Tuesday 2/9/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[superbeets]

English FA Cup TODAY 19:45

West Ham

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Liverpool

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT WEST HAM	RECENT FORM
AWALHDADHWAL​ Most recent​	2 - 0 3 - 1 1 - 2 2 - 3	HWAWHL*HDALHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: West Ham are unbeaten in their last ten home games

EXPERT VERDICT: Liverpool have already played 11 matches this year and that workload may contribute to a defeat to West Ham in their FA Cup fourth-round replay at Upton Park. Jurgen Klopp has been making wholesale changes for FA Cup ties and some of his younger players impressed in the goalless draw against the Hammers but it is likely to be a different story on the road.

RECOMMENDATION: West Ham
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[superbeets]

English FA Cup We 10Feb 19:45

Peterborough

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West Brom

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT PETERBOROUGH	RECENT FORM
HWHDALHLADAW​ Most recent​	2 - 3 0 - 2 0 - 3 0 - 2	ALAWHDHDHDAL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Peterborough have lost one of their last nine at home

EXPERT VERDICT: West Brom twice let the lead slip in their 2-2 draw at home to Peterborough and could be made to pay the price in their FA Cup fourth-round replay at London Road. Posh are bidding to be the second League One side to reach the last 16 and are likely to adopt them same attacking tactics they have employed for most of the season.

RECOMMENDATION: Peterborough
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[superbeets]

German Cup TODAY 18:00

B Leverkusen

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W Bremen

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT B LEVERKUSEN	RECENT FORM
HWAWAWADHWHD​ Most recent​	3 - 3 2 - 1 1 - 0 1 - 0	HDAWALAWHDAL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Leverkusen have lost just twice at home this season

EXPERT VERDICT: Bayer Leverkusen held Bayern Munich to a draw at the BayArena on Saturday and they should prove too strong for Werder Bremen. The visitors have conceded early goals in both of their games since the winter break and Leverkusen look likely to make their quality count from the opening exchanges.

RECOMMENDATION: Leverkusen-Leverkusen double result
1

 

[superbeets]

German Cup TODAY 19:30

Stuttgart

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B Dortmund

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BTEU		9/2	18/5	9/20	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT STUTTGART	RECENT FORM
ADHD*HWAWHWAW​ Most recent​	2 - 3 2 - 3 1 - 2 1 - 1	HWAWALAWHWAD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Stuttgart have won their last four matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Borussia Dortmund are likely to prove a class above Stuttgart but the hosts have plenty going for them having won their last four matches. Thomas Tuchel’s visitors are not immune from leaking goals on the road - they have conceded in seven of their last nine - and both teams look capable of scoring.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
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[superbeets]

German Cup We 10Feb 19:30

Bochum

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B Munich

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BTEU		16	15/2	1/8	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT BOCHUM	RECENT FORM
ALHDALHDHWAW​ Most recent​	1 - 2 1 - 5 0 - 3 1 - 2	HWHWAWAWHWAD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Bayern have not scored more than twice in their last nine matches

EXPERT VERDICT: As you would expect Bayern Munich are a very short price to beat Bundesliga 2 club Bochum and the German giants should justify their status as long odds-on favourites. However, goals have not flowed too freely for the Bavarian’s in recent games and they might not win this tie by a wide margin.

RECOMMENDATION: Bayern to win 2-0
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[superbeets]

Italian Serie A Th 11Feb 19:45

Lazio

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Verona

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BTEU		1/2	16/5	11/2	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT LAZIO	RECENT FORM
ADHLHWADHLAD​ Most recent​	2 - 0 3 - 3 3 - 2 5 - 4	HLADHDADHWHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Verona have conceded less than two goals in five of their last six matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Lazio's European qualification hopes are looking remote after a three-game winless sequence but they can get back to winning ways with a narrow success over rock-bottom Verona. The basement boys are on a five-match unbeaten run (four of them draws) but have not won any of their 11 Serie A away games.

RECOMMENDATION: Lazio to win 1-0
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[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL notebook: Jets' Byfuglien signs five-year extension
By The Sports Xchange


The Winnipeg Jets signed defenseman Dustin Byfuglien to a five-year contract extension on Monday worth $38 million with an average annual value of $7.6 million.
Byfuglien, 30, could have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Byfuglien has recorded 32 points (15 goals, 17 assists) this season while appearing in all 52 games. He is tied for second in the league for defensemen with his 15 goals.
Byfuglien leads the Jets in shots (163), penalty minutes (78) and ice time (24:14 per game). The native of Roseau, Minn., was named to the 2016 NHL All-Star Game in Nashville, Tenn., where he recorded a goal and an assist for the Central Division team.

--Jets forward Drew Stafford was suspended for one game without pay for a high-sticking violation, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced.
Stafford was cited for high-sticking Colorado Avalanche defenseman Nick Holden during Saturday's game. Stafford was assessed a double-minor penalty for the second-period incident.

--The St. Louis Blues placed defenseman Alex Pietrangelo on injured reserve with a right knee injury.
Pietrangelo was injured in the Blues' 4-1 win over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night. He will be re-evaluated in three weeks, the team announced.
Pietrangelo, 26, has played in all 55 games this season, posting 23 points (three goals, 20 assists).

--The Washington Capitals reassigned forward Paul Carey and defenseman Connor Carrick to the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League.
Carey, 27, has played in four games with the Capitals this season and scored his first NHL goal on Saturday at New Jersey.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Ducks (25-19) at Flyers (23-19)

Date: February 09, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

What coach Bruce Boudreau called his team's worst loss in at least two months opened a lengthy trip that threatens to ground the Anaheim Ducks.

A 24-hour turnaround perhaps never sounded so good.

The Ducks will try to regroup from an ugly streak-snapping defeat by picking up their sixth consecutive win over the host Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night.

Anaheim (25-19-7) has been one of the NHL's hottest teams since Nov. 1, and its best run came with six straight wins that stretched over the All-Star break.

After outscoring their opponents 25-12 during the streak, the Ducks fell on the wrong end of Monday's 6-2 blowout at Pittsburgh to open a season-high seven-game trip. Goaltender John Gibson had not allowed more than three goals this season but surrendered all six before getting pulled early in the third period.

"You can sit there and go up and down the lineup, but you can't blame just one or two guys," Boudreau told the team's official website. "It was 20 guys. It was by far our worst game in the past 25-30 games. I'm glad we're playing tomorrow. We'll see what we're made of, even though I know they'll be ready for us."

The Ducks held the second-best goals-against average in the league from Nov. 27-Feb. 5 at 2.00 - behind only Florida's 1.90. The Penguins, though, became the first team to score six against Anaheim in 81 games, including last season's playoffs.

After Gibson got lit up in his return to his native Pittsburgh, it was announced Frederik Andersen would start Tuesday for Anaheim.

Andersen has a .930 save percentage and 1.89 goals average in his last 10 appearances and made four saves in relief of Gibson on Monday. He has won all three of his career starts against the Flyers despite a .907 save percentage and 3.16 GAA.

While opening the season 1-7-2, Anaheim earned just one point by dropping its first six away from home. The Ducks are 9-6-2 on the road since then and had earned points in seven straight prior to Monday.

Outside of Tuesday's game and a Feb. 13 matchup at Chicago, four of Anaheim's six remaining games on this trip are against sub-.500 teams.

Philadelphia (23-19-9) has struggled at home of late, picking up four points while dropping four of its last five at Wells Fargo Center. The Flyers open a three-game homestand before embarking on a five-game trip.

Since picking up points in six straight in mid January, Philadelphia has been up and down with three straight losses, three consecutive wins and then back-to-back defeats.

After losing 3-2 in a shootout to the New York Rangers on Saturday, they fell by the same score in regulation at Washington on Sunday.

"This is the make-or-break point of our season," said Shayne Gostisbehere, who extended his point streak to eight games with an assist against the Capitals. "We've just got to find ways to get points and keep leads and stick with it."

Anaheim's 4-2 home win over Philadelphia on Dec. 27 was the Ducks' fifth straight in this series and 10th straight with at least one point - claiming 18 of a possible 20 in that span. That stretch includes four wins in Philadelphia.

Corey Perry scored two goals in this season's first matchup against Flyers starter Steve Mason. Mason made 33 saves in the loss, dropping to 5-8-2 with an .890 save percentage and 3.38 GAA in 16 career appearances against Anaheim.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Islanders (27-18) at Blue Jackets (21-28)

Date: February 09, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The New York Islanders are brimming with confidence after finishing with their highest goal total in five seasons.

They haven't had too much trouble racking up goals against the Columbus Blue Jackets, although they've never faced Joonas Korpisalo.

The visiting Islanders look to complete a four-game sweep of the Blue Jackets and make it eight straight meetings without a regulation defeat in the series Tuesday night.

New York (27-18-6) cruised to an 8-1 victory over Edmonton on Sunday. Kyle Okposo recorded his second career hat trick, Nick Leddy had a career-high three assists and John Tavares added a goal and two assists in the Islanders' highest-scoring effort since a 9-3 win over Pittsburgh on Feb. 11, 2011.

'It was good. Good to put up eight. It was a pretty good team effort,' Okposo said. 'I thought we were going on all cylinders. It's definitely nice to get rewarded.'

Okposo has 10 points in his last eight games and Tavares has nine in six.

New York, which had totaled three goals in losing its previous two games, looks to avoid its first three-game road slide in two seasons.

The Islanders are enjoying a 5-0-2 run over the Blue Jackets in which they've totaled 30 goals, with nine in three victories this season. Brock Nelson has scored three of his team-high 20 goals in the 2015-16 season series.

Korpisalo has posted back-to-back wins as he continues to fill in for the injured Sergei Bobrovsky and Curtis McElhinney. He made 37 saves in a 2-1 shootout win at Vancouver on Thursday followed by 30 the next night in a 2-1 victory at Calgary.

Korpisalo is 6-1-1 with a 1.84 goals-against average in his last eight starts.

'He's been saving (us) for a while, it seems like. It feels great with a guy like that you can really count on,' center William Karlsson said. 'He seems very confident out there, calm. It's kind of contagious. It goes out on all of us players.'

Columbus (21-28-5) seeks its second three-game win streak of the season after Karlsson scored twice against the Flames, ending a nine-game goal drought and giving him six for the season.

'It feels good to win and score two goals. Obviously, I haven't been too spoiled with the goals this year,' he said.

This matchup figures to be a physical affair with the Islanders averaging a league-high 30.6 hits and the Blue Jackets also ranking among the leaders at 27.3. Columbus has outhit New York 98-58 in this season's three matchups.

The Islanders are expected to start Jaroslav Halak, 5-0-2 with a 2.22 GAA in his last seven against the Blue Jackets with two wins this season. Halak, though, has allowed 10 goals in losing his last three outings.

Columbus begins a five-game homestand after taking two of three in Western Canada. New York vows it will be ready.

"We've just gotta stick with the program, it's a long season, it's a process," coach Jack Capuano said. "We're going into a team that's coming off a pretty good road trip here in Columbus on Tuesday."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Panthers (31-16) at Sabres (21-26)

Date: February 09, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The offensive surge that keyed the Florida Panthers' rise in the Atlantic Division has dissipated during only their second losing streak since early December.

Things could get worse before they get better without one of their go-to scorers, while the Buffalo Sabres are hoping to get back two of their top forwards.

With Aleksander Barkov's status uncertain, the Panthers look to begin a new winning streak Tuesday night by dealing the Sabres their ninth loss in 10 home games.

Florida (31-16-6) was fifth in the Atlantic on Dec. 12 before averaging 3.2 goals during a 17-3-1 push that lifted it into first place. The Panthers totaled 25 goals over a five-game win streak before failing to extend that production in the last two.

Following a 3-2 overtime home loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday, they were shut out for only the third time in Monday's 3-0 loss at Detroit. Making matters worse, Barkov was knocked out in the second period after getting hit by Detroit's Justin Abdelkader.

The center had scored a goal in his previous four games and leads the club with 10 goals and 22 points in the last 21. He has a goal and two assists in his two meetings with Buffalo and the Panthers have won seven in a row in the series when he's played.

"I thought it was a cheap shot," coach Gerard Gallant said of Abdelkader, who was not penalized after hitting Barkov with his shoulder. "Hopefully, he'll be back soon."

Florida has gone 9-1-1 in the past 11 meetings with Buffalo after taking two of the first three matchups this season. Jaromir Jagr has led the way with three goals and five points in the season series, while Jonathan Huberdeau has tallied twice.

Roberto Luongo is 12-2-0 with a 1.78 goals-against average in his last 15 against the Sabres. He's expected to be in net after stopping 31 shots in a 5-1 road win Jan. 5.

Buffalo (21-26-6) has only managed 14 goals while going 1-6-2 over its last nine home games. Now the club will try to avoid its sixth defeat in its last eight games overall following Saturday's 2-1 overtime loss at Boston.

Sam Reinhart got a goal for the second straight contest, but leading scorer Ryan O'Reilly has gone 12 in a row without finding the back of the net. The left wing, however, has three goals and six points in his last four at home versus Florida.

Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen has totaled three assists in the season series.

Buffalo could get a boost if forwards Marcus Foligno and Zemgus Girgensons can overcome lower-body injuries to play alongside Jack Eichel. Foligno (4 goals, 11 points) sat out Saturday while Girgensons (5 goals, 11 points) did not practice Monday.

"I feel pretty good," Foligno told the team's official website. "Right now, it's just a pain tolerance, that's all I can really say. There was nothing really major, just a tweak, but it was tough to really play or even skate a couple days ago."

Tyler Ennis, though, remains sidelined indefinitely with an upper-body injury.

Buffalo's Robin Lehner is likely to start between the pipes. He has a .947 save percentage over his last five games and a .942 mark in his last two versus the Panthers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Kings (31-17) at Bruins (28-18)

Date: February 09, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Milan Lucic is set to face off against his former team for the first time, but the forward's homecoming is secondary to some on-ice concerns right now for the Los Angeles.

The Kings' struggles lately have mostly been in the defensive zone, something they'll try to correct as they start a season-high seven-game road trip Tuesday night against the Boston Bruins.

Lucic, who's been limited to two goals in his last 24 games, played his first eight seasons in Boston and won the 2011 Stanley Cup before being traded June 26 after the Bruins missed the playoffs for the first time in his career. He wrote a letter to the city in The Players' Tribune published Monday, then spoke warmly of his former home to the Kings' official website.

"It's pretty cool," Lucic said. "Back in the snow, hockey weather. But it's a good feeling to be able to go back and finally play against a team that I played for (over) the last eight years, and I'm looking forward to what it's going to be like."

A little improvement figures to be necessary to leave with two points. First-place Los Angeles (31-17-3) has given up 18 goals over a 2-4-0 span, including a 4-2 home loss to Anaheim on Thursday.

"The whole game wasn't the way we wanted, and it's not the way we drew it up," said Tyler Toffoli, who scored his 23rd goal to match his career high established last season. "We've got to get better defensively."

Boston (28-18-6) strung together consecutive wins in a home-and-home set against Buffalo with stronger defensive efforts, including Saturday's 2-1 home overtime win. Brad Marchand scored on a penalty shot midway through the extra period, giving the forward nine goals in his last nine games.

"When you're feeling good and confident, you seem to bear down in situations like that," said Marchand, who has also scored seven goals in his last six against Los Angeles.

It could fall on him to spark a power play that's gone 2 for 29 in the last 10 games, though the penalty kill has more than canceled that out by going 71 for 76 in the past 26.

Boston is playing its last of six of eight at home before heading out on a season-high six-game trip. It last won consecutive home games Dec. 16 and 20, going 4-6-1 since, while Los Angeles has gone 7-2-0 with 3.67 goals per game on the road since the Christmas break. Overall, though, the Bruins are happy with how they've performed in three overtime games since the All-Star break.

"We've gotten five out of six points after the break, so it would be nice to finish strong and get seven out of eight and go on the long road trip," center David Krejci told the team's official website. "It's going to be a big game for us. (The Kings) have a really good team. They're big and strong. We have to bring our A game."

Tuukka Rask did that against the Sabres with 37 saves, and he's 2-1-0 with a 1.69 goals-against average and .956 save percentage versus the Kings.

Likely counterpart Jonathan Quick has a 3.45 GAA and .858 save percentage over a 1-4-0 span, and he's also lost his last three in Boston.

The clubs have split four games over the past two seasons, but the Bruins haven't lost in regulation at home to the Kings since 2005-06, going 3-0-3 with three straight victories.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Lightning (29-19) at Canadiens (26-24)

Date: February 09, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Ben Scrivens toiled in the minors through the first three months of the season wondering when he'd get his next chance in the NHL, and he didn't exactly impress the Montreal Canadiens when they acquired him at the end of December.

His performances over the weekend helped him regain his confidence.

Scrivens will make his third straight start for the suddenly surging Canadiens as they host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night.

Reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner Carey Price hasn't played since Nov. 25 because of a lower-body injury, and Montreal (26-24-4) has since tumbled down the Eastern Conference standings while working mainly with rookie Mike Condon in net.

The Canadiens acquired Scrivens from Edmonton on Dec. 28, and he lost his first four starts with a 3.84 goals-against average. He started against his former team Saturday, though, and made 23 saves in a 5-1 victory that snapped Montreal's four-game skid.

Scrivens was fantastic again Sunday, stopping 33 shots through overtime and all five in the shootout for a 2-1 win over Carolina.

"Obviously it's nice to get two wins whether you're playing or not, but having a bit of ownership definitely makes it sweeter," Scrivens said. "The biggest thing is that we got the four points that we desperately needed. Now we have to focus on the next one."

Scrivens will be in net again as the Canadiens try to win three straight for the first time since a four-game run Nov. 20-27. Defenseman P.K. Subban had a goal and an assist against the Oilers then assisted on Max Pacioretty's goal against the Hurricanes.

Montreal, which won its first nine games of the season, sits in 11th place in the East, four points behind the New York Islanders for the last wild-card spot.

"It's a step in the right direction, and obviously we want to build on it," Subban said. "Everybody should feel good about their game and themselves. It's important that spirits are up, and now we'll continue taking things one game at a time."

Subban had an assist in Montreal's 4-3 shootout victory in the first meeting Dec. 28 and will try to help deal the Lightning (29-19-4) back-to-back losses for the first time since Dec. 28 and 30.

Tampa has been one of the NHL's hottest teams and had won nine of its previous 10 before falling 5-1 at Ottawa on Monday. J.T. Brown scored in the first period and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 24 saves in place of Ben Bishop.

The Lightning averaged 3.5 goals during their hot stretch, but they came up empty on three power-play opportunities against the Senators after scoring with the man advantage in each of their previous five.

Tampa failed to move into sole possession of second place in the Atlantic Division and remained six points behind first-place Florida.

"This has to be a page-turner, because now we've got Montreal who's won a couple and feeling good about themselves and we're not," coach Jon Cooper said. "You're not always encouraged about playing back-to-back, but I'm glad we get to jump right back at it (Tuesday) night."

Bishop will be back in net for this one. He has a 1.76 GAA over his last six starts and made 31 saves in the first meeting with the Canadiens.

Scrivens has a 2.70 GAA in five career starts against the Lightning.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Oilers (21-28) at Devils (26-21)

Date: February 09, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The New Jersey Devils' unexpected success this season has come without any distinguished face of the franchise, a moniker that fit Martin Brodeur for 20-plus seasons.

Connor McDavid's status as the Edmonton Oilers' poster boy is in its infancy.

The Devils will honor Brodeur at Prudential Center on Tuesday night before attempting to avoid matching their longest skid of the season against McDavid and the last-place Oilers.

New Jersey (26-21-7) has missed the playoffs for three straight seasons and was supposed to continue a rebuilding process under rookie coach John Hynes. Instead of foundering through another season, the Devils are one point behind the New York Islanders for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

The improvement has come without a signature star, a luxury that's been missing since Brodeur's final season with New Jersey in 2013-14.

Brodeur, who played seven games for St. Louis the following season, was a four-time Vezina Trophy winner and owns many of the NHL's goaltending records, most notably career wins (691) and shutouts (125).

He led the Devils to wins in three of five trips to the Stanley Cup final. Now, his No. 30 will be raised to the rafters to join former teammates Ken Daneyko, Scott Stevens and Scott Niedermayer.

The emotions could provide a spark for New Jersey, which dropped to 0-1-2 in its last three with Monday's 2-1 loss to the New York Rangers.

"It's a special thing for Marty, but what has to give this team energy is we're in a competitive situation here within the league and (Monday) we didn't give ourselves a chance to win a hockey game, and that cost us," Hynes said. "The biggest motivation is ... to be able to get two points. That should be motivation enough."

It's unknown if Hynes will again call on Cory Schneider after he made 35 saves against the Rangers. He's 5-2-1 with a 1.74 goals-against average over his last eight starts.

Schneider, who split time with an aging Brodeur in 2013-14, also owns a 0.75 GAA while winning three of his past four matchups with Edmonton.

Backup Keith Kinkaid stopped 22 shots in a 5-1 road loss to the Oilers on Nov. 20.

That was one of 37 games McDavid missed with a broken clavicle. The first overall selection from last year's draft has two goals and four assists in four games since returning.

The 19-year-old center has 18 points in 17 games as he tries to help turn around the Oilers (21-28-5), who seem destined to miss the playoffs for a 10th straight season.

Edmonton gave up the first five goals before McDavid scored in Sunday's 8-1 loss to the Islanders. That came a day after a 5-1 loss at Montreal.

"I had a good first couple of games but team-wise it's way more important," McDavid told the team's official website. "Right now we're struggling. I certainly believe in this group and everyone else does as well so we can't be too hard on ourselves. The lows can't be too low and the highs can't be too high."

There have been plenty of lows on the road, where the Oilers have dropped 11 of 13 (2-8-3). However, they won 2-1 in their most recent visit to Newark on Feb. 9 of last year.

Taylor Hall has seven points in six career meetings with the Devils, including three in November. He's gone two games without a point after tallying nine during a seven-game streak.

Edmonton has at least one point in its last 10 games at New Jersey, going 5-0-4 with one tie.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Capitals (38-9) at Predators (25-20)

Date: February 09, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Washington Capitals came up short in both attempts to beat coach Barry Trotz's former team last season but would appear to have the upper hand this time against a Nashville Predators team clinging to a playoff spot.

The Capitals look to add to their league-leading point total with a fourth win in row Tuesday night in Nashville.

Washington lost 4-3 in each of its two matchups against Nashville in 2014-15 but was facing one of the NHL's top teams. The Capitals, meanwhile, were sixth in the Eastern Conference before a loss in Nashville on Jan. 16 and seventh before a home defeat March 28.

The roles are reversed this time with Washington (38-9-4) holding a four-point advantage over Chicago for the NHL's best record and Nashville (25-20-8) in control of the West's first wild card. The Capitals have boosted their hopes in the East and for the Presidents' Trophy by winning three straight 3-2 games, taking one in a shootout.

"I think one of the things we have to recognize is everybody has kicked their game to playoff mode. We're going to Nashville. They're going to be in playoff mode," Trotz said. "Fortunately with our record, we have some separation, some money in the bank. At the same time, we can't take that for granted."

Matt Niskanen scored the tiebreaking goal with 14:36 remaining against Philadelphia on Sunday. Alex Ovechkin tallied his 30th, joining Wayne Gretzky and former Capitals forward Mike Gartner as the only players to reach that mark in each of their first 11 seasons.

Ovechkin is making his first appearance in Nashville this season after missing the All-Star weekend to nurse a lower-body injury. Trotz was greeted warmly while coaching the Metropolitan Division team for the 3-on-3 tournament at Bridgestone Arena, and Predators fans gave him a standing ovation in his return to Nashville last season.

He coached that franchise through its first 15 seasons of existence and earned 557 wins while making seven playoff appearances.

Nashville ended a season-worst three-game home losing streak Saturday with a 6-2 rout of San Jose. Viktor Arvidsson had his first two-goal game as the Predators also avoided a third consecutive overall defeat.

"We did a good job like this but we're going to need efforts like this all year to be able to win games like this," said forward Filip Forsberg, who had a goal and two assists.

Forsberg also had a goal and two assists at Washington last March. James Neal has nine goals and five assists in 14 career matchups with the Capitals, and Mattias Ekholm scored in each of last season's two meetings.

Ovechkin has eight goals and four assists in 11 lifetime games against Nashville and four in his last six overall, with two coming on the power play. The Capitals, however, are 0 for 17 with a man advantage in their past five contests but have killed eight of nine penalties in the last three.

Nashville has given up three power-play goals in its last two games after killing all 21 penalties over seven contests.

T.J. Oshie's 11 goals against the Predators while with St. Louis were his most against any opponent, and he also tallied nine assists. Nicklas Backstrom has two goals and nine assists in his past seven games against Nashville, but Washington has dropped three straight in the series.

The Capitals have also lost three in a row at Bridgestone.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jets (23-26) at Blues (30-17)

Date: February 09, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

An injury to Jake Allen opened the door for Brian Elliott to get more consistent starts in net. He's done his part, and he'd like the offense to continue doing the same.

Elliott is expected to make a 12th straight start while the Blues try to build on a strong offensive showing Tuesday night against the last-place Winnipeg Jets.

Allen went 18-10-3 with a 2.17 goals-against average and five shutouts in 33 games, getting the bulk of the playing time over Elliott before going down with a knee injury last month.

Elliott has picked up where Allen left off, going 7-3-1 with a 1.74 GAA and one shutout after making 38 saves in Saturday's 4-1 win over Minnesota.

"He's been the best player for our team for a long time and he played a good game (Saturday) as well," said center Jori Lehtera, who had one goal and one assist. "That's nothing special anymore."

Goals have been hard to come by lately for the Blues (30-17-8), who have averaged 2.27 over the last 11 games. St. Louis (30-17-8) was outscored 7-3 during a 1-2-1 stretch prior to beating the Wild.

"It's awesome when the guys are putting it in," Elliott said. "You just kind of get uplifted. I think the whole bench feels it and you just kind of keep going and get on that good feeling train."

That hasn't been much of a problem against the Jets (23-26-3) this season. St. Louis has scored 11 goals while winning all three meetings, tallying three unanswered to rally for a 4-3 victory at Winnipeg on Dec. 15.

Vladimir Tarasenko had one goal and two assists, giving him four and three against the Central Division rival this season. He had three points in his first eight matchups.

Elliott is 5-0-1 with a 1.92 GAA in his last six starts against the Jets.

Winnipeg is trying to build on Saturday's 4-2 win at Colorado after losing five of its previous six games while giving up 21 goals.

"We were just on the puck," coach Paul Maurice said. "We don't give them the room to skate pucks out and to use that speed. We just contested every puck."

Drew Stafford had two goals and one assist, matching his point total from the eight prior games. The right wing, though, will serve a one-game suspension for hitting the Avalanche's Nick Holden in the face with his stick. He was issued a double-minor for high-sticking, but the NHL's department of player safety felt he should he in better control of his stick.

Mark Scheifele had a goal and an assist in Winnipeg's last meeting with St. Louis, but hasn't scored in 10 games since. He also missed seven games in that span with a lower-body injury.

This will be the first game for Dustin Byfuglien since the Jets defenseman signed a $38-million, five-year extension Monday that prevents him from becoming an unrestricted free agent this summer.

"It never really crossed my mind going anywhere," Byfuglien said. "You can't win a Stanley Cup overnight. It's a process, and I feel they're in the right state, so I thought I'd run with them."

Byfuglien has four goals and seven points in his last five games and is tied for second among NHL defensemen with 15 goals.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Stars (33-15) at Wild (23-20)

Date: February 09, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Minnesota Wild spent most of the last three weeks losing on the road, but are now in danger of setting a franchise mark for home futility.

Playing their first post-All-Star break game at the Xcel Energy Center, the reeling Wild try to avoid a club-record sixth consecutive home defeat Tuesday night against the Dallas Stars.

Minnesota (23-20-9) went 0-1-2 against Dallas this season before a 2-1 victory Jan. 9. The Wild have since totaled 17 non-shootout goals while going 1-9-1. They've played seven of the last eight on the road and dropped their fifth in a row overall, 4-1 at St. Louis on Saturday to conclude a three-game trip.

"It's frustrating," forward Jason Pominville, who has two points in 19 games, told the Wild's official website.

Minnesota plays its next three at home, where it has managed seven goals during a 0-3-2 slide that's left them in danger of making history for the wrong reason.

"We're going to turn this around; that's where our focus is right now," Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher said before Saturday's defeat. "This group, the coaches and players have won a lot of games, they know what it takes, and I'm looking to our leadership group right now to step up ... I'm looking for the players to play the right way and I'm confident that we'll get there."

Despite the outcome in St. Louis, the Wild felt they made some positive strides by scoring a power-play goal in their third consecutive contest and recording a club-record 24 shots in the second period.

"We obviously would have liked to get one or two more there," coach Mike Yeo said. "If we recognize that and we see what we put into the game (Saturday), and bring that back home with us, then we'll have a chance to get this turned around."

Minnesota has killed all 13 penalties over the last six home games, but allowed the Blues to convert three of their six chances with the man-advantage.

Dallas (33-15-5) is 3 for 10 on the power play against Minnesota this season but went 0 for 6 and yielded two short-handed goals in Saturday's 5-1 home loss to Chicago. The Stars had won three in a row and totaled nine goals in the previous two contests.

"We just kind of laid an egg," forward Vernon Fiddler told the Stars' official website. "It's unacceptable."

Antti Niemi was pulled after allowing three goals on 11 shots for Dallas, which gets another crack at the Western Conference-leading Blackhawks on Thursday in Chicago.

"This was just a total team loss, really," Stars coach Lindy Ruff said. "We needed a couple saves, and there'd be a couple you'd like back when they're going through you, some tough-angle ones went in. But this one's on the team."

Niemi has a 3.84 goals-against average while going 2-1-0 in February, but owns a 2.08 GAA and the same record against Minnesota in 2015-16.

Jamie Benn has three goals and eight assists during a seven-game point streak against the Wild.

Minnesota All-Star Devan Dubnyk made 34 saves at Dallas in last month's win, but is 0-7-1 since and has a 4.41 GAA while losing all three February starts in regulation.

Teammate Zach Parise has no points in three games against the Stars this season, and only one of his team-leading 17 goals in the last 10 contests.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Sharks (27-20) at Blackhawks (36-16)

Date: February 09, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

The NHL's hard salary cap has forced plenty of turnover on the Chicago Blackhawks' roster since they won the 2009-10 Stanley Cup, and this past offseason was no different.

Artem Anisimov and rookie Artemi Panarin haven't had any trouble fitting into the winning culture.

The Western Conference-leading Blackhawks begin a four-game homestand against the San Jose Sharks looking to win an eighth straight at the United Center on Tuesday night.

Chicago (36-16-4) again was forced to say goodbye to plenty of key contributors who helped it secure its third championship in six seasons in 2014-15, with Brandon Saad being the most notable subtraction.

The Blackhawks have reloaded rather than rebuilt in previous years, though, and were able to land Anisimov in the trade that sent Saad to Columbus. He has 18 goals centering a line with NHL leading scorer Patrick Kane and Panarin, who came over from Russia on a one-year deal that reportedly was worth less money than what other teams had offered.

That group has been one of the league's most effective led by Kane, whose 76 points are 12 short of his career high set in 2009-10. Panarin's 52 points lead all NHL rookies by a large margin.

Kane scored, Anisimov had a short-handed goal and three assists and Panarin had two assists in Saturday's 5-1 rout at Dallas.

"That line has been the top line for our team, top line in our league," coach Joel Quenneville said. "They play both side of the puck and I like the way they keep it and protect it. They can wow you with some plays. They all do a little bit something different, but they're all high-end guys who usually do something every night for us."

The Blackhawks swept a three-game road trip following the All-Star Game after dropping three of four heading into the break. They're five points ahead of the Stars for the West lead and have the second-most points in the league behind Washington.

"Did I see us being in the position we're in now (at the beginning of the season)? I would've been very optimistic thinking like that," Quenneville said. "I really like the way it's progressed. We're coming off two really good months, good start (to February), so let's keep going."

Chicago now gets to enjoy a home stretch after playing only two of its previous 11 at the United Center. The Blackhawks have a league-high 21 home victories, including a 4-3 overtime win over San Jose in the most recent meeting Dec. 20.

Jonathan Toews scored the winner and also had a goal in a 5-2 win in the first matchup Nov. 25, when Kane and Panarin had two assists apiece.

The Sharks (27-20-4) enter this meeting as one of the league's best road teams at 17-8-2, but it will be trying to split a four-game trip after falling 6-2 to Nashville on Saturday.

Joe Thornton and Logan Couture scored for San Jose, which is still 9-2-2 since Jan. 9 despite the struggles on this trip.

"During the season, you're going to have some nights like that," coach Peter DeBoer said. "We've got to get in the goalie's eyes a little bit more."

Martin Jones had a rough night after posting a 1.97 goals-against average over his previous 10. He's allowed four goals in both meetings with the Blackhawks this season.

Corey Crawford, who has won four straight against the Sharks, will get the start for Chicago. He has a 1.59 GAA and all of his league-leading seven shutouts in 24 home starts this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Canucks (20-20) at Avalanche (27-24)

Date: February 09, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Out of playoff position and struggling to score, the Vancouver Canucks are frustrated.

The Colorado Avalanche haven't been pleased with their play of late, either.

Looking to avoid a fifth straight defeat, the Canucks try to hand the Avs a fourth consecutive home loss Tuesday night.

Six points behind Colorado (27-24-4) for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference with two teams in its way, Vancouver has scored once in each of the last three games and gone 1 for 12 on the power play in seven.

'It's frustrating and we've got to start turning the corner," goaltender Ryan Miller said after Saturday's 4-1 home loss to Calgary. 'We can't hang our heads and say, 'Oh well it happened again.' We've got to start digging ourselves out. No one else can do it but us, so start digging.'

The Canucks (20-20-12) suffered back-to-back 2-1 defeats then trailed 2-0 before Calgary scored a pair of empty-netters. Perhaps most concerning is that Vancouver has recorded 73 shots in the last two contests.

A rough situation for a club that already ranks near the bottom of the league averaging 2.31 goals.

'The points are slipping away,' said captain Henrik Sedin, who has gone a season-high four games without a point. 'I see enough chances for us to score more goals, but there have been a few too many games we have come up with one (goal) and that's not enough.'

Emerson Etem scored his first of the season Saturday for the Canucks, who dropped five in a row Nov. 27-Dec. 5.

"Every point from here on out is crucial," Etem said.

Though Colorado finds itself in a better overall position, it's winless in three home games since the All-Star break and has allowed 19 goals during a 1-3-1 stretch. It yielded six goals while winning five of the previous six contests.

"We're not sharp, and it's too bad because it comes at the wrong moment," coach Patrick Roy told the Avs' official website. "We put ourselves in a playoff spot, and we had a chance to start where we left (off from the break). We should be disappointed right now."

The Avs opened the scoring Saturday, then allowed lowly Winnipeg to post the next three en route to a 4-2 defeat. They've been held to two or fewer goals seven times in 10 games.

Matt Duchene scored his team-leading 24th goal Saturday, but only his eighth at home.

Back from dealing with a civil lawsuit that finished in his favor, Semyon Varlamov made 35 saves Saturday in his first action since Jan. 23. He allowed one goal in each all of his previous four starts - all wins.

"It's tough to pinpoint really what it is. There's a number of things," forward Gabriel Landeskog said. "I feel like we're too slow in the D-zone; we're spending too much time in our own zone. And once we do get the puck, we just don't make strong enough plays.

"We just don't support each other enough, and we're playing on our own a little too much. You're not going to beat any team like that."

Landeskog had two goals with an assist as the Avs took two of three from Vancouver last season.

Sedin has two goals and four assists during a six-game point streak at Colorado.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Maple Leafs (19-23) at Flames (23-25)

Date: February 09, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Near the bottom of the Western Conference with two months remaining in the season, the Calgary Flames are feeling a sense of urgency.

The Flames can help their cause by winning back-to-back games for the first time more than a month Tuesday night against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs.

Nine points out of the final wild-card spot in the West and needing to pass four teams, Calgary (23-25-3) has little room for error as it looks to reach the playoffs for a second consecutive season.

'We need to play every game like it's a Game 7,' veteran forward Michael Frolik said. 'It's going to be like that for the rest of the season. We need that mindset.'

Winners of two of three since the All-Star break, the Flames believe Saturday's 4-1 victory at Vancouver might be the spark that ignites that desperately sought run of success. They are 4-7-1 since last winning two in a row Jan. 2 and 5.

"We're a proud team," coach Bob Hartley said. "We have so (many) great veterans, the kids are pushing hard. Let's face it, any team in our situation, we have to go on a big winning streak. It's not winning one, losing one. We have to get going."

Frolik, Mikael Backlund and Sam Bennett each had a goal and an assist and Jonas Hiller made 34 saves Saturday.

'It was one of those games we really needed,' Hiller said. "In the position we're at, every single point's really important. That's definitely something to build on.'

The Flames have clamped down in allowing eight goals in five games while killing off 21 of 23 penalties over the last 10. Karri Ramo, expected to start Tuesday, has posted a 1.79 goals-against average despite losing three of his last four starts.

Calgary has scored four goals in two of three but hasn't produced more than two in consecutive games since Jan. 11 and 13. It's gone 2 for 21 on the power play in the last six contests.

All-Star forward Johnny Gaudreau went scoreless Saturday after his five-game home point streak ended in Friday's 2-1 loss to Columbus. He had a goal and two assists in a 6-3 home victory over Toronto on March 13.

The Maple Leafs (19-23-9) endured a similar defensive performance Saturday in losing for the sixth time in eight road games, 6-1 to Ottawa. By the time Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau scored for the second time in three games early in the third period, Toronto was trailing by six.

"The bottom line is we got beat and we got beat bad," defenseman Dion Phaneuf told the NHL's official website. "We got beat in every aspect of the game by a team that played harder than us. It's disappointing and we have to move past it."

Pulled after yielding three goals on eight shots Saturday, James Reimer has a 4.01 GAA while splitting his last four starts. He was in net March 13 and is expected to start Tuesday.

Toronto's Leo Komarov has a team-leading 33 points but three in his last eight games.

The Maple Leafs have gone 3 for 60 on the power play in the past 18.