Thursday 1/21/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Post your request, Comments or concerns here.
Good luck on all your plays.

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[superbeets]

Scottish Premiership Fr 22Jan 19:45

Aberdeen

v

Dundee

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT1		1/2	3	6	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ABERDEEN	RECENT FORM
HWAWHDHDALAW​ Most recent​	2 - 0 3 - 3 1 - 0 2 - 0	HLALHWALHWAW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: There have been three goals or more in Dundee’s last four games

EXPERT VERDICT: Aberdeen have won their last two games against Dundee 2-0, but they could step it up this time so back 3-0. Dundee have conceded 24 away league goals, more than anyone else bar bottom side Dundee United, and the Dons will be in the mood to keep the pressure on Celtic at the top.

RECOMMENDATION: Aberdeen to win 3-0
2


REFEREE: Alan Muir STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Championship Sa 23Jan 12:30

QPR

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Wolves

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SS1		6/5	9/4	23/10	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT QPR	RECENT FORM
ALHDHLALADAW​ Most recent​	1 - 2 1 - 0 0 - 0 0 - 1	HWAWAWALHWHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: QPR have drawn seven of their 13 home games in the Championship

EXPERT VERDICT: Wolves’ run of four straight league victories came to a halt last weekend against Cardiff but they have been handy on the road this season, avoiding defeat in eight of 13 away so far. QPR are struggling for form – they have won only once in their last eight league games.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
2

 

[superbeets]

Premier League Sa 23Jan 12:45

Norwich

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Liverpool

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BT1		16/5	12/5	19/20	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT NORWICH	RECENT FORM
ALHWHWHLALAL​ Most recent​	2 - 3 2 - 5 0 - 3 1 - 2	ALAWADHDHLHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Liverpool have scored 19 goals in their last five league meetings with Norwich

EXPERT VERDICT: Liverpool are struggling for consistency under Jurgen Klopp but there have been signs of improvement and they should have too much firepower for Norwich. The Canaries have conceded nine goals in their last three games and have a poor record against the Reds.

RECOMMENDATION: Liverpool
3

 

[superbeets]

Premier League Sa 23Jan 15:00

Man Utd

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Southampton

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		17/20	5/2	7/2	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT MAN UTD	RECENT FORM
ALHDHWHWADAW​ Most recent​	0 - 1 1 - 1 2 - 1 3 - 0	HWALALHLHWHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: United have conceded only four league goals at home

EXPERT VERDICT: Some of Southampton’s attacking players are starting to come back into form after a poor spell, but they might lack the firepower to find their way through the Manchester United defence. The Red Devils may not be that exciting to watch but they are difficult to beat at Old Trafford and should eke out a victory.

RECOMMENDATION: Man Utd
1

 

[superbeets]

Premier League Sa 23Jan 15:00

Leicester

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Stoke

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		21/20	5/2	3	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT LEICESTER	RECENT FORM
HDHDADAWADHL​ Most recent​	0 - 1 1 - 1 2 - 1 4 - 2	AWALHLAWHWHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Stoke have lost just three of their eleven away games

EXPERT VERDICT: Leicester have been struggling for wins recently and they look a tad short against the Potters. Mark Hughes’s team have earned praise for their home form this season but they have picked up almost as many points away from the Britannia and there could be some value in opposing the Foxes.

RECOMMENDATION: Stoke
1

 

[superbeets]

Premier League Sa 23Jan 15:00

Sunderland

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Bournemouth

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		21/10	11/5	7/5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT SUNDERLAND	RECENT FORM
ALHLHWALAWAL​ Most recent​	1 - 1 3 - 2 1 - 1	HDALADAWHLHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Sunderland matches average 3.27 goals per game

EXPERT VERDICT: Bournemouth beat Norwich 3-0 on Saturday but they might not have things all their own way when they visit the Stadium of Light. Matches involving the Black Cats feature more goals than any other Premier League team and both sides look capable of finding the net in this closely matched contest.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
2

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Golfers to Bet - CB Challenge

Tournament: CareerBuilder Challenge
Date: Thursday, January 21st
Venue: PGA WEST TPC Stadium Course
Location: La Quinta, CA

The PGA Tour exits Hawaii and heads to California for the CareerBuilder Challenge on Thursday.

After playing back/back tournaments in Hawaii, the PGA golfers now head to La Quinta for the third event of the calendar year. This tournament is sure to be an exciting one as the past eight winners have shot 22-under or better.

A few guys that will be really excited to be back at this course are Bill Haas, Patrick Reed and Phil Mickelson. Both Haas and Mickelson are two-time winners at this event.

Haas was the champion a year ago, but Patrick Reed was the winner in 2014. His score of 28-under was the best score to ever be posted at this course in a 72-hole tournament.

While this field is void of guys like Jason Day and Jordan Spieth, there is plenty of talent to go around.

Let’s now take a look at who might be winning this thing on Sunday:

Golfers to Watch:

Patrick Reed (17/2) - As mentioned earlier, Reed has this course’s best score over a 72-hole period and that should not be taken lightly. He knows how to get it done in La Quinta and his odds are actually quite favorable for a tournament favorite. Reed also happens to be coming into this weekend in tremendous form. He has shot a -22 in back/back tournaments, finishing in second place at both the World Challenge and the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. Reed is certainly worth putting a few units on this weekend.

Matt Kuchar (17/1) - Kuchar has never won the CareerBuilder Challenge, but he has been the runner-up in each of the years that Bill Haas came away as the champion (2001, 2015). This is the year he’ll be hoping that he breaks through to win the event, and he has as good of a chance as anybody. Kuchar knows this course extremely well and comes into this event after two solid outings. He has shot a 12-under at the past two events and is a good player to throw a unit or two on in this one.

Phil Mickelson (40/1) - Mickelson has not yet played in a tournament this season, but it’s hard to ignore his history at the CareerBuilder Challenge. As previously mentioned, Mickelson has already won this event twice in his career. His odds are extremely favorable at 40/1 and he should be very well rested considering he has not been playing. Mickelson is one of the best golfers to ever play and he is worth placing a unit on at a course he is very comfortable with.

Mark Hubbard (300/1) - If you’re looking for a sleeper at this tournament then look no further than Hubbard. Hubbard is getting absurd odds at 300/1 and he has looked quite good early in the year. He finished 7-under and t-56th at the Sony Open last week and 9-under and t-18th at the RSM Classic in November. Hubbard eagled twice at the Sony Open and if it weren’t for three double bogeys then he would have finished way higher up in the standings. If he can avoid costly mistakes like that then he could sneak his way to the top of the leaderboard on Sunday.

Odds to win CareerBuilder Challenge -

Patrick Reed 17/2
Matt Kuchar 17/1
Zach Johnson 18/1
Bill Haas 26/1
Ryan Palmer 27/1
Kevin Na 30/1
Jason Bohn 40/1
Jason Dufner 40/1
Phil Mickelson 40/1
Webb Simpson 40/1
Charley Hoffman 45/1
Marc Leishman 45/1
Robert Streb 45/1
Brendan Steele 55/1
Charles Howell III 55/1
David Lingmerth 55/1
Matt Jones 55/1
Tony Finau 55/1
William McGirt 55/1
Zac Blair 55/1
Francesco Molinari 60/1
Graham Delaet 60/1
Jamie Lovemark 60/1
Luke Donald 60/1
Russell Henley 65/1
Daniel Summerhays 70/1
Billy Horschel 75/1
Cameron Tringale 75/1
Kevin Chappell 75/1
Patton Kizzire 75/1
Si Woo Kim 80/1
Smylie Kaufman 85/1
Anirban Lahiri 90/1
Brian Harman 90/1
Harold Varner III 90/1
Nick Watney 90/1
Will Wilcox 100/1
Freddie Jacobson 110/1
Jerry Kelly 110/1
Brendon de Jonge 120/1
Hudson Swafford 120/1
Jhonattan Vegas 120/1
Kyle Stanley 120/1
Ollie Schniederjans 120/1
Scott Brown 120/1
Steve Stricker 120/1
John Senden 130/1
Peter Malnati 130/1
Tim Clark 130/1
Sean OHair 140/1
Ben Martin 150/1
Brendon Todd 150/1
Chez Reavie 150/1
Jason Kokrak 150/1
Jeff Overton 150/1
Kevin Streelman 150/1
Lucas Glover 150/1
Robert Garrigus 150/1
Johnson Wagner 160/1
Martin Laird 160/1
Rory Sabbatini 160/1
Boo Weekley 180/1
David Hearn 180/1
Pat Perez 180/1
Chad Campbell 190/1
Greg Owen 190/1
Camilo Villegas 200/1
Alex Cejka 210/1
Geoff Ogilvy 210/1
Jim Herman 210/1
Scott Pinckney 210/1
Scott Stallings 210/1
Seung-Yul Noh 210/1
Derek Fathauer 220/1
John Huh 220/1
Kyle Reifers 220/1
Roberto Castro 230/1
Shawn Stefani 230/1
Bryce Molder 240/1
Stewart Cink 240/1
Blayne Barber 250/1
Carl Pettersson 250/1
Carlos Ortiz 250/1
Chris Stroud 250/1
Colt Knost 250/1
George McNeill 250/1
Hunter Stewart 250/1
Jason Gore 250/1
Jon Curran 250/1
Justin Leonard 250/1
Michael Kim 250/1
Michael Thompson 250/1
Ricky Barnes 250/1
Scott Langley 250/1
Spencer Levin 250/1
Tom Hoge 250/1
Troy Merritt 250/1
Aaron Baddeley 300/1
Adam Hadwin 300/1
Angel Cabrera 300/1
Ben Crane 300/1
Bo Van Pelt 300/1
Brian Davis 300/1
Chad Collins 300/1
D.J. Trahan 300/1
Jonas Blixt 300/1
Luke Guthrie 300/1
Mark Hubbard 300/1
Brett Stegmaier 350/1
Chesson Hadley 350/1
Mark Wilson 350/1
Rhein Gibson 350/1
Rod Pampling 350/1
Steve Wheatcroft 350/1
Thomas Aiken 350/1
Tim Wilkinson 350/1
Andres Gonzales 400/1
Brian Gay 400/1
Derek Ernst 400/1
Miguel Angel Carballo 400/1
Tyrone Van Aswegen 400/1
Whee Kim 400/1
Charlie Beljan 450/1
Dawie Van Der Walt 450/1
Erik Compton 450/1
Hiroshi Iwata 450/1
Lucas Lee 450/1
Nick Taylor 450/1
Sung Kang 450/1
Abraham Ancer 500/1
Andrew Landry 500/1
Andrew Loupe 500/1
Blake Adams 500/1
Brett Quigley 500/1
Bronson Burgoon 500/1
Bud Cauley 500/1
Chad Sorensen 500/1
D.A. Points 500/1
D.H. Lee 500/1
Darron Stiles 500/1
Dicky Pride 500/1
Henrik Norlander 500/1
Jarrod Lyle 500/1
Kelly Kraft 500/1
Luke List 500/1
Mark Brooks 500/1
Martin Piller 500/1
Rob Oppenheim 500/1
Robert Allenby 500/1
Sam Saunders 500/1
Shane Bertsch 500/1
Stuart Appleby 500/1
Tyler Aldridge 500/1
Wes Roach 500/1
Will MacKenzie 500/1
Xander Schauffele 500/1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

10 Players to Watch: CareerBuilder Challenge
By Tom LaMarre, The Sports Xchange

1. Patrick Reed, United States -- Although he has not won since the Hyundai Tournament of Champions just over a year ago, Reed might be close to breaking through for his fifth PGA Tour victory since 2013. He has posted top-10 finishes in his last six starts around the world since late last year, including solo second in his title defense at Kapalua two weeks ago, although he finished eight strokes behind world No. 1 Jordan Spieth. Reed is playing in what his now the CareerBuilder Challenge for the fourth straight year and he won the tournament two years ago, when he started with three 9-under-par 63s and his closing 71 was good enough for a two-stroke victory over Ryan Palmer. He tied for 24th in his title defense last year.

2. Bill Haas, United States -- Haas opened 2015 by winning the last Humana Challenge, now the CareerBuilder Challenge, for the second time -- also having taken home the trophy in 2010. He closed with a 5-under-par 67 that included a 15-foot eagle putt on the fifth hole, before he took the lead for good with a 20-foot birdie putt at No. 16 and salvaged a par after a poor drive on the last hole. That gave him a one-stroke victory over Charley Hoffman, Brendan Steele, Sung Joon Park of South Korea, Steve Wheatcroft and Matt Kuchar. Haas, whose father Jay claimed the title in 1998, also won it by one shot over Kuchar six years ago, and is coming off a tie for 18th in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions two weeks ago.

3. Matt Kuchar, United States -- Kooch is playing in what is now the Career-Builder Challenge for the eighth time, and although he has never won it, he has finished in the top 25 in each of his last six appearances. That includes tying for second twice, including last year, when he held the lead after opening with 65-64 before a 1-under-par 71 set him back in round three. Kuchar closed with a 67, but wound up one stroke behind Bill Haas. He also finished a shot behind Haas in 2010, despite a closing 65. Kuchar opened 2016 last week with a tie for 13th in the Sony Open in Hawaii, shooting 8-under 62 in round three to equal the low score of the week.

4. Zach Johnson, United States -- Zach is the second-highest rated player in the field this week at No. 11 in the World Golf Rankings behind No. 10 Patrick Reed, and can climb back into the top 10 with a strong performance. He is coming off a tie for ninth in the Sony Open in Hawaii after a disappointing tie for 21st in the limited field Hyundai Tournament of Champions. However, Johnson has a strong record in the California desert event, even though he missed the 54-hole cut for the first time last year by one stroke at 69-70-70. He has finished in the top 25 in each of his other appearances in the tournament, including a tie for third in 2014, when he closed with a 62 to wind up three shots behind winner Patrick Reed.

5. Si Woo Kim, South Korea -- The 25-year-old Kim has only one victory as a pro, in the Web.com Tour's 2015 Stonebrae Classic at TPC Stonebrae in Hayward, Calif., but he has started the 2015-16 season like this might be his year on the PGA Tour. After recording three top-25 finishes in the Fall portion of the wrap-around schedule, he was in the hunt virtually all the way last week at the Sony Open in Hawaii before finishing solo fourth, four strokes out of the playoff in which Fabin Gomez of Argentina defeated Brandt Snedeker. Kim, who has broken 70 in each of his last six rounds, is making his first appearance in what is now the CareerBuilder Challenge in the California Desert's Coachella Valley.

6. Jason Dufner, United States -- After going through a divorce and losing more than 20 pounds with a gluten-free diet, Duf is starting to play like the guy who captured the 2013 PGA Championship for his third and last PGA Tour victory. He has played well early in the 2015-16 season, with ties for ninth in both the RSM Classic and the Sony Open in Hawaii last week, equaling his total of top-10s for last season. Dufner is making his seventh start in the old Bob Hope Classic, and although he missed the cut last year after opening with a 76, he tied for 12th with the help of a second round 63 in 2012 and tied for 18th in 2010, when he had a 64 in round three.

7. Graham DeLaet, Canada -- DeLaet got 2016 off to a solid start last week with a tie for seventh at the Sony Open in Hawaii, bouncing back from a opening 3-over-par 75 with scores of 62-65-66. He's hoping to play the West Coast Swing the way he did two years ago, when he tied for second in both the Farmers Insurance Open and the Waste Management Phoenix Open to give him four straight top-10 finishes. He will tee it up for the fourth time in the Coachella Valley event, with his best result a tie for 18th in 2010, when he closed with scores of 69-67-66. DeLaet is No. 145 in the World Golf Rankings after an injure-plagued 2015 and needs some high finishes to ensure a spot on the Canadian Olympic team.

8. Jason Bohn, United States -- Hoping to pick up right where he left off during the Fall portion of the PGA Tour's wrap-around schedule, Bohn will tee it up this week for the eighth time in what is now the CareerBuilder Challenge for the eighth time. He wrapped up 2016 by tying for third in the Frys.com Open, tying for second in the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open and losing out to Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland in a playoff at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba. That came on the heels of a season in which he finished in the top 10 on six occasions, including ties for second in the Sanderson Farms Classic and the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. His best result in the old Bob Hope Classic was a tie for 22nd in 2008.

9. Matt Jones, Australia -- Playing for the first time since holding off Jordan Spieth and Adam Scott to win the Australian Open late in November, Jones starts the year with his sixth appearance in the old Bob Hope Classic. His best result in the California Desert was a tie for eighth in 2010 and he also tied for 13th in 2014. The Aussie stumbled to a 76 in round one last year, then strung together scores of 67-64-68, but the damage was done and he tied for 41st. Jones showed even before his win in Australia two months ago that he could perform under pressure, chipping in for a birdie on the second playoff hole to beat Matt Kuchar for his only PGA Tour victory in the 2014 Shell Houston Open.

10. Phil Mickelson, United States -- Lefty starts 2016 with a new swing coach, Andrew Getson, and what he claims is a new swing plane as he tries to regain the form that has taken him to 42 victories on the PGA Tour, including 19 on the West Coast Swing. He has not won since the 2013 Open Championship at Muirfield and will make another bid for the Career Grand Slam in the U.S. Open at Oakmont, but right now he just wants to get back. Mickelson is making his 11th start in the old Bob Hope Classic, which he won in 2002 in a playoff over David Berganio Jr., and again in 2004, in another playoff over Skip Kendall. He has two other top-10 finishes in the event, the last a tie for fifth in 2005.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL notebook: Hurricanes' Ward goes on IR
By The Sports Xchange

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward was diagnosed with a concussion and placed on injured reserve, the team announced Wednesday.
Ward started last Friday night and allowed three goals on 22 shots in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks, ending his three-game winning streak. He is 14-11-5 with a 2.42 goals-against average, .905 save percentage and one shutout in 32 games this season.
The Hurricanes also recalled goalie Daniel Altshuller from Charlotte of the American Hockey League. Altshuller, 21, is 9-1-1 with a 1.71 goals-against average, .941 save percentage and one shutout in 11 AHL games.

---New York Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech likely will miss the rest of the season because of an upper-body injury, Newsday reported.
Pelech was cut on the right cheek by the skate of New York Rangers forward Derek Stepan during the Islanders' 3-1 win on Jan. 14 but later returned to the game. He missed a 2-1 shootout loss against the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.
Islanders coach Jack Capuano told Newsday that Pelech was undergoing further medical tests Wednesday. The team had placed Pelech on injured reserve Tuesday.
Pelech, 21, has two assists in seven games with the Islanders since being recalled from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League on Jan. 1. He has two goals and four assists in 26 games with Bridgeport.

---The New Jersey Devils assigned forward Brian O'Neill to Albany of the American Hockey League.
O'Neill has two assists in 22 games with the Devils this season. He has seven points (three goals, four assists) in nine games with Albany.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Flames (19-21) at Blue Jackets (15-26)

Date: January 21, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The clock is ticking on the first half of the season for the Calgary Flames.

'Ran out of time,' coach Bob Hartley said following the latest loss in a down stretch.

The Flames will try to squeeze something positive from what's left before the All-Star break, starting with Thursday night's visit to the league-worst Columbus Blue Jackets.

Calgary (20-21-3) remains unable to get out of its rut, going 5-7-1 since a seven-game winning streak to open December. The Flames are tied with Edmonton at the bottom of the Western Conference with 43 points.

Tuesday's 4-2 loss at New Jersey was their second in a row and gave them a 1-3-1 mark in five as they stumble toward the All-Star break.

"We've put ourselves in a little bit of a hole," defenseman Kris Russell said. "I believe in this team, I believe we can get out of it."

Calgary, 1-3-1 in its last five away from home going into the third game of a five-game trip, has seen its once-productive play in the offensive zone disappear. The Flames, who led the league with 3.55 goals per game while winning nine of 11 from Dec. 1-27, have scored two or fewer goals five times in nine games since.

They beat Florida 6-0 last Wednesday but have managed three goals in the two losses that have followed.

Columbus (17-26-4) might provide the perfect opportunity for Calgary to get back on track offensively. The Blue Jackets' 3.21 non-shootout goals allowed per game is easily the worst mark in the league, and they've given up 3.80 in their last 15 contests.

The first 14 of that stretch were played without goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who missed 17 games with a groin injury. He was rusty in his return Tuesday, allowing five goals on 27 shots in a 6-3 loss to Washington.

Bobrovsky surrendered two goals on the first three shots faced and five on 15 before finishing with 22 saves, including denying Alex Ovechkin on a third-period penalty shot.

'It's a tough spot,' coach John Tortorella said. 'We know he's going to be better. He's been out for a while.'

Columbus has gone 2-4-1 in its last seven, further cementing its spot in the NHL cellar.

The Blue Jackets, however, have won the last three in this series and earned at least a point in 10 of 11 meetings. Rene Bourque scored twice and Bobrovsky made 38 saves in a 3-2 road win in the most recent March 21.

The Flames' Karri Ramo stopped 23 shots in that contest and will make his first start since Jan. 11 after sitting out three games with an illness. He surrendered all of the goals in a 5-4 loss to San Jose his last time out Jan. 11 but posted a 1.01 goals-against average in winning two of his previous three starts.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Canucks (15-17) at Bruins (22-16)

Date: January 21, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Vancouver Canucks have fared relatively well despite allowing at least 40 shots in each of the first four stops on a six-game trip.

The Canucks know they've been fortunate, and must clamp down starting Thursday night against a Boston Bruins team that's been rejuvenated offensively amid three straight victories.

Vancouver (19-17-11) allowed an average of 30.1 shots and gave up 40 or more five times prior to this trip, during which it's yielded 44.3 while going 2-1-1. Two nights after giving up a season-high 48 in a 2-1 shootout win over the New York Islanders, the Canucks allowed 49 shots in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Rangers.

The 97 shots are the second-highest total in the league in a two-game span dating to 1989-90. Vancouver has allowed at least 40 shots in four straight games, its most since at least the start of that 1989-90 season.

"It's frustrating. It's tough," coach Willie Desjardins told the NHL's official website. "It takes a lot of energy when you're in your zone defending. It's not that our guys haven't battled. They have blocked shots, guys have worked hard.

"It's a matter of playing with confidence. It seems we are not confident when (we are) going to make a play and as a result we are hesitating a little bit."

The Canucks have yielded 10 goals on the trip and have killed off 15 of 16 penalties in the last seven games. However, they're averaging 1.8 non-shootout goals and 24.5 shots on the road swing.

"It's tiring for everyone," said forward Daniel Sedin, who hasn't scored in four games since tying Markus Naslund as Vancouver's all-time goals leader with 346.

"It's not going to work. We are going to have to try and fix it."

Ryan Miller is expected to be in net for a third straight start. Backup Jacob Markstrom struggled while facing 22 shots in a 4-0 loss to Boston (24-16-5) on Dec. 5, a contest in which the Canucks were held to 17 shots.

Boston averaged 2.2 goals in a 2-7-1 stretch from Dec. 22-Jan. 13 but has scored 11 times during the three-game winning streak that's followed.

"We've got to keep putting pressure, and we saw some good results out of it," center Patrice Bergeron told the Bruins' official website after scoring for the third time in two games in Tuesday's 4-1 victory at Montreal.

One game after recording their second-most shots of the season with 45 in a 3-2 win over Toronto, the Bruins needed just 24 for the win over the Canadiens.

Boston has posted a 6-0 goal advantage in the third period of the last three games after being outscored 4-0 in the third in losing the previous two. David Pastrnak returned from a three-game absence due to an upper-body injury to score one of the Bruins' two third-period goals Tuesday.

"These are points we need to get that we work hard to get, because everybody's so tight in the standings," veteran forward Max Talbot said. "So we're very, very happy with the two points. We'll enjoy it ... and think about next game."

Tuukka Rask, who recorded one of his four shutouts this season at Vancouver, has a 2.00 goals-against average in his last five starts.

Daniel Sedin does not have a goal in his last 10 regular-season games against the Bruins. He'll be without brother Henrik, who is out through the All-Star break with an upper-body injury suffered Sunday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Senators (18-18) at Devils (21-19)

Date: January 21, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

As thrilled as the New Jersey Devils are to have Mike Cammalleri return, the Ottawa Senators can't be happy it came in time for them to see him.

At least the Senators won't have to face Cammalleri for the rest of the regular season after closing a five-game trip Thursday night at New Jersey in a matchup of teams battling at the bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

This game comes two days after Cammalleri's return coincided with the Devils' highest-scoring game since Christmas. The 13-year veteran remains the team's points leader (36) despite missing eight games with a hand injury, and New Jersey (23-19-5) scored only eight goals in the last seven.

"It's no secret we've struggled to score at times, so to add a guy with his talent and his nose for the net is a huge boost for our team," linemate Lee Stempniak said.

Cammalleri was back Tuesday, registering one assist and one shot, but his impact was clearly felt as New Jersey defeated Calgary 4-2. Stempniak had his first multipoint game since November.

"It was a big lift in the sense that, it's not just what he brings on the ice," coach John Hynes said. "There's a locker room element to the team that he brings, just his leadership and his moxie and understanding the game."

It was his first game since scoring twice in a 3-0 win in Ottawa on Dec. 30. He also had three assists there in a 5-4 shootout victory Oct. 22. Cammalleri has seven goals and six assists in his last 10 games against the Senators as his teams have gone 8-1-1, including 4-0 since joining the Devils.

This is the clubs' third and final meeting of the season. New Jersey is 5-1-1 in the last seven.

Both teams are seeking a third consecutive victory, something the Senators (22-18-6) haven't done since late November. They had lost nine of 10 on the road before beating two of the West's top teams, 5-3 over Los Angeles on Saturday and 4-3 in a shootout at San Jose on Monday.

Ottawa trailed in the third period of both games.

'It's nice for us to know that when we get down a goal or two we're going to come back,' said Zack Smith, whose short-handed goal on a penalty shot tied Monday's game with 5:31 left. 'It's almost the mentality we had last year where you just know you will tie it up at some point in the third and see what happens in overtime.'

That mentality helped the Senators earn a postseason berth with a 23-4-4 finish, and they're seeking a similar turnaround after a recent 5-10-1 funk dropped them out of playoff position. They're one point behind New Jersey for the East's final wild-card spot.

Only nine points separate second place from 13th place in the jumbled East standings.

'It seems every team around us keeps winning and every team is in the mix," Devils goalie Cory Schneider said.

Schneider kept New Jersey competitive during Cammalleri's absence. He has a 1.57 goals-against average in his last nine games, a stretch which began with his 36-save shutout of the Senators. He's 5-1-1 with a 1.39 GAA in seven career starts against them.

Counterpart Craig Anderson has won seven of eight against the Devils with a 1.37 GAA, including two shutouts in his last three.

It's unclear if Senators top goal scorer Mike Hoffman will play after leaving Monday's game when he crashed into the goal post. He's listed as day to day.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Flyers (18-16) at Penguins (20-17)

Date: January 21, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Neither Pennsylvania team currently holds a playoff spot in the tight Eastern Conference race, but the Philadelphia Flyers should feel better about their position than a Pittsburgh Penguins club again falling short of expectations.

They've had plenty to celebrate after recent head-to-head meetings, too.

The Flyers look to win a ninth straight meeting and jump the Penguins in the standings when they meet Thursday night in Pittsburgh.

Philadelphia (20-16-8) missed the playoffs last season and brought in coach Dave Hakstol straight from the college level to help lead a turnaround. The Flyers may not have played as well as they'd hoped to this point, ranking second-to-last in goals, but they're certainly making progress.

They surged through a 5-0-1 stretch before falling 3-2 at home to Toronto on Tuesday and have a pair of four-game winning streaks since Thanksgiving after having only one all of last season.

Rookie defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere has been a pleasant surprise since being called up from the AHL on Nov. 14 and scored his eighth goal in the third period against the Maple Leafs. The Flyers, though, allowed the winner in the final minute to the club that entered with the fewest wins in the league.

"We are not a playoff team if we come out like that. That's just not good for us," Gostisbehere said. "We have to prepare for everyone no matter who they are. I think we scored the first goal and thought it was going to be a big night for everyone on the stat sheet and we sat back a little bit. We're going to learn from these mistakes and keep pushing through."

Gostisbehere has yet to experience this rivalry with the Penguins (21-17-7), which has been extremely one-sided lately. Pittsburgh has not faced the Flyers this season and hasn't beaten them since Oct. 17, 2013, getting outscored 30-14 in the last eight matchups.

The Penguins have gone 2 for 29 on the power play in that stretch, and Sidney Crosby has only one goal and one assist in his last seven against Philadelphia. Ending their longest losing streak in the series since 1982-84 could boost a team that has dropped five of seven after falling 5-2 at St. Louis on Monday.

Evgeni Malkin's 20th goal put Pittsburgh ahead with 4:04 left in the second period, but it blew the lead 1:18 later and didn't score again. Despite acquiring Phil Kessel in the offseason, the Penguins rank near the bottom of the league in goals and sit in 11th place in the East, one point ahead of Philadelphia and Carolina.

"We've just got to find ways to win," said Crosby, who has two goals and four assists during a four-game point streak. "We're not any different and if we want to push into the playoffs here, we've got to find ways to do that."

Marc-Andre Fleury should be back in net after getting Monday off. He shut out Carolina with 22 saves Sunday but is 0-4-1 with a 4.03 goals-against average in his last six against the Flyers.

Jakub Voracek and Claude Giroux will be looking to continue their success against Fleury and Pittsburgh. Voracek has three goals and seven assists during a six-game point streak against the Penguins, and Giroux has two goals and nine assists in his last seven against them.

Steve Mason has a 1.29 GAA in his last five starts against Pittsburgh.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hurricanes (20-19) at Maple Leafs (13-20)

Date: January 21, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

The Toronto Maple Leafs' ended one of their longest skids of the season with their best scoring performance in nearly two weeks. They have a chance to keep that momentum when they face a team missing its top goaltender.

Cam Ward is out indefinitely for the Carolina Hurricanes, who will wrap up a brief road trip Thursday night.

Toronto snapped a five-game losing streak Tuesday when Matt Hunwick's shot in the final seconds deflected in off a Philadelphia defenseman's knee. The Maple Leafs (17-20-7) were outscored 19-5 before that 3-2 victory.

"I think your determination should show every night," coach Mike Babcock said. "Not every second night or every third night or when you're feeling good. Every night. That to me is the goal for our team, that we're prepared and that we compete every single night."

Toronto has been outscored 7-2 in back-to-back home losses and will try to avoid dropping three straight there since its 0-3-1 start to this season. The Maple Leafs appear to be catching a break with Ward sidelined due to a concussion.

Carolina's top netminder had given up a combined three goals in his last three starts against Toronto but suffered a 2-1 shootout loss in his latest outing Nov. 20. Nazem Kadri scored the tying goal with 3:33 left in regulation and paved the way for Toronto to end a four-game losing streak in the series.

This time, Toronto will likely start Eddie Lack in net, and his 2.97 goals-against average this season is substantially higher than Ward's 2.41. Lack yielded all of the goals in a 5-0 drubbing in Pittsburgh in his latest start Sunday.

That performance gave Carolina back-to-back defeats since its season-high four-game win streak.

Lack has recent experience taking over for an injured No. 1 goaltender. He started 20 games last season while Ryan Miller was out with a knee injury for Vancouver and helped the Canucks reach the playoffs by going 12-6-2 with a 2.43 GAA.

Lack earned a 4-1 win in his only start against Toronto on March 14, making 28 saves.

"I'm looking forward to playing and doing my best," Lack said. "I'm not really happy with the Pittsburgh game but it's an opportunity for me to bounce back. We're just going to take it day by day here. I'm not looking longer than that."

The Hurricanes (20-19-8) have called up Phillip Di Giuseppe from his minor league conditioning stint, and he could return Thursday. The forward hasn't played since an overtime loss to Nashville on Jan. 2 because of a concussion.

"We missed the element of speed. He's got pace," coach Bill Peters said. "We want to play fast, and he allows us to do that. It makes that (third) line quicker."

Peters is hopeful that defenseman Brett Pesce will end his two-game absence due to a lower-body injury, and veteran blueliner Ron Hainsey could play despite some dental issues.

Carolina captain Eric Staal has eight goals and eight assists in his last 13 games against Toronto, but he has one goal and three assists in his first nine contests in 2016.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blackhawks (31-13) at Lightning (23-17)

Date: January 21, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

The Tampa Bay Lightning are on the verge of their longest winning streak in 12 years, though they've once again been outdone by the Chicago Blackhawks.

Last season's Stanley Cup Final participants stand as the NHL's two hottest teams entering Thursday night's marquee matchup, with the Blackhawks on a franchise-record 12-game run and the resurgent Lightning vying for a seventh consecutive win.

No buildup was really necessary for the Blackhawks' first visit to Tampa since their pivotal 2-1 victory in Game 5 of a finals series it won in six, but both teams' stellar recent play has added to the hype.

Chicago (32-13-4) has outscored opponents 47-22 since last losing Dec. 27, with Tampa Bay (25-17-4) nearly as impressive in compiling a 24-13 margin over its best stretch of the season.

The Lightning can earn their longest streak since winning a club-record eight straight during their 2003-04 championship season by halting a four-game skid against Chicago including last year's finals. The Blackhawks earned a 1-0 home win Oct. 24 on Jonathan Toews' goal 17 seconds into overtime.

'We turned the page on last year, but the storyline is going to read, 'the Stanley Cup Finals a year later'," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. "But they won (Tuesday) and their streak is at 12 and we're at six so that's 18 wins between us. It's going to be a good one."

The Blackhawks' dominant stretch has been led by the same core that carried them to their third title in six years last spring. Patrick Kane has 21 of his league-leading 71 points during the streak, Toews has eight goals and five assists and Duncan Keith 12 points and a plus-11 rating.

Rookie Artemi Panarin has done his part as well by amassing six goals and eight assists, including two of the latter to support Corey Crawford's 38 saves in Tuesday's 4-1 win over Nashville that opened a three-game trip.

"We're getting contributions from everybody, all four lines, all six (defensemen)," Keith said. "It's one game at a time. I think we're trying to be smart and playing a good team game."

Crawford owns a 1.88 goals-against average in winning nine consecutive starts.

"He's been amazing," said Kane, who scored his 30th goal Tuesday to already match a career high. "He just seems like he's got a whole new focus in the net, and some nights he looks unbeatable. It's pretty fun to watch. I think he's very underrated as far as goalies go around the league, but we feel we have the best kept secret with him."

The Lightning are well aware of Crawford's talents, as he held them to 10 goals in the finals and stopped 21 shots in this season's previous meeting. The steady goaltender helped Chicago limit Steven Stamkos to one assist in the 2015 championship series.

Stamkos leads Tampa Bay with 20 goals but has taken a back seat of late to young Russians Nikita Kucherov and Vladislav Namestnikov. Both had a goal and an assist in Tuesday's 6-4 win over Edmonton, giving Namestnikov 10 points over the unbeaten run highlighted by a hat trick Friday against Pittsburgh.

Kucherov has five goals and four assists over a six-game point streak and 26 points in 20 games since Dec. 5, second only to Kane (30) over that span.

Ben Bishop figures to be back in goal after Andrei Vasilevskiy worked the Edmonton game. The All-Star has yielded three goals over a three-start winning streak to lower his GAA to 1.97, second in the NHL.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Predators (18-18) at Jets (21-22)

Date: January 21, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

A matchup with the slumping Nashville Predators one week ago yielded the Winnipeg Jets a brief scoring breakout, one they haven't been able to build upon.

They'll attempt to get their offense untracked when the Central Division rivals face off again Thursday night.

Winnipeg has scored 11 times in losing four of six, though nearly half of those goals came in a 5-4 overtime home win over the Predators last Thursday. The Jets have scored two in two games since, including Monday's frustrating 2-1 home loss to Colorado in which they generated 37 shots.

'We're kind of having a little blockage here,' center Mathieu Perreault said. 'We've just got to find a way to get it done. This time of the year, with the standings, where we're sitting, those are huge points we left on the table. So we've got to bear down here, get going.'

Injuries to Drew Stafford (undisclosed) and Mark Scheifele (lower body), two of the team's top four goal scorers, have played a role in the slump. Stafford will miss a third consecutive game and Scheifele a sixth straight.

Nashville's main problem during a 1-5-1 stretch has been preventing goals, having allowed 25 over that span. Pekka Rinne has permitted three or more in eight of his last nine starts and surrendered three on his first 13 shots faced in Tuesday's 4-1 defeat to red-hot Chicago.

The Predators failed to capitalize on a 39-27 shot advantage, an ongoing issue during their disappointing season. It's the 10th time Nashville (20-18-8) has scored two or fewer goals when recording at least 35 shots, the most in the NHL.

"It's a tough league," captain Shea Weber said. "There are some really good teams and it's a tough game every night, so I can't put a finger on exactly why we can't get on a roll, but we're working at it and we'll try to dig ourselves out."

Nashville sits sixth in the Central, three points above last-place Winnipeg (21-22-3), despite leading the league with a plus-4.7 shot differential per game.

A return to form from Rinne, who's 0-4-1 with a 3.73 goals-against average over his past five starts, would help as well. The All-Star goaltender made just 19 saves before yielding Blake Wheeler's game-winner 51 seconds into overtime in last week's meeting.

Rinne did register a 20-save shutout in a 7-0 home rout of the Jets on Nov. 14 but stopped only 14 of 17 as Winnipeg won 4-1 in Nashville on Jan. 5 behind Stafford's two goals. Having lost 11 of 12 road starts, he could give way to Carter Hutton in the opener of this four-game Canada trip.

Hutton led Nashville to its last victory with 29 saves in Saturday's 4-0 win over struggling Minnesota.

Connor Hellebuyck has given Winnipeg more stability by posting a 1.73 GAA and .942 save percentage over an 11-start stretch. The rookie, third in the NHL with a 2.00 GAA, followed up a 24-save effort in Friday's 1-0 win at Minnesota with 32 against the Avalanche.

Hellebuyck had 31 saves against Nashville last week, the Jets' lone win in their last four at home. They're on the second of a six-game homestand that extends after the All-Star break.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Oilers (15-24) at Stars (27-13)

Date: January 21, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

With their final three games before the All-Star break at home, the Dallas Stars believe they can halt a January slide that's come mostly on the road.

Looking to continue their success at the American Airlines Center, the Stars can begin a potential turnaround by preventing their season-high losing streak from reaching five games Thursday night against the Edmonton Oilers.

Dallas (29-13-5) entered the new year with a seven-point lead in the Western Conference, but it's 1-5-2 this month and finds itself five points behind a West-leading Chicago team that's won 12 straight. The Stars have earned two points in six of those January games that came away from home.

Mired in an 0-5-3 road slide and allowing an average of 4.6 goals in the last seven of those losses, the Stars should be glad to remain in Texas prior to next weekend's All-Star festivities.

"They are huge games," defenseman Alex Goligoski told the Stars' official website after they concluded an 0-2-1 trip through California with Tuesday's 3-2 loss to Los Angeles.

"Get some ground back and throw some points back up on the board. We've been good at home lately. We got to go home and get the job done."

Dallas is 17-5-0 at home, where it's yielded 11 goals in the last nine and won a season-high five in a row before falling 2-1 to Minnesota on Jan. 9. The Stars allowed their three opponents on the recent trip to go 4 for 7 on the power play, but they've killed 17 of 18 penalties in the last seven at home.

Antti Niemi has a 1.30 goals-against average during a 6-1-0 stretch at home.

'We've got to regroup, get things in order and focus on the rest of the season,' forward Antoine Roussel said. 'It's going to come hard. Teams in the league are getting better, and they're aiming at us."

Home or away, Dallas needs to improve on the 1.8 goals its averaged in the last six games. It's gone 2 for 15 on the power play during that stretch.

Tyler Seguin is third in the league with 53 points and three behind teammate Jamie Benn, but he has two goals and one assist in 2016.

Jason Spezza recorded a hat trick as Dallas won for the third straight time at home over Edmonton (19-24-5), 4-2 on Oct. 13. The Stars are 13-1-2 in the last 16 at home against the Oilers, who avenged the October defeat with a 2-1 overtime victory in Edmonton on Dec. 4.

Playing its first game since learning third-leading scorer Ryan Nugent-Hopkins would miss six to eight weeks with a hand injury, Edmonton's four-game point streak ended with a 6-4 loss at Tampa Bay on Tuesday.

"At the end of the night that's too many (goals against)," coach Todd McLellan told the Oilers' official website. "They're too talented a team for us to play as loose and poorly as we did in our zone, and that's team-wide."

Cam Talbot, who signed a three-year contract extension Sunday, watched as backup Anders Nilsson faced 30 shots. Talbot, who has a 1.45 GAA in his last four starts, hasn't played against Dallas this season with Nilsson facing 94 shots in the two meetings.

Jordan Eberle has two goals and two assists in his last four games against the Stars.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Sharks (21-18) at Coyotes (22-18)

Date: January 21, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

While improved offensive play has keyed the San Jose Sharks' rise in the standings, the Arizona Coyotes' scoring drought has become a concern.

Though their winning streak has ended, the visiting Sharks still have a chance to stretch their point streak to a season-high seven Thursday night in a battle between two of the three teams tied for second in the Pacific Division.

San Jose (23-18-3) had averaged 2.7 goals per game before its current 5-0-1 stretch in which it has found the net 24 times. It hasn't earned a point in seven straight games since an eight-game run in March 2014.

The Sharks were on the verge of extending their five-game winning streak until they pulled down Ottawa's Jack Smith on a breakaway with 5:31 remaining in regulation of Monday's 4-3 shootout defeat. Smith converted the tying penalty shot, which stood after officials went to replay to see if the puck stopped moving forward before he took the shot.

"We have been playing great lately," Matt Nieto, who put San Jose ahead earlier, told the team's official website. "We'll take the point and move on."

Logan Couture scored his second goal in nine games since returning from a right leg injury and Joe Thornton added his 14th assist over his last 14. Tomas Hertl has scored in two straight games, giving him four goals and seven points in the past six. He has four in eight meetings with the Coyotes.

Couture had his five-game point streak in the series snapped in a 5-3 road loss April 4 in the most recent matchup. San Jose, which is tied with Arizona and Vancouver and 12 points behind Los Angeles, had gone 9-1-3 over the previous 13 meetings.

The Coyotes are having a much more difficult time scoring. They've totaled three goals over an 0-2-1 stretch after averaging 3.6 over their prior seven.

Antoine Vermette's goal with 11:56 remaining ended a scoreless drought of more than six periods in Monday's 2-1 home loss to Buffalo. Shane Doan has only tallied one of his team-high 16 goals over the last six games.

"We're a little bit off on our shooting and a lot of our shots are getting blocked," coach Dave Tippett said. "These are tight games and the second half gets tighter - people are scrambling for points and we're no different."

Arizona (22-18-5) has come up empty on its 10 power-play opportunities over the past two games after going 14 for 39 in its previous 10. The club also has allowed opponents to go 6 for 11 in those situations in its past four.

Joe Pavelski has a team-high seven power-play goals for a San Jose team that ranks near the top of the NHL by converting 21.2 percent of its chances. The Sharks, however, have let opponents score on 5 of 11 power plays in their last five games.

They're expected to face Louis Domingue, who hopes to rebound from his first regulation defeat in 11 starts since taking over for the injured Mike Smith. He's 7-1-3 with a .936 save percentage as a starter.

San Jose's Martin Jones will likely get an opportunity to win his fifth straight start after posting a 1.95 goals-against average over his last four. While with the Kings, he had 26 saves in a 4-0 win Dec. 4, 2014, in his only career start in Phoenix.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wild (22-16) at Kings (27-13)

Date: January 21, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

A revitalized Vincent Lecavalier is certainly doing his part to protect the Los Angeles Kings' healthy lead atop the Pacific Division.

The veteran center aims for a fourth consecutive game with a goal as the Kings attempt to deal the reeling Minnesota Wild a sixth straight loss Thursday night.

Reduced to being a predominately healthy scratch in Philadelphia, Lecavalier has flourished as a second-line center since being acquired by the Kings on Jan. 6. The 35-year-old extended his longest goal streak since the 2012-13 season with a power-play score that helped Los Angeles improve to 4-1-1 since his arrival with Tuesday's 3-2 win over Dallas.

'You can tell he's having fun again,' said Milan Lucic, who broke a 2-all tie in the third period to lengthen his point streak to five games. 'The coaches have put him in position to succeed, and that's something he's earned. He's playing with some great players and making the most of his time on the power play.'

Lecavalier's three goals - all of which have come in man-advantage situations - are two more than he totaled over the final 42 games of his failed two-year stint with the Flyers. They're also two more than what Minnesota (22-16-8) has produced over the last three defeats of its latest January swoon.

After being shut out by Winnipeg and Nashville on back-to-back nights, the Wild got an early goal from ex-King Jarret Stoll but couldn't hold on in Wednesday's 3-1 loss to Anaheim.

All five losses have come in regulation, and the Wild are one away from matching their longest skid since Jan. 3-13, 2015.

Minnesota has scored just four goals during the slide and none on the power play in a club-record 11 straight, going 0 of 24 over the drought.

"I feel like we had some good stuff around the net and some good possession in the zone, but you leave the night with zeros and you lose the game 3-1," Zach Parise told the NHL's official website. "It's our responsibility to score some goals."

A breakout doesn't appear particularly likely, as the Kings rank second in the NHL with 2.20 goals allowed per game and have held the Wild to one goal or less in each victory of a 3-1-0 series stretch. That includes a 2-1 win at Staples Center on Oct. 16 on Anze Kopitar's goal 2:19 into overtime.

Kopitar added two assists against Dallas to extend his point streak to five games and has 20 points over Los Angeles' 9-2-1 run. Jake Muzzin is on an eight-game streak after assisting on Lucic's game-winner.

The Kings, winners of 15 of 20 at home, also have received outstanding work from Jonathan Quick, who improved to 9-1-1 with a 1.72 goals-against average in his last 11 starts with 27 saves against Dallas.

Devan Dubnyk continues to keep the Wild in games, having allowed five goals over his last three and sporting a 1.84 GAA through his past five. There's a chance he may be rested in this one in favor of Darcy Kuemper, who stopped 35 shots in the previous meeting with Los Angeles.

Kuemper yielded three goals in winning three consecutive starts prior to a 2-1 loss to New Jersey on Jan. 10.

Stoll scored his first goal in 17 games with the Wild since being claimed off waivers from the New York Rangers on Dec. 15. The veteran center spent the previous seven seasons with Los Angeles and was a member of the Kings' 2012 and '14 Stanley Cup championship teams.