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[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[superbeets]

Champions League TODAY 19:45

B Munich

v

Benfica

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		1/5	13/2	16	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT B MUNICH	RECENT FORM
HLADHWHD*AWHW​ Most recent​	4 - 1 5 - 1	HWAWAWHWAWHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Bayern have lost only once at home this term.

EXPERT VERDICT: The draw could have been a lot worse for Bayern Munich but, after their close call against Juventus, they are unlikely to take Benfica lightly so Pep Guardiola’s men should be fully prepared for this clash. Bayern haven’t been at their scintillating best in recent weeks but they possess so much firepower they are impossible to oppose on home soil.

RECOMMENDATION: Bayern Munich 2-0
2


REFEREE: Szymon Marciniak STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Champions League TODAY 19:45

Barcelona

v

Atl Madrid

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BTEU		8/15	10/3	6	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT BARCELONA	RECENT FORM
AWAWHWHWADHL​ Most recent​	2 - 1 1 - 0 3 - 1 1 - 1	HWAWHWHD*ALHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Atletico have won just one of their last 18 games against Barcelona.

EXPERT VERDICT: Atletico Madrid will be determined to give themselves a chance in the second leg of this Champions League tie, but that’s easier said than done. Barcelona – with Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar leading the line – should have the forward power to establish the lead and it would be no surprise if they grabbed an early breakthrough.

RECOMMENDATION: Barcelona-Barcelona
2


REFEREE: Felix Brych STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Champions League We 6Apr 19:45

Wolfsburg

v

Real Madrid

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		9/2	31/10	4/6	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT WOLFSBURG	RECENT FORM
AWHWHWALHDAL​ Most recent​	Unknown	AWHWHWAWHWAW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Wolfsburg have netted in all but one European outing.

EXPERT VERDICT: Wolfsburg have saved their best for the Champions League this season and could cause Real Madrid some serious problems at the Volkswagen Arena. While the Wolves’ attacking ability isn’t in question, Gent exposed their backline a number of times and Madrid’s array of big-name stars are unlikely to pass up such opportunities.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
2


REFEREE: Gianluca Rocchi STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Champions League We 6Apr 19:45

Paris St-G.

v

Man City

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BTEU		8/11	3	4	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT PARIS ST-G.	RECENT FORM
AW*HDAWAWHLHW​ Most recent​	Unknown	ALHWADHDHLAW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: PSG have lost just one of their last 19 Champions League home matches.

EXPERT VERDICT: PSG have the French title in the bag and are looking to go to the next level by winning Europe’s top club competition. With Man City suffering from key injuries, it is difficult to look beyond the Ligue 1 champions elect, but City can still get on the scoresheet with Kevin De Bruyne providing opportunities for livewire Argentinian striker Sergio Aguero.

RECOMMENDATION: Paris St-G
2


REFEREE: Milorad Mazic STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Europa League Th 7Apr 20:05

Braga

v

Shakhtar

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BTX		7/5	9/4	19/10	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT BRAGA	RECENT FORM
HWALALHWHWAL​ Most recent​	0 - 3	HWHWALAWAWHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Shaktar have won six of their eight games in all competitions this year

EXPERT VERDICT: Braga will be keen to establish a first-leg lead ahead of a difficult return trip to Ukraine but they might find that tough against Shakhtar. The visitors failed to progress from a difficult Champions League group featuring PSG and Real Madrid but they have the class toget a positive result. Shaktar beat both Schalke and Anderlecht away from home to set up this quarter-final.

RECOMMENDATION: Shaktar
2

 

[superbeets]

Europa League Th 7Apr 20:05

Villarreal

v

Sparta Prague

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BTX		8/15	11/4	6	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT VILLARREAL	RECENT FORM
HLHWALADHDAW​ Most recent​	Unknown	HWHDAWAWHWAL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Villarreal have won five of their last seven home matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Villarreal are a short price to establish a first-leg lead but they are enjoying a fine season and they should deliver at El Madrigal. The Yellow Submarine are fourth in La Liga and look to be in a strong position in pursuit of Champions League football next season. Their home form has played a big part and they came from 2-0 down to grab a point against Barcelona before the international break.

RECOMMENDATION: Villarreal
3

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Soccer: Champions - Quarterfinal Odds

Quarterfinal Odds & Props

Tuesday, Apr. 5, 2016

Atletico Madrid at Barcelona
Barcelona -212
Atletico Madrid +600
Draw +300
Over 2.5 (Even)
Under 2.5 (-129)

To Qualify for Next Round
Barcelona -400
Atletico Madrid +270

Draw No Bet
Barcelona -750
Atletico Madrid +450

Goal Line
Barcelona - 1.5 (+140)
Atletico Madrid -+1.5 (-180)

Total Barcelona Goals
Over 1.5 (-150)
Under 1.5 (+110)

Total Atletico Madrid Goals
Over 0.5 (-115)
Under 0.5 (-125)

Both Teams to Score
Yes +130
No -170

Barcelona to keep a clean sheet (Shutout)
Yes -125
No -115

Atletico Madrid to keep a clean sheet (Shutout)
Yes +460
No -800

Benfica at Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich -588
Benfica +1500
Draw +600
Over 2.5 (-175)
Under 2.5 (+130)

To Qualify for Next Round
Bayern Munich -1000
Benfica +550

Draw No Bet
Bayern Munich -5000
Benfica +1600

Goal Line
Bayern Munich -2.5 (+150)
Benfica +2.5 (-200)

Total Bayern Munich Goals
Over 2.5 (-105)
Under 2.5 (-135)

Total Benfica Goals
Over 0.5 (+145)
Under 0.5 (-190)

Both Teams to Score
Yes +160
No -215

Bayern Munich to keep a clean sheet (Shutout)
Yes -190
No +145

Benfica to keep a clean sheet (Shutout)
Yes +1200
No -3000

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CL Best Bets - Quarterfinals
By Toby Maxtone-Smith

UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals - First Legs

We are down to the last eight teams in the 2015/16 UEFA Champions League, and for those who wanted the semi-finals to be as strong as possible, the quarter-final draw has come up trumps.

The four best teams on paper, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and PSG, have all avoided each other.

Barça are the 6/4 favourites, but their price was lengthened a bit thanks to a tough draw. Easy-looking ties for Bayern Munich (5/2) and Real Madrid (5/1) mean they are close on the Catalans’ heels.

Otherwise PSG are 15/2, Atletico Madrid are 16/1, Man City 20/1 and Wolfsburg and Benfica 125/1 each.

Tuesday, Apr. 5
Games scheduled for 2:45 p.m. ET on FS1 & FS2

Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid: Barcelona to win and both teams to score at 3/1

Such is the nightmarish nature of pulling Barcelona out of the hat that Atletico are a bigger price to win the Champions League at the quarter-final stage than they were after their draw for the previous round was made. They beat PSV Eindhoven extremely narrowly on penalties, while Barcelona had a routine win over Arsenal, winning both legs by two clear goals.

Since Atletico knocked Barça out of the competition in 2014, the Catalans have been the one team Diego Simeone’s Atletico have failed to crack. They have lost their five of their last six games against them, and those who backed them at big prices to win the competition groaned when this draw was made.

Nonetheless they have improved going forward this year and are still an excellent side. And Barcelona are not the sort of team to rely on not conceding any away goals. They have conceded in four of their last five home La Liga games and there have been over 2.5 goals in an amazing 23 consecutive competitive Barcelona home games. A home win with both teams scoring at 3/1 is the way to go here.

Bayern Munich vs. Benfica: Bayern Munich to win to nil at 4/6

For a game so late in the competition it is remarkable to see a team available at 16/1. And when you realise that team is Benfica, Portugal’s biggest club and one of the great names of European football, you realise how difficult it is for teams from small leagues to compete with those from England, France and Germany. Bayern Munich are 1/5 favourites to win this first leg, which they surely will.

Bayern were involved in one of the great Champions League games of the last decade as they came back from 2-0 down to beat Juventus 4-2 after extra time in the last round. In the first half they were carved apart by Juve’s counter-attacking, but some intelligent tactical switches by Pep Guardiola turned the tie around.

Bayern’s share of possession every game surpasses even that of Barcelona, and against teams like Benfica who are used to dominating games, they are very hard to beat. They have kept clean sheets in 11 out of their last 15 home games, and a win to nil at 4/6 is the best way of getting with Bayern.

Wednesday, Apr. 6
Games scheduled for 2:45 p.m. ET on FS1 & FS2

Paris Saint-Germain vs. Manchester City: PSG to win at 8/11

Perhaps the most interesting tie of the round, and certainly the closest if bookmakers are to be trusted, sees PSG take on Manchester City. PSG faced two tough 90 minutes from Chelsea in the last round, but a 4-2 aggregate win showed how talented they really are. City were impressive in a 3-1 win away to Dynamo Kiev before a non-event of a 0-0 saw them confirm qualification.

City demolished Bournemouth 4-0 in their best display for some time at the weekend, but shorn of Vincent Kompany and after a dreadful 2016 so far they look in no shape to improve on Chelsea’s efforts against PSG. Their win against Dynamo Kiev showed they are less prone to slipping up against inferior teams than they were used to, but PSG represent a very different challenge.

The French side can show they truly are one of Europe’s elite with a comfortable first leg win here. 8/11 is a good price.

Wolfsburg vs. Real Madrid: Real Madrid to score over 2.5 goals at 7/4

Wolfsburg are the weakest team left in the Champions League and the one team Real Madrid would have wanted to draw more than any other. They are the same price (1/9) to qualify from their tie as Bayern Munich are from theirs.

Real’s 2-1 win over Barcelona was their best result of the season, and even though their chances of winning La Liga are still almost nothing, it would be brave to rule them out of winning the Champions League now that they have shown they are able to defeat Barcelona in a one-off match.

This tie should be straightforward, and it would not be surprising if Real finished it off in the first leg. They have won five of their last six away games and are La Liga’s top scorers with 89 goals. They are 7/4 to score three or more in Germany and on their current form this is a good bet.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hurricanes (34-29) at Bruins (41-30)

Date: April 05, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Boston Bruins' miserable road stretch closed with a thud. So might their postseason hopes without a successful season-ending homestand.

With three games left and one point separating them from the playoffs, the Bruins seek their third win in a three-week stretch Tuesday night by extending their point streak against the visiting Carolina Hurricanes to nine games.

Boston (41-30-8) opened March with a 5-0-2 run to bolster its standing in the Eastern Conference, but losses in seven of nine have dropped it one point back of Detroit for the Atlantic Division's third automatic berth and one behind Philadelphia for the second wild card.

That slump coincided with a stretch of eight of nine games on the road, and after opening their final trip 2-1, the Bruins were smacked 6-4 at Chicago on Sunday.

Boston closes the season with a key Thursday matchup against the Red Wings and Saturday's contest against Ottawa, hoping to improve on a 16-17-5 mark at TD Garden.

If the Bruins win all three, they secure a tiebreaker over Detroit and they're in.

"We've got a big week ahead of us," coach Claude Julien told the team's official website. "All we've got to do is win our games and we're in. Our focus has to be on that and that's what we're going to do this week â?? one game at a time."

Maybe one too late.

Boston failed to take advantage of the Flyers' 6-2 loss at Pittsburgh on Sunday by surrendering six unanswered goals to the Blackhawks. The first four were against goaltender Tuukka Rask, who was replaced by backup Jonas Gustavsson two minutes into the second period after facing 22 shots.

Rask surrendered five goals on 30 shots in Friday's 6-5 win at St. Louis. The defensive lapse has largely canceled out a strong offensive push.

It didn't help that veteran defenseman Dennis Seidenberg missed both weekend games due to a lower-body injury, while Kevan Miller left Friday's game and didn't play Sunday with the same designation.

Seidenberg practiced Monday, but Julien said his status against Carolina is "unknown." Miller, who is day to day, and Brett Connolly (lower body) did not practice.

The big positive over the weekend was 10 goals after Boston totaled that same amount in its previous seven games. Patrice Bergeron has four goals in as many games, including two with an assist in Chicago.

The Bruins are 6-0-2 during an eight-game point streak against the Hurricanes (34-29-16), including a 4-1 win Feb. 26 and a 3-2 overtime loss March 10.

Rask started both and allowed four goals on 68 shots. He is 4-0-2 with a .959 save percentage against the Hurricanes since November 2013.

Carolina goalie Cam Ward snapped a six-game skid in this series by making 30 saves in the win last month.

However, backup Eddie Lack allowed five goals on 27 shots Saturday as the Hurricanes were mathematically eliminated from the playoffs with a 5-1 loss to Columbus. Carolina's five-game point streak was snapped after it stayed alive with points in 12 of 14.

"We always believed in ourselves, and we kept it alive for a long time here," Lack said. "Even after the trading deadline, when we lost three of our best players, I felt like we had a lot of young guys coming in in the second half and ... we were alive for a long time."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Islanders (43-26) at Capitals (55-17)

Date: April 05, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

While wins are far more important right now for the New York Islanders than the Washington Capitals, the team that has already clinched the Presidents' Trophy has history on its mind.

The Islanders try to avoid a season sweep to the Capitals and clinch a playoff berth Tuesday night against nemesis Braden Holtby, who is one win away from matching the NHL single-season record.

With a playoff spot in danger of slipping away following a 1-4-1 stretch, the Islanders have responded with four wins in five games to solidify their grip on the first wild card in the Eastern Conference.

A 5-0 loss to red-hot Pittsburgh on Saturday stopped a three-game win streak, but New York rebounded with Monday's 5-2 victory over Tampa Bay. John Tavares had his 30th goal and two assists and Thomas Greiss made 32 saves to win his third consecutive start.

'We were embarrassed by it,' Tavares said of Saturday's loss. 'We knew it was a big two points (tonight) and we played our type of game. ... We really liked the way we responded and now we got to carry it over tomorrow (at Washington). That's the really important test I think, test our character in a tough back-to-back against a team that's won the Presidents' Trophy already and we're still fighting hard here.'

The Islanders (43-26-9) remained two points behind the Rangers for third in the Metropolitan Division, and moved five points clear of ninth-place Boston. New York needs two points in its final four contests to reach the playoffs for the third time in four seasons.

Monday's win improved the Islanders to 10-2-1 at home since the All-Star break, but they had lost six straight on the road before a 4-3 overtime victory at Carolina on March 26.

Mounting injuries are also becoming a concern for New York, which is already without No. 1 goaltender Jaroslav Halak, top-pairing defenseman Travis Hamonic and center Mikhail Grabovski. Defenseman Calvin de Haan left in the second period Monday after taking a shot off his right knee and didn't return.

Holtby has backstopped the Capitals (55-17-6) to their first Presidents' Trophy since 2010, and his 47 wins are one shy of Martin Brodeur's NHL record. Holtby figures to be back in net after he got a rare night off Saturday in Washington's 3-0 loss at Arizona.

'I find rest harder to play through,' Holtby said. 'It's easy to tell your mind that your legs are sore, and you just have to push a little harder. It's a little harder when you're not seeing the puck well and you're trying to tell yourself to react quicker.'

There certainly haven't been any signs of fatigue from Holtby, who is 4-0-1 with a 1.18 goals-against average in his last five starts. He's lost just once at home in regulation since late October, going 22-1-1 with a 2.03 GAA.

Another matchup with the Islanders gives Holtby an excellent chance at equaling Brodeur's mark. He's 10-1-2 with a 2.08 GAA lifetime against them in the regular season.

Having already clinched home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs, Washington will be focused on getting back on track after losing two of three since securing the Presidents' Trophy.

The Capitals haven't lost two straight in regulation this season, going 15-0-1 in games immediately following regulation defeats.

They have won all three meetings against the Islanders as part of an 8-1-2 regular-season run in the series.

Alex Ovechkin has four goals in the season series and 11 in the past 11 meetings, but could be without center Nicklas Backstrom for a third straight game due to an upper-body injury.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Sabres (33-35) at Devils (37-34)

Date: April 05, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Though it's often difficult to put much stock into strong late-season results from a team eliminated from playoff contention, the Buffalo Sabres' surge seems very promising for 2016-17 and beyond.

The New Jersey Devils don't appear nearly as inspired as they play out the string.

The Sabres look to win their third straight and end a five-game losing streak against the Devils as the teams close out their season series Tuesday night.

Buffalo denied the New York Rangers a chance to clinch a playoff berth Saturday, holding on to win 4-3 after taking a 3-0 lead and chasing goaltender Henrik Lundqvist early in the second period. Ryan O'Reilly scored twice and Chad Johnson stopped 15 of 16 shots faced in the third for Buffalo, 6-2-2 in its last 10.

The Sabres (33-35-11) neutralized a late two-man, two-minute disadvantage with New York looking for the equalizer. They've killed off 24 of the last 25 power plays faced.

"We're doing everything," said Johnson, who had 33 saves and is expected to make his ninth straight start Tuesday. "We're trying to be spoiler, we're just trying to play our game. We had a tough start and we are just jelling as a group now.

"You're starting to see it all come together, the chemistry, the compete we have. It doesn't matter where you are in the standings. You want to win."

O'Reilly has three goals and three assists in a four-game point streak for Buffalo, which has made a 10-win improvement - and counting - from last season. He's recorded three goals and six assists in nine contests since returning from a lower-body injury that kept him out 11 games.

O'Reilly became the fourth Sabres player with 20 goals this season, joining fellow 20-somethings Evander Kane and Sam Reinhart and 19-year-old Jack Eichel. It's the first time Buffalo has had four 20-goal scorers age 25 or younger since 1987-88.

"We made our chances and we buried them early," O'Reilly said. "(Johnson) is one of the best goalies in the league. For us to do that, it gives confidence to our offense."

The Sabres will need it against the Devils (37-34-8), who have outscored Buffalo 15-6 in winning the last five meetings. Cory Schneider made 25 saves in the most recent one, a 2-0 victory at Buffalo on Dec. 15.

New Jersey has won four in a row at home in the series and gone 5-0-2 in the previous seven matchups there.

Schneider made 33 saves in his return from a sprained knee that kept him out 11 games but suffered his fifth straight loss and eighth in nine starts Saturday, 3-1 to Tampa Bay. The Devils have dropped four of five.

"I thought he came back and played well," coach John Hynes said.

New Jersey has averaged 1.40 goals in the past five games and is in danger of finishing last in the league with a 2.20 season mark. Adam Henrique scored his 28th on Saturday, but leading goal scorer Kyle Palmieri (29) has gone five in a row without one.

Four of the Devils' last five goals have come on the power play over the past three games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Penguins (46-25) at Senators (36-34)

Date: April 05, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

The Pittsburgh Penguins won't play at home the remainder of the regular season, though they'll have no problems starting the playoffs there if they maintain their current form.

Playing its best hockey at the most opportune time, Pittsburgh opens a three-game trip seeking a season-high seventh consecutive victory in Tuesday night's matchup with the Ottawa Senators.

Even with Evgeni Malkin sidelined until May and Marc-Andre Fleury's status for the playoffs uncertain due to a recent concussion, Pittsburgh (46-25-8) looms as a highly dangerous opening-round draw for any team. It's won 12 of 13 since Malkin's absence and amassed 30 goals during the win streak, outscoring opponents 16-4 over the last three.

The Penguins continued their scoring binge in Sunday's home finale, building a three-goal lead midway through the second period en route to a 6-2 victory over surging Philadelphia.

Sidney Crosby recorded his 26th point in 19 games by scoring the opening goal, though the star center isn't the only Pittsburgh player on a roll. Patric Hornqvist has scored in three straight, Kris Letang has nine points over a six-game streak and Phil Kessel has five goals and six assists over his last six.

'Everybody is playing the right way and doing a good job of creating momentum no matter who's out there,' Crosby said. 'If they don't score, they're putting the other team on their heels for the next line.'

Matt Murray is making Fleury's departure less of an issue with consecutive sharp outings. After earning his first NHL shutout with 24 saves in Saturday's 5-0 rout of the New York Islanders, the rookie had 28 against the Flyers.

'(Playing back-to-back days) was a challenge and something new for me, but I like playing games and I thought I played pretty well this weekend,' said Murray, 7-2-1 with a 1.88 goals-against average in 10 NHL starts.

Pittsburgh, which owns a six-game road winning streak as well, carries a three-point edge on the New York Rangers for second in the Metropolitan Division.

Crosby has five goals in his last four meetings with Ottawa (36-34-9), which allows a league-high 32.7 shots per game and has the NHL's second-worst penalty kill at 75.1 percent. The Senators surrendered three goals in four short-handed situations in Saturday's 3-2 loss at Philadelphia, though they managed to end a 14-game power-play drought on Mike Hoffman's late goal.

"It's nice to break out of the one slump with the power-play goal, but obviously our penalty killing hasn't been great all year," goaltender Andrew Hammond said. "To give up three in one game, you're not going to win too many games doing that."

The Penguins went 2 for 5 on the power play and received a hat trick from Crosby in a 6-5 home victory over Ottawa on Feb. 2. They won the teams' previous meeting this season - also in Pittsburgh - 2-0 on Oct. 15 behind Fleury's 22 saves.

Craig Anderson figures to draw the start for Ottawa and aims to build off a 23-save effort in Thursday's 3-2 win at Minnesota. He had allowed 10 goals in losing his previous three starts.

Mark Stone, second among Senators players with 23 goals and 61 points, is expected to miss a third straight game with a chest injury.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Lightning (45-29) at Rangers (44-26)

Date: April 05, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

The last time the Tampa Bay Lightning visited Madison Square Garden, they advanced to the Stanley Cup Final.

This time, a playoff spot will suffice.

The Lightning will try to bounce back from their first loss without Steven Stamkos and clinch a postseason berth Tuesday night against the playoff-bound New York Rangers.

Tampa Bay (45-29-5) has split two matchups with New York this season, but both have come at home - including a 5-2 defeat Dec. 30.

The Lightning have won their last three visits to MSG, all during last year's conference final. The most poignant victory, however, came in Game 7 when Tampa Bay did all of the scoring in the third period to beat the Rangers 2-0.

The stakes aren't nearly as high Tuesday, but the Lightning just need one point to secure a third straight trip to the postseason and second place in the Atlantic Division. They're four points ahead of third-place Detroit and five in front of Boston for the East's playoff cutoff with three games remaining in the regular season.

While reaching the playoffs seems like a formality, the Lightning have split two games since losing Stamkos for 1 to 3 months due to surgery necessary to remove a blood clot near his right collarbone.

His absence wasn't entirely the issue Monday when Tampa Bay failed to clinch a playoff spot with a 5-2 loss to the New York Islanders in the opener of this season-ending four-game trip.

"We gave up four breakaways in the second period," coach Jon Cooper said. "We weren't shooting and ultimately we would spend time in their zone and they'd get a breakaway and score. ... That was the tough part to watch because they were working their tails off. They were competing, they were battling and we just weren't working smart enough."

Victor Hedman is trying to pick up the scoring slack with Stamkos out, scoring one goal in each of the last two games while adding an assist. The defenseman has 10 points over the past nine games, matching his output from the previous 23.

He doesn't have a point in his last two games at the Garden after collecting seven in the six prior.

The Rangers (44-26-9) can sympathize with the Lightning on their plight to return to the playoffs. They finally made it on their third attempt, beating Columbus 4-2 on Monday to snap an 0-2-1 skid

"It's tough to get to the dance," coach Alain Vigneault said. "People don't realize how hard it is to be able to get an opportunity to play for the Stanley Cup. We finally got our checkmark. We can still work for home ice and that's what we're going to try and do."

New York, though, might have suffered a major blow against the Blue Jackets since captain Ryan McDonagh left in the first period with an upper-body injury after blocking a shot. He'll be re-evaluated Tuesday.

While the Rangers mull over the defenseman's availability, they're also trying to avoid dropping into a wild-card spot. They're third in the Metropolitan Division, two points ahead of the fourth-place Islanders with three games to go - one fewer than the crosstown rival.

Chris Kreider has four goals and three assists over the past five games after getting one of each Monday.

Mats Zuccarello has also put together a scoring surge with four goals and two assists in seven games. He had a goal at Tampa Bay in December after failing to get a point in a 2-1 loss Nov. 19.

Kreider missed a penalty shot in that matchup.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Panthers (45-25) at Canadiens (36-37)

Date: April 05, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

The last time the Florida Panthers swept a season series from the Montreal Canadiens, they went on to capture their lone division title.

There's a chance the Atlantic Division leaders can accomplish both feats when the teams face off Tuesday night.

In the playoffs for the first time since the 2011-12 season, Florida (45-25-9) reduced its magic number to two to claim the Atlantic with Monday's 4-3 victory at Toronto. The Panthers would clinch with a win in Montreal and a Tampa Bay loss to the New York Rangers on Tuesday.

'We're trying to get as many points and try and play as well as we can going in and see what happens,' coach Gerard Gallant said. 'It's good to get the home-ice clinched (Monday) and the next goal is to try and get first in the division.'

Florida had moved closer to winning the division with Saturday's furious comeback against the Canadiens, in which it scored four unanswered goals to earn a 4-3 win. Aleksander Barkov capped the rally and a career-high four-point night on his second goal of the game with 28.1 seconds left.

Barkov scored again on Monday to help extend the Panthers' winning streak to three games and set a team season record with 99 points. The 20-year-old emerging star has at least one goal in each of those victories and 10 points over a six-game run.

His linemates are getting it done as well. Jonathan Huberdeau had scored in five straight prior to notching an assist against Toronto, while the ageless Jaromir Jagr has two goals and five assists over Florida's 5-1-0 stretch.

The trio accounted for all four scores in Saturday's comeback.

'They're phenomenal,' Canadiens coach Michel Therrien said of Florida's top line. 'They've got size and they're strong on the puck. They dominate the game. It's pretty simple. On that line with Barkov, you need to go on the ice and have full energy. If you don't have that full energy, they're going to beat you.'

Barkov and Huberdeau have caused problems for Montreal throughout their brief careers. The former has five goals and three assists in Florida's three 2015-16 wins against the Canadiens and eight goals over the teams' past six meetings, while the Quebec native Huberdeau owns an eight-game point streak in the series.

Montreal (36-37-6) had won two straight prior to Saturday's matchup, scoring twice in the third period to defeat Detroit 4-3 last Tuesday and aiding the Panthers' cause with Thursday's 3-0 victory at Tampa Bay behind Mike Condon's 26 saves.

One bright spot in Saturday's collapse was the return of Brendan Gallagher, who scored the contest's initial goal in his first game since sustaining a lower-body injury on March 5.

The Canadiens still won't have P.K. Subban back from a neck injury suffered against Buffalo on March 10. However, John Scott will make his team debut after the unlikely All-Star was recalled from the minors on Sunday.

Scott, voted an All-Star starter in a controversial fan campaign while then with Arizona, had been playing for St. John's of the American Hockey League since being acquired from the Coyotes on Jan. 15.

"It's kind of cool how everything's come full-circle," he told the Canadiens' official website. "It's good to be up here and kind of experience what it's like to be a Canadien. They're kind of doing me a favor. It's a one-game thing, unless I go out and score a hat trick."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Sharks (44-29) at Wild (38-31)

Date: April 05, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

A three-game losing streak has delayed the Minnesota Wild from clinching the final Western Conference playoff spot, and while they might not need to win to get in, they know what the results will be if they allow this form to carry into the postseason.

The Wild get a chance to right that against strong competition while also earning the playoff berth Tuesday night against the visiting Sharks, who are chasing two teams in the Pacific Division with a franchise-record road win total on the line.

After Sunday's 5-1 loss in Winnipeg, the Wild (38-31-11) have been limited to five goals in the skid.

"We're going get throttled (in the playoffs) if we're going to play like this," goaltender Devan Dubnyk told the team's official website. "I'm not worried about it - I don't think we are - but we know that's not even going to come close come playoff time.

"We don't want to be sliding in. We got lucky the last couple of nights, and we have two games to get on track here and get going, and I'm sure that's what we'll do."

They're five points up on ninth-place Colorado with two games remaining while the Avalanche have three. Other than a victory, Minnesota can secure its fourth straight trip to the postseason if Colorado loses to Nashville in regulation Tuesday.

The Wild also get in with an overtime or shootout loss and an Avalanche defeat of any kind.

"It's disappointing we didn't play harder with a chance to seal it up here, but you can't get down at this point of the year," defenseman Ryan Suter said. "We're sitting in a good spot still, and we just have to get it going the last two games."

That figures to require stronger starts. Minnesota has been outshot 35-19 in the first period of the last three, which has amounted to 60 minutes of scoreless hockey for the Wild.

"I wish I knew, but we have to play way better, and we have to be way more focused," said interim coach John Torchetti, whose team closes the season Saturday at home against Calgary. "We have 20 players, and we need all 20 to play the game."

These teams have split two games in San Jose this season, but that's part of a 7-2-1 span in the series for the Sharks. The latest was a 4-3 win Jan. 23 behind a goal and two assists from Joe Pavelski, who has six goals and eight assists in his last nine matchups.

Any chance San Jose has of tracking down Anaheim or Los Angeles in the Pacific will likely require it to win its last three games. The Sharks (44-29-6) are playing their final road contest having matched a team mark with 27 wins away from home, set in 2007-08.

They got there with Saturday's 3-2 shootout victory at Nashville, their third win in four games. Tomas Hertl scored twice in the third to bring San Jose back from two goals down and move them a point ahead of Washington for the NHL lead on the road with 57.

"It was a big win," coach Peter DeBoer told the team's official website. "We've been good on the road all year. I think we're taking some pride in wanting to finish with the best road record in the league.

" ... It would have been easy to kind of chalk it up to one of those nights, and we didn't. We hung in there, and the third period was our best."

James Reimer faced the Predators and is expected to start Tuesday. He's gone 3-5-0 in his last eight starts despite a 2.02 goals-against average. He's 2-1-0 with a 1.38 GAA in four games against the Wild.

Dubnyk has been in goal for Minnesota's whole losing streak with a 3.39 GAA. He's posted a 3.72 mark over a 1-5-2 span against San Jose.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Avalanche (39-36) at Predators (39-26)

Date: April 05, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

A three-game losing streak has cost the Colorado Avalanche any real shot at the playoffs, but the Nashville Predators' four-game slide might have them fearing their own postseason will again be a short one.

Halting it Tuesday night could officially eliminate the visiting Avalanche from playoff contention as both teams look to avoid matching season-worst losing streaks.

While Nashville (39-26-14) has clinched a berth and is locked in as the Western Conference's first wild card, Colorado's chances of becoming the second took another hit with Sunday's 5-1 home loss to St. Louis.

The Avalanche (39-36-4) are five points back of Minnesota with three games to play. The Wild have two, so a Minnesota home win Tuesday against San Jose would end Colorado's hopes, as would a regulation loss of their own or both teams losing in overtime.

"We need to learn how to win," said coach Patrick Roy, whose team is a loss away from its third four-game skid of the season. "We need to change the mindset. I think we have a losing mindset right now. I think we have to find ways to believe more in ourselves."

The Avalanche have four goals on the losing streak and have dropped five of their last six while giving up 3.83 goals per game.

Matt Duchene reached 30 goals in a season for the first time, but other than that, there's been little to celebrate lately.

"We're fighting for our lives," Duchene said. "We're going to have to show what kind of mental fortitude we have, and right now it's not as good as it could be and we need to be better."

The Avalanche have won three of four in the season series and are 10-5-1 against the Predators since the start of 2012-13.

Nashville is coming off Saturday's 3-2 home shootout loss to San Jose, in which it blew a two-goal lead entering the third period. It followed three regulation defeats, and the Predators can now match a five-game slide from Jan. 5-14.

"We've got to play better than we did tonight," coach Peter Laviolette told the team's official website. "We weren't ready to work. We got outworked from the start to the finish, and the results, I think, reflected that."

The Predators lost six straight to end the regular season last year and were then bounced from the playoffs in the first round, so they'd like to clean things up in their last three.

"We've lost four straight here, so even though it's clinched and we can't go up or down, it's about getting our game in order," Ryan Ellis said. "Last year, we limped into the playoffs. We knew we were going to be there after the start we had, but we kind of lost our way, and it didn't help us in the playoffs. So I think these next few games are about getting our game in order."

Shot total has been a part of the concern with Nashville conceding a 40-30 advantage to San Jose. In the last two games, it's given up 81.

Pekka Rinne figures to be in goal to be up against the next barrage after Carter Hutton faced the Sharks. Rinne is 0-2-0 with a 5.39 goals against average and .839 save percentage in his last three games and 1-2-0 with 3.84 and .876 marks in four games against the Avalanche this season.

Likely counterpart Semyon Varlamov has given up three goals in each of his last seven games, going 2-5-0 with a 3.36 GAA and .910 save percentage. He's won his last four against Nashville.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Coyotes (35-37) at Blackhawks (46-26)

Date: April 05, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

The Chicago Blackhawks' offense is once again clicking after a lengthy cold stretch.

They've had no trouble lighting the lamp against the Arizona Coyotes this season.

Coming off their highest-scoring game in seven weeks, the Blackhawks look to complete a season sweep of the Coyotes with a fifth win in six games Tuesday night.

Trailing Dallas and St. Louis by six points for first place in the Central Division with three games to play, Chicago (46-26-7) is a longshot to secure home-ice advantage in a first-round playoff series. That probably matters little to the Blackhawks, who also opened last season's playoffs on the road en route to winning the Stanley Cup.

A more pressing issue for the Blackhawks was breaking out of a troubling slump, and they've accomplished that.

They've tallied 11 goals in their last two games and are averaging 3.8 in their last five after totaling 14 goals in their previous seven.

"We have to try to finish the season really strong and get used to each other," Tomas Fleischman said after Sunday's 6-4 win over Boston, "and right now we are doing that."

Patrick Kane had three goals to give him 43 on the season and added an assist to give him 100 points.

Linemates Artemi Panarin and Artem Anisimov also contributed, with Panarin tallying a goal and three assists and Anisimov adding a goal and two assists.

Each member of the line scored a goal in Chicago's 7-5 win over Arizona (35-37-7) on Dec. 29, while Kane scored again and Panarin had three assists in a 5-4 overtime victory against the Coyotes on Feb. 4.

Jonathan Toews has three goals in the season series for the Blackhawks, who are 8-1-2 against the Coyotes since January 2013, but have dropped four of six matchups (2-1-3) at the United Center.

Marian Hossa has a goal and two assists in the season series but is unlikely to play after leaving with a lower-body injury Sunday. Coach Joel Quenneville expects the veteran will be healthy for the playoffs, and is targeting Corey Crawford to return for Saturday's season finale at Columbus.

Scott Darling is likely to make a 10th straight start and face the Coyotes for the first time.

An improved special teams is making things easier for Darling and has also keyed Chicago's turnaround.

The Blackhawks have converted 3 of 6 power plays in the last two games following an 0-for-26 stretch and have also snuffed out all 11 penalties in the last five after compiling an NHL-worst 67.9 penalty kill percentage over an 18-game span from Feb. 9-March 22.

The Coyotes are enduring their share of struggles when down a man, allowing opponents to go 10 for 31 on the power play in the last eight games.

Arizona built a 2-0 lead over the Blues after one period Monday before falling apart in a 5-2 loss to drop to 2-12-1 on the road since Jan. 26. St. Louis' comeback began with a power-play goal midway through the second period.

'We were flat after the first,' Anthony Duclair said. 'I don't know if we thought it was going to be easier, but we definitely got away from the things we were doing right.'

Duclair scored his 20th goal to rank fifth among all rookies. Panarin leads all first-year players with 28 goals and 72 points and has three scores and five assists in the last two games.

Louis Domingue could get the call in net after Mike Smith made his third consecutive start Monday.

Against the Blackhawks this season, Domingue made one start and relived Anders Lindback in the other, compiling a 4.63 goals-against average and .871 save percentage.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Kings (46-28) at Flames (33-40)

Date: April 05, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

A five-game road losing streak may ultimately cost the Los Angeles Kings a chance at their first division title in 25 years.

The Kings can at least secure home-ice advantage in the opening round of the playoffs by sweeping the season series from the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night.

Los Angeles (46-28-5) is second in the Pacific Division, one point behind first-place Anaheim with two games to go. However, the Ducks have a game in hand, which could prove decisive even with the Kings hosting Thursday's showdown.

Before that, Los Angeles has a chance to lock up second place in the Pacific since it's three points ahead of third-place San Jose. A victory will be enough, while a point combined with a San Jose defeat in regulation at Minnesota would also clinch it.

The Kings failed to move atop the division and nail down that spot Monday, falling 3-2 at Vancouver despite a 42-24 advantage in shots.

"I think it's more about execution than anything else," center Anze Kopitar told the team's website when asked if the team lacked a sense of urgency. "I think it was just too much sloppy play on our part.

"Obviously you want to finish first, definitely, but it's not necessarily always about wins and losses either. ... You've got to know that your game is where it needs to be going into the playoffs, and right now we're just short of that, but we still have three games remaining here to sharpen up and put it in place in an order we want it to be."

The Kings should want to face the Flames (33-40-6) since they've outscored them 9-2 while winning all three meetings - including 3-0 at home last Thursday.

Jeff Carter scored twice in that matchup as part of his nine points in the past six games. However, he only has four during the last 12 on the road. He only has two points in 10 career visits to Scotiabank Saddledome, and none over the last five.

An upper-body injury forced Carter to miss the latest trip to Calgary on New Year's Eve, and Marian Gaborik and Tanner Pearson had two points apiece in the 4-1 victory.

Despite being out of postseason contention, the Flames (33-40-6) are trying to build on Saturday's 5-0 win at Edmonton that split a four-game trip.

Motivation isn't an issue for rookie Hunter Shinkaruk, who has one goal and one assist in four games since being recalled from the minors last week.

"It's a chance for me to show that I belong in this league," said Shinkaruk, the 24th overall selection by Vancouver in the 2013 draft. "Obviously, there's a lot of great players on this team. It's really fun to play with them. I just gotta go out there and play with confidence. I feel like if I do that, control the puck and try to contribute and help them win that's what will help me for next year."

Johnny Gaudreau has 12 points in the past 11 games after scoring two goals against the Oilers. The left wing has nine points in eight career meetings with Los Angeles but just one in Calgary's three losses this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jets (32-39) at Ducks (44-24)

Date: April 05, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

The Anaheim Ducks haven't necessarily taken full advantage of weaker opponents as they chase a Pacific Division title, but they haven't had to worry much about letdowns against their next.

The Ducks conclude a four-game homestand Tuesday night and try for a seventh straight win over the Winnipeg Jets â?? their final opponent before Thursday's visit to fellow division hopeful Los Angeles.

Anaheim was plenty happy with Sunday's 3-1 win over Western Conference-leading Dallas, but over a 4-2-1 span, the losses have come to Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.

"We played exactly how we needed to play against a team like that," Andrew Cogliano told the team's official website. "Defensively, we played strong. We didn't give them too many chances. We played a patient game and capitalized on our chances.

"I thought it was one of the better games we've played in a while. That's a good team, so it should be a big confidence boost for us, and get us back on track."

Ryan Kesler scored twice and has three goals and three assists in his last three games, while Nate Thompson got his third goal of the season. They've all come in the last three games, setting a career-best scoring streak.

"With my role I have to do all the little things first. If I do get goals it's a bonus," Thompson said. "Hopefully I don't use them all up before the playoffs."

For coach Bruce Boudreau, it wasn't any one individual effort. His team was 4 for 4 on the penalty kill and is 15 for 16 over the last five games. They also scored twice short-handed.

"It was really our best game in a month and I thought we were a pretty determined group," Boudreau said. "We'd like to be able to continue to play at this level for the next four games, but for sure we know we can do it when we put our mind to it."

The Ducks are seeking a three-game sweep of the Jets and have won the last six meetings with 4.00 goals per game. Kesler has two goals and an assist thus far in the season series.

They met March 20 for a 3-2 overtime final in Winnipeg, but the Jets have since turned it on offensively. After Sunday's 5-1 home win over Minnesota, they've scored nine goals in two games.

Mark Scheifele scored and has four goals and six assists on a seven-game point streak. It was his team-best 27th, and 29 of his 56 points have come in the last 23 games. Blake Wheeler scored his third goal in the last two games and has 11 points on an eight-game streak.

Despite a return trip to the postseason being out of the question, coach Paul Maurice sees his team playing the season out admirably.

"The veterans have driven (us)," Maurice said. "Wheeler and (Dustin) Byfuglien are playing as hard and as well as they have all year. Dustin didn't get a point tonight but he was plus-3. There's some accountability and pride for the other players when they see those guys competing and not being casual about the game."

They'll likely face John Gibson with Frederik Andersen out due to a concussion. Gibson has a 1.33 goals-against average and .951 save percentage over a 3-1-0 span and is 2-0-0 with 1.45 and .939 marks against the Jets.

Ondrej Pavelec has gone five games without a regulation loss, going 3-0-2 with a 1.96 GAA and .933 save percentage. He's allowed at least four goals in his last three games against the Ducks and lost in overtime or a shootout in each.