Saturday 1-19-19 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Toronto Raptors Preview and Predictions 2019-01-19

NBA Predictions 19th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/19/2019

The Toronto Raptors have won eight in a row at home and they'll have Kawhi Leonard back in action when they try to push the streak to nine straight against the visiting Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday. Leonard (rest), who has scored at least 30 points in five of seven games this month, sat out Thursday's 111-109 win over Phoenix.

He was able to watch Paskal Siakam deliver the win with a basket at the buzzer as Toronto improved to 19-4 at home. "It just means a lot," Siakam told reporters. "It just shows that they believe in what they see every day ... It just feels good that they're able to trust me with the last shot of the game. All it can do is just build confidence and I think that's kind of what I need." The Grizzlies opened their two-game road trip with a 122-116 loss at Boston on Friday. Mike Conley scored 26 points in the loss as Memphis dropped its sixth straight away from home.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Memphis), SportsNet One (Toronto)

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (19-26): Rookie Jaren Jackson Jr. backed Conley with 23 points and four others scored at least 12 in Friday's loss, which gave Memphis something to be proud of despite dropping its fourth straight overall. "We did a lot of great things offensively," coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters. "A 38-point second quarter, the way we moved the ball, the way we got contributions from guys all over the floor and up and down the roster." Center Marc Gasol struggled through a 1-for-10 shooting night but made up for it with a season-high 12 assists.

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (34-13): Siakam finished with 10 points, 12 rebounds and five assists in the win over the Suns as his breakout season continues. "He's an energy guy that should make lots of plays. He should block a shot, he should grab a loose ball, he should be out running," coach Nick Nurse told reporters. CJ Miles and Delon Wright chipped in off the bench by combining for 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Raptors SF OG Anunoby (personal) is expected to miss his third straight game.

2. Siakam is 0-for-11 from 3-point range over his last six games.

3. Grizzlies PG Shelvin Mack is averaging 8.2 points per game, but he's scored in double figures in five straight contests.

PREDICTION: Raptors 118, Grizzlies 106

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls Preview and Predictions 2019-01-19

NBA Predictions 18th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/18/2019

The Miami Heat look to defeat Chicago for the sixth time in the past seven meetings when they visit the Bulls on Saturday. The Heat have lost back-to-back contests to start a four-game trip as they face a Chicago squad that has dropped its last nine games.

The Heat dropped a 98-93 decision to the Detroit Pistons on Friday and coach Erik Spoelstra was not happy with the first-half play that saw his team trailing 53-39 at the break. "These games require 48 minutes of absolute effort and focus," Spoelstra told reporters, "and not up-and-down play and inconsistencies." Chicago just completed an 0-5 road trip in which it suffered losses by 37 points to the Golden State Warriors and 30 to the Denver Nuggets. "Obviously, it's tough to keep losing," Bulls power forward Lauri Markkanen told reporters. "But no one is going to feel sorry for us, and like I've said before, we've just got to work through it and that's all we can do. But yes, it is frustrating."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS (Sun), WGN (Chicago)

ABOUT THE HEAT (21-22): Miami was a porous 5-of-19 from the free-throw line in Friday's defeat with center Hassan Whiteside missing all eight of his attempts. Shooting guard Dwyane Wade scored 20 points on 10-of-14 shooting - his fifth game of 20 or more this season - but badly missed a potential tying 3-point attempt with 6.3 seconds in what was surely his final game in Detroit. "It was great. I've had so many battles here and the fan base has always been great since Day One," the 37-year-old Wade said afterward. "I always got a lot of love from the standpoint of a lot of guys wishing they drafted me."

ABOUT THE BULLS (10-35): Chicago rookie forward Wendell Carter Jr. is expected to undergo surgery on his left thumb that will sideline him eight to 12 weeks. Carter injured the thumb when he fell during Tuesday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers and coach Jim Boylen is worried about being without the 6-foot-10 Carter, who is averaging 10.3 points and 7.0 rebounds in 44 games. "Somebody is going to have to step up," Boylen told reporters. "We need physicality. We are desperately seeking more physical play. And maybe our most physical guy now is hurt."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. SG Josh Richardson, who sat out Friday due to illness, scored 27 points as the Heat notched a 103-96 road win over the Bulls on Nov. 23.

2. Markkanen had 27 points and 10 rebounds against Denver for his fifth double-double of the campaign.

3. Miami SF Justise Winslow scored 15 points against Detroit for his 12th straight double-digit performance.

PREDICTION: Heat 102, Bulls 97

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets Preview and Predictions 2019-01-19

NBA Predictions 18th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/18/2019

The Los Angeles Lakers pulled off their best non-LeBron James win with an overtime triumph at the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, but things are only getting tougher. The Lakers will try to make it three consecutive wins without James when they visit James Harden and the Houston Rockets on Saturday.

Los Angeles improved to 5-7 since James went down with a groin injury on Christmas Day when they outlasted the Thunder 138-128 in overtime, proving to itself that it can win a big game without the superstar cornerstone. "It says we have enough," Lakers forward Brandon Ingram, who handed out 11 assists in the win, told reporters. "It says we have guys in this room that can do different things at different times and in any night it can be a different guy's night on the basketball floor. No matter what we do, if we follow the game plan, that we can be really good." Los Angeles will have to come up with a game plan to defend Harden, who continues to put up other-worldly numbers while the Rockets deal with a trio of key injuries. Those injuries may finally be catching up to the team as Harden poured in 58 points on Wednesday, but Houston still dropped a 145-142 overtime decision to the Brooklyn Nets at home.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC

ABOUT THE LAKERS (25-21): Notable in Los Angeles' win on Thursday was the play of the bench, which outscored the Oklahoma City reserves 61-23 in the contest and led surges in the second and fourth quarters that kept the Lakers in the game. Center Ivica Zubac scored a career-high 26 points on 12-of-14 shooting and grabbed 12 rebounds while shooting guard Josh Hart filled up the box score with 12 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals. "I don't think he missed any 50-50 ball that came by him," point guard Lonzo Ball told reporters of Hart. "And you know we ask him to do a lot at his size, play the four sometimes, but he never complains. He just goes in there and does his job."

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (25-19): Harden scored 57 in a win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday and went one better with a season high against the Nets, giving him 30 or more points in 18 straight games - two shy of matching Wilt Chamberlain's record - and 40 or more in nine of the last 12. Houston got Eric Gordon (knee) back in Wednesday's loss but is still without point guard Chris Paul (hamstring) and will be missing defensive anchor and master dunker Clint Capela for four to six weeks after he underwent thumb surgery. Gordon scored 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting against Brooklyn but left the game early in the fourth quarter with knee soreness and is considered day-to-day.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Lakers PG Rajon Rondo (finger) was cleared for full-contact practice.

2. The Rockets attempted an NBA-record 70 3-pointers on Wednesday, connecting on 23.

3. Houston took the first two meetings this season by an average of 12 points.

PREDICTION: Rockets 126, Lakers 121

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Denver Nuggets Preview and Predictions 2019-01-19

NBA Predictions 19th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/19/2019

The Denver Nuggets attempt to win for the 11th time in 14 games when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday. The Nuggets rolled to a 135-105 rout of lowly Chicago on Thursday and now look to take advantage of the worst team in the NBA.

The shellacking of the Bulls had an extra dose of good feelings behind it after Denver was crushed 142-111 by Golden State two nights earlier. "We needed to wake up to try to play like we were supposed to play, not just this game, but every game," Nuggets center Nikola Jokic told reporters. "When we got to the other gear, we played the right way." Cleveland's gear has been plummeting downward as Friday's 115-99 loss to Utah was the team's 14th in 15 contests. The Cavaliers are getting routed regularly as 19 of their last 22 setbacks have been by double digits.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cleveland), Altitude (Denver)

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (9-37): Cleveland trailed by 38 points in the third quarter before cutting into the deficit against Utah's reserves, but coach Larry Drew wasn't happy with his club's play over the first 30 minutes. "I didn't think we did a good job as far as moving the ball and moving our bodies," Drew told reporters. "We became too stagnant and played right into the heart of their defense." Backup point guard Cameron Payne scored 14 points to reach double digits in four of his six games since joining the Cavaliers.

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (30-14): Denver knocked down a season-best 20 3-pointers against the Bulls, with point guard Jamal Murray going 7-for-11 from beyond the arc while scoring 25 points. "It feels good, just having fun," Murray told reporters of seeing his shots falling. "Everybody knows once I make one or two, that's all I need. After that, I'm locked in." Murray has topped 20 points in four of his last five games and is 11-for-18 from 3-point range over his last two contests.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Nuggets F Juancho Hernangomez scored 23 points in a 110-91 road win over the Cavaliers on Nov. 1.

2. Cleveland C Tristan Thompson (foot) likely will miss his second straight game.

3. Denver SG Gary Harris (hamstring) scored 14 points in 19 minutes off the bench against Chicago after missing the previous five contests.

PREDICTION: Nuggets 126, Cavaliers 93

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Anaheim Ducks vs. New Jersey Devils Preview and Predictions 2019-01-19

NHL Predictions 18th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/18/2019

After ending a franchise-record 12-game losing streak, the Anaheim Ducks look to post back-to-back wins away from home for the first time since Dec. 15-17 when they visit the New Jersey Devils on Saturday afternoon. The Ducks were held to two goals or fewer nine times during the 0-8-4 drought before erupting for three first-period goals in a 3-0 win at Minnesota.

The month-long drought came to an end during a frenzied week in which Anaheim lost two players to injury, acquired four more in separate trades and promoted three from the minors. "Hopefully, we hit a few buttons that can give ourselves some life here and some momentum that we can carry this forward," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. The Devils followed two straight wins with a pair of meek efforts -- consecutive 4-1 road losses to Columbus and the New York Islanders to fall to a league-worst 5-17-3 away from home. "Internally we're frustrated as players," New Jersey forward Brett Seney said. "We're going to come out tomorrow and be ready, and do what it takes to prepare ourselves."

TV: 1 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, Prime Ticket (Anaheim), MSG-Plus (New York)

ABOUT THE DUCKS (20-19-9): While Anaheim jumped out to a fast start Thursday, scoring twice in an 11-second span, John Gibson made the lead stand up by turning aside 37 shots to post his second shutout of the season to end a personal 11-start skid. "Any time you lose that many games in a row, it's a test to anyone's character and the will to win," Gibson said. "We finally came together and said 'Enough is enough.'" Forward Ondrej Kase, who scored a goal and collected two assists in a 6-5 shootout win over New Jersey on Dec. 9, is dealing with an upper-body injury that forced him to miss Friday's practice.

ABOUT THE DEVILS (18-22-7): At the end of Friday's practice, veteran forward Drew Stafford called his teammates together for a brief players-only meeting in an attempt to snap out of the funk. "We need to take some pride," forward Blake Coleman said. "Just watching video was hard. It was painful to watch. Just taking pride in it, putting your foot in the sand and having a response tomorrow." Rookie netminder MacKenzie Blackwood had a rough opening period in Thursday's loss to the Islanders, giving up three goals to drop to 1-3-0 on the road, but he is 4-0-0 with a 1.87 goals-against average at home.

OVERTIME

1. Devils F Kyle Palmieri has goals in just one of the past eight games but scored twice versus Anaheim last month.

2. Ducks F Rickard Rakell has scored in each of the past three games.

3. Devils D Ben Lovejoy and F Miles Wood did not practice Friday but were not ruled out for Saturday's game.

PREDICTION: Ducks 3, Devils 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Los Angeles Kings vs. Colorado Avalanche Preview and Predictions 2019-01-19

NHL Predictions 18th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/18/2019

The Colorado Avalanche look to leave their pronounced road woes in their rearview mirror on Saturday afternoon when they open a five-game homestand against the Los Angeles Kings. Colorado, which has dropped eight of its last nine (1-7-1) on the road and 10 of 12 overall (2-8-2), will begin a stretch of nine of its next 13 outings at Pepsi Center.

"It's a disappointing road trip because I thought we started it playing some good hockey and didn't get rewarded," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said of a 1-4-0 trek that concluded with a 5-2 setback against struggling Ottawa. Nathan MacKinnon scored and set up a goal versus the Senators and did the same in Colorado's 7-3 romp in Los Angeles on Nov. 21. The Kings improved to 2-0-1 in their last three games after skating to a 2-1 triumph against Dallas on Thursday. Dustin Brown, who scored a power-play goal in the first period against the Stars, converted on a breakaway 56 seconds into overtime as Los Angeles posted a 3-2 win versus Colorado in Denver on Dec. 31.

TV: 3 p.m. ET, FS West (Los Angeles), Altitude (Colorado)

ABOUT THE KINGS (19-25-4): Defenseman Drew Doughty, who has scored and set up a goal in two meetings with Colorado this season, notched his club-best 22nd assist on Brown's goal against Dallas as Los Angeles snapped a five-game drought with the man advantage. "We've been working hard at the power play in practice every day, and you know the guys on the power play are usually obviously our top players, and we feel that we need to make a difference to win the hockey game," the former Norris Trophy recipient said of the Kings' 26th-ranked power play. Los Angeles especially has struggled with the man advantage on the road, going 6-for-51.

ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (21-18-8): Mikko Rantanen (club-best 50 assists, 71 points) set up a pair of goals against Ottawa to reach the 70-point plateau for the second straight season, joining Joe Sakic (nine), Peter Forsberg (six), Milan Hejduk (five), Paul Stastny (three) and Alex Tanguay (three) as the lone Avalanche players to have multiple campaigns with at least 70 points. Rantanen has nine points (four goals, five assists) in his last six games overall and collected three (all assists) in the two previous encounters with the Kings. Captain Gabriel Landeskog, who leads the team with 28 goals, set up a tally in each meeting with Los Angeles.

OVERTIME

1. Los Angeles G Jonathan Quick turned aside 22 shots on New Year's Eve to improve to 17-5-1 with a 2.15 goals-against average and .917 save percentage in his career versus Colorado.

2. The Avalanche have lost nine of 13 games (4-6-3) against Pacific Division foes this season.

3. Kings captain Anze Kopitar, who leads the team in goals (13) and points (31), has been held off the scoresheet in three of his last four contests.

PREDICTION: Avalanche 5, Kings 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Ottawa Senators vs. St. Louis Blues Preview and Predictions 2019-01-19

NHL Predictions 18th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/18/2019

The St. Louis Blues had the makings of a promising start to their four-game road trip before sustaining back-to-back losses to drop below the NHL's version of .500. The Blues bid to get back on track Saturday when they host the Ottawa Senators before packing their bags once again to begin a five-game road trip.

"It was a good trip. I didn't like our game (in Thursday's 5-2 setback to Boston), but overall, the other games I thought we played really well," St. Louis coach Craig Berube said. "We just go home and regroup and we've got Ottawa (on Saturday) and we've got to get two points there." David Perron is riding a career-best 13-game point streak (six goals, 10 assists), which is the longest by a member of the Blues since Alex Steen's 13-game run in 2013 -- although he is barely halfway to the franchise record set by Hall of Famer Brett Hull (25) during the 1991-92 season. Matt Duchene has provided a jolt after returning from a three-game absence due to the birth of his son, scoring two goals and setting up another in Ottawa's 5-2 triumph over Colorado before setting up Bobby Ryan's tally two nights later in a 4-1 victory over Carolina. Defenseman Thomas Chabot also returned from an eight-game absence due to a shoulder injury and notched an assist against the Avalanche before logging a team-high 24:25 of ice time versus the Hurricanes as the Senators posted their fourth win in five outings.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, CITY (Ottawa), FS Midwest (St. Louis)

ABOUT THE SENATORS (19-24-5): With Anders Nilsson getting the nod on Friday, Craig Anderson is in line to start against St. Louis after sitting out the past 12 games due to a concussion. "Every few days now, we seem to be getting a player back, so it's very exciting for the players, for me, for everybody," Senators coach Guy Boucher said, per the Ottawa Sun. The 37-year-old Anderson, who last played on Dec. 21, turned aside 71 of 76 shots to drop both encounters with the Blues last season.

ABOUT THE BLUES (20-21-5): Ryan O'Reilly lamented the lost opportunity for St. Louis on Thursday despite scoring his 17th goal to pull even with Perron for the team lead. "Yeah it's a frustrating one," the 27-year-old O'Reilly said. "I had plenty of opportunities to impact the puck and didn't (on Thursday). It just seemed like it was the case for a lot of the guys." Jake Allen has struggled for the last three weeks, falling for the fifth time in seven outings after yielding four goals on 26 shots against the Bruins.

OVERTIME

1. St. Louis outscored Ottawa by a 7-1 margin to win both games last season.

2. Senators RW Bobby Ryan, who scored his team's lone goal in a 4-1 loss to the Blues on Jan. 18, 2018, has nine points (three goals, six assists) in his last nine games.

3. The Blues have lost 15 of 26 games (11-13-2) at Enterprise Center this season.

PREDICTION: Blues 4, Senators 1

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Winnipeg Jets vs. Dallas Stars Preview and Predictions 2019-01-19

NHL Predictions 18th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/18/2019

The Dallas Stars hold the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference, but frustration is growing as the team continues to look like anything but a playoff team. Dallas has dropped four straight games following Thursday's 2-1 defeat to Los Angeles, and the Stars have managed three goals during their slide which includes three consecutive losses at home to kick off a six-game homestand that includes a visit from the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday.

"We can't keep counting on other teams to lose," Dallas forward Blake Comeau said after Thursday's loss, as the Stars begin the weekend in seventh place in the West with 50 points. "We haven't been playing very good hockey at all lately, and it's up to the guys in the room to turn it around." The task does not get easier Saturday as the high-flying Jets - leaders of the Central Division and one point behind Calgary for the conference's top spot - arrive after smashing Nashville on the road 5-1 on Thursday. Winnipeg has won four games in a row and rode a stellar performance by its fourth line (three goals, one assist) to beat the Predators. "Any night your fourth line can produce, it's important," Jets forward Brendan Lemieux told reporters after he scored twice. "It's not just about our line. It was a good game for us."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet West, Sportsnet Pacific (Winnipeg), FS Southwest Plus (Dallas)

ABOUT THE JETS (31-14-2): Winnipeg has scored four goals or more in each of its past seven victories, and ranked sixth in the NHL in scoring at 3.49 goals per game entering Friday. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 37 saves against the Predators, while four of the Jets goals came from bottom six forwards (Lemieux's two tallies, Brandon Tanev and Mason Appleton). Center Bryan Little scored the other Winnipeg goal, giving him goals in five of his past seven games and nine points in that span.

ABOUT THE STARS (23-21-4): Dallas forward Alexander Radulov, second on the team in points (40) and third in goals (14), was benched for the final 10 minutes of the first period Thursday. Forward Jamie Benn and center Tyler Seguin have combined for 35 goals but the Stars needed an extra-attacker goal from defenseman Esa Lindell on a deflection to avoid a second-consecutive shutout. Ben Bishop made 17 saves in goal Thursday, dropping to 1-3-0 with 10 goals allowed in his past four starts, but ranked third in the NHL in goals against average (2.38).

OVERTIME

1. The Stars have scored a league-low 22 first-period goals this season.

2. Jets coach Paul Maurice coached his 1,494th game Thursday, passing Lindy Ruff for sixth in NHL history.

3. Winnipeg does not play again after Saturday until a two-game road trip to Philadelphia and Boston on Jan. 28-29 because of its annual players break and the All-Star break.

PREDICTION: Jets 5, Stars 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

San Jose Sharks vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Preview and Predictions 2019-01-19

NHL Predictions 18th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/18/2019

The San Jose Sharks look to rebound from their first loss in eight contests when they continue their pre-All Star Game road trip by going for a season sweep of the league-best Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night. The Sharks produced one of their best efforts of the season to beat the Lightning 5-2 on Jan. 5 near the beginning of a seven-game winning streak that ended Wednesday with a 6-3 loss at Arizona.

"We just weren't good enough, and it's tough because we were on such a nice run," San Jose center Logan Couture told reporters after Wednesday's setback. "You never want to go crazy when you lose, but you're disappointed, especially when it's a (Pacific) Division game and a game in our mind that's winnable." The Sharks will try to find the recipe that led to holding Tampa Bay, which leads the league in scoring (3.96 per game), to 20 shots in the previous meeting while taking the puck away 12 times. The Lightning, who won't play again until Jan. 30, are also coming off a rare loss as they fell against Toronto 4-2 on Thursday to end a nine-game winning streak at home, and will look to avoid their first set of back-to-back losses since Nov. 10 and 13. "It's not always about the result, it's about the performance of the group and I think (Thursday) was as good as we've been playing the last five or six games," Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman told reporters. ". ... A couple breakdowns cost us, so we'll learn from that and change that for our last game before the break."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCS California (San Jose), FS Sun (Tampa Bay)

ABOUT THE SHARKS (28-14-7): Martin Jones has turned around his season between the pipes with eight straight wins, including a 17-save effort against Tampa Bay, and owns a .939 save percentage in the past five outings. Defenseman Brent Burns has been held off the scoresheet the past two games, but leads the team with 52 points while Couture scored Wednesday to tie blue liner Erik Karlsson for second at 43. Forward Tomas Hertl has been the warmest Shark with five of his 19 goals and three assists in the last six contests to push his total to 41 points overall.

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (36-10-2): Captain Steven Stamkos has picked up where he left off after a 21-point December by recording another 11 in the first eight contests of 2019, including a goal and six assists during his current five-game point streak. Right wing Nikita Kucherov posted an assist Thursday to improve his league-leading total to 76 points while linemate Brayden Point scored his team-best 30th goal and set up another in the loss to Toronto. Fourth-leading scorer Tyler Johnson (18 goals, 34 points) suffered a lower-body injury in Thursday's game and is likely out Saturday.

OVERTIME

1. San Jose F Timo Meier boasts 18 goals, but has gone 16 games without one while accumulating eight assists in that stretch.

2. Hedman, one of three former Norris Trophy winners slated to be on the ice Saturday with Karlsson and Burns, has 12 points in his last 12 contests.

3. The Sharks have won four of the last five games at Tampa Bay, but lost last season's battle in the Sunshine State 5-2.

PREDICTION: Lightning 4, Sharks 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

New York Rangers vs. Boston Bruins Preview and Predictions 2019-01-19

NHL Predictions 18th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/18/2019

It promises to be a record-setting night for one of the goaltenders when the New York Rangers visit the Boston Bruins on Saturday night in the final game for both teams prior to hitting their bye weeks. New York's Henrik Lundqvist and Boston's Tuukka Rask, a pair of former Vezina Trophy winners, each have a chance to enter the break by reaching a major milestone.

Rask improved to 6-0-1 in his last seven starts in Thursday's 5-2 victory over St. Louis to match the franchise record for all-time wins of 252 held by Tiny Thompson. "It's an Original Six franchise. I've had the luxury to be here for many, many years, so it obviously means a lot," Rask said. "Many more to come, hopefully." Lundqvist, meanwhile, has a chance to move into sole possession of sixth place on the career wins list after tying Terry Sawchuk with his 445th victory as New York edged Chicago 4-3 on Thursday night. "It's an honor to be up there, getting closer and closer to and already passing names that meant a lot to me growing up," Lundqvist said. "It's a very cool feeling."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL Network, MSG (New York), NESN (Boston)

ABOUT THE RANGERS (20-20-7): New York has won three of four following a five-game skid and is getting outstanding production from the line of Mats Zuccarello, Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. Zuccarello (four goals, three assists) and Zibanejad (three goals, four assists) are each riding four-game point streaks while Kreider, the team's top goal scorer, has back-to-back two-point games. "We're skating with confidence," said Zibanejad, who leads the team in points (42) and assists (27). "Just demanding the puck, all three of us. Just holding onto pucks and making the right plays, not overthinking things."

ABOUT THE BRUINS (27-16-5): Boston has had a revolving door at right wing on its No. 2 line throughout the season and the latest player to audition is Peter Cehlarik, who scored a pair of goals in his season debut at Philadelphia on Wednesday and added an assist the following night. "He's done what we've asked and more," coach Bruce Cassidy said of Cehlarik, who had three goals in 19 games over parts of three seasons. "He finished the other night, a couple times, so we know he's capable of offense. Linemate David Krejci had three assists Thursday to give him seven points during a five-game streak.

OVERTIME

1. Lundqvist is 27-13-2 with six shutouts against Boston -- his second-highest total against any team.

2. Bruins C Patrice Bergeron scored twice as Boston ended a seven-game slide in the series with a 6-1 win on Feb. 7.

3. New York assigned rookie Alexandar Georgiev to Hartford of the American Hockey League and recalled fellow G Marek Mazanec.

PREDICTION: Bruins 3, Rangers 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Philadelphia Flyers vs. Montreal Canadiens Preview and Predictions 2019-01-19

NHL Predictions 18th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/18/2019

Positive moments have been few and far between this season for the Philadelphia Flyers, who look to ride the momentum of back-to-back hat tricks into Saturday's game at the Bell Centre against the Montreal Canadiens. James van Riemsdyk and Sean Couturier each had a three-goal performance this week as Philadelphia has won three of four on the heels of their season-high eight-game skid (0-6-2).

"(The hat trick was) not something I was thinking about. The pucks find their way in. It's nice to have them," said Couturier, whose three goals in Wednesday's 4-3 victory versus Boston boosted his season total to a club-best 19. The 26-year-old has scored four goals and set up five others during his five-game point streak heading into a tilt with Montreal, against which he collected three assists during Philadelphia's three-game sweep last season. The Canadiens have outscored their foes by a robust 15-4 margin during their season-high four-game winning streak after posting a 4-1 victory versus Columbus on Friday. Tomas Tatar, who joined Joel Armia in tallying twice against the Blue Jackets, scored for the first time since netting a pair in a 5-3 win over Florida on Dec. 28.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN-Plus, NBCS Philadelphia, CBC, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario, TVAS (Montreal)

ABOUT THE FLYERS (18-23-6): The shining light in Philadelphia's dismal season unquestionably has been prize rookie Carter Hart, who returns to Montreal for the first time since the gold medal game of the 2017 World Junior Championship. "Montreal is a great city and a great hockey city. They are very passionate about the game and about their team. It's going be fun to go there," the 20-year-old Hart said. Hart, who made a career-high 39 saves versus the Bruins, has struggled away from Philadelphia -- posting an 0-3-0 mark with a 3.46 goals-against average and .889 save percentage.

ABOUT THE CANADIENS (27-17-5): Hart likely won't have a chance to face one of his favorite goaltenders in Carey Price, as the former Vezina and Hart Trophy winner turned aside 33 shots to win his third straight start on Friday. Backup Antti Niemi likely will get the nod versus Philadelphia after he made a career-best 52 saves in Tuesday's 5-1 romp over Florida. The 35-year-old Finn has stopped 127 of 132 shots during his three-start winning streak.

OVERTIME

1. Montreal C Max Domi set up a pair of goals versus Columbus to extend his point streak to three games (one goal, three assists) while D Shea Weber recorded his second straight multi-point performance with a pair of assists.

2. Flyers captain Claude Giroux, who leads the team in assists (38) and points (52), scored a goal and set up three others versus the Canadiens last season.

3. Montreal C Paul Byron will serve the second contest of a three-game suspension for his hit on Florida D MacKenzie Weegar.

PREDICTION: Flyers 2, Canadiens 1

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Florida Panthers vs. Nashville Predators Preview and Predictions 2019-01-19

NHL Predictions 18th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/18/2019

The Nashville Predators received a disastrous result in their last outing, with another setback coming less than 24 hours later when the NHL announced that forward Ryan Johansen was suspended for two games for a high-sticking incident. The Predators look to overcome the absence of Johansen on Saturday when they conclude their three-game homestand against the Florida Panthers.

Johansen, who is Nashville's team leader in assists (34) and points (42), received his ban after his stick came down on Winnipeg center Mark Scheifele's head during the first period of Thursday's 5-1 setback. The loss of the 26-year-old Johansen comes on the heels of linemate Viktor Arvidsson's scoring binge in which he has tallied 10 times in the last 10 games to pull to pull even with Filip Forsberg with a club-best 18 goals. While the Predators have dropped three of their last four, Florida snapped a seven-game slide (0-5-2) by posting its first win in January with Friday's 3-1 victory versus Toronto. Mike Hoffman scored his team-leading 23rd goal in that contest to boost his point total to 11 (eight goals, three assists) in his last 13 games.

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

ABOUT THE PANTHERS (18-20-8): Vincent Trocheck made a triumphant return from a 27-game absence due to a broken right ankle on Friday by picking up an assist on Michael Matheson's first-period goal. The 25-year-old, who collected 54 goals over the past two seasons, finished with a plus-2 rating and registered a team-high seven hits versus the Maple Leafs. "It was the one thing I told myself before I decided to come back, was that if I was going to come back that I couldn't come back and be tentative... the type of the game I play is the only way I can succeed and contribute to this offense and contribute to this team," Trocheck told NHL Network after the game.

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (28-17-4): Pekka Rinne has been rather pedestrian over the last month and a half, posting a 7-7-2 mark with a 3.05 goals-against average and .894 save percentage in 17 appearances. The reigning Vezina Trophy recipient was pierced for five goals in his second straight outing and could cede the net on Saturday to fellow Finn Juuse Saros, who has turned aside 98 of 101 shots spread over four appearances this month. Should either goaltender come up big on Saturday, that likely bodes well for Peter Laviolette as he vies for his 600th coaching victory.

OVERTIME

1. Nashville C Filip Forsberg set up Arvidsson's goal versus the Jets to boost his point total to six (four goals, two assists) in his last five outings.

2. Florida C Jonathan Huberdeau, who leads the team in assists (36) and points (48), set up a goal on Friday after being held off the scoresheet in four of his previous five games.

3. Predators D Ryan Ellis has scored one goal and set up five others in his last 10 games.

PREDICTION: Predators 4, Panthers 1

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Minnesota Wild Preview and Predictions 2019-01-19

NHL Predictions 18th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/18/2019

The Minnesota Wild seemed poised to make a move up the standings after opening January by winning four of five and staring at a schedule dotted with a slew of struggling opponents. Instead, Minnesota has played down to the level of competition, absorbing three three-goal defeats in the last four games entering Saturday's home matchup versus the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The uninspired stretch by the Wild featured drubbings by Detroit and Philadelphia before Anaheim ended a 12-game winless drought with a 3-0 victory in Minnesota on Thursday night. "Over the last three or four games, we're playing teams that are bottom in the league and a team coming in on a 12-game losing streak," Wild forward Zach Parise said. "We get one shootout win out of it. It's just not good enough." The Blue Jackets had their four-game winning streak snapped with Friday's 4-1 home loss to Montreal, although a pair of empty-net goals made the final outcome deceptive. Columbus extended its point streak over the Wild to five games (4-0-1) with a 4-2 win on Nov. 29 and has won five of its last six visits to Minnesota.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Columbus), FS North (Minnesota)

ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (28-16-3): Since Sergei Bobrovsky was held out of one game after he was yanked during a loss to Tampa Bay on Jan. 8, Joonas Korpisalo has started four of the past five contests, taking his first loss in that span Friday night. With Columbus on a back-to-back and playing the final game before its league-mandated break, it would seem likely Bobrovsky gets the nod against the Wild given his stellar 9-2-1 record and 1.80 goals-against average against them. The Blue Jackets' top line of Cam Atkinson, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Artemi Panarin was blanked by Montreal, ending their four-game point streaks.

ABOUT THE WILD (23-21-3): Forward Pontus Aberg, picked up in a trade with Anaheim earlier this week, had two shots on goal in his Minnesota debut versus his former club and will be on a line with another newcomer in Victor Rask alongside Parise. Rask, acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Nino Niederreiter on Wednesday, had a career-best 21 goals in 2015-16 but has only one tally and six points in 26 games this season. "He could be a (No.) 2 or a 3 centerman, he has the capability of playing the wing as well," general manager Paul Fenton said. "He's a guy that, in my mind, needed a change of scenery."

OVERTIME

1. Wild G Devan Dubnyk is 10-7-3 with a 2.44 goals-against average versus Columbus.

2. Atkinson scored in the late-November matchup, giving him six goals in 13 games against the Wild.

3. Parise, who had a season-high 11 shots on net Thursday, has 10 goals in 17 games against the Blue Jackets

PREDICTION: Wild 3, Blue Jackets 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Calgary Flames vs. Edmonton Oilers Preview and Predictions 2019-01-19

NHL Predictions 19th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/19/2019

The Edmonton Oilers scored a total of three goals while splitting their first two meetings of the season with the Calgary Flames, with captain Connor McDavid producing two of them. The Oilers hope for more offense on Saturday as they host the Flames in the latest edition of the Battle of Alberta.

McDavid comes into the latest matchup with a four-game goal-scoring streak during which he has tallied five times and a string of six straight contests with a point (six goals, three assists). The two-time reigning Art Ross Trophy winner has been nearly unstoppable this season, as he has been kept off the scoresheet in only six of his 46 games. While Edmonton has posted back-to-back wins for the first time in over a month, Calgary is riding a seven-game point streak (6-0-1) after ending a 4-0-1 homestand on Friday with a 6-4 victory over Detroit. Sam Bennett recorded two goals after scoring once in his previous 12 contests and added an assist for the Flames, who have gone 9-1-2 over their last 12 games.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, CBC, Sportsnet, Sportsnet One, Sportsnet360, CITY

ABOUT THE FLAMES (31-13-5): Defenseman TJ Brodie has notched two assists in three of his last five contests, including Friday's triumph, and is five away from 200 for his career. Captain Mark Giordano scored against the Red Wings to reach double digits in goals for the sixth consecutive season. The 35-year-old defenseman is riding a six-game point streak during which he has collected four tallies and six assists.

ABOUT THE OILERS (23-21-3): Colby Cave made his team debut in Wednesday's 3-2 shootout win in Vancouver after being claimed off waivers from Boston a day earlier, registering one shot and blocking another while posting a minus-1 rating in 9 minutes, 35 seconds of ice time. The 24-year-old center recorded one goal and four assists in 20 games with the Bruins this season. Kailer Yamamoto returned to the lineup Wednesday after missing eight contests with an upper-body injury and delivered two hits in 11:36 of action.

OVERTIME

1. Oilers F Leon Draisaitl's next goal will be his 100th in the NHL.

2. Calgary has won six of its last eight road contests.

3. Edmonton C Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has collected a goal and four assists over his last three games.

PREDICTION: Flames 4, Oilers 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Vegas Golden Knights Preview and Predictions 2019-01-19

NHL Predictions 19th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/19/2019

The Vegas Golden Knights have cooled off a bit since their seven-game winning streak, losing two of their last three contests, but look to snap out of that funk when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. The Golden Knights come in well-rested, playing for the first time since Tuesday's 4-1 setback at Winnipeg, and hope to improve on their 8-4-1 record against Metropolitan Division foes.

Vegas registered 44 shots but went 0-for-6 on the power play against the Jets, prompting coach Gerard Gallant to tell reporters: "We kept playing, we had lots of shots and lots of chances, and their goalie (Laurent Brossoit) was outstanding. That was the difference." The Penguins look to match the result of the first meeting on Oct. 11, when they knocked off the Golden Knights 4-2 despite being outshot 37-22, and can finish their five-game road trip with a winning record. Pittsburgh ended a two-game slide with a 3-2 overtime victory at Arizona on Friday as Phil Kessel scored the winning goal on the power play 4:10 into the extra session. Jake Guentzel also scored for Pittsburgh to push his team-leading total to 24 tallies, with eight of them coming in the same amount of games this month.

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

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (26-15-6): Captain Sidney Crosby, who tops the team with 56 points, and Evgeni Malkin (team-high 37 assists) helped set up the winner by Kessel, who is one goal shy of reaching 20 for the 11th straight season. Rookie Juuso Riikola scored his second NHL goal on Friday while fellow defenseman Marcus Pettersson, who was acquired from Anaheim in early December, recorded his seventh assist in eight games this month. Matt Murray posted his 10th win in 11 decisions on Friday, which could give Saturday's start to Casey DeSmith (12-8-4, .921 save percentage).

ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (28-17-4): While two of the team's top four scorers have cooled off and one is injured, Alex Tuch has taken over the club lead with 37 points - 11 over his last 10 contests. Jonathan Marchessault has notched just one of his 31 points in seven contests this month and linemate William Karlsson, who shares the team lead with Tuch at 15 goals, is mired in an eight-game point drought. Marc-Andre Fleury has gone 6-2-0 with a .933 save percentage in his last eight starts and could have more help in front of him as defenseman Colin Miller (undisclosed) is close to returning from a 13-game absence.

OVERTIME

1. Pittsburgh C Joseph Blandisi registered two shots, one hit and a block in 6 minutes, 47 seconds of ice time during his debut with the club on Friday.

2. Vegas C Brandon Pirri, who has recorded eight goals and five assists in 11 games this season, is riding a six-game point streak.

3. The Penguins produced a pair of power-play goals Friday for the first time in nine games and are 4-for-13 over their last four contests.

PREDICTION: Golden Knights 4, Penguins 3