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Thursday 2-1-18 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc
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Raptors vs. Wizards Preview and Predictions
By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
The Washington Wizards played inspired basketball in their first game since learning that All-Star point guard John Wall would miss up to two months following knee surgery. They will try to knock off another top-notch opponent when they host the Toronto Raptors in the finale of a two-game homestand on Thursday.
The team announced the news on Wall on Tuesday and then went out and handed Oklahoma City its first loss in nine games with a 102-96 triumph, limiting Thunder superstar Russell Westbrook to 13 points on 5-of-18 shooting just five days after he dropped 46 in a win over Washington at home. "Everybody contributed to the win tonight," All-Star guard Bradley Beal told reporters after scoring 21 points and matching a career high with nine assists. "I didn't win this game by myself. It was a great team effort. All 15 guys came in and did their job and did what they're supposed to do. So it's a credit to everybody." The Raptors have an All-Star backcourt of their own in DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry and the duo combined for 38 points and 17 assists in a 109-104 win over Minnesota at home Tuesday night. Toronto is 19-4 at home and will return to Air Canada Centre to play four in a row after leaving Washington.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet ONE (Toronto), NBCS Washington
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (34-15): Toronto has won seven straight at Washington and it will lean heavily - as it always does - on DeRozan, who scored 19 of his 23 points after halftime to help rally past the Timberwolves. "We picked it up. We were a lot more aggressive, especially defensively," DeRozan - who is shooting 34.3 percent over his last four games - told reporters. Jonas Valanciunas helped to make up for some of DeRozan's inaccuracies with four straight double-doubles while making 33-of-51 shots.
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (28-22): Otto Porter Jr. led the way with 25 points in the win over Oklahoma City and Tomas Satoransky made his second straight start in place of Wall a memorable one by helping to lock up Westbrook on the defensive end. "Tomas played well," coach Scott Brooks told the media. "Tomas really battled, and he was trying to stay in front of one of the fastest guards in the league. And with help from his teammates, we did a good job on Westbrook." Satoransky had six assists, five rebounds, two steals and a block, although he did miss all four of his shot attempts.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Wizards PF Markieff Morris is averaging 20.3 points - nearly double his season average - over the last three contests.
2. Raptors SF C.J. Miles (knee) missed Tuesday's win and is day-to-day.
3. The teams split two earlier meetings in Toronto with DeRozan averaging 29.5 points.
PREDICTION: Raptors 109, Wizards 106
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Grizzlies vs. Pistons Preview and Predictions
By Gracenote for Scores and Stats07:00 PM
It is sinking in to five-time All-Star Blake Griffin that he now is a member of the Detroit Pistons. Griffin is expected to make his Detroit debut against the visiting Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday after being acquired earlier in the week from the Los Angeles Clippers in a stunning blockbuster trade.
Griffin signed a five-year, $171 million deal in the offseason and there weren't even rumblings about him being traded prior to Monday's deal. "The only thing, I just wish I had known or had the opportunity to talk to somebody beforehand," Griffin said on Wednesday during his introductory press conference in Detroit. "Finding out through Twitter, through other people, is a tough way to find out when you've been with a franchise for so long. But at the end of the day, basketball is a business, and I want to play where a team wants me, and that's why I'm excited about being here." The Pistons ended their eight-game skid with Tuesday's impressive 125-114 win over Cleveland. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies have lost four of their last six games after falling 105-101 to Indiana on Wednesday in the opener of their four-game road trip.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Memphis), FS Detroit
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (18-32): Tyreke Evans was sent back to the team hotel prior to the loss to the Pacers as the club frantically shops the 28-year-old, who is averaging 19.5 points in a solid bounce-back season after back-to-back injury-ravaged campaigns. Published reports say Memphis doesn't want Evans to play in any games prior to the Feb. 8 trade deadline as it doesn't want to risk an injury, as the guard has had a history of knee problems during his nine NBA seasons. "I know it's a business," Evans told reporters prior to leaving the arena for the hotel. "I have to come to work and do what I do every day. It's not in my hands."
ABOUT THE PISTONS (23-26): Detroit parted with starters Tobias Harris and Avery Bradley in order to land Griffin, and coach Stan Van Gundy is eager to get his new star familiar with his teammates. "First of all, guys like that bring instant respect in," Van Gundy told reporters after Wednesday's practice. "So everybody in (the locker room) knows what he's accomplished and how good a player he is, so there's instant respect, and just from my little bit talking to him, I think he wants to be a guy that gets to know people and comes and plays his game." The 28-year-old Griffin asserts that he will team up well with All-Star center Andre Drummond (14.8 points, league-best 15.3 rebounds) after conducting offseason workouts in Los Angeles with the 24-year-old in recent years.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The teams split two meetings last season, with the road club winning each time.
2. Memphis SG Wayne Selden drained a career-best six 3-pointers while scoring 24 points against the Pacers.
3. Detroit F Stanley Johnson moved into the starting lineup after the trade of Harris and scored a career-high 26 points while matching his personal best of 10 rebounds in the win over Cleveland.
PREDICTION: Pistons 107, Grizzlies 101
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Bucks vs. Timberwolves Preview and Predictions
By Gracenote for Scores and Stats08:00 PM
The road has proven difficult for the Minnesota Timberwolves of late, but home is still mighty friendly. The Timberwolves will try to push their home winning streak to 11 straight when they host the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.
Minnesota dropped four of its last five and suffered a tough loss at Toronto on Tuesday in the second night of a back-to-back after falling at lowly Atlanta on Monday. The starting backcourt of Jimmy Butler and Jeff Teague combined to miss seven of their 13 free throws in the setback, which dropped the Timberwolves to 12-16 on the road. "We've been a great free-throw shooting team all year," Minnesota coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters. "You're going to have some nights like that. We need to get back into the gym, practice and fix some things." The Bucks come into Minnesota hot with wins in their last four games -- a streak that began after the firing of coach Jason Kidd -- and took each of the last three by double digits.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FS North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE BUCKS (27-22): Milwaukee's surge is being led by All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who collected 31 points and 18 rebounds in a 107-95 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. "We've just got to stay down-to-earth," Antetokounmpo told reporters of the team's recent success. "Usually when we get games like this, we win four in a row, we relax a little bit. We've just got to stay down-to-earth as a team and keep playing hard, keeping doing what we do, what makes us good, what helps us win games and just go get another one." Antetokounmpo is averaging 33 points, 13.3 rebounds and seven assists in three games since sitting out two in a row to rest a sore knee.
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (32-22): Minnesota went 1-8 on the road in January but did not lose at all at home and finished out the month 9-8 despite not having consecutive days off the entire month. "Sometimes it works out that way," Thibodeau said, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "We just went through it. Every team goes through theirs. You have to maximize your time. You have to find ways to win. I think we had a winning month, but we start a new one now. We have to make sure we're right and ready, from the beginning." The Timberwolves will play five of their seven games prior to the All-Star break at home.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Bucks PF Jabari Parker, who sat out the last year while recovering from ACL surgery on his left knee, is expected to make his season debut on Friday.
2. Butler is averaging 23.3 points in three games since returning from a knee injury.
3. Minnesota C Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a season-low five rebounds in a 102-96 loss at Milwaukee on Dec. 28.
PREDICTION: Timberwolves 109, Bucks 103
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Rockets vs. Spurs Preview and Predictions
By Gracenote for Scores and Stats08:00 PM
James Harden is coming for his first NBA MVP Award, and he's not being subtle about it. Harden became the first player in NBA history to record a 60-point triple-double in a win over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday and will try to follow that up against a tougher opponent when the Rockets visit the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday.
"It's a good feeling, I guess," Harden told reporters after making history. "Just try to go out there and make an impact every single night on the game, however I can. Whether it's scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, whatever it is. And tonight, I guess I was doing everything." The All-Star guard is carrying a heavy load with teammates Chris Paul (groin), Trevor Ariza (hamstring) and Eric Gordon (back) dealing with injuries and went 19-of-30 from the field in 46 minutes against the Magic to finish with 60 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds and four steals. The Spurs don't have an offensive weapon quite like Harden but still sit in third place in the Western Conference while leaning on LaMarcus Aldridge. The All-Star power forward went for 30 points in a 106-104 win over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday -- his fifth 30-plus outing in January.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (36-13): Harden, who leads the NBA in scoring (31.6 points) and is third in assists (9.1), failed to reach 30 points in six consecutive games after coming back from a hamstring injury before going off on Tuesday. The 60 points also broke Calvin Murphy's Houston franchise record of 57 and marked the fourth time this season that Harden scored at least 50. "I just gave it all I had tonight," Harden told reporters. "We all did. We all fought for 48 minutes, we got key stops when we needed to, and we made big shots."
ABOUT THE SPURS (34-19): San Antonio is missing its MVP candidate with Kawhi Leonard (quad) sidelined, but Kyle Anderson continues to improve in that spot. Anderson, 24, is starting in place of Leonard at small forward and broke out for a career regular-season high of 18 points on 9-of-12 shooting in Tuesday's win. Point guard Dejounte Murray, 21, is getting a long look as well and went scoreless on 0-of-4 shooting Tuesday but showed off his broad skill set with 13 rebounds, seven assists and two blocks in 26 minutes.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Spurs SG Danny Green is 0-of-13 from 3-point range over the last three games.
2. Paul, Ariza and Gordon are all questionable for Thursday.
3. Harden and Paul scored 28 points apiece in a 124-109 home win over San Antonio on Dec. 15.
PREDICTION: Rockets 115, Spurs 112
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Thunder vs. Nuggets Preview and Predictions
By Gracenote for Scores and Stats10:30 PM
The Oklahoma City Thunder had an eight-game losing streak come to an end with a 102-96 loss at the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, falling to 1-1 since losing defensive ace Andre Roberson for the remainder of the season. The Thunder will try to get back in the win column when the road trip skips west with a visit to the Denver Nuggets.
Oklahoma City was solid on the defensive end despite being without Roberson on Tuesday but were sloppy on the other end while committing a season-high 21 turnovers. "You know it was going to be a tough battle on the road. The difference in the game for us was I just didn't think we executed great coming down the stretch. We had some opportunities," Thunder coach Billy Donovan told reporters. "With the execution piece of it the last three or four minutes, I wish we would have gotten better shots, taken care of the ball a little bit better, did a better job of moving the ball and not turning it over." The Nuggets are coming off back-to-back losses to two of the best teams in the NBA -- the Boston Celtics and the San Antonio Spurs -- by a total of three points. "Back-to-back tough losses," Nuggets coach Michael Malone told reporters after falling 106-104 in San Antonio on Tuesday. "Those are always tough to swallow. But more importantly, big picture, I loved the fight that we had tonight. ... If we continue to play like this, and compete and find ways to stay in games, we're going to be a really good basketball team."
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT, FS Oklahoma
ABOUT THE THUNDER (30-21): Reigning MVP Russell Westbrook managed just 13 points and seven turnovers on Tuesday and watched fellow All-Star Paul George go scoreless in the fourth quarter. "That's my bad. I take ownership in that, and take ownership in our loss tonight," Westbrook told reporters. "I gotta do a better job of making sure I'm making the game easy for Paul and finding him and getting him a basket." George finished with a team-high 28 points despite the slow final period and is averaging 27.8 points over the last six contests.
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (26-25): Shooting guard Will Barton got the call to take the final shot at the end of each of the last two games and missed 3-pointers in both, but he is using the disappointment as a learning experience. "It's just building me up," Barton told the Denver Post. "Moments like this, you've got to go through them to grow up. I'm happy I can even be in the NBA going through these types of things -- things I dreamed of. I love it. I'll be back." Barton logged at least 39 minutes in each of the last four games and is sharing the heavy load with backcourt mates Jamal Murray and Gary Harris as Denver fights to stay above .500 during a four-game stretch that will see them face Boston, San Antonio, Oklahoma City and Golden State in consecutive games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Thunder C Steven Adams recorded a double-double in seven of the last nine games.
2. Nuggets C Mason Plumlee (calf) sat out Tuesday and is not expected to play on Thursday.
3. The teams split the first two meetings this season, with Denver earning a 102-94 home win on Nov. 9.
PREDICTION: Thunder 109, Nuggets 105
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Panthers vs. Sabres Preview and Predictions
By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
The Florida Panthers produced one of their strongest performances of the season in the first game after the All-Star break and look to sweep a quick two-game road swing when they visit the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night. The Panthers had dropped three straight before recording 40 shots on net and getting 32 saves from Harri Sateri for his first NHL win in Tuesday's 4-1 triumph against the New York Islanders.
"No one's waving the white flag here," Florida coach Bob Boughner told reporters of his team that has a double-digit deficit to make up for a playoff position. "I'm going to scrape every point we can. (Tuesday) was a great start for that after the All-Star break." The Panthers have won five of the last seven meetings, including a 4-1 victory Nov. 10, and hope to take advantage of a Sabres team that is tied for the least home wins in the league (six). Buffalo won three straight road games, allowing one goal combined, before the All-Star break and returned to start a stretch of nine in 11 contests on home ice Tuesday with a 3-1 loss to New Jersey. "That road trip, we were very loose and started with a fresh mindset," Sabres center Ryan O'Reilly told reporters. "We had a job, and we did it. We get home and we're overthinking things. We're waiting for the game to happen."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Florida, MSG Buffalo
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (20-22-6): All-Star center Aleksander Barkov hopes to snap a four-game point drought in his 300th NHL contest Thursday and sits third on the team with 43 overall. Left wing Jonathan Huberdeau leads the Panthers with 48 points, including eight goals and eight assists in his past 14 games, while center Vincent Trocheck generated nine of his 46 points in the last seven contests. Sateri, a 28-year-old former fourth-round pick of San Jose, will likely be back in net at Buffalo but Florida's top two goalies Roberto Luongo (lower-body) and James Reimer (groin) could return to practice in the next week.
ABOUT THE SABRES (14-27-9): All-Star center Jack Eichel has been kept off the scoresheet in each of the past two games after compiling 14 of his team-high 49 points over the previous seven contests. Left wing Evander Kane, who could be on the move before the trade deadline at the end of February, is second on the team with 36 points but has not added to that total in the last six games and did not have a shot in Tuesday's loss. Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen has raised his production level after a slow start to the season with 15 points in his last 20 games and a goal to go along with five assists in the past six contests.
OVERTIME
1. The Sabres have converted 10 of their 28 opportunities on the power play over the last nine games, moving to 26th in the league (16.2 percent).
2. Florida RW Evgenii Dadonov collected four goals in his last six contests to help increase his career-best total to 30 points.
3. Buffalo G Robin Lehner allowed two goals on 90 shots over his last three games and is 2-3-2 lifetime against the Panthers.
PREDICTION: Sabres 4, Panthers 3
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Ducks vs. Senators Preview and Predictions
By Gracenote for Scores and Stats07:00 PM
The Anaheim Ducks are trending in the right direction with wins in three in a row and five of six to join three other teams bidding for second place in the Pacific Division. The Ducks aim to continue their good fortune on Thursday when they play the second contest of a five-game road trip against Atlantic Division representatives with a date versus the spiraling Ottawa Senators.
Adam Henrique scored twice on Tuesday to extend his six-game point streak (six goals, two assists) as Anaheim ended Boston's 18-game point run with a 3-1 victory at TD Garden. "The puck's going in the net right now. So, I feel good, just to keep shooting, keep things simple and not overthink too many things and just keep playing," said the 27-year-old Ontario native, who registered three goals in his last two games versus Ottawa - including two in Anaheim's 3-0 triumph on Dec. 6. The Senators' scoring woes continued out of the All-Star break, as the beleaguered club was limited to just Jean-Gabriel Pageau's goal late in the second period of Tuesday's 2-1 setback versus Carolina. Ottawa has mustered just eight goals during its six-game losing skid.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Anaheim), RDS2, TSN5 (Ottawa)
ABOUT THE DUCKS (25-17-9): All-Star Rickard Rakell set up two goals versus the Bruins to increase his assist total to 20, moving him within three of his career-best sum set over 72 games in 2015-16 while his club-high 38 points are 13 shy of his personal-best established last year. The 24-year-old Swede set up one of Henrique's goals in the earlier contest against the Senators and Ryan Miller turned aside all 29 shots he faced to record his 40th career shutout. The 37-year-old goaltender was called in to replace an injured John Gibson (lower body) during Tuesday's tilt and may draw the start versus Ottawa after the latter sat out Wednesday's practice.
ABOUT THE SENATORS (15-24-9): Ottawa owner Eugene Melnyk reversed course from last month's statement that the team "could look good somewhere else" during his stint on CTV's Your Morning on Wednesday. "Whatever was said in December, it's unfortunate that it hit a real nerve in Ottawa," the 58-year-old told reporters. "The reality is I love the city, I love the people, I love the fans and it's actually my privilege to be there and to ice a team like the Ottawa Senators. I'm really pleased with what's happened so far." Craig Anderson likely isn't as pleased as he has lost four straight starts despite posting a .926 save percentage.
OVERTIME
1. Ottawa's All-Star D Erik Karlsson (team-leading 28 assists) is expected to skate in his 600th career game on Thursday.
2. Anaheim has scored four times on the power play in the last four games after going 4-for-32 in its previous 14.
3. Senators RW Mark Stone (club-best 18 goals, 44 points) is on injured reserve and thus ruled out of Thursday's tilt with a knee injury, although coach Guy Boucher is hopeful he'll return for Saturday's contest against Philadelphia.
PREDICTION: Ducks 4, Senators 1
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Canadiens vs. Hurricanes Preview and Predictions
By for Scores and Stats
If the Carolina Hurricanes wind up in the playoffs, they may very well point to a dramatic 6-5 win at Montreal in the final game before the All-Star break as one of the season's pivotal moments. The Hurricanes go for their third consecutive victory as they play the second contest of an eight-game homestand against the visiting Canadiens on Thursday night.
Carolina is stuck in the basement of the Metropolitan Division but sits just four points out of third place after opening the homestand with a 2-1 win over Ottawa on Tuesday. "Everyone is aware of where we are in the standings and in the season," Hurricanes forward Jeff Skinner said. "You have an opportunity at home to pick up some points. It's big at any point of the season, but obviously for us right now it's huge." Montreal erased three separate deficits before falling to Carolina before the break and returned from the hiatus with a 3-1 loss at St. Louis to drop into 14th place in the Eastern Conference. "Even when we play pretty decent, it seems like it's just not enough," Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty said. "We have to figure out how and why that's happening and find ways to win."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, RDS, TSN2 (Montreal), FS Southeast (Carolina)
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (20-24-6): Goaltender Carey Price owns the highest goals-against average of his career (3.00) and, despite a solid 28-save performance at St. Louis, he fell to 4-11-0 with a 3.31 GAA in 15 road starts. With Paul Byron taking a therapy day, Charles Hudon centered Montreal's top line at missing Wednesday's practice. Hudon has registered three goals and an assist over the past two games, including a three-point effort against the Hurricanes, after failing to score in the previous 18 games.
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (23-19-8): Sebastian Aho missed four games after suffering a concussion and lower-body injury versus Calgary on Jan. 14, but he returned to the lineup with a flourish against Ottawa. Aho sparked the third-period comeback by netting the tying tally, his seventh goal in the past seven games and his team-high 17th. "He wanted to play. He wants to be an impact player and we need him out there," Carolina netminder Cam Ward said. "Obviously as a team we were excited that he's back."
OVERTIME
1. Ward is 19-12-4 with a 2.70 goals-against average versus Montreal.
2. Pacioretty has eight goals in his last 10 games overall and 13 in 25 career meetings against Carolina.
3. Carolina has scored eight power-play goals and allowed six in the past six games.
PREDICTION: Canadiens 4, Hurricanes 3
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Blues vs. Bruins Preview and Predictions
By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
After failing in their bid to record the second-longest point streak in franchise history, the Boston Bruins will take on another hot team when they host the St. Louis Blues on Thursday night. Boston looks to rebound from a 3-1 home loss to Anaheim, which snapped the team's five-game winning streak and ended a run of 18 straight contests with at least one point.
The 14-0-4 surge, which matched the second-best point stretch in team history, propelled the Bruins within five points of Atlantic Division-leading Tampa Bay with two games in hand. "It's not going to go on forever, we all know that," Boston coach Bruce Cassidy said. "It's too good a league. It certainly put us in a good position in the standings to get on that roll, but we'll have to start a new (point streak) now." St. Louis capped a perfect three-game homestand with a 3-1 victory over Montreal and has won five of six to hold onto third place in the Central Division. The Blues have made themselves at home at TD Garden over the years, winning eight of their last nine matchups in Boston.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TVA, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario, FS Midwest (St. Louis), NESN (Boston)
ABOUT THE BLUES (31-18-3): Career backup Carter Hutton is making it impossible for coach Mike Yeo to take him out of the lineup, stopping 94 of 96 shots during the winning streak to improve to 8-1-1 over his last 10 starts since Dec. 30. "The first half of the year, he was working pretty hard in practice, and you knew he was going to get his chance and now that he's got his chance he's just running with it. It's good to see," defenseman Joel Edmundson said. The Blues' power play also is clicking, converting on 5 of 12 chances in the past four games.
ABOUT THE BRUINS (29-11-8): Already missing leading scorer Brad Marchand (suspension) and defenseman Charlie McAvoy (abnormal heart rhythm), Boston's lineup could be further depleted with the expected absences of forwards Anders Bork and Noel Acciari, who are both listed as doubtful for Thursday. Ryan Spooner scored the lone goal in the loss to the Ducks, giving him seven of his eight goals over the past 12 games. Tuukka Rask, riding an 18-game point streak (16-0-2) of his own, is 4-2-3 with a 2.39 goals-against average versus the Blues.
OVERTIME
1. Hutton is 1-2-0 with a 3.30 goals-against average versus Boston.
2. Boston recalled F Peter Cehlarik from Providence of the American Hockey League.
3. Blues F Brayden Scheen is tied for the team lead with 21 goals but has scored only once in 16 games against the Bruins.
PREDICTION: Blues 3, Bruins 2
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Maple Leafs vs. Rangers Preview and Predictions
By Gracenote for Scores and Stats07:00 PM
The New York Rangers return from the All-Star break and attempt to post their third straight home win when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday. New York has been idle since last Thursday, when it edged San Jose 6-5 to salvage the finale of its four-game road trip and halt its five-game slide away from home.
Captain Ryan McDonagh scored his first two goals of the season in the victory over the Sharks, giving him points in five of his last seven contests, as the Rangers enjoyed their highest offensive output since a 6-1 triumph at Carolina on Nov. 22. While New York is sitting just out of the playoff picture, Toronto has a secure hold on third place in the Atlantic Division and is closing in on Boston for second as it carries a three-game winning streak into Thursday's matchup. Frederik Andersen made 28 saves en route to his career high-tying fourth shutout of the season as the Maple Leafs rolled past the New York Islanders 5-0 on Wednesday. Auston Matthews, who leads Toronto in both goals (23) and points (39), has tallied in four of his last five contests.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN4 (Toronto), MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (29-18-5): Travis Dermott registered the first multi-point performance of his brief career on Wednesday, recording a goal and an assist in the victory. The 21-year-old rookie defenseman, who was a second-round pick in the 2015 draft, had notched one assist in his first eight NHL contests. Fellow blue-liner Justin Holl also had a night to remember against the Islanders, netting Toronto's final tally in his NHL debut after being recalled from the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League on an emergency basis earlier in the day.
ABOUT THE RANGERS (25-20-5): Kevin Hayes had a successful return to the lineup last Thursday, recording a goal and an assist after missing six games with a leg contusion. Cody McLeod is expected to make his Rangers debut against Toronto after being claimed off waivers from Nashville last Thursday. The 33-year-old left wing recorded a goal and an assist in 23 contests with the Predators and has collected 71 tallies, 124 points and 1,524 penalty minutes in 713 career games with Colorado and Nashville.
OVERTIME
1. Rangers RW Mats Zuccarello, who leads the team in scoring (37 points), is riding a four-game assist streak and is one point shy of 300 for his career.
2. Toronto was forced to recall Holl as it was without fellow Ds Roman Polak, who was placed on injured reserve due to a viral infection, and Ron Hainsey (illness).
3. The Rangers recalled D Tony DeAngelo and C Peter Holland from Hartford of the AHL on Tuesday.
PREDICTION: Rangers 4, Maple Leafs 3
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Flyers vs. Devils Preview and Predictions
By Gracenote for Scores and Stats07:00 PM
Less than 24 hours after suffering a disheartening loss, the Philadelphia Flyers look to avoid a third straight setback when they visit the Metropolitan Division-rival New Jersey Devils on Thursday. Philadelphia dropped a 5-3 decision at Washington on Wednesday, jumping out to an early two-goal lead before allowing five consecutive tallies.
Travis Konecny has been red-hot for the Flyers as he has scored a goal in five straight contests and carries a six-game point streak into Thursday's matchup. New Jersey hopes to land on the scoreboard for the first time in three home games after being shut out by Detroit on Jan. 22 and Nashville three nights later. The Devils ended their four-game overall slide with Tuesday's 3-1 triumph in Buffalo as Kyle Palmieri recorded a goal and an assist following a five-game point drought. New Jersey's losing streak began with a 3-1 setback at Philadelphia on Jan. 20, which came a week after a 5-3 home loss to the Flyers.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCS Philadelphia, MSG Plus (New Jersey)
ABOUT THE FLYERS (24-18-8): Rookie Nolan Patrick scored a goal and set up another on Wednesday to register the first multi-point performance of his brief career. The 19-year-old center, who was selected second overall in last June's draft, has recorded only four tallies and seven assists in 41 contests this season. Sean Couturier notched an assist against the Capitals to avoid being kept off the scoresheet in consecutive contests for the first time since a three-game stretch from Dec. 14-18.
ABOUT THE DEVILS (25-16-8): New Jersey welcomed back two players from three-game injury absences on Tuesday as Keith Kinkaid (groin) produced a 27-save performance while Taylor Hall (thumb) scored what proved to be the winning goal. The 26-year-old Hall, who also missed the All-Star Game due to his ailment, has collected 13 (six goals) of his team-leading 49 points during his eight-game streak. Defenseman Mirco Mueller also returned to the lineup against the Sabres and received nearly 14 minutes of ice time after missing 31 contests with a broken clavicle.
OVERTIME
1. Flyers G Alex Lyon was recalled from Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League on Tuesday and made his NHL debut versus Washington, stopping all five shots he faced in relief of Michal Neuvirth.
2. The Devils are third in the Metropolitan, one point behind second-place Pittsburgh, while the Flyers are two points behind them and occupy the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
3. Philadelphia has suffered back-to-back regulation losses for the first time since Nov. 28 and Dec. 2.
PREDICTION: Devils 4, Flyers 2
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Golden Knights vs. Jets Preview and Predictions
By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
Perhaps the Vegas Golden Knights and the Winnipeg Jets were not considered to be the top teams in the Western Conference when the season started in October, but February dawns with a showdown between the two division leaders on Thursday. The expansion Golden Knights travel to Winnipeg after scoring three goals in 53 seconds to stun Calgary 4-2 on Tuesday, while the Jets were sprinting past East leader Tampa Bay for a 3-1 victory.
Vegas continues to author one of the most successful expansion seasons in history, tying the 1993-94 Florida Panthers and Anaheim Ducks for most victories by a first-year NHL team with 33. "It's nice, but we've got a game to play, then the next one, and keep on going," Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury told the media after Tuesday's victory, which pushed Pacific Division-leading Vegas to 70 points. Winnipeg has 68 points and owns a three-point lead over Nashville in the Central Division, getting Patrik Laine's power-play goal to jump-start the offense in the opener of a 10-game homestand. "Our power play has done a pretty good job all year of at least creating chances or creating momentum for our team," Jets captain Blake Wheeler told reporters.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Vegas), TSN3 (Winnipeg)
ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (33-12-4): Erik Haula and Jonathan Marchessault scored the tying and go-ahead goals 10 seconds apart against Calgary, giving Marchessault 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) in his past 18 games. Center William Karlsson has 15 points in his past 13 games (10 goals, five assists) after recording two assists Tuesday, and is tied for second in the league in goals with 27. Vegas is second in the league in goals per game (3.39) after Tuesday, while Fleury sits second in the NHL in save percentage (.942) and goals against average (1.78).
ABOUT THE JETS (30-13-8): Connor Hellebuyck is second in the NHL in wins (26), but it was Michael Hutchinson - one night after starting in the AHL All-Star Classic - who made 23 saves against Tampa Bay in his first start of the season Tuesday. Laine scored his team-leading 23rd goal of the season Tuesday and moved into a tie for first in the league in power-play goals (12). Wheeler finished with two assists and is in a fourth-place tie in the NHL with 42 assists through Tuesday, while Mathieu Perreault's third-period assist gives him nine points (five goals, four assists) in his past nine contests.
OVERTIME
1. Winnipeg has won seven in a row at home and 14 of its past 15 on home ice.
2. The Golden Knights own the NHL's best record when scoring first (22-1-0).
3. Each team has defeated the other on home ice this season as Vegas won 5-2 on Nov. 10 and Winnipeg prevailed 7-4 on Dec. 1.
PREDICTION: Jets 3, Golden Knights 2
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Kings vs. Predators Preview and Predictions
By Gracenote for Scores and Stats08:30 PM
The Nashville Predators welcomed back a former captain on Wednesday with the unexpected return of Mike Fisher, who retired shortly after the team's loss in the Stanley Cup Finals. While the 37-year-old Fisher will need some time to shake off the rust, the Predators will see the return of fellow forward Filip Forsberg on Thursday when they host the Los Angeles Kings.
Forsberg has been sidelined the last 11 games with an upper-body injury but still shares the team lead in goals (15) with Viktor Arvidsson and Craig Smith. "It's going to be great to get all our players back and available to play," Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said. "I think our guys have done a really good job of filling in for each other when they've been banged up." The Predators are 6-1-1 overall in their last eight and are bidding for a season sweep after posting a pair of 4-3 wins over Los Angeles, which in turn answered a six-game skid with victories in three of its last four games. "I think the last couple of games the commitment you can see in guys, just in the little puck battles and defensively their awareness of where their guys are, that's how we've got to play. We just have to keep doing this and I think we're ready to take off if we do that," Kings coach John Stevens said.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network
ABOUT THE KINGS (27-18-5): Darcy Kuemper stepped in for an injured Jonathan Quick (undisclosed) and turned aside all 29 shots he faced in a 3-0 win at Dallas to improve his save percentage to a sterling .948 in his past 10 contests. "I am excited for the opportunity to play a couple in a row," said the 27-year-old, who made 27 saves in a 4-3 loss to Nashville on Nov. 4. Captain Anze Kopitar notched a pair of assists against the Stars to extend his point streak to six games (one goal, seven assists) while fellow All-Star Drew Doughty has scored one goal and set up five others during his four-game point run.
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (29-12-7): Forsberg's return likely will be music to the ears of linemate Kyle Turris, who scored for the first time since Dec. 29 in Tuesday's 2-1 setback versus Chicago. The 28-year-old exploded out of the blocks with 17 points in 17 games after being acquired from Ottawa before being limited to four (two goals, two assists) in his last 16. All-Star defenseman P.K. Subban (team-leading 25 assists, 37 points) has 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) in his last 19 games overall and scored one goal and set up two others in two encounters versus the Kings this season.
OVERTIME
1. Los Angeles' top-ranked penalty kill has thwarted all nine short-handed situations over the last two games after being ravaged for four power-play goals in the previous two.
2. Predators LW Austin Watson tallied twice in a 4-3 win over the Kings on Jan. 6, marking his only points to date since Dec. 5.
3. Los Angeles' 15 road wins are the most in the Western Conference.
PREDICTION: Kings 3, Predators 2
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Avalanche vs. Oilers Preview and Predictions
By Gracenote for Scores and Stats09:00 PM
The Colorado Avalanche have lost three in a row, but their biggest problem appears to be the loss of Hart Trophy contender Nathan MacKinnon as they continue a three-game road trip through western and central Canada against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday. MacKinnon will not play with an upper-body injury after leaving Tuesday's 4-3 overtime loss to Vancouver, dropping Colorado one point out of wild-card position in the Western Conference.
MacKinnon absorbed a hard hit from Canucks defenseman Alexander Edler and was seen wincing in pain while holding his shoulder and/or collarbone on the bench before heading for the locker room, then flew back to Denver on Wednesday to be evaluated - an indication that he will likely also miss Saturday's game at Winnipeg. The loss of MacKinnon, who is second in the NHL with 61 points, for an extended period of time could be a huge blow to Colorado's playoff chances as they are in the process of making huge strides after accumulating only 48 points during a 2016-17 season to forget. Edmonton, which has played only three games in the last 18 days, is living a nightmare this season as they sit 12 points out of a wild-card spot, but have won four of their last five games following a 4-3 shootout victory over Calgary on Jan. 25. "It's just a matter of believing in each other and sticking together," Oilers forward Zack Kassian told reporters. "We don't have time to feel sorry for ourselves. You can't play hockey that way, it won't turn out well."
TV: 9 p.m. ET, Altitude (Colorado), Sportsnet West (Edmonton)
ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (27-18-4): Alexander Kerfoot (12 goals), who is fourth on the team with 32 points during a solid rookie season, is a candidate to replace MacKinnon and center the top line. Mikko Rantanen (17 goals, 49 points) and captain Gabriel Landeskog (19 goals, 38 points) have thrived playing with MacKinnon as Rantanen is already having a career year and Landeskog is on pace for one. Semyon Varlamov (13-9-2, 2.87 goals-against average, .912 save percentage), who has missed the last 10 games with a groin injury, practiced fully Monday and could play Thursday.
ABOUT THE OILERS (22-24-3): Milan Lucic hasn't scored in the last 13 games and his nine goals this season are a significant falloff from the past four years, when he averaged 21.3. Connor McDavid, the reigning Hart Trophy winner, leads the team with 54 points but has only one goal and eight assists in his last 12 games. Defenseman Adam Larsson (even rating, 21:30 average ice time in 40 games) will miss his second straight contest because of a personal matter.
OVERTIME
1. Edmonton (second-worst power play at 14.5 percent) is 0-for-14 with the man advantage over the last seven games and 1-for-27 in its past 11 contests, and is last in penalty killing at 72.2 percent - including an eye-popping 56.6 at home.
2. Colorado is 4-3-2 versus the Pacific after going 2-16-2 against the division last season while the Oilers are 0-5-1 in their last six games versus the Central.
3. Edmonton swept last season's three-game series by a combined 17-8 with former Oiler Jordan Eberle (four goals), F Leon Draisaitl (three) and McDavid (goal, five assists) doing significant damage.
PREDICTION: Oilers 3, Avalanche 2
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Lightning vs. Flames Preview and Predictions
By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
The Calgary Flames must recover quickly from a demoralizing loss, in their first game out of the All-Star break, when they host the NHL-best Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night. The Flames held a one-goal lead with less than two minutes left Tuesday before coughing up three in a 4-2 setback against Western Conference-leading Vegas, extending their losing streak to five games (0-1-4).
"Games like this, they sting. They hurt," Calgary coach Glen Gulutzan told reporters. "They hurt every guy, they hurt everybody here, but it's how you react to it. The good teams, you get back after a tough one like this and that's what we're going to have to do." The Flames have managed only eight goals during the losing streak and need to get their top guys going again when they attempt to sweep the season series, after winning in Tampa Bay 5-1 on Jan. 11. The Lightning had won three in a row before the break, but were outshot 37-24 en route to a 3-1 loss at Winnipeg on Tuesday to start a four-game swing through Western Canada. "I think we have to up our compete a little more," Tampa Bay forward Tyler Johnson told reporters. "I felt there were definitely points in the game the Jets were playing a lot harder than us, and that can't happen. That's on us, and it has to get better the next game."
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), Sportsnet 360 (Calgary)
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (34-13-3): The big positive out of Tuesday's game was the early return of Norris Trophy candidate Victor Hedman, who logged 25 minutes of ice time after missing five games with a lower-body injury. Right wing Nikita Kucherov, who leads the league with 64 points, has not scored a goal in eight games while center Brayden Point boasts three tallies and five points in his past five contests. All-Star goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, who was rested Tuesday, is expected back in net against Calgary with an NHL-leading 29 victories to go along with a .931 save percentage.
ABOUT THE FLAMES (25-17-8): All-Star forward Johnny Gaudreau has not scored a goal since leaving the Sunshine State in mid January, managing two assists in the last five contests after being shut out in his past two outings. Gaudreau had a goal and an assist against the Lightning before scoring at Florida on Jan. 12 and center Sean Monahan (team-leading 22 goals) owns only one point (goal) in his last five contests. Matthew Tkachuk is the only player on a strong run for the Flames, posting four goals in the last four games, while fellow forward Micheal Ferland (19 goals) has not scored in seven contests.
OVERTIME
1. The Lightning went 3-for-29 on the power play in the 12 January games while the Flames are 1-for-19 in the past five.
2. Tampa Bay C Matthew Peca has a goal, an assist and boasts a plus-4 rating in four games since being recalled.
3. Calgary RW Michael Frolik had an assist Tuesday in his return to the lineup after missing 12 games with a broken jaw.
PREDICTION: Lightning 4, Flames 2
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Stars vs. Coyotes Preview and Predictions
By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
The Dallas Stars bid to rediscover their offense on Thursday as they attempt to compete a three-game season sweep of the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena. The Stars erupted for 13 goals in their previous two games before being limited to Tyler Seguin's team-leading 23rd goal in a 4-1 loss at Toronto last week and a 3-0 setback versus Los Angeles on Tuesday.
Dallas' top line of Seguin, captain Jamie Benn and Alexander Radulov came under fire against the Kings, with Seguin telling reporters that he thought they "were the worst group of guys out there." The trio performed significantly better in two meetings with Arizona, with Radulov scoring in the Stars' 3-1 win on Oct. 17 while Seguin tallied twice and Benn notched a three-point performance in a 5-4 victory over the Coyotes on Oct. 19. Arizona saw its season-high five-game point streak come to a halt with a 2-1 setback versus Columbus last Thursday. Brendan Perlini scored in that contest to extend his goal streak to four games and pull into a tie with Clayton Keller atop the team lead in tallies (14).
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Dallas), FS Arizona
ABOUT THE STARS (28-19-4): While Ben Bishop has won both starts versus Arizona this season, the towering netminder has struggled on the road with a 5-7-2 mark, 3.09 goals-against average and .894 save percentage. Kari Lehtonen has flourished away from Dallas and could draw the start after posting a 4-1-0 mark with a 1.97 GAA and .930 save percentage in his last five road outings. The 34-year-old Finn has won 10 of his last 12 starts versus the Coyotes to improve his career mark to 14-4-4 with a 2.05 GAA and .933 save percentage in 23 encounters.
ABOUT THE COYOTES (12-29-9): Perlini's progress can be measured by what is now heard as well as what is seen, according to coach Rick Tocchet. "He's a quiet guy. He didn't talk much in October and now you can tell he's getting more comfortable talking," Tocchet said. "... I think that's something that 'Perls' is starting to get out of his comfort level of being just a quiet guy. Now he realizes I've got to be a little more vocal guy if I'm going to be a complete player, and you can tell he's coming out of his shell." Derek Stepan set up Perlini against Columbus to increase his point total to 10 (three goals, seven assists) in his last 13 games.
OVERTIME
1. Dallas C Radek Faksa scored two goals and set up another in the previous two games against Arizona, but has just two goals and four assists in his last 21 contests overall.
2. Stepan had two goals and an assist against the Stars on Oct. 19 to give him 11 points (six goals, five assists) in 12 career encounters.
3. Dallas thwarted all six short-handed situations against Arizona earlier this season, but has permitted a power-play goal in each of its last four games.
PREDICTION: Stars 5, Coyotes 2
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Blackhawks vs. Canucks Preview and Predictions
By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
The Chicago Blackhawks may be too far back to make a run at defending their Central Division title, but a playoff berth is easily within their grasp if they can develop any consistency. The Blackhawks will be looking to post just their second three-game winning streak of the season when they visit the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night.
Chicago owned the best record in the league after the All-Star break last season and got off to a good start this time around with a 2-1 win at Nashville on Tuesday night to move within fourth points of eighth place in the West. "You need two points," Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook said. "Two points is two points. We can't worry about (the standings) now. We've got to play our game and try to get as many points as we can and see where it falls at the end of the season." Vancouver owns the second-worst record in the Western Conference but came out of the break by outlasting Colorado 4-3 in overtime. The Canucks have won the past two meetings against Chicago, including a 5-2 victory in Vancouver on Dec. 28.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver)
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (24-19-7): Chicago continues to try and muddle by without starting netminder Corey Crawford, who is not on the road trip and has been sidelined since Dec. 27 due to an upper-body injury. Anton Forsberg started the first game after Crawford's injury and was burned for five goals by Vancouver, but he has permitted two goals or fewer in five of his last six starts, including a 42-save performance in Nashville. "In the third period, he was amazing," Seabrook marveled after Forsberg turned aside all 22 shots over the final 20 minutes.
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (20-24-6): Vancouver announced Tuesday that it will try to work out a contract extension with defenseman Erik Gudbranson, who could return to the lineup after missing five games due to a back spasm. "I'm hoping he's ready to go, but I have to talk with him and the doctors and see where we're at," Canucks coach Travis Green said at Wednesday's practice. Rookie sensation Brock Boeser matched a career high with four points versus Chicago in December, but he has goals in just two of 12 games since.
OVERTIME
1. Chicago is 2-for-24 on the power play in the last eight games.
2. Canucks F Bo Horvat scored in Tuesday's win, his first goal in his fourth game back since missing 18 with a broken ankle.
3. Blackhawks F Vinnie Hinostroza has 12 points in 14 games since he was scratched in back-to-back contests.
PREDICTION: Blackhawks 3, Canucks 2
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SMU vs. Tulsa Preview and Predictions
By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
SMU is playing well despite a short bench after two season-ending injuries. The Mustangs have won three of four heading into Thursday's American Athletic Conference contest at Tulsa.
The Mustangs are using an eight-man rotation and freshmen guards William Douglas and Elijah Landrum are providing solid minutes off the bench without having to worry about providing a lot of scoring. "(My job is to) just go out and try to get every rebound, bring a lot of energy to the court and try not to let my man score," Douglas told the Dallas Morning News. "I just have to knock down open shots when I get them." The Golden Hurricane have lost five of their past six despite strong performances from Martins Igbanu and Corey Henderson Jr. Henderson is shooting 46.2 percent from the 3-point line in league play for Tulsa, which is 8-2 at home.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network
ABOUT SMU (15-7, 5-4 AAC): Junior guard Shake Milton (18.0 points, 4.4 assists) averages an AAC-best 19.2 points in league games. The Mustangs - who have won five of six against Tulsa - get double digits from their other four starters, including 11.0 points from freshman forward Ethan Chargois. Sophomore guard Jimmy Whitt (10.8 points) averaged 17 points on 14-of-20 shooting last week for SMU, which enters the game ranked fifth nationally in scoring defense (62.0).
ABOUT TULSA (11-10, 4-5): Senior forward Junior Etou leads the Golden Hurricane with 15.2 points and 7.3 rebounds while Sterling Taplin adds 11.7 points. Igbanu (9.2 points) is averaging 13.5 points and 6.5 rebounds during his past eight games and Henderson (team-best 13.1 points in league play) is coming off a 28-point performance against Wichita State. Sophomore guard Curran Scott (5.8 points) leads the league in free-throw shooting at 85.5 percent while the Golden Hurricane shoot 72.1 from the line as a group.
TIP-INS
1. Tulsa has lost six straight home games to SMU.
2. SMU is 2-6 away from home but both wins were against ranked teams.
3. Milton is one of 11 players nationally - and the only one in the AAC - averaging at least 18.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists.
PREDICTION: SMU 75, Tulsa 65
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Northwestern vs. Wisconsin Preview and Predictions
By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
Northwestern concludes its three-game road swing Thursday against Wisconsin. The Wildcats started their trip with an encouraging 77-69 victory against Minnesota before going cold from the floor in the 58-47 setback to No. 25 Michigan on Monday, and hope to move another step closer to returning to .500 in Big Ten play by notching back-to-back wins against the Badgers in Madison for the first time since 1969-70.
Northwestern is 2-6 on the road this season and has been held to fewer than 50 points in two of its last three games away from home. Wisconsin is left to go back to the drawing board following a disappointing 74-63 loss to Nebraska on Monday. The Badgers were outscored 30-8 in the final 10 minutes en route to their third consecutive loss and, barring a miracle run in the Big Ten tournament, will miss the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998 as they hope to salvage some pride by avenging last season's 66-59 home defeat to the Wildcats. "We have to improve and make the best of the position we're in," Wisconsin coach Greg Gard told reporters. "We have to deal with it one day at a time."
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1
ABOUT NORTHWESTERN (13-10, 4-6 Big Ten): Scottie Lindsey was the lone Wildcat to score in double figures as he finished with 15 points against Michigan. Dererk Pardon added nine points and seven rebounds but committed four of Northwestern's 16 turnovers while Bryant McIntosh added six points and six assists against the Wolverines. "We've dug ourselves a big hole and we have very little margin for error," Northwestern coach Chris Collins told reporters. "We have veteran guys that want to go down swinging and that's what we intend to do in the last eight games."
ABOUT WISCONSIN (10-13, 3-7): Ethan Happ led the way with 25 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and four blocks against Nebraska to record his 10th double-double of the season and 30th of his career. Khalil Iverson added 13 points and five rebounds for the Badgers, who led 55-44 with 9:59 remaining against the Cornhuskers. Brevin Pritzl scored nine points, but the remaining six players who logged minutes combined for 16 points as Wisconsin fell to Nebraska for the second time in January.
TIP-INS
1. Wisconsin has won 10 of the last 13 meetings with Northwestern.
2. The Badgers have been held to 65 points or fewer in 11 games this season.
3. The Wildcats' last three road losses have come by an average margin of 15.3 points.
PREDICTION: Northwestern 64, Wisconsin 63
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