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bmd1803 · Nov 29, 2018

Buffalo Sabres vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Preview and Predictions 11-29-2018
NHL PREDICTIONS 28TH NOVEMBER 2018 BY GRACENOTE

The Buffalo Sabres go after a historic victory and attempt to make a major statement when they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night for an Atlantic Division showdown. The Sabres can break the franchise record for consecutive victories with their 11th in a row and win for the fourth time in five tries against the high-flying Lightning, including a 2-1 triumph in Buffalo on Nov. 13.

"We're just trying to keep improving," Sabres leading scorer Jeff Skinner told reporters Tuesday after his overtime goal beat San Jose 3-2. "Each night we've had guys step up and make big plays at key moment. There are still things we want to work on in our game. We have to continue to do that in this league. Teams are too good." One thing Buffalo would like to do is make it easier on itself as the Sabres have won seven games after regulation during their longest streak since opening the 2006-07 season with 10 straight wins. The Lightning sit one point behind first-place Buffalo entering Wednesday after suffering a 3-1 loss to Anaheim on Tuesday after opening their five-game homestand with three straight victories. Tampa Bay had a 35-22 edge in shots and drew a 5-on-3 power play in the third period, but came up short as coach Jon Cooper told reporters: "Usually in a game like that, we get three or four. Tip my hat to the goalie (Ryan Miller)."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG Buffalo, FS Sun (Tampa Bay)

ABOUT THE SABRES (17-6-2): Skinner's goal Tuesday was his fifth during a four-game streak and 19th overall to tie for the league lead entering Wednesday's schedule while the first-year Buffalo forward owns a team-best plus-15 rating. Captain Jack Eichel saw his six-game point streak come to an end against San Jose, but leads the team in points with 28 - one better than Skinner. Rasmus Ristolainen scored Tuesday and has two goals to go along with six assists during Buffalo's win streak while fellow defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, a 18-year-old rookie, is a plus-9 over the last 10 games.

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (17-7-1): Right wing Nikita Kucherov set up the only tally in Tuesday's loss to extend his point streak to seven games (two goals, 13 assists) while linemate Brayden Point scored his ninth goal in seven games and team-best 18th overall. The line of J.T. Miller, captain Steven Stamkos and Yanni Gourde has been kept off the scoresheet in three straight games after combining for eight points in the win over Florida to open the homestand. Defenseman Anton Stralman (upper body) is expected out at least another week, but left wing Ondrej Palat (lower body) is close to a return.

OVERTIME

1. The Lightning recalled G Connor Ingram and reassigned G Eddie Pasquale to Syracuse of the American Hockey League on Wednesday.

2. Buffalo G Carter Hutton has won eight straight decisions, allowing two goals or fewer six times in that stretch.

3. Tampa Bay D Ryan McDonagh was tied for the league lead with a plus-17 rating entering Wednesday.

PREDICTION: Lightning 4, Sabres 2

bmd1803 · Nov 29, 2018

New York Rangers vs. Ottawa Senators Preview and Predictions 11-29-2018
NHL PREDICTIONS 28TH NOVEMBER 2018 BY GRACENOTE

Despite a major roster overhaul starting at last season's trade deadline, the New York Rangers are among the league's biggest surprises and their improved play at home is a big reason why. Much like last season, though, New York has struggled away from Madison Square Garden and will try to change that when they open a two-game road trip at the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.

The Rangers have won only three of 11 (3-6-2) away from home but will look to beat Ottawa for the second time in four days after scoring three times in the third period of Monday's 4-2 victory. "It's a hard-working team," New York forward Kevin Hayes said. "If you are not working hard, you are not playing. That's coach's rules. We work hard every night and we are kind of building an identity here." The Senators rebounded from the loss to the Rangers with a 4-3 victory in Philadelphia on Tuesday, scoring three times in the final 20 minutes to halt a four-game slide in which they surrendered a staggering 23 goals. Although Ottawa also has labored on the road with three wins in 12 games (3-8-1), it has won seven straight at Canadian Tire Centre (playoffs included) versus New York.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), RDS, TSN5 (Ottawa)

ABOUT THE RANGERS (13-10-2): Defenseman Marc Staal ended a goal-scoring drought of more than 13 months against Ottawa, but coach David Quinn was not interested in talking about his offensive production following the latest victory. "I just think he's really had a good year," Quinn said. "Defensively, I think he's a calming influence on our team, in the locker room and on the ice. He works hard, he wants to get better. I've just liked his year, I really have." Forward Vladislav Namestnikov is in the concussion protocol and will not be available Thursday.

ABOUT THE SENATORS (10-12-3): Rookie Brady Tkachuk, the No. 4 overall selection in this year's draft, has elevated his game over the past two weeks. Tkachuk capped a three-point night by scoring a pair of third-period goals to fuel Ottawa's comeback win over Philadelphia and also collected a pair of assists at New York to give him five tallies and eight points in the last six games. "He brings something a little different," Matt Duchene said of Tkachuk. "We don't have a power forward quite like him on this team. ... Obviously, you can see why he was such a high pick for us."

OVERTIME

1. Rangers C Mika Zibanejad has four goals and five points in four games against his former team, including one of each Monday.

2. Ottawa F Mark Stone has 12 points in 16 games against New York after scoring twice Monday.

3. Rangers F Chris Kreider has seven goals and five assists over the past 12 games.

PREDICTION: Senators 3, Rangers 2

bmd1803 · Nov 29, 2018

New York Islanders vs. Boston Bruins Preview and Predictions 11-29-2018
NHL PREDICTIONS 28TH NOVEMBER 2018 BY GRACENOTE

Although the Boston Bruins have been besieged by injuries this season, the team has gotten healthy at the expense of the New York Islanders of late. After outscoring the Islanders 13-4 during a three-game season sweep in 2017-18, the Bruins bid for their fifth straight win in the series on Thursday when the teams reconvene at TD Garden.

David Pastrnak scored twice in the second period of Boston's 4-2 setback in Toronto on Monday, but the 22-year-old Czech has struggled without star linemate Patrice Bergeron (rib, shoulder) -- with coach Bruce Cassidy replacing Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson with fellow rookie Colby Cave on the top line in that contest. Brad Marchand, the other member of the top line, notched two assists versus the Maple Leafs after mustering just one point in his previous six games. New York forward Valtteri Filppula has found his offensive game by scoring in his second straight contest during Monday's 4-1 setback to Washington, raising his point total to eight (two goals, six assists) in his last seven outings. "I'm just happy to see the puck go in," said the 34-year-old Finn, who has seven goals in 23 games after scoring 11 in 81 with Philadelphia last season.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet1, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario, MSG-Plus (New York), NESN (Boston)

ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (12-9-2): Sidelined since Nov. 13 with a lower-body ailment, Casey Cizikas was thrilled to hear that he would be activated off injured reserve and participate in Wednesday's practice. "I'm excited just to be out there with the guys right now. We worked hard these past couple of weeks, our trainers did a great job of getting me ready and making sure I'm good to go," said the 27-year-old Cizikas, who leads the team's centermen by winning 56.6 percent of the faceoffs. Josh Bailey (team-leading 21 points) has been held off the scoresheet in four of his last five outings to reside at 398 points in his career, although he set up two of New York's four goals versus Boston last season.

ABOUT THE BRUINS (13-7-4): While Brandon Carlo (shoulder) is expected to end an eight-game absence on Thursday, Boston's pronounced injury list added yet another name as the team announced that fellow defenseman Kevan Miller is expected to be sidelined five weeks after a CT scan revealed cartilage damage to his larynx. "He plays his heart out. That's two blocked shots that have put him out. We'll miss him," Cassidy said of the 31-year-old Miller. Forward Ryan Donato was recalled on Wednesday from Providence of the American Hockey League -- the former Hobey Baker Award finalist has nine points (five goals, four assists) in 10 games in the minors while scoring once in 11 appearances with Boston.

OVERTIME

1. New York G Thomas Greiss owns a 2-3-0 career mark versus Boston despite posting a slim 1.63 goals-against average and .950 save percentage.

2. The Bruins will retire Rick Middleton's No. 16 and raise the banner to the rafters at TD Garden prior to Thursday's game.

3. The Islanders have failed to convert on their last 11 power-play opportunities to fall to 4-for-40 in November.

PREDICTION: Islanders 4, Bruins 2

bmd1803 · Nov 29, 2018

Minnesota Wild vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Preview and Predictions 11-29-2018
NHL PREDICTIONS 28TH NOVEMBER 2018 BY GRACENOTE

An inability to finish has plagued the Minnesota Wild, who are showing an alarming inability to protect third-period leads on their home ice over the past 11 games. After frittering away a two-goal cushion in a 4-3 setback to Arizona on Tuesday, the Wild will look to get back on track when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night.

Not only did Minnesota wilt against the Coyotes, but it was unable to hold a three-goal lead against Ottawa last week and gave up two third-period tallies in a 2-1 loss to Buffalo on Nov. 17. "We've got to mature as a group. It's the same stuff that's happening," Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon said. "We've got to fix it now or we're not going to go anywhere." The Blue Jackets nearly squandered a pair of huge leads in Monday's 7-5 win at Detroit, having to hold off a comeback after scoring the first three goals and building a 5-1 edge. Columbus, which trails first-place Washington by one point in the Metropolitan Division, is 7-2-1 over a 10-game stretch that included six away contests.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS North, FS Wisconsin (Minnesota), FS Ohio (Columbus)

ABOUT THE WILD (14-8-2): Goaltender Devan Dubnyk is mired in his first three-game winless drought of the season, all coming as a result of Minnesota's third-period collapses. "As far as plays and different situations in the game, it's a strange, little three-game stretch here," Dubnyk said. "But the worst thing you can do is let it affect the things that have been going well here. It becomes a challenge. That's part of sports, and you gotta work a little harder to make sure you don't go changing anything." Dubnyk owns a 10-6-3 record with a 2.35 goals-against average versus Columbus.

ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (14-8-2): The future of Artemi Panarin, who will be a free agent after the season, has been a hot-button topic in Columbus but the fourth-year forward helped eased the present by halting a 12-game goal drought with a three-point night at Detroit. Although he was struggling to find the net, Panarin has collected 10 assists over the past nine games after setting up a pair of goals by Pierre-Luc Dubois in Monday's victory. Dubois, who also had a three-point game Monday, has 12 goals and 22 points after recording 20 and 28 as a rookie last season.

OVERTIME

1. Blue Jackets F Cam Atkinson has points in eight straight games, although his seven-game goal streak was halted Monday.

2. Wild D Matt Dumba has a seven-game point streak, tying a franchise record for a blue-liner.

3. Columbus G Sergei Bobrovsky is 8-2-1 with a 1.78 goals-against average versus Minnesota.

PREDICTION: Blue Jackets 4, Wild 3