Saturday 2/27/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[superbeets]

Capital One Cup Su 28Feb 16:30

Liverpool

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Man City

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ALL VENUES	RECENT FORM
ALHDAD*AWADHW​ Most recent​	4 - 1 2 - 1 1 - 3 3 - 2	AWAWHLHLALAW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Liverpool have lost just two of their last nine matches against Manchester City

EXPERT VERDICT: Jurgen Klopp retains a warm relationship with the Liverpool fans despite a lack of Premier League progress and he can repay their support by leading the Reds to victory in the League Cup final at Wembley. Manchester City have lost their last two Premier League games against Leicester and Tottenham which does not bode well.

RECOMMENDATION: Liverpool
1

 

[superbeets]

Premier League Su 28Feb 14:05

Man Utd

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Arsenal

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT MAN UTD	RECENT FORM
HWADALALAWHW​ Most recent​	1 - 1 1 - 2 1 - 0 2 - 1	HWHDAWHWHDHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Arsenal have kept clean sheets in four of their last six away fixtures

EXPERT VERDICT: Wayne Rooney’s knee injury was just the latest disaster in a miserable campaign for Manchester United, and the Red Devils’ fortunes are unlikely to improve against title-chasing Arsenal. The Gunners – boosted by the return of Danny Welbeck and Alexis Sanchez – will attack with quality and look a solid bet.

RECOMMENDATION: Arsenal
2


REFEREE: Craig Pawson STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 12:45

West Ham

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Sunderland

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT WEST HAM	RECENT FORM
ADHWALHD*ADAW​ Most recent​	1 - 0 0 - 0 1 - 1 0 - 3	AWALHDHLADHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: West Ham are unbeaten in their last ten league games at Upton Park

EXPERT VERDICT: Sunderland should be well rested having been knocked out of the FA Cup and their win over Manchester United will have given them a huge boost. However, the strugglers face a tough task in the East End as West Ham have been tough to crack in their own back yard.

RECOMMENDATION: West Ham
2


REFEREE: Mike Dean STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 15:00

Leicester

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Norwich

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT LEICESTER	RECENT FORM
ADHLHWHWAWAL​ Most recent​	2 - 3 4 - 0 1 - 2 0 - 1	ALALHLHLALHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Norwich have conceded at least two goals in each of their last six league games

EXPERT VERDICT: Despite their defeat at Arsenal, Leicester are still in the thick of the title hunt and they should get back to winning ways against the Canaries. Norwich have a massive quest to get out of trouble and may not be able to make progress at the King Power Stadium.

RECOMMENDATION: Leicester
3


REFEREE: Neil Swarbrick STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 15:00

Stoke

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Aston Villa

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT STOKE	RECENT FORM
ALAW*ALALHLAW​ Most recent​	0 - 1 2 - 1 1 - 3 0 - 0	HWADHLALHWHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Aston Villa have won just three league games this season

EXPERT VERDICT: Things can only get better... well, maybe not if you are an Aston Villa fan. Just as Villa seemed to hit rock-bottom, social media buffoon Joleon Lescott made things even worse. It’s hard to think of a reason to back the Villans given their issues, and Stoke look more than a fair price to add to Remi Garde’s woes.

RECOMMENDATION: Stoke
1


REFEREE: Kevin Friend STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 15:00

Watford

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Bournemouth

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT WATFORD	RECENT FORM
HWAWHDALAWHW​ Most recent​	1 - 1 2 - 0 6 - 1 1 - 0	ADAWAWHLHLHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Bournemouth have lost one of their last seven away league games

EXPERT VERDICT: Consecutive home defeats have done little to boost Bournemouth’s hopes of staying up, but the Cherries have been more confident on the road. Watford were awarded a fortunate penalty decision to earn a much-needed win at Crystal Palace, but may have to settle for a point.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
2


REFEREE: Anthony Taylor STADIUM:

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Soccer: EPL Best Bets - Week 27
By Chris David

Week 26 Recap

The theme of the previous week was scoring as a combined 34 goals were posted, which helped the ‘over’ go 8-2. Underdogs started the weekend strong on Saturday as Sunderland (+360) and West Bromwich Albion (+445) notched victories against Manchester United and Everton respectively.

On Sunday, Arsenal (-145) notched a miraculous 2-1 victory over Leicester City with a goal in extra time while Tottenham (+235) earned a similar score at Manchester City. Underdogs owned the week with a 5-4 record with one draw.

Through 26 weeks of the season, favorites are 116-71 with 73 draws. The ‘under’ has gone 128-126-6.

Champions & Europa Recap

The Round of 16 in the Champions League began two weeks ago and it wasn’t a great showing for the English clubs. As expected, Arsenal lost to Barcelona 2-0 at home and is all but out unless it can upset the Spanish Powers on the road. Chelsea dropped a 2-1 decision at Paris Saint-Germain and the road goal keeps them alive for the quarterfinals. Manchester City silenced critics with an impressive 3-1 win in the Ukraine against Dynamo Kyiv.

In the Europa League, Tottenham, Manchester United and Liverpool all advanced to the Round of 16 after securing wins this past week. Unfortunately for the EPL, United and Liverpool were drawn against one another in the Round of 16 and to make matters worse, Tottenham received a tough matchup against Borussia Dortmund from the Bundesliga.

Weekend Trends to Watch

-- Tottenham has won five straight games and only surrendered four goals during this span.

-- West Ham United has posted 10 draws, ranked second behind Everton (11). At home, the Hammers

-- Southampton hasn’t allowed a goal in six consecutive league games.

-- Crystal Palace is winless (0-3-6) in its last nine games.

-- Leicester City only has three losses this season. After the first two losses, the Foxes have gone 1-1-0.

-- Sunderland has allowed a league-high 36 away goals, which has helped the ‘over’ go 10-3 in its 13 road games.

Top 4

There are only eight games for Week 27 with Liverpool and Manchester City meeting in the English Capital One Cup on Sunday afternoon.

Chelsea at Southampton (Saturday, NBCSN, 10:00 a.m. ET)

St. Mary’s Stadium will be buzzing this weekend as Southampton (+185) and Chelsea (+160) will square off in a matchup of surging clubs. The Saints are unbeaten (5-1-0) in their last six league games and they’ve notched an eye opening six clean sheets during this run. Meanwhile, the Blues haven’t dropped points (4-6-0) since the team dismissed Jose Mourinho as manager of the club in mid-December.

These teams met in early October and Southampton earned a 3-1 win over Chelsea. Prior to that result, the previous meeting ended in 1-1 draws and the oddsmakers believe the tie (+220) is possible in this spot.

Fatigue could be a factor in this game since the Saints haven’t played since Feb. 13 and Chelsea has played twice during that span.

The total on this game is 2 ½ and shaded heavily to the ‘under’ (-145). Chelsea has leaned to the ‘over’ (16-10) this season but the defense has been much better of late, not allowing a goal in four straight league games. Most bettors know that Southampton is an ‘under’ (15-11) team but it has seen the ‘over’ go 7-6 at home behind an offense that has netted 23 goals, compared to 11 on the road.

Arsenal at Manchester United (Sunday, NBCSN, 9:00 a.m. ET)

If Manchester United (+215) wants to make any run at this year’s EPL title, then it would start with a home win against Arsenal (+215) this Sunday. The Red Devils are listed as underdogs at Old Trafford and you can point to a variety of a factors. The club is 1-1-2 in its last four league games and this will be the fourth game in 10 days for the club.

United’s offense has been inconsistent this season but it’s scored eight goals in its last two games albeit to weaker foes in FA Cup and Europa League matches.

Arsenal is clearly the better overall team and its 2-1-0 in its last three versus United, which includes a 3-0 win on Oct. 4 from the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners have only scored four goals in their last five games in all competition which includes back-to-back scoreless results versus Hull City and Barcelona in other non-league games.

On the road, the Gunners have been a solid investment (7-3-3) this season behind an offense that has netted 23 goals as visitors. Scoring could be an issue at Old Trafford, considering Manchester has only allowed five goals in 12 home games, which has helped produce a 6-4-2 record.

Those defensive numbers are one of the reasons why the total on this game is only 2 (Over -140).

Fearless Predictions

I’ve had a week off to get over the results (-240) from Week 26 and if anybody else had the Under 2 ½ in Leicester City-Arsenal or the Draw, you can understand my frustrations. The overall deficit ($1,775) jumped back up and this week’s card isn’t easy due to the inordinate amount of games on tap in the upcoming weeks.

Straight – Over 2 ½ (-125) Norwich City-Leicester City – 2 Units

Straight – Chelsea (+160) over Southampton – 2 Units

Straight – Under 2 ½ (-140) Bournemouth-Watford - 2 Units

Straight – Under 2 ½ (-120) Swansea City-Tottenham – 1 Unit

Straight – Arsenal-Manchester United Draw (+230) – 1 Unit

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

UFC Fight Night 84

UFC Fight Night 84: Silva vs. Bisping
Saturday, February 27th – 12:45 p.m. ET
London, England
Anderson Silva (34-6-0) vs. Michael Bisping (28-7-0)
Five Round Middleweight Bout

Line: Silva -300, Bisping +250

Anderson Silva visits London to take on Englishman Michael Bisping this Saturday afternoon.

At the age of 40, Anderson Silva is not what he was once, but the Brazilian should still be feared in the octagon. With his last fight coming over a year ago, his body should be ready for an intense bout where he will be fighting against his opponent and the will of the crowd.

In addition to having the fans behind him, Michael Bisping is an experienced and decorated fighter in his own right. The 36-year-old Brit has emerged victorious in each of his past two fights, and will look to make it three in a row in front of a supportive 02 Arena.

Silva lands 3.21 significant strikes per minute, and while this is not a particularly high number, his accuracy of 64.68 percent stands out.

Additionally, he absorbs just 1.59 significant strikes per minute and defends such strikes at a 63.43 percent clip. He averages 0.64 takedown attempts per 15 minutes with an accuracy of 77.78 percent, and he successfully defends takedowns nearly 70 percent of the time.

Throughout his career, Silva has averaged exactly one submission attempt per 15 minutes.

Bisping lands 4.41 significant strikes per minute but his accuracy of 39.15 percent is subpar. He also absorbs 2.52 significant strikes per minute, although his defense rate is solid at 67.97 percent.

He averages 1.29 takedowns attempted per 15 minutes with an accuracy of 44.07 percent, and he defends takedowns at a 64.14 percent clip along with 0.4 submission attempts per 15 minutes.

Other UFC Fight Night 84 Bouts & Odds

Lightweight Bout:
David Teymur -130
Martin Svensson +110

Lightweight Bout:
Teemu Packalén +115
Thibault Gouti -135

Heavyweight Bout:
Daniel Omiela?czuk -110
Jarjis Danho -110

Lightweight Bout:
Norman Parke +215
Rustam Khabilov -255

Middleweight Bout:
Brad Scott +140
Krzysztof Jotko -160

Featherweight Bout:
Arnold Allen -320
Yaotzin Meza +260

Middleweight Bout:
Scott Askham -335
Chris Dempsey +275

Bantamweight Bout:
Davey Grant -175
Marlon Vera +155

Featherweight Bout:
Mike Wilkinson +165
Makwan Amirkhani -190

Bantamweight Bout:
Francisco Rivera -220
Brad Pickett +180

Welterweight Bout:
Tom Breese -1100
Keita Nakamura +700

Middleweight Bout:
Gegard Mousasi -325
Thales Leites +265

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL notebook: Blackhawks land D Ehrhoff from Kings
By The Sports Xchange

The Chicago Blackhawks acquired defenseman Christian Ehrhoff from the Los Angeles Kings on Friday in exchange for defenseman Rob Scuderi.
Ehrhoff, 33, had 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in 40 games with Los Angeles this season. The 12-year veteran has 337 career points -- including 74 goals -- in 781 career games with San Jose, Vancouver, Buffalo, Pittsburgh and the Kings. Ehrhoff has played in 73 career Stanley Cup playoff games and has 34 points (seven goals, 27 assists).
Scuderi, 37, saw action in 17 games with the Blackhawks after being acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Dec. 14. He didn't score any points for Chicago and had four in 24 games with Pittsburgh.

---The Tampa Bay Lightning signed defenseman Braydon Coburn to a three-year contract extension.
Terms were not disclosed, but ESPN.com reported the contract is worth $3.7 million per season and includes a full no-trade clause starting now and for the first two years of the deal. The deal also includes a limited no-trade clause in the third year, a source told ESPN.
Coburn, 30, has played in 60 games with the Lightning this season, recording one goal, eight assists and 45 penalty minutes. He ranks tied for fourth on the team with a plus-8 rating. Coburn also ranks third on the club for both hits (90) and blocked shots (69).
Since being acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers in a trade last season, Coburn has played in 64 regular-season games with the Lightning, registering 11 points (one goal, 10 assists).

---The Pittsburgh Penguins signed defenseman Olli Maatta to a six-year contract extension.
The deal begins with the 2016-17 season and runs through the 2021-22 campaign, and has an average annual value of $4.083 million.
Maatta, 21, has recorded six goals, 10 assists and a plus-18 rating in 53 games this season.
The Penguins chose Maatta in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2012 NHL draft. He played in just 20 games last season because of a cancerous thyroid tumor and shoulder surgery.

---The Nashville Predators signed defenseman Anthony Bitetto to a two-year, $1.225 million contract.
Bitetto is slated to make $575,000 next season and $650,000 in 2017-18.
Bitetto, 25, has played in 11 straight games for Nashville after being used sparingly earlier this season. He has one assist in 17 games this season.

---The Toronto Maple Leafs assigned forward Rich Clune and defenseman Viktor Loov to the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League.
Clune, 28, has played in 18 games with the Maple Leafs this season, collecting three assists. He has appeared in 30 games with the Marlies, recording 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) and 102 penalty minutes. Clune was originally drafted by the Dallas Stars in the third round of the 2005 NHL draft.
Loov, 23, recorded two assists in four games with the Maple Leafs after being recalled on Feb. 18. He has 11 points (one goal, 10 assists) and 38 penalty minutes in 48 games with the Marlies this season. Loov was selected by the Maple Leafs in the seventh round of the 2012 draft.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Coyotes (27-28) at Flyers (27-22)

Date: February 27, 2016 1:00 PM EDT

Philadelphia has been getting by without one of its top players, though that disadvantage could be coming to an end. Arizona is simply becoming disadvantaged.

The Coyotes visit Philadelphia on Saturday hoping to avoid extending two significant losing streaks, while the Flyers could have points leader Claude Giroux back in the lineup.

Philadelphia (27-22-11) has been without Giroux for the past three games with an upper-body injury, and though he returned to practice Friday, his coach wouldn't yet commit to him playing.

"We want to have him back as soon as possible, but we want to have him back when he's ready to go," coach Dave Hakstol told the team's official website.

What is certain is the Flyers will be without Jakub Voracek, who has played 286 straight games, after the forward suffered a lower-body injury in Thursday's 3-2 win over Minnesota.

It kicked off an extremely manageable six-game homestand on which the Wild and Coyotes are followed by Calgary, Edmonton, Columbus and Tampa Bay - the last being the only team in the top half of their respective division.

The Flyers have also come around offensively, scoring 17 goals over a 3-1-1 span after being held to a goal in three of their previous four.

They've also had something of a goaltending shift to Michal Neuvirth, who made two stellar saves late against the Wild, including a highlight-reel stop with 1.6 seconds remaining.

Hakstol hasn't announced a starter, but Neuvirth replaced typical starter Steve Mason in a 5-4 win in Toronto last Saturday and has played ever since. Mason is 1-3-0 with a 2.82 goals-against average and .908 save percentage in his last five with a season GAA 0.50 higher than his backup.

"It's part of the body of work," Hakstol said of the clutch save. "There's no question. Neuvy's body of work (Thursday) was good; it was solid. His first save of the game is just as important as the last save."

The clubs split two games a season ago, and those came with Sam Gagner on the other bench. Gagner, who has scored in two of his last three games for the Flyers, has been limited to four goals and five assists in 31 games since being traded.

"I feel like in the opportunity I got the last little while, I've stepped up to the plate and played well," Gagner said. "But at the same time, you realize that changes are going to be made with guys coming back in the lineup. I think wherever I am, I've just got to do my best to help the team win hockey games."

That'd be more difficult back on the other side. Arizona (27-28-6) has lost its last four overall and six straight on the road, all in regulation. Thursday's 3-2 loss in Florida set the Coyotes up to match a season-long overall skid and set a new season mark on the road as they hit the fourth stop on a five-game trip.

"We can't find a way to get on top of it," said coach Dave Tippett, whose team has gone eight straight without scoring more than two road goals. "We had a couple chances late to get it tied and get a point and we couldn't get it done. The frustration continues to build."

It's also mounting for Louis Domingue, who will start his 10th straight game as part of a 3-8-1 span with a 3.49 GAA and .891 save percentage.

In front of him is defenseman Nicklas Grossmann, who was traded for Gagner in June.

"They're a good team (and) they're heating up lately and playing well," Grossmann told the Coyotes' official website. "(They have) a lot of skill up front and a lot speed, so it will definitely be a good test for us."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jets (26-30) at Penguins (30-21)

Date: February 27, 2016 3:00 PM EDT

The Pittsburgh Penguins were riding one of their longest win streaks of the season before losing superstar Evgeni Malkin earlier this month.

The Penguins have proved inconsistent during his absence but will try to start another run in his expected return to the lineup Saturday while adding to their home dominance over the depleted Winnipeg Jets.

Pittsburgh (30-21-8) had won four in a row - its second-longest streak this season - until Malkin's lower-body ailment proved too much to bear. The Penguins lost their first game without him, 6-3 in Tampa Bay on Feb. 5, and have gone 5-4-1 without their second-leading scorer following Wednesday's 5-1 loss in Boston.

They have endured a season-worst eight-game drought on the power play and are 1 for 24 in the 10 games Malkin has missed. Pittsburgh converted 31.4 percent of its chances in the 18 games before losing him.

Ten of Malkin's 23 goals and half of his 26 assists have come with the man advantage.

"(Malkin is) a difference maker. He's one of the elite players in the world," coach Mike Sullivan told the team's official website. "He was playing really well when we lost him. To get him back will make us that much stronger.

"I think it makes us more difficult to play against from a matchup standpoint. There's no doubt he makes us a better team when he's in our lineup."

The Penguins might also welcome back another center, Nick Bonino, from a hand injury that's kept him out since Jan. 12.

The Jets (26-30-4), meanwhile, are missing two players who are tied for the team lead with 17 goals. Bryan Little was lost for the season last week due to a fractured veterbrae, then former captain Andrew Ladd was traded to Chicago on Thursday along with Matt Fraser and Jay Harrison for Marko Dano and two draft picks.

Just hours after the Ladd news, Winnipeg still managed to end a four-game losing streak with a 6-3 victory in Dallas. After blowing a 3-0 lead, the Jets scored three times in the final 13:02. Mark Scheifele tallied the go-ahead goal en route to a career-high four points, and Joel Armia scored a pair to match his total from his previous 29 NHL games.

"I don't know what the drivers are sometimes in terms of emotion and where you get the energy," coach Paul Maurice said. "Having something happen like (the Ladd trade) raises, intensity's not the right word, but it's more just emotion in the room. So they played quick and they played fast."

Winnipeg ended a six-game skid to Pittsburgh with a 1-0 win Dec. 27 as Little scored on a penalty shot, but the Penguins have won 14 straight home meetings - the NHL's second-longest such win streak against any opponent. Pittsburgh has scored 37 goals in the past six.

Malkin has nine goals and 16 assists in his past 10 home games in the series, and Sidney Crosby has 17 points in his last six. The Jets haven't won in Pittsburgh since December 2006 when they were known as the Atlanta Thrashers.

Marc-Andre Fleury is 16-2-0 with a 2.20 goals-against average in his last 18 games against the Jets and has won six straight.

Winnipeg has given up seven goals in its last 23 times short-handed.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Panthers (35-18) at Blue Jackets (25-29)

Date: February 27, 2016 3:00 PM EDT

Since Gerard Gallant took over the Florida Panthers, his club has played nothing but one-goal games against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The visiting Panthers have captured both matchups this season and could face a challenge Saturday if they face the Blue Jackets' Joonas Korpisalo for the first time.

Florida (35-18-7) starts a five-game trip with the Eastern Conference's second-best record, although a chasing pack that includes Atlantic Division rivals Tampa Bay and Boston is not far behind. The Panthers won three of four to close a six-game homestand with Thursday's 3-2 victory over Arizona.

'You don't worry about playoffs, you worry about two points. It was another big two points tonight,' Gallant said.

Gallant's only previous head coaching job was with Columbus (25-29-8) between 2003-07. He lost his first two games against his former club last season before winning three straight. The Blue Jackets took 10 consecutive meetings before this current slide.

The coach got a key player back Thursday in Aleksander Barkov, who scored twice after missing six games with a head injury. Barkov had scored in four consecutive games and had at least a point in six straight before he was hit in the head by Detroit's Justin Abdelkader in a Feb. 8 loss.

'It's always nice to be back,' Barkov said. 'I hate missing games because it's so boring. Finally, I'm playing and trying to have fun.'

Barkov's return is timely since Jonathan Huberdeau has landed on injured reserve after sitting out against the Coyotes with an upper-body injury. Huberdeau is third on the team with 40 points.

Barkov, who has 37 points, scored twice the last time these teams met in a 3-2 win Dec. 27. He also converted in the shootout of a 2-1 victory at Columbus on Dec. 4.

The Panthers did not face Korpisalo in those games and he is establishing himself due to an injuries to Sergei Bobrovsky and Curtis McElhinney, who recently returned. Korpisalo is 10-2-3 with a 2.17 goals-against average in his last 15 starts.

Columbus improved to 8-2-3 in its last 13 with Thursday's 6-1 rout of New Jersey. Nick Foligno had his second career hat trick and added an assist for his first career four-point effort.

'It's nice to contribute and help the guys in that department,' he said. 'It's something I pride myself on but I was more proud of the way we played.'

Korpisalo made 25 saves and was critical to the outcome even though the Blue Jackets bolted to a 3-0 lead after one period, according to his coach.

'I thought the key part of the game, quite honestly, even though it ends up being a 6-1 game, was the beginning of the second period when Korpisalo makes some great saves,' coach John Tortorella said. 'We were just sound asleep."

William Karlsson and Matt Calvert each had three assists. Karlsson had four points - all on goals - in his previous 12 games and Calvert ended a seven-game pointless drought.

The Panthers are starting a back-to-back set of afternoon games and will likely split the starts between Roberto Luongo and Al Montoya. Each has beaten Columbus this season.

Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson will be out for two weeks after being placed on injured reserve Friday with an upper-body injury.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blues (35-19) at Predators (30-21)

Date: February 27, 2016 3:00 PM EDT

Three straight first-round playoff exits and a season full of injuries could force St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong to make an upgrade before Monday's trade deadline, but he insists he won't make any rash decisions.

That's because despite numerous setbacks, the Blues are still very much in contention for the Central Division title and believe they're equipped - when healthy - to make a deep playoff run.

St. Louis might begin its four-game road trip without Jori Lehtera as it tries to avoid a third straight defeat by sweeping the five-game season series with the surging Nashville Predators on Saturday.

Alexander Steen, Alex Pietrangelo, Steve Ott and Brian Elliott currently are nursing injuries, and other key players have missed time for the Blues (35-19-9) throughout the season. Lehtera could be added to that list after being hit in the face with the puck in the first period of Thursday's 2-1 home loss to the New York Rangers.

Pietrangelo practiced Friday and could return for this contest or Sunday at Carolina, which is some good news for a team that has fought through the injury problems to sit in third place in the Central, two points back of Chicago and three behind first-place Dallas.

Armstrong said he's exploring the possibility of making a tweak to the injury-plagued roster, but he said that would be the case only if it didn't disrupt the current locker room chemistry.

"My belief is that group in there, I really, truly believe this is the year for us to have success," Armstrong said. "Our best players, they're not looking for assistance from outside. They know the responsibilities lie on their shoulders."

The Blues have dropped back-to-back games in regulation following a five-game winning streak and missed a chance to tie the Blackhawks in the standings after Nashville (30-21-11) won at Chicago 3-1 on Thursday.

St. Louis, though, is seeking a fifth straight road win and has earned at least a point in nine of its last 10 away from home.

"We've faced injuries all year, but we've got the character and the team in here to battle through it and get things done," forward Scottie Upshall said. "It's just another bump in the road, but we'll be all right."

The Blues have won five in a row against the Predators and have outscored them 11-4 in the four meetings in 2015-16. They've also won eight of their last 10 visits to Nashville, including posting shutouts in both matchups there this season.

The Predators have earned at least a point in eight straight. They haven't lost in regulation since falling to Washington on Feb. 9, which is part of a 2-4-2 stretch at home that includes a 1-0 loss to St. Louis on Feb. 2.

They finished off a perfect three-game trip by beating Chicago, though, and are looking to match their season high of four straight wins set last month.

"It was a great road trip," defenseman Roman Josi said. "Three wins and we've been playing well on the road for a while now. Coming back home now, and we want to play the same way at home."

Pekka Rinne made 38 saves and improved to 3-0-1 with a 0.98 goals-against average over his last four. He has a 2.37 GAA while losing all three of his starts against the Blues this season.

The Blues are counting on Jake Allen to step up with Elliott out for at least four weeks. Allen has a 1.72 GAA while winning his last four starts against the Predators, but he's 0-4-1 with a 2.69 GAA in five starts and a relief appearance since Dec. 31.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rangers (35-20) at Stars (38-18)

Date: February 27, 2016 4:00 PM EDT

The New York Rangers haven't been scoring much of late, but Henrik Lundqvist's consistent play has helped solidify their playoff chances.

Conversely, a defensive decline has denied the Dallas Stars an opportunity to expand their Central Division lead.

The slumping Stars look to progress in that area when they host the Rangers in Saturday's matchup of Stanley Cup hopefuls.

Though still in possession of the Western Conference's best record, Dallas (38-18-6) hasn't played like a contender during a 1-3-1 stretch filled with defensive breakdowns. The Stars have allowed six or more goals in each of those regulation losses.

The lowest point may have come Thursday, when Winnipeg recorded three unanswered third-period goals to deal the Stars a concerning 6-3 home loss. The Jets, last in the Central, were without two of their top three scorers in injured center Bryan Little and captain Andrew Ladd, traded to rival Chicago just prior to game time.

"It's embarrassing," Stars center Jason Spezza said. "We've got to cut down our goals against, we've got to help our goalies out, we've got to play better hockey."

Antti Niemi was pulled after permitting three first-period goals on eight shots and Kari Lehtonen stopped 17 of 20 in relief. Neither has been playing well in combining for a 3.75 goals-against average and .878 save percentage since the All-Star break.

The Stars were struggling to stop opponents prior to then, however, as was the case in a 6-2 loss to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 5, with Niemi stopping 23 shots.

New York (35-20-6) hasn't been nearly as prolific lately, totaling five goals in its last three. It's top line of Derick Brassard, J.T. Miller and Mats Zuccarello hasn't had a point over that span nor has Derek Stepan, who scored twice last month against Dallas.

The Rangers still have won three of four in large part due to Lundqvist, who improved to 7-2-0 with a 1.65 GAA over his last nine stats with 35 saves in Thursday's 2-1 win at St. Louis. The steady veteran joined Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy as the only goaltenders in NHL history with 30 victories in 10 separate seasons.

'Every game you know that you're going to get his best effort and you're going to get great preparation and he's going to give you a chance to win and that's what you want from your goaltender,' Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said.

New York did just enough offensively to allow Lundqvist to reach the mark, with Chris Kreider scoring the tie-breaking goal early in the third period moments after Lundqvist thwarted Scottie Upshall on a breakaway.

Dallas, one point ahead of Chicago and three in front of St. Louis, has continued to get production from an offense that leads the league with 200 goals. The Stars have scored three or more in four straight and eight of nine.

Spezza registered two goals against Winnipeg and has five points in four games since returning from a lower-body injury. Jamie Benn has six over a four-game point streak and Patrick Sharp and John Klingberg have contributed four assists each over the last two.

The Rangers have yielded two goals or fewer in each win during an 8-2-1 stretch and are 30-3-3 this season when allowing two or less, which includes a 3-2 shootout loss.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Maple Leafs (21-28) at Canadiens (29-27)

Date: February 27, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Though the Montreal Canadiens are coming off an impressive victory over the NHL's top team, reaching the playoffs still remains a tall order.

At least the Canadiens can complete another season sweep of the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs with a 10th consecutive victory over their Original Six rival Saturday night.

Montreal (29-27-5) has earned five points in three games, handing Washington a rare home loss with a 4-3 victory Wednesday.

"It's something to be proud of," coach Michel Therrien told the Canadiens' official website. "That's the beauty of sport. The game is played on the ice, and the boys rose to the occasion."

The Canadiens are a modest 5-3-1 since enduring an agonizing 5-20-1 stretch that dropped them from Stanley Cup contenders to outside of playoff position in the Eastern Conference. Though Montreal is still within striking distance of the final wild-card spot, it's 13th in the East.

Rookie Mike Condon outplayed Braden Holtby on Wednesday as the Canadiens opened a 3-0 lead to chase the Capitals goaltender early in the second period, then held on after Washington scored twice in the third.

Condon has a 1.90 goals-against average in the last three games while forward Brendan Gallagher has scored in five of the last nine.

"We've been through some stuff here in the last (couple of) months but we still believe we're a pretty good hockey team," Gallagher said.

"We're just going to keep competing night after night. It's about getting results and getting back to the winning attitude that we've had for so long in here. (Wednesday was) a good step in the right direction."

The Canadiens have a good chance to remain down that road against Toronto (21-28-10), which hasn't scored more than three goals in any meeting over its 0-5-4 series stretch. It's totaled nine goals and gone 0 for 19 on the power play during an 0-3-2 slide at Montreal.

The Canadiens have killed 21 of 24 penalties in their last nine overall.

Toronto, however, snapped a four-game losing streak with Thursday's 3-1 victory over Carolina. Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau scored for the third time in five games during the Maple Leafs' second victory in nine contests.

After recording eight goals and 14 assists in 56 games with Montreal last season, Parenteau has 16 of each over 59 contests for the Maple Leafs in 2015-16. However, he could be moved prior to Monday's trade deadline as Toronto continues to look for ways to stockpile young talent and draft picks for the future.

Last in the East, the Maple Leafs have already traded veterans Dion Phaneuf, Roman Polak, Nick Spaling, and Shawn Matthias this month.

'It's in the back of your mind obviously,' said Quebec native Parenteau. 'I try not to think about it. I try to block it (out). I have two kids. I have a wife, too. We try not to listen to the media or anything. We go about our business and go from there.'

Toronto, which last won back-to-back games Feb. 2 and 4, confirmed Thursday that key forwards James van Riemsdyk and Joffrey Lupul will not return this season. Van Riemsdyk had 29 points in 40 games but a broken foot has sidelined him since Jan. 9. Dealing with as sports hernia, Lupul had 11 goals in 46 games this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Red Wings (30-20) at Avalanche (32-27)

Date: February 27, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Detroit and Colorado rivalry features many storied chapters, though it fizzled a bit when the Red Wings moved to the Eastern Conference two seasons ago.

The next matchup figures to reignite the fire when the Red Wings and Avalanche meet for the first-ever outdoor game in Colorado on Saturday night at Coors Field as part of the NHL Stadium Series.

The height of this rivalry featured five playoff series from 1996-2002, a stretch during which Detroit won three Stanley Cups and Colorado won two.

The Red Wings (30-20-11) hope they can find the same success at Coors Field that they have across town over the last 15 seasons. Since the 2001-02 season, Detroit is 21-6-1 in Denver, including playoffs. Going back one more season, the Red Wings own a 41-14-8 record overall against the Avalanche.

But Saturday's outdoor game will bring some different variables than a typical NHL contest.

"It's different in a sense that, I don't want to say can go wrong, but there's more things that can happen that are out of your control," Detroit coach Jeff Blashill told the team's official website. "You have to go into the game just being OK with things going awry around you and keeping your focus and continuing to play. I think you have to enjoy the moment, you have to enjoy the whole atmosphere. I'm a big believer in that in life, period."

Detroit hasn't had much to smile about of late, totaling only seven goals during a 1-2-2 stretch.

That includes a winless four-game road trip, which extended Detroit's six-game skid away from home. The Red Wings have been outscored 22-10 during that drought.

However, Detroit avoided a season-high five-game losing streak with Tuesday's 2-1 shootout win over Columbus - the Red Wings' lone home game after their winless trip and before the outdoor game and Monday's visit to Dallas.

Petr Mrazek had his second straight strong performance with 28 saves after surrendering five goals in back-to-back games last week. Mrazek stopped 19 shots in a 2-1 shootout defeat at home to Colorado on Feb. 12. He's 1-0-2 with a 0.95 goals-against average in three career starts against the Avalanche.

The shootout loss extended Detroit's point streak in this series to eight games. The Red Wings are 5-0-3 in the past eight meetings, including three straight wins in Denver.

Colorado (32-27-4) has won five of seven overall with consecutive victories at home following a four-game skid there.

The Avs currently hold the West's final playoff spot with 68 points, and coach Patrick Roy is concerned about the aura that surrounds an outdoor game stealing his team's focus during the postseason push.

"There's a lot of distraction," he told the team's official website. "But at the same time, these are big points for us at this time of the year. It is important to remain focused."

Colorado has allowed an average of 3.31 goals in its last 13 games, and No. 1 goaltender Semyon Varlamov has suffered through his own struggles. Varlamov is 3-4-0 with a 3.32 GAA in his last seven starts.

He is 2-5-0 with a 2.86 GAA in seven career starts against Detroit, though he did make 43 saves in the shootout win earlier this month.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Senators (29-27) at Flames (26-30)

Date: February 27, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

The Ottawa Senators have little room for error in their quest to reach the playoffs.

Following a demoralizing defeat, the visiting Senators are at risk of suffering another one Saturday night if they don't take care of the lowly Calgary Flames.

Leading by one goal after two periods Thursday, Ottawa (29-27-6) was in position to claim a season-high fifth consecutive victory before Vancouver scored all three goals in the third to win 5-3.

'It's very frustrating,' said forward Mark Stone, who has nine goals in 12 games this month. 'We had a one-goal lead on the road. Can't ask for much more.'

Though the Senators are 12th in the Eastern Conference, they're very much within striking distance of the final wild-card spot. However, they can't afford games to slip away down the stretch.

"There's that fine line this time of year," coach Dave Cameron said.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Dion Phaneuf each had two assists for the Senators, who yielded 28 shots in the final two periods and were outshot for the sixth game in a row.

Ottawa lost four straight on the road before opening this three-game trip through Western Canada with Tuesday's 4-1 win at Edmonton, the only West team with fewer points than the Flames (26-30-4).

"We've got to win," Stone told the NHL's official website. "I don't think we thought we were going to win the next 20 games, but one game at a time, we need to start winning.

"Heading into Calgary, we need to throw this one away. Other teams are winning; we've got to find a way, too."

The Senators also blew a one-goal lead after two periods against the Flames on Oct. 28 before winning 5-4 in a shootout.

Ottawa has lost two straight and seven of eight at Calgary, but the Flames have dropped six of seven overall after Thursday's 2-1 overtime defeat to the New York Islanders. Calgary has totaled four goals during a three-game losing streak, one shy of a season high.

"Regardless of our situation we're still trying to win games," forward Brandon Bollig said. "At this point with our situation, everyone is playing with pride. There's a matter of professionalism. ... Try to win as many games as we can."

Calgary's Jiri Hudler, the subject of trade rumors leading up to Monday's deadline, recorded a third point in as many games with his 10th goal Thursday. The veteran forward has five goals and eight assists in his last 15 games.

Hudler has seven assists in five contests against the Senators since joining the Flames in 2012-13.

Also mentioned in trade talks, defenseman Kris Russell could return after missing the last six games with a lower-body injury.

"This is the time of the year; it doesn't change anything with our day-to-day business," coach Bob Hartley said about dealing with trade speculation. "We have games to win."

Ottawa's Craig Anderson allowed six goals during a four-game winning streak prior to yielding four against the Canucks. He has given up four goals in four straight starts against the Flames but beat them in October with 34 saves.

Senators veteran Kyle Turris had a goal and an assist that day and has seven points in these teams' last five meetings, but he's on a 14-game point drought.

These are the league's worst penalty-killing teams, with Ottawa at 74.6 percent and Calgary 73.6. The Flames' last nine opponents are 14 for 38 (36.8 percent) on the power play.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Sabres (25-30) at Kings (36-20)

Date: February 27, 2016 11:00 PM EDT

As far as the Los Angeles Kings are concerned, winning low-scoring games only prepares them for a playoff run they hope ends with their third Stanley Cup in five years.

History suggests they could get more practice in that regard Saturday night.

No team has scored more than two goals in each of the last five meetings between the Kings and visiting Buffalo Sabres, who also have been receiving some quality goaltending lately.

Los Angeles (36-20-4) leads Anaheim by two points atop the Pacific Division and has a showdown looming with the Ducks on the road Sunday. It has scored two goals or fewer in each of its last six, going 0-2-1 to start that stretch before winning the last three by the same 2-1 score.

Jeff Carter tied it in the third period against Edmonton on Thursday with his first goal in eight games before Dwight King's winner with 5:50 left.

The Kings certainly would like to be scoring more, but that doesn't mean they're not equipped to win a championship. Los Angeles finished second-to-last in goals when it won its first Stanley Cup in 2012 and 26th before winning the title in 2014.

It's tied for 16th this season.

"There's no doubt in my mind that we can be a championship team, for sure," forward Anze Kopitar told the team's official website. "We'd also rather be in a slump right now than come April. You have to work at it, it's not just going to come out of nowhere. You've just got to improve all over the ice so you can get chances off of that, create scoring chances that you eventually score on."

Buffalo (25-30-7) did the Kings a favor Friday by keeping the third-place Sharks six points back with a 3-1 victory in San Jose. Los Angeles has been able to hold its division lead largely due to the play of Jonathan Quick, who has a 1.49 goals-against average over his last six starts.

Former Sabres goaltender Jhonas Enroth could get the start in this one, though, in order for the Kings to have a rested Quick against the Ducks. Enroth lost 1-0 to New Jersey in his last start Feb. 14.

"We know we can't control how other teams are playing right now," forward Tyler Toffoli said. "We have to be worried about ourselves, worried about ourselves winning games, playing the right way, and just gaining momentum throughout the remainder of the season."

Los Angeles hasn't scored more than two goals in any of the last seven meetings with Buffalo, going 2-3-2 in those matchups. Ryan O'Reilly scored in overtime to give the Sabres a 2-1 victory Dec. 12, but he's out for at least three weeks with a lower-body injury.

Buffalo has allowed one goal or none in five of its last six and got 24 saves Friday from Chad Johnson, who has been rumored in trades ahead of Monday's deadline. Robin Lehner has a 1.39 GAA over his last five starts after stopping 28 shots in Wednesday's 1-0 loss to Anaheim and is likely to get the nod for this one.

Zach Bogosian scored the go-ahead goal off a deflection in the third against the Sharks before assisting on Evander Kane's empty netter. Bogosian has three goals over his last three after not scoring in his previous 34.

The Kings made a minor trade Friday, shipping Christian Ehrhoff to Chicago for fellow defenseman Rob Scuderi, who played for Los Angeles' 2012 championship team.

 

[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 47 59 OVER
2/21 6 30.5 34 OVER
2/22 4 21 27 OVER
2/23 9 49.5 43 UNDER
2/24 4 22.5 21 UNDER
2/25 10 54.5 51 UNDER
2/26 5 26 21 UNDER
2/27 9 - - -
2/28 7 - - -
2/29 6 - - -