Thursday 2/25/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Post your request, Comments or concerns here.
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[superbeets]

Europa League TODAY 18:00

Liverpool

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Augsburg

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BTEU		2/5	4	8	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT LIVERPOOL	RECENT FORM
HDALHDAD*AWAD​ Most recent​	Unknown	ADHDALHLHDAW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Liverpool are unbeaten in five European home games

EXPERT VERDICT: Despite the 0-0 draw, Liverpool were the better team in last week’s Europa League first-leg clash and the Reds should finish the job comfortably at Anfield. Jurgen Klopp may rest a few players ahead of the League Cup final, but his side had six shots on target to Augsburg’s two in Germany.

RECOMMENDATION: Liverpool
2


REFEREE: Clement Turpin STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Europa League TODAY 20:05

Man Utd

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Midtjylland

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BT2		1/4	11/2	14	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT MAN UTD	RECENT FORM
AWHWADALALAW​ Most recent​	Unknown	HWADALALHDHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Memphis Depay has scored four European goals this term

EXPERT VERDICT: Midtjylland stunned Man United with a 2-1 first-leg victory last week at odds of 5-1, but the Red Devils can bounce back in Manchester. Memphis Depay, who seems to be saving his best performances for the European competitions, opened the scoring in Denmark and can repeat the trick at Old Trafford.

RECOMMENDATION: M Depay first goalscorer
1


REFEREE: Istvan Vad STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Europa League TODAY 20:05

Tottenham

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Fiorentina

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BT S		17/20	11/4	7/2	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT TOTTENHAM	RECENT FORM
AWAWHWAWADHL​ Most recent​	1 - 1	ADHWADHWHDAW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Fiorentina have scored eight goals in three European away games this season

EXPERT VERDICT: Both managers made changes to their usual side for last week’s 1-1 first-leg draw and it’s likely they will do the same again. However, Tottenham and Fiorentina are blessed with attack-minded midfielders that should lead to goals, particularly as the Italians need to score to qualify.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
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REFEREE: Ovidiu Alin Hategan STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Europa League TODAY 16:00

Lok. Moscow

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Fenerbahce

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BT2		9/5	23/10	7/4	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT LOK. MOSCOW	RECENT FORM
HLHLADHDAWAL​ Most recent​	Unknown	AWHWALHWHWAD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Lokomotiv have won only two of their last 12 competitive matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Fenerbahce’s 2-0 win in the first leg was as comprehensive as it gets. Lokomotiv, without a competitive game since early December and minus top scorer Oumar Niasse who was sold to Everton, looked really rusty. They need to up their efforts to have any chance of going through though the Turkish Super Lig giants can punish them on the counter.

RECOMMENDATION: Fenerbahce
3

 

[superbeets]

Europa League TODAY 20:05

Napoli

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Villarreal

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BTEU		7/10	3	17/4	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT NAPOLI	RECENT FORM
HWAWHWALALHD​ Most recent​	2 - 0 0 - 0	ADHWADHWHWAD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Villarreal have kept clean sheets in seven of their last nine matches

EXPERT VERDICT: As winners of 14 of their last 17 home games, Napoli should be confident of overturning a 1-0 deficit against anyone. However, Villarreal are one of the tightest teams in Spain who head to Italy fresh from a 0-0 draw at Atletico, the kind of performance and result that would do them nicely.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
2

 

[superbeets]

Spanish La Liga Fr 26Feb 19:30

Eibar

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Las Palmas

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS5		3/4	13/5	4	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT EIBAR	RECENT FORM
HWALHLALHWAL​ Most recent​	2 - 3 1 - 0	ALHLHWALALHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Las Palmas have not won away from home in the league this season

EXPERT VERDICT: Eibar are enjoying a terrific season and should register their eighth home win of the campaign against lowly Las Palmas. The Gran Canaria club really struggle on the road - drawing three and losing nine - and Eibar, who have won three of their last four at Ipurua, look a decent bet.

RECOMMENDATION: Eibar
2

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Golf glance
By Tom LaMarre, The Sports Xchange

COMING UP
PGA TOUR: Honda Classic on the Champion Course at PGA National Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Thursday through Sunday.
TV: Thursday and Friday, 2-6 p.m. EST on the Golf Channel; Saturday and Sunday, 1-3 p.m. EST on the Golf Channel and 3-6 p.m. EST on NBC.
LAST YEAR: Padraig Harrington of Ireland claimed his first PGA Tour victory since the 2008 PGA Championship when he made par on the second playoff hole to beat rookie Daniel Berger, who hit his tee shot into the water en route to a double-bogey 5. Harrington, who had fallen to No. 297 in the World Golf Rankings after being No. 3 at one time, closed with an even-par 70 and seemed to be heading for victory in regulation before hitting his tee shot into the water on the 17th hole to make a double-bogey 5. That was the same hole on which he won the playoff, finding dry land the second time around. Harrington had to sink a 16-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to get into the playoff with Berger, who finished with 64, including birdies on the last two holes.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: Tucson Conquistadores Classic at Omni Tucson National in Tucson, Ariz., March 18-20.
TV: Friday, noon-2:30 p.m. EST; Saturday, 3-5:30 p.m. EST; and Sunday, 3-5 p.m. EST; on the Golf Channel each day.
LAST YEAR: Marco Dawson won for the first time on the Champions Tour in his 21st start, closing with a 3-under-par 69 to win by two strokes over Bart Bryant. Dawson added the Senior Open Championship title later in 2015 at Sunningdale, England. After falling into a tie for the lead with Bryant due to a bogey on the 15th hole in the final round, Dawson holed a 20-foot birdie putt at No. 16 and suddenly had a two-stroke lead when Bryant could not get up and down for par after hitting into a greenside bunker. Bryant, whose only victory on the senior circuit came in the 2013 Dick's Sporting Goods Open after he won three times on the PGA Tour, wound up at 70.

LPGA TOUR: Honda LPGA Thailand on the Pattaya Old Course at Siam Country Club in Chonburi, Thailand, Thursday through Sunday.
TV: Thursday through Sunday, 1-5 a.m. EST, on the Golf Channel each day.
LAST YEAR: Amy Yang of South Korea won for the second time on the LPGA Tour, closing with a 3-under-par 69 to defeat Stacy Lewis, Yani Tseng of Thailand and Mirim Lee of South Korea by two strokes. Yang was tied for the lead with Lewis when she went ahead to stay with a tap-in birdie on the 15th hole, where the 54-hole leader fell back with a double-bogey 6 by hitting her 67-yard approach over the green. Lewis could not rally on the closing holes and finished with a 72, while Tseng, who won the tournament in 2011 and 2012, had a 67, and Lee totaled 69.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Golfers to Bet - Honda Classic

Tournament: The Honda Classic
Date: Thursday, February 25th
Venue: PGA National (Champion)
Location: Palm Beach Gardens, FL

The golfers will be heading to Palm Beach Gardens for The Honda Classic at PGA National on Thursday. The winner at last week’s Northern Trust Open ended up being Bubba Watson, who shot a 15-under in the tournament. He will, however, not be playing in this week’s event. Fortunately, there still will not be a shortage of studs in this event.

This field will feature players such as Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Zach Johnson and Rickie Fowler. McIlroy actually won this event back in 2012, shooting a 12-under to defeat the runners-up, Tom Gillis and Tiger Woods.

Last year’s event was won by Padraig Harrington, who shot a six-under and is the only member of this field with two victories at The Honda Classic. The best score ever shot on this 7,158-yard course was a 24-under by Justin Leonard back in 2003.

With that out of the way, let’s now take a look at who might be winning this event on Sunday:

Golfers to Bet

Rory McIlroy (11/2) - McIlroy has not yet won a tournament this season and that has got to be eating away at him. He is one of the best players on the TOUR and it’s time for him to finish first in an event. He was excellent up until the final round of last week’s Northern Trust Open. For the first three days, McIlroy looked to be as sharp as ever. He imploded on day four, though, and that anger will drive him to be a serious contender on Sunday. As mentioned earlier, McIlory won The Honda Classic in 2012 and he also happened to have been a runner-up in 2014. He is extremely comfortable at this course and there are a number of reasons to believe that he will come out ready to win this one. He’s an excellent play at 11-to-2 and is worth putting several units on.

Phil Mickelson (18/1) - Mickelson has played extremely well this season, finishing tied for third at the CareerBuilder Challenge, tied for 11th at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and second at Pebble Beach just two weeks ago. He will be well rested after sitting out of the Northern Trust Open last week and that gave him more time to prepare for this tournament as well. Mickelson will have every reason to be determined to win this thing on Sunday. The lefty has not won a single event this season and The Honda Classic also happens to be one of the few tournaments he has never won in his career. With 20-to-1 odds, it’s worth taking a shot on Mickelson to win it. He’s one of the best golfers on the TOUR and also happens to be in tremendous form of late.

Luke Donald (60/1) - Donald has not yet played to his potential this season, but he is a very good value here this weekend. Donald has historically been very good at The Honda Classic in his career, winning the event back in 2006 and also being a runner-up in 2008. This is a course that suits his strengths and he will be hoping to break out of his slump and come through with a victory on Sunday. At 60-to-1 there are a lot of worse options when choosing a winner for this weekend. Putting a unit on Donald could pay off huge come Sunday and he’s a good guy to throw in if you are already grabbing favorites like McIlroy and Mickelson.

Padraig Harrington (100/1) - Another guy that is worth putting a unit on is Harrington. In fact, it’d almost be irresponsible not to pick Harrington in this event. As mentioned earlier, Harrington is the only member of this field with two victories at The Honda Classic and he showed that he is somebody that will continue to be a force here by winning it as recently as last year. Harrington has had a solid season so far as well, tying for sixth at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions early in January and tying for 21st in Pebble Beach two weeks ago. He is a serious threat to win on Sunday and could end up paying off huge.

Odds to win The Honda Classic

Rory McIlroy 11/2
Rickie Fowler 11/1
Hideki Matsuyama 17/1
Adam Scott 18/1
Patrick Reed 18/1
Phil Mickelson 18/1
Branden Grace 30/1
Brooks Koepka 30/1
Kevin Kisner 38/1
Paul Casey 38/1
Russell Knox 40/1
Sergio Garcia 40/1
Zach Johnson 40/1
Jimmy Walker 45/1
Ryan Palmer 55/1
Shane Lowry 55/1
Graeme McDowell 58/1
Luke Donald 60/1
Brendan Steele 65/1
David Lingmerth 65/1
Freddie Jacobson 65/1
Justin Thomas 65/1
Webb Simpson 70/1
Andy Sullivan 75/1
Jason Kokrak 75/1
Daniel Berger 80/1
Jason Dufner 80/1
Keegan Bradley 80/1
Gary Woodland 85/1
Ian Poulter 85/1
Jonas Blixt 85/1
Matt Jones 85/1
Matthew Fitzpatrick 85/1
Russell Henley 90/1
Emiliano Grillo 95/1
Billy Horschel 100/1
Charles Howell III 100/1
Padraig Harrington 100/1
Camilo Villegas 115/1
Brian Harman 120/1
Ernie Els 120/1
Jamie Lovemark 120/1
Patrick Rodgers 120/1
Anirban Lahiri 125/1
Bernd Wiesberger 125/1
Martin Laird 125/1
Scott Piercy 125/1
Sung Kang 125/1
Boo Weekley 130/1
John Huh 130/1
Adam Hadwin 150/1
Ben Martin 150/1
Graham Delaet 150/1
Hiroshi Iwata 150/1
Jamie Donaldson 150/1
Patton Kizzire 150/1
Robert Streb 150/1
Sean OHair 150/1
Tony Finau 150/1
William McGirt 150/1
Chris Kirk 175/1
Daniel Summerhays 175/1
Fabian Gomez 175/1
Francesco Molinari 175/1
Jim Herman 175/1
Seung yul Noh 175/1
Si Woo Kim 175/1
Will Wilcox 175/1
Cameron Tringale 180/1
Chris Stroud 200/1
Harold Varner III 200/1
Jason Bohn 200/1
Jerry Kelly 200/1
Lucas Glover 200/1
Luke List 200/1
Smylie Kaufman 200/1
Colt Knost 225/1
George McNeill 225/1
Kyle Reifers 225/1
Ricky Barnes 225/1
Tyrone Van Aswegen 225/1
Andrew Loupe 250/1
David Hearn 250/1
Geoff Ogilvy 250/1
Hudson Swafford 250/1
Jeff Overton 250/1
John Senden 250/1
Jon Curran 250/1
Kyle Stanley 250/1
Michael Thompson 250/1
Morgan Hoffmann 250/1
Ollie Schniederjans 250/1
Pat Perez 250/1
Retief Goosen 250/1
Rory Sabbatini 250/1
Spencer Levin 250/1
Stewart Cink 250/1
Zac Blair 250/1
Alex Cejka 300/1
Ben Crane 300/1
Brendon Todd 300/1
Brendon de Jonge 300/1
Chesson Hadley 300/1
Davis Love III 300/1
Mark Hubbard 300/1
Scott Brown 300/1
Scott Stallings 300/1
Vijay Singh 300/1
Chad Campbell 350/1
Matt Every 350/1
Peter Malnati 350/1
Scott Pinckney 350/1
Steve Marino 350/1
Stuart Appleby 350/1
Will MacKenzie 350/1
Angel Cabrera 400/1
Bronson Burgoon 400/1
Carl Pettersson 400/1
Carlos Ortiz 400/1
Derek Fathauer 400/1
Mark Wilson 400/1
Tom Gillis 400/1
Alan Morin 500/1
Blayne Barber 500/1
Brett Stegmaier 500/1
Brian Gay 500/1
Chad Collins 500/1
Dicky Pride 500/1
Erik Compton 500/1
Greg Owen 500/1
J.J. Henry 500/1
Johnson Wagner 500/1
Justin Hicks 500/1
Ken Duke 500/1
Mike Weir 500/1
Nicholas Thompson 500/1
Robert Allenby 500/1
Sam Saunders 500/1
Steve Wheatcroft 500/1
Whee Kim 500/1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

10 Players to Watch: Honda Classic
By Tom LaMarre, The Sports Xchange

1. Rickie Fowler, United States -- After being knocked down a peg to No. 5 in the World Golf Rankings by his good pal Bubba Watson, who won the Northern Trust Open last week, Fowler returns from a two-week break to play in the Honda Classic. In his last start, he lost in a playoff to Hideki Matsuyama at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, his fourth top-five finish in his last five outings, the only glitch a missed cut in the Farmers Insurance Open. Fowler, who won the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship last month, has four victories since the Players Championship last May. He is making his seventh start at PGA National, with his best result a tie for seventh in 2012, and he was in contention the following year before closing with a 74 to tie for 13th.

2. Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland -- Rory tries to bounce back from his final-round 75 in the Northern Trust Open on Sunday, dropping him from a tie for the lead to a tie for 20th, when he tees it up in the Honda Classic for the eighth consecutive season. He won the tournament in 2012, posting four rounds in the 60s to beat Tiger Woods and Tom Gillis by two strokes, and seemed to be headed for another victory two years ago. He opened with a 63 and led much of the way before shooting 74 in the final round and losing in a playoff to Russell Henley. Before playing for the first time on the PGA Tour at Riviera in 2016, he started the year on the European Tour with a tie for third in Abu Dhabi and a tie for sixth in Dubai.

3. Adam Scott, Australia -- If nor for a double-bogey 6 on the eighth hole, Scott might have been holding the trophy at the Northern Trust Open on Sunday night rather than Bubba Watson. His tie for second at Riviera was his best result since he finished solo second in the CIMB Classic in Malaysia during the early portion of the 2015-16 schedule in November. Scotty seems to be making progress with his short putter after the long wand he anchored to his chest was banned as of the beginning of this year. He is making his fifth start in the Honda Classic, with his best result a tie for 11th in his first appearance in 2001, and he also tied for 12th the last time he was at PGA National in 2014.

4. Phil Mickelson, United States -- Lefty can't wait to get back into the game this week in the Honda Classic after a strong start on the West Coast swing. Even though he missed the cut in his hometown event, the Farmers Insurance Open, he showed he has plenty left in the tank at 45 when he tied for third in the CareerBuilder Challenge, tied for 11th in the Waste Management Phoenix Open and finished solo second in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am -- lipping out a putt on the final hole that would have put him into a playoff. Mickelson is playing in the Honda Classic for only the fifth time, with his best result a tie for 11th in 2002. He tied for 17th last year.

5. Hideki Matsuyama, Japan -- Up to No. 11 in the World Golf Rankings after a tie for 11th in the Northern Trust Open two weeks after he beat Rickie Fowler in a playoff to win the Waste Management Phoenix Open, Matsuyama seems to be on the verge of becoming one of the best players on the planet. The 25-year-old, whose only other PGA Tour victory came in the 2014 Memorial, didn't win last year but came close with six results in the top five -- including solo fifth in the Masters. This week, Matsuyama will make only his second appearance in the Honda Classic, after shooting 70 in the first round in 2014 before being forced to withdraw because of because of a left wrist injury.

6. Patrick Reed, United States -- It has been a solid start to the 2015-16 season for Reed, who is No. 9 in the World Golf Rankings, even though he has not won in more than a year since the Hyundai Tournament of Champions gave him his fourth victory since August 2013. He has four finishes in the top 10 in the new season, including solo second in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions and a tie for sixth in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in his last start two weeks ago. Reed will make his fourth start in the Honda Classic, with his best result a tie for seventh last year. It would have been better because he was near the lead after opening with 67-67, but he played the weekend in 70-73.

7. Branden Grace, South Africa -- This will be Grace's first start on U.S. soil as a full-fledged PGA Tour member, but he has been tearing it up on the European Tour and risen to No. 10 in the World Golf Rankings. He has finished in the top six in his last six outings, capped by a victory in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters last month. In events that were sanctioned by both major tours last November, he tied for 17th in the CIMB Classic in Malaysia and tied for fifth in the WGC-HSBC Champions in China. This will be his second appearance in the Honda Classic. He tied for 71st in 2013 at PGA National after an opening 65 put him in a tie for second before he closed with an ugly 81.

8. Zach Johnson, United States -- Even though he has yet to make a real run
up the leaderboard, Johnson has gotten off to a solid start in the 2015-16 season with four finishes in the top 25 in five starts. His best result was a tie for ninth in the Sony Open in Hawaii, and he also tied for 14th in his last start at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. With the Masters only six weeks away, Zach will be looking for the form that took him to the Open Championship last August at St. Andrews as he plays in the Honda Classic for only the fifth time. His best result was a tie for 13th in 2004, but he shot 69-76--145 to miss the cut by one stroke last year.

9. Sergio Garcia, Spain -- After a missed cut in the Northern Trust Open to start 2016 on the PGA Tour, Garcia will try kick-start the year when he plays in the Honda Classic. He got off to a solid start on the European Tour with a tie for seventh last month in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters after playing twice in the early stages of the wrap-around schedule on the U.S. Tour last November, tying for 24th in the CIMB Classic in Malaysia and tying for 11th in the WGC-HSBC Champions in China. This will be Garcia's six appearance at PGA National, where his best finish was a tie for eighth two years ago, when he opened with a 72 but then reeled off scores of 68-68-67 to wind up three shots out of a playoff won by Russell Henley.

10. Kevin Kisner, United States -- Coming off a missed cut in his last start at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, Kisner hopes to find the game that put him atop the early 2015-16 FedEx Cup standings with four consecutive top-10 finishes. It started with a solo second in the WGC-HSBC Champions in China before he claimed his first PGA Tour victory in the RSM Classic, finished ninth in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions and tied for fifth at the Sony Open in Hawaii. During that stretch of four tournaments, he was a cumulative 71 under par. Kisner is playing in the Honda Classic for only the second time. Last year, he finished in a tie for 51st, breaking the par of 70 at PGA National only when he posted a 68 in the second round.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL notebook: Blues' Reaves draws three-game suspension
By The Sports Xchange

St. Louis Blues forward Ryan Reaves was suspended for three games on Wednesday in a decision announced by the NHL Department of Player Safety after a hearing.
The 29-year-old Reaves drilled San Jose's Matt Tennyson into the board during a game on Monday night that left the Sharks defenseman unconscious. Tennyson was chasing the puck in the San Jose end when Reaves hit him from behind. It appeared that Tennyson's body froze before he fell to the ice. He did not return to the game.
Reaves was assessed a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct after the incident at 8:37 of the first period in the Sharks' 6-3 victory.
In 49 games this season, Reaves has two goals and 40 penalty minutes, bringing his career totals to 19 goals and 563 penalty minutes in 324 NHL regular-season games.

---A drug charge against Washington Capitals forward Mike Richards was stayed by a judge in Manitoba and the prosecution is no longer pursuing the case.
That means Richards is likely in the clear after he was stopped at the U.S.-Canada border in June and charged with possession of a controlled substance, which was reported to be Oxycontin. There is still a chance that the court could revisit the case in a year, but that usually does not happen in Canada, according to media reports.
After the arrest last summer, the Los Angeles Kings terminated Richards' contract. He filed a grievance against the Kings and a settlement was reached. In early January, Richards signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Capitals and has appeared in 15 games. He scored his first goal on Monday for the Caps in a 3-2 win over Arizona.

---The Minnesota Wild placed forward Jason Zucker on injured reserve with a concussion.
Zucker, 24, was injured in Sunday's Stadium Series game at TCF Bank Stadium on the University of Minnesota campus against the Chicago Blackhawks. Minnesota lost Zucker during the second period of the Wild's 6-1 victory.
Zucker has 22 points (12 goals, 10 assists) in 58 games with the Wild this season. He ranks fourth on the team with 135 shots on goal and is tied for fourth in goals.
The Wild recalled forward Jordan Schroeder from Iowa of the American Hockey League.

---Defenseman Scott Hannan formally announced his retirement after 16 NHL seasons.
Hannan spent 11 of those seasons as a member of the San Jose Sharks.
Hannan, 37, played in 1,055 NHL games with San Jose, Colorado, Washington, Calgary and Nashville, posting 217 points (38 goals, 179 assists) and 625 penalty minutes.

---The New York Rangers assigned defenseman Brady Skjei to Hartford of the American Hockey League.
Skjei has skated in three games with the Rangers this season, recording three shots on goal and two penalty minutes. He was credited with two hits and one shot on goal in 22:17 of ice time on Tuesday night at New Jersey after being recalled that day.

---The Nashville Predators reassigned forward Cody Bass to Milwaukee of the American Hockey League after he cleared waivers.
Bass, 29, has no points and 12 penalty minutes in 14 games with the Predators this season. The 6-foot, 205-pound center has five points (two goals, three assists) in 63 career NHL games with Ottawa, Columbus and Nashville. In 21 games for Milwaukee this season, Bass has a goal and four assists.

---The Detroit Red Wings sent defensemen Xavier Ouellet to Grand Rapids the American Hockey League.
Ouellet made his Red Wings season debut on Feb. 14 against the Boston Bruins. In five games with Detroit, he had two penalty minutes, four shots on goal, five hits, three blocked shots and three takeaways. In 38 games for Grand Rapids this season, the 22-year-old has three goals, 14 assists and 43 penalty minutes.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Devils (30-24) at Blue Jackets (24-29)

Date: February 25, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The New Jersey Devils avoided matching their longest losing streak of the season by beating an arch-rival.

Now they can't afford another slip-up against a Metropolitan Division foe that has been a thorn in their side.

The Devils have dropped four straight to the Columbus Blue Jackets heading into Thursday night's matchup at Nationwide Arena.

New Jersey (30-24-7) ended a three-game slide with Tuesday's 5-2 home win over the New York Rangers. The Devils posted their highest goal total in 13 games by rallying from a goal down after one period as five different players scored.

"It's a huge rivalry game, you always want to beat those teams," said winger Lee Stempniak, who ended a personal nine-game goal drought.

The losing streak has seen the Devils drop outside the playoff picture, and they know they must improve down the stretch.

'It's a big win,' Stempniak said. 'You can see where we are in the standings. Losing three games, it's tough to keep pace with teams. To not get points in three straight, you are going to fall behind.'

New Jersey could use two points Thursday against the division's worst team, although Columbus (24-29-8) likely poses a bigger threat than its place in the standings suggests.

The Blue Jackets are 7-2-3 in their last 12 games and, more pertinent to this matchup, have taken the last four between the teams. That includes a pair of low-scoring road contests this season, 3-1 on Oct. 27 and 2-1 on Nov. 25.

Columbus returns home after winning 6-4 at Boston on Monday and losing 2-1 in a shootout in Detroit the next night. Boone Jenner scored three goals in those games to give him 22 to match Brandon Saad for the team lead.

The Blue Jackets outshot both opponents, and coach John Tortorella was happy with the trip.

"That's where I think our biggest improvement is, is when there are surges and there is momentum coming at you, we just stay with it, we don't break away and open up, we don't try to do too much, we just settle ourselves down and play," Tortorella said. "And for the most part with this trip here, we have done a really good job with that."

It may be difficult to translate that solid play over at home, where Columbus has scored one goal in back-to-back defeats.

Curtis McElhinney made his first start since Jan. 2 on Tuesday after being out with an ankle injury. Joonas Korpisalo, who started the previous 12 games, has never faced the Devils.

The Devils will have to figure out how to use their goalies in the start of a back-to-back set capped by Friday's home game against Tampa Bay. Cory Schneider is 0-3-1 with a 2.80 goals-against average in his last four starts against the Blue Jackets while backup Keith Kinkaid is the other option.

New Jersey's goalies have had to endure playing in front of an offense that is the league's worst in goals (2.2) and shots on goal (24.6) per game.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wild (27-23) at Flyers (26-22)

Date: February 25, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

John Torchetti's winning streak to start his tenure with Minnesota is over, and stopping it from flipping immediately into a losing streak will require the Wild to extend their season-best road run.

They head to Philadelphia, where the Flyers begin a six-game stretch hoping to regain the home form they had a month and a half ago.

The Wild are 4-1-0 under Torchetti, and while they're embarking on a back-to-back road set concluding Friday against Washington having won three straight on the road under their new coach, they're also concerned with getting it right on home ice after Tuesday's 4-1 loss to the New York Islanders.

"Right now, we have to focus on the road, heading down there, and getting those games," said center Charlie Coyle, who has scored in six of the last eight away games, including the past three. "We have to get back to playing our game, and our style of hockey here, and take care of business in our building."

The Wild (27-23-10) scored 21 times in Torchetti's first four games with those wins coming by at least two goals each, and he said the departure from that was caused by the team being out of sync.

"It seemed like every time the puck was going, we were coming, and every time the puck was coming, we were going," Torchetti said. "We have to do a better job with our puck possession."

The power play has improved some under Torchetti, going 5 for 21, and the Wild have scored at least one power-play goal in their last eight away games while converting at a rate of 31.0 percent.

The Flyers (26-22-11) opened the season series with a 4-3 overtime win in Minnesota on Jan. 7 for their fifth victory in the last seven meetings.

Philadelphia is returning home from a 2-2-1 trip that ended with Tuesday's 3-1 loss to Carolina, despite putting 37 shots on net. The Flyers have outshot their last three opponents by 9.7 per game.

"We played a good hockey game, a real good hockey game, really in almost every area," coach Dave Hakstol told the team's official website. "Their goaltender was the difference. You walk away from this one and we didn't get the two points, and that's all that really matters at this time of year. But we did play a hell of a hockey game. So we've got to carry that play and that mentality into a home game in two days, and we'll do that."

The Flyers, however, have gone 2-3-3 at home since a six-game winning streak there ended in mid-January.

Shayne Gostisbehere's 15-game point streak was one of the casualties of Tuesday's loss, something the rookie defenseman isn't overly sad to see go.

"It was a special streak," Gostisbehere said. "I really can't thank my teammates and coaches (enough). They helped me along the way, not letting me think about it too much, and the biggest thing, not getting a big head about it. It was a fun thing. I'm personally happy it's over and we don't have to talk about it anymore."

Steve Mason figures to be back in net after Michal Neuvirth faced the Hurricanes and replaced Mason in Saturday's 5-4 overtime win in Toronto. Mason has posted a 1.98 goals-against average and .934 save percentage over a 3-1-0 span against Minnesota, whereas likely counterpart Devan Dubnyk has lost both his career games in Philadelphia with a 3.57 GAA and .883 save percentage.

The Wild placed forward Jason Zucker on injured reserve Wednesday because of a concussion suffered in Sunday's 6-1 win over Chicago. Zucker is tied for fourth on the team with 12 goals.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hurricanes (28-23) at Maple Leafs (20-28)

Date: February 25, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Carolina hasn't conceded a season series to Toronto in nearly a decade, and it seems unlikely to change given the Maple Leafs' defensive zone struggles and the extended proficiency of the Hurricanes' goaltender.

Nevertheless, that run is on the line Thursday night in Toronto with the Maple Leafs a loss away from their third skid of at least five games.

Carolina (28-23-10) is looking to string together wins after Tuesday's 3-1 home win over Philadelphia and improve on a 5-2-2 span over which it's totaled 27 goals.

Joakim Nordstrom scored in a third straight game, Jordan Staal scored for the fourth time in five games and has 12 points in his last nine, and Eric Staal ended a 16-game goal drought but was left thinking the Hurricanes could have shown more after being outshot 37-18. It matched a season low-shot total, and the margin of 19 was their worst of the season.

"It wasn't our best game, but (goaltender) Cam (Ward) was our best player by a stretch," Eric Staal told the team's official website. "It was nice to get some timely goals and a regulation win against a team that's trying to catch us."

It led coach Bill Peters to introduce new lines in practice Wednesday, highlighted by center Victor Rask joining the top line and moving Eric Staal to left wing.

"It looked like it got stale a little bit," Peters said. "I'm not saying that's what we'll go with but I at least wanted to practice with them in case we do go with that."

Ward made 36 saves and improved to 9-4-4 with a 1.84 goals-against average and .930 save percentage dating to Dec. 18. He's limited the Maple Leafs to a goal in his last three games against them as part of a 7-1-2 span with a 1.68 GAA and .941 save percentage.

The Hurricanes are 22-7-2 since losing three of four to the Maple Leafs in 2006-07, a run that includes a 1-0 win in Toronto on Jan. 21 and 2-1 shootout loss in Carolina on Nov. 20. Over a 5-0-1 span in the series, Carolina has outscored Toronto 18-5. Jordan Staal has six goals and six assists in 10 games against the Leafs since joining the Hurricanes, including the only goal last month.

"We've played them hard both times, but they've been low-scoring, tight, highly-contested games," Peters said. "I don't expect anything different."

He might want to take a better look at the Maple Leafs recent results. Toronto (20-28-10) has given up 36 goals during a 1-6-1 span, and it didn't have a defenseman over 25 years old in Tuesday's 3-2 home loss to Nashville.

"If you think that I'm not trying to get these guys to play as hard as they can possibly play, you're missing the boat," coach Mike Babcock told the team's official website. "They give me a group and I do everything I can to help that team win. We go through how are we going to win (Thursday)."

Josh Leivo scored for a third straight game, though Toronto has yet to win in the 22-year-old's seven NHL games this season. Defenseman Morgan Rielly, 21, scored the other and has played right around 26 minutes in each of the last two games.

"These young guys, including myself, have a chance to grow, have a chance to get more responsibility and play in more situations and I think it's going to help us out in the long run," Rielly said.

Jonathan Bernier will start hoping to end a seven-game winless stretch that includes a 0-5-0 record, 3.92 GAA and .872 save percentage.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Coyotes (27-27) at Panthers (34-18)

Date: February 25, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Jaromir Jagr's march up the NHL's all-time scoring list at age 44 is a remarkable feat, something his much younger teammates appreciate even more as it helps keep Florida atop the Atlantic Division despite being short-handed recently.

The Panthers will get Aleksander Barkov and Erik Gudbranson back Thursday night, but the bad news is that Jonathan Huberdeau now is nursing his own injury.

Huberdeau will be out at least against the visiting Arizona Coyotes, whose playoff hopes are fading during a rough start to their road trip.

Barkov scored in four consecutive games and had at least a point in six straight before he was hit in the head illegally by Detroit's Justin Abdelkader in a loss Feb. 8. Gudbranson hasn't played since Feb. 4 because of an upper-body injury, and the Panthers (34-18-7) have gone just 3-3-2 since he went down.

They're both ready to return against the Coyotes (27-27-6) with Florida holding a three-point lead on Tampa Bay for the division lead thanks in part to Jagr. Jagr helped the Panthers pick up a point in a 2-1 shootout loss to San Jose last Thursday by scoring in the third period, then scored twice in Saturday's 3-1 win over Winnipeg.

Jagr moved ahead of Brett Hull for third on the NHL's scoring list with 742 goals, trailing only Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe.

'I don't really think about it. I wanted to make sure I played a little bit better (Saturday),' Jagr said. "There's a million people who wanted to be in my position. If I can play in the NHL, why not keep going?'

Jagr's 20 goals and 43 points lead the Panthers, and Huberdeau and Jussi Jokinen have a team-high 29 assists apiece. Huberdeau, though, suffered an upper-body injury after going into the boards awkwardly against the Jets, and he'll have to sit out at least one game.

Not having the 22-year-old standout could be a blow, but Roberto Luongo hopes Florida won't have to score much anyway. He made 29 saves to beat Winnipeg after allowing at least three goals in each of his previous five starts, and he wasn't given the start in two straight before being back in net Saturday.

Luongo made 32 saves in Florida's 2-1 win over Arizona in the last matchup Oct. 30, 2014, to help the Panthers end a four-game losing streak in the series, and he'll be in goal again for this one.

'I wasn't happy obviously with my last few starts,' Luongo said. 'Put in a good week of work. Usually it gets you over the hump and I felt good in the game. I felt sharp.'

The Coyotes will try to solve Luongo and snap a three-game skid. This will be their third contest in four nights after falling 3-2 to Washington on Monday and 2-1 to Tampa Bay on Tuesday to start their five-game trip.

Arizona sits in 10th place in the Western Conference and is chasing Colorado for the last wild-card spot, but it has three games in hand on the Avalanche.

"We're running out of games here," said rookie Jordan Martinook, who had an assist against the Capitals and scored against the Lightning. "The teams that we're chasing are winning. Sometimes you can work hard but you're not getting the results. We need to come out against Florida and play as desperate as we can."

Louis Domingue was in net for both games to begin the trip. It's unclear if he'll get the start in this one.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rangers (34-20) at Blues (35-18)

Date: February 25, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Arguably no team has been more beset by injuries than the St. Louis Blues, and perhaps none has been more resilient.

With Brian Elliott the latest addition to the walking wounded, the Blues will be tested once more Thursday night against a New York Rangers team that could have some key reinforcements back.

In a season in which such notables as Jaden Schwartz, Kevin Shattenkirk, Paul Stastny, Jake Allen and Patrik Berglund have all missed at least 10 games, St. Louis (35-18-9) has utilized all its resources to sit just three points out of first place in the top-heavy Central Division.

That enviable depth has taken another big hit in the past few days. After Alexander Steen, second on the team with 17 goals and 47 points, sustained an upper-body injury in Saturday's 6-4 win at Arizona, Elliott exited Monday's 6-3 loss against San Jose in the first period with a lower-body issue.

Both are expected to miss at least four weeks, joining defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (knee) on the sidelines. Forward Ryan Reaves is also out after being suspended for three games for an illegal hit on the Sharks' Matt Tennyson.

"Seems to be order of the day of the year, eh?," coach Ken Hitchcock said.

Elliott's injury comes during one of the best stretches of his career. The veteran goaltender is 12-3-2 with a 1.91 goals-against average in 18 consecutive starts with Allen sidelined by a knee injury, and had won five straight prior to Monday.

Allen stopped 15 of 17 shots in relief in his first action since Jan. 8.

Steen's production may be easier to replace with the Blues' other top forwards playing well. Vladimir Tarasenko has five points in two games after recording a goal and two assists against San Jose and David Backes has scored in two straight. Schwartz has four goals and two assists in six games since returning from a fractured ankle.

New York (34-20-6) felt the brunt of captain Ryan McDonagh and fellow defenseman Marc Staal's absences in Tuesday's 5-2 loss at New Jersey. The Rangers were outshot 36-19, including 17-5 in the second period when they allowed two of New Jersey's four unanswered goals.

'It could have been our worst period of the year,' coach Alain Vigneault said. 'Not to take anything away from Jersey but after what I believe was a real solid period where we had some real good looks, it was mistake after mistake in the second period."

McDonagh, who's missed six of the last eight with a concussion and jaw contusion, and Staal (lower body) did make the trip, with one or both expected to play.

McDonagh had a power-play goal in a 6-3 home win over the Blues on Nov. 12, in which Allen was pulled after allowing three goals on five shots in just 14:38.

Allen has been very good on home ice, though, having compiled an 11-6-1 record and 1.96 GAA in 18 starts at Scottrade Center.

Henrik Lundqvist has won two straight against St. Louis after losing his first four career meetings, making 31 saves in the most recent matchup and 23 in a 3-2 road victory on Oct. 9, 2014. He's coming off a 31-save effort against New Jersey and owns a 1.74 GAA in winning six of his last eight starts.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Predators (29-21) at Blackhawks (38-19)

Date: February 25, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Chicago Blackhawks played a stinker during their only game over the last week and return to an indoor venue now in second place in the Central Division.

That's still a cushy playoff position compared to Nashville.

The Predators might be without defenseman Shea Weber as they try to complete a perfect three-game road trip and avoid dropping four of the season's five meetings with Chicago on Thursday night.

The Blackhawks (38-19-5) were off for three days before Sunday's Stadium Series matchup at Minnesota, then allowed the first five goals in a 6-1 defeat. They haven't played since, and Dallas jumped back on top of the Central by a point with a win Tuesday.

Third-place St. Louis has pulled to within two of Chicago by taking four out of six points over the last week. The Blackhawks finished third in the division last season and went on to win the Stanley Cup, so the focus is on themselves at this point.

Chicago has gone 2-3-1 since Feb. 9.

"We can't overlook any team or any game at this point," goaltender Corey Crawford said. "Playoffs can't really be in our mind right now."

Crawford was pulled before the third period against the Wild after giving up four goals and before Patrick Kane scored for his NHL-leading 84th point. He's been in net for all three wins against the Predators (29-21-11) this season while posting a 1.33 goals-against average.

Crawford made 38 saves in a 4-1 victory in the last meeting Jan. 19 that capped the Blackhawks' franchise-record 12-game winning streak, as Kane had a goal and an assist.

Nashville's best chance for a playoff berth is to secure a wild-card spot, and it sits seventh in the West, narrowly ahead of Colorado.

"It's always tough games against them," Crawford said. "They can be dangerous. We have to be ready for that team. They're battling for a playoff spot and we want to keep moving up."

The Predators have earned at least a point in seven straight to help their playoff chances and picked up two in each contest of this road trip, beating Montreal 2-1 in a shootout Monday before a 3-2 win over Toronto the following night.

Filip Forsberg registered the first regular-season hat trick of his career against the Maple Leafs after having one in last year's first-round playoff loss to Chicago. Linemates Craig Smith and Mike Ribeiro each had an assist.

"Me and (Ribeiro and Smith) have really connected lately and are just playing really good hockey," said Forsberg, who has nine goals and three assists over his last nine and has scored twice against Chicago this season. "We're spending a lot of time in the offensive zone and that helps a lot."

Weber missed his first game of the season with a lower-body injury, though, and is considered day to day. Roman Josi instead paired with Ryan Ellis, and they'll likely be together again if Weber can't go.

"In this league, you just have to collect points somehow," Josi said. "You want to win every game, but even if you find a way to get one point in some games, it's a good thing.

"It's going to be a tough one against Chicago, one of the best teams in the league. Hopefully, we can get another win."

Pekka Rinne has a 0.97 GAA while going 2-0-1 in his last three starts and has a 2.54 GAA while starting all four against the Blackhawks this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jets (25-30) at Stars (38-17)

Date: February 25, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

After ending their recent slide with another win over the Winnipeg Jets, the Dallas Stars quickly get the chance to complete a sweep of the season series.

The Stars conclude this home-and-home set looking to hand the visiting Jets a fifth consecutive defeat Thursday night.

Jamie Benn scored twice as Dallas (38-17-6) broke open a tie game with three third-period goals to win 5-3 at Winnipeg on Tuesday. The victory snapped an 0-2-1 skid in which the Stars yielded 13 goals in the last two.

"We are going to see (the Jets) again so they wanted to make a statement, and that's what we wanted to do, too," Stars defenseman John Klingberg told the team's official website. "It was a fun game to play. We are happy with the win.

"We have a confident habit. If we just stick to our game plan, we will win the game."

Dallas has totaled 17 non-shootout goals and gone 5 of 15 on the power play in winning the first four meetings from Winnipeg (25-30-4) this season. Benn has three of his 32 goals and Klingberg has two with five assists against the Jets.

Antti Niemi, who made 22 saves Tuesday, and Kari Lehtonen each have two victories against the Jets this season. Lehtonen has a 1.92 goals-against average during the season series while Niemi has posted a 3.00 GAA.

Back atop the Western Conference by one point over Chicago, Dallas won't make a deal simply to do it as Monday's trade deadline approaches.

"We're in a good spot," Stars general manager Jim Nill said. "We don't have to do something. If there's something there we'll do it if it makes us better. But I'm not going to give up something for a short-term fix for a month and go from there. It's not worth it."

Second-to-last in the West, the Jets are likely sellers heading into the deadline, and veteran forward Andrew Ladd continues to be associated with most of the trade rumors. Aware Ladd might be in his final days as a Jet, Winnipeg fans gave him an extended ovation after he scored for the fourth time in three games Tuesday.

'I guess it's different for me because nothing is set in stone and you don't know what's going on,' said Ladd, an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. 'You're still out there trying to play a hockey game obviously, appreciate the ovation after the goal.'

Ladd, whose 17 goals are tied for the team lead, has two with an assist against the Stars this season.

Teammate Ondrej Pavelec has dropped three in a row and yielded nine goals in his last two starts.

"As a team, our confidence is low right now," said Pavelec, who has allowed four goals apiece in two starts against Dallas this season. "It's about winning and losing. Sometimes we're playing good, but we can't win the game, sometimes we're close, but close is not enough.

"There's going to be another game. We're going to go to Dallas on the road, so we need the points."

The Jets, who lost a season-high six straight from Nov. 5-16, have allowed their last four opponents to go 5 for 19 on the power play.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Islanders (32-19) at Flames (26-30)

Date: February 25, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Building momentum behind John Tavares and an improving power play, the New York Islanders are trying to remain perfect on their longest road trip of the season.

Tavares looks to continue his surge and help the Islanders extend their success against the struggling Calgary Flames on Thursday night.

New York is 6-1-1 in its last eight games, averaging 3.6 goals while going 8 for 26 on the power play. The Islanders (32-19-7) were 9 for 66 on the man advantage over the previous 20.

Tavares is a catalyst to that progress, getting five of his 12 points over the last eight games on the power play. The captain has 20 points in the past 16, recording at least one 13 times.

Tavares' goal and assist both came on power plays in Tuesday's 4-1 win at Minnesota after the Islanders opened this seven-game trip with a 1-0 victory over New Jersey on Friday.

"We're shooting more pucks and we're hungrier on the rebounds," said center Frans Nielsen, who had two goals against the Wild. "We have a simpler power play right now."

The schedule is also giving New York a chance to build steam. None of the games on this trip are on back-to-back days, and the first six opponents are currently out of playoff position. The Islanders conclude the trek against the New York Rangers on March 6.

They're 8-3-0 in the last 11 meetings with the Flames (26-30-3), winning three straight after Nielsen scored twice in a 4-0 home victory Oct. 26.

Tavares didn't factor in the scoring after getting nine points over his previous five matchups.

Jaroslav Halak has dominated the Flames, shutting them out twice and yielding two goals on 112 shots while winning four straight meetings. He stopped 29 shots earlier this season and has won the first two games of this trip by saving 57 of 58 attempts.

"He was focused and determined," coach Jack Capuano told the team's official website Tuesday. "Overall I liked Jaro's game, but our defense especially."

Calgary has allowed 4.0 goals per game while dropping five of six following Tuesday's 2-1 loss at Los Angeles.

Joni Ortio, though, made a case for more playing time as he stopped 35 shots in his first start since losing 6-2 to Montreal on Oct. 30. Ortio was recalled from Stockton of the AHL earlier this month after Karri Ramo was lost for the season with a knee injury.

Jonas Hiller has failed to distinguish himself as Ramo's replacement, going 1-3-0 with a 4.38 goals-against average over his last five appearances.

"We really liked his game, and we're going to talk about it as a staff like we always do and we'll come up with our decision for Thursday night against the Islanders," coach Bob Hartley said of Ortio on the team's official website.

Ortio had 31 saves against the Islanders in October and has split two meetings behind a 3.50 GAA. Hiller has a 2.02 GAA while winning two of his last three against New York.

Johnny Gaudreau has one goal in three games against the Islanders, but he's got seven points during a five-game streak after assisting on Sean Monahan's goal Tuesday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Senators (29-26) at Canucks (23-24)

Date: February 25, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

Though confident, the Ottawa Senators aren't too caught up in their current winning stretch.

They seek a season-high fifth consecutive victory Thursday night against the Vancouver Canucks, who are looking to win back-to-back home games for the first time in two months.

Third-liner Zack Smith scored in his third straight game and Craig Anderson stopped 31 shots as Ottawa (29-26-6) snapped a four-game road slide by opening its three-city trek through Western Canada with Tuesday's 4-1 victory at Edmonton. The Senators have allowed six goals during their four-game winning streak after yielding 11 in a three-game skid.

'We've done a good job of stringing some wins together here,' said Smith, who has six of his career-high 15 goals in the last nine games. "To get one off the start of this road trip is huge. We need a big road trip to make a big push here at the end.'

Ottawa is 11th in the Eastern Conference but within striking distance of the final wild-card spot. This current surge gives the Senators hope but also serves as a reminder there is little room for error.

"We want to keep this thing going, because we still have a lot of work to do," forward Curtis Lazar told the Senators' official website. "Winning is fun and confidence can be a scary thing, but we can't look to far ahead.

"The game against Vancouver is going to be big, and anytime the puck drops we have to be ready to go."

Ottawa has won back-to-back road games once in its last 18 away from home. It's recorded four points over the last three trips to Vancouver and also beat the Canucks 3-2 on Nov. 12.

After being outscored 22-9 during a season-high six-game (0-5-1) home losing streak, Vancouver broke out for a 5-1 rout of Colorado on Sunday. The Canucks (23-24-12) haven't won two straight at Rogers Arena since a three-game run Dec. 7-26.

'It was good to get some separation, let the guys feel good about themselves,' said Ryan Miller, who made 37 saves after yielding seven goals in his previous two starts. 'In spite of how the games have been going there's been some hard work.'

The Canucks are 11th in the West, but unlike Ottawa, they have more ground to make up in order to move into playoff position. At least they have something positive to build on.

"Our last game was good and now it's a matter of keeping the same intensity for the upcoming game and try to play the same way," Vancouver forward Sven Baertschi said.

Forward Markus Granlund appears set to make his Canucks debut after being acquired from Calgary on Monday for rookie Hunter Shinkaruk. Granlund, who has bounced back and forth between the NHL and AHL in his third season, had four goals and three assists in 31 games for the Flames.

Henrik Sedin equaled a career high with four assists Sunday. He has 16 in his last 13 games against the Senators.

Teammate Jannik Hansen has four goals in six contests but none in 12 against Ottawa.

In net throughout the winning streak, Anderson also has a 1.61 goals-against average and .950 save percentage in his last eight starts.

Ottawa announced Wednesday it signed rookie defenseman Chris Wideman to a two-year, $1.6 million contract extension. He has five goals and four assists while averaging 14 minutes in 44 games.