Monday 12-31-18 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Orlando Magic vs. Charlotte Hornets Preview and Predictions 2018-12-31

NBA Predictions 31st December 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 12/31/2018

The Charlotte Hornets hope to turn around their fortunes, especially on the defensive end of the floor, when they open a two-game homestand Monday against the rejuvenated Orlando Magic. Charlotte, which is clinging to a playoff position in the Eastern Conference, has dropped three of its last four games and allowed at least 119 points in each of their last nine losses - including a 130-126 setback at Washington on Saturday.

"Tonight, we just didn't compete hard enough. Washington wanted to win a lot more than we did," Hornets forward Marvin Williams told the Charlotte Observer after Saturday's defeat. "That's the bottom line, and that is really unfortunate. It's one thing to lose, but we just didn't play hard enough." Kemba Walker is averaging 30.7 points and shooting 52.6 percent from the field over the last six games for the Hornets, who have been a much better team at home (13-7) and own a 12-game winning streak against the Magic. Orlando has recovered from a four-game losing streak by routing high-powered Toronto 116-87 on Friday and beating Detroit 109-107 two days later on Evan Fournier's floater at the buzzer. Nikola Vucevic continues to add to his All-Star candidacy, as he has averaged 26 points, 15.5 rebounds and six assists to help the Magic win the last two contests.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Orlando), FS Southeast (Charlotte) LINE: Hornets -7.5

ABOUT THE MAGIC (16-19): D.J. Augustin is averaging 23.3 points and 6.7 assists while going 9-for-18 from 3-point range over his last three contests, but he suffered an ankle injury late in Sunday's game and his status is uncertain. Aaron Gordon rebounded from a shooting slump earlier this month to go 20-for-38 from the field over his last four games after recording 22 points and 10 rebounds on Sunday. Fournier was 6-for-10 for 13 points on Sunday, reaching double figures for the ninth time in 11 contests this month.



ABOUT THE HORNETS (17-18): Walker leads the team in scoring (25.9 points) and assists (six) after registering 47 points against Washington on Saturday - his fourth contest with at least 40 this season. Jeremy Lamb (15.4 points) has reached double figures in scoring in 10 straight games - including a 31-point performance in Wednesday's loss at Brooklyn - and is averaging 21 over his last three contests. Williams is averaging 12.3 points and nine rebounds over his last three games while Cody Zeller has totaled 22 and 19 in his last two contests.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Orlando F Jonathon Simmons left the win over Detroit with a sprained right ankle and is questionable for Monday.

2. Charlotte PG Tony Parker was rested on Saturday after averaging 14.5 points in his last two contests.

3. Walker scored 26 points on 8-of-16 shooting as the Hornets won the opener of the four-game season series on Oct. 19 in Orlando.

PREDICTION: Hornets 110, Magic 102

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Boston Celtics vs. San Antonio Spurs Preview and Predictions 2018-12-31

NBA Predictions 30th December 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 12/30/2018

The Boston Celtics have a chance to clinch a winning three-game road trip thanks to star point guard Kyrie Irving picking up his level of play and carrying the team of late. Irving will try to lead the Celtics to a fourth win in five contests when they close out a three-game trip by visiting the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.

Irving is averaging 28.5 points on 55.4 percent shooting over the last four games and recorded a double-double in each of the last three contests. "Offensively, it felt like they were trying to take the ball out of my hands, and just the reads off of that, you saw other opportunities open up in the second half as we were being more active off the ball," Irving told reporters after collecting 26 points along with 13 assists and helping Boston recover from a 19-point deficit at Memphis on Saturday. "Just telling these guys, be as consistent as possible. You don't have to touch the ball every single play down (the court) to be effective. You can be effective doing the little things, and that is what we did in the second half." The Spurs are winners of nine of their last 12 contests and finished off a two-game road trip by knocking off the Los Angeles Clippers 122-111 on the second night of a back-to-back Saturday. The win marked the fifth time in the last nine games that San Antonio scored at least 122 points.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBATV, NBCS Boston, KENS (San Antonio) LINE: Celtics -1.5

ABOUT THE CELTICS (21-14): Irving is taking his role as a leader on the team seriously and stepped up at halftime to challenge his teammates. "I think that at the half, Kyrie challenged all of us to be better," center Al Horford told reporters. "Coach (did) as well. I felt like we came out with better energy, played much harder. And also, at the start of the fourth, our group that were in there with, Jaylen Brown and Guerschon (Yabusele), their energy was great, and it put us in a position to take over the game late." Horford scored 18 points and went 5-of-7 from 3-point range in his best outing among four since returning from a seven-game absence.



ABOUT THE SPURS (20-17): Leading the offensive surge for San Antonio is All-Star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who is averaging 22.1 points on 58.9 percent shooting in December and poured in a season-high 38 points on 14-of-23 shooting against the Clippers. Aldridge scored 20 or more points in 10 of the 15 games this month, including each of the last three, to bring his season average up to 19.5 points. Shooting guard DeMar DeRozan is filling up the boxscore as well and collected 25 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and four steals on Saturday.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Celtics rookie C Robert Williams (groin) sat out the last three games and is day-to-day.

2. San Antonio C Pau Gasol (foot) sat out the last 28 games but could return on Monday.

3. The teams split the two-game series last season, with the home team winning each matchup.

PREDICTION: Celtics 106, Spurs 104

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Houston Rockets Preview and Predictions 2018-12-31

NBA Predictions 30th December 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 12/30/2018

The Houston Rockets keep on rolling right along behind reigning MVP James Harden. Harden will try to post his fourth straight 40-plus outing and 10th consecutive 30-plus performance while leading the Rockets to a fifth win in a row when they host the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday.

Harden is averaging 40.6 points over the last nine games and added nine rebounds and six assists to his 41 points on Saturday to lead Houston to a 108-104 victory at New Orleans. "I just try to continue to be aggressive and have confidence in the shots and the things I do on the court," Harden told reporters of his recent surge. "There's no other way to put it." The Grizzlies were denied a third straight win in a 112-103 loss to the Boston Celtics on Saturday that marked the most points the team allowed since a 131-125 double overtime victory at Brooklyn on Nov. 30. Memphis squandered a 19-point, third-quarter lead in the setback and center Marc Gasol told reporters, "too many turnovers when we had the game under control that gave them a chance to get the lead."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Memphis), AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston) LINE: Rockets -4.5

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (18-17): Mike Conley led Memphis with 26 points on Saturday but went 1-of-9 from 3-point range. "I feel like we come out with great energy, especially defensively," Conley told reporters. "We do what we're supposed to do, then shots don't fall for us and the other team starts making plays. I think we just get a little too complacent with the leads in games and guys become less aggressive. Guys just try to get the game over with as opposed to continually being aggressive, continuing to attack." The Grizzlies scored 39 points in the second half on Saturday in falling for the sixth time in eight games.



ABOUT THE ROCKETS (20-15): Small forward Danuel House Jr. moved into the starting lineup against San Antonio on Dec. 22 and is quickly making himself comfortable with the first unit. House scored 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting on Saturday and is 13-of-23 over the last four contests. "More confident," Harden told reporters of House. "With the amount of minutes he's playing, coach has a lot of confidence in him and us as a group, we all have confidence him to go out there and defensively be active, get steals, rebound the basketball and then offensively just make shots and be active. He's been in the lineup the last few games and done an unbelievable job."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Rockets SG Eric Gordon (knee) left Saturday's game and is day-to-day.

2. Grizzlies PF Jaren Jackson Jr. is averaging 16.2 points on 55.2 percent shooting over the last five games.

3. Houston took the last three in the series, including a 105-97 win at Memphis on Dec. 15 behind 32 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists from Harden.

PREDICTION: Rockets 110, Grizzlies 99

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Dallas Mavericks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Preview and Predictions 2018-12-31

NBA Predictions 31st December 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 12/31/2018

The Dallas Mavericks attempt to sweep the home-and-home set and clinch the season series on Monday as they visit the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have won 12 of their 16 home games. Dennis Smith Jr. put the Mavericks ahead on Sunday with a driving layup and forced a miss by All-Star guard Paul George in the final seconds as Dallas won for just the second time in nine contests.

"This is what being a big-time player is all about," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle told reporters of Smith, the ninth overall pick in the 2017 draft. "You make the go-ahead basket at one end and guard the best player at the other end." Rookie Luka Doncic scored a team-high 25 points and Smith added 14 while Dallas held former MVP Russell Westbrook to 4-of-22 shooting and nine points, causing Carlisle to tell reporters: "Knowing (Westbrook), I'm not looking forward to (Monday) night." George, who was battling a quadriceps injury, finished with 36 points and his late miss was followed by Westbrook clanging a 3-point attempt off the rim as the buzzer sounded in the setback - the Thunder's third in eight games. "We had some self-inflicted wounds," Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan told reporters after his team was outscored 10-2 to end the game. "We're battling to score coming down the stretch and we're fouling them and they're shooting free throws."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Dallas), FS Oklahoma (Oklahoma City) LINE: Thunder -8

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (17-18): Doncic is averaging 25.8 points over his last four games and has gone 11-for-21 from 3-point range in the last two as he continues adding to his Rookie of the Year resume. Harrison Barnes scored 16 points on Sunday and is averaging 20 over his last four contests while Smith has registered 14 in each of his two games since returning from a wrist injury that forced him to miss six. DeAndre Jordan has registered eight double-doubles in his last 10 contests and connected on 14-of-16 shots over his last three games.



ABOUT THE THUNDER (22-13): Westbrook missed all eight of his 3-point attempts on Sunday after making 3-of-7 and hitting 17-of-29 shots overall while scoring 40 points in Friday's 118-102 victory over Phoenix. George has been on a roll this month, recording at least 30 points in eight of his last 12 games while averaging 32.7 during that stretch, and leads the team in scoring (26.6 points). Dennis Schroder is averaging 19.5 points over his last two games and Jerami Grant has reached double figures in nine straight contests after recording 10 on Sunday.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Oklahoma City F Patrick Patterson scored 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting on Sunday for his first double-figure effort of the season.

2. Dallas G Wesley Matthews, who is averaging 14.3 points, has missed two games with a foot injury and is questionable for Monday.

3. The Mavericks also beat the Thunder 111-96 at home on Nov. 10 behind 22 points from Doncic.

PREDICTION: Thunder 112, Mavericks 102

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. New Orleans Pelicans Preview and Predictions 2018-12-31

NBA Predictions 31st December 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 12/31/2018

The New Orleans Pelicans have dropped to 14th in the Western Conference after losing six of their last seven games but look to begin changing their fortunes when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday. New Orleans took Houston down to the wire in a 108-104 setback on Saturday after All-Star Anthony Davis hit the go-ahead basket to beat Dallas 114-112 a day earlier.

"We've just got to continue on," Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "I am, and no one is going to make me believe that we are not going to get it turned around, and we are not going to get some guys back healthy. ... We'll get guys back in roles they're comfortable in. There's still a lot of basketball left to be played, and I think we are going to be okay." The Pelicans hope to end a five-game losing streak against the Timberwolves, who received a total of 48 points from Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins in a 107-100 win over New Orleans on Nov. 14. Towns put together a monster performance on Sunday with 34 points, 18 rebounds, seven assists and six blocked shots as Minnesota bounced back from a rough loss against Atlanta with a 113-104 win at Miami in the opener of its three-game road trip. It was just the fifth victory in 18 games away from home for the Timberwolves, who have won three of their last four overall while averaging 116.5 points in those contests.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS North Plus (Minnesota), FS New Orleans LINE: Pelicans -5.5

ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (17-19): Towns is averaging 28.3 points and 19 rebounds over his last three games while Wiggins was one of six players to score in double figures (13 points) on Sunday but is shooting 33 percent over his last three contests. Second-leading scorer Derrick Rose (ankle) was held out of Sunday's game while top assist man Jeff Teague (ankle) missed his seventh straight contest, and both are questionable to face New Orleans. Tyus Jones has raised his production level over the last three games, averaging 11 points - more than six above his season mark - and 5.3 assists.



ABOUT THE PELICANS (16-21): Davis has been especially productive over his last five games, averaging 31.6 points and 16.6 rebounds, and scored 29 in the first meeting with Minnesota last month. Jrue Holiday has averaged 22.5 points over his last four contests and Julius Randle 22.7 over his last three for New Orleans, which entered Sunday second in the league in scoring offense (116 points). E'Twaun Moore registered 21 points in Saturday's loss - his highest total since scoring 30 against Philadelphia on Nov. 21 in a one-point defeat - and recorded 31 versus Minnesota one week earlier.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Minnesota F Robert Covington is averaging 22 points on 14-of-29 shooting over his last two games.

2. New Orleans F Nikola Mirotic (17.4 points, 9.2 rebounds) is expected to miss his ninth straight contest due to an ankle injury.

3. Wiggins needs 15 points to pass Kevin Love (6,989) for third place on the franchise list and is 25 shy of 7,000 for his career.

PREDICTION: Pelicans 112, Timberwolves 104

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Golden State Warriors vs. Phoenix Suns Preview and Predictions 2018-12-31

NBA Predictions 30th December 2018 by Gracenote
Warriors vs. Suns Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 12/30/2018

Klay Thompson finally found his shooting stroke, putting the Golden State Warriors in the win column once again. Thompson will try to put together back-to-back solid games and help the Warriors end 2018 strong when they visit the Phoenix Suns on Monday.

Thompson went 10-of-48 from 3-point range during an eight-game stretch before knocking down 4-of-5 from beyond the arc en route to 32 points in a 115-105 win at Portland on Saturday - his second-highest point total of the season. "Just, 'I missed you,'" Thompson told reporters of his message to his right hand after knocking down a shot in the win. "'It's good to see you again.' It's been a five-game absence or so where he hasn't been the same. So, to finally see the ball go in at a high rate felt really good. Just keep being aggressive and hopefully get on a great roll from here." The Suns dropped four of their last five following a four-game winning streak but recovered from an early 20-point hole and pushed the West-leading Denver Nuggets to the brink in a 122-118 home setback on Saturday. "We keep reaching, keep talking about it, keep re-emphasizing how important it is to start the game," Phoenix coach Igor Kokoskov told reporters. "We'll dig into the problem and try to figure it out. We can't change the team. We love our team, but the starters got to come out with a better mindset. Defend first."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBCS Bay Area (Golden State), FS Arizona LINE: Warriors -10.5

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (24-13): None of Thompson's teammates were concerned that he would break out of the slump eventually and were not surprised at Saturday's outburst. "He's just enjoying himself," Warriors point guard Stephen Curry told reporters of Thompson. "Playing basketball, that's what he loves to do. And, obviously, it means a lot to him to play well and to work through some tough, tough games. Cause every time he's out there, he wants to produce and perform at a high level." Thompson, Curry and Kevin Durant combined for 82 points in Saturday's win despite Curry and Durant struggling from the outside (2-of-9 combined from beyond the arc).



ABOUT THE SUNS (9-28): Phoenix worked its way out of the 20-point deficit after the first quarter behind rookie center Deandre Ayton, who scored 24 of his season-high 33 points in the second quarter. "It's just a mindset," Ayton, who scored 18 straight points for the Suns in the second, told reporters. "There's just a certain pride. The 'Time to Rise' (Suns motto), to me, that's something I take deeply. You just have to live up to that type of name. This is our home court. I don't expect guys to come up here and think they can just beat us like that." Ayton went 16-of-20 from the field in the loss and added 14 rebounds for his 22nd double-double.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Warriors SF Kevon Looney is 32-of-44 from the floor over the last eight games.

2. Suns SG Devin Booker collected at least 25 points and eight assists in each of the last six contests.

3. Curry led the way with 29 points in Golden State's 123-103 win over Phoenix on Oct. 22 - its 16th consecutive victory in the series.

PREDICTION: Warriors 125, Suns 119

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Nashville Predators vs. Washington Capitals Preview and Predictions 2018-12-31

NHL Predictions 30th December 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 12/30/2018

The Washington Capitals and Nashville Predators are singing vastly different tunes heading into Monday's matinee at Capital One Arena. Washington has won four in a row and 16 of its last 19 to vault into first place in the Metropolitan Division while Nashville has dropped six straight overall (0-5-1) and 10 consecutive contests on road (0-8-2).

The Capitals were quite creative with their offense in Saturday's 3-2 victory at Ottawa, with Madison Bowey and Tyler Lewington becoming the 19th defensive pair in the NHL - and first in franchise history - to score their first career goal in the same game. While Washington has won five in a row on the road and nine of its last 10 away from the nation's capital, Nashville hasn't emerged victorious outside of Music City since it won its franchise-best eighth straight on the road to begin the season with a 5-4 overtime triumph in Dallas on Nov. 10. The Predators' fortunes didn't get any better at home, as they were shut out by the Stars on Thursday before seeing a third-period lead go by the wayside in a 4-3 setback against the New York Rangers two days later.

TV: 12:30 p.m. ET, NHL Network, Sportsnet, TVA, FS Tennessee (Nashville), NBCS Washington

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (22-15-2): Nick Bonino was none-too-pleased with the direction of the team despite scoring twice on the power play against the Rangers to double his goal total in December after being limited to four over the first two months of the season. "We can't lose six in a row, not in this league and not in this division, not with the parity there is," the 30-year-old Bonino told reporters. "We've just got to get better." Filip Forsberg has collected eight points (four goals, four assists) in his last 11 games overall and 10 (six goals, four assists) in eight career contests against the team that selected him with the 11th overall pick in the 2012 draft.



ABOUT THE CAPITALS (24-10-3): Captain Alex Ovechkin has been "stuck" on an NHL-high 29 goals for the last five games, mustering just two assists in that stretch after tallying a staggering 16 times in his previous 14 contests. The three-time Hart Trophy recipient scored on the power play against Nashville on April 5, but the Predators completed a two-game season sweep with a 4-3 triumph in Washington. Fellow Russian Evgeny Kutznetsov collected two goals and an assist in that contest and set up a goal in Ottawa for his 11th point (one goal, 10 assists) this month.

OVERTIME

1. Nashville G Pekka Rinne has posted a 4-1-0 record with a 2.40 goals-against average and .915 save percentage in five career meetings with Washington.

2. Washington's Matt Niskanen has been ruled out of Monday's matinee with an upper-body injury while fellow D Brooks Orpik could draw back into the lineup after missing 27 games with an ailing knee.

3. The Predators own a 10-3-1 mark against Eastern Conference representatives.

PREDICTION: Predators 3, Capitals 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Vancouver Canucks vs. New Jersey Devils Preview and Predictions 2018-12-31

NHL Predictions 30th December 2018 by Gracenote
Canucks vs. Devils Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 12/30/2018

The Vancouver Canucks continued their impressive play away from home as they moved to 5-0-1 in their last six road games with Saturday's 3-2 overtime victory in Calgary. Vancouver looks to make it three straight wins to begin its six-game road trip when it visits the New Jersey Devils on Monday afternoon.

"I just think we've realized how we need to play to be successful," Canucks defenseman Alex Edler told reporters after scoring the overtime winner on Saturday. "We need everyone, every night, and we need to execute our system and do that for 60 minutes." Edler has recorded four goals and seven assists in 16 games since returning from a knee injury that caused him to miss a month of action and leads the Canucks in average ice time (23 minutes, 5 seconds) this season. New Jersey has won consecutive games for the first time since Nov. 13 and 15 as rookie Mackenzie Blackwood made 37 saves to lead the team to a 2-0 victory over Carolina on Saturday. Pavel Zacha scored a short-handed goal with 36 seconds remaining in the second period to give the 22-year-old Blackwood all the support he needed as he posted his first NHL shutout.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver), MSG Plus (New Jersey)

ABOUT THE CANUCKS (19-18-4): Jacob Markstrom has been the biggest reason for Vancouver's recent climb back into playoff contention as the Swedish netminder surrendered fewer than three goals for the eighth straight game in Saturday's win and has posted a 1.66 goals-against average and .943 save percentage while going 8-0-1 this month. Elias Pettersson scored his 19th goal of the season in the second period against Calgary, and his 39 points are 15 ahead of his closest competition in the rookie scoring race. "(Pettersson)'s got a great shot," Markstrom reporters. "It doesn't take many chances for him to score. It's huge to have a guy like that. It's confidence for the group."



ABOUT THE DEVILS (14-16-7): Kyle Palmieri's team-leading 19 goals this season put him on pace to eclipse his career high of 30, which he recorded in his first season with the Devils in 2014-15. Nico Hischier picked up an assist against the Hurricanes to give him 26 points - exactly half of the amount he totaled as a rookie last season. The reigning Hart Trophy winner who leads the team with 37 points, Taylor Hall will miss his third straight game Monday due to a lower-body injury.

OVERTIME

1. Canucks LW Sven Baertschi returned from a concussion on Saturday and notched an assist in his first game since Oct. 24.

2. The Devils have recorded a league-low four road wins this season as they embark on a four-game trek after Monday's contest.
3. Vancouver RW Brock Boeser will play in his 100th NHL contest on Monday.

PREDICTION: Canucks 4, Devils 1

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Minnesota Wild Preview and Predictions 2018-12-31

NHL Predictions 31st December 2018 by Gracenote
Penguins vs. Wild Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 12/31/2018

The Pittsburgh Penguins bid to extend their season-high winning streak to six games by completing a sweep of the Minnesota Wild on Monday. The Penguins have regained their footing after sliding into the Eastern Conference basement, following a tumultuous 1-7-2 stretch by recording at least one point in 16 of their last 20 games (13-4-3).

Jake Guentzel, who played his high school hockey at Hill Murray in Maplewood (Minn.), set up a pair of goals by Bryan Rust in Pittsburgh's 2-1 victory versus Minnesota on Dec. 20 and also tallied in Saturday's 6-1 romp at St. Louis. Captain Sidney Crosby, who is slated to play in his 900th NHL game on Monday, scored just 48 seconds in the first period versus the Blues and set up two other tallies to give him 27 (nine goals, 18 assists) of his team-leading 46 points in the last 19 contests. While the two-time Hart Trophy winner has tamed the Wild (five goals, 14 assists in 16 games) over his career, Zach Parise (16, 23 in 51) has done his fair share of damage against the Penguins. The 34-year-old Parise notched a pair of assists on Saturday as Minnesota snapped its season-high five-game skid (0-4-1) with a 3-1 win at Winnipeg.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh, FS North, FS Wisconsin (Minnesota)

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (20-12-6): Pittsburgh' special teams have been making their presence felt of late, as the club scored on its first four power-play opportunities against the Blues to improve to 6-for-7 in the last two games, while the penalty kill is a perfect 14-for-14 over the last five. Speaking of positive statistics, Matt Murray is sporting a 5-0-0 record, 1.38 goals-against average and .959 save percentage since returning from a lower-body injury on Dec. 15. The two-time Stanley Cup-winning goaltender has turned aside 52-of-55 shots en route to splitting a pair of decisions versus the Wild.



ABOUT THE WILD (18-16-3): Charlie Coyle, who scored against the Jets on Saturday, set up Jordan Greenway's goal in Minnesota's first encounter with Pittsburgh. Devan Dubnyk turned aside 26 shots against Winnipeg to post his first victory since a 5-1 triumph over Florida on Dec. 13. The 32-year-old made 35 saves in the earlier loss to the Penguins and owns a 2.85 GAA and .915 save percentage in 11 career meetings.

OVERTIME

1. Minnesota C Mikael Granlund has collected 12 of his club-best 25 assists this month.

2. The Penguins are 4-6-1 all-time on the road against the Wild.

3. Parise (team-leading 16 goals) is one tally shy of 350 for his career.

PREDICTION: Penguins 4, Wild 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Philadelphia Flyers vs. Carolina Hurricanes Preview and Predictions 2018-12-31

NHL Predictions 31st December 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 12/31/2018

The Carolina Hurricanes haven't been shy about taking shots on goal, but the lack of results are starting to wear on coach Rod Brind'Amour and his charges. Shut out twice in their last four contests, the Hurricanes vie to locate their missing offense when they host the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday.

"I think that has been weighing on the guys all year, really. There's no easy answer to it. You have to do it right," Brind'Amour told reporters after watching Carolina have all 37 of its shots denied by rookie Mackenzie Blackwood in Saturday's 2-0 setback against New Jersey. The Hurricanes, who are 3-8-2 in their last 13 contests, have seen their NHL-high 37.3 shots per game translate into 2.43 goals per contest - the second-worst mark in the league. Carolina is joined by both the Devils and Flyers in the basement of the Metropolitan Division, with Philadelphia dropping 14 of its last 20 games (6-10-4). "It's frustrating and disappointing, but we have to move on," Flyers forward James van Riemsdyk told reporters after his team surrendered a third-period lead en route to a 2-1 loss to Florida on Saturday.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, NBCS Philadelphia, FS Carolinas

ABOUT THE FLYERS (15-17-5): Rookie Carter Hart acquitted himself well in his first road game, earning high marks from both interim coach Scott Gordon and his teammates after the 20-year-old turned aside 34-of-36 shots. "He was our best player and gave us a chance to win," Gordon told Philly.com. "If anything, it falls on the rest of us. There's no way that he should feel the two goals are the reasons we lost the game." Florida native Shayne Gostisbehere, who scored versus the Panthers, has recorded 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 13 career contests against Carolina.



ABOUT THE HURRICANES (15-17-5): A punchless power play has plagued Carolina, as it failed on all five opportunities against the Devils to extend its run of futility to six straight games without a conversion. "It's really frustrating," forward Sebastian Aho told reporters. "All those chances and you just can't score to help your team win. When you're on the first power-play unit, it's your job to score those goals." The 21-year-old Finn, who leads the team in goals (15), assists (24) and points, has tormented Philadelphia during his short time in the league - scoring six goals and setting up six others in nine career games.

OVERTIME

1. Philadelphia C Travis Konecny is mired in a 10-game goal-scoring drought while RW Wayne Simmonds has tallied once in that span.

2. Carolina captain Justin Williams, who was a first-round pick of the Flyers in the 2000 draft, has recorded three goals and three assists in both November and December.

3. Philadelphia C Scott Laughton has set up a goal in back-to-back contests after being kept off the scoresheet in seven of his previous eight games.

PREDICTION: Hurricanes 2, Flyers 1

[Can'tPickAWinner]

New York Islanders vs. Buffalo Sabres Preview and Predictions 2018-12-31

NHL Predictions 30th December 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 12/30/2018

The New York Islanders vie for their fourth straight win overall and sixth in seven road games when they visit the Buffalo Sabres on Monday. New York posted an impressive 4-0 victory in Toronto on Saturday as Robin Lehner made 36 saves while reigning Calder Trophy winner Mathew Barzal registered a natural hat trick in the second period.

Lehner, who has won four consecutive decisions, could make his second straight start as the Islanders take on the team with which he spent the previous three seasons. The Sabres continue their three-game homestand after beginning it with their fourth defeat in five overall contests (1-3-1), a 3-2 overtime setback against Boston on Saturday in which they squandered a lead late in the third period. Defenseman Marco Scandella scored one goal and set up the other for Buffalo, which had won three of its previous four at KeyBank Center. Sam Reinhart landed on the scoresheet for the 14th time in 15 games (five goals, 17 assists) on Saturday with his 30th assist of the season, matching the career high he set in 2016-17.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, MSG Plus (New York), MSG Buffalo

ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (20-13-4): Michael Dal Colle, who was recalled from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League prior to Saturday's contest after Jordan Eberle (upper body) was placed on injured reserve, notched an assist for his first career point. It was the third game of the season and seventh in the NHL for the 22-year-old left wing, who was the fifth overall pick in the 2014 draft. At 21 years and 217 days old, Barzal became the third-youngest player in franchise history (John Tavares - 20 years, 117 days; Bob Nystrom - 21, 113) to record a natural hat trick.



ABOUT THE SABRES (21-12-6): Johan Larsson's goal on Saturday was Buffalo's first short-handed tally of the season, leaving Florida as the only team without one. It was the fourth goal of the campaign for the 26-year-old Swede - three of which have come in his last nine games. Jason Pominville returned to the lineup Saturday after missing three contests with an undisclosed ailment while defenseman Nathan Beaulieu played for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury on Dec. 15 at Washington.

OVERTIME

1. The Islanders have won four of their last five contests in Buffalo on New Year's Eve.

2. Sabres F Vladimir Sobotka's next game will be his 500th in the NHL.

3. New York's Barry Trotz will pass former Islander Al Arbour (782) for fourth place on the all-time coaching victories list with his next triumph.

PREDICTION: Sabres 4, Islanders 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

New York Rangers vs. St. Louis Blues Preview and Predictions 2018-12-31

NHL Predictions 30th December 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 12/30/2018

The St. Louis Blues continue a four-game stretch against Metropolitan Division teams when they play their third contest of a five-game homestand Monday against the New York Rangers. St. Louis, which has the second-fewest points in the Western Conference (34) and tied for third-worst in the NHL, is coming off a 6-1 loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday after a promising 5-2-0 stretch.

The Blues are the only team in the league that hasn't won at least three in a row this season with captain Alex Pietrangelo telling reporters: "It shouldn't be (a mental block). Especially now. If we want to make the playoffs, that's what we've got to do. Gotta find a way to string some together here." New York snapped a three-game losing streak (0-1-2) by overcoming a third-period deficit to score a 4-3 victory at Nashville on Saturday, improving to 4-6-5 in their last 15 contests. The Rangers were energized by the return of Jesper Fast, who scored twice and combined with linemates Mike Zibanejad (career-high four assists) and Chris Kreider to record 10 points. "We've been talking about winning in this league. It's not playing great all the time, it's playing smart and finding a way,'' New York goaltender Henrik Lundqvist told reporters. "... There's so many games obviously we could've won. We played good enough to win a lot of games, but it came down to a couple plays in the end that turned the game around so it's important not to overreact to that."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), FS Midwest (St. Louis)

ABOUT THE RANGERS (16-14-7): Kevin Hayes (33 points) extended his career-high point streak to nine games with an assist against Nashville, giving him five goals and 11 assists during that span. Kreider (club-most 20 goals) has five goals and two assists in his last four games while Fast, who missed five games with an upper-body injury, has four of his five goals this season in six December contests. Zibanejad (team-high 34 points) was kept off the scoresheet in the previous three games prior to Saturday.



ABOUT THE BLUES (15-17-4): Ryan O'Reilly has a goal and an assist in the last two games but has recorded only seven of his team-leading 34 points and two of his club-most 14 goals in 12 December games. David Perron (13 goals, 24 points) has two goals and three assists in his last three contests after scoring Saturday. Pietrangelo returned Saturday after missing 11 games with a broken hand, playing 19 minutes, 56 seconds while Robby Fabbri (shoulder) could play Monday for the first time since Dec. 1.

OVERTIME

1. St. Louis yielded four power-play goals Saturday and has killed only 6-of-13 penalties over the last four games while New York has scored with the man advantage in each of its last two contests.

2. Lundqvist is 4-6-0 with a 2.26 goals-against average and .922 save percentage versus the Blues.

3. St. Louis swept last season's two-game series, including a 4-3 victory at home on Brayden Schenn overtime goal after Pietrangelo scored twice.

PREDICTION: Blues 3, Rangers 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Ottawa Senators vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Preview and Predictions 2018-12-31

NHL Predictions 30th December 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 12/30/2018

The Ottawa Senators came up short on their comeback attempt last time out but hope to avoid ending the calendar year with a five-game losing streak when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday. Ottawa, which was blanked 4-0 by visiting Washington exactly one week earlier, allowed the first three goals versus the Capitals at home on Saturday but scored twice before dropping a 3-2 decision.

Mark Stone and Colin White each recorded a goal and an assist while 19-year-old rookie Brady Tkachuk set up both tallies as the Senators suffered their ninth loss in 12 contests (3-8-1). Stone leads the team with 43 points and is eight away from 300 for his career. Columbus had its five-game winning streak halted on Friday as it suffered a 4-2 loss to Toronto at home. Artemi Panarin scored his 100th career goal in the setback to give him three tallies and four assists during his four-game point streak.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN5, RDS2 (Ottawa), FS Ohio (Columbus)

ABOUT THE SENATORS (15-20-4): Stone has notched at least one point in 13 of his last 16 contests, collecting nine goals and 10 assists in that span. Matt Duchene has gone five games without an assist, keeping him two shy of 300 for his career. Marcus Hogberg, a 24-year-old Swede who was selected in the third round of the 2013 draft, allowed three goals on 24 shots in his NHL debut on Saturday.



ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (22-13-3): Captain Nick Foligno will miss Monday's game in order to be by the side of his five-year-old daughter, who is scheduled to undergo heart surgery in Boston. The 31-year-old also scored against the Maple Leafs to reach double digits in goals for the sixth consecutive season and ninth time in his career, which began with the Senators. Cam Atkinson, who had his four-game point streak halted on Friday, leads the team with 23 goals and is one away from matching his total in 65 games last season.

OVERTIME

1. Blue Jackets D Zach Werenski has notched two goals and two assists during a four-game point streak that has followed a seven-game drought.

2. Half of White's 10 goals this season have come on the power play.

3. Columbus has gone 0-for-18 with the man advantage over its last seven games.

PREDICTION: Blue Jackets 5, Senators 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Florida Panthers vs. Detroit Red Wings Preview and Predictions 2018-12-31

NHL Predictions 30th December 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 12/30/2018

Jonathan Huberdeau attempts to record another multi-point performance and help the Florida Panthers to a fourth win in five games when they visit the Detroit Red Wings on Monday. Huberdeau, who leads Florida with 44 points, has notched at least two in 13 of his last 19 contests.

The 25-year-old Huberdeau registered his team-high 17th multi-point effort in Saturday's 2-1 home triumph over Philadelphia, setting up Mike Hoffman's tying goal with 6:44 remaining in the third period and scoring the game-winner 5:38 later. Hoffman's tally was his third in four contests and 18th overall this season, moving him ahead of Evgenii Dadonov for the team lead. Detroit is looking to put an end to a slide that reached four games (0-3-1) with Saturday's 5-1 setback at Dallas. Despite the skid, which began with a 2-1 home loss to Florida on Dec. 22, Dylan Larkin has remained unstoppable as he has collected seven goals and nine assists during his 13-game point streak.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Florida, FS Detroit

ABOUT THE PANTHERS (16-15-6): Florida made a pair of moves over the weekend, sending goaltender Michael Hutchinson to Toronto for a 2020 fifth-round draft pick prior to Saturday's game and acquiring Chris Wideman and a third-round selection in next year's draft from Edmonton for fellow defenseman Alex Petrovic on Sunday. The 28-year-old Wideman recorded two goals and three assists in 19 games with Ottawa this season before being dealt on Nov. 22 to Edmonton, where he set up a pair of tallies in five contests. Captain Aleksander Barkov is riding a four-game assist streak during which he has set up six goals.



ABOUT THE RED WINGS (15-19-6): Larkin leads the team with 38 points and 17 goals, which is one more than he scored in 82 games last season. The 22-year-old native of Michigan has been kept off the scoresheet in back-to-back contests only three times this campaign, most recently on Nov. 21 and 23. Gustav Nyquist notched his club-leading 24th assist on Saturday and is one goal away from reaching double digits for the sixth consecutive season.

OVERTIME

1. Larkin, Nyquist, C Luke Glendening and LW Justin Abdelkader are the only players that have appeared in all 40 of the Red Wings' games this season.

2. Florida D Keith Yandle, who has scored five of his six goals this season on the power play, is two points shy of 500 for his career.

3. Detroit has allowed five goals in each of its last three contests.

PREDICTION: Red Wings 3, Panthers 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Anaheim Ducks Preview and Predictions 2018-12-31

NHL Predictions 30th December 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 12/30/2018

The Tampa Bay Lightning have allowed 24 goals in the last six games but continue to find ways to win as they open a three-game California trip against the struggling Anaheim Ducks on Monday. The NHL-best Lightning gave up five goals in the first two periods Saturday, but locked it down in the final 20 minutes and got two tallies from Adam Erne off strong battles down low to beat Montreal 6-5 - extending their point streak to 14 games (13-0-1).

"We simplified our game. ... When you have a good team, it's easy to get caught up in making the perfect play all the time," Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman told reporters after going over 300 assists for his career Saturday (301). "You've got to be satisfied sometimes just by chipping out pucks and going on forechecks. We're at our best when we play simple in our own end." The Lightning have shown they can win up-and-down speed games the last few weeks and they will face a different challenge against three heavier teams out west, starting with an Anaheim team that frustrated them in a 3-1 victory at Tampa Bay on Nov. 27 and has points in four of the past five in the series (3-1-1). The Ducks have not been the same team lately, though, losing five straight contests after coughing up a two-goal lead in a 5-4 overtime setback against Arizona on Saturday. "Mistakes ended up in our net," Anaheim center Adam Henrique told reporters. "You want to play with the lead. That's where you need to tighten up defensively and make sure you don't give up anything for free."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), Prime Ticket (Anaheim)

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (30-7-2): Erne has made an impact when getting chances to play (six goals, 14 points, 25 games, 10:55 average ice time) and the team will need his physical presence with J.T. Miller (upper body) placed on injured reserve. "I'm just trying to earn my spot," Erne told reporters Saturday after tying his career high with three points. "Each night it's an opportunity to prove to the coaches and the management staff that I can be in the lineup each night." Right wing Nikita Kucherov boasts a 10-game point streak, including three goals and eight assists in the past three contests to top the league with 63 points.



ABOUT THE DUCKS (19-15-6): Captain Ryan Getzlaf leads Anaheim with 20 assists and 29 points, but has been blanked the last four games, while Henrique registered a goal and an assist Saturday to move into second on the team with 22 points. Right wing Ondrej Kase scored twice Saturday and owns eight goals to go along with five assists in 12 December games - tying forward Pontus Aberg for the team lead with 11 tallies. Forward Daniel Sprong has scored four goals in 11 games since coming over in a trade with Pittsburgh, where he managed to score four times in his first 42 NHL contests.

OVERTIME

1. Anaheim G John Gibson, who was rested in the win at Tampa Bay, is 2-3-0 with a .934 save percentage all-time against the Lightning.

2. Tampa Bay captain C Steven Stamkos, who was kept off the scoresheet Saturday, boasts 15 goals in his last 14 games.

3. The Ducks scored on the power play Saturday, but are 3-of-32 with the man advantage over their last 11 contests.

PREDICTION: Lightning 4, Ducks 2