Thursday 3-14-19 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Handicapped by The Walker Group at Fair Grounds

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.

Race 6 - Claiming - 8.5f on the Turf. Purse: $22000 Class Rating: 99

FOR FOUR YEAR OLDS AND UPWARD. WEIGHT, 123 LBS. NON-WINNERS OF TWO RACES AT A MILE OR OVER ON THE TURF SINCE JANUARY 14 ALLOWED 2 LBS. ONE SUCH RACE SINCE THEN ALLOWED 4 LBS. CLAIMING PRICE $17,500, FOR EACH $500 TO $15,000 1 LB. (IF DEEMED INADVISABLE BY MANAGEMENT TO RUN THIS RACE OVER THE


RECOMMENDED CHOICES
The Walker Group Picks

# 10 MOBRIDGE 5/1

# 4 KILLEEN 12/1

# 9 WAR BOND 6/1

My choice in here is MOBRIDGE. Ought to be given consideration based on the decent speed rating earned in the last affair. Has been racing admirably in races of this distance, going 9 out of 29 under similar conditions. KILLEEN - Will almost certainly compete very well in the early pace battle which bodes well with this group. WAR BOND - Is tough not to consider based on Equibase Speed Figs which have been respectable - 93 avg - of late. Over time, this handler has a solid ROI at this distance/surface.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Handicapped by The Turf Club Analysts

Bar

Penn National - Race #7 - Post: 8:58pm - Claiming - 8.0 furlongs on the Dirt. Purse: $10,000 Class Rating: 58

Rating: Golden DollarGolden DollarGolden DollarGolden Dollar

#1 DIRTY DOZEN (ML=2/1)


DIRTY DOZEN - This mare should get a perfect trip in this spot. She looks like the only 'stalker' in this race. This mare is in top physical condition right now. Finished third last time around the track and comes back quickly.

Vulnerable Contenders: #3 SILVER SILENCE (ML=7/5), #7 JAZZLYN (ML=6/1), #2 LUMINOUS CIELO (ML=8/1),

SILVER SILENCE - The favorite is suspect here with the lack of works. JAZZLYN - This mare is always in the money, but just doesn't finish on top. Difficult to invest in her on the front end. LUMINOUS CIELO - This thoroughbred just hasn't looked sharp lately.



STRAIGHT WAGERS:
Go with #1 DIRTY DOZEN on top if we're getting at least 1/1 odds

EXACTA WAGERS:
Pass

TRIFECTA WAGERS:
None

SUPERFECTA WAGERS:
Skip

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Washington Capitals vs. Philadelphia Flyers Preview and Predictions 2019-03-14

NHL Predictions 13th March 2019 by Gracenote
Capitals vs. Flyers Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 03/13/2019

Rookie Carter Hart will attempt to provide a spark to the Philadelphia Flyers' flickering postseason aspirations on Thursday when he returns to the crease against the visiting Washington Capitals. The 20-year-old Hart has been sidelined since Feb. 21, when he sustained an ankle injury in the morning skate before attempting to play through the pain in an ill-fated start versus Montreal.

"I'm just excited to get back into a game. I know it's been a little while," said Hart, who put a temporary halt to Philadelphia's eight-man goaltender carousel by posting a 13-8-1 mark in 22 contests. Brian Elliott, who will start Friday's tilt at Toronto, sustained his lone regulation loss in his last seven outings (5-1-1) by yielding four goals on 19 shots before receiving an early hook in a 5-3 setback to Washington on Feb. 6. While the Flyers are riding high on an 18-4-2 run to move within five points of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, the first-place Capitals saw their seven-game win streak snapped with Tuesday's 5-3 loss to Pittsburgh to reside two points ahead of the New York Islanders in the Metropolitan Division. Captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL-leading 46 goals) notched an assist to reach the 1,200-point plateau, with a staggering 57 (34 goals, 23 assists) being recorded in 51 games versus Philadelphia.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCS Washington, NBCS Philadelphia

ABOUT THE CAPITALS (41-22-7): Jakub Vrana, who scored twice versus the Penguins, collected two goals and an assist in Washington's 5-3 win against Philadelphia on Jan. 8 before setting up Nicklas Backstrom's second-period tally in the more recent encounter. The 31-year-old Backstrom also had an assist in that meeting that ignited his current four-game point streak, during which he has three goals and three assists. Defenseman John Carlson, who has scored one goal and set up three others during his four-game point streak, has notched three of his club-best 50 assists this season versus the Flyers.

ABOUT THE FLYERS (34-27-8): The NHL on Wednesday upheld the two-game suspension assessed to forward Jakub Voracek for interference against Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk during the third period of Saturday's contentious game. The 29-year-old Voracek, who has 27 points (eight goals, 19 assists) in his last 22 games, sat out Monday's 3-2 win over Ottawa and is eligible to return to face the Maple Leafs on Friday. Voracek missed the previous contest against the Capitals due to injury, but fellow forward Sean Couturier (team-best 28 goals) has notched a pair of assists in both meetings with Washington this season.

OVERTIME

1. Washington G Braden Holtby improved to 10-4-8 in his career against Philadelphia after turning aside 27 shots in last week's contest.

2. Flyers captain Claude Giroux, who leads the team with 53 assists and 73 points, has 31 and 40, respectively, at home this season.

3. Philadelphia C Travis Konecny has dented the scoresheet in six of his last seven games, with the exception coming against Washington.

PREDICTION: Capitals 4, Flyers 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Montreal Canadiens vs. New York Islanders Preview and Predictions 2019-03-14

NHL Predictions 13th March 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 03/13/2019

Coming off their best performance in nearly two weeks, the New York Islanders resume their pursuit of first-place Washington when they host an old nemesis on Thursday night. New York has dropped three straight overall and eight of its last nine (1-6-2) at home to the Montreal Canadiens, including a 4-3 shootout loss on Nov. 5.

New York rode a 31-save shutout by Thomas Greiss to a 2-0 victory over Columbus on Monday night to rebound from a 5-2 drubbing by Philadelphia and draw within two points of the Capitals. "We played Islander hockey for a little bit," coach Barry Trotz said after New York beat an opponent with a winning record for only the second time in 12 games. "More than anything, we raised our battle level and that's where it starts." The Islanders also did a favor for the Canadiens, helping them pull into a tie on points with Columbus for the second wild card after snapping a two-game skid with a 3-1 home win over Detroit on Tuesday. Goaltender Carey Price set a franchise record with his 315th win and takes an 11-5-4 record against New York into Thursday's matchup.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, RDS, TSN2 (Montreal), MSG-Plus (New York)

ABOUT THE CANADIENS (37-26-7): Max Domi scored twice against the Red Wings to boost his career-high total to 24 goals and he also tallied once and added an assist in Montreal's win over New York in early November. Linemate Tomas Tatar, second on the team to Domi with 22 goals, collected a pair of assists Tuesday to reach 50 points for the second time in his career. Price, who is one of 16 goaltenders to earn at least 300 wins with one franchise, can reach a more modest milestone, sitting one victory shy of reaching 30 for the fourth time.

ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (40-22-7): Goaltender Robin Lehner, out the past three games due to an upper-body injury, returned to practice for the first time since he was hurt in a shootout win over Ottawa on March 5. "When you suspect any type of head injury, it's a process. You have to go through it," Lehner said. "It's been good. It's nice to be back, it (stinks) to be away from the guys at this time of the year. Just being around the guys and being around the team is a huge thing." Trotz said Lehner is a possibility to get the start Thursday.

OVERTIME

1. The Islanders are 0-for-20 on the power play over their past nine games.

2. Canadiens F Brendan Gallagher has 11 goals in his last 17 games and 13 points in 17 contests versus New York.

3. Islanders D Johnny Boychuk did not practice Wednesday and is expected to miss his second game in a row.

PREDICTION: Islanders 3, Canadiens 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Buffalo Sabres Preview and Predictions 2019-03-14

NHL Predictions 13th March 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 03/13/2019

Superstar captain Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins traditionally have had the Buffalo Sabres' number even though they have lost both encounters this season. The Penguins, who are 14-0-3 in their last 17 meetings with Buffalo, answered a 4-3 defeat to the Sabres on March 1 by winning five of their next six contests heading into Thursday's tilt at KeyBank Center.

Crosby scored twice in Tuesday's 5-3 triumph over Washington to boost his point total to 29 (10 goals, 19 assists) in his last 16 games for the Penguins, who reside four points behind the Metropolitan Division-leading Capitals. The two-time Hart Trophy recipient has 20 goals and 39 assists in 38 games versus Buffalo, including one of each in the previous meeting. Former Penguins forward Conor Sheary capped a two-goal performance in that contest, but he and his mates have been shut out in back-to-back outings as the Sabres have lost 11 of their last 13 (2-9-2). "If you have zero goals, you can always do more. We'll keep working on it," said Jeff Skinner (team-leading 36 goals), who has gone 12 games without finding the back of the net.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh, Sportsnet, MSG-B (Buffalo)

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (38-23-9): Evgeni Malkin became the fifth active player to reach 1,000 points and 88th overall after setting up a pair of power-play goals on Tuesday. "It's like a little bit slow but it's finally over, 1,000. I breathe normally," said the 2012 Hart Trophy recipient, who has three assists in two meetings with Buffalo this season to boost his career point total to 49 (15 goals, 34 assists) in 38 encounters. Jake Guentzel, who scored in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Sabres on Oct. 19, netted his team-best 35th goal and seventh in eight outings against the Capitals.

ABOUT THE SABRES (30-30-9): Phil Housley is hoping the youth movement provides a spark to his ailing offense as the coach paired the trio of Casey Mittlestadt, Alexander Nylander and Tage Thompson on the same line in Wednesday's practice. "I really liked Tage's game. I thought Mittelstadt attacked the game. Alex, as the game wore on, got more comfortable and had a couple good looks," Housley said. "... I really liked what they brought. They were creating, they used their speed, they were attacking the game. We need more of it." Sam Reinhart, whose 58 points are tied for second-best on the team, has been held off the scoresheet in five straight games.

OVERTIME

1. Buffalo captain Jack Eichel (club-best 47 assists, 72 points) will serve the second contest of his two-game suspension on Thursday.

2. Pittsburgh G Matt Murray has yielded just 17 goals on 263 shots en route to posting a 6-1-1 mark in his last eight contests.

3. Buffalo's last regulation victory over Pittsburgh was a 4-2 triumph on April 23, 2013, while its previous home regulation win versus the Penguins was a 6-2 decision on Feb. 19, 2012.

PREDICTION: Sabres 4, Penguins 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

St. Louis Blues vs. Ottawa Senators Preview and Predictions 2019-03-14

NHL Predictions 13th March 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 03/13/2019

The St. Louis Blues have leveled off since ripping off a franchise-record 11-game winning streak and are trying to hold onto third place in the Central Division as they open a three-game road trip with a visit to the woeful Ottawa Senators on Thursday night. The Blues are trying to avoid their first three-game slide since Nov. 17-21.

A lack of offense has haunted St. Louis, which is 4-4-2 since the 11 consecutive wins and has been limited to two goals or fewer eight times in that span. Forward Ryan O'Reilly called Tuesday's 3-1 home loss to Arizona "embarrassing" after the Blues dominated the Coyotes and owned a staggering 40-22 edge in shots on goal. St. Louis does own one of the league's better road records and has won both four straight overall against the league-worst Senators and its last four visits to Ottawa. The wheels have come off for the Senators, who have lost 11 of 12 overall (1-10-1) and five straight at home.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Midwest (St. Louis), RSD2, TSN5 (Ottawa)

ABOUT THE BLUES (36-26-7): St. Louis has managed three goals in two games since Vladimir Tarasenko was hurt, but offensive help could be on the way. David Perron, who has missed 23 games since suffering a concussion on Jan. 17, will accompany the team to Ottawa and could rejoin the lineup on the road trip. "It's good he's coming," coach Craig Berube said. "I'm glad he's coming. It's good to be around. No matter what, if he decides to play, if he's ready, it's good for him to be around his teammates and get on the road and be around these guys."

ABOUT THE SENATORS (23-41-6): Ottawa has scored two goals or fewer since trading away its top three forwards, and the hits kept coming in Monday's 3-2 loss at Philadelphia. All-Star defenseman Thomas Chabot, who collected his 36th assist and team-high 49th point in the contest, suffered a broken toe while blocking a shot. "It's tough news for Thomas, but he's very hopeful that he's going to be able to play before the end of the season," coach Marc Crawford said. "Our doctors and our medical people will keeping us informed about the progress he has."

OVERTIME

1. Blues D Joel Edmundson (lower body) and F Sammy Blais were hurt Tuesday and will not travel with the team.

2. Senators D Christian Jaros (hamstring) is expected to return to the lineup after sitting out five games.

3. O'Reilly had two assists versus the Senators on Jan. 19 to give him 19 points in 19 meetings.

PREDICTION: Blues 4, Senators 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Detroit Red Wings Preview and Predictions 2019-03-14

NHL Predictions 13th March 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 03/13/2019

The Tampa Bay Lightning look to match the franchise record for victories in a season and extend their winning streak in the series to 15 regular-season games when they visit the struggling Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night. The Lightning set club records with 54 wins and 113 points last season and are one shy of matching the most road wins in franchise history after recording No. 24 with a 6-2 rout at Toronto on Monday.

"Our consistency throughout the season has been phenomenal, but we're not patting ourselves on the shoulders," Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman told reporters. "We are looking at the big picture. We have 11 games here before the fun starts, so we have to keep going and keep playing games like these and have that in the back of our head, like (Monday), of how good we are when we play the right way." The Lightning have won the first three matchups with the Red Wings this season, but had the most trouble in the meeting in Detroit on Dec. 4 when they rallied for a 6-5 shootout victory. The Red Wings gave Tampa Bay trouble in a 3-2 loss Saturday, but were pounded 6-1 at Florida on Sunday and lost 3-1 at Montreal on Tuesday to finish a 0-3-0 road trip and fall to 1-8-3 in the last 12 contests. "You want to make sure your effort is there on a nightly basis," Detroit forward Justin Abdelkader told reporters, "and the last two games I felt like we lost a lot of 1-on-1 battles and we were a step behind a little bit all over the ice."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), FS Detroit

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (53-13-4): Fourth-line center Cedric Paquette scored twice in Monday's victory to match his career high with 12 goals that he set in his first full NHL season in 2014-15. "It's nice to see when these guys work their tail off doing all the right things they get rewarded for it," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper told reporters of Paquette. Right wing Nikita Kucherov leads the league with 111 points after notching an assist Monday and captain Steven Stamkos remains one goal behind Vincent Lecavalier (383) for the franchise record after managing one the last 10 games.

ABOUT THE RED WINGS (24-36-10): Forward Andreas Athanasiou scored the goal Tuesday for Detroit to extend his career highs to 24 tallies and 42 points - behind only Dylan Larkin (27 goals, 62 points), who has missed four straight games with a back injury. Defenseman Jonathan Ericsson, who is two assists shy of 100 for his career, is expected to miss Thursday's contest after leaving the Montreal game with a lower-body ailment. Veteran forward Thomas Vanek scored twice in the last three games to push his total to 14 on the season and boasts 786 career points.

OVERTIME

1. Tampa Bay G Andrei Vasilevskiy's next game will be his 200th in the NHL and the Russian is 7-0-0 all time versus the Red Wings.

2. Detroit F Darren Helm needs one goal to reach 100 in his career and C Luke Glendening is sitting on 99 points.

3. Lightning D Anton Stralman (lower body) skated at practice Wednesday and could return to the lineup after missing two games.

PREDICTION: Lightning 5, Red Wings 1

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild Preview and Predictions 2019-03-14

NHL Predictions 13th March 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 03/13/2019

With Ben Bishop providing nearly an impenetrable shield in net, the Dallas Stars are holding down the top wild card in the Western Conference and breathing down the necks of third-place St. Louis for third place in the Central Division. The Stars go for their sixth win in seven games when they visit the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.

Bishop turned away 35 shots in Tuesday's 2-0 win over Buffalo to register his third consecutive shutout and has allowed three goals in winning two of three decisions against Minnesota this season. "Things are going my way right now," Bishop said. "Just try to ride the high as long as you can. Just get wins. Doesn't really matter about the goals against." The Wild opened a five-game homestand with a 3-0 loss to San Jose on Monday night and fell one point behind Arizona for the second wild card. "It's obviously not the start we wanted," defenseman Anthony Bitetto said after Minnesota lost for the eighth time in its last nine at home (1-5-3). "But, you know what, we have a handful of games coming up in our building, and we've got to turn it around if we want to make the playoffs."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Dallas), FS North, FS Wisconsin (Minnesota)

ABOUT THE STARS (36-28-5): Bishop, the league's Second Star of the Week, is the third netminder in franchise history to post three straight shutouts and his scoreless streak of 204 minutes, 20 seconds, is second to Ed Belfour (219:26, November 2000). Bishop has won four straight starts and has yielded five goals over six outings since missing nearly three weeks due to an upper-body injury. "As the season has gone along, we've really found our identity and everybody has bought into playing really good defensive hockey," forward Blake Comeau said.

ABOUT THE WILD (33-29-8): The top priority for Minnesota at Wednesday's practice was to work on its special teams, particularly a sputtering power play that resembles "five strangers on the ice," according to leading scorer Zach Parise. The Wild failed on all three chances with the man advantage against San Jose and are mired in an 0-for-18 funk over the past six games. "Sometimes it feels like you don't know where that next guy is," Parise said. "And to me, when you're on a good power play ... you know without even looking where that guy is."

OVERTIME

1. Stars C Tyler Seguin has scored twice versus the Wild this season and has 12 goals and 31 points in 27 meetings.

2. Wild F Joel Eriksson Ek (lower body) was injured in Monday's game and is expected to miss a week.

3. Stars rookie F Roope Hintz has scored four times in the last seven games.

PREDICTION: Wild 2, Stars 1

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Boston Bruins vs. Winnipeg Jets Preview and Predictions 2019-03-14

NHL Predictions 13th March 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 03/13/2019

After gaining at least one point in 19 consecutive games, the Boston Bruins have suffered consecutive regulation losses and look to reverse that trend while ending a three-game road trip on a high note Thursday at the Winnipeg Jets. The Bruins cut a four-goal deficit to one Tuesday at Columbus before falling 7-4, a game that emphasized Boston has to play with the same edge as teams fighting for playoff positioning with three weeks remaining in the regular season.

"We've been behind too many teams too many times, and now we've been bitten twice by it," Bruins forward David Backes told reporters following the loss, two days after Boston trailed throughout in a 4-2 defeat at Pittsburgh that snapped the point streak. "We're playing desperate teams playing for their lives. We need to realize that and get in that mode." The Jets mode right now is frustration, as the Central Division leaders fell to 6-9-2 in their past 17 games after Tuesday's 5-4 home loss to San Jose, a game in which the Sharks scored the game winner with five seconds left in regulation. "We were a little slow to our check in the defensive zone," Jets forward Andrew Copp told the media afterward. "We needed a little bit more of a sense of urgency at the other end of the ice." Winnipeg is struggling on the defensive end, surrendering four goals or more eight times in a 17-game span.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), TSN3 (Winnipeg)

ABOUT THE BRUINS (42-19-9): Forward Brad Marchand fueled the second-period surge Tuesday with two goals, giving him 14 points (six goals) during an eight-game point streak. Center Patrice Bergeron has nine points (five goals) in his past eight games after finishing with a goal and an assist Tuesday, moving within one point of 800 for his career. Boston ranks third in the NHL in goals allowed per game (2.53), but struggled Tuesday as Tuukka Rask gave up five goals on 24 shots before being pulled.

ABOUT THE JETS (40-25-4): Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has allowed 30 goals in his past eight games, going 2-5-0 in that span with an .894 save percentage, and the Jets remain without injured defensemen Dustin Byfuglien and Josh Morrissey. Forward Patrik Laine has 10 points (four goals) in his past 10 games, after recording just six points (two goals) in his previous 26 contests. The Jets are in the midst of a difficult schedule, facing Calgary (second in the Western Conference in points) Saturday.

OVERTIME

1. Winnipeg F Kyle Connor scored his 27th goal of the season Tuesday after leading all rookies in 20187-18 with 31.

2. Bergeron has scored three shorthanded goals in the past five games, including his first-period tally Tuesday.

3. Connor scored twice and Hellebuyck stopped Marchand in the final round of a shootout as the Jets beat the Bruins 4-3 on Jan. 29 in Boston.

PREDICTION: Jets 4, Bruins 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Anaheim Ducks vs. Arizona Coyotes Preview and Predictions 2019-03-14

NHL Predictions 13th March 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 03/13/2019

The Arizona Coyotes continue to exceed the expectations of just about everyone outside the organization as they continue their postseason push by hosting the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday. Arizona, which finished at the bottom of the Western Conference last season, was tabbed to do so again by most experts but instead owns the second wild-card spot in the West with a pair of challengers nipping at its heels.

"Anyone that's watched our team play the past two or three months, I think you see a hardworking team that's really found our identity,'' Coyotes forward Vinnie Hinostroza told reporters after scoring his 12th goal of the season in Tuesday's 3-1 victory at St. Louis. "Every day we approach it as a playoff game whether it's practice or a game." Arizona, which has won 12 of its last 16 contests, leads Minnesota by one point and Colorado by three while sitting two points behind Dallas for the top wild-card spot. Anaheim, which has plummeted in the standings after a 19-11-5 start, defeated Nashville 3-2 on Tuesday for its fourth victory in six games, and hopes to carry some momentum into the offseason while continuing to play the role of spoiler. The Ducks slowed the Coyotes' ascent into playoff position with a 3-1 victory March 5 in Arizona behind a goal and an assist from Jakob Silfverberg to even the season series 2-2.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Anaheim), FS Arizona

ABOUT THE DUCKS (28-34-9): Ryan Getzlaf (team-high 41 points) scored his first goal in 12 games Tuesday and remains one assist shy of recording his 13th straight 30-assist season. Daniel Sprong has scored in three straight contests, giving him 12 in 37 contests since being acquired from Pittsburgh. Silfverberg (club-most 20 goals) has scored in the last two games and owns four goals and four assists during a career-high six-game point streak.

ABOUT THE COYOTES (35-30-5): Darcy Kuemper bounced back after allowing four goals on 16 shots in Monday's 7-1 loss at Chicago by making 39 saves against St. Louis. "Kuemps was great," coach Rick Tocchet told reporters. "Even when I pulled him and I went and talked to him after the game you could just tell, he was focused. There was no way I couldn't put him back in the net.'' Richard Panik (13 goals, 31 points), who will play his 400th career game if he dresses Thursday, has scored in two straight contests after tallying once in his previous 19 games.

OVERTIME

1. Kuemper (23-16-5, 2.51 goals-against average, .920 save percentage) has started 11 straight games and is 10-2-0 in his last 12 starts.

2. Anaheim C Ryan Kesler (1,001 career games) has missed the last three contests with a hip injury and is questionable to play Thursday.

3. The Ducks have killed only 13-of-19 penalties in their last four games while the Coyotes are 1-for-17 on the power play in their past six contests.

PREDICTION: Coyotes 3, Ducks 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Florida Panthers vs. San Jose Sharks Preview and Predictions 2019-03-14

NHL Predictions 13th March 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 03/13/2019

The San Jose Sharks used just about every second of the game to win their sixth straight last time out and look to match their season-high winning streak Thursday night when the Florida Panthers pay a visit. The Sharks received the winning goal from captain Joe Pavelski with 3.6 seconds left for a 5-4 victory at Winnipeg on Tuesday and have scored 25 times during their six-game run.

"It was a gutsy effort," San Jose coach Pete DeBoer told reporters after the win. "It was one of those nights, we easily could have said, 'Hey, the bounces aren't going our way' and packed it up. But we hung in there. This group's got a lot of resiliency." The Sharks, who lead Calgary by one point atop the Pacific Division with 12 games to go, have dropped three of the last four meetings with the Panthers after losing 6-2 at Sunrise, Fla., on Jan. 21. Florida is nine points out of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with a game in hand, but top scorers Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau are on a roll with six goals and 12 assists combined in the last three contests. "(Huberdeau and I) just try to hold each accountable and try to bring the best out of each other," Barkov, who leads the team with 77 points, told reporters. "We're playing with a really good player, too (Evgenii) Dadonov. As a line, we try to push each other more and more every shift and try to control the game and the play with the puck. We're having fun, so we'll try to continue."

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, FS Florida, NBCS California (San Jose)

ABOUT THE PANTHERS (30-27-12): Sam Montembeault is expected to make his third straight start and first on the road Thursday after allowing three goals combined in consecutive wins over Minnesota and Detroit. Huberdeau, who has four goals and boasts a plus-7 in the last three games, is second on the team in points (74) while Barkov has moved within one of goal-scoring leader Mike Hoffman (31). Defenseman Keith Yandle has recorded nine points in his last 10 games to push his total to 54 - five shy of his career high in 2010-11 when he was with Phoenix.

ABOUT THE SHARKS (43-19-8): Gustav Nyquist scored twice Tuesday to give him three tallies in seven games since being acquired from Detroit and is one point from 300 for his career. "Smart player," DeBoer told reporters of Nyquist. "He fits with our group. Guys like to play with him. He's a puck hound out there and does a good job." Forwards Timo Meier (five goals) and Tomas Hertl (three) each own seven points in the last six games while Pavelski is four goals away from his career high of 41 in 2013-14 while defenseman Brent Burns leads the team with 73 points, but has only three in the last seven contests.

OVERTIME

1. San Jose D Radim Simek suffered a lower-body injury in Tuesday's contest and is not expected to play against Florida.

2. Florida is 6-of-15 on the power play the last four games and entered Wednesday second in the league at 27.1 percent.

3. Sharks C Logan Couture was kept off the scoresheet Tuesday and remains one point from 500 for his career.

PREDICTION: Sharks 4, Panthers 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Nashville Predators vs. Los Angeles Kings Preview and Predictions 2019-03-14

NHL Predictions 13th March 2019 by Gracenote
Predators vs. Kings Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 03/13/2019

The Nashville Predators finally ignited a dormant power play in their last outing, however, the end result was a second straight loss and fourth in six contests. The Predators bid for better results on Thursday when they continue their three-game trek through California with a visit to the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center.

Filip Forsberg returned from a one-game absence due to an upper-body injury to net a pair of power-play goals in the third period of Tuesday's 3-2 setback to Anaheim, marking the first time Nashville has tallied twice in a game with the man advantage since December. Mikael Granlund, who was acquired at the trade deadline, set up both goals versus the Ducks and scored in each outing against the Kings earlier this season while playing for Minnesota. While Nashville sits one point behind Central Division-leading Winnipeg, Los Angeles resides comfortably in the basement in the Western Conference following a dismal 1-9-4 stretch before posting a 3-2 win at Anaheim on Sunday in The Freeway Faceoff. Carl Grundstrom provided a rare bright spot for the Kings by scoring his second goal in his second NHL game.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, FS Tennessee (Nashville), FS West (Los Angeles)

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (39-27-5): Reigning Vezina Trophy recipient Pekka Rinne is keeping a positive attitude despite answering a three-game winning streak by permitting 17 goals in his last five outings (2-3-0). "You want to win all the games, you want to be playing your best hockey as an individual and as a team, no question about it," the 36-year-old Rinne said. "Everybody knows individually we can be better, and as a team we can be better. It gives us time, but there's still bigger and better things ahead of us." Rinne improved to 15-7-5 in his career versus Los Angeles after turning aside 53 of 57 shots in the season series.

ABOUT THE KINGS (25-36-8): While defenseman Drew Doughty isn't receiving a favorable plus/minus rating (minus-29), he has registered six of his club-best 34 assists in his last six games. Captain Anze Kopitar has failed to add to his team-leading totals in goals (19) and points (48) after being held off the scoresheet in four consecutive contests and eight of his last 10 overall. Former captain Dustin Brown has picked up the slack with five goals and six points in his last nine games.

OVERTIME

1. Prior to Sunday's result, Los Angeles had allowed at least three goals in each game since sustaining a 2-1 loss in Nashville on Feb. 21.

2. Predators captain Roman Josi has collected one goal and three assists during both his four-game point streak and two games versus the Kings.

3. Los Angeles G Jonathan Quick owns a 5-11-2 mark in 19 career meetings with Nashville.

PREDICTION: Predators 2, Kings 1

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Thursday's Early Action

In preparing for the chaos that is first round on Thursday/Friday of the NCAA tournament, the back end of conference tournament week is always a good appetizer. Games are going on all day, every day for Thursday and Friday in these conference tournaments and there is plenty of action to be had.

There is no bigger day in terms of overall action than what Thursday's conference tournaments bring, and because of that it's never to early to break down games, especially those that tip off before the dinner rush.

So here are two plays I've already invested in for Thursday's afternoon action as it's a pair of very small underdogs who I believe should be the ones laying chalk.

Best Bet #1: USF +1/ML

It's been a trying first season at Connecticut for head coach Dan Hurley, as the program went through it's third consecutive losing season. Hurley knew his expected transformation wouldn't happen overnight, but he couldn't have expected it to be this rough. The Huskies dropped seven of their final 10 games overall, and as of now, the only win the Huskies had this year over a projected NCAA tournament team came back in the third game of the year when they knocked off Syracuse.

The Huskies did manage to win their second meeting with USF this year though, as a 60-58 win at the beginning of March helped Connecticut close the year having won two of three. But that was also a home game (Huskies were 13-5 SU at home) and even though it's just a neutral court, anywhere but home as been bad for Connecticut all year long. The Huskies were 2-11 SU not on their own floor this year and against a more talented USF team, I don't believe the Huskies should be the ones laying point(s).

USF limped to the regular season finish line as well with a 2-6 SU record in their last eight games, but this team has shown much more promise all year long. That two-point loss to Connecticut came because USF couldn't knock down a shot (32.8% from floor) and they were only in the game because the Huskies weren't much better shooting the ball. But USF did put up 51 points on this Huskies team in the 2nd half of the first meeting – a 76-68 USF win – on shooting just 44% from the floor but being ultra-aggressive and getting to the free throw line 46 times. That's an absurd number as the AAC officials have come under some scrutiny at times this year, but an aggressive, attack the rim mindset should come from USF from the outset here and it should end up being enough for them to win this game.

USF is going to need a tremendous showing in the AAC Tournament to even have a shot at the NCAA tournament field, and they'll have their opportunity vs Houston up next should they get past this game. That's where the Bulls will end up determining the fate of their season, as they'll find a way to get by this talent-starved Connecticut program.

Best Bet #2: San Diego State +1/ML

Over in the Mountain West, there's work to be done for basically everyone that's not named Nevada (and probably Utah State) in this conference, and both San Diego State and UNLV know that a loss here and all hope is lost.

Which is why it was surprising to me to see the Runnin' Rebels open as the favorite here considering they were 0-2 SU against the Aztecs this year. Yes, every game in this tournament is a home game for UNLV, but I'm not sure that means as much in conference tournament play as some would lead you to believe. Fans from the entire conference have much easier access to tickets for tournament games then they do for regular “road” games and that does mitigate any home court advantage hosts may have.

Furthermore, San Diego State dominated UNLV in the first meeting – winning by 17 points – and while the visit to Las Vegas only resulted in a one-point Aztecs win, they've already proven that if they are near their best, they should be able to roll the Rebels. The game @ UNLV late last month closed as a pick'em, so remind me again why UNLV is favored here.

And similar to USF's potential of playing their way into the NCAA tournament with a strong tournament showing, it's likely Nevada on deck for the winner of this game, and a win over the Wolf Pack may be just what the Aztecs need to strengthen their case enough to earn a third tournament bid for the conference.

But with the more efficient offense in terms of shooting percentage, the ability to protect the ball and force turnovers, and the better defense overall, this Aztecs team deserves to be the ones laying a point or two (at least) in this matchup. The 28-point loss to end the year against Nevada is too heavily weighed in this line, and with San Diego State on a 5-1-1 ATS run after losing by 20+, they are no strangers to bounce back efforts.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Big Ten Trends and Angles

Venue: United Center - Chicago

Overall Betting Results

Favorites/Underdogs: 1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS
Over/Under: 1-1

Thursday, March 14

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Big East Trends and Angles

Venue: Madison Square Garden - New York City

Overall Betting Results

Favorites/Underdogs: 2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS
Over/Under: 1-1

Thursday, March 14