Thursday 12-27-18 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Independence Bowl, Shreveport
Temple’s coach is off to Georgia Tech, isn’t coaching here. Owls won six of last seven games after a 2-3 start that included a loss to a I-AA team. Temple allowed 36-45-52 points in their three I-A losses; they’re 7-0 vs I-A teams when allowing less than 36 points. Duke allowed 200+ YR in last five games; they lost four of last six games after a 5-1 start- they lost last two games after a 5-1 start. Blue Devils went from 1960-2015 without winning a bowl; they’ve won last two bowls, 44-41/36-14; this is their 5th bowl in last six years. ACC teams won this bowl last three years; favorites are 4-3 vs spread in last seven, with average total of 65.2 in last five. Last four years, AAC teams are 17-11 vs spread when playing an ACC team. Four of last six Temple games stayed under total; under is 5-3 in last eight Duke games.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Pinstripe Bowl, Bronx
Wisconsin (+5) beat Miami 34-24 in LY’s Orange Bowl; it’ll be a little cooler at this game. Miami lost seven of last eight bowls; four of their last five bowls stayed under total. Miami QB Perry has off-field issues, may be held out of this game; former starter Rozier (threw 144 passes this year) would step in his place. Wisconsin Hornibrook (concussion) is out here. Hurricanes are 6-0 when they score 24+ points, 0-5 when they don’t. Wisconsin is 2-3 in its last five games; they’re 0-4 when they score 21 or fewer points, 7-0 when they score. Underdogs covered this bowl six of last seven years; Big 14 team won three of last four, with an average total of 58.6 in last five. Last five years, Big 14 teams are 18-13-1 vs spread when playing an ACC opponent. Last six Miami games, four of Badgers’ last five games stayed under the total;

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Texas Bowl, Houston
Baylor was 1-11 LY, improved to 6-6 this year- this is their 8th bowl in last nine years. Bears are 3-0 vs spread in last three tries as bowl underdogs. Vanderbilt is in bowl for only second time in last five years; they split last four bowls, covering both chances as bowl favorites. Bears lost four of their last six games, are 3-2 vs spread this year in games with single digit spread. Vanderbilt won three of last four games to become bowl eligible, scoring 45-36-38 points in the wins; Commodores are 4-2 vs spread in games with single digit spread. Favorites covered this bowl three of last four years; Big X teams are 4-2 in last six tries here, with average total of 53.8 in last five. Five of last six Baylor games, four of last five Vandy games stayed under the total; Since 2011, SEC teams are 17-15-1 vs spread when playing Big X teams.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NCAAF

Dunkel

Thursday, December 27

Duke @ Temple

Game 235-236
December 27, 2018 @ 1:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Duke
84.254
Temple
93.613
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Temple
by 9 1/2
65
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Temple
by 3
55
Dunkel Pick:
Temple
(-3); Over

Miami-FL @ Wisconsin

Game 237-238
December 27, 2018 @ 5:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami-FL
97.811
Wisconsin
87.642
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Miami-FL
by 10
51
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Miami-FL
by 4
47
Dunkel Pick:
Miami-FL
(-4); Over

Vanderbilt @ Baylor

Game 239-240
December 27, 2018 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Vanderbilt
97.273
Baylor
85.052
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Vanderbilt
by 12
56
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Vanderbilt
by 3 1/2
55
Dunkel Pick:
Vanderbilt
(-3 1/2); Over

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Devils at Bruins
Gracenote
Dec 26, 2018

The Boston Bruins welcomed top-line center Patrice Bergeron back to the lineup on the final weekend before the Christmas break and are hoping to see the return of more healthy bodies when they host the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night. Among the possible returnees for Boston on Thursday are captain Zdeno Chara, fellow defenseman Kevan Miller and forward Jake DeBrusk.

The Bruins did not practice during the three-day break so the status of the injured players will not be known until Thursday, but forward David Backes did not want to discuss the possibilities. “I’m not going to talk about that, because the second we talk about that, someone else might have an ailment,” Backes said. The Devils have lost four of five (1-3-1) after getting blanked by Columbus, even though they outshot the Blue Jackets 39-20. "That’s how we want to be able to play, we want to be able to put teams under pressure and be able to get to that area," said New Jersey coach John Hynes, whose team has dropped its last six in Boston.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario, MSG Plus (New Jersey), NESN (Boston)

ABOUT THE DEVILS (12-16-7): Keith Kinkaid emerged as the No. 1 netminder following an injury to Cory Schneider last season, but his goals-against average is just north of three (3.02) and he was pulled for the third time in seven starts on Sunday. With an ineffective and winless Schneider sidelined by an abdominal injury, rookie MacKenzie Blackwood has been solid in relief in his first three career appearances this month and could be in line to make his first NHL start before the end of the calendar year. "He’s going to get some serious looks here after the break," Hynes said of the 2015 second-round pick.

ABOUT THE BRUINS (20-13-4): Coach Bruce Cassidy seemed more optimistic that DeBrusk (concussion) and Miller (larynx) will be back in the lineup Thursday, although he noted that Chara "is close" to returning from a left knee injury sustained in mid-November. Bergeron did not miss a beat after sitting out five weeks and 16 games, amassing four points in a win over Nashville before he was held off the scoresheet against the Hurricanes, although he registered three shots on goal, four hits and two blocked shots. “Once he knocks the rust off from all those games off, he’ll be an effective player,” Backes quipped.

OVERTIME

1. Bruins G Jaroslav Halak has allowed three goals during a three-game winning streak.

2. Devils leading scorer Taylor Hall has 18 points in his last 14 games.

3. Bruins F Brad Marchand has 17 points over his last nine games.

PREDICTION: Bruins 3, Devils 1

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Blue Jackets at Rangers
Gracenote
Dec 26, 2018

The Christmas break interrupted the hottest stretch of the season for the Columbus Blue Jackets, who have ripped off four consecutive victories and are riding a six-game point streak (5-0-1) heading into Thursday night's matchup at the New York Rangers. Columbus also will be seeking its fourth straight win both on the road and against a Metropolitan Division rival.

The Blue Jackets are not satisfied despite extending their winning streak by blanking New Jersey 3-0 on Sunday as part of an impressive back-to-back on the road over the weekend. “There’s just a lot of things we need to clean up," assistant coach Brad Larsen said. "There’s another level to our game.” The Rangers squeezed out a 5-4 shootout win at Columbus on Nov. 10 during a 9-1-1 tear but they have won only three of their last 13 games (3-6-4) since. “We have to start winning here if you want to be part of that (playoff) race," New York goaltender Henrik Lundqvist said. "Take this break and regroup and realize how desperate we need to be coming back.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Columbus), MSG2 (New York)

ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (21-12-3): Sergei Bobrovsky was in net for each of the past four victories, surrendering a total of four goals and bookending the streak with a pair of shutouts to earn NHL First Star of the Week honors on Monday. “I don’t want to think about this,” Bobrovsky said after his latest win. I have to make sure that I give my best to give the team a chance to win. It’s tough to go too far ahead or look back, so I try to live in the present, work hard and enjoy the result.” Cam Atkinson has scored four times in the past three games to boost his team-high total to 23 goals.

ABOUT THE RANGERS (15-14-6): New York is a solid 11-4-4 at Madison Square Garden but that record could be substantially better -- each of the past four home losses have come in overtime or a shootout since Dec. 2. "Losing a lot of close games, overtime, shootout, drains you a little bit, I'm not going to lie," Lundqvist said. "It's a little tough to feel like you're doing the right things but it's not paying off. You've just got to accept that it's been bouncing a little bit the wrong way, I guess." Lundqvist has lost three of his last four starts while posting a 2.84 goals-against average versus Columbus.

OVERTIME

1. Rangers F Kevin Hayes has five goals and eight assists during a career-best seven point point streak.

2. Atkinson has nine goals in 21 games against the Rangers.

3. New York D Jimmy Vesey scored a last-minute tying goal before delivering the shootout winner in the November matchup.

PREDICTION: Blue Jackets 3, Rangers 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Red Wings at Penguins
Gracenote
Dec 26, 2018

The Pittsburgh Penguins welcomed a bit of time off during the Christmas break after finishing a frenzied six-game stretch in nine days with a 5-1-0 mark. Presumably refreshed, the Penguins bid to regain their momentum and extend their winning streak to four games on Thursday when they host the Detroit Red Wings at PPG Paints Arena.

Captain Sidney Crosby set up all three of his team's goals in Saturday's 3-0 triumph over Carolina to push his club-leading point total to 41 with nine in his past five games. The line of Crosby, Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust pumped in seven points (two goals, five assists) in that contest, with Guentzel's two tallies boosting his point total to five (two goals, three assists) in his last three games. Detroit dropped six of seven (1-4-2) to plummet into 12th place in the Eastern Conference, with the latest setback coming after it allowed the game-tying goal with 7.6 seconds in regulation in Sunday's 5-4 overtime loss in Toronto. Dylan Larkin (club-best 36 points) carries an 11-game point streak (five goals, nine assists) into Pittsburgh, against which he scored a goal in the Red Wings' 4-1 triumph on New Year's Eve and added two assists in a 5-2 win on March 27.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, ESPN-Plus, AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh

ABOUT THE RED WINGS (15-17-6): Gustav Nyquist has excelled in his role as a facilitator on offense with a team-best 22 assists, but the 29-year-old Swede showed he can find the net by scoring twice against the Penguins on Dec. 31. Detroit would be well served to locate its 20th-ranked power play, as the club went 0-for-7 with the man advantage in the last two games. "The thing about the power play is you have to focus on whether or not you're getting opportunities, because even the best power plays in the world fail 70 percent of the time," coach Jeff Blashill said. "Certainly if you score, you put yourself in a way better position to win the hockey game, and we understand that."

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (18-12-6): While Crosby is producing offensively, fellow superstars Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel have combined for one even strength goal and a minus-4 rating in the last six games. Rust has cushioned that blow with an NHL-best eight tallies since Dec. 12 after mustering just one in his first 29 contests of the season. "We're thrilled for him," coach Mike Sullivan said of the 26-year-old Michigan native. "Rusty does so many things beyond the numbers. Certainly when he helps us offensively, it's a boost for our team. His speed is evident. He's confident. We're thrilled that it's going in the net for him."

OVERTIME

1. Detroit D Trevor Daley, who played in his 1,000th career NHL game on Sunday, had two assists in three encounters versus his former team last season.

2. Pittsburgh D Kris Letang has dented the scoresheet in seven of his last eight games versus the Red Wings, totaling 10 points (five goals, five assists).

3. Detroit C Andreas Athanasiou has failed to score a goal in December after netting seven in 10 games last month.

PREDICTION: Penguins 4, Red Wings 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Flyers at Lightning
Gracenote
Dec 26, 2018

Nikita Kucherov is in full pursuit of the top spot in the NHL scoring race and looks to extend his point streak to nine games when the red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning host the rejuvenated Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night. Kucherov boasts four goals and 11 assists during his eight-game streak to push his season total to 57 points - two behind league-leader Mikko Rantanen of Colorado.

“He’s truly one of the best in the league,” Tampa Bay defenseman Anton Stralman told reporters after Kucherov’s five-point effort in a win at Edmonton on Saturday. “He sees the game like no one else. The things he comes up with sometimes, it’s quite impressive. … It’s fun being out there with him. You know he’s going to create chances for himself and for other players.” Captain Steven Stamkos is also wielding a hot stick with 13 goals in the last 12 games for the Lightning, who are 11-0-1 in their last 12, while the Flyers must raise their level of play even higher to start a four-game trip after getting a boost from a coaching change and a rookie goalie. Philadelphia is 3-1-0 since Scott Gordon replaced Dave Hakstol as coach and 20-year-old Carter Hart was recalled to win two of his first three starts, before veteran Michal Neuvirth beat the New York Rangers 3-2 in a shootout Sunday. “A lot of guys got their confidence back,” Flyers center Nolan Patrick told reporters. “We’re rolling right now, so it feels good.”

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, TVA

ABOUT THE FLYERS (15-16-4): Philadelphia has gotten more contributions from its depth players during the turnaround as Wayne Simmonds snapped a seven-game goal drought and Michael Raffl scored his first of the season in Sunday’s win. Captain Claude Giroux leads the team with 42 points - three in the last four games - and center Sean Couturier tops the Flyers with 14 goals, including 10 in his last 19 contests. Hart, a second-round pick in 2016, owns a 2.36 goals-against average and .904 save percentage after one-goal wins against Detroit and Nashville along with one-goal loss to Columbus.

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (28-7-2): Stamkos owns five goals during a four-game scoring streak and has pulled within one of team leader Brayden Point (21), who recorded six assists over his last four contests. Tyler Johnson, who has been skating with Kucherov and Point of late, boasts four goals in five games to push his total to 16, while defenseman Victor Hedman registered 10 assists in the past 12 contests to close within two of 300 for his career. Andrei Vasilevskiy is expected in net Thursday after going 3-0-1 with a .930 save percentage during his first four games since returning from a foot injury.

OVERTIME

1. The Lightning won the last three meetings while scoring 17 goals in the process, including a 6-5 overtime victory Nov. 17.

2. Philadelphia D Ivan Provorov, who is mired in a six-game point drought, is slated to play his 200th NHL game.

3. Tampa Bay LW Ondrej Palat has registered four goals and three assists in his last seven contests.

PREDICTION: Lightning 5, Flyers 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Sabres at Blues
Gracenote
Dec 26, 2018

The Buffalo Sabres have defied expectations beyond any other team this season, surging into contention in the Atlantic Division following a disastrous 2017-18 campaign in which they finished with the fewest points in the NHL. Buffalo entered the Christmas break on a high note with a 3-0 shutout of Anaheim and looks to carry the momentum into Thursday's matchup at the St. Louis Blues.

The Sabres ended a two-game slide by blanking the Ducks, which marked their 12th home win -- one more than they had last season. "I'm just happy we ended on a win going into the break," Buffalo coach Phil Housley said. "The guys should be able to relax and regain some energy." The Blues have struggled for much of the season but also went into the holidays feeling good about themselves after posting a 3-1 win over Pacific Division-leading Calgary to close out a 2-1-0 road trip. "This team has really good character," St. Louis interim coach Craig Berube said. "We've got some veterans who have been around a while. They know how to win."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, MSG-Buffalo, FS Midwest (St. Louis)

ABOUT THE SABRES (21-11-5): Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft, had a memorable moment when he scored a goal against Anaheim for his fourth tally of his rookie season and his first at home. "I've been waiting for it," Dahlin admitted. "It was a great feeling. I've never scored in front of these kinds of fans. It was good that the first one was in a win." The goals keep coming for Jeff Skinner, who ranks as one of the league's best offseason acquisitions with an NHL second-best 26 after converting for the sixth time in seven games in Saturday's win.

ABOUT THE BLUES (14-16-4): St. Louis continues to get surprising production from its fourth line as Oskar Sundqvist supplied an insurance goal at Calgary to give him six tallies after scoring only twice in parts of his first three seasons. Linemate Ivan Barbashev, who netting a pair of tying tallies in back-to-back games earlier this month, added an assist and is three points shy of matching last season's career high (13). “We’ve been playing now a lot together the last year,” Sundqvist said. “It feels like we know where we’re gonna be on the ice every time, and we’ve been finding each other really well.”

OVERTIME

1. Sabres F Sam Reinhart is riding a career-best 12-game point steak, the longest active run in the NHL.

2. Blues F Vladimir Tarasenko has only two points -- both goals -- in December but has five tallies and five assists in 10 games versus Buffalo.

3. Sabres captain Jack Eichel has nine goals and seven assists during an eight-game point streak.

PREDICTION: Sabres 4, Blues 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Stars at Predators
Gracenote
Dec 27, 2018

The Nashville Predators skidded into the Christmas break with a season-high four consecutive losses (0-3-1), but a return to Music City has provided the club with several positive notes of late. The Predators vie for their seventh consecutive home victory overall and fifth in a row against the Dallas Stars at Bridgestone Arena when the clubs meet on Thursday.

Ryan Johansen scored in Saturday's 5-2 setback at Boston to give him 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in 11 games during December. The 26-year-old collected a goal and an assist in Nashville's 5-4 overtime win over Dallas on Nov. 10. The Stars have answered a season-high four-game winning streak by going 2-6-0 in their past eight games, with just seven goals scored in their last four. "I don't think we are satisfied at all. There is a lot of room for improvement," said Tyler Pitlick, who scored in Sunday's 3-1 setback to the New York Islanders. "We got to get better, we got to be consistent every night and bring our A game. We can't give away points and not be ready to go."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Dallas), FS Tennessee (Nashville)

ABOUT THE STARS (18-16-3): Although Dallas has converted on 19.8 percent of its power plays this season, the team ranks last in the NHL with just 96 opportunities with the man advantage. "I don't understand it," said coach Jim Montgomery, per the Dallas Morning News. "I feel like we're possessing the puck a lot more here lately. We're starting to be more dynamic in the offensive zone. We have a lot more defensive movement. We're getting volume shooting. Starting to get rebound chances, which is a good sign. Usually that leads to drawing penalties. I can't pinpoint as to why we don't draw enough penalties." Captain Jamie Benn has scored a team-best six times on the power play this season and has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in his last eight games versus Nashville.

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (22-13-2): Captain Roman Josi has been providing an offensive punch for an injury-riddled Nashville team, collecting 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in his last 10 games. The defenseman boosted his career point total against the Stars to 21 (eight goals, 13 assists) by scoring a goal and setting up another in the previous meeting last month. Reigning Vezina Trophy winner Pekka Rinne has lost four straight outings heading into Thursday's tilt in Nashville, where he owns an 11-3-0 mark with a 1.86 goals-against average and .928 save percentage.

OVERTIME

1. Pitlick snapped a 16-game goal drought with his goal on Sunday, with his previous tally coming against Nashville.

2. The Predators are 6-3-0 against Central Division foes while the Stars are just 2-4-1.

3. Dallas RW Alexander Radulov has two assists in six career contests versus his former club.

PREDICTION: Predators 4, Stars 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Flames at Jets
Gracenote
Dec 26, 2018

The holiday break came at just the right time for the Calgary Flames, who look to snap a three-game losing streak on Thursday at the Western Conference-leading Winnipeg Jets. The slide followed a stretch where the Flames won 12 times in 15 games to rise to the conference lead, and after Saturday’s 3-1 home loss to St. Louis, Calgary captain Mark Giordano was quick to point out the need for a breather - and a quick return to form.

“It’s a big game coming out of the break against Winnipeg,” Giordano told reporters afterward. “You don’t want to let things like this keep going. We have to get into the win column as soon as possible.” While the Flames have taken a small step back, the Jets have surged by winning seven of their last eight to finish the pre-Christmas schedule with 50 points. Winnipeg hit the break with a clutch victory at Vancouver on Saturday, getting a late goal from Mark Scheifele in a 1-0 triumph. “We’re happy where we are,” Jets coach Paul Maurice told the media afterward. “We enjoy the win. But 50 points gets you about halfway to the playoffs. So, there is a whole lot of work to be done in the other half.”

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Sportsnet West (Calgary), TSN3 (Winnipeg)

ABOUT THE FLAMES (22-12-3): Goaltender Mike Smith played Saturday for the first time since Dec. 12 but was rusty, giving up three goals on 27 shots. Forward Matthew Tkachuk scored the lone Calgary goal against St. Louis, giving him three tallies and six assists in his past six games, and forward Johnny Gaudreau has six points (three goals) in his past four contests. After scoring seven goals in a victory over the Blues on Dec. 16, the Flames have just five goals in their past three games.

ABOUT THE JETS (24-10-2): Forward Blake Wheeler is tied for the NHL lead with 43 assists, picking up one on Scheifele’s goal with 1:32 to play against the Canucks. Scheifele recorded 17 points (six goals) in his final eight games before the break, registering multiple points in six contests. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is 7-2-0 in his past nine games with a .913 save percentage, and comes into Thursday with extra rest after Laurent Brossoit shut out Vancouver.

OVERTIME

1. Flames F Michael Frolik returned Saturday after missing 15 games with a high ankle sprain, logging 10 minutes, 15 seconds of ice time.

2. Winnipeg is first in the Western Conference in goal differential (plus-27), and the Flames are second (plus-24).

3. Calgary handed the Jets their worst loss of the season on Nov. 21, scoring five times in the first period en route to a 6-3 victory.

PREDICTION: Jets 5, Flames 4

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Wild at Blackhawks
Gracenote
Dec 26, 2018

The Minnesota Wild entered the holiday break on a four-game slide (0-3-1) during which they scored a total of three goals. The Wild hope to break out of their funk when they resume their season Thursday against the host Chicago Blackhawks.

Minnesota has been idle since Saturday, when it dropped a 2-1 overtime decision to Dallas after scoring with 2:03 remaining in the third period to earn its first point in four contests. Jason Zucker tallied against the Stars to end his six-game drought and reach double digits in goals for the fifth consecutive season. Chicago is coming off a 6-3 home setback against Florida on Sunday that halted its season-high three-game winning streak. Dylan Strome ended his three-game point drought in a big way, scoring a goal and setting up two others for his first three-point performance of the campaign and second of his career.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), NBCS Chicago

ABOUT THE WILD (17-15-3): Mikael Granlund leads the team with 34 points after notching an assist - his sixth in as many games - Saturday. The 26-year-old Finn has had difficulty scoring goals, however, as he enters Thursday with a 10-game drought and one tally in his last 18 contests. Zucker's goal against Dallas was his 20th point of the season and left him eight shy of 200 for his career.

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (13-20-6): Alex DeBrincat is riding a three-game goal-scoring streak that has lifted him into a tie with Patrick Kane for the team lead with 17. Kane tops the club with 44 points and enters Thursday with a five-game streak during which he has registered two tallies and five assists. The 30-year-old former Hart and Art Ross Trophy winner has been kept off the scoresheet in consecutive contests only once this season (Nov. 21 and 23) and has collected 19 points in 16 games since.

OVERTIME

1. Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews notched an assist Sunday, leaving him two away from 400 for his career.

2. The Wild rank second in the league on the penalty kill (86.7 percent) and are tied for fourth with five short-handed goals.

3. Chicago has earned three of a possible four points against Minnesota this season, losing in overtime on the road Oct. 11 before posting a 3-1 home victory Nov. 18.

PREDICTION: Blackhawks 3, Wild 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Canucks at Oilers
Gracenote
Dec 26, 2018

The Vancouver Canucks came up empty in the finale of their five-game homestand prior to the holiday break but hope their batteries are recharged as they begin a six-game road trip Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers. Vancouver completed its stretch at Rogers Arena 3-2-0 after being blanked 1-0 by Winnipeg on Saturday.

The Canucks begin their trek with a four-game point streak on the road (3-0-1) during which they've averaged four goals. Rookie Elias Pettersson tops the team with 36 points and shares the club lead in tallies with 17, five of which are game-winners and five that have come on the power play. Edmonton is seeking the first win of its five-game homestand after dropping the first two contests - and three straight overall. The Oilers fell 4-1 to St. Louis in the opener of their string at Rogers Place before suffering a 6-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Saturday in which captain Connor McDavid notched three assists for his fourth multi-point performance in six games.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet Pacific

ABOUT THE CANUCKS (17-18-4): Bo Horvat is tied with Pettersson for the team lead in goals and trails the 20-year-old Swede by two points after collecting six over his last six games. The 23-year-old Horvat has not been kept off the scoresheet in back-to-back contests since Oct. 25 and 27, registering 10 goals and 15 assists in 27 games since. Alex Edler played in his 782nd game Saturday, moving him past Harold Snepsts for most by a defenseman in franchise history.

ABOUT THE OILERS (18-15-3): McDavid, the reigning two-time Art Ross Trophy winner, is in pursuit of his third straight award as he entered the break seven points behind Colorado's Mikko Rantanen (59) for the league lead. The 21-year-old McDavid, who has been kept off the scoresheet in only five of his 35 contests this season, notched his 200th career assist Saturday to become the sixth player in NHL history to reach the plateau before his 22nd birthday. Alex Chiasson has scored in four of his last five games to increase his career-high total to 16 during his first season with Edmonton after attending training camp on a tryout basis.

OVERTIME

1. McDavid has reached the 50-point mark faster than any Oiler since Mark Messier (31 games in 1989-90).

2. Vancouver RW Brock Boeser is three games away from his 100th in the NHL.

3. Edmonton C Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has collected six goals and three assists over his last nine contests.

PREDICTION: Oilers 4, Canucks 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Avalanche at Golden Knights
Gracenote
Dec 26, 2018

The Vegas Golden Knights were 23-9-2 and in the middle of an eight-game winning streak at the Christmas break during their 2017-18 inaugural season that resulted in a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals. Vegas has four fewer points while playing five more games this season and mired in a 2-1-3 stretch as it prepares for Thursday's encounter against the visiting Colorado Avalanche.

The Golden Knights have still worked their way into the top three in the Pacific Division thanks in part to a 6-0-2 mark in the last eight home games, improving to 11-3-3 in Las Vegas after bursting out of the gate 15-2-1 last season. Colorado also sits in playoff position in the Central despite sliding into the Christmas break 2-5-1 with a leaky defense that permitted 34 goals during that span. The Avalanche, though, boast the top line in hockey with Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon first and third in points, and captain Gabriel Landeskog tied for third with 24 goals. The Golden Knights won two of three meetings last season (2-0-1) with both wins at home by a combined 11-1 as Jonathan Marchessault recorded three goals and three assists in the series.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, Altitude (Colorado), AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Vegas)

ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (19-12-6): Rantanen (59 points) and MacKinnon (56) continue to pile up points despite the team's recent struggles with 12 apiece in the last eight games while Landeskog has seven goals and three assists during that span. Secondary scoring is scarce as the unit combined to score 14 of the 22 goals in the stretch and 48.1 percent of the club's tallies this season. Nikita Zadorov (team-high plus-9 among defensemen) could return to the lineup after missing two games (lower body).

ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (20-15-4): William Karlsson paces the team with 14 goals and 29 points after entering the break with a score and two assists in three games. Marchessault (13 goals) also has 29 points and went into Christmas with a goal and an assist in two games. Defenseman Colin Miller (17 points) could return after missing three games (undisclosed), which came on the heels of recording five assists in five contests.

OVERTIME

1. Colorado owns the fourth-best power play in the league at 27.3 percent but is 1-for-13 over its last three games.

2. Vegas G Marc-Andre Fleury is 10-3-2 with a 2.14 goals-against average and .923 save percentage in 16 games (15 starts) versus the Avalanche.

3. Colorado is 1-3-2 in its last six games versus the West, falling to 8-7-4 in such contests this season.

PREDICTION: Golden Knights 3, Avalanche 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Coyotes at Kings
Gracenote
Dec 26, 2018

The Los Angeles Kings showed a bit of promise heading into the Christmas break, extending their winning streak to three games with overtime victories over a pair of Pacific Division foes. The cellar-dwelling Kings look to continue their forward progress against another division rival on Thursday when they host the Arizona Coyotes at Staples Center.

Tyler Toffoli scored 1:40 into the extra session as Los Angeles posted a 4-3 win versus Vegas on Sunday to improve to a respectable 6-5-1 within the division. Alex Iafallo moved into a tie with Dustin Brown for the team lead in goals (nine) by scoring in his fourth straight game while extending his point streak to seven contests (four goals, five assists). The Kings reside three points behind the seventh-place Coyotes, who have responded by winning two in a row following a disheartening 1-7-0 stretch. Nick Schmaltz, who scored in Arizona's 2-1 road victory versus Los Angeles on Dec. 4, extended his assist streak to three games by setting up Alex Galchenyuk's second goal in Sunday's 4-3 shootout win at San Jose.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, FS West (Los Angeles)

ABOUT THE COYOTES (16-18-2): Clayton Keller boosted his club-best assist (18) and point (26) totals with a strong December, setting up 10 tallies this month -- including one against Los Angeles -- to go along with his eighth goal of the season. Brad Richardson, who played in parts of five campaigns with Los Angeles, hasn't been as fortunate this month as he has scored just three of his team-leading 10 goals in December. Darcy Kuemper is in line to get the nod on Thursday after Arizona shuffled fellow goaltender Adin Hill to Tucson of the American Hockey League earlier in the week.

ABOUT THE KINGS (14-20-3): Captain Anze Kopitar has been contributing offensively with 14 of his club-best 23 points in his last 16 games, although the two goals in that stretch leave the 31-year-old Slovene a pair shy of 300 for his career. Defenseman Drew Doughty has expressed optimism with the team's direction after recording three of his club-leading 18 assists in his last four games. "You never know what can happen," the 29-year-old Doughty said. "We know that if we can win, let’s say 15 out of 20, 17 out of 20, something like that, we might be back in the picture. You never know, so we’ve just got to control what we’re doing and win some hockey games."

OVERTIME

1. Arizona D Oliver Ekman-Larsson set up a goal to boost his point total to 18 (eight goals, 10 assists) in 39 career encounters versus Los Angeles.

2. Kings LW Ilya Kovalchuk has two goals and an assist in two games since returning from an ankle injury.

3. Coyotes C Derek Stepan has been held off the scoresheet in seven of his last nine contests.

PREDICTION: Coyotes 3, Kings 1