Saturday 2/20/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Post your request, Comments or concerns here.
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[superbeets]

English FA Cup TODAY 12:45

Arsenal

v

Hull

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		9/20	7/2	8	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ARSENAL	RECENT FORM
ADHLHWHDAWHW​ Most recent​	2 - 0 2 - 2 3 - 2 2 - 0	HWAWAWALAWHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Twelve of the last 14 games between these two have featured three or more goals

EXPERT VERDICT: Arsenal are likely to make changes as they face Barcelona three days later and a reshuffled Gunners side may not find it easy against a Hull team in fine form. The Gunners should win whoever Arsene Wenger selects, but Hull are likely to have their moments going forward too.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
3


REFEREE: Mike Dean STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Italian Serie A TODAY 17:00

Verona

v

Chievo

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BTEU		6/4	11/5	2	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT VERONA	RECENT FORM
ADHDADHWHDAL​ Most recent​	0 - 1 0 - 1 3 - 2	HDALHLALAWHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Verona have won one of their last 27 league games

EXPERT VERDICT: Anyone thinking Aston Villa have got problems should spare a thought for Verona, who are ten points adrift of safety in Serie A. The basement boys have won just once all season and their plight could get even worse with a defeat at home to city rivals Chievo, who can take advantage of Verona's leaky defence.

RECOMMENDATION: Chievo
1

 

[superbeets]

English FA Cup TODAY 17:15

Bournemouth

v

Everton

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BBC1		12/5	13/5	6/5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT BOURNEMOUTH	RECENT FORM
HWADAWAWHLHL​ Most recent​	3 - 3 0 - 2	HLALAWHWAWHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Everton have scored 46 goals in 26 league games

EXPERT VERDICT: Unlike Eddie Howe, Roberto Martinez sent out a near full-strength line up in the FA Cup fourth round and that policy could prove decisive again. As in previous rounds, Bournemouth boss Howe looks set to ring the changes with league pressures mounting and that can swing this tie in favour of the Toffees.

RECOMMENDATION: Everton
2


REFEREE: Martin Atkinson STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Portuguese Liga TODAY 18:30

Pacos Ferreira

v

Benfica

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		9	4	3/10	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT PACOS FERREIRA	RECENT FORM
HWADHLADHLAD​ Most recent​	1 - 0 0 - 2 1 - 2 1 - 2	AWHWAWAWHLHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Jonas has scored 23 league goals this season

EXPERT VERDICT: Benfica looked to be gaining the upperhand in the Portuguese title race but defeat against Porto was a blow and they will be looking to make amends when they visit Pacos. Leading scorer Jonas has been in fine form for the champions and he can add to his already considerable goal tally.

RECOMMENDATION: Jonas first goalscorer
1

 

[superbeets]

French Ligue 1 TODAY 19:00

Angers

v

Montpellier

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT1		19/10	19/10	7/4	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ANGERS	RECENT FORM
HL*ALHWALHLAL​ Most recent​	Unknown	AL*HLAWHLADHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Both teams have scored in just two of Angers' 13 home matches this season

EXPERT VERDICT: Angers have found the second half of the season a struggle after making a flying start following promotion and they have lost six of their last eight matches. However, most of their problems have been on the road and they lost their first home game in five when they were beaten 3-0 by Lyon last time. Montpellier have won just two away games this season and this is a good chance for the new boys to get back on track.

RECOMMENDATION: Angers
2

 

[superbeets]

Spanish La Liga TODAY 19:30

Real Betis

v

Sp. Gijon

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS3		21/20	23/10	14/5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT REAL BETIS	RECENT FORM
ALADHDALHWAD​ Most recent​	2 - 0 0 - 3 2 - 0 2 - 0	ALHWAWHDHDHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Sporting have lost only to Barcelona in their last five matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Real Betis won for the first time in 13 games when they beat Valencia but slipped back into their old ways with a draw against Deportivo and they look worth opposing against Sporting Gijon. The visitors are fighting for survival but recent signs have been encouraging and they can get at least a draw.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1

 

[Incubus]

Spartan of Pregame.com College Basketball Game of the Year

Dave Essler of Pregame.com Big Ten Basketball Game of the Year

Both plays are being released today, Saturday 20th.

It'll be interesting to see what these two have. @)

Thanks in advance to anyone who posts the plays.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL notebook: Leafs F Komarov suspended 3 games
By The Sports Xchange

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Leo Komarov has been suspended three games for elbowing New York Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced Friday.
The incident occurred at 18:58 of the first period on Thursday night. Komarov was assessed a match penalty for illegal check to the head of McDonagh, who was kept out of the remainder of the game for precautionary reasons. The Rangers went on to win 4-2.
Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, Komarov will forfeit $47,580.66. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

---The Washington Capitals re-signed defenseman Taylor Chorney to a two-year contract extension.
Chorney will earn $775,000 in 2016-17 and $825,000 in 2017-18.
Chorney, 28, has registered five assists and 17 penalty minutes in 45 games with the Capitals this season. The Hastings, Minn., native has set career highs in games played, assists, points and plus/minus (plus-11) this season.

---Montreal Canadiens center David Desharnais will miss at least three weeks due to a broken foot, the team announced.
Desharnais, 29, suffered the injury in Monday night's loss to the Arizona Coyotes. He missed his first game on Wednesday against the Colorado Avalanche.
The 5-foot-7, 174-pound Desharnais has recorded 26 points (nine goals, 17 assists) in 57 games this season.

---The Calgary Flames placed defenseman Ladislav Smid on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.
Smid, 30, left in the first period against the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night when he was hit hard into the board. He has no points in 21 games this season.
The Flames also recalled defenseman Tyler Wotherspoon from the Stockton Heat of the American Hockey League. Wotherspoon, 22, has played 40 games for Stockton this season, recording four assists and 10 penalty minutes.

---The Buffalo Sabres assigned forward Daniel Catenacci to the Rochester Americans of the AHL.
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 was placed on the injured reserve list last Friday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Lightning (31-22) at Penguins (29-19)

Date: February 20, 2016 12:30 PM EDT

The Pittsburgh Penguins haven't beaten the Tampa Bay Lightning yet this season but that may be since they have yet to host in this matchup.

That'll change Saturday when the Penguins look to post a 10th straight regular-season home victory in this series in a matchup of teams level on 66 points in the crowded Eastern Conference.

Tampa Bay (31-22-4) had no trouble solving Marc-Andre Fleury in two wins this year, with the Pittsburgh goalie charged with nine goals on 39 shots and getting pulled early in a 6-3 loss Feb. 5. Fleury was also victimized by a hat trick from Vladislav Namestnikov in a 5-4 overtime defeat Jan. 15.

Namestnikov's status is unclear after missing two games due to an upper-body injury while Penguins star Evgeni Malkin figures to miss an eighth straight game with a lower-body injury.

Pittsburgh (29-19-8) may like its chances of gaining the upper hand this time thanks to a nine-game regular-season home win streak over Tampa Bay, which has managed just one point in that span. Every point is critical for these teams, with neither currently owning an automatic playoff spot within their respective divisions.

Malkin's absence began the last time these teams met, and Pittsburgh racked up 12 goals in its first three games without him before scoring three in the next three. That caused coach Mike Sullivan to pair Sidney Crosby and Phil Kessel for the first time since he took over in mid-December, and the move paid dividends in Thursday's 6-3 home win over Detroit.

Kessel scored twice while Crosby had a goal and an assist. Crosby ended a three-game drought without a point that came on the heels of an 11-game run in which he amassed 22 points with goals in a career-high seven straight contests.

'Obviously, (Crosby) is going really good right now,' Kessel said. 'He's carrying our team right now and I just try to hop on that.'

The Penguins are 7-1-0 in their last eight at home and face a Lightning team that held a team meeting after blowing a three-goal lead in the third period of Thursday's 6-5 shootout victory over Winnipeg. Tampa Bay allowed four straight goals before Nikita Kucherov scored the tying tally with 4:56 left in regulation.

"I don't think we can walk out of here and be proud of our performance," star forward Steven Stamkos told the Lightning's official website. "We can be OK with the fact that we got the two points. Sometimes you win games and you can't, as a team, collectively look in the mirror and be happy with that effort. It's just unacceptable."

Tampa Bay won for the second time in six games, a span in which it has yielded 23 goals - 11 in the third period.

"There are things that we gotta fix that's been happening to us of late, there's no question," coach Jon Cooper said. "But we were down a goal with five (minutes) to go and found a way to win the game, we've gotta take some positive out of it."

Stamkos, Namestnikov and Tyler Johnson have all produced four points in the season series to tie for the team lead, and Anton Stralman has three goals and Kucherov three assists.

Pittsburgh's Patric Hornqvist has a team-high five points versus Tampa Bay.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Flyers (25-21) at Maple Leafs (20-27)

Date: February 20, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Owners of the fewest points in the NHL, the Toronto Maple Leafs have won just four of their past 18 games. One of them, however, came against the Philadelphia Flyers.

With their top scorer suspended, the Maple Leafs will try to win a third straight meeting with the Flyers for the first time in over seven years Saturday night.

Toronto (20-27-9) dropped to 4-12-2 in its last 18 games with Thursday's 4-2 loss to the New York Rangers. The Maple Leafs held a 37-20 shots advantage but gave up the decisive goal with 1:31 left in regulation.

"No one is happy with losing, it sucks the life out of your group," coach Mike Babcock said. "It's hard to re-energize yourself. When everything is going good in your life, and you know it yourself, things are going good and it's easy to get up in the morning and life is great. Sometimes when it's not, it's a little harder, you've got to be mentally tougher.

"Let's suck it up and play hard."

Matt Hunwick scored with 7.5 seconds left in regulation to give Toronto a 3-2 win at Philadelphia on Jan. 19.

That victory has the Maple Leafs in position to beat the Flyers in a third straight meeting for the first time since doing it over two seasons in 2008.

Matching that stretch will be tougher without Leo Komarov, the team leader with career highs of 18 goals and 35 points. The center will serve the first of a three-game suspension for elbowing Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh in the head. He was assessed a match penalty on the play.

Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau is second on the team with 15 goals, scoring one in each of the last two games. He had an assist at Philadelphia, giving him four points over his last three meetings.

Jonathan Bernier will be back in net after making 16 saves Thursday. He's 0-5-1 with a 3.64 goals-against average in his last six appearances, but stopped 47 shots - one off his career high - in a 3-2 home win over the Flyers on Feb. 26.

"As a goalie, you can't control if you win or lose, you've just got to make sure you do your job," Bernier said. "Hopefully by doing that you get some wins."

The Flyers (25-21-11) have dropped six of their last eight after Friday's 3-2 shootout defeat at Montreal.

Philadelphia has dropped six of eight games that have gone to the tiebreaker.

"Those are important points. We know that," coach Dave Hakstol told the team's official website. "If we could flip a switch and change it and turn it, we would.

"I do believe a lot of it, as you go through a shootout, is feeling confident and going out there with a clear mind. For that to happen we've got to have some success a couple of shootouts in a row."

Confidence shouldn't be a problem for Shayne Gostisbehere, who has 17 points during a 14-game streak to set an NHL record for a rookie defenseman. The stretch started with a goal against the Leafs, and he kept it going with an assist on Michael Raffl's goal Friday.

Flyers leading scorer Glaude Giroux has gone a season-high eight games without a goal, but he has four in his last five against Toronto.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Devils (29-23) at Capitals (42-10)

Date: February 20, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

As strong as Washington has been this season regardless of environment, it can credit plenty of its massive lead in the Metropolitan Division simply to beating the seven teams it's competing with.

There's also something to be said for a league-best record on home ice, so Saturday night's visit from division foe New Jersey figures to be the Capitals' for the taking.

Washington (42-10-4) is 21-4-2 at home and 15-3-2 against the Metropolitan. The crossover of those two amounts to the Capitals having dropped three points all season on home ice against division foes, albeit in a limited sample size, going 6-1-1 with the lone regulation loss coming back on Oct. 28 to Pittsburgh.

They also boast an NHL-best away mark, which was on display in Thursday's 3-2 overtime win over the New York Islanders. It was their second straight victory heading into a four-game homestand against opponents no higher than fourth in their respective divisions.

Washington has won seven of eight, though game-winning goal scorer Justin Williams said the team isn't thrilled with the on-ice product of late.

"We had seen our game slip lately and it's not all the way back to where it needs to be but we did a lot of good things tonight," said Williams, who also had an assist to give him eight goals and nine assists in his last 16 games after managing 24 points in his first 40 contests with his new club.

"We need to keep having the puck a lot more and lessening the opportunities the other team has and I thought we did a good job of that tonight."

Another multigoal effort from Alex Ovechkin had something to do with it, and the NHL's leading goal scorer has managed 23 in his last 25 games while scoring at least twice six times. Even so, coach Barry Trotz elected to move him to a line with Williams and Evgeny Kuznetsov for the first time.

"You're always thinking about different lines and as coaches we sometimes throw a little bit of spaghetti on the wall," Trotz told the team's official website. "I've got some great people around me, we've got a feel for it and we talk about it all the time, so it was a good change I think for all involved."

The Capitals have won both meetings with the Devils this season as part of a five-game series winning streak in which they've had a 18-8 scoring advantage.

New Jersey (29-23-7) has dropped its last two after Friday's 1-0 home loss to the Islanders, and even when it has won over a 4-4-2 stretch, it's come by slim margins. The Devils have scored three goals twice in that span while averaging 1.60, and the wins have all been by a goal.

"We played a good game," coach John Hynes said. "We're happy with the commitment level we play with and how we play but we have to find a better way to put the puck in the net."

Particularly at even strength. The Devils are 10 for 32 on the power play in the last 10 games with one short-handed goal, so just five have come in 5-on-5 hockey.

That's put pressure on Cory Schneider, and he's responded by posting a 1.78 goals-against average and .937 save percentage over an 8-5-1 span. That includes a shootout loss to Washington as part of an 0-2-2 stretch in the series with 2.72 and .891 marks.

Likely counterpart Braden Holtby has a 1.36 GAA and .949 save percentage on a 7-1-0 run against the Devils, but he hasn't been quite as solid lately over a 3-1-0 span with 3.21 and .890 marks.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jets (25-28) at Panthers (33-18)

Date: February 20, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The injury-plagued Florida Panthers haven't produced many goals of late, but Jaromir Jagr's most recent one has him on the verge of a historic accomplishment.

Jagr could become one of the top-three goal scorers of all-time Saturday night when the Panthers face the visiting Winnipeg Jets for the first time this season.

Florida (33-18-7) is amid a 2-3-2 stretch during which it has totaled 14 non-shootout goals - half of which came in a 7-4 win at Buffalo on Feb. 9. Talented young forwards Aleksander Barkov (upper body) and Brandon Pirri (ankle) remain temporarily out of action.

Jagr has three goals in the last eight games to tie Reilly Smith for the team lead with 18, and the Panthers are 12-1-2 when he scores. The 740th of his career came in Thursday's 2-1 shootout loss to San Jose, leaving him one shy of Brett Hull for third on the career list. Jagr, who turned 44 on Monday, joins Gordie Howe - second with 801 - as the only players that old to score.

He's recorded 22 of those goals in 43 games against the Jets' franchise, but the focus for Jagr and the rest of the Atlantic Division-leading Panthers is to start winning again or at least keep earning points.

"A point's a point," forward Vincent Trocheck said. "We need them right now."

The Panthers called up Kyle Rau from Portland of the AHL to perhaps provide a boost for an offense that's scored twice in the last three games while averaging 23.3 shots and is in an 0-for-17 drought on the power play. Rau was tied for the Portland lead with 17 goals and second with 27 points.

Despite the recent lack of production, coach Gerard Gallant lauded his team's perseverance amid a rash of injuries that also includes forward Quinton Howden (upper body) and defensemen Willie Mitchell (lower body) and Erik Gudbranson (upper body). Gallant was especially pleased with a Panthers defense that yielded 18 shots against the Sharks.

"You look at our lineup. We're doing the best we can and working hard," he said.

Al Montoya has stopped 48 of 50 shots while making back-to-back starts in place of the slumping Roberto Luongo, who has a 4.13 goals-against average in five post-All-Star break starts. The last time Luongo or ex-Jet Montoya faced Winnipeg, they each allowed four goals in an 8-2 road loss Jan. 13 of last year.

Though the Jets (25-28-4) have dropped eight of 12 and need a serious surge to move into playoff position, they haven't lost their fight.

Winnipeg came back from a three-goal deficit in the third period to force overtime in Thursday's 6-5 shootout loss at Tampa Bay. After second-leading scorer Bryan Little endured a questionable hit to the head and neck from Anton Stralman, teammate Blake Wheeler went after the defenseman and was given four minutes for roughing. Coach Paul Maurice, who had a heated discussion with officials after the play, was given a game misconduct and voiced his displeasure with the demeanor of the officials throughout the incident.

'I was upset because you work with these guys every day,' Maurice said. 'You care about them, you care about their wives, their families. Bryan Little (got) his neck X-rayed and I seem to be considerably more concerned about the result of that hit than anyone else.'

Little's status going forward remains uncertain.

Captain Andrew Ladd, rumored to be on the block heading toward the trade deadline, got into a fight and scored twice in the third period Thursday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Red Wings (29-20) at Senators (27-26)

Date: February 20, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Detroit Red Wings nearly shut out the Ottawa Senators earlier this month during a fruitful homestand but have fallen well short of matching that performance in recent games.

The Red Wings' poor defensive efforts have pushed them to the verge of their longest road losing streak in four seasons, and they seek to avoid that by adding to their recent success in Ottawa on Saturday night.

With Petr Mrazek in net, Detroit (29-20-9) came within 2:25 of blanking the Senators in a 3-1 victory Feb. 10. The Red Wings outscored their opponents 19-9 in a 4-0-1 homestand but started to show cracks in their defense in a 6-5 win over Boston in Sunday's finale.

They've given up a combined 10 goals in back-to-back losses to start a four-game trip and have been outscored 19-8 in their four consecutive road defeats. Mrazek was pulled in the third period Thursday against Pittsburgh after giving up his fifth goal in a 6-3 defeat.

"I didn't think we were good enough defensively. I didn't think as a five-man unit we weren't even close," coach Jeff Blashill said. "We cannot play that way and have long-term success. I thought we were way too loose. We gave up way too many chances. ... I thought it was our weakest five-man unit defensively we've had in a while."

Detroit hasn't dropped five straight on the road since an 0-5-2 skid in March 2012, but is heading to a place where it has won three straight and seven of eight. The Red Wings have earned two victories in Ottawa this season but needed overtime for a 4-3 win in the latest trip Nov. 16.

They've taken three consecutive overall meetings but will face a team that's won four of five at home after a 4-2 victory over Carolina on Thursday. Cody Ceci scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period, and Craig Anderson made 30 saves in his fourth straight home win.

"Two (wins) in a row for us, it's big. We haven't been able to string many (wins) together here for the last little while," forward Zack Smith said. "They're two big wins, especially tonight. It was a nice character win, down to the end there with guys blocking shots and (Anderson) coming up big. It's a big confidence boost."

Anderson has a 1.23 goals-against average in his last four home starts but is 0-1-1 with a 4.45 GAA in his two against Detroit this season.

Ottawa (27-26-6) will try for a better defensive effort while seeking its first three-game win streak since taking a season-high four straight Nov. 19-25. Bobby Ryan will try to help by adding to his three goals against Detroit this season, his most versus any opponent, but he has one goal in his last six games.

Mrazek, who has allowed five goals in each of his last two starts, is 2-0-1 with a 1.62 GAA in three career starts against Ottawa.

Gustav Nyquist has five goals and four assists in a seven-game point streak versus the Senators. He has two goals and four assists in the four matchups this season.

Dylan Larkin, who has a team-high 19 goals, has found the net in each of his first two visits to Ottawa. He's trying to become the first Red Wings rookie to score 20 in a season since Henrik Zetterberg had 22 in 2002-03 and 15th in franchise history.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Kings (33-20) at Predators (27-21)

Date: February 20, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Kings began their season-high road trip with their best scoring performance in eight years. They would likely settle for a mere portion of that output in the finale of their trek, and they're hoping to have leading scorer Anze Kopitar available to lend a hand.

With their offense having fizzled, the Kings take on a Nashville Predators team seeking to continue its recent defensive prowess Saturday night.

Los Angeles (33-20-4) kicked off its seven-game trip with a 9-2 rout of Boston, its most goals since a 9-2 victory against Chicago on Jan. 1, 2008. The Kings totaled 16 goals while going 2-1-0 to start that journey but have totaled just two in a season-worst three consecutive road defeats.

They got a point when Tyler Toffoli scored in the third period Thursday against St. Louis but lost 2-1 in overtime. Los Angeles outshot the Blues 26-14 in the final two periods of regulation after losing Kopitar to a lower-body injury in the first.

"We'll take the point now. We battled hard, going down and losing Kopi early, guys stepped up," forward Jeff Carter said. "At the end of the day, we have to start winning some games. We have lost all of our room now (in the Pacific Division). We have to start scoring goals."

Kopitar, who has 51 points, is considered day to day. The Kings have played their last three games without Marian Gaborik (knee), who could remain sidelined until the playoffs.

Nashville will try to take advantage of his absence while producing another stingy effort. The Predators (27-21-10) have given up three goals in their past three games and posted their second shutout in that stretch Thursday, a 2-0 win over Boston.

Pekka Rinne made 29 saves in his first blanking since Nov. 14 and Nashville's second victory in seven home games. Rinne allowed a combined 16 goals in his previous four starts, and the Predators went to Carter Hutton in each of their prior two games.

"I was just trying to stay positive and work hard. I think that's the only way to go through situations like that, where you go through some tough times and rough games," Rinne said. "We've struggled at home a little bit so that's a big win. That's the way we have to play down the stretch."

Filip Forsberg scored his sixth goal in six contests and assisted on Craig Smith's opening tally. Forsberg had a pair of assists in a 4-3 overtime defeat in Los Angeles on Oct. 31.

Toffoli scored two goals, and Carter ended the Kings' 0-3-2 skid against the Predators. Los Angeles has lost three of its last four visits to Nashville and earned the lone win in a shootout.

Carter has seven goals and two assists in his last seven games against the Predators. He has scored one goal in each of his last three matchups.

Nashville defenseman Ryan Ellis has three goals and two assists in the past four games against Los Angeles.

Rinne is 2-0-1 with a 3.57 goals-against average in his last three starts versus the Kings and is 2-0-1 with a 1.26 GAA in his past three home matchups.

Los Angeles hasn't lost four in a row overall since an 0-2-2 skid in January 2015.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bruins (31-21) at Stars (37-16)

Date: February 20, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Goals have been hard to come by of late for the Boston Bruins on a road trip they began with a flurry.

Facing the high-powered Dallas Stars in Saturday night's final stop, they'll need to regain their scoring touch in a hurry.

After recording 15 goals while winning two of the first three on their season-high six-game trek, the Bruins have managed just two over their last two. They were sluggish throughout much of Thursday's 2-0 loss in Nashville, where the Predators scored twice in the first 15 minutes.

'We weren't ready to play, that was pretty evident,' forward Brad Marchand said. 'They came out a lot harder than we did and got a couple of early ones while we were sleeping. Ultimately, that cost us the game.'

Marchand has gone without a point in two straight after generating 13 of his team-high 28 goals over the previous 13 games. More troubling for Boston (31-21-6), which owns a one-point edge on Detroit for second place in the Atlantic Division, is a power play that's 0 for 19 on the trip and 3 for 51 over a 16-game span.

"I thought we created some good scoring chances, some good shots from up top," center David Krejci told the Bruins' official website. "There's a couple shots that could have gone in the net - that seems like how it's been going for us lately on the power play."

Better efficiency may be necessary to keep up with Dallas (37-16-6), the league leader with 189 goals. Boston wasn't able to do so in a 5-3 home loss Nov. 13 in which former Bruin Tyler Seguin registered a hat trick and the Stars went 3 of 4 on the power play.

Seguin scored his sixth in nine games and Jamie Benn added his 30th of the season Thursday in Arizona, but the Stars otherwise failed to match the Coyotes' speed and intensity in a disappointing 6-3 defeat.

"We've got to be ready to go and be ready to play a good, solid defensive game against any team in this league," Benn said. "We can't take games off like we did (Thursday)."

Dallas had a five-game point streak halted and remained one behind Central Division-leading Chicago with its second consecutive loss.

Antti Niemi allowed five goals on 41 shots and has a 3.64 goals-against average in five starts since the All-Star break, so coach Lindy Ruff may turn back to Kari Lehtonen. Lehtonen, 3-0-1 with a 2.46 GAA while starting four of the previous five contests, made 20 saves in Tuesday's 2-1 overtime loss at St. Louis and 36 against the Bruins in November.

Either will have to be prepared for Marchand and Loui Eriksson, part of the July 2013 trade that sent Seguin to Dallas. Eriksson had a four-game goal streak snapped Thursday and has scored three in the teams' last three matchups.

Boston, among the league's best road teams at 19-7-3, won its second straight in Dallas behind Tuukka Rask's 36 saves in a 3-1 victory Jan. 20, 2015. Rask, though, gave up five goals on 19 shots in this season's only meeting.

Rask, who owns a 2.06 GAA on the road, has yielded three goals over Boston's last two games after a three-start span in which he had a 5.83 GAA.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blues (34-17) at Coyotes (27-24)

Date: February 20, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Jaden Schwartz is making up for some lost time by playing a major role in the St. Louis Blues' winning stretch. He's also performed very well at Arizona during his young career.

The talented winger looks to maintain his strong play and help the visiting Blues win a season-high fifth straight game and continue their dominance of the Coyotes on Saturday night.

Schwartz posted 53 goals the past two seasons and a career-high 63 points in 2014-15, but had only four assists through the first seven games of his third full NHL campaign before breaking his ankle in late October. Schwartz missed 49 games but since returning last Friday, has three goals with an assist coinciding with St. Louis' four-game winning streak.

His goal 1:40 into overtime against Los Angeles on Thursday extended the Blues' point streak to a season-high six games with a third straight 2-1 victory.

"He is a special offensive player," St. Louis associate coach Brad Shaw said. "He's got exceptional vision and quickness."

Schwartz has recorded four goals and five assists in five games at Arizona, earning his first hat trick in a 6-1 road win over the Coyotes on Oct. 18, 2014.

In the midst of a 12-1-1 stretch against the Coyotes, the Blues (34-17-9) have won six straight at Arizona and own a 26-6 goal advantage in the last five. St. Louis also extended its overall series winning streak to six games with a 4-1 home victory Dec. 8.

Brian Elliott was not in the Blues net for that contest, but is 11-3-2 with a 1.62 goals-against average over a career-high 16 straight starts since Jake Allen (knee) was placed on injured reserve Jan. 9.

"If everybody is playing their role it makes it a lot easier to track things ... and pick things up," said Elliott, who has a 1.31 GAA and .959 save percentage in the last six.

Elliott has posted a 1.48 GAA while winning five of his last six starts against the Coyotes. He's won three straight at Arizona - the last two by shutout.

The Coyotes (27-24-6), though, will try for a fourth consecutive home win after totaling a season-high six goals in back-to-back contests. They haven't scored at least that many in three straight since Jan. 10-16, 1990, when the franchise was in Winnipeg.

"If we win 1-0 we'll take that too," rookie Max Domi told the NHL's official website after he had two goals and an assist in Thursday's 6-3 win over Dallas. "But when you catch a wave, you want to ride it as long as you can."

Martin Hanzal has a goal in three consecutive games and two assists in each of the last two. Anthony Duclair has two goals and five assists in the last five for the Coyotes, who are 10th in the West but four points back of the final wild-card spot.

Arizona is 10 for 30 on the power play in seven games since going 1 for 28 in the previous seven.

The Blues have killed 36 of 38 penalties in eight games, and converted 7 of 29 of their power-play chances in the last six. They were 0 for 19 in the previous eight contests.

St. Louis rookie Robby Fabbri has three goals in four games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Avalanche (30-26) at Oilers (22-31)

Date: February 20, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

Jarome Iginla is enjoying his most successful offensive stretch of the season, and lately it's helped the Colorado Avalanche rebound from a rough start to February.

Iginla tries to continue his solid play Saturday night when the Avalanche visit his native Edmonton looking to extend the Oilers' recent misery.

With 17 goals and 17 assists in 60 games, it hasn't been all that productive of a season for the 38-year-old Iginla. He started strong with 11 points in the first 12 games then registered only 14 in the next 41.

Iginla went six straight contests without a point before totaling four goals and five assists in the last seven.

"When Jarome is around the net, it helps our team," coach Patrick Roy told the Avalanche's official website after Iginla scored the tying and go-ahead goals in Wednesday's 3-2 win over Montreal.

Iginla's most recent effort helped Colorado (30-26-4) snap an 0-3-1 home slide in its first four games of the month. Owner of the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference, the Avs have won three of four overall since that skid.

'We needed to get back on the winning side and being at home we needed to build something again,' Iginla said.

Colorado's two-game trip through Western Canada begins in Iginla's hometown of Edmonton, where it's won six of eight. Iginla has five goals and five assists in his last six trips there with the Avs, Boston and Calgary.

He also scored in Colorado's 5-1 home victory over the Oilers (22-31-6) on Dec. 19.

Semyon Varlamov made 39 saves in that one but is slated to start Sunday in Vancouver while Calvin Pickard will be in net for this contest.

Pickard, who will make his eighth start this season, has a 3.58 goals-against average while losing three of his last four. He's hoping to stick around with the Avs even though backup Reto Berra is nearing his return from an ankle injury that's sidelined him since Dec. 9.

"Right now, the focus should not be on our goaltenders because we know which one is our No. 1," Roy said. "That's A, and B, we want to make the playoffs. Our focus is more on that than who is going be back, who is going to be the backup, who is going to do this. Right now, it is not very important to me."

The Oilers have had a tough time keeping pucks out the net while yielding 28 non-shootout goals during a 1-5-1 stretch. Those seven opponents have gone 8 for 30 in the power play.

Cam Talbot has a 3.72 GAA while going 1-4-0 in six games, and was responsible for seven of the 10 goals Edmonton allowed in the last two.

Minnesota scored the final three Thursday to send the Oilers to a third consecutive defeat, 5-2 at home.

'When losses start to pile up there is always going to be that sense of frustration,' Talbot said. 'We just have to keep working, pushing forward and focus on doing the little things right.'

With a goal against the Wild, teammate Connor McDavid has five and nine assists in nine games since missing almost three months with a broken clavicle.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Grand Salami - February

The Grand Salami in pro hockey is decided by adding up all the goals scored in every game scheduled for that particular day. You can wager on 'over' or 'under' the Grand Salami total. The total is set by adding up all listed 'over/under' odds for each game on that particular day.

Note: The Grand Salami will have no action if any game is suspended or cancelled before the regulation time of three twenty minute periods. Also, regardless of the number of goals scored during the shoot out portion of the overtime, the final scored recorded for the game will give the winning team on more goal than its opponent based on the score at the end of regulation time.

*The majority of sportsbooks do not put out a total on the Grand Salami when there is only one game on the card. For tracking purposes, we will continue to show the 'over/under' for goals and combined goals scored on days with just one game.

NHL GRAND SALAMI
Date No. of Games Total Goals Combined Goals Scored Result
2/1 No games scheduled - - -
2/2 12 64.5 75 OVER
2/3 3 16 15 UNDER
2/4 12 64.5 77 OVER
2/5 4 21 27 OVER
2/6 12 62 67 OVER
2/7 3 16.5 17 OVER
2/8 4 20 20 PUSH
2/9 12 64.5 72 OVER
2/10 3 16.5 10 UNDER
2/11 9 49.5 66 OVER
2/12 7 35.5 47 OVER
2/13 10 52 56 OVER
2/14 5 25 24 UNDER
2/15 7 38.5 47 OVER
2/16 8 43.5 39 UNDER
2/17 3 16.5 21 OVER
2/18 11 60.5 68 OVER
2/19 5 26.5 24 UNDER
2/20 9 - - -
2/21 6 - - -
2/22 4 - - -
2/23 9 - - -
2/24 4 - - -
2/25 10 - - -
2/26 5 - - -
2/27 9 - - -
2/28 7 - - -
2/29 6 - - -

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Hot teams
-- Pittsburgh won seven of its last ten games.
-- Washington won seven of its last eight games.
-- Senators won four of their last five home games.
-- Bruins won five of their last eight games.
-- St Louis won five of its last six games. Arizona won three of its last four.
-- Colorado won three of its last four games.

Cold teams
-- Lightning lost four of their last six games.
-- Flyers lost six of their last eight games. Toronto lost five of its last six.
-- New Jersey is 3-5 in its last eight games.
-- Winnipeg lost three of its last four games. Florida lost five of its last seven games.
-- Detroit lost three of its last four games.
-- Los Angeles lost four of its last five games. Nashville lost four of last six at home.
-- Dallas lost last two games after winning seven of previous eight.
-- Edmonton lost six of its last seven games.

Series records
-- Lightning won three of last four games with Pittsburgh.
-- Toronto is 6-4 in its last ten games with Philadelphia.
-- Devils lost their last five games with Washington.
-- Winnipeg won four of its last six games with Florida.
-- Red Wings won their last three games with Ottawa.
-- Kings lost five of their last six games with Nashville.
-- Road team won last five Boston-Dallas games.
-- Blues won their last six games with Arizona.
-- Avalanche won four of last six games with Edmonton.

Totals
-- Nine of last ten Tampa Bay-Pittsburgh games went over.
-- Last six Toronto games went over the total.
-- Five of last six New Jersey games stayed under.
-- Six of last nine Winnipeg games went over the total.
-- Seven of last nine Ottawa games went over the total.
-- Over is 4-1-1 in last six Los Angeles-Nashville games.
-- Seven of last nine Dallas games went over the total.
-- Under is 8-1-1 in last ten St Louis games.
-- Seven of last nine Edmonton games went over.

Back-to-backs
-- Flyers are 2-5 if they played the night before.
-- New Jersey won last three times they played night before.