Tuesday 2-19-19 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-19-2019, 09:50 AM

New York Rangers vs. Carolina Hurricanes Preview and Predictions 2019-02-19

NHL Predictions 18th February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/18/2019

Having ended a 16-game losing streak at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 8, the Carolina Hurricanes have a chance to halt an even longer drought against the New York Rangers when the teams collide Tuesday night in Raleigh, N.C. The Hurricanes have a chance to win a season series against New York for the first time since 2005-06 -- the year they hoisted the Stanley Cup.

Carolina has won three in a row and six of seven, including a 3-0 shutout at New York, to move within one point of the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. "We don't talk about it, but everyone knows where we're at," Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said in reference to the team not making the playoffs for the past nine seasons -- the longest active run in the NHL. Since winning three in a row in mid-January, the Rangers have leveled off and are 4-5-1 in their last 10 after a late comeback fell short in Sunday's 6-5 loss at Pittsburgh. "The way we battled deserves credit, the boys worked hard," rookie goaltender Alexandar Georgiev said. "That's going to help us going to the next game."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), FS Carolina

ABOUT THE RANGERS (25-25-8): New York's top line continues to produce en masse with Mats Zuccarello, Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider combining for three goals and as many assists Sunday to lift the unit's totals to 58 points over the past 14 games. Zuccarello, who along with Kevin Hayes are rumored to be the top targets at the trade deadline, extended his point streak to four games and has 22 points over the past 14 contests. "It's good to see because he's played really hard, he's played well, that line has been good, obviously," coach David Quinn said. "It helps us win hockey games, that's why it's really good."

ABOUT THE HURRICANES (31-22-6): Labeled a "bunch of jerks" by Hockey Night in Canada analyst Don Cherry for their audacious Storm Surge postgame celebrations, Carolina is taking the criticism to heart by marketing T-shirts emblazoned with Cherry's words. "It kind of (stinks) for people that don't like it if we keep winning games, so obviously we hope we keep winning games and give them some more shows," Hurricanes defenseman Justin Faulk said. The goaltending continues to shine as Curtis McElhinney allowed one goal apiece in back-to-back wins before Petr Mrazek recorded the team's third shutout in seven games.

OVERTIME

1. Hurricanes F Sebastian Aho has five assists during a four-game point streak but has just one point in three games versus the Rangers this season.

2. Rangers G Henrik Lundqvist dropped to 29-12-1 versus Carolina despite turning aside 30 of 31 shots earlier this month.

3. Carolina F Justin Williams has 10 points in the last eight games, including a four-game string.

PREDICTION: Hurricanes 3, Rangers 2

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-19-2019, 09:50 AM

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Philadelphia Flyers Preview and Predictions 2019-02-19

NHL Predictions 19th February 2019 by Gracenote
Lightning vs. Flyers Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 02/19/2019

The Philadelphia Flyers have climbed back into contention for an Eastern Conference playoff spot with a remarkable run and will test themselves on Tuesday, when they host the NHL-leading Tampa Bay Lightning. The Flyers have won three in a row and earned points in 13 of their last 14 games (12-1-1) after sweeping a home-and-home series against Detroit over the weekend, with red-hot rookie goaltender Carter Hart in the crease for both victories.

Hart is expected to start against Tampa Bay for the first time after the Flyers lost 6-5 overtime decisions in the first two meetings as they attempt to chip away at their six-point deficit for a wild-card spot. "This is how we're going to have to keep playing if we want to make the playoffs," Philadelphia defenseman Ivan Provorov told reporters after scoring his second goal in three games on Sunday. "It's going to be tough because we didn't start the season the way we were capable of playing, but now we've got a chance." They will need a big defensive effort against the Lightning, who have scored 30 goals during their six-game winning streak after NHL scoring leader Nikita Kucherov recorded five points in a 5-1 win at Columbus on Monday. Kucherov has notched 18 of his 99 points in the last five games and has registered six in the two meetings with Philadelphia this season, but Tampa Bay could be without defenseman Victor Hedman after the reigning Norris Trophy winner left after the first period on Monday with a lower-body injury.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), NBCS Philadelphia

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (45-11-4): Backup Louis Domingue (18-4-0) may get a chance to extend his franchise-record 10-game winning streak on Tuesday in place of Andrei Vasilevskiy (26-7-4), who has allowed a total of one goal in the last three contests. Brayden Point has posted 12 of his 78 points and captain Steven Stamkos five of his 33 goals during six-game point streaks while Kucherov broke the franchise record for assists in a season (70) with 22 games remaining. Stamkos, who has recorded 40 points in 31 career games against the Flyers, has scored 381 career goals for Tampa Bay - two shy of Vincent Lecavalier's franchise record.

ABOUT THE FLYERS (28-24-7): Hart (13-6-1, .924 save percentage) has won 10 of his last 11 decisions and told reporters: "I'm not trying to get too far ahead of myself or live in the past. I just want to worry about every challenge that I'm presented with." Captain Claude Giroux was kept off the scoresheet in each of his last two games but has collected nine points in his last nine contests and tops the team with 61 - seven more than Sean Couturier (team-high 24 goals). Jakub Voracek (15 goals, 35 assists) saw his nine-game point streak come to an end last time out, but 22-year-old left wing Oskar Lindblom scored his ninth and 10th goals on Sunday.

OVERTIME

1. Tampa Bay LW Alex Killorn needs one goal to reach 100 for his career while C Tyler Johnson is two points away from 300.

2. Philadelphia D Travis Sanheim has recorded a goal and six assists in his last nine games to push his career-high total to 22 points.

3. The Lightning have scored 23 goals en route to winning the last four meetings - three of them after regulation.

PREDICTION: Flyers 4, Lightning 3

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-19-2019, 09:50 AM

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New Jersey Devils Preview and Predictions 2019-02-19

NHL Predictions 18th February 2019 by Gracenote
Penguins vs. Devils Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 02/18/2019

The Pittsburgh Penguins appear to have turned the corner with wins in three of their last four games to gain a tenuous hold on one of the wild-card spots in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins look to continue their good fortune and avoid the indignity of being swept in the season series by the cellar-dwelling New Jersey Devils on Tuesday when the Metropolitan Division rivals meet in Newark (N.J.).

"We can't be afraid of (the chase for the postseason). We have to get excited about it. That's the discussion that we've had. We have to embrace this thing," Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said after his team leapfrogged Carolina to temporarily occupy one of the postseason spots. Sullivan will have no issue getting through to captain Sidney Crosby, who extended his point streak to five games (two goals, nine assists) after recording his third three-point performance in his last four contests with a trio of assists in Sunday's 6-5 win over the New York Rangers. The two-time Art Ross Trophy winner's latest offensive outburst pushed him over the 70-point plateau for the sixth straight season, although just two assists have come at the expense of New Jersey. The Devils, who have outscored the Penguins by a 15-6 margin, are bidding to win three consecutive contests for the first time since Dec. 27-31.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh, MSG-Plus (New Jersey), Sportsnet1, Sportsnet Pacific, Sportsnet East

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (31-21-7): Evgeni Malkin scored twice versus the Rangers to give the former Hart Trophy recipient at least one point in 13 of the last 14 games he's played and lift his overall total to 11 (four goals, seven assists) in his last seven. "He's such a dominant player when he's on top of his game. He's so impactful. It can't help but make your bench six inches taller," Sullivan said of Malkin. Kris Letang matched a season high by tallying twice to boost his goal total to 15, tying him for the league lead among defensemen with Toronto's Morgan Rielly and moving him within one of his career high set in 2015-16.

ABOUT THE DEVILS (23-28-8): Cory Schneider has countered 13 months of winless hockey by turning aside 49 of 50 shots, coming on in relief in New Jersey's 5-4 overtime victory over Minnesota on Friday before going the distance two nights later in a 4-1 triumph versus Buffalo. "Hopefully this is the start of Cory Schneider of old and he can keep growing that confidence and keep playing well because he plays like he did the other night and tonight, he'll give us great chances to win," forward Kyle Palmieri said. The 28-year-old Palmieri, who leads the team in goals (26) and points (47), has scored three goals and set up four others in his last five games overall and has four points (one goal, three assists) in three encounters with Pittsburgh.

OVERTIME

1. New Jersey C Travis Zajac, who will play in his 900th NHL game on Tuesday, has three goals and four assists in three games against Pittsburgh this season.

2. Letang, who has three goals and three assists during his four-game point streak, has been held off the scoresheet and is a minus-6 in three games versus the Devils.

3. New Jersey has scored a power-play goal in five consecutive contests.

PREDICTION: Penguins 4, Devils 2

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-19-2019, 09:50 AM

Buffalo Sabres vs. Florida Panthers Preview and Predictions 2019-02-19

NHL Predictions 18th February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/18/2019

The Buffalo Sabres are six points out a playoff spot but are showing no signs of climbing back into contention as they prepare to open a rugged seven-game stretch with a visit to the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night. Buffalo has not won consecutive games since Dec. 11-13 and was outscored 10-3 in back-to-back losses to the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils.

"I know that's disappointing but we've got a big game against Florida," Sabres coach Phil Housley said. "We're still in this thing. We're still fighting and that's the way we're going to look at it." Buffalo must now navigate a stretch that includes road matchups at NHL-best Tampa Bay and Toronto (twice) and a home date versus reigning Stanley Cup champion Washington. The Panthers are five points behind the Sabres but have won two in a row and eight of 12 -- with all the victories coming against teams currently holding down playoff spots. Florida had a seven-game winning streak in the series snapped in a 4-3 loss at Buffalo on Jan. 3, but has won five in a row and nine of 10 at home against the Sabres.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG-Buffalo, FS Florida

ABOUT THE SABRES (28-23-7): Forward Kyle Okposo, who has a history of concussions and was knocked woozy in a one-punch fight with the Rangers' Tony DeAngelo, met with the team trainer Sunday before flying back to Buffalo for further evaluation. Defenseman Marco Scandella suffered an undisclosed injury in the same game and was termed week-to-week by Housley at Monday's practice. Forward Sam Reinhart, who scored the lone goal in the 4-1 loss to the Devils to establish a career high with 51 points, was shifted to the second line at Monday's practice while Jason Pominville was elevated to the No. 1 unit.

ABOUT THE PANTHERS (25-24-8): Captain Aleksander Barkov reached 20 goals for the fourth consecutive season in Sunday's win and he did it in spectacular fashion, posting his second career hat trick with a highlight-reel tally against Montreal's Carey Price that lit up social media. "To do that in a game with a guy on his back against probably the best goalie in the game, it just shows the type of confidence he has," Florida defenseman Keith Yandle observed. Barkov, who also had an assist Sunday, has reason to feel confident against the Sabres after scoring three goals and setting up two others in three games this season.

OVERTIME

1. Panthers G Roberto Luongo is expected back from bereavement leave Tuesday but James Reimer will make his third straight start.

2. Reinhart has two goals and six points in three meetings with Florida this season.

3. Panthers F Frank Vatrano has scored nine goals over the last 16 games.

PREDICTION: Panthers 4, Sabres 2

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-19-2019, 09:51 AM

Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Montreal Canadiens Preview and Predictions 2019-02-19

NHL Predictions 18th February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/18/2019

The Columbus Blue Jackets have been more comfortable on the road than at home lately and hope that trend continues Tuesday, when they visit the struggling Montreal Canadiens. Columbus has lost five of its last six home games, including Monday's 5-1 setback against league-leading Tampa Bay.

The Blue Jackets have yet to lose on the road this month, however, winning all four contests to improve to 18-9-1 away from home. Lukas Sedlak scored with less than two minutes remaining in the third period on Monday to prevent a second straight shutout loss at home for Columbus, which remained two points behind Washington for second place in the Metropolitan Division. Montreal is clinging to the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference thanks to an 0-3-0 road trip that extended its overall slide to four games. The Canadiens, who - like the Blue Jackets - are one point ahead of Carolina in the standings, have been playing well at home as they enter Tuesday with a six-game point streak (4-0-2) at Bell Centre.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Columbus), TSN2, RDS (Montreal)

ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (33-22-3): Boone Jenner returned to the lineup Monday after missing a game with a lower-body injury, recording three shots and a minus-1 rating in nearly 17 1/2 minutes of ice time. The 25-year-old center is four goals shy of 100 for his career and four games away from reaching 400 in the NHL. Cam Atkinson leads the team with 32 goals and needs three to match the career high he set in 2016-17.

ABOUT THE CANADIENS (31-21-7): Max Domi snapped his five-game drought with a pair of goals in Sunday's 6-3 loss at Florida, raising his season total to a career-high 19 - one more than the amount he recorded as a rookie with Arizona in 2015-16. The 23-year-old needs two points to eclipse the personal best of 52 he registered that same campaign with the Coyotes. Tomas Tatar notched two assists on Sunday, leaving him two shy of matching the career high of 27 he recorded in 2014-15 with Detroit.

OVERTIME

1. Blue Jackets D Ryan Murray, who tops the club with a plus-20 rating, left Monday's contest with an upper-body injury and is questionable to face the Canadiens.

2. Montreal RW Brendan Gallagher has scored three goals and six points in his last three home games.

3. Columbus LW Artemi Panarin, who leads the team with 67 points, will appear in his 300th NHL contest on Tuesday.

PREDICTION: Blue Jackets 4, Canadiens 3

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-19-2019, 09:51 AM

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. St. Louis Blues Preview and Predictions 2019-02-19

NHL Predictions 18th February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/18/2019

Vladimir Tarasenko and quality goaltending have served as the staples for the rapidly ascending St. Louis Blues, with the former riding a career-high 12-game point streak while the latter has been present in the form of three straight shutouts. The red-hot Blues vie for a franchise-best 11th straight win on Tuesday when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs, who were shut out in their last outing.

"I think everyone's happy as a team for that (winning streak), and it just shows how good we're playing as a team. I think it's fun to be a Blues fan now," said goaltender Jordan Binnington, who has sandwiched shutouts around Jake Allen's blanking of Colorado to extend the scoring woes of St. Louis' opponents to 187 minutes, 16 seconds. The 25-year-old Binnington made 31 saves in Sunday's 4-0 win over Minnesota to net his franchise rookie-best eighth straight win and improve to 12-1-1 as a starter with a 1.42 goals-against average and .944 save percentage. While St. Louis has surged into third place in the Central Division, Toronto finds itself in the same position in the Atlantic after answering a sizzling 6-1-0 stretch with Saturday's 2-0 setback in Arizona. The Maple Leafs' high-octane offense had registered at least four goals in five of the team's previous six contests before going cold in the desert.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, Sportsnet Ontario, TVAS

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (36-19-3): Speedy third-line forward Andreas Johnsson participated in practice on Monday after sitting out versus the Coyotes with an injury sustained following a knee-on-knee collision with Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb. While coach Mike Babcock told reporters that the team has yet to discuss the availability of the 24-year-old Swede for Tuesday's tilt, Johnsson labeled himself day-to-day and was pleased that the injury wasn't a serious one. Mitch Marner, who leads the team in assists (48) and points (69), set up defenseman Morgan Rielly's goal in the previous meeting with St. Louis and sits one point shy of 200 for his career.

ABOUT THE BLUES (31-22-5): Tarasenko earned NHL Second Star of the Week honors on Monday, one day after he collected a goal and two assists versus the Wild to give him 11 of each during his record point streak. The 27-year-old Russian pushed his point total to nine (six goals, three assists) in 10 career outings with Toronto after setting up the first goal of the season by Ryan O'Reilly in a 4-1 win on Oct. 20. O'Reilly, who leads the team in assists (38) and points (60), scored and set up a goal against Minnesota and did the same in the Blues' previous victory over the Maple Leafs.

OVERTIME

1. Tarasenko's point streak is one game shy of the longest by a Blues player this season (LW David Perron, Dec. 22-Jan. 17).

2. Toronto C John Tavares, who has a team-leading 33 goals, has three tallies and six assists in his last seven games.

3. St. Louis previously won 10 in a row from Jan. 3-23, 2002.

PREDICTION: Maple Leafs 4, Blues 2

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-19-2019, 09:51 AM

Anaheim Ducks vs. Minnesota Wild Preview and Predictions 2019-02-19

NHL Predictions 18th February 2019 by Gracenote
Ducks vs. Wild Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 02/18/2019

Despite leading Anaheim to a fourth straight division title in 2015-16, Bruce Boudreau was fired when the Ducks flamed out in the postseason that year. Boudreau's former club hardly resembles the perennial power under his watch, but he's more focused on how to turn around the Minnesota Wild, who also are in disarray entering Tuesday night's matchup against visiting Anaheim.

Minnesota has dropped four in a row after getting steamrolled by visiting St. Louis 4-0 on Sunday, its eighth loss in nine games (1-5-3), but still is clinging to the second wild card in the Western Conference. "I know we keep saying we're still there, but we're still there. Like I try to tell the guys, don't be so damned defeatist in the room," Boudreau said. "Don't come off hanging your heads." The Ducks fired Boudreau's successor, Randy Carlyle, after they were outscored 37-8 during a wretched seven-game losing streak, but they have won two of three under interim coach Bob Murray. "Everybody knows our troubles with lack of scoring, but hopefully now they can start feeling good about themselves and we can pile it on," assistant coach Marty Wilford said after Sunday's 5-2 win over defending Stanley Cup champion Washington.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Anaheim), FS North, FS Wisconsin (Minnesota)

ABOUT THE DUCKS (23-27-9): Ryan Miller gave the patchwork netminding corps a lift in his first start since injuring his knee on Dec. 9, making 23 saves against the Capitals to surpass John Vanbiesbrouck for the most wins (375) by a U.S.-born goaltender. It's unclear if Anaheim will stay with Miller on Tuesday or go with rookie Kevin Boyle, who has turned aside 85 of 89 shots in his first three NHL appearances. Jakob Silfverberg has scored three times in three games since Murray dismissed Caryle, providing a needed spark for an offense that produced nine goals in nine games before Sunday's rout of Washington.

ABOUT THE WILD (27-26-6): Alex Stalock got the start against St. Louis to provide a breather for Devan Dubnyk, who was pierced for five goals in each of his last two starts, but Boudreau made it clear he's firmly behind his All-Star goaltender. "Just tell him he's our guy," Boudreau said of his chat with Dubynk. "Sometimes things go wrong but you've held this team together the whole time I've been here. ... We're just counting on you and he was very positive." Forward Eric Staal, the subject of trade rumors, has been held off the scoresheet in eight consecutive games and had one assist since the All-Star break.

OVERTIME

1. Ducks C Adam Henrique had two goals and an assist Sunday, matching his production from his previous 13 games combined.

2. The Wild paved the way to activate Pontus Aberg from injured reserve by send fellow F Kyle Rau to Iowa of the American Hockey League.

3. Anaheim has dropped six in a row on the road while Minnesota has lost five in a row at home.

PREDICTION: Ducks 3, Wild 2

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-19-2019, 09:51 AM

Nashville Predators vs. Dallas Stars Preview and Predictions 2019-02-19

NHL Predictions 18th February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/18/2019

The Dallas Stars began what they hoped would be a promising five-game road trip with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Nashville Predators, only to limp to a 1-3-1 mark after recording back-to-back shutouts to conclude the trek. The Stars look to dust themselves off in the opener of a three-game homestand on Tuesday when the Predators pay a visit to American Airlines Center.

"No goals, that's the game. We dominated at times, but we can't score zero goals," Tyler Seguin (team-leading 24 goals, 54 points) said on the heels of Dallas registering a 73-50 advantage in shot attempts in Saturday's 3-0 setback at Carolina. The 27-year-old Seguin scored two goals and set up another in last Tuesday's 3-0 win over Florida and has the same total spread over four games versus Nashville, with the clubs splitting a pair of victories. Like the Stars, the Predators also have lost four of five following Saturday's 5-1 setback versus Vegas and find themselves three points behind first-place Winnipeg in the Central Division. Juuse Saros, who surrendered five goals in back-to-back games, likely will take a backseat to reigning Vezina Trophy recipient Pekka Rinne on Tuesday despite defeating Dallas on two occasions this season.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FS Tennessee (Nashville), FS Southwest (Dallas)

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (34-22-5): Ryan Johansen has collected 14 of his team-high 42 assists and 17 of his club-best 53 points in his last 15 games. The 26-year-old Johansen scored and set up a goal in both of Nashville's wins versus Dallas this season, including a tally 43 seconds into overtime in the last encounter. Viktor Arvidsson, who scored in that meeting and has three points against the Predators, has netted 18 of his team-leading 26 goals since New Year's Eve.

ABOUT THE STARS (29-24-5): Anton Khudobin is in line to make his sixth straight start with fellow goaltender Ben Bishop sidelined by an upper-body injury. "I've been saying day-to-day it seems like for 10 days," coach Jim Montgomery said on Monday of the towering Bishop. "Right now, we just know he is out (Tuesday), questionable for Thursday (vs. St. Louis), probable for Saturday (vs. Carolina) is what we think." Khudobin has performed well against the Predators, posting a 2-0-1 mark this season with a 1.33 goals-against average and .964 save percentage.

OVERTIME

1. Nashville D P.K. Subban resides two points shy of 400 for his career.

2. Stars C Radek Faksa has notched four of his 11 assists this season versus the Predators.

3. Nashville LW Kevin Fiala, who scored on Saturday, has set up two goals against Dallas this season and sits three points shy of 100 for his career.

PREDICTION: Stars 3, Predators 2

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-19-2019, 10:43 AM

Arizona Coyotes vs. Edmonton Oilers Preview and Predictions 2019-02-19

NHL Predictions 18th February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/18/2019

The Arizona Coyotes are trying to remain relevant in the Western Conference playoff race and can take a step in the right direction with a victory over the host Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. Arizona started a three-game road trip with a 5-2 loss at Calgary on Monday and is one of four teams within three points of Minnesota for the second wild-card spot.

"Right now, our goal should be getting above .500, and then it should be getting to 10 games above .500," Arizona's Jordan Weal told reporters on Monday after scoring his first goal in a Coyotes uniform. "You've got to get to 90 points, 92 points. I think it's going to be the line this year, especially with how tight it is on this side (Western Conference). If we can get to that 92 points, then you're going to give yourself a good chance." Edmonton has been outscored 16-6 during its four-game losing streak and is 1-8-2 in its last 11 contests, falling to 14th place in the West - four points behind Arizona. "For us, it's important not to get discouraged," Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse told reporters after Saturday's 5-2 road loss against the New York Islanders. "Bring that hard-working attitude each and every day. We need to limit, obviously, the chances that we give up and find a way to get on the right side of the scoresheet. We're doing a lot of things right, but at the same time, we're not getting the results." Edmonton could receive a lift from defenseman Andrej Sekera, who was recalled from a conditioning stint at Bakersfield of the American Hockey League (plus-5, two assists in five games) and could be cleared to make his season debut after tearing an Achilles tendon during the offseason.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, Sportsnet West (Edmonton)

ABOUT THE COYOTES (26-28-5): Rookie Conor Garland (12 goals, three assists in 32 games this season) scored on Monday, giving him four goals in his last 10 games. Alex Galchenyuk (13 goals, 32 points) has collected four goals and six points in his last five contests after recording an assist versus Calgary. Richard Panik (11 goals, 24 points, career-high 16 minutes, 52 seconds average ice time) missed his second straight game on Monday (illness) but is expected to rejoin the team in Edmonton.

ABOUT THE OILERS (24-29-5): Edmonton's top line featuring captain Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl continues to produce despite the club's losing ways. McDavid had his eight-game point streak halted in Friday's 3-1 loss at Carolina but has collected 13 points (11 assists) in his last 10 games while Draisaitl (35 goals, 69 points) has scored 11 goals in his last 10 contests. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (18 goals, 53 points) has registered two tallies and five assists in his last seven games but owns a minus-6 rating during that span.

OVERTIME

1. Arizona has gone 12-for-13 on the penalty kill over its last five games, improving the league's best unit to 85.4 percent.

2. The Oilers are 0-7-3 in their last 10 contests when playing on two or more days of rest.

3. The clubs split the first two of their four meetings this season, with Arizona prevailing at Edmonton 3-2 on Jan. 12 in the last encounter behind two goals from Garland.

PREDICTION: Coyotes 3, Oilers 2

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-19-2019, 10:43 AM

Mississippi Rebels vs. South Carolina Gamecocks Preview and Predictions 2019-02-19

NCAAB Predictions 19th February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/19/2019

South Carolina hosts Ole Miss on Tuesday in a contest in which the winner will gain the inside track for a double-bye in the SEC tournament. The Gamecocks and Rebels are tied for fourth place in the league standings, and the victor of their matchup will take a one-game lead for the final double-bye and hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.

The Rebels have won four straight to surge in the standings and are coming off a 75-65 home win over Missouri on Saturday. Ole Miss has been dominant on defense during its winning streak, holding opponents to 63.8 points per game while forcing an average of 19.3 turnovers. The Gamecocks have leveled off after a 4-0 start to SEC play and are trying to win back-to-back games for the first time since then as they look to build off Saturday's 84-77 home triumph over Texas A&M. The Rebels hold a 20-19 edge in the all-time series, but the Gamecocks have won 11 of 13 meetings at home and posted an 85-84 victory in last year's conference tournament.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, SEC Network

ABOUT OLE MISS (18-7, 8-4 SEC): The Rebels have been getting it done at both ends of the floor, averaging 11.3 steals during their four-game winning streak while continuing to shoot well from 3-point range. The backcourt pair of Breein Tyree (18.4 points) and Terence Davis (15.6, 6.1 rebounds) are the highest-scoring duo in the SEC, and the former has upped his production to 22 points per game over his last seven contests. Devontae Shuler (9.7 points, 1.9 steals) will be playing in his home state of South Carolina for the first time as a Rebel.

ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (13-12, 8-4): The Gamecocks split two games last week despite Chris Silva (14.2 points, 7.6 rebounds) averaging 19.5 points and 14.5 rebounds while posting double-doubles against Tennessee and Texas A&M. Silva has come on strong in conference play to surpass freshman guard A.J. Lawson (13.8 points) for the team's scoring lead. Hassani Gravett (11.1 points) also averages double digits in points and is shooting at a 42.4 percent clip from 3-point range.

TIP-INS

1. The Rebels lead the SEC and rank eighth nationally in free-throw percentage (77.3).

2. South Carolina G Tre Campbell is shooting 51 percent from 3-point range in conference play, including 15-for-25 over his last five games.

3. The Gamecocks matched the school record with 16 3-pointers against Texas A&M.

PREDICTION: Ole Miss 75, South Carolina 71

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-19-2019, 10:43 AM

Akron Zips vs. Bowling Green Falcons Preview and Predictions 2019-02-19

NCAAB Predictions 18th February 2019 By Charles Jay for Scores And Stats
by Charles Jay Scores & Stats on 02/18/2019

The Akron Zips are a little heart-broken about the way they lost their last game, and they have had a rather up-and-down time of it in the MAC. With two games against the Bowling Green Falcons and one against Buffalo coming up, that doesn't look like it's about to get any better.

Bowling Green has a tendency to muscle teams around when they get the opportunity, and in their last outing, it was no exception, as they left very little room for doubt against Northern Illinois.

This game between Akron and Bowling Green is set to take place at the Stroh Center, which has been a deadly place for opponents of the Falcons this season.

TV: ESPN Plus, 7 PM ET. LINE: Check Intertops for the latest line

ABOUT AKRON: After really making a game of it against Buffalo, Akron took it down to the wire but lost on a tip-in by Ball State's Trey Moses with only seven seconds to go. The 57-56 defeat brought them back to the .500 mark (6-6) in conference play. Daniel Utomi had 21 points for the Zips, who all too often have put together a grossly substandard offensive display. In this particular instance, they shot just 30% from the field, and they were not able to extract a rebounding edge, so second chances were sporadic. It was cold comfort that Ball State coach James Whitford called Akron the best defensive team his guys had faced all season long. Ar 14-11, it is possible that the Zips can put themselves in line for some post-season action, whether it is in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) or College Insider Tournament (CIT). They are now 11-12 against the spread. Those who have observed the program realize that you can't be dependent upon three-point shooting (47.8% of all field goal attempts - the 12th highest percentage in the nation) while at the same time exhibiting such a lack of proficiency at it (30.6%, 324th out of 353 Division I teams). They absolutely do not mix the offense up enough. But Akron is going to make it difficult to score, no matter the opponent. And they present a special puzzle for Bowling Green along those lines, because they get out to the perimeter and guard so well, allowing just 30.4% from downtown, putting them right into the nation's top 20 in that statistical category.

ABOUT BOWLING GREEN: On Saturday, Bowling Green did something it wasn't doing earlier in the schedule, but is now accomplishing with a lot more success now. That is to say, they are winning games on the road, and in convincing fashion. With the help of a career-high 34 points out of guard Justin Turner, they beat Northern Illinois 87-67 and may have surprised some with their ability to dominate the game beyond the arc. In fact, they shot 57% (12 of 21), while holding the Huskies - a pretty good long-distance shooting team - to just 4 of 17 (23.55). And they didn't need anything too imposing from star forward Demajeo Wiggins, which they absolutely did not get (eight points and three rebounds in 27 minutes). In the last six road games they have played, the Falcons have on loss (at Miami of Ohio) and five double-digit victories. Bowling Green is now 18-7 straight-up (this includes 10-2 in MAC play) and 15-7-1 ATS. They are 12-1 at the Stroh Center, including a sizzling 9-1-1 mark against the pointspread. They are fourth in the nation in rebounds per game, behind only national mega-powers North Carolina, Duke and Michigan State. After busting out with 27 points in a win at Western Michigan, 6-6 forward Antwon Lillard has scored just 19 points over three games.

EXTRA POINTS

1. In their 23 games upon which a total has been posted, Akron has gone "under" in 17 of them. That includes nine of the last ten.

2. Justin Turner of Bowling Green has scored 20 or more points in a game 14 times - more than any other player in the Mid-American Conference this season.

3. Aside from the 30.4%, they have surrendered from three-point territory, Akron has also limited opponents to 46.7% from two-point range (42nd in the nation). Opponents have shot just 65.8% from the line against them, and that is the 20th lowest percentage in the country.

PREDICTION: Bowling Green 68, Akron 58

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-19-2019, 10:43 AM

Toledo Rockets vs. Eastern Michigan Eagles Preview and Predictions 2019-02-19

NCAAB Predictions 18th February 2019 By Charles Jay for Scores And Stats
by Charles Jay Scores & Stats on 02/18/2019

The Toledo Rockets just came off a bruising battle with the team that is considered the class of the Mid-American Conference, and you wonder whether the residue left over from that game will remain as they suit up again.

The next opponent is one that won't dazzle you with their offense but will make you shoot well and keep you from getting second chances.

We're talking about the Eastern Michigan Eagles, who await the Rockets for a Tuesday night MAC game that is slated for the Convocation Center in Ypsilanti. MI.

TV: ESPN Plus, 7 PM ET. LINE: Check Intertops for the latest line

ABOUT TOLEDO: The five-game winning streak was put to the test against Buffalo, which came into Friday night's game ranked #24 in the Coaches' poll and #25 with the Associated Press. But after a struggle, the Rockets came out on the short end of an 88-82 score. They looked like a locomotive at the beginning, zooming out to a 17-4 lead, but they were not going to be able to sustain it. Buffalo scored 52 points in the second half and had the lead as high as eleven points inside the final minute. Jaelan Sanford had 24 points with ten rebounds for Toledo, while Marreon Jackson had 20. It was a rough night on the boards, as they were out-rebounded 47-33. That was the first time all season that Toledo lost a game despite holding its opponent below 45% shooting from the field. Toledo drops to 20-5 straight-up and 15-9 against the number. They are one of only two teams in the MAC (Buffalo is the other) with at least 20 victories on the season, although the best it may get them is a trip to the NIT. The key for Toledo is that they can at least compete with Eastern Michigan on the boards. In fact, they are 27th in the nation at 39.3 boards per contest. But the Rockets have also shown the ability to drain the three-pointers, as they've made 37.2%. Whether it is from three-point (24th in nation) or two-point (35th), Toledo has been successful in defending the opposition.

ABOUT EASTERN MICHIGAN: There was a lot of disappointment in the 71-58 defeat suffered at the hands of Kent State on Saturday because the Eagles failed to do some of the things they normally do - namely hit offensive glass with abandon. They only had six offensive rebounds, just one of which came from the aggressive James Thompson. After a reported altercation with head coach Rob Murphy, Boubacar Toure has seen his playing time plummet, and he was on the floor for just 14 minutes, with three points and four rebounds. Paul Jackson, the team's second-leading scorer, had just three points, snapping a string of thirteen consecutive games in which he had been in double figures. EMU is 11-14 straight-up (5-7 in the MAC) and a mediocre 8-13 against the points. The Eagles are halfway to being a great rebounding team; they are the MAC's best (and 12th in the nation) at offensive rebounding, and they get a second chance 35% of the time when they miss a shot. They will miss three-pointers rather frequently, as they make just 30.2%, and they are one of the worst teams in the country at making free throws (just 62.3%). In that way, this is a bad matchup for them, as Toledo is shooting 77.9%, which is fourth best in the country. So it would stand to reason that if both teams took a comparable number of free throws, EMU would be behind the eight-ball.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The crowd for Toledo's game with Buffalo was 7401, which is the largest the Rockets have had at Savage Arena since the building was renovated in 2008.

2. These teams first started playing each other in 1918, with Toledo holding a very thing 53-52 advantage in the ongoing series. In the last meeting, Toledo came out victorious by a 64-63 score in last year's MAC Tournament. James Thompson and Elijah Minnie both had 23 points for EMU.

3. Jaelan Sanford has now moved past Steve Mix into seventh place on Toledo's all-time scoring list. Mix, originally a fifth-round NBA draft pick, had a long career and was in the 1975 NBA All-Star Game as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers.

PREDICTION: Toledo 75, Eastern Michigan 65

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-19-2019, 10:43 AM

Vanderbilt Commodores vs. Tennessee Volunteers Preview and Predictions 2019-02-19

NCAAB Predictions 18th February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/18/2019

Fifth-ranked Tennessee must rebound from a defeat for the first time since just after Thanksgiving when it plays host to last-place Vanderbilt on Tuesday night in an SEC contest. The Volunteers had held the No. 1 spot in the USA Today Coaches Poll for four weeks and won 19 in a row, including an 88-83 overtime victory at Vanderbilt on Jan. 23, before being routed at Kentucky 86-69 on Saturday.

"We weren't Tennessee tonight," leading scorer Grant Williams told reporters after the Volunteers allowed 54.7 percent shooting and were hammered off the glass 39-26 on Saturday. "We weren't the team that we are. We needed this, I believe, though. We needed to be humbled. I feel like we had a sense of entitlement. But now we realize we have to compete. It's not going to be easy every game." Williams, a junior forward, made it look easy in the first meeting with the Commodores when he poured in a career-high 43 points as Tennessee won for the fifth time in six games between the state rivals. Vanderbilt - the 301st most-experienced team in the country - will be looking to avoid matching the program's longest losing streak in its history of 14 (1934-36) after falling 64-53 at Auburn on Saturday. "It's been a big character check," Commodores coach Bryce Drew told reporters. "What is our program about? Where does our program stand? Where is our program going? As we're walking through this adversity, I'm seeing a vision, even more of a better vision than I saw a few years ago."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT VANDERBILT (9-16, 0-12 SEC): Forward Aaron Nesmith was named SEC co-freshman of the week after averaging 25 points along with 11.5 rebounds in the last two games, and scored 24 in the first meeting with the Volunteers. Nesmith (11.4) is one of three active players averaging in double figures scoring behind sophomore guard Saben Lee (13.1, team-high 3.8 assists) and freshman forward Simisola Shittu (11.5, team-best 6.8 rebounds). Shittu is scoring just 6.3 per game over the past six, but junior forward Yanni Wetzell stepped up to post his first career double-double Saturday with 10 points and 10 boards.

ABOUT TENNESSEE (23-2, 11-1): The Volunteers, tied with LSU atop the SEC standings, are a mediocre plus-3.7 in rebounding margin overall (plus-2.2 in SEC play) and coach Rick Barnes told reporters: "We've been telling (the team) for two and a half weeks that we've got to rebound the ball better." Williams has taken just 12 shots and averaged 12 points the last two games to drop his season mark to 19.3 while leading the team in rebounds (7.4) and senior guard Admiral Schofield scores 16.7 per contest - 19.8 in the past two. Junior guard Jordan Bone (13.4 points, team-high 6.5 assists) scored a team-best 19 on Saturday.

TIP-INS

1. Vanderbilt junior F Matt Ryan is 8-of-29 from the field the last four games - all on 3-point attempts.

2. Tennessee junior G Jordan Bowden had three points against Kentucky after averaging 14.4 over his previous five contests.

3. The Volunteers are shooting an SEC-best 82.4 percent from the free-throw line in league games and Vanderbilt is last at 64.0 percent.

PREDICTION: Tennessee 84, Vanderbilt 68

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-19-2019, 10:44 AM

Kent St. Golden Flashes vs. Central Michigan Chippewas Preview and Predictions 2019-02-19

NCAAB Predictions 18th February 2019 By Charles Jay for Scores And Stats
by Charles Jay Scores & Stats on 02/18/2019

The Kent State Golden Flashes like to think they have gotten back on the right track, but they may have to move forward on Tuesday night without their point guard, who has missed the last two games.

The Central Michigan Chippewas got a big boost out of their top offensive weapon the other day, and they are still holding out hope that they can be a factor in the Mid-American Conference title chase.

These MAC teams will collide on Tuesday night at the McGuirk Arena in Mt. Pleasant, MI.

TV: ESPN Plus, 7 PM ET. LINE: Check Intertops for the latest line

ABOUT KENT STATE: One of the problems for Kent State, at least for a while on Saturday, is that you have to be able to hit some outside jumpers against the Eastern Michigan zone, to keep them honest. In the first half, they weren't able to do that as they shot just 33%, but they went on a 15-0 run in the second half and wound up scoring 22 points off EMU turnovers in the 71-58 victory. It was a big day for Antonio Williams, who had 20 points, and Phillip Whittington, who had been an embarrassing non-factor in a loss two games before against Akron, had 17 points and ten rebounds - his seventh double-double of the campaign. So now the Flashes are on the cusp of a 20-win season (19-6 straight-up) with a solid 8-4 mark in MAC play. They are also 13-10 against the pointspread. Jalen Avery, who has missed the last two games with an injury, is someone who is going to wind up being very valuable for Kent State as we head toward the conference tournament. He is a senior, and his steady hand at the point guard spot will make it difficult for opponents to get cheap opportunities to get out in transition because he leads the nation with a 5.31-to-1 ratio of assists to turnovers. He is listed as "day to day," and Williams has assumed point guard duties, with a 1.5-to-1 assist-turnover ratio. Kent State went into Saturday's game with its bench averaging 7.7 points per game more than the other team's bench. They didn't hold that against EMU, whose reserves outscored the Golden Flashes 23-15.

ABOUT CENTRAL MICHIGAN: Shawn Roundtree has probably been the most productive offensive performer for the Chippewas, and he came on strong for his team late in the second half of Saturday's game against Ohio. Over the last ten minutes of the game, he scored 16 points, giving him a total of 22 for the day, as CMU defeated Ohio. There was some balance, as all five Central Michigan starters were in double figures. David DiLeo, who specializes in perimeter shooting, had 18 points, but only two triples. CMU is now 17-8 straight-up and 6-6 in the conference, as they hold onto second place in the Mid-American Conference's West division. They are 13-8-1 against the spread, and they have gone 6-0-1 ATS in the last seven games. The Chips are also 11-2 on their home floor this season, and this is the fifth consecutive season they have at least ten wins in Mount Pleasant. Point guard Larry Austin may be only 6-2, but he is second on the team in rebounds (5.9). And he leads the MAC in assists, even though he had just three "dimes" and six turnovers on Saturday. CMU has scored at least 100 points this season, but those games were against Chicago State, Siena Heights, Youngstown State, and IU-South Bend. Kevin McKay is third in the MAC in offensive rebounds. He's had 20 in the last five games.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Kent State program is very excited that the season finale, taking place against Akron on March 8, will be televised on nationwide cable by the CBS Sports Network.

2. Not only does Kent State's Jalen Avery lead the nation in assist-turnover ratio this season, but he was also the national leader last season as well, at 5.04-to-1.

3. Kent State basketball began back in 1913. And with the next victory, the Golden Flashes will have their 18th season with 20 victories or more.

PREDICTION: Central Michigan 83, Kent State 77

Tuesday 2-19-19 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

Tuesday 2-19-19 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

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