Saturday 4/9/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 12:45

West Ham

v

Arsenal

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT1		13/5	5/2	Evs	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT WEST HAM	RECENT FORM
HWHWAWADADHD​ Most recent​	1 - 2 1 - 3 1 - 3 0 - 3	ADAWHLALAWHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: West Ham are unbeaten in their last 15 home matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Arsenal may need to win all of their remaining seven Premier League matches to stand a chance of being crowned Premier League champions but those hopes could suffer a hammerblow at Upton Park. The Hammers won at the Emirates and they have proved that is no fluke with a number of stunning successes. The Gunners have lost four away league games.

RECOMMENDATION: West Ham
1


REFEREE: Craig Pawson STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 15:00

C Palace

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Norwich

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		23/20	12/5	14/5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT C PALACE	RECENT FORM
ALADHLAWHLAD​ Most recent​	1 - 1 0 - 0 3 - 1 1 - 1	ALHLALHDAWHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Palace are winless in 14 league matches

EXPERT VERDICT: It could be argued that a point apiece would be a decent result for both of these relegation candidates and it’s difficult to build a case for Crystal Palace, who are winless in the Premier League since Christmas. Norwich, boosted by their dramatic late victory over Newcastle last time out, can avoid defeat again.

RECOMMENDATION: Norwich
1


REFEREE: Michael Oliver STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 15:00

Swansea

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Chelsea

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		14/5	12/5	23/20	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT SWANSEA	RECENT FORM
ALAWHWALHWAD​ Most recent​	0 - 5 0 - 1 0 - 0 1 - 1	AWHDHLALHDAW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Chelsea have scored 11 goals in their last three fixtures against Swansea

EXPERT VERDICT: Not much is riding on this game at the Liberty Stadium but Chelsea can stay professional enough to beat Swansea. The Welsh club came from two down to draw at Stoke last time out but the Potters were suffering with injuries and face a different test against the champions.

RECOMMENDATION: Chelsea
2


REFEREE: Andre Marriner STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 15:00

Southampton

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Newcastle

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		8/15	3	5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT SOUTHAMPTON	RECENT FORM
HLALHDAWHWAL​ Most recent​	4 - 0 4 - 0 2 - 0 1 - 2	ALALHLALHDAL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Saints have conceded at least one goal in each of their last three home games

EXPERT VERDICT: Southampton have bossed this fixture in recent seasons having lost only one of their last six meetings with Newcastle. That said, the visitors are fighting for their Premier League lives, and they’ve scored in two of their three games since Rafa Benitez took charge.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
2


REFEREE: Robert Madley STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 15:00

Watford

v

Everton

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

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT WATFORD	RECENT FORM
HDALHLAWHLAL​ Most recent​	0 - 3 1 - 2 1 - 3 1 - 2	AWAWHLHWHLAL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Watford have scored just three goals in their last eight league games

EXPERT VERDICT: FA Cup semi-finalists Watford are on a poor run of form having suffered four defeats in a row culminating in a 4-0 defeat to Arsenal last weekend. Everton suffered a 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford, however that was only their second away loss of the season.

RECOMMENDATION: Everton
2


REFEREE: Kevin Friend STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 15:00

Aston Villa

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Bournemouth

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

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ASTON VILLA	RECENT FORM
ALHLALHLALHL​ Most recent​	2 - 1 1 - 1 2 - 1	ADHWAWHWALHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Aston Villa’s only away win of the season came against Bournemouth

EXPERT VERDICT: Aston Villa could be relegated this weekend and have lost their last seven games, conceding 22 and scoring only two. Bournemouth suffered a 4-0 home defeat to Man City last weekend but they could bounce back to avenge their 2-1 loss to the Villans on the opening day.

RECOMMENDATION: Bournemouth
2


REFEREE: Martin Atkinson STADIUM:

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Masters Odds - 3rd Round Update

The first two days of action at Augusta National Golf Club are in the books and the field has been cut from 89 golfers to 57. Notable names that will not be playing this weekend include past winners Phil Mickelson, Zach Jonson and Charl Schwartzel.

Sportsbooks had Jordan Spieth listed as high as a 17/2 betting choice (Bet $100 to win $850) to win the 2016 Masters prior to the tournament.

After the first 36 holes of this year's event, Spieth is a 2/1 betting favorite (Bet $100 to win $200).

The defending champion opened with a 6-under 66 on Thursday but struggled with a 2-over 74 on Friday. Spieth holds a one-shot lead over Rory McIlroy who broke par for the second straight day on Friday iwth a 1-under 71.

McIlroy saw his odds go from 7/2 to 5/2 after Friday's performance. Rory has won four majors in his career but never captured the Masters championship. His best finish at this event was fourth, which occured last year.

The odds start to open up a big after the top pair, with four golfers listed at 15/1 and that group includes Brandt Snedeker, Dustin Johnson, Hideki Matsuyama and Jason Day.

All four of those golfers are within four shots of Spieth, except for Day who is five behind at 1-over.

Below are all of the odds to win the Masters heading into the weekend.

Live Betting Odds to win 2016 Masters (4/10/16)
Jordan Spieth 2/1
Rory McIlroy 5/2
Brandt Snedeker 15/1
Dustin Johnson 15/1
Hideki Matsuyama 15/1
Jason Day 15/1
Danny Lee 20/1
Sergio Garcia 25/1
Justin Rose 30/1
Scott Piercy 30/1
Danny Willett 40/1
Adam Scott 55/1
Brooks Koepka 60/1
Daniel Berger 65/1
Shane Lowry 70/1
Soren Kjeldsen 70/1
Bryson Dechambeau 75/1
Henrik Stenson 75/1
Angel Cabrera 100/1
J.B. Holmes 100/1
Kiradech Aphibarnrat 100/1
Paul Casey 100/1
Bernd Wiesberger 150/1
Jamie Donaldson 150/1
Jimmy Walker 150/1
Kevin Na 150/1
Lee Westwood 150/1
Bubba Watson 250/1
Chris Wood 250/1
Smylie Kaufman 250/1
Emiliano Grillo 300/1
Harris English 300/1
Charl Schwartzel 400/1
Ian Poulter 400/1
Kevin Streelman 400/1
Louis Oosthuizen 450/1
Patrick Reed 450/1
Rafael Cabrera Bello 450/1
Troy Merritt 450/1
Billy Horschel 500/1
Keegan Bradley 500/1
Bernhard Langer 700/1


Live Betting Odds Subject to Change

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Duck Commander 500
By Micah Roberts

We're already six races into the season and have had five different winners as the series shifts back to a 1.5-mile track at Texas Motor Speedway which means the low downforce package comes back into the equation and Jimmie Johnson will most likely win again.

It may sound presumptuous to assume Johnson is going to win again, but let's be real with what we've seen far this season and also in Texas history. He's the only driver with multiple wins this year and they both came on tracks (Atlanta and Fontana) where the low downforce set-up figured prominently. On the other track where the package was a big deal -- Las Vegas, Johnson finished third and led the most laps.

And that's just this year.

How about the fact that Johnson has won the past three races at Texas and has won a track record six times while leading a track record 1,023 laps?

He's so good at Texas that he even wins there when he doesn't have the best car like was the case last fall. Brad Keselowski led 312 of the 334 laps. He had the dominant car on the day, but Johnson stayed close and when it was money time he put pressure on Keselowski. With four laps to go Johnson would make the pass and Keselowski would finish just over a second behind as runner-up.

I guess that's what champions do, but when you add in all his continued history there, his crew chief, and how the season is going so far, it's easy to see why he's the 9/2 favorite (Bet $100 to win $45) to win Saturday night's Duck Commander 500. The only reason he isn't favored by more is because there are several drivers right near his level with the low downforce package, and that's kind of the angle I'm going to roll with this week.

By no means will I be looking to bet against Johnson in any match-ups, but I'm not thrilled about taking 9/2 odds even though Johnson has burned me several times in his career because I didn't want to back his short prices. And really, let's face it, there have been 19 races Johnson didn't win at Texas -- track record five runner-up finishes.

I'm thinking more about Gibbs and Penske this week.

Only two drivers have a career average finish better than 10th-place at Texas. Johnson is one, of course, with an 8.4 average, but the other is two-time Texas winner Matt Kenseth (9.4).

Kenseth has led laps in five of the six races thus far in 2016 and has stared 13th or better in five of the races, but he's still looking for his first top-five finish of the season. He finished seventh at Phoenix and has been 14th or worse in in the other five races.

Kenseth missed this race last fall due to be suspended for spearing Joey Logano's car at Martinsville. In 26 starts he's had 13 top-five finishes which is a track record he and Johnson both hold. He's also led 834 laps which is second only to Johnson. The Joe Gibbs Racing stable have all been stellar on these types of tracks this season, and Kenseth should have his best results of the season Saturday.

JGR driver Kyle Busch has finished in the top-five in five of the six 2016 races, including last weeks win at Martinsville. He was third at Atlanta and fourth at Las Vegas. Last years Sprint Cup champ won at Texas in 2013 and has a 12.4 average in 20 starts. He's been fourth or better in five of his past six starts there and it's likely to happen again this week.

Kevin Harvick finished second 13 times last season while only winning three races. He led a series-high 2,294 laps, the second straight year he led over 2,000 laps. He won at Phoenix this year like he always does, but he's left a couple of wins on the table just like last season. He's led 485 laps this season, including leading the most at Atlanta and Fontana (finished second). He'll be good again, but he seems to be a better bet at finishing second than winning. It's a crazy thing, his team just can't close out races -- too bad there's no first-half wager in NASCAR like basketball or football. He's so good at finishing second that one more and he'll tie Johnson for 10th all-time in NASCAR history with 46.

Harvick has never won at Texas in 26 starts, but does have a very respectable 12.3 average finish.

Brad Keselowski has three top-fives in his last four Texas starts, including a series-high 446 laps led over that span. He won at Las Vegas last month and should be right there with teammate Joey Logano trying get a top-five finish.

Top-5 Finish Prediction:

1) #18 Kyle Busch (7/1)
2) #4 Kevin Harvick (5/1)
3) #48 Jimmie Johnson (9/2)
4) #20 Matt Kenseth (10/1)
5) #2 Brad Keselowski (10/1)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Drivers to Watch - Texas

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Duck Commander 500
Saturday, April 9th – 1:00 p.m. EDT
Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, TX

The Sprint Cup Series drivers head to Fort Worth for the Duck Commander 500 on Saturday. This track runs 1.5 miles long and the drivers will be going 334 laps in this race.

One guy that will be looking forward to getting out on this track is Matt Kenseth. Kenseth has already won this race twice in his career (2002, 2011) and that ties him with Jeff Burton and Greg Biffle for the most victories ever recorded in this race.He’ll be looking forward to the opportunity to break that record on Saturday.

Jimmie Johnson will, however, have victory on his mind as well. Johnson won this race in 2015 and he can become the first driver to ever win the Duck Commander 500 in back/back years. It’s also worth noting that three of the past five winners drove Ford manufactured cars.

With that information out of the way, let’s now take a look at some of the best plays for Saturday’s race:

Drivers to Watch

Matt Kenseth (7/1) - Kenseth has had a bit of a disappointing season, failing to record a single top-five finish thus far. He is, however, very good when he comes to Fort Worth. As mentioned earlier, Kenseth has already won the Duck Commander 500 twice in his career and that is the most wins in this race amongst all active drivers. He’ll be looking to become the outright leader in wins at this race on Saturday and he should only be fueled by his struggles this season. He desperately needs to make a splash and he’s a great bet to do it at 7/1 odds.

Joey Logano (7/1) - Like Kenseth, Logano has had a bit of a down season and will be coming into this race with plenty of motivation to win. While he hasn’t been as bad as Kenseth, Logano is winless on the season and he is far too good of a driver for that to hold up much longer. Logan has two top-five finishes on the season and he also happens to be pretty good at Texas Motor Speedway. Logan was the winner of this race in 2014 and there’s no reason to believe that he won’t be in the running to emerge victorious once again on Saturday. He’s getting the same odds as Kenseth in this race and is a very good play for the weekend.

Denny Hamlin (15/1) - Denny Hamlin has had a fantastic season thus far, winning the Daytona 500 in the first race of the year and also coming away with two other top-fives. Hamlin has consistently been one of the best drivers in the Sprint Cup Series over the past few years and that is why it’s a bit ridiculous that he is getting 15/1 odds on Saturday. Hamlin also happens to be solid at Texas Motor Speedway in his career. He won this race back in 2010 and is an excellent pick to do it again on Saturday. He’s worth putting a few units on.

Chase Elliot (20/1) - There are not many good dark horse candidates coming into this race, but Elliot is a guy that could pay off nicely on Saturday. The youngster has been extremely impressive on the season, racking up three top-10 finishes already. He has really improved since coming in just 37th at the Daytona 500 and he should be due for a victory soon. This is a good weekend to take him and it’d be a smart decision to pair him with a guy like Kenseth when playing this race.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Betting odds and analysis for Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley III
By MMAODDSBREAKER

This Saturday, April 9th, HBO pay-per-view presents the return of Manny Pacquiao as he faces rival Timothy Bradley for the third time. The bout takes place in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and sees the Filipino superstar enter as a -230 favorite over Bradley, who is coming back at +190. The over/under is set for 10 1/2 with the over paying at -360 and the under paying +300. It bears noting that both of their first two matches went the full 12 round distance,

The two first met in June of 2012, and Bradley was handed a controversial split decision victory which Pacquaio avenged in April of 2014 with a unanimous decision of his own. There are many observers who feel that Pacquiao won both of those fights, and that there is no need for a third fight. But this bout is not about the past, it is more about where both fighters are at the present time. Pacquiao’s life outside of boxing continues to mushroom with his politics and karaoke and basketball, and he has been at the center of a media storm over his comments on homosexuals. He is also returning for the first time since the Floyd Mayweather Jr loss and he has had surgery to repair his bum shoulder. Pacquiao is now 37 years old and there has been a lot of talk that this will be his last fight.

This is in sharp contrast to Bradley, who at 32 years old is still seeking respect despite a decorated career. He has been more focused than ever since changing trainers. His record now stands at a fine 31-1-1 with the only loss being to Pacquiao, and a second win over Pac-man would certainly be a huge feather in “Desert Storm’s” cap. He has fought impressively in his 2015 outings against Jessie Vargas and Brandon Rios, and many feel he has improved as a fighter and certainly tightened up his game. Long considered one of boxing’s most disciplined fighters, Bradley is always in peak condition and whether you like or hate new trainer Teddy Atlas, there is no denying that he has had a positive effect on Bradley’s preparation. Whether the relationship lasts is another story, but they are clicking on all cylinders in terms of teamwork. It’s a far cry from Pacquiao, as he and trainer Teddy Roach appear a bit more stale and less vibrant.

Odds for the featured undercard bouts are posted as follows:

Super Middleweight: 12 rounds
Arthur Abraham +195
Gilberto Ramirez -235

Featherweight: 10 rounds
Evgeny Gradovich +800
Oscar Valdez -1250

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Soccer: EPL Best Bets - Week 33
By Chris David

Week 32 Recap

The scoreboard operator was busy last Saturday as 27 goals were posted in the first eight games of the weekend, which helped favorites go 4-0 while the other four results ended in draws. I’m guessing a lot of ‘chalk’ bettors prospered as a trio of heavyweights in Chelsea (-125), Manchester City (+100) and Arsenal (-290) all posted identical 4-0 victories. The ‘over’ went 6-2.

On Sunday, the action tempered a bit as Leicester City (+135) and Manchester United (-102) posted 1-0 home victories over Southampton and Everton respectively. The ‘under’ easily cashed in both contests.

Through 32 weeks of the season, favorites are 143-84 with 85 draws. The ‘over/under’ is 153-153-6.

Saturday’s Betting Trends

Most eyes will be focusing on the two key matchups on Sunday but bettors have seven games to follow on Saturday and here are some quick notes on the card.

Arsenal (-105) dropped a 2-0 home opener to West Ham United (+285) but had won the nine previous league meetings, scoring 25 goals during that span. The Hamers (2-4-0) are unbeaten in their last six and have scored 2-plus in four of those games. The Gunners have seen the ‘over’ cash in four of their last five as visitors.

Aston Villa (+250) has dropped seven straight games as it welcomes Bournemouth to Villa Park. The Lions captured a 1-0 meeting as visitors in the first meeting and Cherries have been suspect on defense (27 goals) this season.

Crystal Palace (+105) and Norwich City (+295) meet at Selhurst Park in a key game between two clubs sitting just above the drop zone. The Eagles haven’t won a league game since Dec. 19 and they haven’t posted a clean sheet since Dec. 28. Norwich enters this game off back-to-back wins but it is winless (0-5-9) in its last 14 league visits to Palace.

Despite parting ways with a manger and dealing with injuries, Chelsea has turned a miserable season into a pleasant surprise. The Blues are unbeaten (7-8-0) in their last 15 league games and five of the victories have come on the road. Chelsea remains short-handed and is favored (+105) over Swansea City (+280), who has been very sound defensively at Liberty Stadium. The club has surrendered six goals in its last seven at home, which has produced a 6-1 ‘under’ mark.

Watford (+235) and Everton (+125) will meet at Vicarage Road Stadium in a matchup of slumping clubs. The Hornets have dropped four straight while the Toffees have lost three in a row and four of five in league competition. The pair played to a draw (2-2) in the first encounter and could be suited for another tie here.

It’s hard to back Southampton (-185) at this price but even tougher to back New Castle United (+550) as a visitor these days. The Saints have dominated this series (11-3-1) at St. Mary’s Stadium and United has only managed to secure seven out of a possible 48 points as visitors this season. New manager Rafa Benitez has brought confidence to the shorthanded squad but the defensive lapses continue to occur.

Manchester City is listed as a heavy favorite (-310) over West Bromwich Albion (+900) but fatigue could be a factor in this spot. The Citizens just earned a quality 2-2 draw vs. PSG on Tuesday and face the French power at home next week in the second leg of the Champions League. Plus, City is 1-0-3 in its last four games at Etihad Stadium but the losses were to three of the Top 5 teams in the league.

Title Chase

After last week’s home win over Southampton, the Foxes are 12 points away from winning the England Premier League. Tottenham is seven points behind while Arsenal trails by 11 points but has an extra game in hand.

Leicester City at Sunderland (Sunday, NBCSN, 8:30 a.m.)

Will Leicester (+115) capture another 1-0 victory this weekend? The Foxes have won four straight games by this decision but Sunderland (+250) has managed to post four consecutive draws heading into this game. The Black Cats are currently in the drop zone which makes you believe the Stadium of Light will be a tad hostile since the role of the spoiler will be emphasized for this game.

These teams met in the first week of the season and Leicester built a 3-0 lead at halftime and wound up capturing a 4-2 decision at home. Prior to that result the teams played to a pair of 0-0 draws in the previous season and while history could be thrown out this season, make a note that Leicester has only scored one goal in its last five EPL games at Sunderland and that’s resulted in a 0-3-2 mark.

Sunderland has gone 4-5-6 at home this season and while that translates into a losing mark, five of the six losses were 1-0 results. The Black Cats have gone 1-2-0 in their last three at home and that includes an impressive 2-1 win over Manchester United on Feb. 13. Leicester has produced a 10-4-2 mark on the road while outscoring opponents 29-16 and that includes a 3-1 record in its last four games as visitors.

The total on this game is sitting at 2 ½ goals and shaded heavily to the ‘under’ (-140). Leicester has watched the ‘under’ cash in four straight and five of its last six games while Sunderland has gone 4-1 to the low side in its last five.

Tottenham vs. Manchester United (Sunday, NBCSN, 11:00 a.m.)

Tottenham (-115) meets Manchester United (+340) as a heavy favorite this weekend and those odds will probably rise by kickoff, especially if Leicester drops points earlier in the day. If you based your handicapping on recent encounters between this pair, you could be leaning to the ‘dog in this spot.

Manchester has captured two straight wins against Tottenham while posting clean sheets in each victory as well. Playing at White Hart Lane hasn’t been an issue for the Red Devils either, who are 8-6-0 in their last 14 league games at this venue. The last EPL home for the Spurs over Man U came in the 2000 season.

This year’s Tottenham squad is playing at a different level, especially at home where it’s gone 9-5-2 and stifled opponents to 12 goals. The club is 4-1-0 in its last five at home and the offense has helped that cause with 12 goals.

After a rough midseason slump, Louis van Gaal and his troops have won four of five games, which includes a pair of big wins against Arsenal (3-2) and Manchester City (1-0). Despite the solid form, bettors could be hesitant backing a Man United team that has been shaky on the road (6-4-6). Defensively, the Red Devils have allowed 20 as visitors compared to just seven at Old Trafford.

Similar to the Leicester matchup, this game has a total of 2 ½ (Under -140) as well.

Fearless Predictions

There were plenty of goals posted last Saturday and that helped us produce a 3-2 mark and nearly three bucks ($240) of profit. The deficit is still just a tad over four digits ($1,135) on the season as we continue the final stretch.

Straight – Over 2 ½ (-120) Arsenal-West Ham United – 2 Units

Straight – Under 2 ½ (-125) Chelsea-Swansea City – 1 Unit

Straight – Swansea City (+280) over Chelsea – 1 Unit

Straight – Aston Villa (+250) over Bournemouth – 1 Unit

Straight – Newcastle United-Southampton Draw (+310) – 1 Unit

Straight – Under 2 ½ (-115) New Castle United – 1 Unit

Straight – Leicester City-Sunderland Over 2 ½ (+120) – 3 Units

Straight – Stoke City (+485) over Liverpool – 1 Unit

Parlay – Leicester City-Sunderland Over 2 ½, Tottenham (-115) – 2 Units

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL notebook: Hynes to coach U.S. National Team
By The Sports Xchange

USA Hockey named John Hynes of the New Jersey Devils as head coach of the U.S. Men's National Team that will compete in the 2016 International Ice Hockey Federation Men's World Championship next month.
The 2016 IIHF Men's World Championship will include teams from 16 nations on May 6-22 in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia.
Currently finishing his first year as an NHL head coach with a 37-36-8 record (one game remaining in the 2015-16 season), Hynes joined the Devils after six years with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League.

---The St. Louis Blues signed defenseman Joel Edmundson to a two-year contract extension worth $2.1 million, the team announced.
The 22-year-old, 6-foot-4, 207-pound defenseman has logged nine points (one goal, eight assists) in 66 games for the Blues this season.

--The Detroit Red Wings recalled center Joakim Andersson from the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League.
Andersson, 27, has split this season between the Red Wings and Griffins, recording one goal, two assists and six penalty minutes in 28 games for Detroit.

--The Dallas Stars reassigned center Jason Dickinson to the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League.
Dickinson, 20, made his NHL debut on Thursday night against Colorado and scored a goal on his first career shot on net.

--The Nashville Predators assigned 2014 second-round defenseman Jack Dougherty to Milwaukee of the American Hockey League.
Dougherty, 19, recently completed his first season of junior hockey with the Western Hockey League's Portland Winterhawks, where he ranked second among WHL rookie defensemen with 52 points (11 goals, 41 assists).

--The New Jersey Devils assigned forwards Blake Pietila and Mike Sislo and defenseman Vojtech Mozik to Albany of the American Hockey League.
Pietila, 23, picked up his first NHL goal on March 31 and his first NHL points on March 27. He has two points in seven games with the Devils this season.
Sislo, 28, has three goals and one assist in 18 games in 2015-16 and Mozik, 23, has no goals and four penalty minutes in seven games of his NHL career.
The Devils also assigned forward Pavel Zacha from Sarnia of the Ontario Hockey League to Albany. The Devils then recalled Zacha from Albany.

--The Anaheim Ducks signed left wing Kevin Roy to a two-year entry-level contract, the team announced.
Roy, 22, recorded 150 points (65 goals, 85 assists) and 92 penalty minutes in 130 career games with Northeastern from 2012-16. He was the Huskies captain this season, and completed his senior season with 10 goals and 16 assists.

--The Buffalo Sabres assigned goaltender Nathan Lieuwen to the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League, the team announced.
Lieuwen did not play in any games for the Sabres this season. In 2013-2014, he played in seven games, including five starts, and had a 1-4 record with a 2.98 goals-against average.

--The New York Rangers recalled forward Marek Hrivik from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League, the team announced.
Hrivik, 24, played in four games with the Rangers this season, registering one assist and a plus-two rating.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Red Wings (41-29) at Rangers (45-27)

Date: April 09, 2016 12:30 PM EDT

When the NHL's regular season ended on April 1, 1990, the Detroit Red Wings did not qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The longest postseason streak in major professional sports is what's followed, and it's now down to the final game of this season for the club to extend that record run.

Detroit chases its 26th straight trip to the postseason Saturday at Madison Square Garden against the playoff-bound New York Rangers, who are trying to finish third in the Metropolitan Division - although missing out on that may present a better scenario.

The Red Wings (41-29-11) had an opportunity to lock up a playoff berth with a victory at Boston on Thursday, but they lost 5-2 to fall into a third-place tie with the Bruins in the Atlantic at 93 points.

Boston faces Ottawa at the same time the Red Wings play at MSG, and in the event of the tie holding, scenarios exist to give either team the third-place playoff spot.

Detroit currently owns the first tiebreaker with a 39-38 edge in regulation and overtime wins, and adding to that column will automatically earn a berth. But if the Red Wings win in a shootout while Boston adds to its ROW total, the next tiebreaker goes to the Bruins since they've won three of the four meetings this season.

The team that fails to finish third will keep an eye on Philadelphia, which has 92 points with two games left in its bid for the Eastern Conference's second wild card. That team would open the playoffs against Washington while the Atlantic's third-place club would face Tampa Bay.

"For sure, we could be in a much worse situation," center Luke Glendenning told the team's official website. "If you said at the beginning of the year you'd have to win one game to get in, you would take that every time. Here we are and we gotta win a game."

And they have to win that game in an arena they haven't left with a victory in over six years. Since a 3-1 win at the Garden on Dec. 6, 2009, Detroit has dropped five in a row there, including a 1-0 overtime loss Feb. 21 that marked New York's third shutout in that span. The Rangers have outscored the Red Wings 11-4 on the home streak.

Henrik Zetterberg has been limited to a goal while playing four of those games and Pavel Datsyuk has skated in three of them and gone without a point.

Henrik Lundqvist was in net for all three shutouts and has won his last five home starts against Detroit with a 0.78 goals-against average, but he was yanked Thursday after giving up three goals in two periods of a crucial division matchup.

The Rangers (45-27-9) relinquished their hold on third in the Metro and fell into a tie with the Islanders after the 4-1 loss to their crosstown rivals. Both clubs have 99 points, but the Isles have two games remaining.

"It's been like that every year, the last couple (of games) sorts out the seeding and who you're going to play," Marc Staal told the club's official website. "We wanted to win this game, we wanted it bad.

"... But we haven't lost any confidence in this room."

No matter where they finish, the Rangers will open the playoffs on the road. However, third place sends them to Pittsburgh - which has won eight in a row and 14 of 15 - while the first wild card pits them against Atlantic champion Florida. New York lost three of four to the Penguins this season but won two of three against the Panthers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Senators (37-35) at Bruins (42-30)

Date: April 09, 2016 12:30 PM EDT

While their fate could twist in a couple of directions over the final two days, coach Claude Julien likes the Boston Bruins' chances of playing in the postseason.

With a chance to finish third in the Atlantic Division, the Bruins will try to put themselves in the best position possible Saturday against the visiting Ottawa Senators.

Boston might feel fortunate to remain in contention for an eighth playoff berth in nine seasons after a 2-7-0 stretch knocked it out of an Eastern Conference spot Sunday.

The Bruins, however, have clawed back into position after earning a point in Tuesday's 2-1 shootout loss to Carolina and two big ones in Thursday's 5-2 home win over Detroit.

Boston (42-30-9) is tied with the Red Wings for the third playoff spot in the division and sits one point ahead of Philadelphia for the second wild-card berth. Detroit visits the New York Rangers in its finale Saturday, while the Flyers host Pittsburgh on Saturday and face the New York Islanders on the road Sunday.

Boston will earn the final division spot with a win and a Detroit loss of any kind. A victory and any type of loss by Philadelphia in its final two games would give the Bruins the wild-card spot.

If the Bruins fall in regulation, they would need the Flyers to only earn one point in their last two. Boston could qualify after an overtime or shootout loss with some help.

"It's exciting that we still have a chance," Julien confessed. "Obviously we have to win a hockey game and we have to bring the type of game we had against Detroit. So if we do that, I like our chances, and you've got to hope for maybe ... a little break here or there."

It would certainly help if Loui Eriksson stays on a roll after totaling three goals and three assists over his last four games. The right wing has proven to be a handful for Ottawa with three goals and nine assists in his 10 meetings since joining the Bruins in 2013-14.

Lee Stempniak scored in each of his three games against the Senators (37-35-9) before coming over from New Jersey in February. Defenseman Torey Krug has two goals and four assists in his last five matchups and a goal and six assists over his past four games overall.

The Bruins hope to continue that production against Andrew Hammond as they chase their 11th victory in the past 15 home meetings. Hammond allowed four goals on 35 shots in a 6-4 home win in his only start versus Boston on March 19, 2015.

The Senators, who will miss the postseason for the second time in three years, ended a two-game slide with Thursday's 3-1 home win over Atlantic champion Florida.

Mika Zibanejad has two goals and an assist over the past three games, and he's scored three times to help Ottawa take two of three meetings with Boston.

Erik Karlsson has three goals and five assists in his last eight games. The captain also has five assists against the Bruins this season.

"If I was in their shoes, I'd say, 'let's finish on a winning note here,' Julien said. "So a lot of reasons for them to be motivated for this and hopefully a lot more reasons for us."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Penguins (48-25) at Flyers (39-27)

Date: April 09, 2016 3:00 PM EDT

On the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture looking in, the Philadelphia Flyers still control their chances to sneak into the postseason.

All they have to do is beat two teams that surely wouldn't mind if Philadelphia spent next week arranging tee times.

It's possible the Flyers could take the ice Saturday needing just a win over the rival Pittsburgh Penguins to wrap up a top-8 spot, but two victories in approximately 30 hours will definitely do the trick.

Philadelphia (39-27-14) isn't making anything easy for itself as it tries to avoid back-to-back years out of the playoffs for the first time since 1992-93 and '93-94 - Eric Lindros' first two seasons in the league.

The Flyers lost just three times in regulation during a stretch of 13 wins in 18 games Feb. 25-April 2, yet were on the cusp of a third straight 60-minute defeat Thursday that would have severely damaged their postseason hopes. But Wayne Simmonds' goal with 58 seconds left forced overtime against lowly Toronto, and even after losing 4-3 in overtime, Philadelphia found itself in much better shape than it could have been.

"It's really frustrating not to get two points," captain Claude Giroux said. "But at the end of the day, we have to put this one behind us and get ready for Pittsburgh (on Saturday)."

The Flyers are ninth in the East with 92 points, one behind both Boston and Detroit. One of those two will make the playoffs as the Atlantic Division's third automatic qualifier, but the other could miss out on the second wild-card spot in favor of Philadelphia.

Wins against the Metropolitan rival Penguins (48-25-8) and New York Islanders will do it, but so would a win Saturday and regulation losses by both the Bruins and Red Wings. Considering both of those teams will be finishing their seasons just about the time Philadelphia and Pittsburgh hit the ice, the Flyers might be able to have their spot locked up before dinner.

"If you would've told us two months ago (that) we'd be in this position, we'd take it," Giroux said.

The Penguins certainly feel the same after a meteoric rise in the second half that's seen them go 27-8-1 since Jan. 21 while outscoring the opposition by 45 goals - both NHL bests. It culminated as Pittsburgh locked up the Metropolitan's second spot and home-ice advantage for the first round after Thursday's 4-3 overtime win in Washington.

"That's a long ways from the position we were in a bit ago," Sidney Crosby said after scoring the goal that gave the Penguins their eighth straight win and 14th in 15. "We've worked hard to get to that point, and I think that we've just got to keep in mind what's got us here and make sure we continue to play the same way."

Pittsburgh wrapping up its seed should only be good news for the Flyers. Though the Penguins would surely love to finish a four-game series sweep - all since Mike Sullivan took over, perhaps a little payback for eight straight losses to Philadelphia prior to this season - there's a good chance the coach rests Crosby and some of his other stars.

Crosby, Eric Fehr, Carl Hagelin, Phil Kessel and Trevor Daley have all scored twice against the Flyers this season, with the two-time Hart Trophy winner adding three assists.

Giroux has a goal and two assists against the Penguins and 14 total points in his last 10 in the series.

Rather than facing Matt Murray, who stopped 28 shots in Pittsburgh's 6-2 victory Sunday and has won seven straight starts, the Flyers may see Jeff Zatkoff. He hasn't played in an NHL game since Feb. 20.

The Flyers could turn to Michal Neuvirth, who hasn't played since March 16 due to a knee injury but returned to back up Steve Mason on Thursday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Ducks (44-25) at Avalanche (39-38)

Date: April 09, 2016 5:30 PM EDT

Anaheim needs victories in its last two games plus some help in order to claim a fourth straight Pacific Division title. Asking the Ducks how much they really care about hanging another banner likely would elicit some pretty aloof responses.

Their focus remains winning their first Stanley Cup since 2007 after falling a victory short of the Final last year.

Anaheim will have home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs no matter what happens during Saturday's visit to Colorado or Sunday's trip to Washington, but finally scoring on the Avalanche certainly would help its recently stagnant offense.

The Ducks' rise up the standings is an accomplishment in itself after sitting 16 points back of Los Angeles on Jan. 20. They eventually took sole possession of first place in the Pacific, but the Kings broke a tie atop the division with Thursday's 2-1 win over the Ducks.

Anaheim (44-25-11) fell to 1-2-1 in April and would need to win out and Los Angeles to lose its finale against Winnipeg later Saturday to win the division, but that's not the first thing on Ryan Getzlaf's mind.

"We've got two games left to get ready for the real thing," Anaheim's captain said. "We're just trying to get into the playoffs. That's what we've been trying to do the whole time. We accomplished that. Hopefully we can push through the end and be ready for whoever we're facing."

The Ducks would play Nashville in the first round if they win the Pacific, but they'd have much less travel by finishing second and facing San Jose. No matter the opponent, they'll likely have to take it up a notch offensively.

Anaheim has scored once in back-to-back games, something that's reminiscent of early season scoring woes that put it in catch-up mode. Colorado (39-38-4) won each of the first two meetings by 3-0 scores Oct. 16 and March 9, and Presidents' Trophy-winning Washington has allowed the second-fewest goals behind the Ducks.

"We know we have two tough games," coach Bruce Boudreau said. "If L.A. beats Winnipeg, we know where we're going and who we're playing. At least that's something that's known right now."

The Avalanche have known since Tuesday's loss to Nashville that they'll be watching the playoffs from home for the second straight year after winning the Central in coach Patrick Roy's first season. They've lost five in a row after falling 4-2 at Dallas on Thursday and have allowed at least four goals in the last four.

"None of us want to be in this situation, but at the end of the day we have no one to blame but ourselves," defenseman Erik Johnson said. "Guys are fighting for jobs for next year and someone's always watching.

"As crappy as it feels to be in this predicament, we're in it because we put ourselves here and we're going to work hard until the end."

Francois Beauchemin and Shawn Matthias scored against the Stars, but Colorado went 0 for 4 on the power play and is 2 for 28 over its last 11. Nathan MacKinnon, who scored in each meeting with the Ducks, has been out the last nine with a knee injury.

"I expect more from our guys, but I guess when you're out of the playoffs the emotion (is) not the same," Roy said.

Semyon Varlamov got the night off and could be in goal for the finale. He made 37 saves against the Ducks in the last meeting.

Either John Gibson or Anton Khudobin will open Anaheim's back-to-back set while Frederik Andersen remains out until the playoffs with a concussion.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Flames (34-40) at Wild (38-32)

Date: April 09, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Though the Minnesota Wild are in the playoffs and know their seeding, they are feeling some urgency to win their final game before the postseason gets underway.

Looking to end a four-game losing streak that's somewhat dampened the enthusiasm surrounding their run to a playoff berth, the Wild host the high-scoring Calgary Flames on Saturday night.

Minnesota's offensive struggles continued in a 3-0 home loss to San Jose on Tuesday, but it secured a berth when Colorado lost to Nashville later in the evening. The Wild (38-32-11) failed in their second chance to clinch with a win before getting help.

"We've got a lot of work that we need to do," forward Zach Parise said. "There's just some areas of our play that aren't good. That's inexcusable in Game 81. When we're trying to prepare for the playoffs, you can't play the last four games the way we have. That's just, right now that's not good."

The Wild had scored 14 goals in three games prior to the skid, but have managed five in the past four games.

Trying to maintain perspective was a priority for interim coach John Torchetti this week.

"How do you back into the playoffs going (15-10-1)?" Torchetti said, referencing the team's record since the dismissal of Mike Yeo in February. "You don't do that. The guys have done a great job. I'm proud of them. They could have folded when I got here, too, so I'm really proud of them."

Minnesota will be the eighth seed, though it will have to wait until the final day to find out whether it will travel to Dallas or St. Louis to open the first round.

The club might want to use its finale to work on special teams. The Wild have failed to score on their last 13 power plays and given up four power-play goals on eight chances over the past three games.

That could prove problematic against Calgary (34-40-7), which has scored 16 goals in a 2-0-1 stretch and gone 7 for 22 with the man advantage in the last six games. The Flames beat Vancouver 7-3 on Thursday behind Mikael Backlund's first NHL hat trick.

Backlund scored on a power play, at even strength and short-handed. He has a career-high 21 goals after scoring five times through his first 50 games, and has six goals in the last three.

The lopsided win in their home finale was bittersweet for Calgary, which is closing out a disappointing season after making the playoffs in 2014-15.

"It feels great to finish off the way we did," Backlund told the team's official website. "Everybody played well tonight and chipped in. We wanted to show appreciation for our fans. They've been with us the whole year even though it's been a tough year for us, not the year we expected for ourselves. It's a nice way to finish.

"Hopefully, next year we can bounce back and make a playoff push."

Ending the Wild's domination of the series would also be nice for the Flames. Minnesota has won six straight meetings and 11 of 14, including four in a row and six of seven at home.

The Wild got defenseman Jared Spurgeon back Tuesday after he missed two games with a lower-body injury, they'll be without forward Thomas Vanek through the start of the first round due to an upper-body injury he recently aggravated. Torchetti said after practice Friday that Vanek will be out 'more than a week,' meaning he'll likely miss at least two postseason games.

Parise could also sit out Saturday to rest various bumps and bruises.

Calgary's Joe Colburne had a goal and two assists Thursday, giving him three and eight in his last six.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Maple Leafs (29-41) at Devils (37-36)

Date: April 09, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Though their matchup Saturday night is the last time the Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils will play until the fall, maybe only one of them truly wants to win it.

While it's clear the Devils' players want to close with a victory - especially with this possibly being Patrik Elias' finale - the Maple Leafs could have a much better chance for the draft's top overall pick if they lose in New Jersey.

'Drafting for our organization is very important,' said Mike Babcock, capping a dreadful first season behind Toronto's bench. 'We've taken it on the chin all year so we can be set up for it. At the same time, we have to respect one another in the game and play it the right way.'

The Maple Leafs (29-41-11) will have a 20 percent chance of winning the draft lottery by finishing with the fewest points in the NHL. They're tied with Edmonton, which closes against Vancouver on Saturday. Toronto's odds for the No. 1 pick - likely to be Swiss center Auston Matthews - dip to 13.5 percent if the Oilers finish with a worse record. If the teams end up tied, Toronto gets the better lottery odds because Edmonton has more regulation wins.

As the Leafs miss the playoffs for the 10th time in 11 seasons and third straight, the Devils (37-36-8) failed to qualify for a fourth consecutive year. They had the sixth-most points in the Eastern Conference through Feb. 14 but have since gone 8-15-1.

New Jersey was still mathematically alive last week but has lost four in a row. Yet, it sounds like the team is intent on closing on a positive note.

'We haven't played our best hockey, you've seen that the past few games,' center Travis Zajac said. "... But I think when you look back, we've made some strides. We just gotta make sure we end it the right way."

Rookie Sergey Kalinin felt similarly following his first two-goal game in Thursday's 4-2 loss to Tampa Bay.

'It's nice for the emotion to score, but you don't want to lose. We have to win (Saturday),' said Kalinin, who ended a 19-game goal drought.

While Kalinin is part of the Devils' future, this could be the swan song for Elias. The franchise's career leader with 1,022 points and 407 goals turns 40 next week and his contract is set to expire.

Elias has played just 15 games this season and two since coming back from knee surgery, so it's unclear if he wants to return or retire. He's spent all 20 of his seasons with New Jersey.

He's likely to receive some sort of tribute from the Prudential Center crowd, as will former general manager Lou Lamoriello. This is his first game back in New Jersey since becoming Toronto's GM after being the architect of three Stanley Cup-winning teams for the Devils.

New Jersey could have a 30-goal scorer for the first time since 2011-12, with Kyle Palmieri at 29 and Adam Henrique 28, despite ranking last with 2.19 per game. Toronto isn't far ahead at 2.36 and doesn't have anyone who has even reached 20 goals.

The Devils lost 3-2 in shootouts in both meetings this season but are 4-0-4 in the last eight. The only one Cory Schneider didn't start was the most recent Feb. 4, posting a 1.64 goals-against average in the other seven.

Schneider is seeking a career-high 27th win but has lost his last six starts and nine of 10 with a 3.13 GAA.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blackhawks (47-26) at Blue Jackets (32-40)

Date: April 09, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Chicago Blackhawks' title defense will begin on the road, and they're banking on having two-time Stanley Cup-winning goaltender Corey Crawford in their net.

Crawford is not expected to go into the postseason cold and will likely get his chance to prepare Saturday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets, his first start in nearly a month.

Chicago (47-26-8) ended its pursuit of home-ice advantage for the opening round when it blew a late lead in a 2-1 overtime loss to St. Louis on Thursday. In his 11th consecutive start, Scott Darling yielded the tying goal with 1:16 remaining in regulation.

The Blackhawks will head to Dallas or St. Louis to begin their quest for a second straight Cup and their fourth in seven years. The Stars and Blues, who both play their regular-season finales Saturday night, each have 107 points with Dallas owning the non-shootout wins tiebreaker.

It's unclear how short-handed Chicago will be for that playoff opener, aside from Duncan Keith wrapping up his six-game suspension. Artem Anisimov (upper body), Marian Hossa (lower body) and Andrew Shaw (upper body) won't play in Columbus, but Hossa appears the closest to returning as he participate in a morning skate Thursday.

Crawford also took part and could make his first start since March 14. He has missed the past 11 games because of an upper-body injury.

"We got him targeted for Saturday," coach Joel Quenneville said.

Crawford was in net for the Blackhawks' 4-1 victory over Columbus on Oct. 17, making 22 saves in the team's 14th win in 16 matchups. Chicago is 9-0-1 in its last 10 at Nationwide Arena.

Patrick Kane will likely get the chance to finish off his first NHL scoring crown and make his final case for league MVP. Kane, who has 103 points, is also still in faint contention for the goal-scoring title, but Washington's Alex Ovechkin has 47 to Kane's 44 and two games left to play.

Kane scored an empty-net goal in the victory in October and has a five-game point streak against the Blue Jackets (33-40-8).

Linemate Artemi Panarin can claim a $1.725 million bonus if he finishes in the top-10 forwards in goals, assists, points or points per game. He is currently ninth with 74 points, tied for 11th with 0.94 ppg (0.01 behind the top 10) and tied for 11th with 46 assists (one behind the top 10).

Panarin had two assists against the Blue Jackets.

Columbus is set to finish last in the Metropolitan Division, but it can end its campaign with its first three-game win streak since Nov. 13-17 and second this season. The Blue Jackets have beaten a pair of eliminated teams by a combined 9-2 in back-to-back road victories.

Ex-Blackhawks forward Brandon Saad capped the scoring in Friday's 4-1 win against Buffalo with his career-best 30th goal and sixth in five games. The Blue Jackets have a pair of 30-goal scorers for the first time with Boone Jenner reaching that mark April 2.

"(Saad is) a huge part of our team and I'm glad," coach John Tortorella said. "Although we're done after (Saturday), it's nice for those guys to have those types of milestones. And we expect more of it when we get going next year."

Saad didn't register a point in his only matchup with his former club.