Thursday 3/3/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[superbeets]

Championship TODAY 19:45

Birmingham

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Hull

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SS1		16/5	9/4	11/10	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT BIRMINGHAM	RECENT FORM
HWADHLADHWAL​ Most recent​	2 - 3 0 - 0 0 - 0 2 - 1	ALAWHDADAWHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Birmingham have scored in each of their last seven home games

EXPERT VERDICT: Hull have really stepped on the gas since the turn of the year, winning six of their nine league games in 2016, but the title contenders will be pushed hard by playoff-chasing Birmingham. Gary Rowett has built a solid Blues outfit but the Tigers have the greater quality in the final third.

RECOMMENDATION: Hull to win 1-0
1

 

[superbeets]

French Ligue 1 Fr 4Mar 19:30

Caen

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Monaco

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BT S		9/4	9/4	13/10	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT CAEN	RECENT FORM
HWALHLALHWAW​ Most recent​	0 - 3 0 - 0 2 - 2 4 - 1	HWHWAL*ADHWAD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Monaco are unbeaten in their last five league matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Monaco have been second in the French top flight since mid-January and can further cement their position by beating fourth-placed Caen in Normandy. Leonardo Jardim's side have lost just one of their last 15 league games and should have a little too much quality for Caen, who have taken only one point from their four games against teams in the current top three.

RECOMMENDATION: Monaco
1

 

[superbeets]

Italian Serie A Fr 4Mar 19:45

Roma

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Fiorentina

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BTEU		11/10	12/5	13/5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ROMA	RECENT FORM
AWHWAWHLHWAW​ Most recent​	0 - 3 0 - 2 2 - 0 2 - 1	ADHWHDAWALHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Roma are unbeaten in their last seven Serie A home games

EXPERT VERDICT: Fiorentina were rocked back on their heels by last week's Europa League exit at the hands of Tottenham and their Champions League qualification hopes could be dented by a defeat in the capital. Roma jumped above Fiorentina into third place at the weekend and can cement their position by registering a seventh successive league victory.

RECOMMENDATION: Roma
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[superbeets]

Italian Serie A Sa 5Mar 17:00

Verona

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Sampdoria

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		11/8	23/10	19/10	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT VERONA	RECENT FORM
ADHWHDALHWAL​ Most recent​	1 - 3 2 - 0 1 - 1 0 - 0	ALHDALHDALHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Sampdoria have lost their last four away matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Serie A basement boys Verona waited until February before claiming their first league win of the season but have been playing much better in recent games and have every chance of beating fellow strugglers Sampdoria. Survival remains a longshot for Verona but they can can register a third win in four home games.

RECOMMENDATION: Verona
1

 

[superbeets]

Spanish La Liga Sa 5Mar 17:15

Villarreal

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Las Palmas

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS2		8/13	11/4	9/2	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT VILLARREAL	RECENT FORM
HWHWADADHWAD​ Most recent​	1 - 1 2 - 1 2 - 0 2 - 1	HWALALHLAWHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Villarreal have kept clean sheets in their last seven home league games

EXPERT VERDICT: Villarreal’s ruthless streak at home continued with a 3-0 win over Levante last weekend and they should be confident of another clean sheet at home to Las Palmas. The Yellow Submarine drew the reverse fixture 0-0 but Las Palmas have lost nine of their 13 away games and this could be a similar story to their recent 2-0 defeats at Seville and Rayo Vallecano.

RECOMMENDATION: Villarreal to win 2-0
1

 

[superbeets]

Italian Serie A Sa 5Mar 19:45

Napoli

v

Chievo

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BTEU		1/6	6	14	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT NAPOLI	RECENT FORM
HWALALHDHDAD​ Most recent​	0 - 1 1 - 1 1 - 0 2 - 0	HLALAWHDALHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Chievo have not drawn any of their last 11 away league games

EXPERT VERDICT: Napoli have not won any of their last five matches, but Serie A leaders Juventus are the only team to have beaten them in the league since December 6 and they should claim a comfortable victory. Striker Gonzalo Higuain, who has scored 25 goals this term, can set them on their way.

RECOMMENDATION: G Higuain first goalscorer
1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Golf glance
By Tom LaMarre, The Sports Xchange

COMING UP
PGA TOUR: WGC-Cadillac Championship on the Blue Monster Course at Trump National Doral, Thursday through Sunday.
TV: Thursday and Friday, 2-6 p.m. EST on the Golf Channel; Saturday, noon-2 p.m. EST on the Golf Channel and 2-6 p.m. EST on NBC; and Sunday, 1-3 p.m. EST on the Golf Channel and 3-7 p.m. EST on NBC.
LAST YEAR: Dustin Johnson, in his fifth event since taking a leave of absence from the PGA Tour to iron out "personal issues," closed with a 3-under-par 69 to claim a one-stroke victory over J.B. Holmes, who blew a five-stroke lead in the final round by shooting 75. Johnson, who claimed his ninth PGA Tour title and second in a WGC event, took the lead for good with a 10-foot birdie putt on the 14th hole, where Holmes made bogey, and went two ahead with a 15-foot birdie putt on the next hole. Johnson, whose streak of winning in the last eight PGA Tour seasons is the longest active run on the circuit, held on with three pars down the stretch. Bubba Watson held the lead early on the back nine, but he made three bogeys in four holes through No. 14 and wound up two shots back in third after a 71.

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: HSBC Women's Champions on the Serapong Course at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore, Thursday through Sunday.
TV: Wednesday/Thursday (in the United States) 11 p.m.-3 a.m. EST; Friday, Saturday and Sunday, midnight-3 a.m. EST; on the Golf Channel each day.
LAST YEAR: In a battle among the top three players in the Rolex Women's World Golf rankings, No. 2 Inbee Park of South Korea finished with a 2-under-par 70 to claim a two-stroke victory over No. 1 Lydia Ko of New Zealand, who also shot 70. No. 3 Stacy Lewis carded a 72 and was two more shots back in solo third. Park, who claimed the first of her five titles in 2015 and now has 17 in her LPGA Tour career, played bogey-free golf for the entire 72 holes. Ko, trying to win for the third straight week, was tied for the lead through seven holes before falling back with bogeys on three of the next six holes, while Park made birdies on the seventh and 11th holes but recorded pars on the other 16.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

10 Players to Watch: WGC-Cadillac Championship
By Tom LaMarre, The Sports Xchange

1. Bubba Watson, United States -- With nine PGA Tour victories, including two Masters titles, Watson already is enjoying a fine career, but he showed recently that he might be gaining the consistency the pundits expected all along given his immense talent. He took a week off after winning the Northern Trust Open, which came two months after his title in the Hero World Challenge, and he has a strong history at Doral despite never winning there. Watson, who has risen to No. 4 in the World Golf Rankings, finished one stroke behind Justin Rose of England in the 2012 WGC-Cadillac, tied for second one shot behind Patrick Reed two years ago and tied for third last year, two strokes back of winner Dustin Johnson. His only WGC title came in the 2014 HSBC Champions.

2. Adam Scott, Australia -- Another 30-something who has shown lately that he can stay with the young guns, Scott is coming off his 12th victory on the PGA Tour. He also has two runner-up finishes this season -- including two weeks ago in the Northern Trust Open. His switch back to the conventional putter went well and helped him climb back up the World Golf Rankings to No. 9 by winning the Honda Classic last week. The Aussie will make his 10th start in the WGC-Cadillac Championship and has four top-10 finishes at Doral, including a tie for fourth last year and a tie for third in 2013, when he played the weekend in 68-64 to wind up five strokes behind champion Tiger Woods. His only WGC title came in the 2011 Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone.

3. Dustin Johnson, United States -- The defending champion in the WGC-Cadillac Championship heads to Doral this week in good form, even though he has not won this season. He has three top-10 finishes in five outings -- including fourth place his last time out in the Northern Trust Open two weeks ago. Johnson, No. 8 in the world, is trying to extend his streak of winning in each of the last eight seasons, the longest active run on the PGA Tour. Johnson came from five strokes down in the final round last year to win at Doral, closing with a 3-under-par 69. He took the lead with birdies on the 14th and 15th holes before holding off 54-hole leader J.B. Holmes by one stroke for his second WGC title. He also won the 2013 WGC-HSBC Champions.

4. Jordan Spieth, United States -- The No. 1 player in the World Golf Rankings is looking to bounce back in the WGC-Cadillac Championship after tying for 21st in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and missing the cut in the Northern Trust Open at Riviera. Those results came after he finished in the top 10 in his previous six tournaments dating to last year, including victories in the Tour Championship and the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, plus seconds in the Australian Open and the Singapore Open. Spieth will tee it up at Doral for only the third time. He still has not completely figured out the Blue Monster, as he tied for 34th in 2014 before improving to a tie for 17th last year, which indicates he might be getting there. He hasn't won a WGC event.

5. Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland -- McIlroy's hope of regaining the No. 1 ranking before the Masters is not going according to plan so far, as he remains at No. 3 behind Jordan Spieth and Jason Day after missing the cut in the Honda Classic last week. He did start the season strong on the Middle East swing of the European Tour, tying for third in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and tying for sixth in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. McIlroy will be making his eighth appearance in the WGC-Cadillac Championship, and he has finished in the top 10 on three occasions, including third in 2012 and a tie for ninth last year. He has two WGC titles, in the 2014 Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone and the Cadillac Match Play Championship last year at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco.

6. Jason Day, Australia -- The second-ranked player in the world has played sparingly in the early stages of this season, tying for 10th in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, missing the cut in the Farmers Insurance Open and tying for 11th in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. He will start the run-up to next month's Masters when he tees it up this week in the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral for the fifth time. He has not fared very well at the Blue Monster. Day's best result in the tournament was a tie for 20th in 2012, and he has broken 70 only twice in 16 rounds on the course. His only victory in the WGC events came when he outlasted Victor Dubuisson of France in 23 holes at the 2014 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.

7. Rickie Fowler, United States -- Fowler will try to continue his strong early-season play when he makes his sixth start in the WGC-Cadillac Championship. He finished in the top 10 in five of his past six tournaments, including a victory in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, but he lost in a playoff to Hideki Matsuyama of Japan in the Waste Management Phoenix Open and faded to a tie for sixth last week when he had a chance to win the Honda Classic. The fifth-ranked Fowler, who has never won a WGC event, finished eighth in his first appearance at the Blue Monster in 2011 by playing the weekend in 66-68. Last year he tied for 12th when a 5-over-par 77 in round two kept him out of the top 10.

8. Justin Rose, England -- A solid yet not spectacular start to 2016 has Rose holding firm at No. 7 in the World Golf Rankings. He tied for sixth in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and tied for 16th in the Northern Trust Open after missing the cut in the Farmers Insurance Open on the West Coast swing. He claimed his only title in the World Golf Championships when he held off Bubba Watson by one stroke in the 2012 WGC-Cadillac Championship, and he tied for eighth in his title defense at Doral. However, Rose has not done very well since Gil Hanse redesigned the Blue Monster after the 2013 tournament, tying for 34th in 2014 and finishing 55th last year, failing to break 70 in any of his past eight rounds there.

9. Phil Mickelson, United States -- Mickelson came into the Florida swing last week excited about his game after he finished second in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and tied for third in the CareerBuilder Challenge on the West Coast. However, he had to be disappointed by his tie for 37th in the Honda Classic. He hopes to rebound in the WGC-Cadillac Championship, which he is playing for the 10th time. Mickelson claimed his first WGC title in 2009 at Doral, when he held off Nick Watney by one stroke, and he added the WGC-HSBC Champions later in the year. He also tied for third in 2013. Since Gil Hanse reworked the Blue Monster, he tied for 16th in 2014 and tied for 31st last year.

10. Louis Oosthuizen, South Africa -- Oosthuizen is playing on the PGA Tour for the first time this year, but he comes to the United States off a one-stroke victory over Alexander Levy of France last week in the ISPS Handa Perth Invitational, part of a solid start to his season on the European Tour. He also tied for seventh in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters and tied for 12th in the Maybank Championship in Malaysia. Oosthuizen is making his ninth start in the WGC-Cadillac Championship, and he posted his only top-10 result in the event when he finished solo sixth last year, six shots behind winner Dustin Johnson. He started the final round two back before shooting 73. He captured the 2010 Open Championship at St. Andrews but has never won a WGC tournament.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Golfers to Bet - WGC Doral

Tournament: WGC-Cadillac Championship
Date: Thursday, March 3rd
Venue: Trump National Doral
Location: Miami, FL

Some of the best golfers in the world will be teeing off in Miami for the WGC-Cadillac Championship on Thursday. The course they’ll be competing on runs 7,481 yards in length and Tiger Woods holds the record for the best score ever shot here with a 26-under in 2002. He is a seven-time winner of this event, but he is still dealing with an injured back and is out indefinitely.

Last year, Dustin Johnson ended up winning this thing with a 9-under. He’ll be back to defend his title beginning on Thursday. Adam Scott will also be playing in this event and he’ll be feeling confident coming into this one. Scott came away victorious at last week’s tournament, shooting a 9-under at The Honda Classic and defeating Sergio Garcia by one stroke.

This field will also include superstars like Jason Day, Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Bubba Watson, and Phil Mickelson. Mickelson won this tournament back in 2009 and was dominant in doing it, shooting a 19-under for the tournament.

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

Golfers to Bet

Dustin Johnson (12/1) - As previously mentioned, Johnson was the winner at this event a year ago and he has fared well here in the past too. Not only has Johnson won this tournament, but he was also the runner-up when Nick Watney won back in 2011. His familiarity with this course should be a huge plus, and he also happens to be in good form coming into this one. Johnson did not play at The Honda Classic last week, but he did shoot a 13-under and came in fourth at the Northern Trust Open in the middle of February. He already has two two-five finishes this season and a total of four top-15s as well. He’ll be looking to earn his first victory on Sunday and he is a great choice to win at 12/1.

Rickie Fowler (15/1) - Fowler has one of the best all-around games on the TOUR and he has looked especially sharp this season. Fowler has already racked up three top-five finishes and ended last week’s event tied for sixth at three-under. He shot three brilliant rounds of golf, but a +4 in the third round really set him back. Still, Fowler has been playing the best golf of his career early in the season and he will certainly be out for a victory on Sunday. This is a tournament that he is more than capable of winning and 15/1 odds are not bad for somebody with as much talent as any of his competitors. Fowler is worth putting a few units on this weekend.

J.B. Holmes (25/1) - Holmes may not have a win at this event, but he was the runner-up when Johnson won a year ago. Holmes played a fantastic tournament in 2015 and he’ll be looking to break through and win it this weekend. He has been tremendous this season, showing a level of consistency that not many have been able to match. Holmes finished tied for 11th place at both Pebble Beach and the Northern Trust Open. He already has three top-10 finishes this season and his worst performance was a tied for 24th finish at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in January. He is hitting the ball extremely well and the only thing left for him to do is finally win an event this season. He’s a good bet to do that at 25/1.

Brandt Snedeker (50/1) - Snedeker is receiving 50/1 odds and that is extremely favorable for a guy that has had the success he has had this season. Snedeker has only played in eight tournaments thus far and he already has three top-five finishes. The best of those performances came when he shot a six-under to win the Farmers Insurance Open. Snedeker’s ability to putt the ball will keep him in events and he should be in the running to win on Sunday. He’s worth putting a unit on with those odds, as there are not many dark horse candidates that are worth noting.

Odds to win WGC-Cadillac Championship

Rory McIlroy 9/1
Jordan Spieth 10/1
Adam Scott 12/1
Bubba Watson 12/1
Dustin Johnson 12/1
Jason Day 13/1
Rickie Fowler 15/1
Henrik Stenson 23/1
J.B. Holmes 25/1
Justin Rose 25/1
Brooks Koepka 30/1
Phil Mickelson 30/1
Sergio Garcia 30/1
Hideki Matsuyama 35/1
Louis Oosthuizen 35/1
Justin Thomas 40/1
Patrick Reed 40/1
Charl Schwartzel 45/1
Branden Grace 50/1
Brandt Snedeker 50/1
Jimmy Walker 50/1
Matt Kuchar 50/1
Byeong-Hun An 65/1
Graeme McDowell 65/1
Kevin Kisner 65/1
Marc Leishman 65/1
Bill Haas 70/1
Billy Horschel 70/1
Danny Willett 70/1
Harris English 80/1
Paul Casey 80/1
Russell Knox 80/1
Shane Lowry 80/1
Zach Johnson 80/1
Kevin Na 90/1
Martin Kaymer 90/1
Jason Dufner 95/1
Andy Sullivan 100/1
David Lingmerth 100/1
Danny Lee 125/1
George Coetzee 125/1
Jamie Donaldson 140/1
Bernd Wiesberger 150/1
Emiliano Grillo 150/1
Matthew Fitzpatrick 150/1
Rafa Cabrera Bello 150/1
Robert Streb 150/1
Ross Fisher 150/1
Victor Dubuisson 150/1
Daniel Berger 175/1
Charley Hoffman 200/1
Chris Wood 200/1
Fabian Gomez 200/1
Scott Piercy 200/1
Smylie Kaufman 200/1
Soren Kjeldsen 200/1
Anirban Lahiri 250/1
K.T. Kim 250/1
Kiradech Aphibarnrat 250/1
Kristoffer Broberg 250/1
Yusaku Miyazato 250/1
Marcus Fraser 300/1
Nathan Holman 300/1
Scott Hend 350/1
Steven Bowditch 350/1
Jordan Zunic 500/1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rangers (37-20) at Penguins (32-22)

Date: March 03, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The New York Rangers' troubles on the road appear to be over, and that turnaround already includes a win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Rangers look to continue their recent domination of the Penguins by matching their longest winning streak in the all-time series Thursday night.

New York is second in the NHL with a 23-6-3 home record, but the club was having a tough time carrying that success onto the road until recently. The Rangers (37-20-6) have won five of their last six away from Madison Square Garden following a 4-12-2 stretch that included giving up an average of 3.44 goals.

They've yielded just 12 goals over the last six on the road, including a 3-0 win at Pittsburgh on Feb. 10 that extend their winning streak there to four games.

New York is 11-1-1 in the last 13 overall meetings, including playoffs. The Rangers have a chance to win five straight against the Penguins for the third time in series history and first since 1973-74.

They're still not taking Pittsburgh lightly, and that's likely due to its 9-2-0 record in its last 11 home games.

"They've been playing well of late, but it's always a big challenge, no matter what, playing Pittsburgh," goaltender Henrik Lundqvist told the team's official website.

Lundqvist has a 1.35 goals-against average while starting each of the last 13 matchups with the Penguins, and he stopped all 34 shots he faced last month. He's allowed just three goals on 119 shots over the last four meetings.

Lundqvist should be back in net after being rested Monday in favor of backup Antti Raanta, who had 26 saves in a 2-1 win over Columbus.

The game marked Eric Staal's Rangers debut a day after he was acquired in a trade with Carolina, but he didn't factor in the scoring and only had one shot.

"He's well-prepared, been around the league for a handful of years now, so he'll adjust," captain Ryan McDonagh said. "He's already getting up to speed quick, asking questions and making sure he's on the same page as everybody. It's a great sign. He's coming around fast."

Staal has averaged a point over 46 career regular-season meetings with Pittsburgh, but he's failed to get any in two this season.

While the Rangers are 11 points clear of the postseason cutoff in the Eastern Conference, the Penguins (32-22-8) are just three in front of Philadelphia for the second wild-card position.

They squandered a two-goal lead to fall 3-2 at NHL-leading Washington on Tuesday in a possible first-round playoff preview. Pittsburgh had a tough time adjusting to the Capitals' physical play, which provided postseason-like intensity.

The Penguins should expect a similar atmosphere Thursday.

"I think we put ourselves in positions to get hit," center Sidney Crosby said. "When you're going back for pucks continuously and you don't execute, they have an opportunity to gain speed and get those hits in.

"That's the type of hockey that it is this time of year."

Crosby has four points in the last two games after getting three over the previous eight. That rough stretch started with a pointless effort and a minus-3 rating against the Rangers. He's got six points over the past 13 meetings and just two in nine at home.

Evgeni Malkin missed the last meeting against New York with a lower-body injury, but he's been held off the score sheet in each of his past six matchups. He found the net Tuesday for his first goal in three games since missing 10 with the injury.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blackhawks (40-20) at Bruins (35-23)

Date: March 03, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The remaining games on Boston's homestand feature the clubs favored to face each other in the Stanley Cup Final, which isn't exactly ideal for a Bruins team that possesses the worst home record of any Eastern Conference team that's currently in playoff position.

The Chicago Blackhawks' schedule isn't exactly doing them any favors, either.

Chicago returns to Boston for the third time since celebrating its 2013 championship on the TD Garden ice looking to send the Bruins to their second loss during their home stretch Thursday night.

The Bruins (35-23-6) are four points back of first-place Florida in the Atlantic Division, but moving up to open the playoffs at home actually could turn out to be a disadvantage. They've gone 14-16-3 in Boston and opened a four-game homestand with a 4-1 loss to Tampa Bay on Sunday.

Patrice Bergeron scored on the power play late in the third period Tuesday to give the Bruins a 2-1 victory over Calgary, and they're likely in for a couple more tough ones before hitting the road.

After this contest with West-leading Chicago (40-20-5), NHL-best Washington visits Saturday to complete the homestand. Boston then begins a stretch of 10 of 13 on the road with a back-to-back set against Florida and Tampa Bay.

"We do have some tough games coming up, so this is pretty good for our team playing against the best teams in the league," forward David Krejci told the team's official website. "We're going to have to play our best game and we'll see where we're at, but we obviously believe in this group."

Boston will be shorthanded for the next four after forward Zac Rinaldo sat out Tuesday for the first of a five-game suspension he received for an illegal hit on Lightning forward Cedric Paquette. Coach Claude Julien realizes the upcoming schedule would be difficult even if his squad was at full strength.

"Let's focus on Chicago, put your energy towards that game. Let's worry about the others as we move on," Julien said. "It's always been the best approach. To me, it's the only approach to take."

Bergeron had a goal and two assists in the Bruins' 6-2 win at Chicago in the most recent meeting Feb. 22, 2015, but the Blackhawks have won three of the last four in Boston, including the clinching victory in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Chicago is a favorite to win its fourth Cup in seven years and beat the Capitals 3-2 in a possible Final preview Sunday. It followed that up with a 5-2 victory at Detroit on Wednesday to reclaim sole possession of the West lead.

NHL points leader Patrick Kane had a goal against Washington, then assisted on both of Artemi Panarin's goals and scored one of his own against the Red Wings.

Kane's three power-play points Wednesday gave him a league-most 32 with the man advantage and tied his career high of 88 overall set in 2009-10.

'Everyone has moments when they're not firing on all cylinders, but he still finds ways to contribute offensively,' captain Jonathan Toews said of Kane. 'That shows how much focus and skill he really has this year.'

Much like Boston, the Blackhawks are in the midst of a tough stretch against playoff competition. They'll face Detroit again Sunday followed by St. Louis, Dallas - which are tied for second in the West - Pacific-leading Los Angeles and playoff-hopeful Philadelphia.

Corey Crawford appears ready for the challenge having posted a 2.02 goals-against average over his last three. It's possible, though, that Scott Darling gets the call in this one to complete the back-to-back set.

Tuukka Rask has a 1.75 GAA while winning three of his last four and should get the nod for the Bruins.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Oilers (24-34) at Flyers (29-22)

Date: March 03, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

It's uncertain if this season could have gone better for the Edmonton Oilers had Connor McDavid not missed significant time with a broken clavicle suffered at Philadelphia in November.

Four months to the day of that injury, McDavid and the visiting Oilers again face the Flyers while looking for a third consecutive victory Thursday night.

McDavid, the 2015 top overall pick, was hurt when he fell awkwardly and was then ridden hard into the boards late in the second period of Edmonton's 4-2 win over Philadelphia (29-22-11) on Nov. 3. Last in the Western Conference, the Oilers (24-34-7) went 14-18-5 while their young star was sidelined.

That record is actually slightly better than the club's 10-16-2 effort with McDavid, and last-place Edmonton has gone 5-8-2 since he returned Feb. 2, averaging just 1.9 goals in the last 13 contests. However, McDavid has recorded 19 of his 31 points in those 15 games and was named NHL rookie of the month for February.

The center appears poised to carry that success over to March after scoring twice in Tuesday's 2-1 overtime victory at Buffalo, a much-anticipated matchup with second overall pick Jack Eichel.

"He's so fast and pushes defenders back," teammate Jordan Eberle told the Oilers' official website of McDavid. "He's able to make a lot of plays that maybe a lot of us can't."

The Flyers didn't see much of that in the first meeting, with McDavid taking two shots and posting a minus-1 rating over 11 minutes.

Though it's unknown how McDavid will approach facing the team he was injured against, his primary focus is to help the Oilers win three in a row for the first time since a season-high six-game run Dec. 2-14. The only other time Edmonton won two straight road games this season was Oct. 17-18.

"It's important for us, in this next month, to keep having something to play for," McDavid said.

Ninth in the East and three points out of the final playoff spot, Philadelphia has much more to play for the rest of the way. The Flyers have earned at least one point in six of seven and are undefeated halfway through a season-high six-game homestand.

'We've got a steep hill for us to climb in order to push back into the playoffs,' said coach Dave Hakstol, whose club has twice won four straight this season. "(But) this group is pretty strong in the locker room; they're a pretty tight group."

Brayden Schenn recorded his first career hat trick and Claude Giroux had four assists in Monday's 5-3 win over Calgary. Philadelphia has averaged 3.7 goals in the past seven and is 4 for 8 on the power play in the last three.

"When the whole team is on the same page it just makes everybody's (job) much easier," Giroux told the Flyers' official website. "Right now we're playing some good hockey 'cause we're playing hard. We're playing the right way. We need to keep playing like this."

Schenn, whose final goal Tuesday was his career-high 21st, has six points on the homestand.

"He's got that talent to be able to score goals from everywhere," Giroux said. "He's a smart player and he's getting better and better every day."

Giroux and Schenn were held without a point in the loss at Edmonton.

The Oilers have totaled four goals during a three-game losing streak at Philadelphia.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Flames (26-33) at Sabres (25-31)

Date: March 03, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Hope for the future for the Buffalo Sabres and Calgary Flames revolves around Jack Eichel and Johnny Gaudreau.


These teams have the second-worst records in their respective conferences, and the visiting Flames have lost a season-high six straight as they look to sweep the Sabres on Thursday night.

Buffalo (25-31-8) and Calgary (26-33-4) won't be going to the postseason. That's something the Sabres likely expected after four straight absences resulted in them selecting second in the draft and choosing Eichel. It's more disappointing for the Flames, who ended a five-season playoff drought in 2014-15 and defeated Vancouver in the first round.

In any case, Thursday's matchup will feature two of the NHL's rising young talents in Eichel and Gaudreau. They each won the Hobey Baker Award as the top college player in the country, with Gaudreau claiming that honor in 2014 for Boston College and Eichel the next season for Boston University.

Gaudreau was the star when they first met with the winning goal with 4:50 left in a 4-3 victory Dec. 10, also assisting on Sean Monahan's go-ahead score with 10:35 remaining. Eichel was held without a point.

The Sabres rookie has failed to add to his 41-point total in five straight after Tuesday's 2-1 overtime home loss to Edmonton, in which top overall pick Connor McDavid scored the winner.

'We didn't play well at all,' Eichel said. 'It started with the way we came out. We just didn't do a lot of good things as a team."

Eichel's five-game point drought has coincided with Ryan O'Reilly going down with a lower-body injury Feb. 19. O'Reilly leads the Sabres with 49 points, and Eichel had five points in a four-game run in the last four games they played together.

Buffalo is enduring a 1-3-1 stretch, but that's better than Calgary's recent play. The Flames are 0-5-1 in their skid after falling 2-1 at Boston on Tuesday.

Gaudreau came up empty as his eight-game streak in which he amassed 12 points ended. Rookie defenseman Jakub Nakladal scored the lone goal.

Nakladal won't be the only young player seeing action down the stretch. Garnet Hathaway has played twice as a rookie while Jyrki Jokipakka made his Flames debut Tuesday after being acquired from Dallas.

"We're going to see a lot about the character on this hockey club," coach Bob Hartley told the team's official website. "We have a lot. Guys like Jokipakka and Hathaway and all those guys, they are coming in and they want to make a name for themselves and we have some players that need to put some money in the bank. There is no reason to quit and obviously we're not going to accept anyone quitting."

Four defeats during the slide have been by one or two goals.

"Nobody likes losing and that's what has been happening here lately," Gaudreau said. "We have to change it. I think four or five games could have been the opposite way around."

The Flames acquired goaltender Niklas Backstrom from Minnesota on Monday, but Jonas Hiller is expected to start.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wild (29-25) at Maple Leafs (21-31)

Date: March 03, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

The back-and-forth dynamic of Minnesota's season is again taking a positive swing, and competition on a two-game trip against the worst teams in the Eastern Conference could allow it to grow more significant.

The Wild visit Toronto on Thursday night, and the Maple Leafs are beginning a four-game homestand with a three-game losing streak weighing them down.

Minnesota (29-25-10), which finishes the trip in Buffalo on Saturday, defeated Colorado 6-3 Tuesday to string together consecutive wins after a three-game skid. That followed a four-game winning streak after losing eight in a row.

The win over the Avalanche lifted the Wild back into the West's final playoff spot.

"We're in a spot where if we win our games, we're going to be there," goaltender Devan Dubnyk told the team's official website. "It certainly didn't feel that way with the stretch we went on. We've got 18 games now to control our own destiny and that's a spot we're happy to be in."

Nino Niederreiter had two goals and an assist, giving the 23-year-old five goals and four assists in his last nine games. Charlie Coyle scored twice and has 11 of his 21 goals in the last 18 games. Jason Pominville scored for the second straight game and had two assists, giving him five goals and seven assists in his last eight games.

That group could have some added company with Jonas Brodin and Jason Zucker targeting returns from injury, and David Jones could debut after being traded from Calgary at Monday's deadline. Brodin has been sidelined for 13 games because of a broken foot, and Zucker has missed the last five with a concussion.

"We definitely want to stay healthy, and it's going to be competitive getting in the lineup now," interim coach John Torchetti said. "Certain guys are playing well, and you have to work to stay in there, and other guys have to wait their turn to get in.

"I like the way we're playing, and as we go along, we'll pick and choose who we feel fits in certain spots, and gets the opportunity."

The Wild beat the Maple Leafs 1-0 on Dec. 3 to extend their winning streak in the series to four games, a stretch in which Toronto has scored only three times.

The Maple Leafs (21-31-10) fell 3-2 in Washington on Wednesday and have scored four goals on their latest three-game slide with points leader Leo Komarov going without one in his last five. It's been no better on the other end with the Maple Leafs giving up an average of 3.83 goals over a 2-9-1 span.

After the latest loss, coach Mike Babcock issued something of an indirect warning to his young roster.

"I thought some of us were pretty good, and some of us got to compete harder," Babcock said. "If you're not going to compete, it doesn't matter how much skill you have, you're not going to play in the National Hockey League very long."

Jonathan Bernier faced the Capitals, so Garrett Sparks could be in goal to complete the back-to-back set. The rookie Sparks, who returned from AHL Toronto for Monday's 2-1 loss to Tampa Bay after James Reimer was traded to San Jose, hasn't allowed more than two goals in his last four NHL starts.

Dubnyk has won his two games against Toronto since joining the Wild with one goal allowed on 64 shots, including the shutout in December.

Coyle had an assist in that contest and has five points in four career games against the Maple Leafs.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Lightning (37-22) at Senators (30-27)

Date: March 03, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Considering how well the Tampa Bay Lightning are playing, it's easy to see why they are so pleased with general manager Steve Yzerman's decision to stand pat at this week's trade deadline.

For the second time in 2016, the visiting Lightning have a chance to match a club record with an eighth consecutive victory Thursday night against the Ottawa Senators.

Two points out of first place in the Atlantic Division and riding its second seven-game winning streak since early January, Tampa Bay (37-22-4) is perfectly content to press forward as is.

"We're comfortable with each other," coach Jon Cooper told the Lightning's official website. "There's no reason to blow this up. We've got a great group of guys, and they know the standard how we want to play and we've had some success.

"I know Steve was looking if there was a piece we could have added to us or to help us out. That's why he's the reigning GM of the year because he's good at doing stuff like that, but when there's not something out there, you just don't make a trade to make a trade."

Tyler Johnson scored both goals as the Lightning won for the 18th time in 23 games Monday, 2-1 at Toronto. They won eight straight Feb. 23-March 6, 2004.

"I think you ask anyone in this locker room, we're very confident in the group that we have," said Johnson, who didn't skip a beat after taking a puck to the forehead in Sunday's 4-1 win at Boston. "We've been working hard and everything's coming together at the right moment."

Giving Ben Bishop a breather, Andrei Vasilevskiy made 31 saves to win his third consecutive start. Bishop has posted a 1.25 goals-against average during a four-game winning streak, all on the road.

Tampa Bay has yielded six goals while winning five consecutive road contests and killed all 17 penalties in the last six away from home. The Lightning can complete a sweep of their four-game trip by taking six straight road contests for the first time since 2007-08.

They outscored the Senators 9-3 to win the first two meetings at home but lost 5-1 at Ottawa on Feb. 8. Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos combined for seven points in the first two games but were blanked in the defeat.

Senators forward Mark Stone had two goals and an assist Feb. 8, part of a 14-game stretch in which he has nine goals and eight assists. He assisted on the first of Jean-Gabriel Pageau's two third-period goals in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to St. Louis that ended in the 11th round of a shootout.

Ottawa (30-27-7) has gone 5-1-1 in its last seven and earned at least a point in four straight home contests, but is five points out of the final wild-card spot in East and will need to pass several teams.

"At this time of the year it's tough to feel good about yourselves after ultimately losing a game," Andrew Hammond, who stopped all 17 shots after replacing an ineffective Craig Anderson, told the NHL's official website. "That's really the position we're in right now."

Anderson has posted a 4.34 goals-against average in his last three starts but made 31 saves against the Lightning at home last month.

Pageau, who recorded a goal and two assists in that victory, has three and five assists during a six-game point streak.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Devils (30-27) at Predators (32-21)

Date: March 03, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Nashville Predators are enjoying their longest win streak of the season, one to which their top defenseman has finally contributed.

They'll vie for a sixth straight victory Thursday night as they host a New Jersey Devils team that's lost six of seven and is struggling to score.

Nashville (32-21-11) won 5-3 over Dallas on Tuesday, as Shea Weber returned with a goal and two assists after missing three games with a lower-body injury. Weber, who had gone pointless in four straight, scored his team-best 12th power-play goal.

'The way the guys were playing while I was out, I was a little nervous to come back,' Weber said. 'I didn't want to be the reason we lost the game, so it was a big win. I thought the guys did a good job."

Filip Forsberg was held without a point after posting two hat tricks in his previous three games. He'll try to score for the first time in four games against the Devils.

That didn't mean he failed to make an impact on a line with Craig Smith and Mike Ribeiro. Smith had a goal and an assist to give him five points in two games and Ribeiro's assist gave him four in two games and 13 in his last 13.

"The Ribeiro line for me was just flying," coach Peter Laviolette said. "A lot of confidence, a lot of speed and they're making things happen when they're out there on the ice."

New Jersey (30-27-7) is searching for answers in the opener of a two-game trip after another listless performance in Tuesday's 3-1 defeat to Carolina. The Devils have scored twice in their three-game slide.

Coach John Hynes doesn't have a solution at the moment.

"I think that's a good question, what's missing," Hynes said. "What's missing is we haven't been good enough to get the end results as of late. It's something that we'll continue to work at."

The Devils average a league-worst 2.2 goals along with the fewest shots per game at 24.6.

"I think one of the things we gotta do a better job of is shoot the puck more," Hynes said.

Kyle Palmieri, with a team-high 23 goals, has none in the last three games. Adam Henrique ended a seven-game goal drought with his 20th Tuesday.

New Jersey could receive an offensive boost Thursday with Devante Smith-Pelly expected to make his club debut after being acquired from Montreal on Monday. Smith-Pelly has six goals and six assists in 46 games this season.

Defenseman David Warsofsky, claimed off waivers from Pittsburgh on Monday, might also make his New Jersey debut.

Cory Schneider has started the Devils' last seven games with a 3.35 goals-against average. He and Keith Kinkaid will likely split the starts on this trip that includes Friday's matchup with the Stars.

"We gotta get on the road trip and see if we can find a way to be better against Nashville," Hynes said.

Pekka Rinne has won his last four starts for Nashville and made 22 saves in a 3-1 victory at New Jersey on Oct. 13, with defenseman Roman Josi scoring twice.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Islanders (34-20) at Jets (26-32)

Date: March 03, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The New York Islanders weren't particularly pleased with their latest win, but the Winnipeg Jets probably wouldn't mind stumbling upon one under such circumstances right about now.

The Islanders play the sixth of a seven-game road trip Thursday night in Winnipeg, and the Jets need a win to avoid matching their worst home losing streak since moving from Atlanta.

New York's 3-2 win in Vancouver on Tuesday got it to 4-1-0 to start the trip, though it was outshot 33-24, had only nine shots through 40 minutes, and all three of its goals went in off Canucks defensemen.

"The positive thing is you end up winning it," said Thomas Hickey, who had the game-winning goal for his second in three games and added an assist. "But to a man in here I think we all understand that's not going to win too many hockey games. Our goalie sort of bailed us out there and we got lucky."

More often than not, however, the Islanders (34-20-7) have been earning their wins. They've allowed 11 goals over a 5-1-1 span, and though they gave up a power-play goal to the Canucks, their league-leading penalty kill has taken care of 24 of 27 chances (88.9 percent) in the last 11 games.

Strong goaltending has also had something to do with it as Thomas Greiss played for the first time in nearly two weeks and made 32 saves. Starter Jaroslav Halak figures to face the Jets and has a 1.24 goals-against average over a 3-1-0 span since giving up six goals in a loss to Carolina on Feb. 13. Halak has won his only two career games in Winnipeg with a 1.92 GAA.

He wasn't in goal when the Islanders opened the season series with a 4-2 home win on Oct. 12, and they've won the last three meetings in Winnipeg as part of a 6-0-2 road span against the Winnipeg-Atlanta franchise.

That fits with how the Jets (26-32-4) have played at home recently. Tuesday's 3-2 loss to Florida was their fifth straight there, and the only time since moving from Atlanta for the 2011-12 season they've gone beyond this was a 0-3-3 span from Nov. 18-Dec. 14, 2013. The latest streak has come all in regulation as part of a 2-10-0 home stretch since the calendar turned to 2016.

"Just one of those things," Dustin Byfuglien said. "We try. It's not because of lack of effort. It's just, things ain't gone our way."

The defenseman scored to extend his point streak to a season-best six games, and he has five goals and 10 assists in his last 15 contests.

Winnipeg led 2-1 entering the third period but gave up two goals in the final 20 minutes. Over the last five games, it's been outscored 10-4 in the third period, which accounts for more than half of the 18 goals the Jets have given up in that span.

"We didn't play the third period the way we played the first two," coach Paul Maurice told the team's official website. "We were much better through two periods defensively, and that was the foundation of what we had going."

It was the sixth straight game they've surrendered at least three goals. Ondrej Pavelec has a 3.52 GAA over a 0-3-1 span, while Michael Hutchinson's last four games have produced a 1-2-0 record and a 3.32 GAA. Pavelec has yielded at least three goals in each game of a 1-3-2 stretch against the Islanders.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Panthers (36-19) at Avalanche (32-29)

Date: March 03, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Separated by almost 20 years in age, Jaromir Jagr and Reilly Smith are big reasons the Florida Panthers lead the Atlantic Division.

While Smith looks to increase his career-high goal total, Jagr could achieve another milestone as the Panthers try to win back-to-back road games for the first time in almost two months Thursday night against the Colorado Avalanche.

Smith scored twice and Jagr provided the go-ahead goal as Florida (36-19-8) avoided a third consecutive defeat and regained sole possession of the Atlantic lead with Tuesday's 3-2 win at Winnipeg.

Jagr, who turned 44 last month, and Smith, who will be 25 on April 1, share the team lead with 21 goals. Smith's second Tuesday set a career best in his fourth full NHL season and first with Florida.

'It's awesome when you join a new team and you're able to contribute like this,' said Smith, two points shy of matching his 40 with Boston last season. 'Obviously, I've been given a great opportunity here and I've tried to do my best not to squander it.

"I'm playing with great players. It seems like they're trying to set me up all the time."

Jagr's sixth point in six games left him two behind Gordie Howe (1,850) for third all-time. Though Smith doesn't usually share the same shift as Jagr, he's no less in awe of the Panthers' points leader and future Hall of Famer.

'It's ridiculous, honestly,' Smith said. 'You've kind of got to think twice, just because you don't want to squander the moments you have with pretty much a living legend, right? He's done a great job for our team this year.'

Though the Panthers are amid a 4-1-2 stretch overall, they have lost six of nine road games since winning a team-record six straight Dec. 15-Jan. 10. Florida had lost in Columbus and Minnesota to begin a five-game trip before winning Tuesday.

The Avalanche (32-29-4) are among the league's worst home teams at 14-14-4 and have fallen out of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference by losing three of four overall.

Eleven of the 19 goals they've allowed during that stretch have come in the third period. Minnesota scored three times, two into an empty net, in the third of Colorado's 6-3 loss Tuesday.

Semyon Varlamov has a 4.80 goals-against average in his last three starts and was pulled after giving up three on 12 first-period shots Tuesday. That's given Avs coach Patrick Roy reason to start Calvin Pickard in this contest.

Pickard, who stopped 15 of 16 shots in relief against the Wild, has won two straight starts and owns a 1.94 GAA in his last four appearances.

"(Pickard) is probably going to play the next game," Roy told the team's official website. "I'm not going to throw Varly under the bus here. There are highs and lows in a career, and those things happen. Right now, it's bit of a tougher time for him and Picks has been playing really well."

Colorado's Jarome Iginla scored his 19th goal of the season Tuesday to tie Dino Ciccarelli for 17th place all-time with 608. Iginla, who turns 39 in July, had a five-game point streak against Florida snapped in a 4-1 road loss Oct. 27.

Roberto Luongo made 31 saves that night to improve to 8-1-0 with a 1.53 GAA in his last nine starts against the Avalanche. He's 14-1-2 against them since the beginning of 2009-10, including 6-0-1 in Denver. Luongo has a 1.82 GAA in his last five games overall.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Ducks (35-19) at Coyotes (27-30)

Date: March 03, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Anaheim sat 16 points out of the Pacific Division lead six weeks ago and was just beginning to recover from a dismal start to the season after being a popular pick to make a deep postseason run.

Suddenly, the Ducks are tied atop the division and making their case as strong contenders in the Western Conference.

They'll look to extend their winning streak to 10 on Thursday night when they visit an Arizona Coyotes team trending in the opposite direction.

Anaheim (35-19-8) opened the season by scoring 10 goals in its first 10 games, losing nine of them while becoming the league's early disappointment after finishing a victory short of reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2014-15.

The Ducks lost to Los Angeles on Jan. 17 and the Kings extended their lead to 16 points with a victory on the 19th, but Anaheim won the next day to begin a 16-1-1 stretch.

Corey Perry scored the tying goal in the third before Jakob Silfverberg scored the only goal in the shootout to beat Montreal 3-2 on Wednesday.

Jamie McGinn scored in his debut for Anaheim, which tied idle Los Angeles for the division lead and is adding to a remarkable story as the postseason nears.

"We dug ourselves a hole early. It's nice to see where we've come," Perry said. "But at the end of the day, you still have 20 games left. You have to go out and keep pushing."

The Coyotes (27-30-6) won the first three meetings over the first six weeks of the season before Perry scored in Anaheim's 5-2 win Feb. 5, but Arizona is suffering through a dismal stretch that is making it more and more likely it will watch the playoffs from home.

Monday's 6-0 loss at Pittsburgh capped a winless five-game trip that extended the Coyotes' losing streak to six and dropped them to 5-14-2 since Jan. 14. They lost their third-leading point scorer when they traded eighth-year veteran Mikkel Boedker, who spent that entire time with Arizona, to Colorado hours before the defeat.

"It's really difficult," forward Shane Doan said. "(The trade) doesn't really matter. We were horrendous."

Veteran Alex Tanguay came over in the Boedker deal and practiced with his new teammates for the first time Wednesday, skating on a line with Antoine Vermette and Anthony Duclair. The 36-year-old had four goals and 18 assists in 52 games with the Avalanche.

Arizona sits eight points behind Minnesota for the West's final playoff spot and needs an Anaheim-like hot streak to get back in the hunt.

"I'll have the same approach I've always had - take it one game at a time and prepare as best as possible," Tanguay said. "I'm happy. There's a lot of talent here. There's a lot of young guys and a good mix of veterans.

"I've been playing an offensive role for a long, long time and I haven't had the best of years, but I feel good."

Even if Tanguay can help lift an offense that scored seven times during the trip, Louis Domingue will have to be better in net. He's posted a 4.04 goals-against average while starting each game during the losing streak and now has to contend with the red-hot Ducks, who have outscored opponents 33-18 during their winning streak.

John Gibson made 25 saves Wednesday for Anaheim, which could choose to go with Frederik Andersen in this one. Andersen is 10-0-1 with a 1.89 GAA over his starts since Jan. 13 and made 23 saves to beat the Coyotes in the last meeting.