CareerBuilder Challenge
Tournament: CareerBuilder Challenge
Date: Thursday, January 19
Venue: Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course
Location: La Quinta, California
The 2017 PGA Tour season is starting to hit full stride as we approach February and the talk of the tour so far has been the phenomenal play of Justin Thomas. Thomas won back-to-back tournaments in Hawaii over the past two weeks to give him three wins already in this young season. Thankfully for the players that are in this week's CareerBuilder Challenge, Thomas is not in the field, but there are some quality names looking to notch their first win of the campaign.
The CareerBuilder Challenge is played on a collection of three different courses in Palm Desert, and La Quinta, California, with all three of them being Par 72. None of the courses are particularly hard, as the winner of this event has posted a -22 or better score every year since 2008 and many more times previous. Guys that are long hitters and know how to score typically have success at this event and it will be Jason Dufner who will be defending the crown after winning with a -25 score in a playoff over David Lingmerth a year ago.
With that out of the way, let's look at a few guys you should consider when trying to pick the winner for this event.
Golfers to Watch
Patrick Reed (+1600) – Reed established himself as one of the best players on Tour in 2016 and he enters this event as the favorite. Reed has phenomenal skills and passion for the game and his T6 finish in the SBS Tournament of Champions event in Hawaii two weeks ago shows that he's started 2017 in solid form. If he can get locked in with his approach shots early in the week, Reed can catch fire in a hurry and put up solid rounds that will have him in contention by Sunday afternoon. Taking favorites in golf betting can be troublesome, but the +1600 odds aren't bad at all in terms of value.
Emiliano Grillo (+2500) – Grillo does have some concerns attached to him as he hasn't teed it up in tournament play on the PGA Tour since the Hero World Challenge in early December, but fatigue had definitely started to play a factor in this game. The time off from competition should have given this young phenom the mental refresher he needed to get back out there and become a breakout star in 2017. He did not play in this event a year ago and guys playing these courses for the first time are at a disadvantage, but with Top 25 finishes in all four events he's played this season, Grillo will find a way to be in contention on Sunday. He's got tremendous accuracy in his long game and if his putter gets going, the rest of the field will be in tough.
Kevin Na (+4000) – Na finished T3 in this tournament a year ago with a -21 score as it was his 71 on the opening day that really put him behind the eight ball. But this young American has to be entering this week feeling confident about his chances after posting a tournament low round of 62 together in Round 3 (Lingmerth did it that day as well) and at 40-1, the amalgamation of price and value fits rather nicely with him.
Adam Hadwin (+8000) – Like Na, Hadwin had a great showing at this event a year ago, finishing with a score of -20 (T6) for the tournament. But it was his final round 72 playing in the final pairing that saw his hopes of winning crumble and that experience should help him tremendously 12 months later. Hadwin is not a guy that has experienced much time atop the leaderboard throughout his career, and the long layoff (hasn't played since late November) could be a cause for concern. But, Hadwin did have T10 and T11 finishes in his two most recent events and even with the potential rust, the return to the event where he almost notched his first career PGA Tour victory a year ago should help him work his way into contention by Sunday.
Odds to win CareerBuilder Challenge -
Patrick Reed 16/1
Bill Haas 22/1
Phil Mickelson 22/1
Emiliano Grillo 25/1
Francesco Molinari 25/1
Zach Johnson 26/1
Charles Howell III 30/1
Paul Casey 30/1
Brendan Steele 33/1
Jamie Lovemark 33/1
Jason Dufner 33/1
Jon Rahm 33/1
Kevin Kisner 33/1
Russell Henley 33/1
Kevin Na 40/1
Charley Hoffman 50/1
Chez Reavie 50/1
Chris Kirk 50/1
Hudson Swafford 50/1
Kevin Streelman 50/1
Luke List 50/1
Martin Laird 50/1
Ryan Palmer 50/1
Scott Piercy 50/1
Webb Simpson 50/1
Lucas Glover 55/1
Sean O'Hair 60/1
David Lingmerth 65/1
Brian Harman 66/1
William McGirt 70/1
Keegan Bradley 75/1
Adam Hadwin 80/1
Anirban Lahiri 80/1
Brandon Stone 80/1
Cameron Smith 80/1
Grayson Murray 80/1
John Huh 80/1
Soren Kjeldsen 80/1
Roberto Castro 90/1
Aaron Baddeley 100/1
Blayne Barber 100/1
Bryson Dechambeau 100/1
Cameron Tringale 100/1
Fabian Gomez 100/1
Graham Delaet 100/1
Harold Varner III 100/1
Jhonattan Vegas 100/1
Patton Kizzire 100/1
Stewart Cink 100/1
Aaron Wise 125/1
Alex Cejka 125/1
Ben Martin 125/1
Brian Stuard 125/1
Camilo Villegas 125/1
Daniel Summerhays 125/1
Danny Lee 125/1
Geoff Ogilvy 125/1
Michael Thompson 125/1
Nick Watney 125/1
Robert Garrigus 125/1
Ryo Ishikawa 125/1
Shawn Stefani 125/1
Smylie Kaufman 125/1
Ben Crane 150/1
Brian Gay 150/1
Bryce Molder 150/1
Chad Campbell 150/1
Cheng Tsung Pan 150/1
Jerry Kelly 150/1
John Peterson 150/1
John Senden 150/1
Johnson Wagner 150/1
Michael Kim 150/1
Ollie Schniederjans 150/1
Ryan Brehm 150/1
Seung-Yul Noh 150/1
Vaughn Taylor 150/1
Wesley Bryan 150/1
Whee Kim 150/1
Andrew Loupe 175/1
Brett Stegmaier 200/1
Bud Cauley 200/1
Colt Knost 200/1
David Hearn 200/1
Derek Fathauer 200/1
Jason Bohn 200/1
Kelly Kraft 200/1
Martin Flores 200/1
Rory Sabbatini 200/1
Ryan Blaum 200/1
Sam Saunders 200/1
Seamus Power 200/1
Sung Kang 200/1
Tim Wilkinson 200/1
Trey Mullinax 200/1
Xander Schauffele 200/1
Zac Blair 200/1
Andres Gonzales 250/1
Boo Weekley 250/1
Brandon Hagy 250/1
Chad Collins 250/1
Gonzalo Fdez-castano 250/1
Jon Curran 250/1
Jonas Blixt 250/1
Kyle Reifers 250/1
Mark Wilson 250/1
Nick Taylor 250/1
Richy Werenski 250/1
Ricky Barnes 250/1
Scott Brown 250/1
Scott Stallings 250/1
Spencer Levin 250/1
Will MacKenzie 250/1
Angel Cabrera 300/1
Bobby Wyatt 300/1
Cameron Percy 300/1
J.J. Spaun 300/1
J.T. Poston 300/1
Kevin Tway 300/1
Peter Malnati 300/1
Steve Marino 300/1
Troy Merritt 300/1
Tyrone Van Aswegen 300/1
Carl Pettersson 350/1
Jonathan Randolph 350/1
Bob Estes 400/1
Brad Fritsch 400/1
Brett Drewitt 400/1
D.A. Points 400/1
Dominic Bozzelli 400/1
Hunter Mahan 400/1
Mark Hubbard 400/1
Max Homa 400/1
Miguel Angel Carballo 400/1
Ryan Armour 400/1
Tag Ridings 400/1
Brian Campbell 500/1
Charlie Beljan 500/1
D.J. Trahan 500/1
J.J. Henry 500/1
Julian Etulain 500/1
Ken Duke 500/1
Mark Anderson 500/1
Matt Every 500/1
Nicholas Lindheim 500/1
Rick Lamb 500/1
Steven Alker 500/1
Zack Sucher 500/1
Kenny Pigman 750/1
Sebastian Munoz 750/1
John Cook 1000/1
Mark Brooks 1000/1
Steven Bowditch 1000/1
Tournament: CareerBuilder Challenge
Date: Thursday, January 19
Venue: Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course
Location: La Quinta, California
The 2017 PGA Tour season is starting to hit full stride as we approach February and the talk of the tour so far has been the phenomenal play of Justin Thomas. Thomas won back-to-back tournaments in Hawaii over the past two weeks to give him three wins already in this young season. Thankfully for the players that are in this week's CareerBuilder Challenge, Thomas is not in the field, but there are some quality names looking to notch their first win of the campaign.
The CareerBuilder Challenge is played on a collection of three different courses in Palm Desert, and La Quinta, California, with all three of them being Par 72. None of the courses are particularly hard, as the winner of this event has posted a -22 or better score every year since 2008 and many more times previous. Guys that are long hitters and know how to score typically have success at this event and it will be Jason Dufner who will be defending the crown after winning with a -25 score in a playoff over David Lingmerth a year ago.
With that out of the way, let's look at a few guys you should consider when trying to pick the winner for this event.
Golfers to Watch
Patrick Reed (+1600) – Reed established himself as one of the best players on Tour in 2016 and he enters this event as the favorite. Reed has phenomenal skills and passion for the game and his T6 finish in the SBS Tournament of Champions event in Hawaii two weeks ago shows that he's started 2017 in solid form. If he can get locked in with his approach shots early in the week, Reed can catch fire in a hurry and put up solid rounds that will have him in contention by Sunday afternoon. Taking favorites in golf betting can be troublesome, but the +1600 odds aren't bad at all in terms of value.
Emiliano Grillo (+2500) – Grillo does have some concerns attached to him as he hasn't teed it up in tournament play on the PGA Tour since the Hero World Challenge in early December, but fatigue had definitely started to play a factor in this game. The time off from competition should have given this young phenom the mental refresher he needed to get back out there and become a breakout star in 2017. He did not play in this event a year ago and guys playing these courses for the first time are at a disadvantage, but with Top 25 finishes in all four events he's played this season, Grillo will find a way to be in contention on Sunday. He's got tremendous accuracy in his long game and if his putter gets going, the rest of the field will be in tough.
Kevin Na (+4000) – Na finished T3 in this tournament a year ago with a -21 score as it was his 71 on the opening day that really put him behind the eight ball. But this young American has to be entering this week feeling confident about his chances after posting a tournament low round of 62 together in Round 3 (Lingmerth did it that day as well) and at 40-1, the amalgamation of price and value fits rather nicely with him.
Adam Hadwin (+8000) – Like Na, Hadwin had a great showing at this event a year ago, finishing with a score of -20 (T6) for the tournament. But it was his final round 72 playing in the final pairing that saw his hopes of winning crumble and that experience should help him tremendously 12 months later. Hadwin is not a guy that has experienced much time atop the leaderboard throughout his career, and the long layoff (hasn't played since late November) could be a cause for concern. But, Hadwin did have T10 and T11 finishes in his two most recent events and even with the potential rust, the return to the event where he almost notched his first career PGA Tour victory a year ago should help him work his way into contention by Sunday.
Odds to win CareerBuilder Challenge -
Patrick Reed 16/1
Bill Haas 22/1
Phil Mickelson 22/1
Emiliano Grillo 25/1
Francesco Molinari 25/1
Zach Johnson 26/1
Charles Howell III 30/1
Paul Casey 30/1
Brendan Steele 33/1
Jamie Lovemark 33/1
Jason Dufner 33/1
Jon Rahm 33/1
Kevin Kisner 33/1
Russell Henley 33/1
Kevin Na 40/1
Charley Hoffman 50/1
Chez Reavie 50/1
Chris Kirk 50/1
Hudson Swafford 50/1
Kevin Streelman 50/1
Luke List 50/1
Martin Laird 50/1
Ryan Palmer 50/1
Scott Piercy 50/1
Webb Simpson 50/1
Lucas Glover 55/1
Sean O'Hair 60/1
David Lingmerth 65/1
Brian Harman 66/1
William McGirt 70/1
Keegan Bradley 75/1
Adam Hadwin 80/1
Anirban Lahiri 80/1
Brandon Stone 80/1
Cameron Smith 80/1
Grayson Murray 80/1
John Huh 80/1
Soren Kjeldsen 80/1
Roberto Castro 90/1
Aaron Baddeley 100/1
Blayne Barber 100/1
Bryson Dechambeau 100/1
Cameron Tringale 100/1
Fabian Gomez 100/1
Graham Delaet 100/1
Harold Varner III 100/1
Jhonattan Vegas 100/1
Patton Kizzire 100/1
Stewart Cink 100/1
Aaron Wise 125/1
Alex Cejka 125/1
Ben Martin 125/1
Brian Stuard 125/1
Camilo Villegas 125/1
Daniel Summerhays 125/1
Danny Lee 125/1
Geoff Ogilvy 125/1
Michael Thompson 125/1
Nick Watney 125/1
Robert Garrigus 125/1
Ryo Ishikawa 125/1
Shawn Stefani 125/1
Smylie Kaufman 125/1
Ben Crane 150/1
Brian Gay 150/1
Bryce Molder 150/1
Chad Campbell 150/1
Cheng Tsung Pan 150/1
Jerry Kelly 150/1
John Peterson 150/1
John Senden 150/1
Johnson Wagner 150/1
Michael Kim 150/1
Ollie Schniederjans 150/1
Ryan Brehm 150/1
Seung-Yul Noh 150/1
Vaughn Taylor 150/1
Wesley Bryan 150/1
Whee Kim 150/1
Andrew Loupe 175/1
Brett Stegmaier 200/1
Bud Cauley 200/1
Colt Knost 200/1
David Hearn 200/1
Derek Fathauer 200/1
Jason Bohn 200/1
Kelly Kraft 200/1
Martin Flores 200/1
Rory Sabbatini 200/1
Ryan Blaum 200/1
Sam Saunders 200/1
Seamus Power 200/1
Sung Kang 200/1
Tim Wilkinson 200/1
Trey Mullinax 200/1
Xander Schauffele 200/1
Zac Blair 200/1
Andres Gonzales 250/1
Boo Weekley 250/1
Brandon Hagy 250/1
Chad Collins 250/1
Gonzalo Fdez-castano 250/1
Jon Curran 250/1
Jonas Blixt 250/1
Kyle Reifers 250/1
Mark Wilson 250/1
Nick Taylor 250/1
Richy Werenski 250/1
Ricky Barnes 250/1
Scott Brown 250/1
Scott Stallings 250/1
Spencer Levin 250/1
Will MacKenzie 250/1
Angel Cabrera 300/1
Bobby Wyatt 300/1
Cameron Percy 300/1
J.J. Spaun 300/1
J.T. Poston 300/1
Kevin Tway 300/1
Peter Malnati 300/1
Steve Marino 300/1
Troy Merritt 300/1
Tyrone Van Aswegen 300/1
Carl Pettersson 350/1
Jonathan Randolph 350/1
Bob Estes 400/1
Brad Fritsch 400/1
Brett Drewitt 400/1
D.A. Points 400/1
Dominic Bozzelli 400/1
Hunter Mahan 400/1
Mark Hubbard 400/1
Max Homa 400/1
Miguel Angel Carballo 400/1
Ryan Armour 400/1
Tag Ridings 400/1
Brian Campbell 500/1
Charlie Beljan 500/1
D.J. Trahan 500/1
J.J. Henry 500/1
Julian Etulain 500/1
Ken Duke 500/1
Mark Anderson 500/1
Matt Every 500/1
Nicholas Lindheim 500/1
Rick Lamb 500/1
Steven Alker 500/1
Zack Sucher 500/1
Kenny Pigman 750/1
Sebastian Munoz 750/1
John Cook 1000/1
Mark Brooks 1000/1
Steven Bowditch 1000/1
10 Players to Watch: CareerBuilder Challenge
By Tom LaMarre, The Sports Xchange
1. Patrick Reed, United States -- Coming off a tie for sixth in the SBS Tournament of Champions two weeks ago despite fighting an illness, Reed returns to the California desert where he won what was then the Humana Challenge in 2014. He started with three straight scores of 63, setting a PGA Tour record of 27-under-par for 54 holes, to build a seven-stroke lead. Even though he didn't have the same stuff in the last round, he closed with a 71 that was highlighted by a 15-foot birdie putt at the 15th hole and held off Ryan Palmer by two strokes. Reed, the highest-ranked player in the field this week at No. 9 in the world, is playing in the old Bob Hope Classic for the fourth time and a tie for 24th as defending champion two years ago is his second-best result.
2. Bill Haas, United States -- It's safe to say that this probably is Haas' favorite regular-season event on the PGA Tour since two of his six victories on the circuit have come in the California desert. He won what was still the Bob Hope Classic, a 90-hole event, for his first title in 2010 by closing with a 64 that beat Tim Clark of South Africa, Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar by one stroke. Two years ago, Haas shot 63 in the second round and eventually held off five players by one shot, saying he surprised himself since he was coming off a broken wrist that hampered him in 2014. He is playing in the event for the 13th time and also lost in a playoff to Jhonattan Vegas in his title defense in 2011, tied for sixth in 2014 and tied for ninth last year. Haas has finished in the top 20 in all four of his starts in the new season.
3. Jason Dufner, United States -- The defending champion in the CareerBuilder Challenge, Duf claimed his fourth PGA Tour victory last year with a five-foot par putt on the second playoff hole to turn back David Lingmerth of Sweden. He claimed his first title since the 2013 PGA Championship thanks to a remarkable save from the rocks after nearly hitting into the water on the 17th hole while closing with a 70 (after he started 64-65-64), and then stayed alive with an 11-foot par putt on the first extra hole. Dufner is playing in the tournament for the eighth time and his best previous finish was a tie for 12th in 2012, when he shot 63 in the second round. He is playing for the third time this season, having finished 21st in the WGC-HSBC Champions, where he opened with 68-68 but played the weekend in 72-75, and he shot 65-73 to miss the cut last week at the Sony Open in Hawaii.
4. Phil Mickelson, United States -- Lefty has been on the commitment list for quite some time, but he might not know for sure until the last minute if he can play in the tournament because he is coming off two hernia surgeries in recent months. He will be on the scene for one of his favorite tournaments one way or the other because he now is the CareerBuilder Challenge's ambassador, a position formerly held by Arnold Palmer and former President Bill Clinton. Mickelson has played in the tournament 13 times previously and won it in 2002 in a playoff over David Berganio Jr., and in 2004 in a playoff over Jeff Sluman, for two of his 42 PGA Tour victories. He tied for third last year, tied for fifth in 2006 and tied for sixth in 2003. In his only start of the new season, Mickelson tied for eighth in the Safeway Open in October before the first of his surgeries.
5. Francesco Molinari, Italy -- Making his first start of 2017 on either major tour, Molinari hopes to continue riding the hot streak he has been on since he captured the Italian Open by one stroke over Danny Willett of England in September for his sixth professional victory. He later tied for sixth in the WGC-HSBC Champions in China and tied for fourth in both the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open and the DP World Tour Championship-Dubai. Molinari's finish in the European Tour finale left him 19th in the Race to Dubai standings and he was the only player in the top 20 to compete in fewer than 10 events. He played eighth, while Rory McIlroy, who played 14, finished fifth. Molinari will tee it up for the third time in the CareerBuilder Challenge and he was in the hunt much of the way two years ago after opening with 64 on his way to a tie for 10th, but he managed only a tie for 62nd last year.
6. Zach Johnson, United States -- Following what was a down year for the two-time major champion, Johnson got 2017 off to a strong start last week when he tied for sixth at the Sony Open in Hawaii, highlighted by a 61 in round two. He posted only five top-10 finishes last season and really hasn't played his best golf since he won the 2015 Open Championship at St. Andrews by beating Marc Leishman of Australia and Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa in a four-hole aggregate playoff. His only sustained run of success last year came when he posted four straight top-20 results, highlighted by a tie for eighth in the U.S. Open at Oakmont. Zach is making his seventh appearance in the CareerBuilder Challenge and he missed the cut the last two years after posting his best result in 2014, a tie for third. He closed with a 62 that year and wound up three strokes behind winner Patrick Reed.
7. Emilano Grillo, Argentina -- The PGA Tour's Rookie of the Year in 2016 will tee it up for the first time this year and is making his debut in the CareerBuilder Challenge. He started the new season with a solid run late last year, as after tying for 26th in the Safeway Open, he tied for 17th in the CIMB Classic in Malaysia, finished solo 11th in the WGC-HSBC Champions and tied for 10th in the CIMB Classic at Mayakoba. In his first PGA Tour event as a full-fledged member, Grillo beat Kevin Na with a three-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole of the 2015-16 opener, the Frys.com Open. The Argentine got into the playoff by sinking a 25-foot birdie putt on the final hole of regulation to close out a 69. He nearly became a two-time winner in his first season on the circuit, but Alex Cejka of Germany beat him and two others with a birdie on the first extra hole at the Puerto Rico Open.
8. Jon Rahm, Spain -- The Spaniard earned his PGA Tour card in only five starts after coming out of Arizona State last year, most notably tying for second in the RBC Canadian Open and tying for third in the Quicken Loans National, where he impressed tournament host Tiger Woods. Rahm joined Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth and only five other players in history to earn their PGA cards on the course right out of college. He started his first full season on the circuit with ties for 15th in both the Safeway Open and the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open last fall. He showed he could play with the big boys when he tied for fifth in the 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open and tied for 10th in the 2016 OHL Classic at Mayakoba, before tying for 23rd in the U.S. Open last June to finish as low amateur.
9. Charles Howell III, United States -- Even though Howell hasn't won since his second PGA Tour victory in the 2007 Nissan Open, he continues to put up good results and started the new season with four finishes in the top 25, including a tie for seventh in the OHL Classic at Mayakoba and a tie for eighth last week at the Sony Open in Hawaii. He is making his 12th appearance in what is now the CareerBuilder Challenge and came close to breaking through for another victory in 2013. Howell closed with a 64 to land in a playoff with David Lingmerth of Sweden and Brian Gay, who won with a five-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole. Howell's only other top-10 finish in what was then the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic was a tie for sixth in 2002, the first year he played in the California desert.
10. Jamie Lovemark, United States -- The 2007 NCAA champion from USC might finally be on the verge of the stardom that was predicted for him when he turned pro and was the 2010 Nationwide Tour (now Web.com Tour) Player of the Year before a back injury derailed him. He started the year with a tie for fourth last week at the Sony Open in Hawaii after tying for sixth in his previous start at the RSM Classic in November. Lovemark, who won twice on the Nationwide Tour, still has not claimed a victory on the PGA Tour, but twice has lost in playoffs, including last year to Brian Stuard on the second extra hole at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. He is making his sixth start in what is now the CareerBuilder Challenge and his best previous result was a tie for 48th in 2009 before he made a run for the title last year. Lovemark opened with three 65s, but a 73 in the final round left him in a tie for sixth.
By Tom LaMarre, The Sports Xchange
1. Patrick Reed, United States -- Coming off a tie for sixth in the SBS Tournament of Champions two weeks ago despite fighting an illness, Reed returns to the California desert where he won what was then the Humana Challenge in 2014. He started with three straight scores of 63, setting a PGA Tour record of 27-under-par for 54 holes, to build a seven-stroke lead. Even though he didn't have the same stuff in the last round, he closed with a 71 that was highlighted by a 15-foot birdie putt at the 15th hole and held off Ryan Palmer by two strokes. Reed, the highest-ranked player in the field this week at No. 9 in the world, is playing in the old Bob Hope Classic for the fourth time and a tie for 24th as defending champion two years ago is his second-best result.
2. Bill Haas, United States -- It's safe to say that this probably is Haas' favorite regular-season event on the PGA Tour since two of his six victories on the circuit have come in the California desert. He won what was still the Bob Hope Classic, a 90-hole event, for his first title in 2010 by closing with a 64 that beat Tim Clark of South Africa, Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar by one stroke. Two years ago, Haas shot 63 in the second round and eventually held off five players by one shot, saying he surprised himself since he was coming off a broken wrist that hampered him in 2014. He is playing in the event for the 13th time and also lost in a playoff to Jhonattan Vegas in his title defense in 2011, tied for sixth in 2014 and tied for ninth last year. Haas has finished in the top 20 in all four of his starts in the new season.
3. Jason Dufner, United States -- The defending champion in the CareerBuilder Challenge, Duf claimed his fourth PGA Tour victory last year with a five-foot par putt on the second playoff hole to turn back David Lingmerth of Sweden. He claimed his first title since the 2013 PGA Championship thanks to a remarkable save from the rocks after nearly hitting into the water on the 17th hole while closing with a 70 (after he started 64-65-64), and then stayed alive with an 11-foot par putt on the first extra hole. Dufner is playing in the tournament for the eighth time and his best previous finish was a tie for 12th in 2012, when he shot 63 in the second round. He is playing for the third time this season, having finished 21st in the WGC-HSBC Champions, where he opened with 68-68 but played the weekend in 72-75, and he shot 65-73 to miss the cut last week at the Sony Open in Hawaii.
4. Phil Mickelson, United States -- Lefty has been on the commitment list for quite some time, but he might not know for sure until the last minute if he can play in the tournament because he is coming off two hernia surgeries in recent months. He will be on the scene for one of his favorite tournaments one way or the other because he now is the CareerBuilder Challenge's ambassador, a position formerly held by Arnold Palmer and former President Bill Clinton. Mickelson has played in the tournament 13 times previously and won it in 2002 in a playoff over David Berganio Jr., and in 2004 in a playoff over Jeff Sluman, for two of his 42 PGA Tour victories. He tied for third last year, tied for fifth in 2006 and tied for sixth in 2003. In his only start of the new season, Mickelson tied for eighth in the Safeway Open in October before the first of his surgeries.
5. Francesco Molinari, Italy -- Making his first start of 2017 on either major tour, Molinari hopes to continue riding the hot streak he has been on since he captured the Italian Open by one stroke over Danny Willett of England in September for his sixth professional victory. He later tied for sixth in the WGC-HSBC Champions in China and tied for fourth in both the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open and the DP World Tour Championship-Dubai. Molinari's finish in the European Tour finale left him 19th in the Race to Dubai standings and he was the only player in the top 20 to compete in fewer than 10 events. He played eighth, while Rory McIlroy, who played 14, finished fifth. Molinari will tee it up for the third time in the CareerBuilder Challenge and he was in the hunt much of the way two years ago after opening with 64 on his way to a tie for 10th, but he managed only a tie for 62nd last year.
6. Zach Johnson, United States -- Following what was a down year for the two-time major champion, Johnson got 2017 off to a strong start last week when he tied for sixth at the Sony Open in Hawaii, highlighted by a 61 in round two. He posted only five top-10 finishes last season and really hasn't played his best golf since he won the 2015 Open Championship at St. Andrews by beating Marc Leishman of Australia and Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa in a four-hole aggregate playoff. His only sustained run of success last year came when he posted four straight top-20 results, highlighted by a tie for eighth in the U.S. Open at Oakmont. Zach is making his seventh appearance in the CareerBuilder Challenge and he missed the cut the last two years after posting his best result in 2014, a tie for third. He closed with a 62 that year and wound up three strokes behind winner Patrick Reed.
7. Emilano Grillo, Argentina -- The PGA Tour's Rookie of the Year in 2016 will tee it up for the first time this year and is making his debut in the CareerBuilder Challenge. He started the new season with a solid run late last year, as after tying for 26th in the Safeway Open, he tied for 17th in the CIMB Classic in Malaysia, finished solo 11th in the WGC-HSBC Champions and tied for 10th in the CIMB Classic at Mayakoba. In his first PGA Tour event as a full-fledged member, Grillo beat Kevin Na with a three-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole of the 2015-16 opener, the Frys.com Open. The Argentine got into the playoff by sinking a 25-foot birdie putt on the final hole of regulation to close out a 69. He nearly became a two-time winner in his first season on the circuit, but Alex Cejka of Germany beat him and two others with a birdie on the first extra hole at the Puerto Rico Open.
8. Jon Rahm, Spain -- The Spaniard earned his PGA Tour card in only five starts after coming out of Arizona State last year, most notably tying for second in the RBC Canadian Open and tying for third in the Quicken Loans National, where he impressed tournament host Tiger Woods. Rahm joined Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth and only five other players in history to earn their PGA cards on the course right out of college. He started his first full season on the circuit with ties for 15th in both the Safeway Open and the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open last fall. He showed he could play with the big boys when he tied for fifth in the 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open and tied for 10th in the 2016 OHL Classic at Mayakoba, before tying for 23rd in the U.S. Open last June to finish as low amateur.
9. Charles Howell III, United States -- Even though Howell hasn't won since his second PGA Tour victory in the 2007 Nissan Open, he continues to put up good results and started the new season with four finishes in the top 25, including a tie for seventh in the OHL Classic at Mayakoba and a tie for eighth last week at the Sony Open in Hawaii. He is making his 12th appearance in what is now the CareerBuilder Challenge and came close to breaking through for another victory in 2013. Howell closed with a 64 to land in a playoff with David Lingmerth of Sweden and Brian Gay, who won with a five-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole. Howell's only other top-10 finish in what was then the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic was a tie for sixth in 2002, the first year he played in the California desert.
10. Jamie Lovemark, United States -- The 2007 NCAA champion from USC might finally be on the verge of the stardom that was predicted for him when he turned pro and was the 2010 Nationwide Tour (now Web.com Tour) Player of the Year before a back injury derailed him. He started the year with a tie for fourth last week at the Sony Open in Hawaii after tying for sixth in his previous start at the RSM Classic in November. Lovemark, who won twice on the Nationwide Tour, still has not claimed a victory on the PGA Tour, but twice has lost in playoffs, including last year to Brian Stuard on the second extra hole at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. He is making his sixth start in what is now the CareerBuilder Challenge and his best previous result was a tie for 48th in 2009 before he made a run for the title last year. Lovemark opened with three 65s, but a 73 in the final round left him in a tie for sixth.
PGA Tour Picks: CareerBuilder Challenge Odds and Expert Betting Predictions
by Alan Matthews
I have zero problem admitting when I was flat-out wrong, and boy was I on Justin Thomas this past weekend at the Sony Open as the PGA Tour wrapped up its two-event Hawaii Swing. I wasn't real high on Thomas after winning the SBS Tournament of Champions the week before because only one player had ever swept both events in one season and the courses are very different.
Yet all Thomas did at the Sony Open at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu was set a 72-hole PGA Tour record of 253 (27 under, but the total not the strokes under par is the record), breaking the previous mark of 254 set by Tommy Armour III at the 2003 Texas Open. In the first round, Thomas became the youngest player ever with a 59 -- which, if you remember, is no longer the Tour record after Jim Furyk had a 58 last year.
Thomas' worst round of the week were his pair of 65s on the weekend as he won by seven shots over Justin Rose. Thomas two-putted for birdie from 60 feet on the par-5 18th on Sunday to set the record of 253. He is also the first player since Tiger Woods in 2009 (Buick Open and Bridgestone Invitational) to win back-to-back weeks by three shots or more. Thomas joined Johnny Miller (1974 and 1975) and Tiger (2003, 2008, 2013) as the only players since 1970 to win three of their first five starts in a PGA Tour season. Finally, Thomas is up to No. 8 in the world and basically already has qualified for the Tour Championship.
While I was way off on Thomas, I did hit on Rose at +225 as the top European finisher. His 20-under score would have been good enough to win, or have a chance to win, 17 of the last 20 Sony Opens. Rose's worst round was a 66. I also hit on him at -125 over Gary Woodland (-105). My pick to win was Jimmy Walker and he missed the cut. I did get Jordan Spieth (third) for a Top 10 at -185 and Marc Leishman at +135 as top Aussie.
This week the Tour begins the California Swing in La Quinta with the CareerBuilder Challenge, which used to be sponsored by the Clinton Foundation. David Duval shot a 59 at this tournament at the PGA West Course back in 1999 when it was the Bob Hope Classic and a five-round event. Phil Mickelson is a "tournament ambassador" and was on the original entry list but it's not 100 percent he will play off surgery to repair a sports hernia. He hasn't played since the Safeway Open to kick off the 2016-17 season in October. Lefty says he may not decide on playing until Wednesday.
American Jason Dufner is the defending champion. He and Sweden's David Lingmerth finished 72 holes at 25 under and headed to a playoff. Dufner had a nice par save on the first extra hole in getting up-and-down from a bunker while Lingmerth missed his 23-foot birdie try. On the next hole, Lingmerth's approach went into the water and Dufner drained his par from 5 feet for his first win since the 2013 PGA Championship. This is played over three courses: the TPC Stadium Course at PGA West, Nicklaus Tournament Course and La Quinta Country Club over the first three days and then only the Stadium Course on Sunday.
Golf Odds: CareerBuilder Challenge Favorites
No super-heavy favorite this week with many of the world's top-ranked players not in attendance. Patrick Reed is the +1600 favorite . He won this event in 2014 at 28-under by two shots over Ryan Palmer. Reed hasn't had a Top-20 here the past two years. He was off last week following a T6 at the SBS Tournament of Champions.
Italy's Francesco Molinari, Mickelson, Bill Haas and Zack Johnson are all +2000. Molinari hasn't finished worse than sixth in his past four worldwide events. He was 62nd here last year but 10th in 2015. Mickelson won here in 2002 & '04 and was third last year. But even if he plays, he's going to be really rusty as Mickelson has barely touched a club since the surgery.
Haas won here in 2015 -- I picked him then -- and 2010. He was ninth last year and 13th last week in Hawaii. Johnson was T6 last week but has missed the cut here the past two years.
Golf Odds: CareerBuilder Challenge Picks
Twelve of the past 13 Challenge winners have been U.S.-born champions. The only one who wasn't was Venezuela's Jhonattan Vegas in 2011. For a Top 10, I'll go with Reed (+125), Haas (+200) and Lingmerth (+500). He also lost a playoff in 2013.
Head-to-head, go with Chris Kirk (even) over Webb Simpson (-130), Jon Rahm (-125) over Charles Howell III (-105), Haas (-125) over Paul Casey (-105), Reed (-155) over Molinari (+120) and Jamie Lovemark (-130) over Kevin Na (-110).
I may throw a few dollars on Lovemark to win at +3300 as he has been Top 10 in his past two tournaments and was sixth here a year ago. But Haas is the clear Horse for the Course with 39 straight under-par rounds at this event and the all-time money leader there. He's the pick.
by Alan Matthews
I have zero problem admitting when I was flat-out wrong, and boy was I on Justin Thomas this past weekend at the Sony Open as the PGA Tour wrapped up its two-event Hawaii Swing. I wasn't real high on Thomas after winning the SBS Tournament of Champions the week before because only one player had ever swept both events in one season and the courses are very different.
Yet all Thomas did at the Sony Open at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu was set a 72-hole PGA Tour record of 253 (27 under, but the total not the strokes under par is the record), breaking the previous mark of 254 set by Tommy Armour III at the 2003 Texas Open. In the first round, Thomas became the youngest player ever with a 59 -- which, if you remember, is no longer the Tour record after Jim Furyk had a 58 last year.
Thomas' worst round of the week were his pair of 65s on the weekend as he won by seven shots over Justin Rose. Thomas two-putted for birdie from 60 feet on the par-5 18th on Sunday to set the record of 253. He is also the first player since Tiger Woods in 2009 (Buick Open and Bridgestone Invitational) to win back-to-back weeks by three shots or more. Thomas joined Johnny Miller (1974 and 1975) and Tiger (2003, 2008, 2013) as the only players since 1970 to win three of their first five starts in a PGA Tour season. Finally, Thomas is up to No. 8 in the world and basically already has qualified for the Tour Championship.
While I was way off on Thomas, I did hit on Rose at +225 as the top European finisher. His 20-under score would have been good enough to win, or have a chance to win, 17 of the last 20 Sony Opens. Rose's worst round was a 66. I also hit on him at -125 over Gary Woodland (-105). My pick to win was Jimmy Walker and he missed the cut. I did get Jordan Spieth (third) for a Top 10 at -185 and Marc Leishman at +135 as top Aussie.
This week the Tour begins the California Swing in La Quinta with the CareerBuilder Challenge, which used to be sponsored by the Clinton Foundation. David Duval shot a 59 at this tournament at the PGA West Course back in 1999 when it was the Bob Hope Classic and a five-round event. Phil Mickelson is a "tournament ambassador" and was on the original entry list but it's not 100 percent he will play off surgery to repair a sports hernia. He hasn't played since the Safeway Open to kick off the 2016-17 season in October. Lefty says he may not decide on playing until Wednesday.
American Jason Dufner is the defending champion. He and Sweden's David Lingmerth finished 72 holes at 25 under and headed to a playoff. Dufner had a nice par save on the first extra hole in getting up-and-down from a bunker while Lingmerth missed his 23-foot birdie try. On the next hole, Lingmerth's approach went into the water and Dufner drained his par from 5 feet for his first win since the 2013 PGA Championship. This is played over three courses: the TPC Stadium Course at PGA West, Nicklaus Tournament Course and La Quinta Country Club over the first three days and then only the Stadium Course on Sunday.
Golf Odds: CareerBuilder Challenge Favorites
No super-heavy favorite this week with many of the world's top-ranked players not in attendance. Patrick Reed is the +1600 favorite . He won this event in 2014 at 28-under by two shots over Ryan Palmer. Reed hasn't had a Top-20 here the past two years. He was off last week following a T6 at the SBS Tournament of Champions.
Italy's Francesco Molinari, Mickelson, Bill Haas and Zack Johnson are all +2000. Molinari hasn't finished worse than sixth in his past four worldwide events. He was 62nd here last year but 10th in 2015. Mickelson won here in 2002 & '04 and was third last year. But even if he plays, he's going to be really rusty as Mickelson has barely touched a club since the surgery.
Haas won here in 2015 -- I picked him then -- and 2010. He was ninth last year and 13th last week in Hawaii. Johnson was T6 last week but has missed the cut here the past two years.
Golf Odds: CareerBuilder Challenge Picks
Twelve of the past 13 Challenge winners have been U.S.-born champions. The only one who wasn't was Venezuela's Jhonattan Vegas in 2011. For a Top 10, I'll go with Reed (+125), Haas (+200) and Lingmerth (+500). He also lost a playoff in 2013.
Head-to-head, go with Chris Kirk (even) over Webb Simpson (-130), Jon Rahm (-125) over Charles Howell III (-105), Haas (-125) over Paul Casey (-105), Reed (-155) over Molinari (+120) and Jamie Lovemark (-130) over Kevin Na (-110).
I may throw a few dollars on Lovemark to win at +3300 as he has been Top 10 in his past two tournaments and was sixth here a year ago. But Haas is the clear Horse for the Course with 39 straight under-par rounds at this event and the all-time money leader there. He's the pick.
NHL roundup: Red Wings win 3rd straight
By The Sports Xchange
DETROIT -- Thomas Vanek and Frans Nielsen scored in the skills competition tiebreaker to offset a goal by Brad Marchand and give the Detroit Red Wings a 6-5 victory over the Boston Bruins on Wednesday.
Detroit, which has now won three games in a row for the first time since October, improved to 6-0 in the shootout this season, rallying from 4-1 and 5-4 deficits for the victory.
Gus Nyquist, Dylan Larkin, Xavier Ouellet, Andreas Athanasiou and Tomas Tatar
Frank Vatrano scored twice, and Brandon Carlo, Patrice Bergeron and Adam McQuaid one each for the Bruins.
Jets 6, Coyotes 3
WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Ondrej Pavelec stopped 30 shots to help Winnipeg beat Arizona.
Josh Morrissey, Blake Wheeler, Andrew Copp, Joel Armia, Jacob Trouba and Nik Ehlers scored for the Jets.
Josh Jooris, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Jakob Chychrum scored for the Coyotes.
Penguins 4, Canadiens 1
MONTREAL -- Matt Murray stopped 19 shots in a bounce-back effort to help Pittsburgh earn a win over Montreal at the Bell Centre.
Ian Cole, Eric Fehr, Jake Guentzel and Olli Maatta scored for the Penguins while Sven Andrighetto replied for the Canadiens.
Carey Price made 22 saves for Montreal.
Oilers 4, Panthers 3 (OT)
EDMONTON, Alberta -- Connor McDavid's breakaway winner with just 2.6 seconds left in overtime capped off a three-point night, and gave the Edmonton a win over Florida.
Greg McKegg, Zack Kassian and Mark Letestu scored for the Oilers in regulation, with Kassian and Letestu being set up by McDavid.
Jordan Eberle, Vincent Trocheck and Michael Sgarbossa scored for the Panthers.
Sharks 3, Kings 2
LOS ANGELES -- Joe Pavelski scored the decisive goal, and Joe Thornton registered two assists as San Jose defeated Los Angeles.
The Sharks won their second consecutive game after a two-game losing streak and won the season series with a 3-1-1 mark. Tommy Wingels and Brent Burns added goals for the Sharks, and Martin Jones made 22 saves.
The Kings lost their second straight game and fell for the fourth time in six contests, ending a seven-game homestand with a 3-4-0 record. Marian Gaborik and Tanner Pearson scored goals, and Dustin Brown registered two assists for Los Angeles. Peter Budaj stopped 24 San Jose shots.
By The Sports Xchange
DETROIT -- Thomas Vanek and Frans Nielsen scored in the skills competition tiebreaker to offset a goal by Brad Marchand and give the Detroit Red Wings a 6-5 victory over the Boston Bruins on Wednesday.
Detroit, which has now won three games in a row for the first time since October, improved to 6-0 in the shootout this season, rallying from 4-1 and 5-4 deficits for the victory.
Gus Nyquist, Dylan Larkin, Xavier Ouellet, Andreas Athanasiou and Tomas Tatar
Frank Vatrano scored twice, and Brandon Carlo, Patrice Bergeron and Adam McQuaid one each for the Bruins.
Jets 6, Coyotes 3
WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Ondrej Pavelec stopped 30 shots to help Winnipeg beat Arizona.
Josh Morrissey, Blake Wheeler, Andrew Copp, Joel Armia, Jacob Trouba and Nik Ehlers scored for the Jets.
Josh Jooris, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Jakob Chychrum scored for the Coyotes.
Penguins 4, Canadiens 1
MONTREAL -- Matt Murray stopped 19 shots in a bounce-back effort to help Pittsburgh earn a win over Montreal at the Bell Centre.
Ian Cole, Eric Fehr, Jake Guentzel and Olli Maatta scored for the Penguins while Sven Andrighetto replied for the Canadiens.
Carey Price made 22 saves for Montreal.
Oilers 4, Panthers 3 (OT)
EDMONTON, Alberta -- Connor McDavid's breakaway winner with just 2.6 seconds left in overtime capped off a three-point night, and gave the Edmonton a win over Florida.
Greg McKegg, Zack Kassian and Mark Letestu scored for the Oilers in regulation, with Kassian and Letestu being set up by McDavid.
Jordan Eberle, Vincent Trocheck and Michael Sgarbossa scored for the Panthers.
Sharks 3, Kings 2
LOS ANGELES -- Joe Pavelski scored the decisive goal, and Joe Thornton registered two assists as San Jose defeated Los Angeles.
The Sharks won their second consecutive game after a two-game losing streak and won the season series with a 3-1-1 mark. Tommy Wingels and Brent Burns added goals for the Sharks, and Martin Jones made 22 saves.
The Kings lost their second straight game and fell for the fourth time in six contests, ending a seven-game homestand with a 3-4-0 record. Marian Gaborik and Tanner Pearson scored goals, and Dustin Brown registered two assists for Los Angeles. Peter Budaj stopped 24 San Jose shots.
In the Crease - Week 15
By Joe Williams
Streaky Teams
Wins and Losses Streak Over/Under Streak
Arizona 2-11 past 13 overall Arizona Under 15-5-1 past 21 overall, 10-2-2 past 14 road
Carolina 14-2 past 16 home Colorado Under 4-0-1 past five overall
Colorado 2-12 past 14 overall Edmonton Under 9-1-1 past 11 home
Philadelphia 2-9 past 11 overall, 0-9 past nine road Nashville Under 7-2-2 past 11 overall, 5-0-2 past seven home
Toronto 8-2 past 10 overall, 8-1 past nine road Winnipeg Over 7-2-1 past 10 overall
Lose-ipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets have struggled mightly in recent weeks, as both goaltenders Connor Hellebuyck and Michael Hutchinson have struggled in the crease. The Jets have allowed three or more goals in four straight outings, and eight of the past 10. That's a good reason why the 'over' is 7-2-1 in their past 10 overall. The Jets return to action Wednesday night at home against the former Jets, Shane Doan and the Arizona Coyotes. The 'under' is 10-2-2 in Arizona's past 14 road games overall, as they have been struggling to score goals. That might be the cure for Winnipeg's ills. The Jets will be playing their fourth game in six days, and the 'under' is 7-2-1 in their past 10 in the fourth game in a 4-in-6 situation. The 'over' streak will be put to the test.
Hurricane Warning
The Carolina Hurricanes have been unbelievable at home in recent weeks, going 14-1-1 in their past 16 games at PNC Arena in Raleigh. The only setback in regulation came against the New Jersey Devils back on Jan. 3. They also cooled off the Columbus Blue Jackets by a 5-3 score on Jan. 10, and they'll look for another win against the Jackets on Tuesday in Ohio. The Canes will have a big measuring stick game Friday night against the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins, and the arena is expected to sold out, or near sold out, reminding diehard Hurricanes fans of the halycon days when they routinely made the playoffs and challenged for Lord Stanley's grail.
Looking Ahead
Thursday, Jan. 19
The Flames welcome the Predators, looking to stay hot at home. Calgary has won four of their past five on home ice, although they were tripped up 2-1 against New Jersey Jan. 13. The Flames have fared well against the Predators in recent seasons, winning six of the past seven meetings overall, including three of the past four on home ice. However, when these teams skate together it is usually very close, as six of the previous seven outings have resulted in one-goal games.
The Ducks welcome the ice-cold Avalanche to town. In the first meeting on Jan. 12 in Denver the Ducks won 4-1 behind John Gibson. Surprisingly, Anaheim has struggled with Colorado in recent years, losing three of the past five overall. And the Ducks haven't topped the Avalanche at home in regulation since Jan. 22, 2012, winning three overtime games while losing three in regulation since that victory.
Friday, Jan. 20
The Predators will do the Alberta two-step, heading up Route 2 for a Friday night game in the provincial capital. The Oilers haven't been very slick against the Preds lately, losing six consecutive meetings. While Edmonton has displayed a promising young offense this season, they have averaged just 1.0 goals per game in the past six encounters with the Preds, outscored 17-6 during the span. The 'under' is 3-0-3 in the past six in this series.
By Joe Williams
Streaky Teams
Wins and Losses Streak Over/Under Streak
Arizona 2-11 past 13 overall Arizona Under 15-5-1 past 21 overall, 10-2-2 past 14 road
Carolina 14-2 past 16 home Colorado Under 4-0-1 past five overall
Colorado 2-12 past 14 overall Edmonton Under 9-1-1 past 11 home
Philadelphia 2-9 past 11 overall, 0-9 past nine road Nashville Under 7-2-2 past 11 overall, 5-0-2 past seven home
Toronto 8-2 past 10 overall, 8-1 past nine road Winnipeg Over 7-2-1 past 10 overall
Lose-ipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets have struggled mightly in recent weeks, as both goaltenders Connor Hellebuyck and Michael Hutchinson have struggled in the crease. The Jets have allowed three or more goals in four straight outings, and eight of the past 10. That's a good reason why the 'over' is 7-2-1 in their past 10 overall. The Jets return to action Wednesday night at home against the former Jets, Shane Doan and the Arizona Coyotes. The 'under' is 10-2-2 in Arizona's past 14 road games overall, as they have been struggling to score goals. That might be the cure for Winnipeg's ills. The Jets will be playing their fourth game in six days, and the 'under' is 7-2-1 in their past 10 in the fourth game in a 4-in-6 situation. The 'over' streak will be put to the test.
Hurricane Warning
The Carolina Hurricanes have been unbelievable at home in recent weeks, going 14-1-1 in their past 16 games at PNC Arena in Raleigh. The only setback in regulation came against the New Jersey Devils back on Jan. 3. They also cooled off the Columbus Blue Jackets by a 5-3 score on Jan. 10, and they'll look for another win against the Jackets on Tuesday in Ohio. The Canes will have a big measuring stick game Friday night against the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins, and the arena is expected to sold out, or near sold out, reminding diehard Hurricanes fans of the halycon days when they routinely made the playoffs and challenged for Lord Stanley's grail.
Looking Ahead
Thursday, Jan. 19
The Flames welcome the Predators, looking to stay hot at home. Calgary has won four of their past five on home ice, although they were tripped up 2-1 against New Jersey Jan. 13. The Flames have fared well against the Predators in recent seasons, winning six of the past seven meetings overall, including three of the past four on home ice. However, when these teams skate together it is usually very close, as six of the previous seven outings have resulted in one-goal games.
The Ducks welcome the ice-cold Avalanche to town. In the first meeting on Jan. 12 in Denver the Ducks won 4-1 behind John Gibson. Surprisingly, Anaheim has struggled with Colorado in recent years, losing three of the past five overall. And the Ducks haven't topped the Avalanche at home in regulation since Jan. 22, 2012, winning three overtime games while losing three in regulation since that victory.
Friday, Jan. 20
The Predators will do the Alberta two-step, heading up Route 2 for a Friday night game in the provincial capital. The Oilers haven't been very slick against the Preds lately, losing six consecutive meetings. While Edmonton has displayed a promising young offense this season, they have averaged just 1.0 goals per game in the past six encounters with the Preds, outscored 17-6 during the span. The 'under' is 3-0-3 in the past six in this series.
Preview: Stars (19-19) at Islanders (17-17)
Date: January 19, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
NEW YORK -- The New York Islanders hope Thursday night represents not just the start of a six-game homestand, but also the start of a new era.
The Islanders will play their first game under interim head coach Doug Weight on Thursday night, when they host the Dallas Stars at Barclays Center. New York won its final game under Jack Capuano on Monday, when it blanked the Boston Bruins 4-0, while Dallas is coming off a wild 7-6 win over the New York Rangers on Tuesday.
Capuano was fired Tuesday, and while the timing of the dismissal might have been a bit of a surprise following one of the Islanders' most thorough wins of the season, the dropping of the ax has felt inevitable for months as New York (17-17-8) fell to the bottom of the Eastern Conference in frustrating fashion.
The Islanders, who reached the playoffs in three of the last four seasons under Capuano and advanced to the second round of the playoffs last spring for the first time since 1993, have lost 19 games this season in which they were either tied or leading in the third period. In addition, New York has suffered seven losses in which it gave up the tying or go-ahead goal in the final four minutes of regulation.
"There's obviously games that we wish we had back during the course of the season," Islanders general manager Garth Snow said on a conference call Tuesday. "Whether it's a special teams goal, whether it's a bad goal, whether it's a deflection (or) a turnover, an offensive scoring chance that goes off the crossbar and not in the net. Just been a different season that's unfolded compared to the last two years.
"So, you know what, we need to turn the around. Really have a lot of confidence in our coaching staff and our players and (it) starts with our next game Thursday."
Weight, who ended his playing career with the Islanders in 2011 and immediately became Capuano's top assistant, met with the team for about half an hour before overseeing his first practice on Wednesday. He said his goal is to get the Islanders, who are currently eight points out of a playoff spot, into position to be battling for a wild card spot this spring.
"All I want to do is help these guys get in a position in March where these games are meaningful and we've got that feeling going down our arms, that tingle that we're in the hunt," Weight said. "Teams go through stretches during season, Ours was at the beginning. It was bad. Ultimately, we paid a price, Jack paid a price and it was disappointing. We've got 40 games left."
The Stars (19-19-8) will also feel some urgency upon taking the ice on Thursday night. Dallas is two points behind the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks in the race for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference.
The Stars remain in the race despite having won consecutive games just twice in the last eight weeks. They are 3-5-1 since a three-game winning streak from Dec. 23-29.
"I'd like to see us put some games together," Stars left winger Patrick Sharp told the team's website after he scored two goals on Tuesday. "It seems like when our backs are against the wall, and we need a win, we come out with a great effort. It would be nice to gather up some points and get back into contention, because it is only going to get tougher as the season goes on."
Neither team will be at 100 percent Thursday. For the Islanders, defenseman Travis Hamonic is week-to-week with a knee injury while left winger Andrew Ladd (upper body) and right winger Cal Clutterbuck (lower body) were each absent from practice Wednesday after missing Monday's game. Stars head coach Lindy Ruff said defenseman Johnny Oduya would not play Thursday due to an undisclosed injury he suffered Tuesday night.
Date: January 19, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
NEW YORK -- The New York Islanders hope Thursday night represents not just the start of a six-game homestand, but also the start of a new era.
The Islanders will play their first game under interim head coach Doug Weight on Thursday night, when they host the Dallas Stars at Barclays Center. New York won its final game under Jack Capuano on Monday, when it blanked the Boston Bruins 4-0, while Dallas is coming off a wild 7-6 win over the New York Rangers on Tuesday.
Capuano was fired Tuesday, and while the timing of the dismissal might have been a bit of a surprise following one of the Islanders' most thorough wins of the season, the dropping of the ax has felt inevitable for months as New York (17-17-8) fell to the bottom of the Eastern Conference in frustrating fashion.
The Islanders, who reached the playoffs in three of the last four seasons under Capuano and advanced to the second round of the playoffs last spring for the first time since 1993, have lost 19 games this season in which they were either tied or leading in the third period. In addition, New York has suffered seven losses in which it gave up the tying or go-ahead goal in the final four minutes of regulation.
"There's obviously games that we wish we had back during the course of the season," Islanders general manager Garth Snow said on a conference call Tuesday. "Whether it's a special teams goal, whether it's a bad goal, whether it's a deflection (or) a turnover, an offensive scoring chance that goes off the crossbar and not in the net. Just been a different season that's unfolded compared to the last two years.
"So, you know what, we need to turn the around. Really have a lot of confidence in our coaching staff and our players and (it) starts with our next game Thursday."
Weight, who ended his playing career with the Islanders in 2011 and immediately became Capuano's top assistant, met with the team for about half an hour before overseeing his first practice on Wednesday. He said his goal is to get the Islanders, who are currently eight points out of a playoff spot, into position to be battling for a wild card spot this spring.
"All I want to do is help these guys get in a position in March where these games are meaningful and we've got that feeling going down our arms, that tingle that we're in the hunt," Weight said. "Teams go through stretches during season, Ours was at the beginning. It was bad. Ultimately, we paid a price, Jack paid a price and it was disappointing. We've got 40 games left."
The Stars (19-19-8) will also feel some urgency upon taking the ice on Thursday night. Dallas is two points behind the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks in the race for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference.
The Stars remain in the race despite having won consecutive games just twice in the last eight weeks. They are 3-5-1 since a three-game winning streak from Dec. 23-29.
"I'd like to see us put some games together," Stars left winger Patrick Sharp told the team's website after he scored two goals on Tuesday. "It seems like when our backs are against the wall, and we need a win, we come out with a great effort. It would be nice to gather up some points and get back into contention, because it is only going to get tougher as the season goes on."
Neither team will be at 100 percent Thursday. For the Islanders, defenseman Travis Hamonic is week-to-week with a knee injury while left winger Andrew Ladd (upper body) and right winger Cal Clutterbuck (lower body) were each absent from practice Wednesday after missing Monday's game. Stars head coach Lindy Ruff said defenseman Johnny Oduya would not play Thursday due to an undisclosed injury he suffered Tuesday night.
Preview: Senators (23-15) at Blue Jackets (30-9)
Date: January 19, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
If the Columbus Blue Jackets are for real and plan to make a deep playoff run, they will lean on Sergei Bobrovsky to keep pucks out of the net.
Having Boone Jenner putting them in would be an added bonus.
Looking to win back-to-back games for the first time since their franchise-record winning streak ended two weeks ago, the Blue Jackets meet the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night for the first of three meetings this season.
Ottawa has won five of the last seven games with Columbus (30-9-4), but Dion Phaneuf realizes this is not the same Blue Jackets team that has reached the playoffs only twice in franchise history.
"They're at the top of the standings for a reason," the Senators defenseman said. "They play hard, they play with speed, they play with structure."
The Blue Jackets have alternated wins and losses over their last six games after their 16-game run ended with a shutout loss to the Washington Capitals on Jan. 5.
On Tuesday, Jenner and Brandon Dubinsky scored 35 seconds apart late in the first period to erase a one-goal deficit and Columbus went on to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1.
Jenner, a surprise 30-goal scorer in 2015-16, has only nine in 43 games. However, he's scored in each of his last three games and has three in his last three games versus Ottawa.
"He's beginning to find the net," Columbus coach John Tortorella said.
With Jenner starting to come around, a more welcome sight for Columbus was Bobrovsky's return after missing three games because of an illness. He finished with 24 saves for his league-leading 27th win.
"I think it relaxes the players because if a mistake is made and they get a scoring chance, Bob is that good," Tortorella said. "I think all teams play off their goalie that way, and this team certainly does with Bob. They feel very confident with him."
Outstanding play at Nationwide Arena might have Bobrovsky on the inside track to win his second Vezina Trophy.
Bobrovsky has won his last nine home games, allowing only 12 goals for a 1.33 goals-against average and .952 save percentage. Overall at home, he is 16-3-0 with a 1.79 GAA, .940 save percentage and a shutout.
His only home start against the Senators while with Columbus was one Bobrovsky surely wants to forget. He stopped only 20 of 26 shots in a 7-3 loss on Oct. 14, 2015.
In that game, Erik Karlsson of Ottawa recorded a career-best four assists.
Not surprisingly, Karlsson has carried the Senators when facing Columbus, scoring seven goals with nine assists in only 11 games. He also has notched two goals with six assists in a three-game points streak versus the Jackets.
Karlsson leads Ottawa with 29 assists -- four of those coming in a three-game points streak -- and 36 points overall, good for third in the league among scoring by defensemen behind Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks.
Karlsson has led all NHL defensemen in scoring over each of the last three seasons, averaging 19 goals and 55 assists
Ottawa (23-15-4), which is looking for its fourth win in five games, opened a three-game trip with a 6-4 win over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday.
The Senators have rediscovered their offense during the recent surge that's come after a four-game skid from Dec. 27 to Jan. 7. Ottawa has 17 goals over the last four games, with 15 coming in the three wins.
Mike Hoffman and Mark Stone each scored twice against the Blues. Stone has four goals in his last four games, and is tied with Kyle Turris for the team lead with 15, one more than Hoffman.
Stone needs one assist for 100 in his career.
Neither Stone nor Hoffman has fared well against the Blue Jackets. Stone has only three assists in six games, while Hoffman has two goals and one assist in five matchups.
Ottawa coach Guy Boucher said Mike Condon would start Thursday. Condon had won four straight games going into the NHL's Christmas break, but since then, he is 3-4-1 and has allowed at least three goals in five of those contests.
The Senators will play host to the Blue Jackets on Sunday in Ottawa.
Date: January 19, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
If the Columbus Blue Jackets are for real and plan to make a deep playoff run, they will lean on Sergei Bobrovsky to keep pucks out of the net.
Having Boone Jenner putting them in would be an added bonus.
Looking to win back-to-back games for the first time since their franchise-record winning streak ended two weeks ago, the Blue Jackets meet the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night for the first of three meetings this season.
Ottawa has won five of the last seven games with Columbus (30-9-4), but Dion Phaneuf realizes this is not the same Blue Jackets team that has reached the playoffs only twice in franchise history.
"They're at the top of the standings for a reason," the Senators defenseman said. "They play hard, they play with speed, they play with structure."
The Blue Jackets have alternated wins and losses over their last six games after their 16-game run ended with a shutout loss to the Washington Capitals on Jan. 5.
On Tuesday, Jenner and Brandon Dubinsky scored 35 seconds apart late in the first period to erase a one-goal deficit and Columbus went on to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1.
Jenner, a surprise 30-goal scorer in 2015-16, has only nine in 43 games. However, he's scored in each of his last three games and has three in his last three games versus Ottawa.
"He's beginning to find the net," Columbus coach John Tortorella said.
With Jenner starting to come around, a more welcome sight for Columbus was Bobrovsky's return after missing three games because of an illness. He finished with 24 saves for his league-leading 27th win.
"I think it relaxes the players because if a mistake is made and they get a scoring chance, Bob is that good," Tortorella said. "I think all teams play off their goalie that way, and this team certainly does with Bob. They feel very confident with him."
Outstanding play at Nationwide Arena might have Bobrovsky on the inside track to win his second Vezina Trophy.
Bobrovsky has won his last nine home games, allowing only 12 goals for a 1.33 goals-against average and .952 save percentage. Overall at home, he is 16-3-0 with a 1.79 GAA, .940 save percentage and a shutout.
His only home start against the Senators while with Columbus was one Bobrovsky surely wants to forget. He stopped only 20 of 26 shots in a 7-3 loss on Oct. 14, 2015.
In that game, Erik Karlsson of Ottawa recorded a career-best four assists.
Not surprisingly, Karlsson has carried the Senators when facing Columbus, scoring seven goals with nine assists in only 11 games. He also has notched two goals with six assists in a three-game points streak versus the Jackets.
Karlsson leads Ottawa with 29 assists -- four of those coming in a three-game points streak -- and 36 points overall, good for third in the league among scoring by defensemen behind Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks.
Karlsson has led all NHL defensemen in scoring over each of the last three seasons, averaging 19 goals and 55 assists
Ottawa (23-15-4), which is looking for its fourth win in five games, opened a three-game trip with a 6-4 win over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday.
The Senators have rediscovered their offense during the recent surge that's come after a four-game skid from Dec. 27 to Jan. 7. Ottawa has 17 goals over the last four games, with 15 coming in the three wins.
Mike Hoffman and Mark Stone each scored twice against the Blues. Stone has four goals in his last four games, and is tied with Kyle Turris for the team lead with 15, one more than Hoffman.
Stone needs one assist for 100 in his career.
Neither Stone nor Hoffman has fared well against the Blue Jackets. Stone has only three assists in six games, while Hoffman has two goals and one assist in five matchups.
Ottawa coach Guy Boucher said Mike Condon would start Thursday. Condon had won four straight games going into the NHL's Christmas break, but since then, he is 3-4-1 and has allowed at least three goals in five of those contests.
The Senators will play host to the Blue Jackets on Sunday in Ottawa.
