Thursday 11-1-18 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

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LA Clippers vs. Philadelphia 76ers Preview and Predictions 11-01-2018 in NBA

NBA Previews 31st October 2018 by Gracenote
Clippers vs. 76ers Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 10/31/2018

The Los Angeles Clippers made a pit stop on the way to the East Coast in Oklahoma City and put together one of their worst quarters of basketball en route to a 128-110 setback. The Clippers will try to lock in for the full 48 minutes and avoid suffering back-to-back losses for the first time this season when they visit the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.

Los Angeles appeared to be on its way to a quality road win on Tuesday before being outscored 39-10 in the third quarter. "The first half we couldn't have played a more beautiful offensive or defensive game," Clippers coach Doc Rivers told reporters. "Second half, it was like we forgot all about it. We came out and one pass, shot, one pass, shot, no dribble penetration, all jump shots, all contested shots. Fouled a lot. It was 11-0 in free throws. That happens, you're going to lose." The 76ers displayed their own formula for losing by committing 23 turnovers and allowing the Toronto Raptors to shoot 51.1 percent from the floor in a 129-112 setback on Tuesday. "We didn't shoot well, we turned the ball over and we didn't play great defense," Philadelphia shooting guard JJ Redick told reporters. "So, that's the formula that's normally going to turn into a loss against a team like Toronto."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), NBCS Philadelphia

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (4-3): Los Angeles point guard Patrick Beverley managed four points on 2-of-6 shooting Tuesday but came out of the contest the source of much controversy after he was assessed a flagrant 1 foul for diving at the knees of Oklahoma City star Russell Westbrook while chasing a loose ball. "I don't know how that was a flagrant," Rivers told reporters. "They have bad blood. There's nothing wrong with that as long as they keep it clean. I thought both of them did. All that talk, you know, whatever. But there's nothing wrong with not liking someone in the league. It's allowed in this day and time." One bright spot for the Clippers was small forward Danilo Gallinari, who scored a team-high 27 points for his fourth outing this season of 20 or more.



ABOUT THE 76ERS (4-4): Reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Ben Simmons committed 11 turnovers on Tuesday to go with 11 points and 10 assists and knows he has more to learn in this league. "Forcing too much," Simmons told reporters. "They're good defenders, and it's a learning experience for me. ... You just have to take care of it, be more assertive when you have the ball." Simmons is averaging 2.3 turnovers in four games at home, and the 76ers are 4-0 in their own arena while dropping to 0-4 on the road with Tuesday's setback.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Clippers PF Luc Mbah a Moute (knee) missed the last three games and is questionable for Thursday.

2. 76ers C Joel Embiid recorded 31 points and 11 rebounds on Tuesday - his fifth game with at least 30 and 10.

3. Philadelphia took both meetings last season with Simmons averaging 18 points, 8.5 assists, seven rebounds and 4.5 turnovers.

PREDICTION: 76ers 122, Clippers 115

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Sacramento Kings vs. Atlanta Hawks Preview and Predictions 11-01-2018 in NBA

NBA Previews 31st October 2018 by Gracenote
Kings vs. Hawks Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 10/31/2018

The Sacramento Kings are on an impressive roll and they look to improve their winning streak to five straight games when they visit the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday. Sacramento began the streak with home wins over Memphis and Washington and continued it with victories in Miami and Orlando to open a four-game road trip.

The Kings are averaging 116.5 points while quickening their pace and their confidence is growing due to the strong start. "We've never been in this situation before, but it's fun," guard Buddy Hield told reporters after Tuesday's 107-99 victory over the Magic. "... This franchise has been down for a long time, so we've got to try to build it back up." Atlanta has lost three consecutive games and was lambasted 136-114 by the previously winless Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday. The Hawks committed 22 turnovers and have lost back-to-back games by more than 20 points -- including a 21-point setback against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Sacramento), FS Southeast (Atlanta)

ABOUT THE KINGS (5-3): Hield, who is averaging a team-best 18.9 points, scored 25 points against Orlando for his fourth straight 20-point effort and also collected a career-high 11 rebounds. Point guard De'Aaron Fox (17.5 points, 6.9 assists) and center Willie Cauley-Stein (17.4 points, nine rebounds per game) are also thriving under the faster tempo. "Teams want to set their defense up and we're trying not to let teams be able to set their defense," Fox told reporters. "In the NBA, scoring against a set defense is probably the hardest thing to do."



ABOUT THE HAWKS (2-5): Rookie guard Trae Young scored 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting against Cleveland for this third 20-point outing of the season. Young is averaging 19.1 points but is shooting just 34 percent from 3-point range and he was stunned with how bad the team's defense was while allowing 78 second-half points against the Cavaliers. "Tale of two halves," Young told reporters. "Started out the game, matched their effort, matched their intensity. We had a really good first half and then they made adjustments. We weren't ready to play and couldn't finish it out."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Kings have dropped 11 straight games in Atlanta.

2. Cauley-Stein has recorded a double-double in all four games of Sacramento's winning streak.

3. Atlanta C Alex Len scored a season-high 22 points on 9-of-9 shooting against Cleveland.

PREDICTION: Hawks 106, Kings 102

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Boston Celtics Preview and Predictions 11-01-2018 in NBA

NBA Previews 31st October 2018 by Gracenote
Bucks vs. Celtics Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 10/31/2018

The Milwaukee Bucks knocked off one top Eastern Conference contender to keep their unbeaten start intact and will try to pull the trick again when they visit the Boston Celtics on Thursday. The Bucks pulled out a 124-109 win over the Toronto Raptors in a battle of unbeatens on Monday despite being without superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Antetokounmpo is in the concussion protocol and remains questionable for Thursday, but Milwaukee spread out the points with seven scorers in double figures and locked down on the defensive end in the 124-109 win over the Raptors. "We have a strong belief in this locker room that we are a great team," veteran center Brook Lopez told ESPN.com. "We are more than a collection of players -- more than one player or a few players. We are a team." The Celtics are a team as well and are proving they can win when a key player or two has an off night. Boston forwards Gordon Hayward and Jayson Tatum combined to go 7-of-22 from the floor on Tuesday but Boston still escaped with a 108-105 win over Detroit.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT

ABOUT THE BUCKS (7-0): Milwaukee is the last unbeaten team remaining in the NBA and coach Mike Budenholzer, who is in his first season with the team, is getting plenty of credit. "Of course, we have more confidence with (Antetokounmpo) on the floor, but we have a lot of confidence even when he's not on the floor due to the system, due to the confidence that (Budenholzer) gives us," Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon told reporters. Budenholzer encourages ball movement and gives everyone on the court the green light to shoot, leading to centers Lopez and Thon Maker going a combined 3-of-9 from 3-point range on Monday.



ABOUT THE CELTICS (5-2): Boston point guard Kyrie Irving managed a season-low three points on 1-of-5 shooing on Saturday, but the team still managed to win, and on Tuesday it was his turn to pick up the slack for some of his teammates. Irving broke out for a season-best 31 points on 10-of-16 shooting in 33 minutes. "Law of averages," Celtics coach Brad Stevens told reporters of Irving's performance. "Law of averages, which means he's got a few more coming, right? So, I mean, he's way too good of a scorer for the ball not to go in very long, and that stuff all evens out all the time. ... He's doing a great job of leading, and the ball will go through the net. That's inevitable."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Bucks PF Ersan Ilyasova recorded his first double-double of 2018-19 with a season-high 19 points and 10 rebounds on Monday.

2. Celtics PF Daniel Theis (right plantar fascia) is out indefinitely.

3. Boston knocked Milwaukee out of the playoffs with a 4-3 series win in the first round last spring.

PREDICTION: Celtics 109, Bucks 105

[Can'tPickAWinner]

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Portland Trail Blazers Preview and Predictions 11-01-2018 in NBA

NBA Previews 1st November 2018 by Gracenote
Pelicans vs. Trail Blazers Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 11/01/2018

The New Orleans Pelicans delivered a stunning blow by sweeping the favored Portland Trail Blazers right out of the playoffs last season. Portland will attempt to put up a better fight in this campaign's first meeting when it hosts the Pelicans on Thursday.

The Trail Blazers had no answers for New Orleans big man Anthony Davis or guard Jrue Holiday in the opening round of last season's playoffs, and standout guard Damian Lillard hasn't forgotten how badly his team was outplayed. "Obviously, we have this game circled," Lillard told reporters. "Obviously, we'll have (the playoffs) in our minds when we play against them. But it's only going to be the eighth game of the season and we can't get last year back. So, we'll see." The Pelicans have dropped three straight contests following a 4-0 start and couldn't contain Golden State in Wednesday's 131-121 road loss. Davis (elbow) returned to the lineup after a two-game absence and recorded 17 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in 41 minutes, and coach Alvin Gentry said after the game that he expects him to play against Portland.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT

ABOUT THE PELICANS (4-3): New Orleans, which allowed 43 points in the first quarter and 37 in the third against Golden State, has allowed an average of 126.3 points during the three-game skid. Holiday registered 28 points and nine assists and forward Nikola Mirotic added 26 points and 12 rebounds, but Davis was just 6-of-16 shooting while posting his lowest-scoring output in his five games played. "I thought he was a little winded," Gentry told reporters of Davis. "He just has to get his timing back. It takes you a game to get your rhythm back."



ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (5-2): The Trail Blazers finished a 3-1 road trip with a 104-85 whipping of Houston and are now beginning a stretch of six straight home games. Portland's wins on the trek were by an average of 14.3 points, and the defense was tough in the last two games as it held Indiana to 93 points prior to the solid effort against Houston. "I thought we competed well," Lillard said. "Each game, I thought something different had to happen for us to be in position to win. If you would've told me, we would've come away from this trip 3-1, I'm sure everyone in here would've took it. I'm proud of the way we handled our first trip."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The teams split their four regular-season matchups in 2017-18.

2. New Orleans PG Elfrid Payton (ankle) has missed the last two games and is questionable for Thursday's contest.

3. Portland C Jusuf Nurkic recorded 22 points and 10 rebounds against the Rockets for his third double-double of the season.

PREDICTION: Trail Blazers 127, Pelicans 121

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Winnipeg Jets vs. Florida Panthers Preview and Predictions 11-01-2018 in NHL

NHL Previews 31st October 2018 by Gracenote
Jets vs. Panthers Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 10/31/2018

Aleksander Barkov is nine games into his first season as captain of the Florida Panthers, but the next two will carry more significance as his team faces the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday and Friday in his native Finland in the NHL Global Series. The Panthers have struggled in the early going, but one season removed from a 78-point campaign, many are noticing the growth in the 23-year-old center.

"I think he's growing into it," Florida coach Bob Boughner told reporters of Barkov Tuesday. "I think that he's got a good leadership group around him to help him." Barkov is not the only standout player returning to his homeland this week, as Jets forward Patrik Laine hopes a couple of games in his native country will snap him out of an early-season funk. The 20-year-old, who finished second in the NHL with 44 goals a season ago, has been toggling between the third and fourth lines with only three goals and a minus-3 rating through 12 games. "It's been the games that I've been waiting for since the season started," Laine told reporters Monday. "It's awesome to finally be here, be back home."

TV: 2 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, TSN3 (Winnipeg)

ABOUT THE JETS (7-4-1): Winnipeg lost twice to Toronto last week, including blowing a 2-0 third-period lead Saturday. Center Mark Scheifele earned NHL second star of the week honors and enters Thursday leading the Jets in points (12) while sharing the team lead in goals with forward Kyle Connor (six). Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck will start Thursday, and coach Paul Maurice told reporters the Vezina finalist could play both games in the series.



ABOUT THE PANTHERS (2-4-3): Barkov has eight points, including one goal and five assists in his past six games. Forwards Mike Hoffman (goals in four straight games, points in seven straight) and Evgenii Dadonov (10 points) have helped pace the offense, but defensively Florida is 26th in the NHL while allowing 3.67 goals per game. Goaltender Roberto Luongo (knee) practiced Wednesday, but James Reimer likely will start Thursday.

OVERTIME

1. Connor has two goals and four assists during his five-game point streak, while Laine has not recorded a point in his past five contests.

2. The Panthers have yet to win a game in regulation, posting one victory in overtime and one in a shootout

3. Scheifele is one point shy of 300 for his career.

PREDICTION: Jets 3, Panthers 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Islanders Preview and Predictions 11-01-2018 in NHL

NHL Previews 1st November 2018 by Gracenote
Penguins vs. Islanders Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 11/01/2018

The Pittsburgh Penguins answered a sweep of their four-game road trip with getting doubled up in the opener of a home-and-home series against the New York Islanders. The Penguins aim to regain their good fortune on the road Thursday when they vie for a split versus the Islanders, who have won three in a row overall and six straight versus Metropolitan Division rivals dating to last season.

"Mentally you know what to expect, knowing how they play, what the game looked like, tendencies," captain Sidney Crosby said after scoring in his fourth straight contest in Tuesday's 6-3 setback. "That's probably the biggest thing just being able to envision what the game will look like and what to expect, and preparing for that." Fellow former Hart Trophy winner Evgeni Malkin scored a goal to extend his point streak to eight games overall (five goals, 11 assists) and give him at least one point in 14 of his last 18 encounters versus the Islanders. Jordan Eberle tallied twice in the second period and Brock Nelson netted his fifth goal in five contests for New York, which scored five goals on its first 10 shots Tuesday. The Islanders have collected at least one point in seven of their last eight meetings (4-1-3) with the Penguins and are 5-1-1 in their last seven home games versus the division rival.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh, Sportsnet360, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet Pacific, MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (6-2-2): A lower-body injury prevented Kris Letang from playing in the opener of the home-and-home set, but the offensive-minded defenseman was able to practice on Wednesday and will determine his availability for the finale based on how he feels Thursday morning. "I felt pretty good," the 31-year-old said. "I tested it a little bit earlier to see if I was able to skate with the guys. It went pretty well after that. I was going hard." Center Derick Brassard has been ruled out versus the Islanders after he failed to skate in Wednesday's practice due to a lower-body injury.



ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (6-4-1): Thomas Greiss has turned aside 55 of 57 shots during his stints in the last three games, including 12 of 13 in the third period on Tuesday in relief of an injured Robin Lehner. The 32-year-old Greiss likely will get the nod on Thursday with coach Barry Trotz deeming Lehner as day-to-day with "a strain." Fellow goaltender Christopher Gibson was brought up on emergency recall from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League while forward Tom Kuhnhackl was loaned to the Sound Tigers, one day after scoring his first goal of the season versus his former team.

OVERTIME

1. New York LW Josh Bailey set up a goal Tuesday, pushing his point and assist streaks to six and five games, respectively.

2. Pittsburgh D Jamie Oleksiak and Dominik Simon are both riding career-high four-game point streaks, with the former notching two assists on Tuesday while the latter scored his second goal of the season.

3. Islanders RW Cal Clutterbuck could draw back in the lineup on Thursday, Trotz announced.

PREDICTION: Penguins 4, Islanders 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Dallas Stars vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Preview and Predictions 11-01-2018 in NHL

NHL Previews 31st October 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 10/31/2018

The Dallas Stars registered their first road win of the season last time out and look to make it two in a row when they resume their six-game trip Thursday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Dallas scored a total of three goals while losing its first three contests away from home in 2018-19 but evened its record on the trek at 1-1-0 with Tuesday's 4-1 triumph in Montreal.

Devin Shore recorded a goal and two assists while defenseman Esa Lindell scored and set up another for the Stars, who have won three of four overall following a three-game skid. Toronto is wrapping up a three-game homestand that began with a win over Winnipeg but continued with a 3-1 setback against Calgary on Monday. Nazem Kadri scored for the Maple Leafs in their first game without Auston Matthews, who is expected to miss at least four weeks with an injured left shoulder. The 28-year-old Kadri, who was appearing in his 500th NHL contest, is riding a three-game goal-scoring streak after failing to tally in his first nine matches.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Dallas), TSN 4 (Toronto)

ABOUT THE STARS (6-5-0): Dallas welcomed back two players from lower-body injuries on Tuesday Alexander Radulov returned after missing four games while defenseman Marc Methot came back from a two-game absence. Radulov, who collected 10 points in six contests prior to the injury, scored his fifth goal of the season to get within three of 100 for his career. Tyler Seguin has recorded only three tallies this season and is mired in an eight-game drought after scoring a career-high 40 goals in 2017-18.



ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (8-4-0): Kadri was not the only member of the team to reach a milestone Monday as Morgan Rielly skated in his 400th career game. The 24-year-old defenseman, who was selected with the fifth overall pick of the 2012 draft, has recorded four goals in 12 contests this season after registering six in 76 games in each of the previous two campaigns. Mitch Marner set up a tally against Calgary to extend his assist streak to four games and tie Matthews for the team lead with 16 points.

OVERTIME

1. Shore has collected all seven of his points this season in his last five games.

2. Toronto C John Tavares recorded six goals in his first four games with the club but has scored only one in his last eight contests.

3. Dallas C Jason Spezza, who appeared in his 1,000th NHL game Tuesday, is four points shy of 900 for his career.

PREDICTION: Maple Leafs 4, Stars 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Nashville Predators vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Preview and Predictions 11-01-2018 in NHL

NHL Previews 31st October 2018 by Gracenote
Predators vs. Lightning Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 10/31/2018

The Nashville Predators attempt to remain perfect on the road when they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night for a battle between the top teams in each conference. The Predators are 5-0-0 away from home - including three one-goal victories - and play six of the next seven games on the road after knocking off Vegas 4-1 in Nashville on Tuesday.

The Predators also could get a boost in net this week with reigning Vezina Trophy winner Pekka Rinne being activated Wednesday after sitting out five games with an undisclosed injury, while backup Juuse Saros went 3-2-0 with a .917 save percentage. Nashville has won its last two games at Tampa Bay, including a 4-1 triumph in April as Saros made 29 saves, but the Lightning are off to a 5-1-0 start at home in 2018-19. Tampa Bay battled back from an early two-goal deficit to score an 8-3 rout of New Jersey on Tuesday after suffering a 7-1 setback in the finale of a five-game trip Saturday at Arizona. Right wing Nikita Kucherov has at least a point in eight of his last nine games for the Lightning and center Brayden Point collected a career-high five of his team-best 14 points in the victory over New Jersey.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET. FS Tennessee (Nashville), FS Sun (Tampa Bay)

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (9-3-0): Right wing Ryan Hartman snapped a six-game point drought with a pair of goals Tuesday and left wing Kevin Fiala added a pair of assists for his second multi-point effort of the campaign. Filip Forsberg (five goals in the last four games) leads the team with 14 points while linemates Ryan Johansen (13, including six assists in the past four contests) and Viktor Arvidsson (12, including five goals in the last five games) are close behind. Nashville has yet to get on track in the special teams department despite its strong start, ranking 22nd on the penalty kill (75 percent) and 27th on the power play (13.3) entering Wednesday.

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (8-2-1): Point centered a line that included Yanni Gourde and Tyler Johnson on Tuesday, and the unit played against New Jersey's top trio most of the night while totaling 10 points in the contest. "The Point line, they were on (Tuesday)," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper told reporters. "It's a big assignment, they had to go against those guys and the MVP of the league (Taylor Hall). Every team you play has some big dynamic line, you have to shut them down to give yourself a chance to win. That line did that (Tuesday)." Reigning Norris Trophy winner Victor Hedman (upper-body) and left wing Ondrej Palat (lower-body) are not expected to play.

OVERTIME

1. Lightning F Tyler Johnson, who has two goals and four points in the last three contests, is slated to play his 400th NHL game Thursday.

2. Nashville D P.K. Subban (two goals, 10 points) has recorded four assists in his last three games.

3. Tampa Bay leads the league in penalty killing (93.2 percent) and is sixth on the power play (29.3).

PREDICTION: Predators 3, Lightning 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Buffalo Sabres vs. Ottawa Senators Preview and Predictions 11-01-2018 in NHL

NHL Previews 31st October 2018 by Gracenote
Sabres vs. Senators Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 10/31/2018

The Buffalo Sabres look to extend their point streak to six games and rebound from a disappointing performance when they visit the fading Ottawa Senators in the first of a home-and-home set Thursday night. The Sabres are 3-0-2 in their last five outings and completed their best October (6-4-2) since 2011-12 when they went 6-4-0, but gave up 38 shots as Calgary rallied for a 2-1 overtime victory Tuesday.

"We obviously have to close games out," Buffalo goalie Carter Hutton told reporters of the Sabres, who lost their last two games in overtime. "We played with fire too many times and they made us pay (Tuesday)." Buffalo finished last in goals scored last season and is still struggling to score (2.58 per game, 26th in the league), but Ottawa is tied for last in the NHL at four goals against per contest. The Senators have dropped four straight games (0-3-1) while allowing 19 goals combined after suffering a 5-1 setback at Arizona on Tuesday, following a promising start with points in five of the first seven contests this season. "We got out-competed in the first period," Ottawa coach Guy Boucher told reporters after Tuesday's loss. "That doesn't usually happen. That's the one thing we've had from the beginning."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG Buffalo, RDS2, TSN5 (Ottawa)

ABOUT THE SABRES (6-4-2): Veteran right wing Jason Pominville is slated to play his 1,000th NHL game Thursday and has at least a point in five straight contests - including three multi-point efforts - to reach 500 with Buffalo and tie Danny Gare for ninth on the team's all-time list. Captain Jack Eichel had the only goal for Buffalo on Tuesday and tied fellow forward Jeff Skinner (club-best six goals) for the team lead with 12 points. Defenseman Jake McCabe (one goal, six assists) missed the last game with an upper-body injury and is questionable for the matchup in Ottawa.

ABOUT THE SENATORS (4-5-2): Left wing Alex Formenton scored his first NHL goal Tuesday and center Chris Tierney added an assist to reach 11 points - tied for second on the team with Matt Duchene behind defenseman Thomas Chabot (13). Backup goalie Mike Condon was pulled in the first period Tuesday after giving up three goals on 11 shots and was placed on waivers one day later. Defenseman Mark Borowiecki will serve the second contest of a three-game suspension for an illegal hit and blue liner Ben Harpur (back) is out, giving Christian Wolanin a chance to make his 2018-19 debut Tuesday.

OVERTIME

1. Ottawa RW Mark Stone needs one goal to reach 100 in his career and is tied with Duchene, Mark Stone and Ryan Dzingel for the team lead at four.

2. Buffalo D Rasmus Ristolainen leads the Sabres in ice time per game (25:16), but owns a team-worst minus-10 rating.

3. The Senators have gained a point in three straight meetings with Buffalo (2-0-1) after dropping four in a row in the series.

PREDICTION: Sabres 4, Senators 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Washington Capitals vs. Montreal Canadiens Preview and Predictions 11-01-2018 in NHL

NHL Previews 31st October 2018 by Gracenote
Capitals vs. Canadiens Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 10/31/2018

The Washington Capitals have a chance to post back-to-back victories for the first time this season when they wrap up a four-game road trip with a visit to the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night. The defending Stanley Cup champions have enjoyed spectacular success in Montreal, winning five in a row and 12 of their last 13 at the Bell Centre.

First-year coach Todd Reirden acknowledged that the Capitals are "still a work in progress" after their spirited run to claiming the Stanley Cup last season. "As much as you want to talk about building momentum from last year -- and we have the majority of our players back -- it's tough to replicate the intensity that goes on, and just the detail in our game could improve," Reirden said. The Canadiens, who will be trying to avoid dropping two in a row for the first time this season, opened a three-game homestand with a 4-1 loss to Dallas and now have to face Washington and Tampa Bay over the next three nights. "It's too bad because we worked hard," Montreal coach Claude Julien said. "The effort was there but the result just wasn't."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, RDS, TSN2 (Montreal), NBCS Washington

ABOUT THE CAPITALS (5-3-2): Defenseman Brooks Orpik sustained a lower-body injury in Saturday's 4-3 shootout win at Calgary and has been ruled out of Thursday's matchup by Reirden. Madison Bowey played 10 1/2 minutes against the Flames and could be paired with another second-year blue-liner in Christian Djoos versus Montreal. "This is the growth of them as young players, to see where they are at and to see how they do in these situations," Reirden said. "That's how we'll start the game, and throughout the game they'll probably play with other players as well. ... But those will be our three pairs to start the game."



ABOUT THE CANADIENS (6-3-2): Leading goal scorer Brendan Gallagher and Paul Byron both missed Wednesday's practice, but only the latter's status is in question after he suffered a lower-body injury against Dallas. "Gallagher was definitely just a maintenance day," Julien said. "Same thing with Paulie, but Paulie I think is more day-to-day. I know Gallagher will be fine tomorrow. Can't say the same about Paulie yet. We'll go about it on a day-to-day basis." With Gallagher and Byron absent, Julien juggled his lines and put together the all-Finnish trio of Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Artturi Lehkonen and Joel Armia on one unit.

OVERTIME

1. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin had four goals and an assist in three games versus Montreal last season.

2. Canadiens G Carey Price has labored against the Capitals with a 6-13-4 record and 3.30 goals-against average.

3. Washington's top-ranked power play is converting on 37.1 percent (13-for-35) of its chances.

PREDICTION: Capitals 4, Canadiens 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

New Jersey Devils vs. Detroit Red Wings Preview and Predictions 11-01-2018 in NHL

NHL Previews 31st October 2018 by Gracenote
Devils vs. Red Wings Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 10/31/2018

The shine has worn off from a bright start to the season for the New Jersey Devils and it was no more evident than Tuesday, when they turned a two-goal lead into a humbling 8-3 loss at Tampa Bay. The Devils will try to find the form that led to a 4-0-0 run to open the campaign when they visit the rejuvenated Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night for the second contest of a season-long seven-game trip.

"Everyone in this room knows what we need to do. It's a mindset," New Jersey center Nico Hischier told NJ Advance Media. "Everyone has a job here and should know that. ... We're not a team that can come out there and play 80 percent. We have to play 100 percent to be able to beat (the top) teams." The Devils are 1-3-1 while allowing 24 goals in the last five games and the Red Wings are trying to continue in the other direction with three wins in the last five contests after opening the season with seven consecutive losses. Dylan Larkin scored twice and set up another goal in Tuesday's 5-3 victory at Columbus and owns five of his team-leading 12 points in the past two games. "He's been tremendous for us this year," Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard told the Detroit Free Press. "He's one of our best players night in and night out. He's been flying, creating a lot of havoc in the offensive zone and been really responsible in the defensive zone. He's made so many strides."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG Plus (New Jersey), FS Detroit

ABOUT THE DEVILS (5-3-1): Cory Schneider made his 2018-19 NHL debut Tuesday following a rehab assignment because a hip injury, stopping five of six shots when Keith Kinkaid was pulled for the first time this season after playing every minute. Right wing Kyle Palmieri has nine goals in nine games to lead the team after scoring on the power play Tuesday and linemate Taylor Hall extended his point streak to eight games with an assist. Miles Wood scored his first goal of the season Tuesday and fellow forward Marcus Johansson returned to the lineup after missing one game because of illness.



ABOUT THE RED WINGS (3-7-2): Detroit was missing forwards Frans Nielsen and Andreas Athanasiou because of undisclosed injuries Tuesday and lost another in the win over Columbus as veteran Thomas Vanek (lower-body) is lost for 2-to-3 weeks. Michael Rasmussen, a 19-year-old forward selected ninth overall in the 2017 draft, celebrated his 10th game in the NHL on Tuesday with his first goal. Tyler Bertuzzi and Anthony Mantha have scored in back-to-back contests while fellow forward Gustav Nyquist owns assists in the last two games to place second on the team with nine points.

OVERTIME

1. Red Wings G Jimmy Howard boasts a .934 save percentage over the last five games, but managed only two wins.

2. The Devils are in the top 10 on the power play (26.3 percent, eighth) and penalty kill (83.3, ninth).

3. New Jersey won two of the three matchups last season, including a 4-3 overtime decision last November in Detroit.

PREDICTION: Devils 4, Red Wings 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Vegas Golden Knights vs. St. Louis Blues Preview and Predictions 11-01-2018 in NHL

NHL Previews 1st November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/01/2018

The St. Louis Blues look to build off an explosive offensive performance on Thursday when they face the visiting Vegas Golden Knights, who have dropped three of their last four games. Vladimir Tarasenko tallied twice in Saturday's 7-3 romp over Chicago to raise his goal total to three in his last two games after failing to find the back of the net in each of his previous six contests.

St. Louis forward Ryan O'Reilly extended his point streak to five games (three goals, seven assists) after scoring a goal and setting up two others against the Blackhawks. Jake Allen exited that contest following a collision in the crease, but the 28-year-old was no worse for wear during Wednesday's practice and will be in net versus Vegas. Reilly Smith scored on the power play for his third goal of the season -- all on the road -- in Tuesday's 4-1 setback in Nashville, and had three points (one goal, two assists) against St. Louis last season. Rugged Ryan Reeves has three goals in his last five games heading into a tilt against the team with which he spent his first seven NHL seasons.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountains (Vegas), FS Midwest (St. Louis)

ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (5-6-1): Jonathan Marchessault capped a two-goal performance 22 seconds into overtime of Vegas' 4-3 win versus St. Louis on March 30. The 27-year-old Quebec native has done quite well for himself this season, recording six of his team-leading 12 points in the last six games. Marchessault's six assists are tied for the club lead with fellow center William Karlsson, who scored two goals and set up three others against the Blues last season.

ABOUT THE BLUES (3-4-3): David Perron is anxious to see his former team, as he returned to St. Louis in the offseason after being selected by Vegas in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. "We're going to dinner, a bunch of us together (on Wednesday night), 15 or 16 guys. I miss them a lot," the 30-year-old said. "When you go through everything we went through last year, basically a group of guys you can always look back and remember that year, it was an extremely special one. It's going to be good to see them." St. Louis also will be happy to see forwards Robby Fabbri and Nikita Soshinkov as well as defenseman Carl Gunnarson, as the trio was activated from injured reserve Wednesday.

OVERTIME

1. St. Louis' 13 power-play goals are tied with Washington for the most in the league.

2. Vegas' 30th-ranked power play has scored in each of the last three games.

3. Blues C Brayden Schenn recorded one point in each game against the Golden Knights last season.

PREDICTION: Blues 3, Golden Knights 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Colorado Avalanche vs. Calgary Flames Preview and Predictions 11-01-2018 in NHL

NHL Previews 31st October 2018 by Gracenote
Avalanche vs. Flames Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 10/31/2018

The line of Mikko Rantanen, Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon has combined for 24 of Colorado's 41 goals, and hopes to stay hot as the Avalanche try to solve the Flames in Calgary on Thursday. Rantanen leads the NHL with 21 points and 16 assists while MacKinnon (18 points) and Landeskog (16) are also in the top 10 with Landeskog's 10 goals tied for third.

MacKinnon finished second in Hart Trophy voting last season but Rantanen, the 10th overall pick in the 2015 draft, is poised to become one of the NHL's elite after a breakout 2017-18 produced 29 goals and 84 points. "I knew I could play in the NHL but I never thought I would be playing on a line like this,'' Rantanen told the Denver Post. "I can't deny. It's been a lot fun.'' Calgary has a productive top line of its own in Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Elias Lindholm, who have scored 19 of the Flames' 41 goals. Calgary defeated Colorado 3-2 on Gaudreau's goal 46 seconds into overtime Oct. 13 for its sixth victory in the last seven meetings.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, Altitude (Colorado), Sportsnet One (Calgary)

ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (7-3-2): There is a significant drop in production after the No. 1 line as defenseman Tyson Barrie has nine points - all assists - and center Carl Soderberg owns four goals and seven points. Tyson Jost, the 10th overall pick in the 2016 draft, missed Saturday's 3-2 loss at Minnesota with a concussion but is expected to make the trip. Semyon Varlamov (4-2-2, 1.62 goals-against average, .950 save percentage), who has lost four of his last five starts (1-2-2), is expected to start Thursday.

ABOUT THE FLAMES (7-5-1): Gaudreau, who has six goals in 13 career games versus Colorado, leads the team with 16 points and is tied for the club lead in assists with defenseman Mark Giordano (10). Lindholm boasts a team-high eight goals and hasn't gone two straight games without a goal - he was limited to an assist in Tuesday's 2-1 overtime victory at Buffalo - while Monahan is riding a four-game point streak (goal, five assists). Mike Smith (4-4-1, 3.55, .878) could be snapping out of his early season slump as he made 24 saves in Monday's 3-1 victory at Toronto after stopping 65 of 78 shots in his previous three games - all losses (0-2-1).

OVERTIME

1. Rantanen's 21 points in October tied the Avalanche record set by general manager Joe Sakic in 1996.

2. Rantanen (plus-14), Landeskog (14) and MacKinnon (12) are 1-2-3 in the NHL in plus-minus while Giordano is tied for second among defenseman at plus-8.

3. Colorado has killed 16-of-18 penalties over its last five games while Calgary is 3-for-36 on the power play in its past 10 contests.

PREDICTION: Flames 3, Avalanche 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Edmonton Oilers Preview and Predictions 11-01-2018 in NHL

NHL Previews 1st November 2018 by Gracenote
Blackhawks vs. Oilers Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 11/01/2018

Two-time reigning Art Ross Trophy winner Connor McDavid is off to a blazing start to the 2018-19 season and hopes to continue his torrid pace when the Edmonton Oilers host the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. The 21-year-old captain has notched at least one point in 10 of the Oilers' first 11 contests and enters the matchup against Chicago with a five-game goal-scoring streak.

McDavid, who is tied for fourth in the NHL with 18 points, scored his ninth goal of the campaign while Leon Draisaitl recorded a tally and an assist as Edmonton squandered three one-goal leads en route to a 4-3 home loss to Minnesota on Tuesday. The setback halted a three-game winning streak and four-game point run for the Oilers, who went 0-for-5 with the man advantage while allowing the Wild to convert all three of their power-play opportunities. Chicago, which dropped a 2-1 overtime decision to Edmonton at home on Sunday, hopes to have Patrick Kane in the lineup for the rematch. The 29-year-old Kane, who is even in points with McDavid and tied for the league lead with 11 goals, missed Wednesday's 4-2 loss in Vancouver due to an illness.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, Sportsnet West (Edmonton)

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (6-4-3): Kane's start to the season has been just as impressive as McDavid's, as the former Hart and Art Ross Trophy winner has recorded at least one point in 11 of his first 12 contests and a total of 10 during his six-game streak. Kane, who has collected two goals and an assist in each of his last two road games, has scored just once on the power play this season. Captain Jonathan Toews, who scored five goals in his first three games of 2018-19, netted just his second tally in 10 contests on Wednesday and is one shy of 300 for his career.

ABOUT THE OILERS (6-4-1): McDavid, who has reached the century mark in points each of the last two seasons, has scored a goal in eight of his 11 games this campaign. Drafted first overall in 2015, the center is four tallies away from 100 for his career. Ty Rattie, who registered a goal and an assist in five contests before missing the last six with an oblique injury, claims to be fully healthy and ready to return to the lineup.

OVERTIME

1. Draisaitl has collected five goals and two assists in his last five games.

2. Chicago has surrendered 13 goals during its three-game slide (0-2-1).

3. Edmonton ranks 28th in the league on the penalty kill with a 69.4 percent success rate while Chicago is 30th on the power play at 14 percent.

PREDICTION: Oilers 4, Blackhawks 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

New York Rangers vs. Anaheim Ducks Preview and Predictions 11-01-2018 in NHL

NHL Previews 31st October 2018 by Gracenote
Rangers vs. Ducks Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 10/31/2018

The New York Rangers attempt to record consecutive victories for the first time this season when they conclude a four-game road trip against the free-falling Anaheim Ducks on Thursday. New York lost 17 of 23 games (6-14-3) since winning March 12 and 14 before Kevin Shattenkirk was the only shootout scorer in a 3-2 victory at San Jose on Tuesday.

The Rangers had to wait longer to celebrate their first road victory of the season (1-4-1) after the Sharks' Tomas Hertl scored with 1.3 seconds remaining in regulation, but first-year coach David Quinn was happy nonetheless. "We did a lot of good things, played hard," Quinn told reporters. "... We've got to learn to close games out. We've got to understand situational hockey, but to come in here and get two points against a really good hockey team I think says an awful lot about our guys." Anaheim began the season 5-1-1 but has lost six straight (0-5-1) following a 3-2 loss to Philadelphia on Tuesday despite the efforts of Pontus Aberg, who has scored two goals in each of the last two games after totaling five in his first 73 career contests. "He's getting an opportunity to play with our best players," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle told reporters about Aberg, who joined Ryan Getzlaf and Rickard Rakell on the top line midway through Sunday's 4-3 overtime loss to San Jose.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), Prime Ticket (Anaheim)

ABOUT THE RANGERS (4-7-1): Chris Kreider scored twice Tuesday, giving him a team-high six goals, while Mats Zuccarello added a goal and an assist to join Mika Zibanejad for the club lead with 10 points. Kreider and Pavel Buchnevich (each plus-2) are the only forwards with a plus rating while defenseman Neal Pionk is a club-worst minus-8 while playing a team-high 22 minutes, 59 seconds per game. Henrik Lundqvist (3-6-1, 2.77 goals-against average, .917 save percentage) snapped a four-game losing streak Tuesday (0-3-1) after boasting a .939 save percentage in his first five contests of the season.

ABOUT THE DUCKS (5-6-2): Injuries continue to plague Anaheim, which hasn't lost seven in a row since a 0-6-1 run in November 2011, as defenseman Josh Manson didn't play Tuesday because of a lower-body injury and Nick Ritchie missed his second straight game (upper body). The Ducks have been without forwards Patrick Eaves (shoulder) and Corey Perry (knee) all season while promising rookie Max Comtois (two goals, seven points in his first 10 career games) is on injured reserve (lower body). Anaheim averages an NHL-low 24.5 shots and yields a league-most 38.8 with John Gibson (4-4-2, 2.44, .938) facing an NHL-high 384 shots.

OVERTIME

1. The Ducks are 1-for-14 on the power play during their slide while New York is 0-for-9 with the man advantage over its last three games.

2. Rangers D Adam McQuaid (16:14 ice time, minus-2 in eight games) has missed the last two contests with a lower-body injury.

3. The clubs have split the last four meetings with Anaheim winning its home games 6-3 and the Rangers prevailing 4-1 each time at Madison Square Garden.

PREDICTION: Ducks 6, Rangers 3