The Bum's National Hockey League October Rated Plays - Trends - News - Etc. !!

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NHL roundup: Ducks finally break out, get first win

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Anaheim Ducks ended a nearly season-long offensive drought with a 4-1 win over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday night in front of 16,784 at the Honda Center.

Cam Fowler scored the Ducks' first goal in 173 consecutive minutes midway through the first period while centers Rickard Rakell and Mike Santorelli, and defenseman Hampus Lindholm also scored.

Anton Khudobin made 34 saves in his second start of the season as the Ducks earned their first win. Minnesota absorbed its second successive loss after winning its first three games.

Nino Niederreiter scored for Minnesota, while Devan Dubnyk finished with 18 saves.

Kings 2, Avalanche 1 (OT)

LOS ANGELES -- Tyler Toffoli scored the go-ahead goal in the second period, and Los Angeles defeated Colorado for the sixth consecutive time.

Jonathan Quick stopped 22 of 23 shots as the Kings capped a five-game homestand with their second win in a row. Marian Gaborik also scored for Los Angeles.

Reto Berra, who blanked the Anaheim Ducks on Friday in a 3-0 decision, saved 38 of 40 attempts for the Avalanche.

Blues 4, Jets 2

WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Vladimir Tarasenko scored a pair of goals to power St. Louis over Winnipeg at the MTS Center.

Scottie Upshall and Carl Gunnarsson also scored for St. Louis while Mathieu Perreault and Drew Stafford scored for the Jets.

St. Louis goalie Brian Elliott made 27 saves for his fourth win of the young season, while Ondrej Pavelec stopped 37 shots in the Winnipeg net.

Devils 2, Rangers 1

NEW YORK -- Lee Stempniak scored with 1:53 remaining in overtime to give New Jersey a victory against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

The win was the first of the season for the Devils.

Adam Henrique also scored his third goal for the Devils, who received 26 saves from goaltender Cory Schneider.

Derek Stepan scored his third goal of the season while Henrik Lundqvist made 22 saves.

Oilers 2, Canucks 1 (OT)

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Lauri Korpikoski scored at 1:27 of three-on-three overtime to give Edmonton a victory over Vancouver.

Nail Yakupov, on a power play, also scored for Edmonton. Connor McDavid, the first overall pick in this year's draft, had an assist. Defenseman Matt Bartkowski scored for Vancouver.

Ryan Miller stopped 22 shots for Vancouver while Oilers goalie Anders Nilsson made 33 saves.

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Preview: Sharks (3-1) at Rangers (3-2)
Date: October 19, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

With the New York Rangers mired in a three-game losing streak, coach Alain Vigneault claims goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is his best player now.

The San Jose Sharks have yet to lose with Martin Jones as their starting goalie.

Jones is expected to return to the crease for the visiting Sharks on Monday night in his first career appearance against the struggling Rangers.

New York (3-2-1) started the season with a victory over reigning Stanley Cup champion Chicago as part of a 3-0-0 start before going 0-2-1 in its next three following Sunday's 2-1 overtime defeat to New Jersey.

Vigneault was blunt in his assessment of his club.

"You gotta be on top of your game," he said. "It should be quite obvious to our players at this time that we're not on top of ours and we need to find our game.

"Right now we've got in my estimation one player on top of his game, and that's Henrik Lundqvist."

Lundqvist has started every game and could start again despite a back-to-back since Sunday's contest was in the afternoon. He started both meetings last season, as New York outscored San Jose 7-1 in two victories.

The Rangers, who are 1 for 16 on the power play, scored 12 goals during their unbeaten start before managing two in this slide. Oscar Lindberg scored four times in the win streak and has no goals since.

"I think the first couple of games, we were finding the back of the net every time and now we've kind of went on the other end of it," center Derek Stepan said.

They could find it difficult to break through against Jones, who has posted a 0.49 goals-against average in winning his first four starts with his new club. He posted back-to-back shutouts before Friday's 2-1 shootout win over the Devils.

'My focus is to take the game as it comes and just focus on the process, whether it's a 1-1 game or a 5-0 game," Jones said. "The process needs to stay the same.'

Jones has never faced the Rangers, though he was a backup to Jonathan Quick as a rookie with Los Angeles in 2013-14 when the Kings beat New York in the Stanley Cup Final.

Jones gave way to backup Alex Stalock in the second half of a back-to-back Saturday. San Jose (4-1-0) lost for the first time, 6-3 to the New York Islanders.

Defenseman Paul Martin sat out with a lower-body injury suffered Friday, though he could return for this contest.

"I don't anticipate it being serious, but I don't know yet," coach Peter DeBoer said. "It's a lower-body injury, it happened in the game (Friday), he finished in the game with it so we'll see how it looks going forward."

The Sharks' Ben Smith took a puck to the head Saturday and didn't return while fellow winger Joonas Donskoi has missed the last two games with a lower-body injury. Logan Couture is out for a month after he broke his leg in practice on Thursday.

Rangers star Rick Nash is still searching for his first goal after finishing third in the NHL with 42 in 2014-15.

[StarDust Bum]

Team Open Line Movements Current Puck Line Scores

7:05 PM EDT

1 SAN JOSE SHARKS 5o15 5o15 / 5o30 / 5o35 5o40 +1.5(-305)
2 NEW YORK RANGERS -145 -140 / -125 / -120 -115 -1.5(+245)

SAN-G-Martin Jones-Probable | NYR-G-Antti Raanta-Probable | TV: MSG, DTV: 634

-------------------------

NHL Consensus Picks

SIDES (ATS)

Time Away Line Picks Pct Home Line Picks Pct Detail Odds

7:00 PM San Jose -110 235 37.07% NY Rangers -110 399 62.93% View View


TOTALS (OVER/UNDER)

Time Away Total Over Pct Home Total Under Pct Detail Odds

7:00 PM San Jose 5 271 55.08% NY Rangers 5 221 44.92% View View

----------------------------------

MONDAY, OCTOBER 19

Game Score Status Pick Amount

San Jose - 7:00 PM ET San Jose -110 500 DOUBLE PLAY

NY Rangers - Over 5 500 DOUBLE PLAY

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NHL MONDAY'S RESULTS:

0 - 0 - 0................ *****

0 - 2.....................DOUBLE PLAY

0 - 0.....................TRIPLE PLAY

0 - 0.....................OCTOPLAY


OVERALL RATED PLAYS

*****.....................................12 - 11 - 1.....................+ 1.95

double play..............................22 - 13.........................+ 21.80

triple play................................8 - 6............................- 7.35

octoplay..................................2 - 3.............................- 8.00

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Standings

EASTERN CONFERENCE - ATLANTIC

Team Win Loss OTL Shootout Loss Pts Goals For Goals Against Home Away Division

Montreal Canadiens 6 0 0 0 12 20 7 2-0-0-0 4-0-0-0 4-0-0-0

Tampa Bay Lightning 4 2 0 0 8 19 15 2-1-0-0 2-1-0-0 3-1-0-0

Ottawa Senators 3 2 1 1 7 19 17 0-1-1-1 3-1-0-0 2-1-0-0

Florida Panthers 3 2 0 0 6 16 9 2-1-0-0 1-1-0-0 1-0-0-0

Detroit Red Wings 3 2 0 0 6 15 13 2-1-0-0 1-1-0-0 2-1-0-0

Boston Bruins 2 3 0 0 4 18 21 0-3-0-0 2-0-0-0 0-2-0-0

Toronto Maple Leafs 1 3 1 0 3 12 17 0-1-1-1 1-2-0-0 0-2-1-1

Buffalo Sabres 1 4 0 0 2 9 14 1-2-0-0 0-2-0-0 0-4-0-0


EASTERN CONFERENCE - METROPOLITAN

Team Win Loss OTL Shootout Loss Pts Goals For Goals Against Home Away Division

New York Rangers 4 2 1 0 9 18 15 2-1-1-0 2-1-0-0 2-0-1-0

New York Islanders 3 1 1 0 7 17 15 3-0-1-0 0-1-0-0 ---

Washington Capitals 3 1 0 0 6 13 10 3-1-0-0 --- 2-0-0-0

Philadelphia Flyers 2 1 1 0 5 7 10 2-0-0-0 0-1-1-0 ---

Pittsburgh Penguins 2 3 0 0 4 7 9 2-1-0-0 0-2-0-0 ---

New Jersey Devils 1 3 1 0 3 8 14 0-2-1-1 1-1-0-0 1-1-0-0

Carolina Hurricanes 1 4 0 0 2 11 17 0-2-0-0 1-2-0-0 0-1-0-0

Columbus Blue Jackets 0 6 0 0 0 13 30 0-3-0-0 0-3-0-0 0-2-0-0


WESTERN CONFERENCE - CENTRAL

Team Win Loss OTL Shootout Loss Pts Goals For Goals Against Home Away Division

St. Louis Blues 5 1 0 0 10 21 14 1-0-0-0 4-1-0-0 1-1-0-0

Dallas Stars 4 1 0 0 8 19 13 2-0-0-0 2-1-0-0 0-1-0-0

Nashville Predators 4 1 0 1 8 14 9 2-0-0-0 2-1-0-0 ---

Winnipeg Jets 4 2 0 0 8 20 13 1-1-0-0 3-1-0-0 0-1-0-0

Minnesota Wild 3 1 1 0 7 14 15 1-0-0-0 2-1-1-0 2-0-0-0

Chicago Blackhawks 3 3 0 0 6 14 14 2-1-0-0 1-2-0-0 ---

Colorado Avalanche 2 3 0 0 4 16 16 1-2-0-0 1-1-0-0 1-1-0-0


WESTERN CONFERENCE - PACIFIC

Team Win Loss OTL Shootout Loss Pts Goals For Goals Against Home Away Division

San Jose Sharks 4 2 0 1 8 17 12 1-0-0-0 3-2-0-0 2-0-0-0

Vancouver Canucks 3 1 2 1 8 16 11 0-1-2-0 3-0-0-0 3-0-2-0

Arizona Coyotes 3 2 0 0 6 16 11 1-2-0-0 2-0-0-0 2-0-0-0

Los Angeles Kings 2 3 0 0 4 6 14 2-3-0-0 --- 0-3-0-0

Edmonton Oilers 2 4 0 0 4 12 16 0-1-0-0 2-3-0-0 2-0-0-0

Anaheim Ducks 1 3 1 0 3 5 12 1-2-1-1 0-1-0-0 0-2-1-1

Calgary Flames 1 4 0 0 2 10 19 0-3-0-0 1-1-0-0 1-2-0-0

Updated Tue Oct 20 12:04 AM EDT

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Preview: Panthers (3-2) at Penguins (2-3)

Date: October 20, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

Adding Phil Kessel alongside the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin figured to make the Pittsburgh Penguins one of the league's top offensive clubs.

In reality, they've struggled to score.

Pittsburgh will try to get untracked Tuesday night against the Florida Panthers.

The Penguins (2-3-0) enter the fourth game on this season-high five-game homestand with back-to-back victories over Ottawa and Toronto, but remain underwhelming on the offensive end. They're averaging 1.4 goals, down significantly from a 2.7 mark a season ago.

An anemic power play has been a big part of Pittsburgh's struggles. The Penguins are one of two teams, along with Anaheim, yet to score on the power play despite having the advantage 17 times. They squandered five chances in Saturday's 2-1 win against the Maple Leafs.

Last season, Pittsburgh's 19.3 percent success rate ranked 10th in the league, and it's two seasons removed from scoring on a league-best 23.4 percent of its power plays.

"We have to get our power play in sync," coach Mike Johnston said. "We know that and we're looking at all options."

Crosby is yet to record a point despite playing the third-most minutes on the team. He ranks fifth in league history with 1.4 points per game and had never gone more than one game without a point to begin a season.

Kessel has also had a slow start for his new team with one goal and one assist, somewhat underwhelming for a player who recorded 0.9 points per game over the previous seven seasons and has been slotted on Pittsburgh's top line with Crosby and Malkin.

The Penguins' average shot differential of plus-5.0 is one of the league's best, and they're registering 33.4 shots per game.

"We get chances, we just have to start scoring," Kessel said. "It will come."

Florida (3-2-0) has given up three power-play goals on 19 opportunities and has had some success on the advantage itself, scoring five of 22 times.

The Panthers' top line has fared much better than Pittsburgh's, with Jaromir Jagr and Aleksander Barkov combining for seven goals, while Jonathan Huberdeau has two assists. Jagr, who recorded 1,079 points in 806 games for the Penguins from 1990-01, has seven points in his last nine trips to Pittsburgh.

The Panthers blew a 2-0 lead in Saturday's 4-2 home loss to Dallas, getting outshot 32-18 over the final 40 minutes.

"We let them back in it," coach Gerard Gallant said. "For the most part of the game, they were the better team. They deserved to win."

On the second line, Brandon Pirri has flipped last season's script, tying for the team lead with three assists compared to one goal. He had 22 goals and two assists in 49 games in 2014-15, becoming the first player with at least 20 goals and three assists or fewer since three players in 1925-26.

"I'd have to be doing something wrong if I put up two assists this year again," he told the team's official website. "Am I surprised I've got three assists so far? No."

These clubs have split the last eight meetings, but Florida has lost 10 of its last 11 visits to Consol Energy Center.

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Preview: Coyotes (3-2) at Devils (1-3)

Date: October 20, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The road has been good to the Arizona Coyotes so far, and a return to it might help them get back on track.

The same can't be said for the New Jersey Devils on home ice, though they put together a strong effort in their latest home game before finally getting into the win column their last time out.

The Coyotes open a five-game trip looking to overcome their struggles at New Jersey on Tuesday night.

Arizona (3-2-0) has dropped its last two, both at home, allowing nine goals after giving up two in its first three games. The Coyotes were impressive in knocking off Los Angeles, Pittsburgh and Anaheim, but couldn't maintain their level of play against Minnesota and Boston.

Arizona allowed two power-play goals and one short-handed goal in the third period against the Bruins on Saturday, falling 5-3.

"Obviously it's early in the year but we've got to get back on the winning track," forward Mikkel Boedker told the team's official website. "It's always good to get away from home a little bit, and get that team bonding and team building. Let's see if we can find some life again like we had the first three games."

That's when goaltender Mike Smith was at his best. He recorded his 28th career shutout in a 4-0 win over the Ducks on Wednesday and made 104 saves during the 3-0 start.

However, he's posted an .867 save percentage in the past two contests and was pulled in favor of Anders Lindback midway through a 4-3 loss to the Wild on Thursday.

Smith started both games against the Devils last season, recording a 3.01 goals-against average in a pair of losses.

Arizona hasn't enjoyed much success at the Prudential Center, going 0-3-1 in the last four there and 3-8-0 in the past 11.

New Jersey is 0-2-1 at home, although it played well in a 2-1 shootout loss to visiting Western Conference power San Jose on Friday.

The Devils (1-3-1) then defeated the New York Rangers 2-1 in overtime Sunday, though they continued to struggle offensively. New Jersey has managed eight goals on the season.

Former Coyotes and Rangers forward Lee Stempniak scored in the extra period to give coach John Hynes his first win. The frustrations from the slow start were evident in a wild celebration around Stempniak after he ended the 3-on-3 overtime.

The goal came immediately after New York's Derek Stepan hit the crossbar with a hard shot behind Cory Schneider at the other end.

'Maybe that celebration was a little too much for the fifth game of the year," said Schneider, who's expected to start Tuesday. "... but you could just tell, everyone, some frustration and anger came out there ... It felt really good, but it (was) just one game.'

Stempniak scored three goals with the Rangers in two wins over Arizona last season.

" ... we're turning in the right direction," Stempniak said.

Young Arizona forwards Max Domi, Anthony Duclair and Tobias Rieder have combined for 10 goals and seven assists.

Coyotes captain Shane Doan will play in his 1,400th game Tuesday.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Stars (4-1) at Flyers (2-1)

Date: October 20, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

Michal Neuvirth has posted back-to-back shutouts for the Philadelphia Flyers while Kari Lehtonen has yet to lose in goal for the Dallas Stars.

It's quite possible neither will start Tuesday night when the Flyers return from a five-day break to host the high-scoring Stars.

Neuvirth has a shutout streak of 132 minutes, 5 seconds that dates to the third period of a 7-1 loss at Florida on Oct. 10 when he relieved Steve Mason. He made 31 saves two days later in a 1-0 victory over the Panthers and 30 on Wednesday in a 3-0 victory over Chicago in the Flyers' last game.

Coach Dave Hakstol has not indicated who will start Tuesday, though it appears Mason is likely to get the call. Mason, who has a 6.12 goals-against average, would be up against a Dallas team averaging a league-best 3.8 goals.

"They have a lot to throw at you," Mason said. "A ton of offensive power, speed off the rush, real creative players. You look at their top line. They added (Patrick) Sharp this offseason, I'm not sure what line he's playing on right now, but I think (Jason) Spezza's on their second line. Spezza's a world-class player that has a ton of skill and can make you pay. They just come in waves and waves."

Lehtonen has posted a 2.34 GAA in winning all three starts, though he is 1-10-2 with a 3.49 GAA in 13 against the Flyers. The lone victory was a 2-1 win March 10 in which he made 25 saves as Dallas ended a four-game slide in Philadelphia.

Antti Niemi could get the nod instead since he's 2-1-0 with a 1.83 GAA in three starts against the Flyers. Coach Lindy Ruff did not commit to his starter at Monday's practice.

"Even before we left on this trip, we talked about the schedule and who we thought would play in different spots and being flexible," Ruff said. "We are going to follow with a schedule that I am not going to tell you."

Dallas (4-1-0) has won both times on this four-game trip to push its win streak to three. Tyler Seguin had two goals and two assists in Saturday's 4-2 victory over Florida to give him eight points, matching Jamie Benn for the team lead.

Seguin has a four-game point streak while Benn has one in every game.

Philadelphia (2-1-1) is hoping its long break won't be a factor as it seeks a strong start against one of the league's fastest teams.

"I think the key for us going into tomorrow night is that we can't complicate things," winger Wayne Simmonds said. "The first few shifts, we've got to get our legs back underneath us, and while we're doing that we gotta play smart and make sure we're not turning pucks over in the neutral zone or at the top of the blue lines or anything like that."

The Flyers have the league's fifth-worst offense with 1.75 goals per game.

Jakub Voracek, who tied for fourth in the league with 81 points a season ago, has no goals and one assist. Captain Claude Giroux, who tied for 10th with 73, has two points.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Blues (5-1) at Canadiens (6-0)

Date: October 20, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

The Montreal Canadiens are off to the best start in franchise history, but adding to it will take a win over the league's next-hottest team.

The St. Louis Blues head to the Bell Centre on Tuesday night seeking a fifth straight win as they conclude a six-game road trip, while the Canadiens try for their first seven-game winning streak in 10 seasons.

Montreal (6-0-0) had never won more than four straight to begin a season, and it last won seven in a row as part of an eight-game run near the end of 2005-06.

A 4-1 home win over Detroit on Saturday was the Canadiens' fifth multigoal victory, though it required them to come from behind for the first time. Brendan Gallagher had a goal and an assist, while Max Pacioretty and Andrei Markov upped their league-best ratings to plus-8.

"We got some bounces tonight, and it just proves that when you do good things good things happen. We were maybe a little sluggish at the start, but it's good that we're picking things up as the game goes on," Pacioretty told the team's official website. "We're inspired to keep getting better even with this great start."

The Canadiens haven't been giving up many chances with 25 shots or fewer allowed in four of six, and their 26.5 per game is near the top of the league. St. Louis' 25.0 mark leads the way.

Montreal's penalty kill has also been strong, thwarting all 14 over the last four games, and its 90.5 percent rate is among the league leaders.

Unsurprisingly, those numbers have Carey Price cruising along. The reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner has a 1.20 goals-against average and .957 save percentage in five games.

He's 3-3-2 with a 2.68 GAA against the Blues but helped the Canadiens to wins in both games last season with a 1.50 GAA and .951 save percentage.

Those victories came by three goals each, though St. Louis had won the previous five matchups and past four at the Bell Centre. Gallagher has three goals in his last three games against St. Louis.

The Blues (5-1-0) will go with Jake Allen, who's started 1-1-0 with three goals allowed in each. He was given the starting job last postseason, but Brian Elliott has started four games this season and shown a bit more. Allen played both games against the Canadiens in 2014-15 with a 4.51 GAA and .830 save percentage.

St. Louis has been consistent with four goals in each game on its winning streak, and Sunday's two-goal victory in Winnipeg included two from Vladimir Tarasenko. The 37-goal scorer from a season ago is off to a strong start with five goals and four assists.

The team weathered four games in six days before getting Monday off, but road success has become almost expected with a Western Conference-best 41 points dating to Jan. 3. The Canadiens, though, are tied for an NHL-best home point total since two weeks after that with 34.

"It's a tough road trip. We had something like three games in 72 hours," Tarasenko said. "We have one more game against an unbeaten team. We have some time to rest right now and then go home after."

Coach Ken Hitchcock said the final 20 minutes against the Jets bode well heading into a tough matchup.

"The third period was the best period we've played on the road all season," Hitchcock told the team's official website.

St. Louis' Paul Stastny will miss this game after suffering a lower-body injury Friday in Vancouver. The Blues lost Kevin Shattenkirk and Robby Fabbri earlier on the trip.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Lightning (4-2) at Predators (3-1)

Date: October 20, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

James Neal has overcome a slow start and provided plenty of offense in the last two games, which is something he's almost always done against Tampa Bay.

The Lightning head to Nashville on Tuesday night, where the Predators will try for a fourth straight win in the series while remaining unbeaten at home.

The Predators (4-1-0) followed up two home wins with a 2-1-0 road trip, concluding with Saturday's 4-3 shootout win in Ottawa. Neal scored two power-play goals, got the shootout winner, and he also scored in Thursday's 4-3 loss to the New York Islanders.

"It was a good road trip," Neal told the team's official website. "We talked about it going into the third period, you can have one win and two losses going home and it was a huge third period for us. We had a good win in New Jersey, and I thought we played our best game of the year on Long Island and didn't get a win, so coming in here and pulling one out was good."

Nashville, which is beginning a three-game homestand, has to be pleased with the home success thus far after tanking at Bridgestone Arena down the stretch in the spring with two wins in its last 11 regular-season games.

It has won the last three meetings with Tampa Bay and the last four at home. Neal scored in the one he played in during his first season with the Predators and has three goals in his last four games against the Lightning, as well as 12 points in his last eight - all victories.

Pekka Rinne has also helped produce results against the Lightning, even if his 2.70 goals-against average doesn't quite match up with his 4-0-0 record in the series.

Rinne didn't face the Senators but is 3-1-0 with a 1.51 GAA and .944 save percentage to start the season, which includes allowing one goal in the two home games.

Tampa Bay (4-2-0) is beginning a four-game road trip following Saturday's 2-1 win over Buffalo. Ben Bishop had possibly his best game of the season with 31 saves, and in doing so became Tampa Bay's all-time wins leader.

"Clearly was the best player on the ice," coach Jon Cooper said.

That hasn't been the case with a 4.20 GAA in two career losses against Nashville.

The greater relief for Cooper might have been the penalty kill finally coming through. The Lightning killed all three Sabres chances after their first five opponents converted on seven of 15 power-play opportunities. Their 61.1 percent kill rate remains last in the NHL, while Nashville is among the league leaders at 13 for 14 (92.8 percent).

Offensively, Tampa Bay got a goal from Vladislav Namestnikov for a second straight game. The 22-year-old had scored nine goals in his previous 63 NHL games, including the playoffs. He's still not getting a great deal of ice time, but it sounds like his coach plans on leaning on him more this season.

"He's hanging in there," Cooper told the team's official website. "He's been fighting, fighting, fighting to find a spot in the lineup. He's getting his chance this year and surely making the best of it. I thought he was one of our bright sports up front tonight and the ice time he got he earned, and he kept getting it. He scores obviously a huge goal for us to tie the game, and you've just got to give kids like that credit because he's never quit."

The Lightning will again be without Nikita Nesterov as the defenseman completes a two-game suspension for a hit from behind Thursday.

Nashville's Ryan Ellis is day to day after taking a puck to the knee forced him out in Ottawa.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Capitals (3-1) at Flames (1-4)

Date: October 20, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

Washington goaltender Braden Holtby believes the Capitals will be better off down the road after having to play their first three games without Nicklas Backstrom.

They should be fine in the immediate term, too, with the veteran playmaker showing no rust.

Backstrom will try to build on a strong debut and Alex Ovechkin looks to reach 900 career points Tuesday night against the Calgary Flames, who hope to avoid their worst start at home.

After missing camp and the start of the season following hip surgery in May, Backstrom appeared to be in midseason form Saturday with a goal and two assists in a 4-1 win over Carolina.

The center, who had an NHL-best 60 assists in 2014-15, finished with at least three points for the 49th time in his career. He has four goals and eight assists in his last six meetings with Calgary.

"I'm not sore or anything and that's a good thing," Backstrom told the team's official website. "Hopefully I can get even better after a couple of games."

The Capitals (3-1-0) totaled nine goals and averaged 27.3 shots in the first three of a season-opening four-game homestand before finishing with 34 shots Saturday. They also went 2 for 2 on the power play and are now 5 for 13 with the man advantage.

"We did a good job of trying to battle when he was out," said Holtby, who has started all four games. "And it will make us better in the long run I think, having those three games to realize what we can do without Nick, because he covers up so many mistakes that we make just by how good and how smart he is, how many key minutes he eats up. Really, you can't put a value on a guy like Nick."

Ovechkin helped carry the offense while Backstrom was sidelined and scored for the third time in as many games Saturday. The star left wing sits one point shy of 900 for his career and is six goals away from passing Sergei Fedorov (483) for tops among Russian-born players.

Ovechkin has 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in 10 games versus Calgary (1-4-0).

The Capitals should be able to generate scoring chances as they open a three-game road swing against the Flames, who are in danger of dropping their first four home games for the first time.

Calgary ranks 28th in the league with 3.8 goals allowed per game after Jonas Hiller faced 28 shots in a 5-2 home loss to previously winless Edmonton on Saturday. Karri Ramo hasn't fared much better, allowing seven goals with a .904 save percentage in his two starts.

It hasn't helped that Calgary has totaled just 10 goals so far and averaged just 26.0 shots - fourth fewest in the league.

"I think in the offensive zone, we're being a little too pretty," center Sean Monahan told the team's official website. "We've got to put more pucks on net."

The Capitals have earned at least a point in five of the past six meetings, winning four of those.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Islanders (3-1) at Blue Jackets (0-6)

Date: October 20, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The Columbus Blue Jackets' dismal start is not only the worst in franchise history, it's beginning to place them among infamous company in the NHL's annals.

They'll look to break through for their first victory Tuesday night when they host a New York Islanders team seeking a fourth straight win.

Columbus (0-6-0) is the 13th team in NHL history to not earn a single point through its first six games, getting outscored 30-13. The Blue Jackets are trying to avoid becoming the sixth team ever to lose its first seven games, while the longest losing streak to begin a season is 11 by the 1943-44 New York Rangers, who finished 6-39 with five ties.

The inauspicious start has been especially frustrating given the high expectations for a squad that won 15 of its final 17 games in 2014-15 and acquired Brandon Saad after a 23-goal season for Chicago. Saad has delivered with a team high-tying three goals and the Blue Jackets have outshot opponents 187-178, but it hasn't resulted in a victory.

"This is getting old ... this is getting frustrating," Scott Hartnell, who has two goals and one assist but is a minus-five, told the team's official website. "I don't know what else to say. It's a tough start. It's embarrassing."

This is an especially crucial opportunity at home for Columbus, considering seven of the next eight games are on the road. The Jackets also dealt with a lengthy skid early on last season, too, dropping nine in a row Oct. 24-Nov. 11.

New York (3-1-1) comes to town with confidence after scoring 14 goals during a three-game winning streak. It had totaled three goals in back-to-back losses to the Blackhawks to begin the season, but John Tavares and Kyle Okposo have combined for 13 points in the victories after recording one in the first two games.

"We know we're a good team when we play our game and play the way we know how," Okposo told the club's official website. "We just have to keep it going."

The Islanders would likely prefer to end their habit of starting slow, however. Saturday's 6-3 win against previously undefeated San Jose came despite trailing at the end of the first period for the fourth time. They outscored the Sharks 3-0 in the third period, improving their margin to plus-six over the final two periods compared to minus-three in the first.

"The first 10 minutes, for whatever reason we haven't played our style or brand of hockey," coach Jack Capuano said. "I think they're getting adjusted to it. It's a little bit different; it's a little bit more travel for them, but as we go, we'll monitor."

Jaroslav Halak faced 25 shots against the Sharks in his season debut after being sidelined with an upper-body injury that kept him out for nearly the entire preseason.

Columbus has been shaky in net, giving up at least four goals in each contest, and Sergei Bobrovsky bears much of the blame. Bobrovsky has posted a 5.07 goals-against average and .835 save percentage in five games. He figures to be in goal again after Curtis McElhinney played in Saturday's 4-1 loss at Chicago.

Tavares has four goals and seven assists in his last six games against the Blue Jackets, who have won seven of the last 10 meetings.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, October 20

Hot teams
-- Penguins won last two games, allowing one goal. Florida won three of its first five games.
-- Islanders won last three games, scoring 14 goals.
-- Dallas Stars won four of their first five games. Flyers won last two games, 3-0/1-0.
-- Canadiens won first six games, allowing seven goals. Blues won last four games, scoring four goals in each game.
-- Lightning won four of its first six games. Nashville won four of first five.
-- Washington won three of its last four games.

Cold teams
-- Columbus allowed 30 goals in its 0-6 start.
-- Devils lost four of their first five games. Arizona lost last two games, 4-3/5-3.
-- Calgary lost last three games, outscored 12-6.

Series records
-- Penguins are 6-4 in last ten games with Florida.
-- Islanders lost seve of last ten vs Columbus (last two in SO).
-- Coyotes lost three of last four visits to New Jersey.
-- Dallas Stars lost eight of last ten games with Philly.
-- Blues won five of last seven games with Montreal, but lost last two.
-- Nashville won six of last seven games with Tampa Bay.
-- Flames lost four of last six games with Washington.

Totals
-- Five of last six Panther-Penguin games went over total.
-- Last four Columbus-Islander games went over.
-- Last three New Jersey games stayed under the total.
-- Last four Dallas games went over the total.
-- Last four St Louis games went over the total.
-- Under is 2-0-1 in last three Tampa Bay-Nashville games.
-- Over is 5-2 in last seven Washington-Calgary games.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL

Tuesday, October 20

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
ARIZONA vs. NEW JERSEY
Arizona is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games on the road
Arizona is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against New Jersey
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of New Jersey's last 9 games at home
New Jersey is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games at home

7:00 PM
FLORIDA vs. PITTSBURGH
Florida is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games on the road
Florida is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Florida
Pittsburgh is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games at home

7:00 PM
NY ISLANDERS vs. COLUMBUS
The total has gone OVER in 4 of the NY Islanders last 5 games when playing Columbus
NY Islanders are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games on the road
Columbus is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Columbus's last 7 games at home

7:30 PM
DALLAS vs. PHILADELPHIA
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Dallas's last 11 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Dallas's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Philadelphia's last 16 games when playing Dallas
Philadelphia is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing Dallas

7:30 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. MONTREAL
St. Louis is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
St. Louis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Montreal
Montreal is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against St. Louis
Montreal is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing St. Louis

8:00 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. NASHVILLE
Tampa Bay is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Tampa Bay's last 10 games
Nashville is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay
Nashville is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

9:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. CALGARY
Washington is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Calgary
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Washington's last 13 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Calgary's last 5 games at home
Calgary is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Dunkel

Tuesday, October 20


NY Islanders @ Columbus

Game 51-52
October 20, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
NY Islanders
13.422
Columbus
10.212
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
NY Islanders
by 3
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
NY Islanders
-135
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
NY Islanders
(-135); Over

Florida @ Pittsburgh

Game 53-54
October 20, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Florida
11.387
Pittsburgh
12.907
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Pittsburgh
by 1 1/2
3 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Pittsburgh
-165
5
Dunkel Pick:
Pittsburgh
(-165); Under

Arizona @ New Jersey

Game 55-56
October 20, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Arizona
10.422
New Jersey
9.298
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Arizona
by 1
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
New Jersey
-135
5
Dunkel Pick:
Arizona
(+115); Under

Dallas @ Philadelphia

Game 57-58
October 20, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Dallas
10.260
Philadelphia
12.945
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Philadelphia
by 2 1/2
6 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Dallas

5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Philadelphia
(-105); Over

St. Louis @ Montreal

Game 59-60
October 20, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
St. Louis
10.315
Montreal
12.945
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Montreal
by 2 1/2
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Montreal
-140
5
Dunkel Pick:
Montreal
(-140); Under

Tampa Bay @ Nashville

Game 61-62
October 20, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Tampa Bay
12.648
Nashville
10.050
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Tampa Bay
by 2 1/2
6 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Nashville
-130
5
Dunkel Pick:
Tampa Bay
(+110); Over

Washington @ Calgary

Game 63-64
October 20, 2015 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
10.315
Calgary
11.813
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Calgary
by 1 1/2
5
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
-130
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Calgary
(+110); Under