuyck, 22, has played in 26 games with the Jets this season, going 13-11-1 with a 2.34 goals-against average and .918 save percentage.

---The Chicago Blackhawks recalled defenseman Viktor Svedberg from the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL.
Svedberg, 24, has tallied one goal and two assists in 16 games with the Blackhawks this season since making his NHL debut on Oct. 9. He has posted 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in 30 games with Rockford.

---The Tampa Bay Lightning recalled goaltender Kristers Gudlevskis from the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL.
Gudlevskis, 23, has appeared in 25 games with the Crunch this season, posting a record of 8-9-5 with a 2.99 goals-against average and .901 save percentage.
The Lightning also assigned goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy to their AHL affiliate. Vasilevskiy, 21, has played in 15 games with the Lightning this season, going 8-5-0 with a 2.73 goals-against average and .910 save percentage.

---The Anaheim Ducks recalled left winger Nick Ritchie from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL.
Ritchie, 20, has collected one assist and four penalty minutes in 11 games with the Ducks this season. He has recorded 28 points (15 goals, 13 assists) and 55 penalty minutes in 33 games with Anaheim's AHL affiliate.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Devils (27-21) at Flyers (24-20)

Date: February 13, 2016 1:00 PM EDT

With their rookie defenseman trying to keep his streak going to set a franchise record, the Philadelphia Flyers want to get some momentum going before a long road trip.

Shayne Gostisbehere will seek to extend his point streak to 11 games while helping the Flyers get past the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.

Philadelphia (24-20-9) ended a three-game slide by routing Buffalo 5-1 on Thursday. The Flyers scored four times in the second period, and R.J. Umberger kicked off that binge by ending a 50-game drought that dated back to January 2015.

"It's huge for us, just everyone pulling on the same side of the rope, just having an explosion like that. Four goals in one period," Gostisbehere said. "That's huge for a team like us, especially after laying an egg (in a 4-1 loss to Anaheim on Tuesday)."

The 22-year-old assisted on Wayne Simmonds' second-period goal to match the team's longest point streak by a rookie, set by Mikael Renberg in 1993-94. Gostisbehere has two goals and 11 assists during his 10-game run, currently the longest in the NHL.

He has 17 points in 17 home games, but this is the last time the Flyers will be playing in Philadelphia until Feb. 25. They begin a five-game trek Sunday against the New York Rangers, followed by their season series finale with the Devils on Tuesday.

New Jersey (27-21-7) also ended a three-game skid in its latest game but had a little more tension in a 2-1 victory over Edmonton on Tuesday. The Devils didn't get the tiebreaking goal until Reid Boucher converted on a power play with 12:47 remaining.

Adam Henrique also scored on a man advantage, and New Jersey improved to 9 for 23 in its last eight games. The Devils have killed off all 19 penalties in their five contests this month.

"Our special teams were great," said Cory Schneider, who is 7-3-1 with a 1.64 goals-against average in his last 11 starts. "We needed this one after (a 2-1 loss to the Rangers on Monday). We felt good about our two prior games but didn't win. To get a win is important. We couldn't settle for single points here."

Like the Flyers, New Jersey is just outside the Eastern Conference playoff picture. The Devils have won six of their last seven visits to Philadelphia, including 4-1 on Oct. 29, but have lost a season-worst three in a row on the road while scoring three goals.

They're averaging a league-worst 1.44 goals on the road since 2016 began, partly offsetting the fact Schneider's 1.86 GAA away from home this season is tops among goalies with at least 10 road starts.

Simmonds has eight goals and two assists in his last eight contests. He has the Flyers' only power-play goal in 15 chances over the last three contests, though they've killed off 13 of 14 penalties in the last four.

Kyle Palmieri has seven points in five career games against Philadelphia, including two goals and two assists this season.

Travis Zajac had two power-play goals in Philadelphia but sat out the last matchup in New Jersey because of an upper-body injury as Philadelphia won 4-3 in overtime Dec. 4. The Devils are 14-0-2 in their last 16 games against the Flyers - including the playoffs - when Zajac is on the ice.

Top Philadelphia netminder Steve Mason has lost all seven starts he's made against New Jersey with a 3.77 GAA.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bruins (29-19) at Wild (23-21)

Date: February 13, 2016 2:00 PM EDT

The character of the Minnesota Wild continues to be tested amid one of the roughest stretches in club history.

ired in their worst-ever home slide, the Wild look to avoid matching the team record with an eighth consecutive loss overall Saturday against the Boston Bruins, who are looking for a season-high sixth straight road victory.

Loser of 12 of 13 and stuck in an 0-4-3 hole at home, Minnesota (23-21-10) is struggling to comprehend what is going on.

'If this wasn't really maddening and really frustrating, it would almost be comical the way things are going right now,' coach Mike Yeo said.

The Wild, who have lost two in a row by 4-3 scores and dropped four by one goal during the 0-5-2 slide, last lost eight straight Dec. 13-28, 2011.

"It's definitely frustrating," defenseman Ryan Suter told the NHL's official website. "We usually have to hit rock bottom before we go up, and I feel like we've hit rock bottom. Now we just need it to start turning for us."

Perhaps Minnesota can start by faring better in the second period, during which it's been outscored 13-3 in the last five games. The Wild allowed Washington's Alex Ovechkin to record a hat trick during the second in Thursday's defeat.

Minnesota has yielded four goals in each of the last four contests and at least that many in six of seven. Its last three opponents have gone 5 for 14 on the power play after the previous 15 were 4 for 31.

All-Star Devan Dubnyk has lost nine straight starts and owns a 4.07 goals-against average in four February outings.

'Getting tired of it, really,' said forward Charlie Coyle, who has recorded five of his career-high 15 goals in eight games. 'We've got to find ways. You keep seeing we're taking strides and that's the positive thing to do, and I think we are. But we've got to get that end result.'

Dubnyk made 34 saves in a 4-2 loss to the Bruins on Nov. 19 and is 0-5-0 with 5.20 GAA against them.

Loui Eriksson registered his third career hat trick in that meeting with Minnesota, and he had a goal and an assist as Boston (29-19-6) opened its season-high six-game trip with a 6-2 victory over Winnipeg on Thursday. The Bruins have outscored their last five road opponents 20-8.

"It was a huge start, that's what we wanted," said forward Patrice Bergeron, who scored twice to snap a five-game goal drought. "But we know there's a lot more to this road trip than just one game and now we need to focus on Minnesota."

Brad Marchand had a goal and two assists and Brett Connolly recorded three assists as the Bruins rebounded from Tuesday's 9-2 defeat to Los Angeles.

"Different guys stepped up," said Connolly, who had one point his previous nine games. "And that's what we're going to need going forward on this road trip if we want to make it successful."

Tuukka Rask made 34 saves Thursday and has a 1.72 GAA during a four-game road winning streak.

Eriksson has six goals in the last five matchups with Minnesota while Bergeron has two and two assists during the same span.

Boston has gone 3 for 35 on the power play in the last 12 contests.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Maple Leafs (19-25) at Canucks (22-20)

Date: February 13, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Following back-to-back road victories, the Vancouver Canucks must find a way to start winning at home.

That hasn't been a problem when the Toronto Maple Leafs come to town.

The Canucks can avoid a fourth straight defeat at Rogers Arena by beating the Maple Leafs for an eighth consecutive time there Saturday night.

Just outside of playoff position in the Western Conference, Vancouver (22-20-12) has little room for error in its quest to make the playoffs.

"Every game is do or die for us," defenseman Alex Biega said. "Every point really matters. For the most part, that's playoff-type of hockey."

The Canucks have looked like a serious postseason contender this week, scoring three unanswered goals in Tuesday's 3-1 win at Colorado and getting 33 saves from Ryan Miller in a 2-1 victory at Arizona one night later.

"We have to build off that," Biega said.

Vancouver can do so by getting back on track at home, where it's 9-10-5 and has been held to one goal in three straight games.

"The guys are still battling," said coach Willie Desjardins, whose team averages a West-low 2.25 goals at home. "We know we've got to put together a string of (winning) games."

The Canucks also need the Sedin brothers to produce.

Henrik Sedin snapped a five-game point drought with an assist against the Coyotes, but Daniel has one point in six and none in the last four. Daniel had three goals and five assists in a five-game home point streak against Toronto that ended in a 4-1 win March 14.

Henrik totaled six points in the previous three home matchups with the Maple Leafs before also going scoreless in that contest.

Vancouver fell 4-2 to Toronto (19-25-9) on Nov. 14, but hasn't lost at home to the Maple Leafs since November 2003 and has outscored them 25-7 in the last six there.

Miller has yielded four goals each time in losing two starts against the Maple Leafs with the Canucks. He's expected to face them for the first time at Rogers on Saturday.

Toronto fell to 0-3-0 on a five-game trip with Thursday's 5-2 loss to Edmonton. The Maple Leafs have yielded 15 goals on the swing, including nine in two games since sending veteran defenseman Dion Phaneuf to Ottawa in a nine-player deal Tuesday.

Despite another rough season for the Leafs, coach Mike Babcock is happy with his team's effort and spirit, especially with this week's roster shake-up.

'I didn't mind our game, to tell you the truth,' said Babcock, whose club trailed 3-2 after two periods against the Oilers. 'We got ourselves in a good spot (Thursday). ... We didn't finish and they did.'

After James Reimer yielded seven total goals in the first two of the trip, Jonathan Bernier gave up four on 34 shots against Edmonton. Bernier has posted a 3.82 goals-against average while losing four straight road starts.

Reimer made 43 saves Nov. 14 but has given up four goals apiece in losing both starts at Vancouver, and Bernier is likely to start this game.

Leo Komarov has recorded two of his team-leading 17 goals in the last 21 games for Toronto, which is 2 for 45 on the power play over the past 14.

Vancouver's Jannik Hansen matched a career high with his 16th goal Wednesday. He's scored in two straight against the Maple Leafs and has two goals and three assists in four home matchups.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Islanders (29-18) at Hurricanes (24-21)

Date: February 13, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

John Tavares has ended his slump in emphatic fashion. A matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes isn't likely to slow him down.

Tavares looks to extend his scoring surge and help the New York Islanders match their longest winning streak of the season Saturday night.

Tavares has five goals and seven assists over the past eight games, exactly matching his production over the previous 24.

"I never worried or doubted that the points were going to come," coach Jack Capuano told the team's official website. "He's had a lot of chances and works hard. But it's good to see Johnny get the points. As he goes, we go."

That's certainly been true during a three-game winning streak as Tavares has six points after tallying a goal and an assist in a 5-2 win over Los Angeles on Thursday.

"I just want to keep doing the right things," Tavares said. "I think I've been playing well for a few weeks and I want to be consistent, keep it going and create opportunities."

That shouldn't be a problem since the All-Star center has 28 points over his last 16 meetings with the Hurricanes, including 13 in six visits to Raleigh.

Tavares, though, was kept off the score sheet in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Hurricanes at home Oct. 29.

After averaging 2.5 goals in a 4-5-1 stretch, the Islanders (29-18-6) have scored 16 during three straight wins. They are 4 for 10 on the power play in those games.

"We're getting more of a rhythm coming out of our own end, getting up into the neutral zone," Tavares said. "Guys are making plays and we're starting to put some more pucks in the net."

New York has 14 goals in a three-game win streak at Carolina (24-21-10), and is 5-1-2 in its last eight visits.

Brock Nelson is tied with Tavares for the team lead with 20 goals, but hasn't scored in five consecutive games. However, he has three in his last two road games with the Hurricanes.

Carolina opened this three-game homestand with a 2-1 shootout loss to Pittsburgh on Friday after falling by the same score in a shootout at Montreal on Sunday.

"When it gets late, gets to those dying moments, it always gets nerve-racking," coach Bill Peters said Friday. "I thought the guys did a good job staying with it."

Andrej Nestrasil forced overtime against the Penguins by scoring with 5:28 left in regulation. The center has three goals in three games to match his total from the previous 30.

The Hurricanes are unsure if they'll have Justin Faulk available after a lower-body injury sidelined him Friday. The All-Star defenseman leads Carolina with 34 points and his 15 goals match his career high from last season.

"Day to day means day to day," Peters told the team's official website.

Jeff Skinner, who had his five-game point streak snapped Friday, has six points in as many home matchups with the Islanders.

Cam Ward made 25 saves against the Penguins, giving Carolina at least a point in each of his past eight starts. He is 4-0-4 with a 1.79 goals-against average in those games.

Ward, who could be rested in the second of this back to back, is 18-3-3 with a 2.62 GAA in his last 27 games against New York.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Senators (25-25) at Blue Jackets (22-28)

Date: February 13, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson is on pace to break his career-high mark of 78 points set four seasons ago, and a matchup with the Columbus Blue Jackets should serve to further his cause.

Karlsson has seven points in two easy wins over Columbus this season and looks to help the Senators end a three-game road losing streak Saturday night.

He's a leading candidate for the Norris Trophy as the league's top defensemen with 62 points, including an NHL-best 51 assists. No other defenseman has more than 46 points.

Karlsson has 17 points in his last 12 games and 11 in his last seven. He had the second four-assist performance of his career in last Saturday's 6-1 rout of Toronto.

The previous one came in a 7-3 win over Columbus (22-28-6) on Oct. 14. He then had two goals and an assist in a 3-0 home win over the Blue Jackets on Nov. 19 in which Craig Anderson made 25 saves.

Karlsson has 15 points in 10 career games against Columbus, including nine in Ottawa's four-game road win streak in this series. The seven goals allowed by the Blue Jackets in October are the most they have yielded at home.

Ottawa (25-25-6) likely can't afford anything less than a victory after falling to 3-7-0 in its last 10 overall after Thursday's 4-3 home defeat to Colorado. The Senators have the fourth-worst record in the Eastern Conference, although they remain within striking distance of a playoff spot.

"These are points that we need," winger Chris Neil said. "We still believe in here, we still believe that we can get to where we need to be to make the playoffs but you gotta win games to do that."

The Senators failed to battle back from a three-goal deficit in the second period after the Avalanche scored the game's first three goals on the power play. Special teams have been a problem all season for Ottawa, which is at minus-16 in power-play goal differential for the league's second-worst mark.

"I thought we were real good 5-on-5," coach David Cameron said. "I thought we were the better team today, we were a little quicker, dug ourselves a hole and stayed with it and fell short."

Karlsson and Dion Phaneuf each had two assists, with Phaneuf making his home debut after being acquired from Toronto on Tuesday.

The Senators are last in the NHL in average shot differential at minus-4.6.

The lowly Blue Jackets have played four straight one-goal games, winning for the third time Thursday, 4-3 in a shootout over Anaheim. Former Senators winger Nick Foligno had two assists.

'This is a group of guys I want to be a difference maker for and lead them and playing the right way,' Foligno said. 'Sometimes it just doesn't go your way, but it's the little things that you can do consistently to get you back to playing the right way.'

Brandon Saad ended a four-game goal drought with his team-high 20th and William Karlsson scored his third goal in as many games.

Rookie Joonas Korpisalo has made eight straight starts, going 5-1-2 with a 2.16 goals-against average. He has never faced the Senators.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Predators (25-21) at Panthers (32-17)

Date: February 13, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Roberto Luongo and Al Montoya have helped the Florida Panthers reach the top of the Atlantic Division with stingy goaltending, but pucks are slipping past them at an alarming rate lately.

The Nashville Predators are having that problem, too, and the scoreboard operator could be busy Saturday night when the slumping clubs meet in Sunrise.

Florida (32-17-6) ranks near the top of the league defensively allowing an average of 2.3 goals per game, backed by Luongo's 2.23 goals-against average in 43 appearances and Montoya's 2.06 mark in 15 games.

Both were needed Friday, though, after Luongo allowed three goals on 13 shots in the first period and Montoya made 13 saves in the final 40 minutes of a 5-3 loss to St. Louis that began a six-game homestand.

The Panthers, who were coming off Tuesday's 7-4 win at Buffalo, dropped to 1-2-1 following a five-game winning streak and have allowed at least three goals in each of their last five.

"(Luongo's) been a horse all year long. It was just to shake up the team," coach Gerard Gallant said. "We weren't happy with how we were playing."

Derek MacKenzie, Aaron Ekblad and Jonathan Huberdeau scored while Jaromir Jagr had two assists for Florida, which had its division lead trimmed to five points over Detroit after the Red Wings lost to Colorado in a shootout Friday.

Aleksander Barkov missed his second straight with an upper-body injury suffered from a big hit in Monday's loss at Detroit and isn't expected to return until at least Monday against Pittsburgh.

"We were not as sharp as we were the past few games,"â??Huberdeau said. "I think (Saturday) we've got to come back and be better defensively. That's usually where we're good at. (Friday), we allowed too many odd-man rushes."

Luongo has an .893 save percentage over his last four, but a short night could mean he'll be in net for this one. The Predators, on the other hand, might want to consider giving Pekka Rinne a break.

Nashville (25-21-9) has scored 15 times over its last four, but it also has allowed 17 goals during that time as Rinne has struggled with a .838 save percentage in that stretch. He gave up the tying goal with 26.6 seconds remaining in regulation Friday before Tampa Bay scored 1:04 into overtime for a 4-3 victory over the Predators, who are 1-3-1 following a four-game winning streak.

James Neal scored his 20th goal to give him at least that many in each of his eight NHL seasons. Filip Forsberg has four goals and two assists over his last three after putting Nashville ahead 7:46 into the third.

The tying goal came with Nashville shorthanded and the Lightning having an empty net. The Predators weren't happy with the slashing call on Viktor Arvidsson that led to Tampa's power play.

"It seems like we're taking penalties at the wrong times," said Mike Fisher, who scored in the first. "We're trying to do the right things. We've just got to be a little smarter. It's hurting us."

Nashville had allowed one goal in each of its previous five. Backup Carter Hutton started one of those contests, making 26 saves in a 2-1 win over Calgary on Jan. 27 in his last outing.

Rinne faced only 16 shots when Huberdeau scored and Luongo made 32 saves in the Panthers' 2-1 victory in Nashville on Dec. 3. The Predators had gone 4-0-1 in the previous five meetings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Capitals (40-9) at Stars (35-15)

Date: February 13, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Few teams have been able to keep pace with the Washington Capitals, particularly when Alex Ovechkin is as locked in as right now.

That hasn't been an issue for the Dallas Stars.

As the Capitals aim for a sixth consecutive win, the Stars look to maintain their recent dominance in the series when the NHL's highest-scoring teams face off Saturday night.

This marquee matchup has the makings of a possible Stanley Cup Final preview with Washington (40-9-4) a runaway leader atop the Eastern Conference and Dallas (35-15-5) one point off Chicago's lead in the West. There's clearly the potential for plenty of scoring as well, as the Stars top the NHL with 178 goals and the Capitals average a league-high 3.3 per game.

Washington has generated 33 goals over a 7-1-1 stretch and nine over the first two tests of a three-game trip. Ovechkin has scored in three straight and passed Chicago's Patrick Kane for the league lead with a hat trick in Thursday's 4-3 win over Minnesota.

Ovechkin recorded all three goals in the second period and has 34 this season, 13 of which have come in his last 13 games.

"It's incredible. The puck just comes to him, but he has that ability when it comes to put it in the net," said teammate Nicklas Backstrom, who assisted on all three scores. "It's hard to do."

Ovechkin has a goal in three of Washington's past five meetings with Dallas, though that production hasn't translated into team success as the Stars have won eight consecutive matchups and seven straight in regulation. They won 3-2 on Nov. 19 in Washington, where Kari Lehtonen made 31 saves and Jason Spezza scored the game-winner shortly after Ovechkin tied it in the third period.

Lehtonen was just as sharp as Dallas won both ends of its recent two-game trip. After compiling 37 saves in Tuesday's 4-3 overtime victory at Minnesota, he notched a season-high 44 as the Stars closed the gap on the Blackhawks with Thursday's 4-2 win.

"He made some great saves for us," coach Lindy Ruff said. "Minnesota was the same way; we needed some big saves at important times. He made some game changers."

Lehtonen was supported by Patrick Eaves' second career hat trick that helped Dallas, which lost 5-1 at home to Chicago last Saturday for its only defeat in six games, build a 4-0 lead through one period.

'We were ourselves (Thursday),' said Tyler Seguin, who assisted on two of Eaves' goals. 'Obviously I think they handed it to us last game.'

Eaves has four goals and three assists over a four-game point streak, aiding an offense that's been without Spezza for three straight due to an upper-body injury. Seguin has seven points over his last five and has scored in four straight against Washington.

Lehtonen owns a 1.71 goals-against average in winning seven straight starts against Washington, while the Capitals' Braden Holtby earned a fifth consecutive win with 33 saves against Minnesota.

Holtby, who did not play in the November meeting, is 17-3-2 with a 2.21 GAA in 22 road starts.

The Capitals are expected to have Evgeny Kuznetsov, the club's leader with 54 points, available after passing a concussion test on Friday. The All-Star forward exited Thursday's game after being high-sticked in the face on a third-period faceoff.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Ducks (26-19) at Blackhawks (36-18)

Date: February 13, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

Anaheim Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said a lack of respect for a last-place opponent is why his team lost its last game.

They won't have the same problem when their road trip continues against the Western Conference leader.

The Ducks look to bounce back Saturday night when they face a Chicago Blackhawks team that knocked them out of last season's playoffs and has won this season's first two meetings in overtime.

Anaheim was on its way to victory Thursday against Columbus, leading 2-0 late in the second period, but allowed a goal with five seconds to go in that period and blew another two-goal lead in the third of its 4-3 shootout loss. The Ducks (26-19-8) were outshot 34-27 and went 0 for 2 on the power play.

'Personally, I just didn't think we respected that team enough to start that game,' Boudreau said. 'And this is the NHL. You can't come into a game and not respect your opponent. We were lucky to get a point, but we'll bounce back.'

The Blackhawks (36-18-4) have a similar mindset after a pair of disappointing showings reduced their lead over second-place Dallas to a point.

Two nights after opening a four-game homestand with a 2-0 loss to San Jose, Chicago fell behind by four goals - three by Patrick Eaves - in the first period of Thursday's 4-2 setback to the Stars.

The Blackhawks dominated play in the third, outshooting the Stars 21-2, but the early deficit was too big to overcome.

'The last two, we've been in a little bit of a funk,' said Patrick Kane, who scored his 33rd goal but fell out of the league lead. 'We'll work ourself out of it, just like we always do, and come back ready to play Saturday.'

Having a healthy Artemi Panarin would certainly help, but his status is uncertain after missing the last two games with an illness. The 24-year-old, who plays alongside Kane and Artem Anisimov, is second on the team with 52 points and leads all rookies.

"I think anytime you miss one of your top players it's going to have an effect on everyone," said Kane, who has 77 points.

Anisimov had the winner in Anaheim on Nov. 27 after Jonathan Toews scored in a 1-0 victory over the Ducks on Oct. 26, their first meeting since last season's conference finals.

Corey Crawford has stopped 62 of 64 shots against Anaheim this season but was shaky Thursday, making 14 saves on 18 shots. Crawford, who was replaced after one period by Scott Darling, was 13-3-0 with a 1.88 goals-against average in his previous 16 starts.

The Blackhawks had won 13 of 15 at Chicago before this homestand and haven't lost three in a row overall since Nov. 28-Dec. 3.

The Ducks have lost two of three to start a seven-game trip for their only defeats in the last nine contests. They haven't lost back-to-back games since Dec. 21 and 22. Since then, they've gone a West-best 14-4-2 with the Blackhawks owning the conference's second-best record at 16-6-0.

Frederik Andersen has been instrumental to Anaheim's success and Boudreau praised his 31-save performance Thursday in his first loss since New Year's Day. He is 6-0-2 with a 1.72 GAA in 2016 while John Gibson is 5-4-0 with a 2.83 GAA over that same stretch.

Corey Perry, who has a team-high 21 goals, was held without a point for the second time in nine games Tuesday. He had three goals in last season's playoff series with the Blackhawks but has only two assists while the Ducks have lost six of the last seven regular-season meetings with Chicago.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jets (24-27) at Oilers (22-29)

Date: February 13, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

Connor McDavid continues to show that he might be the player to finally lead the Edmonton Oilers out of the wilderness.

Coming off a career-high five-point effort, the star rookie looks to keep rolling in a Hockey Night in Canada appearance when the Oilers host the Winnipeg Jets in a matchup of last-place teams Saturday night.

McDavid became the third rookie in team history to record a five-point game with two goals and three assists in a 5-2 win over Toronto on Thursday. The effort helped the Oilers (22-29-5) break a three-game losing streak after they had scored one goal in each of those contests.

'We needed this,' McDavid said. 'There was a lot of pressure on us coming in, playing against a team that was desperate and missing a lot of guys. They played a great game in terms of structure and not giving up too much. But it was a big night for us to start off the (six-game) homestand.'

McDavid's line had a huge game, with Jordan Eberle recording his first career hat trick and adding an assist while Benoit Pouliot had four assists, but it was the center's effort against his hometown team that was the most spectacular. Years of high draft picks haven't resulted in the Oilers becoming a winning organization again, but McDavid, the top overall pick in the 2015 draft, seems to offer promise that it might finally happen.

'His performance did all the speaking,' coach Todd McLellan said. 'You turn into a fan as a coach and as players and just admire what he and his linemates did.'

McDavid has four goals and eight assists in his last six games. Eberle has eight goals and three assists in the past 10 contests, while Pouliot has recorded two and eight in six.

'I think the more we play together, the better we will be,' Eberle said. 'Tonight was obviously our best, we put up goals and whatnot. But it was the little plays that I really liked. Coming out of our end, cycling, I thought we did a better job of that. Chemistry is not something you get right away, you've got to grow it a bit.'

The Oilers will look to make it three straight wins and four in five at home, having scored five times in each of their last two there. They beat Winnipeg 3-1 at Rexall Place on Dec. 21 behind two goals and an assist from Teddy Purcell and 44 saves from Cam Talbot, who's expected to start this game after stopping 34 shots against the Maple Leafs.

The December result snapped the Jets' four-game winning streak in the series, and Winnipeg comes in looking to bounce back from a 6-2 home loss to Boston on Thursday.

The Jets (24-27-3) have given up at least five goals three times in the past five games and are 3-6-0 in nine. The Bruins dominated the third period, scoring three unanswered goals and holding a 14-6 shot advantage.

"We came out in the third and we looked tentative," defenseman Tyler Myers told the team's official website. "Being down a goal we can't play like that if we want to come back. They get the first one in the third and we're caught chasing and it's tough to come back like that."

Bryan Little had a goal and an assist - giving him goals in two straight games after an eight-game drought - and Blake Wheeler added two assists.

Despite its recent struggles, Winnipeg opens a four-game trip having won three straight and four of five on the road.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Coyotes (25-23) at Sharks (28-20)

Date: February 13, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

The San Jose Sharks' win over the Arizona Coyotes last month came amidst a season-high point streak that has since drifted into inconsistent play.

The good news is the Coyotes haven't been able to make up much ground, anyway.

While the Coyotes seek just their fourth win in the last month on Saturday night, the Sharks hope a home game against their Pacific Division foe brings similar success that it has over the last decade.

San Jose (28-20-5) earned its fourth win in the last five games of this series with a 3-1 victory at Arizona on Jan. 21. That was the Sharks' seventh step on a 10-game point streak that lasted from Jan. 9-26, though they have been up and down since.

They have traded wins and losses for a 2-2-1 record and have surrendered at least five goals in two of the last three games. A shutout came from the other, but the Sharks have dropped eight points behind division-leading Los Angeles.

While San Jose combined for just nine goals in its four previous games, it busted out for five on Thursday against Calgary. The Flames, however, scored the same amount on backup Alex Stalock before eventually winning 6-5 in a shootout.

The Sharks did, though, escape with a point after trailing 4-1 through one period - a nice consolation to tag onto Tuesday's 2-0 win at Chicago.

'We stuck with it and found a way to get a point," coach Peter DeBoer said.

San Jose has taken most of the points in this series since the 2012-13 season, earning 23 of a possible 30 with a 10-2-3 record.

The advantage is more lopsided while dating back further at San Jose. The Sharks are 18-2-5 there against the Coyotes since Jan. 18, 2007, going 5-0-3 in the past eight.

San Jose is also currently riding an eight-game home point streak, but it follows Saturday's game with a five-game road trip that starts Tuesday in Tampa Bay.

Starting goaltender Martin Jones has only been part of this series this season, but he made 23 saves to earn the win last month. Jones recorded one of his 12 career shutouts in his only other start against Arizona while with Los Angeles in December 2014.

Arizona (25-23-6) followed last month's loss to San Jose with back-to-back wins, but the Coyotes picked up only one point while matching a season-worst five-game losing streak.

Shane Doan put the brakes on the skid Friday, however, with two goals and an assist in a 4-1 win over Calgary. Doan's big day helped him become the Coyotes leader with 931 career points.

'What he's done for this organization is phenomenal,' coach Dave Tippett said. 'The commitment he has to the organization, to the city, to his teammates, it's just amazing to watch every day.'

Louis Domingue made 26 saves for the win, but it may be Anders Lindback who gets a shot to end his struggles Saturday. Lindback hasn't won since Dec. 27 and surrendered five goals in his last start, a 5-2 loss at Anaheim on Feb. 5.

Sharks left winger Patrick Marleau has scored in his last two games and added an assist against the Flames, and he beat Domingue for a goal last month.