Thursday 11-15-18 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

[Can'tPickAWinner]

San Antonio Spurs vs. LA Clippers Preview and Predictions 11-15-2018

NBA Predictions 15th November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/15/2018

The Los Angeles Clippers have won four of their past five games and are brimming with confidence as they host the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday. The Clippers were ecstatic after posting a 121-116 overtime victory over the defending champion Golden State Warriors on Monday and look to continue their hot stretch against a San Antonio squad that has dropped four of its last five.

Los Angeles has posted consecutive overtime victories - beginning with the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday - and was busy making the key plays in the extra session against the Warriors after allowing a 14-point fourth-quarter lead to slip away. "It's how we won, we could've played better, so that's my job there," Clippers coach Doc Rivers told reporters. "We did a couple things defensively that we just can't do to win games down the stretch. I told them after the game, 'Let's be good, let's not be lucky.' The thing I like about our team is we're gonna get better." The Spurs are slipping in the other direction after getting mauled 116-96 by the struggling Phoenix Suns on Wednesday to fall to 0-2 on a three-game road trip. The 20-point margin matched San Antonio's largest setback of the campaign and came two weeks after it trounced the Suns by 30 in Phoenix.

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

ABOUT THE SPURS (7-6): San Antonio's defense was suspect from the start against Phoenix in a game it never led and it allowed the Suns to shoot 56 percent from the field, including 15-of-31 from 3-point range. "They penetrated on us consistently and found open people and deserved to win the game," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told reporters of the Suns. "They were great." Shooting guard DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points for his 10th 20-point outing of the campaign but power forward LaMarcus Aldridge struggled with 3-of-12 shooting while scoring a season-low six points for the second time in four contests.



ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (8-5): Reigning Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams was the hero against Golden State by scoring 10 of his 25 points in overtime as he quickly shook off being 3-for-16 shooting during regulation. "There would be no point for me to be on the floor if I didn't have confidence," Williams told reporters after scoring 20 or more points for the fifth time in the past six games. Power forward Montrezl Harrell scored 23 points on 10-of-13 shooting against Golden State and has connected on 33-of-41 attempts over the past four contests.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Spurs went 2-1 against the Clippers last season.

2. Los Angeles SG Avery Bradley (ankle) returned to practice Wednesday but will likely miss his fifth straight game.

3. San Antonio C Pau Gasol (foot) is expected to miss his fifth consecutive contest.

PREDICTION: Clippers 109, Spurs 102

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Florida Panthers vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Preview and Predictions 11-15-2018

NHL Predictions 14th November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/14/2018

Left wing Mike Hoffman attempts to make history and help the Florida Panthers remain on a roll when they visit the Metropolitan Division-leading Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night. Hoffman matched Hall of Famer Pavel Bure for the longest point streak in franchise history at 13 games with an assist in Tuesday's 2-1 win at Philadelphia as the Panthers extended their win streak to five.

Hoffman has fit in well on Florida's top line with captain Aleksander Barkov and Evgenii Dadonov, who leads the team with 17 points and has at least one in 12 consecutive contests. "They're just playing great hockey, not over-complicating things," Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad told reporters of the top line. "When the play is there they make it and they're some of the best in the world at it. It's extremely fun to watch Dadonov create things you didn't think could possibly happen and (Hoffman) has an unbelievable shot." Columbus, which has won five straight in the series after a 5-4 triumph Oct. 11, climbed into first place after gaining at least a point in the last five contests overall (3-0-2) - including a 2-1 win at Dallas on Monday. "We've had some challenges, but we're setting some things back in place and I think the last couple games we've played a lot of good minutes," Blue Jackets center Pierre-Luc Dubois told the Columbus Dispatch. "It's just trying to keep going in that direction."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Florida, FS Ohio (Columbus)

ABOUT THE PANTHERS (7-5-3): Ekblad notched his first goal of the season Tuesday to move into second among defensemen on the club's all-time list with 54 - passing Jay Bouwmeester and behind only Robert Svehla (61). "It's been a while," Ekblad, who has three points and a plus-3 rating, told reporters. "I've never waited this long to score a goal at any level. It's tough mentally to stay resilient." Roberto Luongo is the fourth goalie at 39-years-old or older to start a season 4-0-0 and the veteran owns a .956 save percentage in five games.



ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (10-6-2): One of the big reasons Columbus has climbed in the standings is the improved play of goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who allowed one goal in five of his last six contests. Dubois and fellow forward Cam Atkinson have each recorded a pair of goals in the last two games and are tied for the team lead with eight overall - one better than Josh Anderson and Anthony Duclair (99 career points). Zach Werenski leads the defensemen with 11 points, but blue liner Seth Jones owns nine after registering seven assists in his past five contests.

OVERTIME

1. Columbus LW Artemi Panarin, who reportedly missed Wednesday's practice because of illness, tops the team with 18 points - three in the last eight games.

2. The Panthers have recorded at least one power-play goal in six straight games while the Blue Jackets are 5-for-11 with the man advantage the past four contests.

3. Florida F Jonathan Huberdeau has two goals in the last four games and needs one to reach 100 in his career.

PREDICTION: Blue Jackets 3, Panthers 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Preview and Predictions 11-15-2018

NHL Predictions 14th November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/14/2018

The Eastern Conference-leading Tampa Bay Lightning look to end their first losing streak of the season and find a way to score the first goal of the game when they visit the struggling Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night. The Lightning have given up the first goal in 10 of 18 contests, including each of the last three, and dropped their second straight Tuesday at Buffalo 2-1 to open a four-game trip.

"We want to start better," Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos told reporters. "It's not an easy league to win in. It's not an easy league to score goals in. So when you're spotting teams a goal or two early in the game, we know we have it in this room to come back but you don't want to make that a trend." The Lightning has lost six of the last eight in the series and four straight at Pittsburgh, including playoffs, but the Penguins have managed only one victory in its last seven contests (1-5-1) and captain Sidney Crosby missed practice Wednesday while being evaluated for an upper-body injury. Pittsburgh has registered 13 goals during its slump - four in the lone win against Arizona - and had a 10-4 edge in shots during the third period Tuesday despite giving up the final two tallies in a 4-2 loss to New Jersey. "We made some mistakes that cost us and that's part of it," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan told reporters after the defeat. "I thought we had an effort in spurts but it has to be more consistent."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TVA, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), AT&T Sportsnet Pittsburgh

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (12-5-1): Tampa Bay had a 30-19 edge in shots, Nikita Kucherov hit the goal post twice late and leading scorer Brayden Point (nine goals, 19 points) was kept off the scoresheet for the third straight game Tuesday. Veteran defenseman Anton Stralman (upper body) practiced Wednesday after missing two straight games and defenseman Erik Cernak made his NHL debut one day earlier in his spot, registering five hits, two shots and a plus-1 rating against Buffalo. "He was comfortable out there," coach Jon Cooper told reporters of Cernak, who was acquired from Los Angeles in the Ben Bishop deal. "The speed was no problem for him. He broke the pucks out he needed. He battled."



ABOUT THE PENGUINS (7-6-3): Center Evgeni Malkin leads the team with 21 points (seven goals), but recorded one in the last five games with seven shots and a minus-4 rating. Crosby (five points in the last three games) and Phil Kessel (three, last two games) are next with 19 points apiece while fellow forward Jake Guentzel scored his sixth goal Tuesday after setting up a pair against Arizona. Pittsburgh acquired 26-year-old left wing Tanner Pearson, who managed only one point (assist) and 24 shots with a minus-9 rating in 17 games with Los Angeles, in exchange for 30-year-old forward Carl Hagelin (one goal, two assists, 16 games) Wednesday and recalled center Derek Grant because of Crosby's status.

OVERTIME

1. Penguins D Kris Letang leads the team with 50 shots on net, but is mired in a five-game point drought.

2. Tampa Bay Ds Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi need one assist to reach 200 in their career while Kucherov is two shy.

3. Pittsburgh GM Jim Rutherford was signed to a three-year contract extension through 2021-22 on Wednesday.

PREDICTION: Penguins 4, Lightning 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

New Jersey Devils vs. Philadelphia Flyers Preview and Predictions 11-15-2018

NHL Predictions 14th November 2018 by Gracenote
Devils vs. Flyers Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 11/14/2018

The New Jersey Devils' fortunes away from the Garden State haven't been kind this season, with their recent disastrous seven-game trek dropping the team's road record to 1-7-0. The Devils look to change the narrative on Thursday when they make the short trek to Philadelphia for the second time this season to face the Flyers, who saw their six-game point streak (5-0-1) halted in their last contest.

Coach John Hynes was quick to credit Taylor Hall's defensive play after the reigning Hart Trophy recipient collected two goals and two assists on Tuesday as New Jersey snapped a three-game skid with Tuesday's 4-2 win over Pittsburgh. "When you look at how many shots he blocked, I think he blocked three or four shots," Hynes said, per NJ.com. "That's what you need to do when you're coming out of the funk and you're conceding some goals the way that we did on the road." Philadelphia saw its three-game winning streak halted on Tuesday as it fell to 2-1-0 on its five-game homestand with a 2-1 setback to Florida. Jakub Voracek scored his team's lone goal and had a tally and two assists in the Flyers' 5-2 triumph over the Devils on Oct. 20.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG-Plus (New Jersey), NBCS Philadelphia

ABOUT THE DEVILS (7-8-1): Nico Hischier sustained an upper-body injury in Sunday's 5-2 setback to Winnipeg, causing the top overall pick of the 2017 NHL Draft to miss the tilt against the Penguins -- his first of his NHL career -- as well as Wednesday's practice. The 19-year-old Hischier could draw back into the lineup on Thursday versus Philadelphia, against which he has four points (two goals, two assists) in five career meetings. Travis Zajac, who took Hischier's place on the top line with Hall and Kyle Palmieri, has recorded 11 points (five goals, six assists) in his last 12 contests.



ABOUT THE FLYERS (9-8-1): New Jersey native James van Riemsdyk is in line to end his 16-game absence on Thursday because of a right knee injury he sustained after he was on the wrong end of a shot against Colorado on Oct. 6. "Obviously, when you're out this long, you get that extra sense of excitement (to return)," said the 29-year-old van Riemsdyk, who scored 36 goals last season with Toronto. The potential return of van Riemsdyk could provide a jolt to a 28th-ranked power play that is just 2-for-28 in the last 10 games.

OVERTIME

1. Philadelphia captain Claude Giroux, who has three goals and five assists in his last four games, resides one point shy of 700 for his career.

2. Devils G Keith Kinkaid fell to 6-2-0 in his career against the Flyers after yielding three goals on 19 shots in last month's encounter.

3. Philadelphia's 30th-ranked penalty kill has permitted a power-play goal in 10 of the last 11 games.

PREDICTION: Devils 3, Flyers 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

New York Rangers vs. New York Islanders Preview and Predictions 11-15-2018

NHL Predictions 14th November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/14/2018

In what was expected to be a rebuilding year for both franchises, the New York Rangers and New York Islanders are each battling for first place in the tightly contested Metropolitan Division. The Rangers are on a tear and will carry a seven-game point streak into Thursday's matchup at the Islanders, who have dominated the rivalry since the start of the 2015-16 season.

The Rangers made it two straight with a 2-1 win over visiting Vancouver on Monday night, the team's fifth one-goal decision during the 6-0-1 stretch. "We can beat any team in the league right now," goaltender Henrik Lundqvist said. "There's a few teams that are extremely consistent, and they've separated themselves a little bit. The rest of the pack is going to be a battle all year and we're in it. That's important." The Islanders have move into first place in the division following a five-game winning streak, only to drop three in a row before routing the Canucks 5-2 on Tuesday night. The Islanders have dominated the Rangers over the past three seasons, winning 11 of 12 overall and all six meetings at Barclays Center.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG-Plus2, MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE RANGERS (9-7-2): Rookies played a huge part in New York's latest win as 20-year-old Brett Howden delivered the game-winning goal in the third period after Filip Chytil, 19, had tied it with his first career tally. "We don't look at it as a rebuild year," Howden said. "We believe we've got a great team here and we're looking to build this year and be a contending team. We're not looking for three years down the road." Coach David Quinn changed his lines during Tuesday's win, shifting Chytil from centering the fourth line to playing the wing on the No. 1 unit.



ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (9-6-2): New York could be short of bodies for Thursday's matchup as both forwards Andrew Ladd (lower body) and Casey Cizikas (undisclosed) were not at practice Wednesday after leaving Tuesday's game due to injuries. "They were a little nicked up, so they are being assessed," Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. "We'll see where they are tomorrow. Can't confirm or deny they're in or out because I haven't heard yet." Forward Matt Martin (upper body) practiced for the first time since he was hurt but Trotz ruled him out against the Rangers.

OVERTIME

1. The Islanders are 6-0-0 against the Metropolitan Division this season.

2. Lundqvist needs one win to move past Jacques Plante (437) for sole possession of seventh on the all-time wins list.

3. Islanders G Thomas Greiss is 3-0-1 in his last four starts overall and 3-0-1 in his last four versus the Rangers.

PREDICTION: Islanders 4, Rangers 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Detroit Red Wings vs. Ottawa Senators Preview and Predictions 11-15-2018

NHL Predictions 14th November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/14/2018

The Detroit Red Wings have reversed course from the dangerous path they traveled to start the season, answering a 1-7-2 stretch with seven wins in their last eight games. The white-hot Red Wings bid for their fifth consecutive victory on Thursday when they open a brief two-game road trip against the Ottawa Senators.

"Certainly, I think around the team, it's more fun to come to the rink when you've won; there's no doubt about it," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill told the Detroit News. Defenseman Mike Green scored a goal and set up two others in Tuesday's 6-1 win over Arizona, boosting his point total to seven (one goal, six assists) in nine games since returning from a virus that attacked his liver. While the Red Wings are ascending, the Senators have fallen out of favor with a 3-6-2 mark in their last 11 games following Sunday's 5-1 loss to Florida. "You guys make up whatever you want to say, but in here it's to a man, to an individual. Everybody has got to step up their game and just believe in each other, believe in ourselves," forward Ryan Dzingel said. "We've proven that we can do the right things for 20 minutes, 30 minutes, but it just doesn't seem like we've put 60 minutes together for a while."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, RDS2, TSN5 (Ottawa)

ABOUT THE RED WINGS (8-8-2): Anthony Mantha followed up his two-goal performance in the third period of Saturday's 4-3 shootout win over Carolina by opening the scoring against the Coyotes to move within one tally of 50 for his young career. "Obviously it's again and again, confidence level," the 24-year-old Mantha said after Wednesday's practice. "As soon as you get one, maybe the touch is a little bit easier around the net and then you got a two-goal game." Speedy Andreas Athanasiou (team co-leading seven goals) has scored and set up a goal in three straight games since returning from a lower-body injury.



ABOUT THE SENATORS (7-8-3): Dzingel scored in his fourth straight contest on Sunday to increase his team-leading goal total to nine while pushing his point streak to five games, during which he has four goals and two assists. Chris Tierney set up Dzingel's power-play goal for his fifth assist in five contests and 14th overall this season to reside three behind defenseman Thomas Chabot for top honors in that department. Colin White departed Sunday's game against Florida with an undisclosed injury, although coach Guy Boucher expects the forward to be on the ice versus Detroit.

OVERTIME

1. Detroit G Jimmy Howard will bid for his first six-game winning streak since Jan. 12-23, 2012.

2. Ottawa G Craig Anderson's goals-against average at home (3.35) is a full goal less than on the road (4.38).

3. Red Wings LW Thomas Vanek (lower body) and D Jonathan Ericsson (lower body) have been ruled out versus the Senators as well as Saturday's tilt against New Jersey, according to Blashill.

PREDICTION: Senators 4, Red Wings 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Vancouver Canucks vs. Minnesota Wild Preview and Predictions 11-15-2018

NHL Predictions 14th November 2018 by Gracenote
Canucks vs. Wild Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 11/14/2018

The Minnesota Wild try returning to the form that saw them go 10-2-0 after a 1-2-2 start when they host the road-weary Vancouver Canucks on Thursday. Minnesota suffered its eighth straight loss to Washington, 5-2 on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game homestand, with Wild coach Bruce Boudreau telling reporters: "(We) weren't as good as (we) were for the last 12 games. ... We just weren't sharp. ... Some guys were not as good as I expected them to be.''

Minnesota (5-1-2 at Xcel Energy Center), which was the last team to lose in regulation at home, welcomes a Vancouver club that has struggled through the Eastern Conference portion of its second six-game road trip of 2018-19. The Canucks are coming off a 5-2 loss against the New York Islanders on Tuesday, falling to 1-2-2 on the trek with their third straight setback. "It's been a grind a little bit, but it's not an excuse," Vancouver coach Travis Green told reporters. "In the NHL nowadays, you've got to be able to win on the road. We get home in a few days. We've got one more game and we're going to finish this trip off with a win." The Canucks have won four of the last five meetings with the Wild, including a 5-2 victory Oct. 29 in Vancouver with rookie sensation Elias Pettersson scoring a pair of goals and Jacob Markstrom stopping 37 shots.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver), FS North (Minnesota)

ABOUT THE CANUCKS (10-8-2): Pettersson (club-most 10 goals), who is tied for the team lead in points (17) with Bo Horvat (nine goals), has been kept off the scoresheet for the last three games. Loui Eriksson has scored all four of his goals this season in November and also owns four of his eight assists in those six games. Markstrom (7-5-2, 3.28 goals-against average, .896 save percentage) is in line to make his 10th straight start although backup Richard Bachman might make his first appearance this season with Markstrom playing back-to-back nights Monday and Tuesday.



ABOUT THE WILD (11-5-2): Mikael Granlund (team highs of 10 goals, 18 points) had his three-game goal streak snapped Tuesday. Zach Parise (seven goals, 16 points) scored his 340th career goal Sunday against St. Louis to tie Dave Christian for the most in NHL history among Minnesota-born players. Devan Dubnyk (8-4-2, 2.34, .927) allowed more than three goals Tuesday for only the fourth time this season.

OVERTIME

1. The Wild boasts the No. 4 penalty-killing unit in the NHL at 85.7 percent after going 8-for-9 in the last five games.

2. Vancouver RW Brock Boeser (four goals, 11 points in 13 games), the 2018 Calder Trophy runner-up, has missed the last five games as he continues to recover from a groin injury.

3. Minnesota is 5-2-1 versus the Pacific Division this season while the Canucks are 3-1-0 against the Central.

PREDICTION: Wild 3, Canucks 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Montreal Canadiens vs. Calgary Flames Preview and Predictions 11-15-2018

NHL Predictions 14th November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/14/2018

The Calgary Flames managed only four goals during a three-game road trip against their Pacific Division rivals in California, but they will look to get back on track against an opponent that is struggling mightily to shut down the opposition. The Flames will look to dent Montreal's porous defense when they open a four-game homestand against the Canadiens on Thursday night.

Calgary had won four straight before dropping two of three in California, with the lone win a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. "Everyone wants to be on the scoresheet and get points, but ... you have to make a difference to help the team win," forward Sam Bennett said. "If it's not going (in), if you're not getting on the scoresheet, you have to contribute in other ways." The Canadiens were bludgeoned by Edmonton 6-2 in the opener of their three-game trek through Western Canada and have surrendered 21 goals while dropping three of their last four. "You can't win games 6-5 and 5-4 all the time," Montreal defenseman David Schlemko said. "We talked about that, and it's time to buckle down and execute."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS RDS, TSN2 (Montreal), Sportsnet West (Calgary)

ABOUT THE CANADIENS (9-6-3): Forward Max Domi got the day off from practice Wednesday but he scored his team-leading 10th goal against Edmonton to extend his points streak to seven games. Domi's marker allowed him to surpass his season total in 82 games with Arizona last season and gave him five goals and six assists during his point streak. Coach Claude Julien said after practice that he was leaning toward starting goaltender Carey Price, who has surrendered 19 goals in his last four appearances but who had a strong outing in a 3-2 win over Calgary on Oct. 23.

YouTube

ABOUT THE FLAMES (10-7-1): Veteran Mike Smith has allowed at least three goals in eight of his 12 starts, but he will get the nod after turning aside 26 of 28 shots in Sunday's 3-1 loss at San Jose. "At points in the season, it hasn't been there," Smith said. "It was nice to get in a game like that and keep it close as long as we could there, and have a good couple days of practice. It's about going into tomorrow and just being myself and hopefully get a big win." Calgary will feature a revamped second line with Mikael Backlund centering Matthew Tkachuk and Bennett.

OVERTIME

1. Flames F Johnny Gaudreau has two goals and 11 points in nine games against Montreal.

2. Domi had two assists versus Calgary last month, giving him 12 points in 13 games versus the Flames.

3. Flames F Dillon Dube will sit out one more game, coach Bill Peters said.

PREDICTION: Flames 4, Canadiens 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Nashville Predators vs. Arizona Coyotes Preview and Predictions 11-15-2018

NHL Predictions
by Gracenote on 11/14/2018

The Nashville Predators have dropped two in a row for the first time this season while seeing their perfect record away from home go by the boards, but they will attempt to salvage a winning road trip with a visit to the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday night. Nashville is 2-1-1 on its five-game trek after starting the season with eight straight wins on the road.

The Predators had their unblemished record away from home punctured in a back-to-back Monday and Tuesday, losing in a shootout at Anaheim (2-1) before dropping a 5-4 decision in San Jose after erasing an early three-goal deficit. "The first period is not acceptable for a team of our caliber against a middle-of-the-pack team," Nashville forward Rocco Grimaldi said after Tuesday's setback. "No matter what happens we believe we can come back." The Coyotes were ascending up the Pacific Division standings on the heels of a five-game winning streak, but they have dropped four of their last five. "I don't know if it's the end of the trip and guys want to go home. I don't know," coach Rick Tocchet said after Arizona wrapped up a four-game trek with a 6-1 loss in Detroit. "But it's inconsistent hockey the last two weeks and it's something we're going to have stamp out really quick."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS Tennessee (Nashville), FS Arizona

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (13-4-1): Nashville will add some depth to its lineup with the return of forward Austin Watson, who was reinstated to the active roster after serving an 18-game suspension stemming for a domestic assault incident involving his girlfriend. Watson released a statement thanking the organization for its support while offering an apology for his actions. "He'll be a physical force (that) I don't want to say we've been missing, but he's an upgrade on what we currently have," said general manager David Poile said of Watson, who scored 14 goals last season.



ABOUT THE COYOTES (8-8-1): Hours after agreeing to a six-year contract extension worth a reported $27.6 million, defenseman Jakob Chychrun made his season debut for Arizona in the loss Detroit. Sidelined while recovering from offseason knee surgery, Chychrun registered three shots on goal and blocked a shot in 20:39 of ice time. "There were a couple of things I noticed here and there where I wasn't necessarily myself," Chychrun said. "I wasn't expecting to pick up where I left off last year, but I'll take little things, day by day, and hopefully I can get there soon."

OVERTIME

1. Predators G Pekka Rinne, who has allowed three goals in his last four starts, is 18-7-2 with a 2.02 goals-against average versus Arizona.

2. Coyotes F Richard Panik has scored four goals in his last seven games but was a minus-4 in Detroit.

3. Predators F Filip Forsberg scored twice at San Jose to give him 10 on the season, but he has three goals in 10 games versus the Coyotes.

PREDICTION: Predators 4, Coyotes 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. San Jose Sharks Preview and Predictions 11-15-2018

NHL Predictions 14th November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/14/2018

The Toronto Maple Leafs rebounded from their first road loss of the season by beginning their tour of California with their seventh win in eight tries away from home. The Maple Leafs aim to continue their success in the Golden State on Thursday when they visit the San Jose Sharks, who have won four straight home games overall and five in a row when Toronto pays a visit.

John Tavares scored on the power play for his team-best 11th goal and Nazek Kadri added a pair of man-advantage tallies as the Maple Leafs skated to a 5-1 win over Los Angeles on Tuesday. "From start to finish, that was a pretty textbook road win," said the 28-year-old Tavares, who has made himself at home on the road with 16 points (nine goals, seven assists). San Jose's Joe Thornton became the seventh player in NHL history with 1,500 games played, 400 goals and 1,000 assists on Tuesday when he capped the scoring in a 5-4 win over Nashville. "I'm just trying to improve my game, to be honest with you," said the 39-year-old Thornton, who has three goals in his last six contests overall and 15 points (one goal, 14 assists) in his last eight home games versus Toronto.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet Ontario (Toronto), NBCS California (San Jose)

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (12-6-0): While Toronto's flashy forwards garner a significant portion of the headlines in hockey-mad Toronto, defenseman Morgan Rielly has been providing quite the offensive punch as well. The 24-year-old Rielly recorded his seventh multi-point performance of the season against the Kings to extend both his assist and point streaks to three and five games, respectively. "He's an important piece of the puzzle for us. He continues to make strides in the right direction in order to be a premier defenseman in this league, so in order for us to contend, we're going to need him to be at the top of his game," Kadri said of Rielly.



ABOUT THE SHARKS (10-6-3): Captain Joe Pavelski has rebounded from a sluggish October with the makings of a November to remember, recording seven points (five goals, two assists) in seven games - including five (three goals, two assists) in his last two. "If you're a scorer in this league, you're going to deal with highs and lows and dry spells," coach Peter DeBoer told the San Jose Mercury News. "If you're still getting those looks and the foundation of what you're doing is still good every night, then eventually it's going to break and I think that's what you're seeing (for Pavelski)." Tomas Hertl has recorded 14 points (three goals, 11 assists) in his last 11 games, but his availability is in question for Thursday's game after he sustained a lower-body injury during the second period versus the Predators.

OVERTIME

1. Toronto G Frederik Andersen has allowed one goal or fewer in each of his last four starts (4-0-0) while San Jose G Martin Jones is 8-1-1 in his last 10 games.

2. The Sharks have killed off 40 of 42 power plays over the last 15 contests.

3. Maple Leafs C Patrick Marleau, who spent 19 seasons with San Jose, has collected five points (two goals, three assists) over his last six games.

PREDICTION: Sharks 4, Maple Leafs 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Ball St. Cardinals vs. Virginia Tech Hokies Preview and Predictions 11-15-2018

NCAAB Predictions 14th November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/14/2018

No. 17 Virginia Tech survived a few issues in its season opener last week and will have had plenty of time to prepare for what could be a busy stretch of games in the Charleston Classic in South Carolina, beginning with a matchup against Ball State on Thursday. Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Isaiah Wilkins scored 21 points apiece as the Hokies opened their campaign with an 87-59 victory over Gardner-Webb on Friday.

Despite the lopsided score, Virginia Tech led by just four points early in the second half and was not entirely pleased with its 20 turnovers. "I thought we struggled. I thought we would play much better," coach Buzz Williams told reporters after his team shot 50.8 percent from the floor and forced 29 turnovers. The Cardinals will be facing their second straight ranked opponent after falling 84-75 to No. 22 Purdue on Saturday. The winner of Thursday's matchup will take on either Alabama or Northeastern in the next round Friday.

TV: 11:30 a.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT BALL STATE (1-1): Senior guard Tayler Persons scored 19 points in the loss to Purdue but all of them came in the first half and the Cardinals faded down the stretch without his offensive punch. He leads four double-digit scorers early on, including junior forward Tahjai Teague (14.5), who had 21 points in the season-opening win over Indiana State. Sophomore forward Brachen Hazen went 6-for-6 from the floor in that victory and added a 3-pointer in two attempts in the loss to Purdue.

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (1-0): The initial plan was for Wilkins to redshirt this season but Williams made a late decision to put him on the court and the North Carolina native did not disappoint in his debut, making 5-of-7 from 3-point range in 27 turnover-free minutes. "It was definitely an eye-opener," Wilkins told reporters. "The pace is much, much, much different than high school. It's more upbeat - I like it." Senior leader Justin Robinson struggled with his shot (2-for-7) but had a game-high eight assists and recorded three steals in Friday's win.

TIP-INS

1. Hokies F Kerry Blackshear Jr. had 14 points against Gardner-Webb after breaking his nose in an exhibition matchup against Liberty five days earlier.

2. Alexander-Walker and G Wabissa Bede recorded four steals apiece in the opener.

3. This marks the first meeting between the programs.

PREDICTION: Virginia Tech 84, Ball State 72

[Can'tPickAWinner]

St. Joseph's Hawks vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons Preview and Predictions 11-15-2018

NCAAB Predictions 14th November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/14/2018

Wake Forest and Saint Joseph's will play the first ever game in the Myrtle Beach Invitational on Thursday. The Demon Deacons won their opener by 12 while the Hawks have opened the season with a pair of 15-point victories.

Three freshmen scored in double digits for Wake Forest in its opening win over North Carolina A&T. Jaylen Hoard had 19 points and 13 rebounds in his debut, while Isaiah Mucius had 13 and Sharone Wright Jr. chipped in with 11. The opposite was true for Saint Joseph's in its last outing, as the veterans stepped up in a win over Monmouth. Charlie Brown Jr. and Lamarr Kimble, both of whom suffered serious injuries in 2018-19, scored a combined 40 points to help the Hawks remain undefeated on the young season.

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

ABOUT SAINT JOSEPH'S (2-0): Brown, who redshirted after suffering a wrist injury before last season, is averaging 20.5 points and shooting 5-of-10 from 3-point range so far. "The beauty and character of the person never changed," Hawks coach Phil Martelli said earlier this month in reference to Brown's long absence. "I don't know about resilience. I don't want it to sound The Charge of the Light Brigade, but he's in a beautiful place mentally, physically and emotionally." Pierfrancesco Oliva, who averaged 6.6 points and 6.8 rebounds last season, is playing basically the same amount of minutes but has increased his averages to 10.5 and 12.0, respectively.

ABOUT WAKE FOREST (1-0): While the first-year players captured most of the headlines after the season opener, Wake Forest coach Danny Manning was most pleased with junior guard Brandon Childress (18 points, six assists, four rebounds). "I thought that was really, really good from him -- a great floor game,"
Manning said. "That's the type of play we need from him on a nightly basis. He's the one guy on our team I'm going to put some pressure on to perform. He's been there, he has the minutes, and he knows what it's all about. That's what he needs to do, be the quarterback of our team." Childress was 3-of-5 from 3-point
range as part of a strong 8-of-17 effort from the Demon Deacons.

TIP-INS

1. The winner of this game will play Central Florida or Cal State Fullerton in Friday's semifinals.

2. Wake Forest C Olivier Sarr had nine rebounds (seven offensive boards) in the opener.

3. After shooting 50 percent from 3-point range last season, Kimble is 2-of-12 from 3-point land this year.

PREDICTION: Wake Forest 67, Saint Joseph's 62

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Central Florida Knights vs. Cal St. Fullerton Titans Preview and Predictions 11-15-2018

NCAAB Predictions 14th November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/14/2018

After back-to-back dominant defensive seasons, Central Florida has not been as good as advertised on that end of the court. The Knights aim for a crisper defensive effort Thursday against Cal State Fullerton in the opening round of the Myrtle Beach Classic.

Two seasons ago, UCF held opponents to 36.5 percent shooting - best in the nation - and last season, the team gave up only 61.7 points per game, third-best among all Division I schools. This season, however, the team is allowing 75 points per game, including 80 points allowed in a home loss to Florida Atlantic on Sunday. "We're still learning to try to have a killer instinct and what that means," coach Johnny Dawkins said after his team squandered a 10-point lead late in the second half. "That means you keep your foot on your pedal all the way mashed down. And that takes maturity. This team has never been in that position before, so some of it is they have to learn through these experiences. Unfortunately, some of these experiences can be tough." Fullerton, an NCAA Tournament team a season ago, took Arizona State to double-overtime in its opener before coming up short.

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

ABOUT CAL STATE FULLERTON (1-1): Kyle Allman Jr. and Khalil Ahmad combined for 66 points against Arizona State in a 102-94 loss that left Fullerton coach Dedrique Taylor feeling good about his squad. "Our guys competed. I was proud that they competed," said Taylor,. "We set the standard, so now it's can we maintain that moving forward, that is the biggest thing for us." Wayne Arnold scored a career-high 23 points in the Titans' second game, a resounding 106-53 triumph over NCCAA foe West Coast Baptist.

ABOUT UCF (1-1): B.J. Taylor, a fixture in the Knights' lineup for the last three seasons, is averaging 25.5 points through two games and has reached the foul line 26 times, making 20. Aubrey Dawkins has registered 16 points in each game, however he is just 2-of-14 from 3-point range. Massive center Tacko Fall is 6-of-6 from the field on the young season and had five blocks in 17 minutes in the season opener.

TIP-INS

1. This is the first ever meeting between the teams.

2. The winner will face either Saint Joseph's or Wake Forest in Friday's semifinals.

3. At 7-6, Fall is the tallest active college basketball player and is taller than any active NBA player, as well.

PREDICTION: Central Florida 60, Cal State Fullerton 55

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Northeastern Huskies Preview and Predictions 11-15-2018

NCAAB Predictions 14th November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/14/2018

Alabama knew it would need to find new sources of offense following the departure of star guard Collin Sexton to the NBA. Freshman Kira Lewis Jr. has shown early on that he could be one of those sources, and he leads the Crimson Tide into the Charleston Classic in South Carolina on Thursday for a matchup with Northeastern in the opening round.

Lewis shook off a sluggish opener against Southern to score 21 points in Sunday's 81-73 win over Appalachian State, finishing 9-of-18 from the floor. "(He was) a major spark," senior center Donta Hall told reporters of Lewis. "Honestly, the two big 3s he hit at the beginning of the game, getting to the basket, driving the ball hard, that's something he's been talking about (doing) himself." Hall contributed 12 points and 12 rebounds in the victory and leads the team in both categories early on. The Huskies, picked to finish first in the Colonial Athletic Association, bounced back from a season-opening loss to Boston University with an 81-71 triumph over Ivy League favorite Harvard on Friday.

TV: 2 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT ALABAMA (2-0): Hall is 12-for-16 from the floor but his teammates are shooting a collective 38.5 percent. Sophomore guard John Petty has bucked that cold-shooting trend by making 7-of-13 from 3-point range and averaging 15 points while grabbing four rebounds in each of the first two games. Junior guard Dazon Ingram missed the win over Southern with an ankle sprain before recording eight points and eight boards versus Appalachian State.

ABOUT NORTHEASTERN (1-1): The Huskies are led by guards Jordan Roland (21 points per game) and Vasa Pusica (20.5), the former scoring a career-high 35 against Harvard and the latter getting 31 versus Boston University to tie a personal best. Junior Donnell Gresham Jr. buried three 3-pointers en route to 13 points in Friday's win while chipping a team-high five assists. Six Huskies are averaging at least 20 minutes per game while no other player on the team averages more than 8.5.

TIP-INS

1. The winner faces either Virginia Tech or Ball State in the second round Friday while the loser heads to the consolation side of the bracket.

2. The Huskies are shooting 82.6 percent from the foul line while the Crimson Tide is at 63.4 percent.

3. Alabama won the first two meetings, including a 2013 NIT matchup.

PREDICTION: Alabama 79, Northeastern 70

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Purdue Boilermakers vs. Appalachian St. Mountaineers Preview and Predictions 11-15-2018

NCAAB Predictions 14th November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/14/2018

Junior guard Carsen Edwards looks to continue his hot start when 22nd-ranked Purdue takes on dangerous Appalachian State in the first round of the three-game, four-day Charleston (S.C.) Classic on Thursday afternoon. Edwards was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 26.5 points, connecting on nine total 3-pointers, and 3.5 assists as the Boilermakers opened with a pair of wins.

Edwards has led the way for the Purdue in scoring, but coach Matt Painter has been just as impressed with his distribution, telling reporters after an 84-75 win over Ball State on Saturday, "He's done a good job, when two or three people start coming to the basketball, of finding the open man." The Boilermakers had to work to get past the Cardinals after a 33-point win over Fairfield, and they will go after their third in-season tournament win in four years after taking the Hall of Fame Tip Off in 2015 and the Cancun Challenge in 2016. "As a coach you would like to get up 25-30 points and keep it that way," Painter told reporters. "But as we all know, you're not going to grow that way. Having games where you're challenged and getting into close games, you find out a lot about players." Appalachian State will pose an obstacle after taking a six-point lead with 12 minutes remaining at Alabama on Sunday before suffering an 81-73 setback.

TV: 5 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT PURDUE (2-0): Edwards is the only top-five scorer back for the Boilermakers after averaging 18.5 points in 2017-18, but others are stepping up while moving into bigger roles. Sophomore Matt Haarms, a 7-3 sophomore from Holland, is averaging 12.5 points, six rebounds and is 9-of-14 from the field in the first two games while Dartmouth transfer Evan Boudreaux has contributed 24 total points. Senior guard Ryan Cline, who averaged four points last season, has poured in 22 in the first two games to go along with 13 assists and a pair of steals.

ABOUT APPALACHIAN STATE (1-1): Junior forward Isaac Johnson recorded 22 points and 13 rebounds while senior guard Ronshad Shabazz scored 21 against Alabama as the Mountaineers shot 49 percent from the field. Sophomore guard Justin Forrest chipped in with 14 points versus the Crimson Tide and is averaging a team-high 18.5 to go along with 1.5 steals early on. Forrest, Shabazz and freshman Adrian Delph have combined to drain 15 of their 23 attempts from behind the 3-point line and the team is shooting 53.5 percent from beyond the arc overall.

TIP-INS

1. The Boilermakers beat Appalachian State 79-65 in the only previous matchup in 2000.

2. Painter, starting his 14th season, is three wins away from 300 at Purdue.

3. Johnson leads the Mountaineers with 18 rebounds and has made 13-of-19 from the field.

PREDICTION: Purdue 76, Appalachian State 66