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Thread: Thursday 11-16-17 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

  1. #21
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    Off to their best start at home in 35 years, the New York Islanders look to continue that run when they host the Metropolitan Division rival Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night. The Islanders are 5-0-2 at Barclays Center this season, but they have not enjoyed much success on their home ice against the Hurricanes.

    New York has had four days off since a 5-2 victory at Western Conference-leading St. Louis on Saturday, which followed a 5-0 drubbing in Dallas 24 hours earlier. Yet the Islanders have won only two of their last 10 (2-6-2) at home against Carolina, which is 3-0-1 at Barclays Center. The Hurricanes recently went through a stretch with one win in seven games but they extended their point streak to five with Monday's 5-1 rout of Dallas. "It's coming, for sure. No question," Carolina coach Bill Peters said. "Now everyone is getting comfortable and we're getting some results and some wins."

    TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Carolina, MSG (New York)

    ABOUT THE HURRICANES (7-5-4): Finish teammates Teuvo Teravainen and Sebastian Aho lit up the scoreboard on the same night that countryman Teemu Selanne was being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Teravainen recorded a natural hat trick -- his first in the NHL -- while Aho notched his first tally of the season and added a pair of assists versus the Stars. "Both very talented players. Both of them have great hands and great vision," said linemate Jordan Staal, who collected four assists. "I'm just trying to make some room for them and go to the net hard."

    ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (9-6-2): Although Jaroslav Halak and Thomas Greiss each sport a goals-against average above 3.00, the latter has turned in two straight solid efforts, including a 35-save performance in St. Louis. "Thomas in the past two weeks has started to gain momentum," coach Doug Weight said. "It was a real good team we played, with some real dangerous shooters. He was confident and our team was feeding off it. I definitely took note of that." Captain John Tavares, who has 11 goals in the past 10 games, has torched Carolina with 20 goals in 30 games.

    OVERTIME

    1. After scoring nine power-play goals in a four-game stretch, New York is 0-for-8 over the past three contests.

    2. Hurricanes G Scott Darling, who has yielded one goal in three of his last four starts, will be in net Thursday.

    3. New York has won its last eight in a row following a loss of at least three goals.

    PREDICTION: Islanders 4, Hurricanes 3

  2. #22
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    The Toronto Maple Leafs are riding high with a season-best four-game winning streak, with the last three victories coming without Auston Matthews in the lineup. The reigning Calder Trophy recipient could return to the ice Thursday as the Maple Leafs aim to avenge an early-season loss when they host the New Jersey Devils.

    "It's always frustrating to miss games - just watching (stinks). You want to be out there, and help contribute," Matthews told TSN. "At the end of the day, your health is important. For (the injury) to not fully recover and then (you) tweak it again, you're back to square one." The 20-year-old Matthews leads the team in goals (10) and points (19) despite missing the last week, and he netted a 5-on-3 tally in Toronto's 6-3 setback against New Jersey on Oct. 11. Devils forward Miles Wood scored twice in that contest and answered notching one point in his previous 10 games with three goals and an assist in Sunday's 7-5 win at Chicago. New Jersey's scoring output versus the Blackhawks was exactly half of the total from its previous six games this month.

    TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG (New Jersey), TSN4 (Toronto)

    ABOUT THE DEVILS (11-4-2): While New Jersey's offense was clicking in the last game, coach John Hynes was none-too-pleased with what he saw at the other end of the ice - and he let the team know it on Wednesday. "He was right, everything he said was right," defenseman Steven Santini told NorthJersey.com. "We've got to close guys out and be harder defensively, so I don't think it's a secret. He addressed it before practice, and he made sure he was addressing it during practice. I think the message got across and we'll have it figured out by Thursday night." Cory Schneider will get the nod after matching his career high with 47 saves in the first meeting at Toronto.

    ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (12-7-0): James van Riemsdyk has picked himself up from a modest slump that bridged October and November, capping back-to-back multi-point performances with a goal and an assist in Saturday's 4-1 victory over Boston. The 28-year-old New Jersey native also scored in the first encounter with the Devils this season and has collected 11 goals and 19 points in 26 career meetings with the Garden State residents. Frederik Andersen, who was shredded for all six goals by New Jersey last month, has permitted just seven tallies in his last three outings.

    OVERTIME

    1. New Jersey C Travis Zajac (torn left pectoral muscle) is expected to be activated from injured reserve and return to the lineup on Thursday.

    2. Toronto D Morgan Rielly recorded a goal and an assist against the Bruins, increasing his point total to 13 (three goals, 10 assists) in the last 14 games.

    3. Devils rookie C Nico Hischier has notched seven points (one goal, six assists) in his last six contests.

    PREDICTION: Maple Leafs 4, Devils 1

  3. #23
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    Dallas goaltender Ben Bishop returns for the first time to the place where he became a two-time Vezina Trophy finalist when the inconsistent Stars visit the red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night. Bishop won a club-record 131 games in five seasons with the Lightning before being dealt to Los Angeles around the trade deadline last season and signing with Dallas in May after another deal.

    "This is where I learned so much about hockey, how to become a starting goalie," Bishop told reporters Wednesday. "I met my wife here. I got married here. It's kind of like a second home, so there's a lot of good memories here. It's fun to be back." The Stars need a big effort from Bishop (7-5-0, .908 save percentage), who has dropped three of his last four starts, after managing one point on the first two legs of their Southeast road trip. That won't be easy against the NHL-best Lightning, who have won four in a row and own at least a point in six straight (5-0-1) after outscoring three California teams 12-4 on a perfect road trip. Captain Steven Stamkos leads the league with 31 points and linemate Nikita Kucherov boasts an NHL-high 16 goals for Tampa Bay, which averages a league-best 3.89 tallies.

    TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Dallas), FSN Sun (Tampa Bay)

    ABOUT THE STARS (9-8-1): Dallas has improved defensively after finishing second-to-last in the league in goals-against per game last season (3.17), standing 18th (2.83) through Tuesday, but has been up and down since a 5-3-0 start. Captain Jamie Benn has taken over the team lead with 19 points after posting three goals and two assists during a four-game point streak that included two tallies in the shootout loss at Florida on Tuesday. Defenseman John Klingberg is next with 18 points while Tyler Seguin and Alexander Radulov, who boasts a nine-game point streak, have 17 apiece.

    ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (14-2-2): Andrei Vasilevskiy, Bishop's replacement in net, has warmed to the No. 1 role with a 13-1-1 record to go along with a .930 save percentage this season and earned at least a point in his last 13 starts (12-0-1). The top-six defensemen have been intact all season in front of Vasilevskiy as Victor Hedman leads the blueliners with 13 points and the steady Anton Stralman boasts a team-best plus-13 rating. Vladislav Namestnikov has produced 19 points playing alongside Stamkos and Kucherov after finishing with 28 in 74 games in 2016-17.

    OVERTIME

    1. The Stars lead the league in power-play percentage (30.2) and Tampa Bay is second at 28.6.

    2. Dallas F Jason Dickinson, who has zero points in four games this season, was reassigned to Texas of the American Hockey League on Wednesday.

    3. The teams split a pair of games last season with each winning at home and they combined for 16 goals.

    PREDICTION: Lightning 4, Stars 2

  4. #24
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    The Montreal Canadiens have bounced back from a wretched start to the season by earning points in five of their last six games, but scoring continues to be an issue. The offensively challenged Canadiens continue a six-game homestand Thursday night when they host the Arizona Coyotes -- owners of the worst record in the NHL.

    Tuesday's 2-1 overtime loss to Columbus marked the 12th time in 19 games that Montreal has been limited to two goals or fewer, and coach Claude Julien knows his team can't take two-win Arizona lightly. "We can't get caught in that situation," Julien said after Wednesday's practice. "They're an NHL team and just because they haven't won doesn't mean they haven't been good against teams and haven't had a chance to win some games." The Coyotes, who opened a four-game Canadian road trip with a 4-1 loss at Winnipeg on Tuesday, have scored only seven goals during their current five-game skid (0-3-2). "You've got to keep working at it. There's no method," coach Rick Tocchet said. "We're not going to go trade for Mario Lemieux."

    TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, RDS, TSN2 (Montreal)

    ABOUT THE COYOTES (2-15-3): Scott Wedgewood, acquired 2 1/2 weeks ago from New Jersey, could be in line for a bigger role in net after Arizona shipped goaltender Louis Domingue to Tampa Bay in exchange for veteran netminder Michael Leighton and forward Tye McGinn. Wedgewood stopped 16 of 17 shots in relief of Antti Rantta, who allowed three goals on 13 shots in Winnipeg. Domingue was 0-6-0 with a 4.33 goals-against average for the Coyotes, who have yielded a league-worst 78 goals.

    ABOUT THE CANADIENS (8-9-2): Rookie Charlie Lindgren will make his sixth consecutive start and has yet to allow more than two goals in all eight of his career NHL appearances. With No. 1 netminder Carey Price (lower body) shut down from skating for two days and Al Montoya (concussion) still sidelined, Montreal claimed veteran Antti Niemi off waivers and sent rookie Zach Fucale back to the minors. Captain Max Pacioretty was absent from Wednesday's practice session for a "therapy day."

    OVERTIME

    1. Montreal is 1-for-11 on the power play over the past five games.

    2. Arizona is the first team in league history to fail to post a regulation win through the first 20 games of a season.

    3. Canadiens F Artturi Lehkonen has been ruled out indefinitely.

    PREDICTION: Canadiens 4, Coyotes 1

  5. #25
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    The Ottawa Senators have had plenty of time to reflect on their successful trek to Sweden last week, but even more time to dwell on last spring's double-overtime loss to Pittsburgh in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals. Bobby Ryan is expected to return to the lineup Thursday as the host Senators hope to exact a bit of revenge against the two-time reigning Stanley Cup-champion Penguins.

    "They are the team that we were one goal away from beating, for one, and they ended our season. Then they went on to win (the Stanley Cup)." Ryan told reporters. "You look at all that stuff and it's frustrating. There will be some added incentives for guys, absolutely." The 30-year-old Ryan is expected to be paired with recent acquisition Matt Duchene as he returns from an eight-game absence due to a broken finger for Ottawa, which posted a pair of 4-3 wins over Colorado in Stockholm. Pittsburgh also is coming off a victory - a 5-4 overtime triumph over Buffalo on Tuesday - that saw captain Sidney Crosby snap an 11-game goal-scoring drought. The two-time Hart Trophy winner had little difficulty finding the scoresheet in the Eastern Conference finals, scoring a goal in Games 3-5 while amassing six points (three goals, three assists) in the last five contests of the series.

    TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh, TSN5, RDS2 (Toronto)

    ABOUT THE PENGUINS (10-7-3): Mike Sullivan has seen his team taken to task defensively far too many times this season, and the coach was quick to send a message during Wednesday's practice. "We have to force teams to have to work extremely hard to get those high-quality type chances," Sullivan told reporters. "It can't be because we have a lack of focus or discipline or concentration or whatever the term is you might want to use, where we become easier to play against because we don't manage the puck the right way or we don't stay on the right side of a puck battle or we don't change as smart." Pittsburgh has permitted at least four goals in each of the last three contests, and its 72 allowed is the second-highest total in the NHL behind struggling Arizona.

    ABOUT THE SENATORS (8-3-5): Mark Stone has been on a tear with 10 goals and 17 points in his last 13 games, including a pair of tallies in Friday's overtime victory over the Avalanche and another the following day. Fellow forward Mike Hoffman netted a pair of goals in Saturday's triumph to give him 11 points (three goals, eight assists) during his eight-game streak. Captain Erik Karlsson also is contributing offensively, as the two-time Norris Trophy winner notched a pair of assists in both contests in his home country to give him 11 points (one goal, 10 assists) during a seven-game streak.

    OVERTIME

    1. Pittsburgh RW Phil Kessel has scored a goal in four consecutive contests and notched five assists during his five-game point streak.

    2. Senators G Craig Anderson, who is expected to get the start on Thursday, owns a 5-8-2 career record versus the Penguins.

    3. Pittsburgh C Evgeni Malkin has scored one goal and set up five others during his four-game point streak.

    PREDICTION: Penguins 4, Senators 2

  6. #26
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    The Philadelphia Flyers have not scored a goal in 156 minutes, 9 seconds, so putting a puck in the back of the net is objective number one entering Thursday's road contest at the Winnipeg Jets. The Flyers were shut out in back-to-back games while dropping a home-and-home series against Minnesota, and are looking to avoid being shut out in three consecutive games for the first time in team history.

    "Sometimes when it rains, it pours when you can't score," Philadelphia goalie Brian Elliott told the media after he made 17 saves in Tuesday's 3-0 defeat to Minnesota, the Flyers' third loss in their past four games. Winnipeg is having no issues on offense, averaging 3.29 goals per game while winning 10 of its 17 games overall after Tuesday's 4-1 triumph over Arizona. The Jets own points in 10 of their past 11 games, winning six of their past eight games and scoring four or more goals six times in that stretch. "We have a lot of belief in this group," Winnipeg center Adam Lowry told reporters after Tuesday's victory.

    TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN Philadelphia, TSN3 (Winnipeg)

    ABOUT THE FLYERS (8-8-2): Philadelphia wasted a strong effort from Elliott and its defense Tuesday, holding Minnesota to just 20 shots on goal and allowing two empty-net scores in the final 1:09. Forward Wayne Simmonds has not scored in his past 10 games while forward Dale Weise, who could not convert a third-period breakaway Tuesday, has one score in his past nine games. Philadelphia is 1-for-18 on the power play in its past six games.

    ABOUT THE JETS (10-4-3): Winnipeg's top line did not record a goal Tuesday but the Jets nonetheless got a quartet of tallies from its bottom three lines. Patrik Laine picked up an assist to extend his points streak to six games (five goals, two assists), and Bryan Little ended an 11-game goal drought with a breakaway tally as the Jets scored three times in the second period. The Jets killed off three first-period power plays and have not allowed a man-advantage goal in the past two games (9-for-9).

    OVERTIME

    1. Jets G Connor Hellebuyck made 33 saves Tuesday, improving his record to 9-1-2.

    2. Philadelphia has been shut out five times this season, most in the NHL.

    3. Winnipeg is expected to activate C Mathieu Perreault (lower-body) for Thursday's game.

    PREDICTION: Jets 3, Flyers 1

  7. #27
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    Stringing together shutouts has become an annual event for Devan Dubnyk as the Minnesota goaltender tries for his fourth consecutive game without allowing a goal when the Wild host the red-hot Nashville Predators on Thursday. Dubnyk stopped 30 shots in Minnesota's 3-0 victory over Philadelphia on Tuesday, setting a club record with a run of 195 minutes, 5 seconds and breaking his old mark of 183:16 set last season during a string of three straight shutouts.

    "It's been good. I feel confident in there,'' Dubnyk told reporters. "The biggest key for me is just finding pucks and making sure my feet are set. That kind of trickles down into everything else as far as moving around and rebound control and all that stuff." While Dubnyk has been impenetrable, opponents cannot keep Jason Zucker from scoring as the Wild winger has seven goals in the last four games. Nashville defeated Washington 6-3 on Tuesday for its fifth straight victory as newcomer Kyle Turris continues to fit in with his new teammates. The line of Craig Smith and Kevin Fiala centered by Turris combined for two goals and two assists Tuesday, with Turris contributing a goal and two assists in two games with the Predators.

    TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Tennessee (Nashville), FSN North (Minnesota)

    ABOUT THE PREDATORS (10-5-2): Filip Forsberg scored his 100th career goal Tuesday and leads the club with nine tallies and 17 points. Nick Bonino, who scored twice in his first six games since signing as a free agent during the offseason after winning two Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh, returned Tuesday after missing 11 contests with an ankle injury. Pekka Rinne (9-2-2, 2.29 goals-against average, .926 save percentage) has allowed 11 goals during a four-game winning streak.

    ABOUT THE WILD (8-7-2): Zucker's offensive explosion vaulted him to the team scoring lead with 10 goals and 15 points, and he is on pace to shatter his career high of 22 goals set last season. Zucker shares the club lead in shots on goal (48) with Eric Staal, who has six goals and 14 points after recording a tally and an assist Tuesday. Chris Stewart scored six goals in his first six games this season, but hasn't recorded a point in 11 contests since.

    OVERTIME

    1. Nashville placed LW Scott Hartnell and D Yannick Weber on injured reserve Tuesday with lower-body injuries. Hartnell is expected to miss 3-to-5 weeks while Weber will likely be out 2-to-4 weeks.

    2. Zucker had scored Minnesota's last six goals before Nino Nieterreiter tallied 12 seconds into Tuesday's game. Zucker fell one goal shy of the NHL record for consecutive team goals by one player.

    3. The Wild won three of the five meetings last season with the clubs splitting two games in Minnesota.

    PREDICTION: Wild 3, Predators 0

  8. #28
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    The Colorado Avalanche try to snap a six-game losing streak against Washington when they host the Capitals on Thursday with two players acquired in the Matt Duchene trade set to make their home debuts. The Pepsi Center crowd will welcome defenseman Samuel Girard and Vladimir Kamenev, who is expected to center a line with fellow Russian Nail Yakupov and Sven Andrighetto.

    The disgruntled Duchene demanded to be traded and after months of speculation, Colorado general manager Joe Sakic pulled off a blockbuster three-team deal involving Nashville that sent Duchene to Ottawa on Nov. 5. "The guys in the room were waiting for it to happen,'' Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson told the Denver Post. ''We all want to play for this team and win in Denver. He wanted to go somewhere else. Now we have a group in this room that will all be pulling the same rope in the same direction.'' Washington is coming off a lackluster 6-3 loss at Nashville on Tuesday but is 5-2-0 in its last seven games after a 5-6-1 start. The Capitals' Alex Ovechkin, who is 22nd all-time with 571 goals, hasn't scored in three games and has six in 17 contests since exploding for seven in his first two outings of the season.

    TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBCSN Washington, Altitude (Colorado)

    ABOUT THE CAPITALS (10-8-1): T.J. Oshie has three goals in his last three games and nine this season - second-most to Ovechkin on the club - after scoring twice Tuesday while Evgeny Kuznetsov boasts a team-high 20 points. Defenseman Matt Niskanen, who missed 13 games with an upper-body injury, returned to the lineup Tuesday and played 20 minutes, 33 seconds. Braden Holtby (10-4-0, 2.68 goals-against average, .918 save percentage) is expected to start after stopping 19 of 25 shots and getting pulled after two periods Tuesday.

    ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (8-7-1): Girard, 19, who was acquired from Nashville, played on the top pairing with Johnson in his first two games with Colorado, both losses to Ottawa in the NHL Global Series in Stockholm on Friday and Saturday. Kamenev was assigned to San Antonio of the American Hockey League following the trade, and had four assists in four games as he is set to play his third NHL game after appearing twice for the Predators last season. Rookie center Alexander Kerfoot, who essentially took Duchene's place as one of the Avalanche's top two centers, has a team-high seven goals - four in the last three games - while center Nathan MacKinnon owns a club-most 15 points after his five-game point streak (four goals, six assists) was halted Saturday.

    OVERTIME

    1. Capitals D Christian Djoos left Tuesday's contest with an upper-body injury and is expected to miss Thursday's game.

    2. The Avalanche are 7-for-20 on the power play over the last six games while Washington has killed 15 of 16 penalties in the past five contests.

    3. The Capitals have won 12 of their last 14 games after allowing five or more goals in the previous contest.

    PREDICTION: Capitals 3, Avalanche 2

  9. #29
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    One of the NHL stingiest defensive teams suddenly can't stop the opposition while the league's least productive offense finally broke out of its season-long doldrums. The St. Louis Blues will look to tighten up their defense when they resume their three-game Western Canada road trip against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night.

    St. Louis owns the best record in the Western Conference but has been pierced for a dozen goals in back-to-back losses to the New York Islanders and Calgary. "We're going to have to reset everything and get back to the way we want to play, what we know is successful," Blues forward Paul Stastny said after the team allowed five third-period goals to the Flames in Monday's 7-4 setback. Edmonton had been dead last in scoring before erupting for eight goals -- two by reigning MVP Connor McDavid -- in a rout of expansion Vegas on Tuesday night. "It is definitely good for the confidence of the group," said Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who also scored twice. "We can't get away from that now."

    TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), Sportsnet West (Edmonton)

    ABOUT THE BLUES (13-5-1): Coach Mike Yeo opted to shuffle his top two lines to start the road trip but he needed just one game to change his mind, moving star forward Vladimir Tarasenko back on the top unit with Jaden Schwartz and Brayden Schenn while putting Vladimir Sobotka alongside Stastny and Alexander Steen. "Just get back to what we were doing when we were on top of our game," Yeo said. Tarasenko has five goals and 10 points in his last seven games overall and seven goals in 14 games versus Edmonton.

    ABOUT THE OILERS (7-9-2): Just prior to the demoliton of Vegas, Edmonton addressed the offensive woes by acquiring Michael Cammelleri from Los Angeles in exchange for Jussi Jokinen in a swap of veteran forwards. Cammalleri, who has netted at least 19 goals in 10 seasons, had three goals and four assists with the Kings. "I'm excited to go there and have an opportunity to play," Cammalleri said. "I know it hasn't been the start they were looking for, but it's a team that can honestly be as good as it wants to be."

    OVERTIME

    1. Edmonton has won four straight in the series following a streak of eight straight victories by St. Louis.

    2. Blues F Beau Bennett, who played alongside Schwartz and Schenn on Monday, was sent to Chicago of the American Hockey League.

    3. McDavid has one goal and six points in six games against St. Louis.

    PREDICTION: Blues 4, Oilers 3

  10. #30
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    The Vegas Golden Knights have seen the wheels come off after a blistering start to the season, with the expansion club being humbled in its last game. After being taken to task by one Pacific Division rival, Vegas will try its luck against another as it visits the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday looking to avert a seventh loss in nine contests.

    "We weren't sharp, we weren't good, we weren't playing our game," Golden Knights defenseman Deryk Engelland told reporters on the heels of Tuesday's 8-2 shellacking by Edmonton. "We sat back, we weren't in their faces like we normally play and a lot of us weren't ready to go." David Perron has been ready to go all season and carries a five-game point streak (one goal, six assists) into Thursday's tilt. The Canucks are headed back to British Columbia after splitting a four-game road trip against Pacific rivals, a trek that was capped by Tuesday's 3-2 win at first-place Los Angeles. Bo Horvat, who will play in his 250th career game on Thursday, scored against the Kings to pull into a tie with Derek Dorsett for the team lead in goals with seven.

    TV: 10 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Vegas), Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver)

    ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (10-6-1): Maxime Lagace fully participated in Wednesday's practice to silence suspicion that Vegas' goaltending injury carousel had taken yet another unfortunate turn after the 24-year-old exited Tuesday's contest with nine minutes to play. Fellow netminder Malcolm Subban participated in a team practice for the first time since being injured against St. Louis on Oct. 21. "We're pretty close," the 23-year-old Subban told reporters. "That's all I know right now. I'm still talking with the coaches and the trainers. It's only one practice."

    ABOUT THE CANUCKS (9-7-2): Captain Henrik Sedin has picked up the pace after a disastrous start to the season, collecting a goal and an assist against Los Angeles to give him two of each in his last five games after mustering just three points in his previous 13. Twin Daniel hasn't shared in Henrik's recent run of success, as the former has been kept off the scoresheet in each of the last three games to remain stuck on 994 career points. Fellow forward Brock Boeser, who notched his team-leading 15th point with an assist versus the Kings, has recorded just two in his last five games on the heels of a four-point outburst against Pittsburgh on Nov. 4.

    OVERTIME

    1. Vancouver G Jacob Markstrom has yielded 13 goals during his last four starts (1-3-0) after surrendering two tallies or fewer in each of his six previous outings.

    2. Golden Knights LW James Neal has scored a goal in back-to-back contests and has registered three tallies and an assist in his last five games.

    3. The Canucks scored twice on the power play in their last game after going 2-for-21 over their previous six.

    PREDICTION: Canucks 3, Golden Knights 2

  11. #31
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    The Los Angeles Kings have seen their fortunes at Staples Center take a turn for the worse during their five-game homestand. Los Angeles looks to end a three-game slide on home ice when it hosts the Boston Bruins on Thursday.

    The Kings went 5-0-2 over their first seven at Staples Center but have begun their homestand with three straight losses, including a 3-2 setback against Vancouver on Tuesday. Los Angeles squandered an early 2-0 lead in the defeat, but Anze Kopitar remained hot as the captain scored a power-play goal to give him three tallies and eight assists during his career-high nine-game point streak. While the Kings have hit the skids at home, Boston has been consistently abysmal on the road this season. The Bruins fell to 0-3-2 in their last five and 1-4-2 overall away from home when they kicked off their four-game road trip Wednesday with a 4-1 loss at Anaheim.

    TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, NESN (Boston), FSN West (Los Angeles)

    ABOUT THE BRUINS (6-7-4): David Pastrnak leads the team in goals (10) and points (17) but is in a mini-slump he hopes to end Thursday. The 21-year-old Czech has been kept off the scoresheet in each of his last two contests after registering four goals and two assists during a four-game point streak. David Krejci, who has missed 11 games with a back injury, has been deemed "probable" for Thursday's contest by coach Bruce Cassidy.

    ABOUT THE KINGS (11-5-2): Los Angeles could have Jussi Jokinen in the lineup after acquiring the veteran left wing from Edmonton on Tuesday for Mike Cammalleri. The 34-year-old Finn notched one assist over 14 games in his first season with the Oilers and has collected 186 goals and 547 points in 905 career contests with six teams. Center Andrew Crescenzi made his NHL debut against the Canucks, going 5-3 on faceoffs in just over seven minutes of ice time after being recalled from Ontario of the American Hockey League earlier in the day.

    OVERTIME

    1. Kings RW Dustin Brown is second on the team with 18 points and has recorded two goals and three assists during his four-game point streak.

    2. While Krejci could be back in Boston's lineup, LWs Brad Marchand (concussion) and Anders Bjork (undisclosed) will not as neither accompanied the team to California.

    3. Kopitar is six assists away from 500 for his career.

    PREDICTION: Kings 4, Bruins 2

  12. #32
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    The Florida Panthers received a much-needed boost from a shootout victory before embarking on a difficult California trip that begins with a matchup against the surging San Jose Sharks on Thursday night. Florida rallied to tie Dallas in the third period, weathered the storm in overtime and got the winner from Vincent Trocheck in the bonus format for a 4-3 victory Tuesday to avoid owning sole possession of last place in the Atlantic Division.

    "You see teams win one, lose one all the time," Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo told reporters after the victory. "The good teams are able to put it on the ice every night on a consistent basis. That's how we're going to turn this thing around." Florida, which is 30th in the league goals-against per game (3.76), also meets Los Angeles and Anaheim on the trip and leans on an offense which boasts four players that are averaging at least one point per outing. San Jose will present quite a challenge for the Panthers after winning six of its last seven games while lowering its league-best, goal-against mark to 2.25. Logan Couture has led the Sharks offense, registering 10 goals and 15 points on the season after scoring twice against Vancouver in a 5-0 victory Saturday and notching an assist in Sunday's 2-1 triumph over Los Angeles.

    TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, FSN Florida, NBCSN California (San Jose)

    ABOUT THE PANTHERS (6-9-2): Left wing Jonathan Huberdeau scored twice against Dallas and pushed his team-leading total to 21 points - two better than center Aleksander Barkov, who has two goals and two assists over the past three contests. Trocheck had an assist before his shootout winner and has accumulated seven points in six games this month while Evgenii Dadonov (17 points) has three in the last three. Captain Derek MacKenzie and Jared McCann are questionable with lower-body injuries and Florida recalled fellow forward Chase Balisy from the American Hockey League as insurance.

    ABOUT THE SHARKS (10-6-0): Tomas Hertl and fellow forward Joe Thornton, who missed practice the last two days but will likely be in the lineup, are the only other players in double figures with 10 points. Forwards Barclay Goodrow (two assists, four games) and Joel Ward (two goals, one assist, four games) have formed a solid duo on the fourth line this month: "The thing for us is not giving away the puck," Ward told reporters. Reigning Norris Trophy winner Brent Burns (seven assists) still seeks his first goal after scoring 29 last season, while fellow defenseman Paul Martin (ankle) is close a return after missing five weeks.

    OVERTIME

    1. San Jose captain C Joe Pavelski has not scored a goal in four games and is one shy of 300 in his career.

    2. Florida D Keith Yandle had two assists Tuesday to push his season total to nine points with a team-best plus-8 rating.

    3. The Sharks have earned at least a point in five straight games (3-0-2) against the Panthers, but lost 6-5 in overtime at home last February.

    PREDICTION: Panthers 5, Sharks 4

  13. #33
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    Despite winning his first two games by a total of 39 points, South Carolina's Frank Martin spent an inordinate amount of time after his team's most recent victory talking about how he has let his team down. The sixth-year coach will try to get the Gamecocks to tie up their loose ends Thursday when they face Illinois State in first-round action of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off in Carson, S.C., which is hosting the event this season following the devastation on the island following Hurricane Maria.

    South Carolina opened its season Friday with a 73-52 triumph at Wofford before returning home to beat preseason Mid-American Conference favorite Western Michigan 78-60 three days later - a performance that left Martin surprisingly critical of himself. "I did a poor job preparing these guys. For as bad of a job as I did to prepare us offensively, they did a good job on the court. ... For a young squad, our guys adapted pretty well," Martin said. Despite getting career-high point totals from two players in their opener, the Redbirds fell 98-87 at Florida Gulf Coast in a back-and-forth affair Saturday. Illinois State is coming off a school-record 28-win campaign and won a share of the Missouri Valley Conference regular season last season.

    TV: 11:30 a.m. ET, ESPN 2

    ABOUT ILLINOIS STATE (0-1): Junior guard Keyshawn Evans was honored as the team's most improved player last year and appears primed to make another huge step forward after draining seven 3-pointers and scoring a career-high 28 points versus the Eagles. Preseason MVC second-team forward Phil Fayne poured in a personal-best 24 points as well and is one of seven players returning to their schools this season after shooting at least 59 percent, scoring at least 300 points, pulling down at least 200 rebounds and blocking at least 40 shots. Freshman forward Taylor Bruninga was limited to only 21 minutes due to foul trouble in his college debut, but he went 4-of-7 beyond the arc to contribute to the Redbirds' 14-for-29 effort from long-range and finished with 14 points.

    ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (2-0): Graduate transfer Frank Booker (13 points per game) has emerged as the Gamecocks' best offensive option so far following the loss of Sindarius Thornwell to the NBA, and the Florida Atlantic transfer has been highly efficient, shooting 64.3 percent from the field and 54.5 percent beyond the arc. Preseason All-SEC second-team forward Chris Silva (9.5 points, 10 rebounds per game) fell one point shy in the opener of being able to post a double-double in each game despite averaging only 20.5 minutes. Junior Hassani Gravett played only 19 minutes after some early foul trouble Monday, but he scored 13 of his career-high 15 points after the break, going 3-for-3 beyond the arc to set a new personal best in the process.

    TIP-INS

    1. The winner of this contest will face either Boise State or UTEP in the semifinals.

    2. The Redbirds have won each of the last 15 games in which they have outrebounded their opponent, but they were pounded 48-24 on the glass against Florida Gulf Coast.

    3. The Gamecocks are converting 43.5 percent of their 3-point attempts through two games after shooting 33.7 percent beyond the arc in 2016-17.

    PREDICTION: South Carolina 75, Illinois State 64

  14. #34
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    Already having hammered a Power Five opponent, Indiana State hopes to do it again Thursday as it takes on Auburn in the first round of the Gildan Charleston Classic in South Carolina. The Sycamores pounded in-state rival Indiana by 21 points in their opener, but they'll face a tough task trying to slow down an Auburn team that hit triple digits in a season-opening win over Norfolk State.



    Auburn has faced plenty of turmoil leading up the season, with associate coach Chuck Person indicted on federal fraud charges and the program under a full-blown investigation, but was impressive in a 102-74 season-opening victory. "I don't know what can happen," forward Horace Spencer told reporters. "There's a whole bunch of might-bes and maybes. You just don't know what's going to happen next week. Whatever happens is going to have to happen. We're just going to have to focus on what we can control." The Sycamores are trying for back-to-back wins against Power Five opponents for the first time since the 2012 Diamondhead Classic, where they beat Ole Miss and Miami (Fla.) in consecutive games. Indiana State has not started 2-0 since winning its first five contests in 2011-12.

    TV: 11:30 a.m. ET, ESPNU



    ABOUT AUBURN (1-0): The Tigers had five double-digit scorers in their opener, with streaky guard Bryce Brown leading the way with 31. That's a frightening thought for future opponents, considering forward Danjel Purifoy and center Austin Wiley - the team's No. 2 and No. 4 scorers a season ago - are being held out indefinitely in relation to the investigation. Presbyterian transfer Desean Murray filled in well in the frontcourt against Norfolk State, collecting 13 points and seven rebounds in his debut with the Tigers.

    ABOUT INDIANA STATE (1-0): The Sycamores were a blistering 17-for-26 from 3-point range against Indiana, which probably isn't sustainable. They do have a couple of sharpshooters, though, in Brenton Scott and Jordan Barnes, who combined to go 11-for-16 from beyond the arc in the opener. Scott is one of the most prolific 3-point shooters in program history with 214 career treys and was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week after pouring in 24 points against the Hoosiers.



    TIP-INS

    1. Auburn has scored in triple digits four times under coach Bruce Pearl after going 339 consecutive games without topping 100 points.

    2. Auburn G Mustapha Heron has scored in double figures in 32 of his 33 career games, including a 10-point effort against Norfolk State.

    3. Indiana State is 80-9 when holding opponents to 63 points or fewer under eighth-year coach Greg Lansing.



    PREDICTION: Auburn 81, Indiana State 79

  15. #35
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    Temple will be the last NCAA Division I team to open its season when it faces Old Dominion on Thursday in the first round of the Gildan Charleston Classic in South Carolina. The Monarchs are trying to start with a 3-0 record for the third time in the last four seasons.



    For the Owls, it will be the first look at arguably the best recruiting class in coach Fran Dunphy's lengthy career, with four highly touted freshmen making their debuts. "All four of them have come in and been ready to go right from the start, and it has been exciting," Dunphy told reporters. "The competitiveness at practice has risen exponentially, and it has been great." The Monarchs already have two games - and two wins - under their belts. They've played excellent defense in beating Towson (57-54) and James Madison (69-53) to open the season.

    TV: 1:30 p.m. ET, ESPN3



    ABOUT OLD DOMINION (2-0): The Monarchs are led by brothers B.J. and Brandan Stith, as well as Ahmad Caver. B.J. Stith has poured in 17 points per game through two contests, Caver is averaging 10, Brandan Stith adds eight and six boards per contest and Trey Porter has given the Monarchs 8.5 points and 7.5 rebounds despite averaging just 16.5 minutes due to foul trouble. Old Dominion has held its first two opponents under 35 percent shooting.

    ABOUT TEMPLE (2016-17: 16-16): The Owls are excited to welcome back point guard Josh Brown, who was limited to five games last season due to an Achilles tendon injury after averaging 4.9 assists in 2015-16. Brown will combine with Shizz Alston Jr. (13.9 points, 4.1 assists in 2016-17) to give the Owls an excellent backcourt duo, while swingman Quinton Rose (10.1 points) and forward Obi Enechionyia (13.1, 5.8 rebounds) also averaged double digits in points last season. Dunphy hopes the quartet of freshmen - forwards J.P. Moorman II, Justyn Hamilton and De'Vondre Perry and guard Nate Pierre-Louis - will help bolster the bench and elevate Temple to an NCAA Tournament team.



    TIP-INS

    1. Alston made his last 28 free throws last season, the Owls' longest streak since Khalif Wyatt sank 32 straight during the 2012-13 season.

    2. Old Dominion has held its first two opponents to 26.7 percent shooting from 3-point range.

    3. Temple was 15-1 last season when scoring at least 70 points but 1-14 when falling short of the mark.



    PREDICTION: Old Dominion 67, Temple 63

  16. #36
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    Clemson hopes to continue its history of success in the Gildan Charleston Classic, which it opens Thursday in South Carolina with a first-round game against Ohio. The Tigers are in the tournament for the third time, having won it in 2008 and claiming a runner-up finish in 2013.



    It's a short trip for the Tigers, who are off to a 2-0 start after routs of Western Carolina and North Carolina A&T. Clemson was expected to struggle at the offensive end after losing leading scorer Jaron Blossomgame to graduation, but they've shot at a 53.1 percent clip through two contests. The Bobcats had a bit of trouble putting away visiting Alabama A&M in a 61-53 win in their season opener on Saturday. Ohio was outrebounded in that game, which is bad news against a Clemson team that averages 15 more boards than the opposition through two contests.

    TV: 5 p.m. ET, ESPN2



    ABOUT CLEMSON (2-0): The Tigers have been patient at the offensive end and run their offense through their big men, with Donte Grantham (15.5 points, 8.5 rebounds) and Elijah Thomas (12, seven) dominating. Grantham is 12-for-15 shooting and has stepped out to make 4-for-6 from 3-point range while Thomas is 10-for-13. The guards also have gotten it done, as Gabe DeVoe (12 points, six rebounds) and Marcquise Reed (11.5 points) are shooting better than 50 percent while Shelton Mitchell is averaging a team-high six assists.

    ABOUT OHIO (1-0): The Bobcats were one of the most-improved defensive teams in the nation a season ago, and they continued to defend well in the opener, holding Alabama A&M to 33.9 percent shooting and 21.1 percent from 3-point range. Three players scored in double digits Saturday, with freshman guard Teyvion Kirk leading the way with 16 points and swingman Gavin Block adding 12, nine rebounds and five assists. The Bobcats will have a tough time matching up in the post against Clemson, with only one player in their rotation taller than 6-7.



    TIP-INS

    1. Clemson has scored at least 85 points in each of its first two games after doing so only seven times all of last season.

    2. Ohio is 1-1 against ACC opponents under fourth-year coach Saul Phillips, with the win coming last season at Georgia Tech.

    3. Clemson has attempted 53 free throws, making 40, while opponents are just 15-for-28 from the line.



    PREDICTION: Clemson 68, Ohio 59

  17. #37
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    Iowa State was prepared for a rough 2017-18 season, but the first two games of the season suggest coach Steve Prohm has his work cut out for him just trying to get his team to maintain some degree of respectability. The Cyclones attempt to set aside two lopsided losses to begin the season Thursday when they face Appalachian State in first-round action of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off in Carson, S.C.

    While a 74-59 setback at up-and-coming Missouri in Friday's season opener wasn't cause for alarm for a squad that lost four starters, a 74-56 home defeat versus Milwaukee was, especially after committing 18 turnovers and shooting 39 percent against a team expected to finish near the bottom of the Horizon League. "You know what everybody's going to say. You don't have to check Twitter. You already know what's on Twitter," Prohm told the Des Moines Register. The Mountaineers enter this event fresh off a pair of blowouts against overmatched competition, blasting Division II foe Toccoa Falls 135-34 on Saturday before routing Division III opponent Bridgewater 95-57 on Sunday. As a result, Appalachian State is 2-0 to begin a season for the first time since 2010-11.

    TV: 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU

    ABOUT IOWA STATE (0-2): Help should be on the way for the Cyclones as they expect to welcome back 6-9 Cameron Lard from suspension and 6-9 Princeton graduate transfer Hans Brase, who is completing his recovery from a second ACL surgery. Sophomore Solomon Young (seven points per game) is the lone returning starter from last season's NCAA Tournament team, and he's off to a bit of a rough start offensively (42.9 field-goal percentage) after shooting 64.3 percent in a limited role last season. Nick Weiler-Babb, who is averaging 37 minutes per game and the only Cyclone who has scored at least 10 points in each of the first two games, is one of five Big 12 players averaging 12.5 points, five rebounds and 2.5 assists this season.

    ABOUT APPALACHIAN STATE (2-0): Junior guard Ronshad Shabazz (24.5 points) has paced the Mountaineers in scoring in both games and is averaging over a point per minute while shooting 62.5 percent from the field and 54.5 percent beyond the arc. Forward Tyrell Johnson (17 points per game, 6.5 rebounds) hasn't been quite as proficient as his classmate, but he is Appalachian State's second-leading scorer and one of five Mountaineers averaging at least five rebounds. Jake Wilson is posting team-high marks in rebounds (21) and blocks (five) despite playing only 24 total minutes, spearheading the team with the nation's best per-game rebounding margin (plus-35), although most of that came as a result of the 71-16 advantage Appalachian State enjoyed in the opener.

    TIP-INS

    1. The winner of this contest will face either Tulsa or Western Michigan in the semifinals.

    2. Appalachian State knocked down eight 3-pointers versus Bridgewater after draining a school-record 20 against Toccoa Falls.

    3. All eight players that have been available to play in the first two games have scored in both games for the Cyclones.

    PREDICTION: Iowa State 69, Appalachian State 68

  18. #38
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    St. John's will have one night off before taking the floor once again as it hosts Nebraska on Thursday as part of the Gavitt Tipoff Games. The Red Storm improved to 2-0 with an easy 80-55 victory over Central Connecticut on Tuesday, while the Cornhuskers head on the road for the first time following Monday's 86-67 rout of North Texas.

    "It's going to be a physical matchup," St. John's coach Chris Mullin told reporters at a press conference. "I told our players ... this is going to be the biggest and strongest team that we've played so far. They are going to bring their physicality ... that's always been the case with the Big Ten Conference. We have to meet that with force, and then get back and play our game." The Red Storm game includes lots of all-around strong play from sophomore guards Shamorie Ponds (21 points) and Marcus LoVett (15 points) and a ton of turnovers as St. John's forced 21 for the second straight game, turning those miscues into 31 points. Nebraska comes off a much-needed easy win after struggling to get things going in the opener and barely getting past Eastern Illinois 72-68 -- the Huskers shot just 38 percent from the field and were just 23-of-39 from the line -- but the Cornhuskers took no chances in the victory over North Texas and roared out to a 52-point first half, the third time they scored 50 before halftime under sixth-year coach Tim Miles. " I thought that we've learned from our previous start where we didn't share the ball and didn't guard the ball," Miles told reporters after the win over North Texas. "We had two goals tonight; pass the ball, guard the ball. I thought we did that well for a long time. We jumped way out on them."

    TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, FS1.

    ABOUT NEBRASKA (2-0): James Palmer Jr., sparked the team's game-opening 25-2 run against North Texas with 11 of his game-high 18 points and he also finished with five rebounds. Fellow guards Glynn Watson Jr. (15 points, four rebounds) and Evan Taylor (12 points, the majority from the free-throw line where he was 10-for-12) also chipped in. Forward Isaac Copeland posted a team-high eight of the squad's 45 rebounds and blocked a career-best four shots, as Nebraska totaled nine blocks overall, matching its highest total under Miles.

    ABOUT ST. JOHN'S (2-0): The Johnnies were outrebounded by New Orleans in the opener but they took greater control of the boards against Central Connecticut (38-29), with guard Justin Simon continuing to make his presence felt after transferring from Arizona with his first career double-double, setting career highs with a team-best 11 rebounds and 12 points. Ponds also came up big on the glass with nine rebounds to go with his 21 points, with junior forward Tariq Owens again coming off the bench to provide needed muscle with five rebounds. "We have to do it as a group," Mullin said. "Who gets them (rebounds) is not that important, but we have to go get them. ... I've asked them (Ponds and Simon) to get into the paint. If their guy is not underneath the basket, get in the paint and help our bigs get the basketball. They are doing a good job, but it's going to be a huge test on Thursday."

    TIP-INS

    1. This will be the first meeting between the Cornhuskers and Red Storm.

    2. St. John's has won six of its last seven games at Carnesecca Arena dating back to last season.

    3. Nebraska went to the foul line 45 times (33 made) against North Texas, the most since it had 48 free throws against Penn State on Feb. 20, 2014.

    PREDICTION: St. John's 82, Nebraska 75

  19. #39
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    Michigan looks for its second 3-0 start in as many seasons when it concludes the mainland portion of the Maui Invitational at home against Southern Miss on Thursday. The Wolverines opened the new campaign with an 86-66 win over North Florida before grinding out a 72-65 victory against Central Michigan, and hope to extend their non-conference home winning streak to eight games in their first-ever meeting with the Golden Eagles.

    Michigan, which has trailed in each of its first two games, is averaging 32 points in the first half while scoring 47 in the second session, and aims to smother a Southern Miss squad which was ranked 340th nationally in points per game (63) last season. "We have shown that we have a long way to go," Wolverines coach John Beilein told reporters. "It's going to be quite a journey until we mold this team and figure this thing out." Michigan has split its last four meetings with Conference USA opponents, including a 102-47 romp over Charlotte in its most recent matchup on Nov. 15, 2015. Southern Miss started the 2017-18 campaign with 79-69 win against Southern-New Orleans and sets its sights on recording a signature win under fourth-year coach Doc Sadler.

    TV: 7 p.m. ET, BTN

    ABOUT SOUTHERN MISS (1-0): Tyree Griffin, who sat out last year after transferring from Oklahoma State, set career highs with 21 points and 13 rebounds to record his second career double-double in the win against SUNO. Dominic Magee scored 11 of his 15 points from the free-throw line and pulled down seven rebounds in a reserve role, while Tim Rowe and Cortez Edwards each added 10 points. "Any time it's the first game of the year, you aren't going to be as good as you need to be," Sadler told reporters. "We have to understand that the faster the ball moves, the better a team we are."

    ABOUT MICHIGAN (2-0): Senior co-captain Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman scored 17 points to lead five players in double figures in the win against Central Michigan. Charles Matthews and Zavier Simpson both continued their stellar play by adding 13 points apiece while 3-point specialist Duncan Robinson finished with 10 points despite going 2-of-8 from behind the arc. Mo Wagner, who was named to the watchlist for the John Wooden Award, contributed 10 points and 11 rebounds to record his second double-double in as many games after registering one in his previous two seasons.

    TIP-INS

    1. Robinson has made at least one 3-pointer in nine of his last 10 regular-season games.

    2. The Wolverines have won 61 of their 64 games when scoring 80 or more points under Beilein.

    3. Southern Miss is 1-8 in non-conference road games since the start of the 2015-16 season.

    PREDICTION: Michigan 85, Southern Miss 69

  20. #40
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    Ohio State looks to remain perfect under new coach Chris Holtmann when it hosts Texas Southern in a non-conference contest Thursday night. The Buckeyes have won their first two contests this season while the Tigers come into the contest looking for the first win of 2017-18.

    Juinor forward Keita Bates-Diop has come back better than ever after a stress fracture in his left leg sidelined him for much of the 2016-17 campaign, averaging 20.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in the first two games this season. He's joined by four other teammates sporting double-figure scoring averages, led by junior guard C.J. Jackson's 13 and senior guard Kam Williams' 12.5. The Buckeyes have shown some strength on the boards so far this season, outrebounding their opponents 48.0-27.5 on average. The Tigers started the season out west, falling to Gonzaga and Washington State, though the setback to the Cougars was a two-point loss in overtime.

    TV: 7 p.m. ET., Big Ten Network

    ABOUT TEXAS SOUTHERN (0-2): Over the years, college basketball has proven that smaller players can make a big impact, and Tigers guard Demontrae Jefferson is proving to be the latest example of that. Jefferson, listed at 5-7, averaged 21 points and 3.5 assists in the Tigers' first two contests, nearly pushing Texas Southern to an upset of the Cougars with 22 points, six assists and two steals on Sunday. The setback could be looked at as a moral victory, though coach Mike Davis would certainly have rather had his team hold onto the 22-point lead it had in the first half, something he'll stress to his young floor general in the games to come.

    ABOUT OHIO STATE (2-0): The Buckeyes earned a 10-point win over Radford in their last outing, but Holtmann certainly had some criticism for his squad after they nearly squandered a 26-point second-half lead. The Highlanders' Carlik Jones scored 14 points in the final six minutes, making what had been a ho-hum blowout into a competitive game in the closing moments. After looking dominant in the first half on both ends of the floor, Ohio State seemed to let up late, something Holtmann is certainly going to point to as something that needs to improve going forward.

    TIP-INS

    1. Jackson scored a career-high 19 points in the win over Radford.

    2. The Buckeyes have had their trouble from 3-point range, hitting 13-of-45 (28.9 percent) over the first two games.

    3. Bates-Diop has eight career double-doubles -- including two this season -- and the Buckeyes are 8-0 in those contests.

    PREDICTION: Ohio State 86, Texas Southern 70

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