Thursday 12-20-18 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 12-20-2018, 08:24 AM

Marshall Thundering Herd vs. South Florida Bulls Preview and Predictions 2018-12-20

NCAAF Predictions 6th December 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 12/06/2018

BAD BOY MOWERS GASPARILLA BOWL STORYLINES

1. South Florida hopes to soothe the sting of a five-game losing streak that ended the regular season when it takes on Marshall in the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl on Dec. 21 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. The Bulls, who face the Thundering Herd for the first time, started the season with seven consecutive victories and had visions of a major bowl game before injury issues and a leaky defense (39.6 points per game allowed in losses) led to five double-digit setbacks. Marshall won three straight games to seal its fifth bowl appearance in six years before ending the regular season with a 41-20 loss at Virginia Tech.

2. USF goes for its sixth win in seven bowl games after beating Texas Tech and South Carolina in the Birmingham Bowl the last two years while the Thundering Herd have won six in a row, including a 31-28 triumph against Colorado State in the 2017 New Mexico Bowl. The Bulls, who are 6-3 overall in bowls, started that run with a 41-14 victory over Memphis in the St. Petersburg Bowl less than 30 minutes away at Tropicana Field in 2008. Marshall won the Beef O'Brady's Bowl in 2011 and the St. Petersburg Bowl in 2015 at Tropicana Field and coach Doc Holliday told reporters: "The state of Florida has been good to our program for several years now and we're excited to get back down to the Tampa area."

3. South Florida hopes to have a healthier offense after a four-week break following the 38-10 loss to No. 7 Central Florida on Nov. 23 and the Bulls, who averaged 35.6 points during their 7-0 start, will face a defense that allowed 22 points per game and tied for sixth in the nation with 39 sacks. USF did not have No. 1 quarterback Blake Barnett in two of its last three games because of a shoulder injury and he may return, but the Bulls will have a new play caller after offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert was hired as McNeese State's new coach after the regular season. Marshall is permitting 103.9 rushing yards per contest while senior linebacker Chase Hancock leads the way with 98 tackles, junior lineman Ty Tyler boasts a team-best eight sacks and 11 players have an interception.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Marshall -2.5

ABOUT MARSHALL (8-4, 6-2 Conference USA): Freshman quarterback Isaiah Green had a solid first year at the helm, throwing for 2,238 yards with 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, but completed only 55.7 percent of his passes. Sophomore Tyler King rushed for 655 yards in the first seven games, but has been out the last five contests with an undisclosed injury, and freshman Brenden Knox picked up the slack with 485 in the last four - 204 against Virginia Tech. Senior receiver Tyre Brady, a Conference USA first-team pick, is the top target for Green after hauling in 66 passes for 914 yards and nine touchdowns this year.

ABOUT SOUTH FLORIDA (7-5, 3-5 American Athletic Conference): Barnett threw for 2,498 yards in 10 games, but had 11 interceptions to go along with 11 touchdown passes, and sophomore Chris Oladokun or junior Brett Kean would step in if the former Alabama quarterback can't go. Junior Jordan Cronkrite has rushed for 1,095 yards - sixth most in a season at USF - and the top receiving targets are 5-11, 240-pound senior wideout Tyre McCants (58 catches, 612 yards, three TDs) along with junior tight end Mitchell Wilcox (40 receptions, 506 yards, two TDs). Senior linebacker Khalid McGee leads the beleaguered Bulls' defense with 104 tackles.

PREDICTION: South Florida 31, Marshall 21

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 12-20-2018, 03:18 PM

Houston Rockets vs. Miami Heat Preview and Predictions 2018-12-20

NBA Predictions 20th December 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 12/20/2018

The Houston Rockets appear to have found their identity after a choppy start to the season. Houston has matched a season best with five consecutive wins entering Thursday's road contest against the Miami Heat and made an NBA record 26 3-pointers in Wednesday's 136-118 victory over the Washington Wizards.

James Harden drained six 3-pointers, Chris Paul buried five and Eric Gordon along with Gerald Green each made four in Houston's record-setting performance against the Wizards. Michael Carter-Williams hit No. 26 with 30.3 seconds left to surpass the mark set by the Cleveland Cavaliers, who made 25 against the Atlanta Hawks on March 3, 2017. The Heat have won back-to-back games and six of their past nine as they climb back from a slow start. Miami was dealt a blow Wednesday when point guard Goran Dragic underwent arthroscopic knee surgery and is expected to be sidelined two months.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT, AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston)

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (16-14): Houston was three games below .500 at the 25-game mark but has turned around its fortunes quickly, capped by the stellar shooting performance against Washington. "We've had games where we hit a lot of 3s," Paul told reporters after the victory. "I had no clue we had that many until the fans started chanting 'three' every time we had the ball." The game against Miami is the lone road game during a six-game stretch and the Rockets are just 7-9 in away contests.

ABOUT THE HEAT (13-16): Dragic has been able to play in only 14 of 29 games due to his troublesome right knee and an earlier absence after getting the knee drained didn't clear up the issues. Dragic, who is averaging 15.3 points and 4.9 assists, missed the past three games before undergoing the procedure. "We feel good about the fact that there's a solution now," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters. "It was frustrating for him and all parties, trying to figure out what was going on. Goran is as dedicated as anybody, so he was around the building doing treatment around the clock. It just wasn't responding the way he wanted it to. He pushed it all the way until he realized that it wouldn't get better, and we went with this solution."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Rockets' victory in Miami last season was just their second in the past nine visits.

2. Heat SGs Josh Richardson (hip) and Tyler Johnson (migraine) are probable for Thursday's game, while SF Justise Winslow (ankle) is questionable.

3. Houston F James Ennis (hamstring) is slated to miss his fifth straight game.

PREDICTION: Heat 115, Rockets 111

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 12-20-2018, 03:19 PM

Dallas Mavericks vs. LA Clippers Preview and Predictions 2018-12-20

NBA Predictions 19th December 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 12/19/2018

The Los Angeles Clippers seek to end a season-worst four-game losing streak when they host the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. The Clippers have dropped seven of nine games after being one of the league's biggest surprises while jumping off to a 15-6 start.

The Mavericks also were exceeding expectations by winning 12 of 15 games but have followed that stretch up with three straight setbacks, including Tuesday's 126-118 loss to the Denver Nuggets. Forward Harrison Barnes matched his season high of 30 points against Denver while star rookie forward Luka Doncic registered 23 points and a season-best 12 assists for his third career double-double. The Clippers allowed a season worst for points in Monday's 131-127 home setback against the Portland Trail Blazers and have allowed an average of 121.5 points over their past six games. "We have to start at the defensive end, picking up our physicality and letting that fuel our offense," Los Angeles forward Tobias Harris told reporters. "We kind of just have to be a little bit more locked in. It also does help when we get better starts offensively to really get that feel and get ourselves that confidence."

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

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (15-14): Center DeAndre Jordan returns to Staples Center as a visiting player for the first time against the Clippers, of whom he spent his first 10 NBA seasons. Jordan recorded 16 points and 23 rebounds - the latter a season high he has since matched - as Dallas recorded a 114-110 home win over Los Angeles on Dec. 2. The 30-year-old is averaging 11 points and 13.8 rebounds and has 25 double-digit rebounding efforts along with 18 double-doubles.

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (17-13): Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers is mystified over his team's recent struggles but he asserted that lineup changes aren't needed. One player under the microscope is shooting guard Avery Bradley, who has gone scoreless in two of the past four games and been in single digits in five of the last seven. "We're looking at everything, guys," Rivers told reporters. "... It's just convenient when you lose, 'Let's go back to something else.' Probably why I don't do it, because I think the numbers will bear out."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Clippers have won the past three home meetings with the Mavericks.

2. Dallas PG Dennis Smith Jr. (wrist) is expected to sit out for the seventh time in eight games.

3. Los Angeles G Lou Williams (hamstring) is slated to miss his fifth consecutive game but could return later this week.

PREDICTION: Clippers 111, Mavericks 109

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 12-20-2018, 03:19 PM

New Jersey Devils vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Preview and Predictions 2018-12-20

NHL Predictions 19th December 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 12/19/2018

The Columbus Blue Jackets will try to salvage a split of a six-game homestand when they host the skidding New Jersey Devils on Thursday night in the first meeting of the season between the Metropolitan Division rivals. The Blue Jackets squeezed out a 1-0 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday but they have managed to score only eight goals during the 2-2-1 homestand.

Columbus will square off with the last-place Devils twice in a span of four days, part of a stretch in which it plays four in a row against Metropolitan opponents. "We have some division games coming up, which I love," Blue Jackets forward Brandon Dubinsky said. "I've played a lot of games in my career against the guys coming up, and I'm excited about that." New Jersey has been in a tailspin since winning its first four games of the season and is coming off a 7-2 thrashing by visiting Toronto on Tuesday. "Our group in here, we can't take nights off," Devils forward Taylor Hall said. "We have to play very, very well to get wins. That's got to be our focus for the next game."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG (New Jersey), FS Ohio (Columbus)

ABOUT THE DEVILS (11-14-7): Hall was back in the lineup after missing two games with a lower-body injury but it wasn't enough to prevent New Jersey from losing for the 10th time in 12 games (2-5-5). Every mistake appears to be coming back to haunt the Devils, such as the decision of 2017 No. 1 overall Nico Hischier to pass instead of shoot on a 2-on-1 in Tuesday's game that led to a turnover and Toronto's opening goal. "Just use his speed, be more direct, be more assertive," coach John Hynes said. "He's a real good player, he's got great speed. Sometimes in those situations you'd like to see a different decision made."

ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (18-12-3): Artemi Panarin, tied for the team lead with 34 points, returned to practice Wednesday after sitting out Monday's game with a lower-body injury and will be back in the lineup against New Jersey. However, Panarin's absence Monday allowed coach John Tortorella to juggle his lines for the game, including elevating Anthony Duclair at left wing on the No. 1 unit. "I thought Duke, the speed that he can show, some of the things that he can do, I just hope he understands the other part of it because I'd love to keep him in the lineup," Tortorella said. "But that's gonna fall on him."

OVERTIME

1. The Blue Jackets have won three in a row and six of seven against New Jersey.

2. Devils G Keith Kinkaid allowed eight goals in losing both starts to Columbus last season.

3. Blue Jackets F Cam Atkinson, the team leader with 19 goals, is mired in a six-game drought.

PREDICTION: Blue Jackets 4, Devils 2

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 12-20-2018, 03:19 PM

Minnesota Wild vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Preview and Predictions 2018-12-20

NHL Predictions 19th December 2018 by Gracenote
Wild vs. Penguins Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 12/19/2018

The Minnesota Wild began their four-game homestand with a red-hot offense but ended it in a deep freeze. Minnesota hopes to be thawed out Thursday as it takes to the road to face the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Wild kicked off their stretch at Xcel Energy Center with victories in which they outscored Montreal and Florida 12-2 but finished it with losses to Calgary and San Jose that saw them record a total of one goal. Mikael Granlund, who leads the team with 33 points, has been setting up tallies but hasn't been netting them as he has registered one goal in his last 16 contests and enters Thursday with an eight-game drought. Pittsburgh is coming off its third win in four contests, a 2-1 triumph at Washington on Wednesday in which Sidney Crosby scored the tying goal and set up Bryan Rust's game-winner. The 31-year-old captain, who took sole possession of the team lead in scoring (38 points), has notched a goal and five assists during his four-game point streak.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS North, FS Wisconsin (Minnesota), AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh

ABOUT THE WILD (17-14-2): Mikko Koivu returned to the lineup in Tuesday's 4-0 loss to the Sharks and registered two shots and a minus-1 rating in just under 13 minutes of ice time after missing four games with an upper-body injury. The 35-year-old Finnish captain, who has gone 10 contests without a goal and has recorded only four in 28 games this season, is three away of 200 for his career. One reason for Minnesota's offensive funk is the absence of defenseman Matt Dumba, whose 12 goals - six on the power play - are two shy of the career high he set last season but has missed two games and remains out indefinitely (upper body).

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (16-12-6): Patric Hornqvist was activated from injured reserve prior to Wednesday's victory and recorded one hit in 14 minutes, 45 seconds of ice time. The 31-year-old Swede, who ranks fourth on the team with 12 goals, missed six games with an upper-body injury. Jake Guentzel notched an assist against the Capitals, giving him at least one point in 12 of his last 16 contests.

OVERTIME

1. Wild RW Nino Niederreiter scored four goals in three games before being blanked in his last two contests.

2. Pittsburgh could be without D Jamie Oleksiak, who exited Wednesday's contest in the first period with an undisclosed injury suffered during a fight with Washington's Tom Wilson.

3. Minnesota has scored first in only 10 of its 33 games and is 6-3-1 in such contests.

PREDICTION: Penguins 4 Wild 2

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 12-20-2018, 03:19 PM

Detroit Red Wings vs. Carolina Hurricanes Preview and Predictions 2018-12-20

NHL Predictions 19th December 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 12/19/2018

The Detroit Red Wings appear to be limping toward the Christmas break with an inconsistent offense contributing to losses in four straight (0-3-1) and five of their last six games. The Red Wings vie to alter their fortunes on Thursday against a familiar face in former goaltender Petr Mrazek and the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena.

Dylan Larkin hasn't struggled on the offensive end, extending his point streak to eight games (four goals, seven assists) by notching an assist in Tuesday's 3-2 setback to Philadelphia. The 22-year-old Michigan native gave his teammates a brief scare with a premature exit in Wednesday practice, but coach Jeff Blashill told reporters that "he came back out, so I'm assuming it's a bump or a bruise." Carolina had dropped six of seven before Mrazek recorded his 15th career shutout and first with Carolina on Sunday after turning aside all 23 shots he faced in a 3-0 victory versus Arizona. "The key was playing good in the defensive zone, good penalty kill," the 26-year-old Czech said. "I did see the puck really well, that was the key."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, FS Carolinas

ABOUT THE RED WINGS (14-16-5): Jimmy Howard said he felt considerably better on Wednesday, one day after his back seized up during his pregame routine at Wells Fargo Center. "I was able to skate before the guys got out there. I didn't have any issues. ... It's nothing long term. It happens from time to time," the 34-year-old said. Howard will serve as the backup on Thursday to Jonathan Bernier, who made a career-high 49 saves and stopped all three shots he faced in the shootout of a 4-3 win at Carolina on Nov. 10.

ABOUT THE HURRICANES (14-13-5): Sebastian Aho extended his point streak to five games (five goals, three assists) with his team-best 12th goal on Sunday. The 21-year-old Finn boosted his club-high assist total of 22 with three in the season series against Detroit. Fellow countryman Teuvo Teravainen has two assists versus the Red Wings and seven points (one goal, six assists) in his last five outings overall.

OVERTIME

1. Carolina LW Micheal Ferland has scored a goal in each of the two games versus Detroit this season.

2. Red Wings speedy C Andreas Athanasiou, who has a team second-best 11 goals, has not scored in his last 10 contests.

3. Hurricanes captain Justin Williams has three goals and two assists on a five-game point streak.

PREDICTION: Hurricanes 3, Red Wings 2

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 12-20-2018, 03:20 PM

Nashville Predators vs. Philadelphia Flyers Preview and Predictions 2018-12-20

NHL Predictions 19th December 2018 by Gracenote
Predators vs. Flyers Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 12/19/2018

The Nashville Predators have heard plenty of sour notes outside of Music City, as the club answered a franchise-best 8-0-0 start away from Bridgestone Arena by posting an 0-6-2 mark on the road. The Predators look to alter the tune on Thursday when they continue their four-game trek against the Philadelphia Flyers.

"We have to go out there right from the start and attack the game," Nashville captain Roman Josi said. "Just go and try to get the first goal - we have to have that mindset more often on the road." The Predators accomplished that feat on Tuesday as Kevin Fiala scored late in the first period, but the team was unable to solve Cam Ward again as it fell to 0-1-1 on its road trip with a 2-1 setback to Chicago. Philadelphia countered a four-game losing skid by opening its three-game homestand with Tuesday's 3-2 victory over Detroit as 20-year-old Carter Hart turned aside 20 shots in his NHL debut to present Scott Gordon with his first win as the team's interim coach. "The kid is giving us something right now. He's giving us some energy, a jolt, something this team desperately needed," said defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, who scored his first goal in 16 games.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Tennessee (Nashville), ESPN-Plus, NBCS Philadelphia

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (22-11-2): Colton Sissons' availability for Thursday's tilt is in question after he rolled his ankle against the Blackhawks. The 25-year-old has scored six of his seven goals this season on the road and found the net in the third period on Oct. 19, 2017, when the Predators skated out of Philadelphia with a 1-0 win. Reigning Vezina Trophy recipient Pekka Rinne turned aside all 28 shots he faced in that contest and owns a 6-2-2 mark with a 2.63 goals-against average and .914 save percentage in his career versus the Flyers.

ABOUT THE FLYERS (13-15-4): James van Riemsdyk joined Gostisbehere with a goal and an assist against the Red Wings, boosting the high-priced offseason acquisition's point total to nine this season -- with five (three goals, two assists) coming in the last six games. The 29-year-old van Riemsdyk hopes to continue his success versus Nashville, against which he scored two goals and set up another in two contests with Toronto last season. Captain Claude Giroux, who has 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in his last nine games overall, has 14 (six goals, eight assists) in 15 career encounters against the Predators.

OVERTIME

1. Nashville sports a 10-0-1 mark against Eastern Conference representatives, including 5-0-0 versus Metropolitan Division foes.

2. Philadelphia's 29th-ranked power play is a woeful 1-for-27 in its last 12 games.

3. Predators C Ryan Johansen, who leads the team with 30 points, has four of his club-best 25 assists in his last two contests.

PREDICTION: Predators 4, Flyers 1

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 12-20-2018, 03:20 PM

Anaheim Ducks vs. Boston Bruins Preview and Predictions 2018-12-20

NHL Predictions 19th December 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 12/19/2018

One night after using a three-goal period as a springboard in a comeback victory at Pittsburgh, the Anaheim Ducks were victimized in the same manner to deny their bid of a franchise record-tying seventh consecutive road victory. Anaheim looks to rebound from a 3-1 loss at Madison Square Garden when it resumes a six-game road trip at the Boston Bruins on Thursday night.

The Ducks also had a four-game overall winning streak halted in Tuesday's loss to the New York Rangers, giving up three goals in the final 20 minutes for only their second defeat in 11 games (9-2-0). Anaheim has dominated the series against the Bruins over the previous few years, winning nine meetings in a row and the past four visits to Boston. After allowing nine goals in back-to-back defeats, the Bruins rebounded with one of their better efforts in weeks with a 4-0 shutout in Montreal. "Standings are getting closer and closer, points are really at a premium," Boston defenseman Torey Krug said. "It's big for the standings. It definitely builds some character and hopefully we can build on it."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Pacific, Prime Ticket (Anaheim), NESN (Boston)

ABOUT THE DUCKS (19-12-5): Red-hot Ondrej Kase collected an assist on his team's lone goal at New York to give him 11 points (six goals, five assists) over the past eight eight games for surging Anaheim. Starting netminder John Gibson, who got the night off against the Rangers after beating Pittsburgh the previous night, has surrendered six goals during a four-start winning streak and also had limited Boston to two goals in winning both career matchups. Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf also picked up an assist Monday to give him 17 points over the last 15 games while bolstering his team-high total to 29.

ABOUT THE BRUINS (18-12-4): Boston received a boost to its collective psyche on Wednesday as center Patrice Bergeron and defenseman Zdeno Chara went through their first full practice since they were both injured over a month ago. While Chara has yet to be cleared for contact, Bergeron has no restrictions from the chest injury that has sidelined him for 15 games and his return to the lineup appears imminent. "Bergie skated in a full contact and is feeling better," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. "I don't have a definitive timeline, but he's progressing well and could potentially play this weekend."

OVERTIME

1. Bruins C David Krejci has four goals and six assists during a seven-game point streak.

2. Getzlaf has four goals and 15 points in 16 games versus Boston.

3. Bruins F David Pastrnak has 11 points in his last seven games.

PREDICTION: Ducks 3, Bruins 2

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 12-20-2018, 03:20 PM

Florida Panthers vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Preview and Predictions 2018-12-20

NHL Predictions 19th December 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 12/19/2018

The Toronto Maple Leafs rebounded from two disappointing results with a dominating performance and look to build on that when they host the rejuvenated Florida Panthers on Thursday night. The Maple Leafs lost at Tampa Bay 4-1 despite recording 49 shots and were beaten at Florida in overtime Saturday before scoring early and often to knock off New Jersey 7-2 on Tuesday.

"We need to try and bottle all that up and find some consistency in that," Toronto forward Connor Brown told reporters after joining teammate Nazem Kadri with three assists Tuesday. "That was the type of game we wanted to play - in their end and play heavy." Florida captain Aleksander Barkov capped his first career hat trick with the overtime winner in the 4-3 triumph over the Maple Leafs last weekend and boasts 15 points (eight goals) in the last 11 games as the Panthers try to climb out of the Atlantic Division cellar. Florida followed up the win over Toronto by scoring four unanswered goals in the third period for a 5-2 victory at Buffalo on Tuesday to open a four-game road trip. "We've been in that situation so many times this year, one-goal games and trailing and coming back, letting a game fall again. ...," Panthers coach Bob Boughner told reporters. "I think we're learning from our mistakes. If I have to say one thing, I think that we are getting more mature in those situations."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Florida, TVA, Sportsnet Ontario (Toronto)

ABOUT THE PANTHERS (13-13-6): Barkov scored Tuesday and has five points in the last two games to tie fellow forward Evgenii Dadonov for second on the team with 33 - six behind left wing Jonathan Huberdeau. The 25-year-old Huberdeau boasts 22 points in the past 12 contests after registering an assist Tuesday while veteran goalie Roberto Luongo posted his 478th career win to pull within six of Ed Belfour for third in NHL history. Forward Frank Vatrano scored his ninth goal Tuesday to pull within one of his career best in 2016-17 with Boston.

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (22-10-2): Patrick Marleau recorded his 544th career goal in Tuesday's victory to tie Maurice "Rocket" Richard for 30th on the NHL's all-time list. "Growing up, I'd look at all the hockey cards and all the books," Marleau told reporters. "You read about the great players and think it's pretty cool to be in that same company. It's always nice when a milestone like that comes in a win." Mitch Marner owns three goals in the last two games and leads the team with 44 points while John Tavares recorded three of his team-best 21 goals in the past four contests.

OVERTIME

1. Toronto D Morgan Rielly entered Wednesday tied for the league lead in points among blue liners with 36 - nine in the past nine games.

2. Florida D Keith Yandle owns assists in each of the last two games and is four points away from 500 for his career.

3. Toronto has won the last five meetings at home and the visiting team dropped seven straight in the series.

PREDICTION: Maple Leafs 5, Panthers 3

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 12-20-2018, 03:20 PM

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Dallas Stars Preview and Predictions 2018-12-20

NHL Predictions 19th December 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 12/19/2018

Getting off the road provided a much-needed lift for the Dallas Stars, who halted a four-game losing streak with a 2-0 victory over Calgary on Tuesday night to improve their home record to a stellar 11-3-1. The Stars will have one of their top players back in the lineup when they go for their sixth straight home victory against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night.

"We were on the road for 32 of 50 (days), not that that's an excuse, but it was great to be home," Dallas coach Jim Montgomery said after Tuesday's win, which followed a stretch in which his team played 17 of 24 on the road. The Stars will add a key cog with the return of defenseman John Klingberg, who has been sidelined for nearly six weeks after undergoing hand surgery. Chicago had dropped nine of 10 before wrapping up a four-game homestand with a 2-1 victory over Nashville on Tuesday night. Blackhawks forward Artem Anisimov returned from a concussion for Tuesday's game but teammate Marcus Kruger suffered a similar injury and was placed on injured reserve Wednesday.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, FS Southwest (Dallas)

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (11-19-6): Defenseman Erik Gustafsson scored five goals in 2017-18 but is on a roll with six tallies in the last dozen games to push his career-best total to seven for the season. "It builds my confidence," Gustafsson said after scoring the decisive goal on the power play against Nashville. "It's always nice to score a goal, but at the end you want to make sure the team wins. My confidence feels good and it's a lot of fun to play right now." With starting goaltender Corey Crawford suffering a concussion in Sunday's game, Cam Ward stepped in with a 30-save effort to beat the Predators.

ABOUT THE STARS (17-14-3): Klingberg was off to a fast start this season with five goals and eight assists through 16 games, but he has been sidelined for 17 contests since he injured his hand on Nov. 8. The second-leading scorer among defensemen last season with a career-high 67 points, Montgomery said he will pair the Swede with Esa Lindell for Thursday's matchup. Starting netminder Ben Bishop, who had to briefly exit Tuesday's win to be checked for a concussion before returning for the first combined shutout in franchise history, won all four starts against Chicago last season while allowing seven goals.

OVERTIME

1. Stars C Tyler Seguin followed a four-game point drought with two goals and three assists in the last three contests.

2. Blackhawks F Patrick Kane has nine points over the last eight games.

3. Dallas swept the season series in 2017-18 and outscored Chicago 7-2 at home.

PREDICTION: Stars 4, Blackhawks 1

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 12-20-2018, 03:20 PM

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Calgary Flames Preview and Predictions 2018-12-20

NHL Predictions 19th December 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 12/19/2018

The Tampa Bay Lightning expect to get production from the top performers almost every night, but the bottom-six forwards have also been making steady contributions as they look to extend their point streak to 11 games at the Calgary Flames on Thursday. The "fourth line" of Cedric Paquette, Adam Erne and Danick Martel recorded two goals and three assists in Tuesday's 5-2 victory at Vancouver as Tampa Bay improved to 9-0-1 in its last 10.

"When you don't have the first two lines scoring, the third and fourth are there to score, and that's been huge for us this year," Paquette told reporters after notching his eighth goal Tuesday to go along with an assist and a fight. "It feels like we are a complete team." Captain Steven Stamkos boasts 10 goals in his last 10 contests as he approaches his 700th NHL game Thursday for Tampa Bay, which owns the league's best record, but will face a Calgary team that lost in regulation for only the third time in 16 games (12-3-1) Tuesday at Dallas. The Pacific Division-leading Flames, who have scored 64 goals during that span despite being shut out three times, could not muster much with 24 shots in the 2-0 setback against the Stars last time out. "We weren't sharp - it showed right from the start," Calgary captain Mark Giordano told reporters. "I thought they looked like the faster team, but only because they were committed to putting pucks in and forechecking. For whatever reason, we were fighting it all night. We weren't making clean plays."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), Sportsnet West (Calgary)

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (26-7-2): Martel was a late addition to the lineup when right wing Ryan Callahan (upper body) was ruled out after the warmup, and 24-year-old recorded his first NHL point (assist) along with two hits in 6:57 of playing time. "My warmup was dressing. Not thinking. ...," Martel told reporters after his second game of the season. ". ... I wanted to make a difference. I don't have a lot of opportunities, and when I have some, I need to be ready." Third-line center Anthony Cirelli leads all Lightning forwards with a plus-12 rating and boasts nine goals - three short-handed.

ABOUT THE FLAMES (22-11-2): David Rittich has started five straight contests between the pipes and owns a .944 save percentage in that stretch while his team was shut out twice. Johnny Gaudreau had three goals and three assists in three games before being blanked Tuesday and owns a team-high 45 points overall - five more than fellow left wing Matthew Tkachuk, who has seven points in his past four contests. Giordano, a defenseman, registered three goals and eight assists in his last six games while center Sean Monahan has four of his 39 points in the past four outings.

OVERTIME

1. Calgary LW James Neal (three goals, seven points) missed Tuesday's game with a lower-body injury and his status is uncertain.

2. Tampa Bay RW Nikita Kucherov leads the team with 50 points and has a goal in each of the last three contests.

3. The road team has won the last four meetings and the teams have combined to score 31 goals in that stretch - 16 by the Lightning.

PREDICTION: Flames 4, Lightning 3

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 12-20-2018, 03:21 PM

Montreal Canadiens vs. Arizona Coyotes Preview and Predictions 2018-12-20

NHL Predictions 20th December 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 12/20/2018

The comforts of home did nothing to change the fortunes of the Arizona Coyotes, who began their three-game string at Gila River Arena with their sixth loss in seven overall contests. Arizona looks to get back in the win column when it continues the homestand Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens.

Home hasn't been kind to the Coyotes of late, however, as they've lost three straight and seven of their last eight (1-6-1) on their own rink. Mario Kempe provided the only offense in Tuesday's 3-1 setback against the New York Islanders, scoring his first goal of the season and third in 30 career NHL games. Montreal kicked off its year-ending six-game road trip with its second straight loss, a 2-1 defeat in Colorado on Wednesday. Brendan Gallagher scored for the Canadiens, which was his team-leading 15th of the season and fourth in eight contests.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, TSN2, RDS (Montreal), FS Arizona

ABOUT THE CANADIENS (17-13-5): Max Domi, who leads the team with 33 points, will be facing Arizona for the first time since being acquired in June. The 23-year-old trails Gallagher by one goal and is four away from matching the career high he set as a rookie with the Coyotes in 2015-16 but is mired in a five-game drought. Charles Hudon registered one shot in just under 9 1/2 minutes of ice time as he appeared in his 100th NHL game Wednesday after being a healthy scratch for the team's previous nine contests.

ABOUT THE COYOTES (14-17-2): Alex Galchenyuk has gotten off to a slow start in his first season in the desert, registering three goals and 11 points in 23 games while also missing time due to injuries. The 24-year-old, who was acquired from Montreal for Domi, hopes to break out against the team with which he netted a career-high 30 tallies in 2015-16. Clayton Keller tops the team with 23 points and shares the lead in goals with eight - four game-winners - but has gone eight games without one.

OVERTIME

1. Thursday's contest begins a stretch of three games in four days for the Coyotes.

2. Montreal G Carey Price remains in search of his 300th career victory but may be rested after making 24 saves against the Avalanche.

3. Arizona assigned G Adin Hill and RW Conor Garland to Tucson of the American Hockey League.

PREDICTION: Coyotes 3, Canadiens 2

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 12-20-2018, 03:21 PM

St. Louis Blues vs. Vancouver Canucks Preview and Predictions 2018-12-20

NHL Predictions 19th December 2018 by Gracenote
Blues vs. Canucks Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 12/19/2018

The St. Louis Blues were mired in a 4-9-1 slump after a 6-1 home loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Dec. 9 but have won three of four since after leaving Edmonton with a 4-1 victory on Tuesday. The Blues will be looking for redemption Thursday when they visit Vancouver on the second stop of their only road trip through Western Canada this season.

The suddenly-hot Canucks saw a six-game point streak end on Tuesday in a feisty 5-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning that saw a 10-minute misconduct, four fighting majors and seven roughing penalties doled out in a hotly-contested second period. "I like the way our team is coming together," Canucks coach Travis Green told reporters after his team suffered its first regulation defeat since Dec. 4. "They're sticking together, they're battling hard. That was a man's game out there tonight." Vladimir Tarasenko's seven-game scoring drought ended with power-play goal in the third as St. Louis handed Edmonton its first loss in seven home games under new coach Ken Hitchcock. "It was a real solid team effort," Blues interim coach Craig Berube told the media. "Man to man, everybody was dialed in and played a real solid team game for 60 minutes."

TV: 10 p.m. ET, FS Midwest (St. Louis), Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver)

ABOUT THE BLUES (13-15-4): Jake Allen made 22 saves and failed to surrender a goal in the opening frame for the first time in five games during Tuesday's win, after the goaltender had given up 10 goals on 40 first period shots over his last previous four outings. Ryan O'Reilly has been one of the best offseason acquisitions in the NHL as the 10-year-veteran leads the Blues in goals (13) along with assists (19) and is tied for second in the league in faceoff wins (436) entering Wednesday - trailing only the Canucks' Bo Horvat (497). Jaden Schwartz has totaled 116 goals and 169 assists in his eight seasons in St. Louis as the forward gets set to play his 400th NHL game on Thursday.

ABOUT THE CANUCKS (16-17-4): Jacob Markstrom had a scheduled day off Tuesday but has been on fire in December as the netminder is 5-0-0 with a .937 save percentage and a 1.80 goals against average since the calendar turned. Vancouver registered its most lopsided victory of the season less than two weeks ago against the Blues as 20-year-old Elias Pettersson potted a goal and added four helpers while sniper Brock Boeser recorded the second hat trick of his career. Pettersson saw his seven-game point streak end against the Lightning (four goals, nine assists) but the Swede still leads the Canucks and all NHL rookies in goals (17), assists (18) and power play points (11).

OVERTIME

1. The Canucks and Blues are tied for 12th in the league with 22 power play goals, but Vancouver enters Wednesday sitting fourth in opportunities (121) while the Blues are tied for 22nd (101).

2. Pettersson's 35 points this season gives him 12 more than the next closest rookie through Tuesday - Ottawa's Colin White (23).

3. Allen was pulled in the first period after giving up three goals on six shots in the Blues' Dec. 9 loss to Vancouver.

PREDICTION: Canucks 5, Blues 3

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 12-20-2018, 03:21 PM

New York Islanders vs. Vegas Golden Knights Preview and Predictions 2018-12-20

NHL Predictions 19th December 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 12/19/2018

Anthony Beauvillier has flipped the script from a slow start to the season, answering a one-point effort in his first 16 games with 12 (10 goals, two assists) in his last 16. Beauvillier bids to add to his torrid stretch on Thursday when the Islanders visit T-Mobile Arena in an attempt to salvage a split of the season series with the Vegas Golden Knights.

Beauvillier scored in New York's 3-2 setback versus Vegas on Dec. 12 and added two more tallies during the team's three-game winning streak, including Tuesday's 3-1 triumph over Arizona. Brock Nelson also scored against the Coyotes to pull even with Beauvillier with 11 goals, one shy of captain Anders Lee for the team lead. While the Islanders are vying for their fourth straight win and fourth consecutive victory on the road, the Golden Knights return home from a four-game trek having played in a quartet of one-goal decisions. "It's too bad we couldn't finish this road trip off on a better note. The guys played hard but they didn't have a whole lot in the tank," Vegas coach Gerard Gallant said on the heels of Monday's 1-0 setback in Columbus.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, MSG-Plus (New York), Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario, AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountains (Vegas)

ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (17-12-4): New York placed Thomas Hickey (upper body) on injured reserve and recalled fellow defenseman Devon Toews from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League. Hickey crashed into the boards during the second period of Monday's 4-1 victory versus Colorado. The 24-year-old Toews, who has collected 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) in 24 games with the Sound Tigers, would make his NHL debut should he participate in Thursday's contest.

ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (19-15-2): With Max Pacioretty sidelined by a lower-body injury, Vegas reached out for some offensive punch and recalled fellow forward Brandon Pirri from Chicago of the American Hockey League. The 27-year-old Pirri, who leads the AHL with 41 points (17 goals, 24 assists) in 28 games for the Wolves, has scored a goal in four straight contests to highlight his current nine-game point streak. Pirri fared well in a short stint with the Golden Knights last season, scoring three goals in two games to boost his career point total to 101 (60 goals, 41 assists) with five NHL teams.

OVERTIME

1. Vegas G Marc-Andre Fleury turned aside 23 shots in the first encounter with New York to improve his record to 24-11-5 in 43 career matchups.

2. Islanders C Mathew Barzal recorded two of his team-leading 23 assists in last week's meeting with the Golden Knights.

3. Vegas C William Karlsson has scored four of his club-best 13 goals in his last five games, with one coming against New York.

PREDICTION: Islanders 3, Golden Knights 2

Thursday 12-20-18 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

Thursday 12-20-18 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

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