Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

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

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Preview: Canucks (10-14) at Lightning (16-14)

    Date: December 22, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

    The Vancouver Canucks could have ailing captain Henrik Sedin available for their final game before the Christmas break. They also hope nothing is seriously wrong with goaltender Ryan Miller.

    With both possibly in the lineup, the Canucks can conclude a losing trip on a positive note by snapping their four-game slide to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night.

    Though Sedin missed his second straight game Sunday with a nagging lower-body injury, he skated prior to that 5-4 shootout loss at Florida.

    "It's a good sign," brother Daniel said. "He'll practice (Monday) and see how it is. It could be days, it could be weeks."

    With the league's three-day break following this contest, it would seem wise to give the Canucks' second-leading scorer more rest. However, coach Willie Desjardins said if Henrik is ready, he will play.

    "I think he's close," Desjardins said. "We need him. These are big games for us, and big points."

    Vancouver (12-14-9) is 1-3-1 on this six-game trip and failed to build on Friday's 4-3 shootout victory at Detroit that snapped an 0-4-2 slide away from home. The Canucks led twice early in Sunday's contest, which Miller left during the shootout with what Desjardins described as "cramping."

    "Should be fine," Desjardins said. "We had to make that move because you can't afford to have something happen him."

    Miller is 1-2-0 with a 4.22 goals-against average on the trip after going 3-2-1 with a 2.39 GAA in his previous six outings. A loser of five straight starts, backup Jacob Markstrom is 1-3-2 with 3.00 GAA as a starter this season.

    "It's never good to see (a teammate leave the game)," said Daniel Sedin, who has two points on the trip. "We'll see how bad it is. We trust (Markstrom), too."

    While the Canucks have allowed at least four non-shootout goals three times on the trip, they've generated some offense in the last two despite going 0 for 10 on the power play during the trek.

    "It's frustrating," said forward Jannik Hansen, who has two goals and two assists in the last four. "We're there."

    Vancouver has been outscored 16-8 while being losing both meetings with Tampa Bay (17-14-13) each of the last two seasons. The Sedins were held without a goal and had two combined assists in those contests.

    The Lightning look to maintain their December success after beating Ottawa 5-2 on Sunday. Steven Stamkos scored twice and Alex Killorn had a goal with an assist as Tampa Bay won for the third time in four games to improve to 6-3-0 this month.

    "It's a good stretch and something that we need to continue to do," Stamkos told the NHL's official website. "We need to just continue to play this way."

    The Lightning are near the bottom of the NHL with a 77.1 kill percentage on opponents' power plays, but they kept Ottawa scoreless on five chances after the previous two opponents went 4 for 7.

    Stamkos has three goals in two games after failing to register one in the previous 10. He has eight with six assists in seven against Vancouver.

    Teammate Ben Bishop has a 1.73 GAA in his last 14 starts. He's never lost in his career to the Canucks, posting a 2.00 GAA while in net for those four straight victories.
    Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

    Comment


    • Preview: Devils (14-13) at Red Wings (16-9)

      Date: December 22, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

      Though the Detroit Red Wings haven't exactly been on a tear, they're still picking up points nearly every game.

      After ending a three-game losing streak, Detroit looks to continue its home domination of a New Jersey Devils team that's looking to avoid a fourth straight defeat Tuesday night.

      The Red Wings (17-9-7) beat visiting Calgary 4-2 on Sunday to stop their skid, but it's not as if they've been desperate for points. Detroit has gone 9-1-6 in its last 16 and is among the league leaders with seven losses beyond regulation.

      All but the first of those games have come during a home-heavy stretch that ends Tuesday. Including this contest, the Red Wings will have played 13 of the past 16 at Joe Louis Arena, going 7-1-4 there so far.

      Detroit embarks on a stretch of nine of 10 on the road after this contest, which leads into the four-day Christmas break.

      "You just want to win every game. And certainly we've had a large stretch here at home," coach Jeff Blashill said. "You want to make your road easier than harder, but you want to win every game. I feel real confident that we can go on the road and win. I think it has everything to do with our play.

      "Now with that said, the building's been rocking. It's been great. The fans have been great. We understand that and we think this is one of the real momentum-building rinks in the league."

      It certainly has been against the Devils, with Detroit winning three straight and 12 of the past 13 matchups at Joe Louis. The Red Wings dropped the last overall meeting 3-2 in overtime at New Jersey on Dec. 11, but they've gone 4-0-1 in the last five matchups and 11-2-2 in 15.

      The Red Wings avoided working overtime against the Flames by scoring three straight goals in the second period, holding a 14-5 shot advantage in those 20 minutes. Dylan Larkin and Brad Richards scored 45 seconds apart midway through the second.

      'Our second period was the way we have to play hockey to be successful,' Blashill said.

      Detroit got the puck out of its end quickly, forechecked hard and created turnovers to keep pressure on the Flames in the pivotal period.

      Petr Mrazek made 26 saves in giving up two goals for the third straight start. He's expected to yield to Jimmy Howard, who has two shootout losses and an overtime defeat in his past three outings.

      New Jersey (16-13-5) hasn't been nearly as successful at salvaging points lately, going 1-3-1 in its last five. The Devils have gone cold offensively, scoring five goals in that span after totaling 17 in a 3-0-2 stretch that preceded this one.

      They did manage not to come away empty handed Sunday, losing 2-1 in a shootout at Boston. Cory Schneider made 38 saves - nine in overtime - but New Jersey scored once in the second period despite recording 13 shots.

      'We took it to them a lot in that game and it's tough not getting that second point, but we are happy with our effort,' center Travis Zajac said.

      New Jersey's 2.26 goals per game is among the lowest marks in the NHL.

      "I thought it was a real good game by us; it's unfortunate it has to be decided by the shootout but that's the way it is, and we take this game in Detroit and most nights we're gonna get that second point," said defenseman Andy Greene, who had the Devils' goal.
      Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

      Comment


      • Preview: Sharks (15-15) at Kings (18-10)

        Date: December 22, 2015 10:30 PM EDT

        Following a rough ending to a long road trip, the Los Angeles Kings are glad to finally be home, where they'll also enjoy some down time before leaving town again.

        The Kings can win seven straight at Staples Center for the first time in three seasons Tuesday night against the San Jose Sharks.

        This is their first home game since beating Tampa Bay on Dec. 6. Los Angeles (20-10-2) opened a six-game trek with back-to-back victories to extend its overall winning streak to six, then went 1-2-1 the rest of the trip.

        "We've just got to get back home," captain Dustin Brown said after Saturday's 5-0 loss at Toronto.

        It's only for one game, however. The NHL's three-day Christmas break follows, and then the Kings begin a four-game trip Saturday at Arizona.

        "We have one more game before our break, it's a divisional game and those have a little extra weight on them," Brown said.

        The Kings have won 11 of 13 at home and yielded only 11 goals in the last six. Los Angeles last won seven straight home games to conclude the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season.

        "We've got to continue that way," said forward Anze Kopitar, who has five points in the last four at home.

        Milan Lucic didn't score during the road trip but has five goals during the six-game home win streak. Jeff Carter has a point in each of those games and only had one in the last five of the trip.

        Jonathan Quick has won five straight at Staples and is 10-2-0 with a 1.81 goals-against average in his last 12 starts there, but his worst performance at home was a 5-1 loss to the Sharks (16-15-2) on Oct. 7. He should be back in net after sitting out Saturday and is coming off Thursday's 45-save shutout of Montreal.

        Quick watched as Jhonas Enroth stopped 39 shots to help the Kings win 4-1 at San Jose on Oct. 22 in the teams' last matchup. Carter had two goals with two assists, giving him eight points in the club' past six meetings.

        Ex-King Martin Jones is 1-1-0 with a 2.50 GAA against the team he left this summer to sign with San Jose. Jones made 28 saves as the Sharks dropped to 2-1-1 on a five-game trip following Sunday's 4-3 overtime loss at Chicago.

        The Sharks led 3-2 entering the final period but allowed the Blackhawks to tie the game despite recording five shots in the last 20 minutes of regulation.

        "I think the whole night we felt pretty good about what we were doing," forward Joe Pavelski told the NHL's official website. "It's just those fractions that are certainly the difference lately. We've got to stay with it."

        Pavelski has three of his team-leading 16 goals and four assists in the last four games. He has four points against the Kings this season.

        The Sharks have gone 4 for 10 on the power play in the last three games and killed all 11 penalties over the last six.

        It's uncertain if veteran Joel Ward - fourth on the team with 23 points - will be available to help on either unit after missing Sunday's contest with an undisclosed injury.

        'It's a big hole for us," San Jose coach Peter DeBoer said.
        Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

        Comment


        • Preview: Canadiens (19-12) at Wild (17-9)

          Date: December 22, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

          The Minnesota Wild are frustrated by back-to-back losses but their woes don't compare to those of the Montreal Canadiens.

          The Canadiens seek to avoid their first five-game slide in four seasons Tuesday night when they visit an unhappy Wild club after its four-game home win streak was snapped.

          Both teams are completing back-to-back sets. Minnesota (17-9-6) blew an early two-goal lead Monday in a 6-3 loss to Western Conference-leading Dallas.

          The Wild had scored 11 goals in their previous two home games before totaling five in their last two overall.

          "The last couple games haven't been good enough by our standards," coach Mike Yeo said. "This is what you worry about when you kind of get on a little bit of a streak and things are going well and we scored a bunch of goals at home. You worry about what that's going to do to the group."

          The concerns have been amplified for Montreal (20-12-3) after its 5-1 loss at Nashville on Monday. The Canadiens have scored three goals or fewer in their last 12 games and have been outscored 17-4 in their second four-game slide.

          "It's not an easy time for anybody but I think this is a good thing for our team to go through something like this," defenseman P.K. Subban said. "We need to find a way to get out of it."

          Montreal, which has dropped eight of nine, last lost five in a row Feb. 19-28, 2012.

          Coach Michel Therrien has done his best to shake things up, inserting Mike Condon for Dustin Tokarski after Ryan Ellis' goal in the third period put Nashville up 3-0 on 14 shots. It's not clear who will start Tuesday, with Montreal falling to 10-10-3 in games not started by the injured Carey Price.

          Therrien also tinkered with his lines, inserting David Desharnais with Max Pacioretty. The captain, who has a team-high 14 goals, has failed to score in eight of the last nine games - coming up empty in all of the defeats.

          He's not the only forward struggling, though. Leading scorer Tomas Plekanec has no goals in 19 games, while Alex Galchenyuk's tally Monday ended a nine-game drought.

          'We need better performance from goaltending, obviously,' Therrien said. 'Every goalie that we face, they end up having the first star. The thing a coach could ask is that they are focused on playing the right way, playing in a structure and having a really good work ethic. This is what we ask from the players.'

          Nino Niederreiter and Charlie Coyle each had a goal and an assist Monday for Minnesota, which fell to 12-4-1 at home.

          "I think our sense of urgency kind of dropped and we stopped going as hard for pucks, and winning those loose-puck battles and what we were doing before to make us successful,' Coyle said.

          Minnesota's Mikko Koivu had a four-game point streak snapped in which he totaled nine.

          The Wild are 4-0-0 at home against Eastern Conference foes.

          Darcy Kuemper will likely start in goal for Minnesota after Devan Dubnyk started Monday. Kuemper is 2-0-2 with a 1.48 goals-against average in four starts this month.

          The home team has won the last five meetings since Subban notched his only career hat trick in an 8-1 rout March 20, 2011.
          Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

          Comment


          • Preview: Blackhawks (19-11) at Stars (24-7)

            Date: December 22, 2015 8:30 PM EDT

            Patrick Sharp spent a decade in Chicago and left as a lifelong member of what some have called a dynasty. His former team is about to get a close-up view of his new project.

            Sharp and the Central Division-leading Dallas Stars seek their third straight win Tuesday night when the second-place Blackhawks visit.

            Sharp spent the last 9 1/2 seasons in a Blackhawks uniform and won three Stanley Cups before he was traded to Dallas in July. He waived a no-trade clause in his contract in the offseason to join an emerging Stars squad.

            The 13-year veteran has been a key piece of a team that has yet to lose consecutive games and owns a Western Conference-best 25-7-2 record. The Stars' 52 points are tied with Washington atop the league, eight more than Chicago and St. Louis in the Central.

            Sharp is fourth on Dallas with 25 points - 11 goals and 14 assists - but with a team featuring eight players 24 years old or younger, the 33-year-old left winger provides much more.

            "You can tell he is an experienced player," Jamie Benn told the team's official website. "On the bench in the intense situations, he's telling guys to keep playing and be composed out there. There is no need to panic. It's nice to hear that sometimes."

            Sharp's even-keeled demeanor may have come in handy earlier this month when the Stars failed to record a point in two of three games for the first time. They answered with convincing wins of 6-2 over Montreal on Saturday and 6-3 at Minnesota on Monday, improving to 8-2-2 in their last 12 games.

            Sharp had a goal and an assist against the Canadiens and added an assist versus the Wild.

            He helped the Blackhawks to an 11-3-0 record against Dallas since March 16, 2012, but the Stars have won the last two meetings.

            The two victories were part of last season's division-worst 8-14-7 record within the Central, a major factor in missing the playoffs. Monday's win was the first game of a stretch of five of six against divisional opponents, and Dallas is 4-2-0 against the Central while Chicago is 4-5-1.

            'It's going to be a fun game,' Chicago forward Andrew Shaw said. 'They're a high-energy team with a lot of speed and skill.'

            While Dallas has been consistent all season, Chicago (20-11-4) is hot of late with three wins in a row and five in six games.

            Patrick Kane's 26-game point streak ended in the lone loss during that stretch, but he has two goals and two assists in the last three - moving his NHL-best point total to 50. He leads the league with 29 assists and is one goal behind Benn with 21.

            Kane logged a goal and an assist in Sunday's 4-3 overtime win over San Jose. He assisted on the game-winner by Jonathan Toews, his third overtime goal this season.

            Chicago will likely face another former teammate in goaltender Antti Niemi. Niemi, who backstopped the Blackhawks to the 2010 title, made 30 saves on 31 shots in relief of Kari Lehtonen on Monday. He is 3-7-1 with a 3.16 goals-against average in his last 11 starts against his former team.

            Corey Crawford took over following Niemi's departure in 2010, and gets the start. Crawford has a 4.35 GAA and .865 save percentage in his last three starts against Dallas.

            Marian Hossa was a last-minute scratch for Chicago on Sunday with an upper-body injury and won't make the trip to Dallas. Coach Joel Quenneville said Hossa could return against Carolina on Dec. 27.
            Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

            Comment


            • Preview: Jets (15-16) at Flames (14-16)

              Date: December 22, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

              Sean Monahan and the Calgary Flames have to be happy to be back home.

              Monahan has an eight-game point streak at home, where the Flames can match a single-season record with a 10th straight win Tuesday night when they meet the Winnipeg Jets.

              Calgary (15-16-2) can match a 10-game run at home from Nov. 7-Dec. 12, 2006, as the franchise's longest in one season. The Flames won their final nine home games in 1989-90 and first two the next season for the longest overall run.

              Of Monahan's 25 points, 16 have come at Scotiabank Saddledome, where he has 12 during an eight-game streak. The center scored twice with no assists on a 2-2-0 trip capped by Sunday's 4-2 loss to Detroit.

              The Flames were in position to fare better on that journey as they won the first two games as part of a seven-game win streak to start the month. That run ended with Saturday's 3-2 loss to St. Louis despite a 38-22 advantage in shots before Calgary came up short again the next night.

              "We have very high expectations of our hockey club," coach Bob Hartley said. "We were not shy of expectations and trying to get the best and be a playoff team. There is a lot of hockey to be played and we're going back home with a .500 record but it could have been better."

              One positive Sunday was Dennis Wideman's power-play goal. The Flames are 3 for 54 with the man advantage in the last 16 games and last overall at 11.0 percent.

              "We were moving it well I thought, 5-on-4, making a lot of little good plays and a big goal there by Wides," defenseman Mark Giordano said.

              Calgary is the only team worse on the power play than Winnipeg, which is at 14.0 percent. The Jets (15-16-2) were 0 for 5 in Monday's 3-1 loss at Edmonton, falling to 0 for 15 in their last four games.

              Coach Paul Maurice made some changes to the unit Monday to no avail in a game in which his club posted a season high in shots and finished with a 45-21 advantage.

              "It was a change in structure of the power play to try to get a little something, get a different look," Maurice said. "You put up 12 shots on the power play, you're getting enough pucks to the net."

              Connor Hellebuyck was pulled in the second period after yielding three goals on 14 shots. Michael Hutchinson entered and stopped all seven shots.

              Hutchinson will likely start Tuesday. He is 0-6-1 with a 4.14 goals-against average in his last seven road starts.

              The Jets are 1-9-1 in their last 11 road games with four straight losses.

              Likely Flames starter Karri Ramo has posted a 2.10 GAA in winning his last seven home starts. He is 0-2-0 with a 3.05 GAA in two career starts against the Jets with Calgary.
              Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

              Comment


              • Preview: Maple Leafs (9-13) at Coyotes (15-15)

                Date: December 22, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

                The Toronto Maple Leafs are picking up points in the standings, thanks in large part to Leo Komarov and Tyler Bozak's production.

                Komarov and Bozak will try to help the Maple Leafs build on their best offensive showing of the season Tuesday night against the Arizona Coyotes.

                Toronto (12-13-7) is at the bottom of the Atlantic Division but showing signs of moving up with a 4-0-2 record over its last six games.

                The Maple Leafs' surge has been aided by an offense that is averaging 4.33 goals per game after tallying 2.12 over the first 26 contests.

                Komarov and Bozak have been at the center of Toronto's increased scoring, combining for nine goals and as many assists over the last six games.

                Komarov leads the Leafs with 15 goals and 24 points, two shy of his career high set last season. The center has scored five times while adding two assists in the last three games.

                He collected three points Monday, but it was Bozak's third-period hat trick that was the difference in a 7-4 win at Colorado.

                "We were tied going into the third and whenever you are on the road and go into the third tied, it's not bad," Bozak said. "We got some good plays and some lucky bounces."

                Both players, however, have struggled with the Coyotes. Bozak has one point in five games and Komarov has none in three.

                The Leafs have lost three in a row and nine of their last 11 with Arizona (15-15-2) after their rally fell short in a 4-3 home defeat Oct. 26.

                James van Riemsdyk had a goal in that meeting, giving him one point in each of the last three. The left wing has four goals and three assists in the past five games, scoring once and setting up two of Bozak's goals Monday.

                The Coyotes are 6-1-1 in their last eight home games, but they're just 2-6-1 in their past nine overall after beating the New York Islanders 1-0 on Saturday. It was Arizona's second shutout of the season and came after the club surrendered an average of 4.63 goals over the previous eight games.

                "Our execution was better. Just our structure was better," coach Dave Tippett said. "Our compete level was better and we had better goaltending. That's been the blue print for every game going back to training camp."

                Tippett may go back to Louis Domingue in net after he stopped all 25 shots against the Islanders for his first career shutout in his first start of the season.

                If Domingue doesn't face Toronto for the first time, Anders Lindback would get the nod. Lindback is 1-1-1 with a 4.28 goals-against average in his last four starts. He was pulled midway through the second period of his last appearance Thursday after allowing four goals on 10 shots in a 7-5 loss to Columbus.

                The veteran backup, though, is 3-0-1 with a 2.08 GAA in five career games - three starts - against the Maple Leafs.

                Max Domi had a power-play goal at Toronto in October. His 10 goals and 25 points are among the rookie leaders, but he only has two assists in the past six games.
                Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                Comment


                • Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack

                  Odds on some teams to win college basketball national title in April......

                  -- 5-1-- Kentucky-- they're not close to as good as they were last year.

                  -- 8-1-- Cincinnati-- Opened at 60-1 last April.

                  -- 10-1-- North Carolina, Maryland

                  -- 12-1-- Virginia, Kansas, Duke

                  -- 15-1-- Villanova, Michigan State

                  -- 25-1-- Gonzaga, Miami, Purdue

                  **********

                  Armadillo: Tuesday's List of 13: Random thoughts on a winter day........


                  13) Many thanks to Ken Thomson of SportsX Radio for having me in studio as a guest on last night's show; if you really like sports, thats a good show to listen to-- you will learn stuff if you tune in.

                  12) Lions 35, Saints 27-- Funny how Monday Night Football finds its way to the Big Easy most every December- they must have some good Christmas parties. Will be interesting to see if Saints bring Sean Payton/Drew Brees back next year.

                  11) I'm guessing Steve Harvey's career as a beauty pageant emcee is over, after he butchered the end of the Miss Universe Pageant Sunday night. He announced a winner; problem is, he announced the wrong contestant as the winner and it took five minutes to sort it out and get the right winner named. Very, very awkward.

                  10) Nothing says the holidays here in Las Vegas like the sounds of slot machines combined with an instrumental version of Frosty the Snowman. Tremendous.

                  9) St John's lost to College of Incarnate Word and NJIT last weekend, after they had beaten Syracuse the week before. Going to be a long winter for Chris Mullin's team. 2016 is a leap year too, so February has one more day than usual. \

                  8) Kellen Moore is getting his first NFL start this weekend, for the Cowboys in Buffalo; Moore is the 4th starting QB for Dallas in their 15 games.

                  7) I've talked a few times about the movie Leap of Faith, where Steve Martin plays a travelling preacher/huckster- excellent movie. Sunday morning I put the TV on and this guy is on TV preaching, not unlike Martin, except with a few less theaterics and in an arena that has to house an NBA or NHL team-- 15-18,000 people- it was packed.

                  This guy is buying time on USA Network; he must be freakin' loaded- he looks like Jason Sehorn. Apparently he's written a bunch of books too. Good for him.

                  6) Was bothered by an interview I saw on ESPN's pregame show Sunday; Michael Strahan, an ex-Giant, interviewing current Giant Jason Pierre Paul about his injured hnd that was damaged while he was messing around with fireworks last July 4th. It wasn't journalism, it was two pals sitting around berating the media because some of them called Pierre-Paul "stupid" and other things after his costly injury.

                  If you're a professional athlete whose career is shortened because you messed around wth explosive devices you aren't an expert with, I'm sorry-- that makes you stupid.

                  5) Ray Lewis actually blamed Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning for Odell Beckham's bad day Sunday; Lewis says Coughlin/Manning should've pulled Beckham away, given him a lecture before things got out of hand. Why not just blame Beckham for losing his cool? Would it be so hard to do that? How is it possibly the quarterback's fault?

                  4) Odell Beckham Jr is suspended for Sunday night's game at Minnesota, the last Viking outdoor home game, with their new dome opening next season. My thought is to suspend him for Week 17 instead, a game with the Eagles that could decide the NFC East champ. That would be more of a penalty than suspending him for this week.

                  3) Other than late reports who is playing/sitting, NFL pregame shows I've seen are mostly huge wastes of time. These shows need to let the "experts" pick games against the spread. It is 2015, for Pete's sake- join the rest of the world.

                  2) WCC conference play started last night; all four home teams won, with three easy wins and Pacific's OT win over Santa Clara.

                  1) Oregon 72, Alabama 68-- Ducks were down 12 at half in Tuscaloosa, rallied to win behind a strong second half. Dana Altman is an underrated coach.
                  Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                  Comment


                  • NHL
                    Long Sheet

                    Tuesday, December 22

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

                    ST LOUIS (20-11-0-4, 44 pts.) at BOSTON (19-9-0-4, 42 pts.) - 12/22/2015, 7:05 PM
                    Top Trends for this game.
                    ST LOUIS is 5-11 ATS (-10.7 Units) in non-conference games this season.
                    BOSTON is 159-139 ATS (+306.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season since 1996.
                    ST LOUIS is 97-78 ATS (+176.7 Units) in road games after a non-conference game since 1996.
                    BOSTON is 16-25 ATS (-25.8 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.

                    Head-to-Head Series History
                    ST LOUIS is 3-1 (+1.8 Units) against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
                    ST LOUIS is 3-1-0 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
                    1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.1 Units)

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

                    ANAHEIM (12-15-0-5, 29 pts.) at NY RANGERS (19-12-0-4, 42 pts.) - 12/22/2015, 7:05 PM
                    Top Trends for this game.
                    ANAHEIM is 12-20 ATS (-12.7 Units) in all games this season.
                    ANAHEIM is 12-20 ATS (-12.7 Units) first half of the season this season.
                    ANAHEIM is 2-7 ATS (-7.5 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more this season.
                    NY RANGERS are 10-1 ATS (+8.8 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 3 seasons.
                    ANAHEIM is 20-11 ATS (+31.2 Units) when playing on back-to-back days over the last 3 seasons.
                    ANAHEIM is 198-160 ATS (+28.5 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.
                    NY RANGERS are 2-8 ATS (-11.5 Units) in December games this season.
                    NY RANGERS are 51-61 ATS (-43.6 Units) in home games on Tuesday nights since 1996.
                    NY RANGERS are 60-82 ATS (-33.3 Units) after 3 or more consecutive overs since 1996.
                    NY RANGERS are 10-17 ATS (-17.0 Units) in home games after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 3 seasons.
                    NY RANGERS are 1-6 ATS (-7.0 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game this season.

                    Head-to-Head Series History
                    NY RANGERS is 2-2-0 straight up against ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
                    2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.1 Units)

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

                    VANCOUVER (12-14-0-9, 33 pts.) at TAMPA BAY (17-14-0-3, 37 pts.) - 12/22/2015, 7:35 PM
                    Top Trends for this game.
                    VANCOUVER is 12-23 ATS (-11.8 Units) in all games this season.
                    VANCOUVER is 12-23 ATS (-11.8 Units) first half of the season this season.
                    VANCOUVER is 20-29 ATS (-13.1 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
                    VANCOUVER is 149-119 ATS (+269.0 Units) in road games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game since 1996.
                    TAMPA BAY is 11-17 ATS (-11.2 Units) on Tuesday nights over the last 2 seasons.
                    TAMPA BAY is 317-382 ATS (-79.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
                    TAMPA BAY is 148-188 ATS (-69.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the first half of the season since 1996.

                    Head-to-Head Series History
                    TAMPA BAY is 4-0 (+4.3 Units) against the spread versus VANCOUVER over the last 3 seasons
                    TAMPA BAY is 4-0-0 straight up against VANCOUVER over the last 3 seasons
                    3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.0 Units)

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

                    OTTAWA (17-12-0-5, 39 pts.) at FLORIDA (18-12-0-4, 40 pts.) - 12/22/2015, 7:35 PM
                    Top Trends for this game.
                    FLORIDA is 8-3 ATS (+4.4 Units) in December games this season.
                    FLORIDA is 19-14 ATS (+36.8 Units) revenging a home loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
                    OTTAWA is 85-63 ATS (+20.0 Units) in road games on Tuesday nights since 1996.
                    OTTAWA is 27-18 ATS (+8.7 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
                    OTTAWA is 16-7 ATS (+23.5 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
                    FLORIDA is 159-180 ATS (+363.7 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 since 1996.
                    FLORIDA is 33-58 ATS (+95.0 Units) after a 3 game unbeaten streak since 1996.

                    Head-to-Head Series History
                    OTTAWA is 5-4-0 straight up against FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
                    4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.2 Units)

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

                    NEW JERSEY (16-13-0-5, 37 pts.) at DETROIT (17-9-0-7, 41 pts.) - 12/22/2015, 7:35 PM
                    Top Trends for this game.
                    NEW JERSEY is 6-2 ATS (+9.0 Units) in road games after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game this season.
                    DETROIT is 30-36 ATS (-30.8 Units) in home games first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
                    DETROIT is 104-112 ATS (-100.6 Units) on Tuesday nights since 1996.
                    DETROIT is 16-18 ATS (-12.6 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
                    DETROIT is 15-23 ATS (-26.3 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record in the first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

                    Head-to-Head Series History
                    DETROIT is 5-2 (+2.9 Units) against the spread versus NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
                    DETROIT is 5-2-0 straight up against NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
                    4 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.2 Units)

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

                    MONTREAL (20-12-0-3, 43 pts.) at MINNESOTA (17-9-0-6, 40 pts.) - 12/22/2015, 8:05 PM
                    Top Trends for this game.
                    MONTREAL is 2-8 ATS (-7.2 Units) in December games this season.
                    MONTREAL is 5-14 ATS (+20.1 Units) in road games in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
                    MONTREAL is 30-20 ATS (+9.8 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5 or less over the last 2 seasons.
                    MONTREAL is 87-65 ATS (+153.1 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1996.
                    MONTREAL is 65-48 ATS (+16.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.

                    Head-to-Head Series History
                    MONTREAL is 2-2 (+0.0 Units) against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
                    MINNESOTA is 2-2-0 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
                    2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.0 Units)

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

                    CHICAGO (20-11-0-4, 44 pts.) at DALLAS (25-7-0-2, 52 pts.) - 12/22/2015, 8:35 PM
                    Top Trends for this game.
                    DALLAS is 25-9 ATS (+14.4 Units) in all games this season.
                    DALLAS is 25-9 ATS (+9.9 Units) first half of the season this season.
                    DALLAS is 10-1 ATS (+8.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
                    DALLAS is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season this season.
                    CHICAGO is 46-25 ATS (+11.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

                    Head-to-Head Series History
                    CHICAGO is 7-3 (+1.1 Units) against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
                    CHICAGO is 7-3-0 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
                    7 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.7 Units)

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

                    WINNIPEG (15-16-0-2, 32 pts.) at CALGARY (15-16-0-2, 32 pts.) - 12/22/2015, 9:05 PM
                    Top Trends for this game.
                    CALGARY is 65-61 ATS (-9.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
                    CALGARY is 7-2 ATS (+4.9 Units) in December games this season.
                    CALGARY is 12-3 ATS (+15.1 Units) in home games after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
                    CALGARY is 20-12 ATS (+34.9 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
                    WINNIPEG is 40-24 ATS (+65.0 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game since 1996.

                    Head-to-Head Series History
                    WINNIPEG is 4-3 (+0.3 Units) against the spread versus CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
                    WINNIPEG is 4-3-0 straight up against CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
                    5 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.1 Units)

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

                    TORONTO (12-13-0-7, 31 pts.) at ARIZONA (15-15-0-2, 32 pts.) - 12/22/2015, 9:05 PM
                    Top Trends for this game.
                    TORONTO is 9-34 ATS (+57.5 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 2 seasons.
                    TORONTO is 4-21 ATS (+32.1 Units) revenging a home loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
                    TORONTO is 23-49 ATS (+81.6 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
                    TORONTO is 7-27 ATS (+46.4 Units) in road games after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 3 seasons.
                    TORONTO is 16-28 ATS (-16.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
                    TORONTO is 9-5 ATS (+15.8 Units) in non-conference games this season.
                    ARIZONA is 2-12 ATS (+16.4 Units) in home games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.

                    Head-to-Head Series History
                    ARIZONA is 3-2 (+0.6 Units) against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
                    ARIZONA is 3-2-0 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
                    3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.8 Units)

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

                    SAN JOSE (16-15-0-2, 34 pts.) at LOS ANGELES (20-10-0-2, 42 pts.) - 12/22/2015, 10:35 PM
                    Top Trends for this game.
                    SAN JOSE is 56-59 ATS (-30.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
                    SAN JOSE is 2-8 ATS (-6.7 Units) in December games this season.
                    SAN JOSE is 10-3 ATS (+6.8 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5 or less this season.
                    SAN JOSE is 41-25 ATS (+14.9 Units) in road games after 3 or more consecutive overs since 1996.
                    SAN JOSE is 190-200 ATS (+427.5 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
                    SAN JOSE is 178-135 ATS (+28.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season since 1996.
                    LOS ANGELES is 60-54 ATS (-9.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
                    LOS ANGELES is 67-88 ATS (-52.7 Units) in home games after a non-conference game since 1996.
                    LOS ANGELES is 12-15 ATS (-8.9 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.

                    Head-to-Head Series History
                    LOS ANGELES is 11-8 (+2.8 Units) against the spread versus SAN JOSE over the last 3 seasons
                    LOS ANGELES is 11-8-0 straight up against SAN JOSE over the last 3 seasons
                    8 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.9 Units)
                    Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                    Comment


                    • NHL
                      Armadillo's Write-Up

                      Tuesday, December 22

                      Hot teams
                      -- Boston won five of its last six games. Blues won three of their last four.
                      -- Tampa Bay won three of its last four games.
                      -- Panthers won five of their last six games.
                      -- Chicago won five of its last six games. Dallas Stars won five of their last seven.
                      -- Calgary won its last five home games.
                      -- Toronto won four of last six games, with both losses in OT.

                      Cold teams
                      -- Rangers lost eight of their last ten games. Anaheim lost three of its last four.
                      -- Canucks lost four of their last five games.
                      -- Senators lost four of their last six games.
                      -- New Jersey lost four of its last five games. Detroit lost three of its last four.
                      -- Canadiens lost eight of their last nine games. Minnesota is 3-4 in its last seven.
                      -- Jets lost three of their last four games.
                      -- Coyotes lost seven of their last nine games.
                      -- San Jose lost eight of its last ten games. Kings lost three of their last four.

                      Series records
                      -- Blues won three of last four games with Boston.
                      -- Home side won seven of last nine Anaheim-Ranger games.
                      -- Lightning won six of last seven games with Vancouver.
                      -- Ottawa-Florida split their last ten games.
                      -- Devils lost four of last five games with New Jersey.
                      -- Home side won last five Montreal-Minnesota games.
                      -- Blackhawks won five of last seven games with Dallas.
                      -- Jets won four of last six games with Calgary.
                      -- Arizona won its last three games with Toronto.
                      -- San Jose lost three of its last three games with Los Angeles.

                      Totals
                      -- Seven of last eight Boston games stayed under total.
                      -- Six of last eight Anaheim games stayed under total; last six Ranger games went over.
                      -- Last three Tampa Bay games went over the total.
                      -- Over is 3-1 in last four games for both Otawa/Florida.
                      -- Over is 4-1-1 in last six New Jersey-Detroit games.
                      -- Five of last seven Montreal games stayed under total.
                      -- Under is 4-1-1 in last six Chicago games.
                      -- Seven of last nine Calgary-Winnipeg games went over.
                      -- Over is 3-0-1 in last four Arizona games.
                      -- Six of last eight San Jose games went over the total.

                      Back-to-backs
                      -- St Louis is 2-3 if it played the night before.
                      -- Ducks are 1-3 if they played the night before.
                      -- Canadiens are 4-2 if they played night before. Minnesota is 1-4.
                      -- Dallas Stars are 2-2 if they played the night before.
                      -- Winnipeg is 2-5 if it played the night before.
                      -- Maple Leafs are 0-7 if they played the night before.
                      Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                      Comment


                      • NHL

                        Tuesday, December 22

                        ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Trend Report
                        ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                        7:00 PM
                        ANAHEIM vs. NY RANGERS
                        The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Anaheim's last 8 games
                        Anaheim is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
                        NY Rangers are 12-4 SU in their last 16 games at home
                        The total has gone UNDER in 6 of the NY Rangers last 9 games when playing at home against Anaheim

                        7:00 PM
                        ST. LOUIS vs. BOSTON
                        St. Louis is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Boston
                        St. Louis is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games when playing Boston
                        The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Boston's last 8 games
                        Boston is 5-17-2 SU in its last 24 games ,when playing St. Louis

                        7:30 PM
                        NEW JERSEY vs. DETROIT
                        The total has gone OVER in 4 of New Jersey's last 6 games when playing Detroit
                        New Jersey is 1-12 SU in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Detroit
                        Detroit is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home
                        Detroit is 12-1 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against New Jersey

                        7:30 PM
                        OTTAWA vs. FLORIDA
                        Ottawa is 16-6 SU in its last 22 games when playing Florida
                        The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Ottawa's last 6 games on the road
                        Florida is 6-16 SU in its last 22 games when playing Ottawa
                        The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Florida's last 7 games when playing at home against Ottawa

                        7:30 PM
                        VANCOUVER vs. TAMPA BAY
                        The total has gone OVER in 6 of Vancouver's last 8 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
                        Vancouver is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Tampa Bay
                        Tampa Bay is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Vancouver
                        Tampa Bay is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home

                        8:00 PM
                        MONTREAL vs. MINNESOTA
                        Montreal is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games
                        The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Montreal's last 7 games
                        The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games at home
                        Minnesota is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

                        8:30 PM
                        CHICAGO vs. DALLAS
                        Chicago is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games on the road
                        The total has gone OVER in 6 of Chicago's last 8 games when playing Dallas
                        The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Dallas's last 10 games when playing at home against Chicago
                        The total has gone OVER in 6 of Dallas's last 8 games when playing Chicago

                        9:00 PM
                        TORONTO vs. ARIZONA
                        Toronto is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
                        The total has gone OVER in 6 of Toronto's last 7 games when playing on the road against Arizona
                        Arizona is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games at home
                        Arizona is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto

                        9:00 PM
                        WINNIPEG vs. CALGARY
                        Winnipeg is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Calgary
                        The total has gone OVER in 7 of Winnipeg's last 9 games when playing Calgary
                        Calgary is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games
                        The total has gone OVER in 5 of Calgary's last 5 games at home

                        10:30 PM
                        SAN JOSE vs. LOS ANGELES
                        The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Jose's last 6 games on the road
                        San Jose is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games
                        Los Angeles is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games
                        Los Angeles is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
                        Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                        Comment


                        • NHL MONEYLINE

                          NHL > (63) CHICAGO@ (64) DALLAS | 2015-12-22 20:35:00 - 2015-12-22 20:35:00
                          Play ON DALLAS using money line in All games when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season
                          The record is 10 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+9.85 units)

                          NHL > (63) CHICAGO@ (64) DALLAS | 2015-12-22 20:35:00 - 2015-12-22 20:35:00
                          Play ON DALLAS using money line in All games when playing against a team with a winning record
                          The record is 10 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+9.85 units)

                          NHL > (53) ANAHEIM@ (54) NY RANGERS | 2015-12-22 19:05:00 - 2015-12-22 19:05:00
                          Play AGAINST NY RANGERS using money line in Home games after allowing 4 goals or more
                          The record is 86 Wins and 116 Losses for the since 1992 (-80 units)

                          NHL > (67) TORONTO@ (68) ARIZONA | 2015-12-22 21:05:00 - 2015-12-22 21:05:00
                          Play AGAINST TORONTO using money line in All games in a road game where where the total is 5.5
                          The record is 8 Wins and 34 Losses for the last two seasons (-23.85 units)

                          NHL > (67) TORONTO@ (68) ARIZONA | 2015-12-22 21:05:00 - 2015-12-22 21:05:00
                          Play AGAINST TORONTO using money line in Road games when playing against a team with a losing record
                          The record is 11 Wins and 33 Losses for the last three seasons (-23.55 units)

                          NHL > (67) TORONTO@ (68) ARIZONA | 2015-12-22 21:05:00 - 2015-12-22 21:05:00
                          Play AGAINST TORONTO using money line in All games revenging a home loss versus opponent
                          The record is 4 Wins and 21 Losses for the last two seasons (-16.4 units)

                          NHL > (53) ANAHEIM@ (54) NY RANGERS | 2015-12-22 19:05:00 - 2015-12-22 19:05:00
                          Play AGAINST NY RANGERS using money line in Home games after 3 or more consecutive overs
                          The record is 30 Wins and 43 Losses for the since 1992 (-35.75 units)

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

                          NHL PUCKLINE


                          NHL > (63) CHICAGO@ (64) DALLAS | 2015-12-22 20:35:00 - 2015-12-22 20:35:00
                          Play ON DALLAS in All games when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season
                          The record is 10 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+9.85 units)

                          NHL > (63) CHICAGO@ (64) DALLAS | 2015-12-22 20:35:00 - 2015-12-22 20:35:00
                          Play ON DALLAS in All games when playing against a team with a winning record
                          The record is 10 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+9.85 units)

                          NHL > (67) TORONTO@ (68) ARIZONA | 2015-12-22 21:05:00 - 2015-12-22 21:05:00
                          Play AGAINST TORONTO in All games in a road game where where the total is 5.5
                          The record is 8 Wins and 34 Losses for the last two seasons (-23.85 units)

                          NHL > (67) TORONTO@ (68) ARIZONA | 2015-12-22 21:05:00 - 2015-12-22 21:05:00
                          Play AGAINST TORONTO in Road games when playing against a team with a losing record
                          The record is 11 Wins and 33 Losses for the last three seasons (-23.55 units)

                          NHL > (67) TORONTO@ (68) ARIZONA | 2015-12-22 21:05:00 - 2015-12-22 21:05:00
                          Play AGAINST TORONTO in All games revenging a home loss versus opponent
                          The record is 4 Wins and 21 Losses for the last two seasons (-16.4 units)

                          NHL > (53) ANAHEIM@ (54) NY RANGERS | 2015-12-22 19:05:00 - 2015-12-22 19:05:00
                          Play AGAINST NY RANGERS in Home games after allowing 4 goals or more
                          The record is 88 Wins and 126 Losses for the since 1992 (-81.8 units)

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

                          NHL TOTALS

                          NHL > (59) NEW JERSEY@ (60) DETROIT | 2015-12-22 19:35:00 - 2015-12-22 19:35:00
                          Play UNDER NEW JERSEY on the totalin All games after 3 or more consecutive losses
                          The record is 2 Overs and 15 Unders for the last two seasons (+12.6 units)

                          NHL > (65) WINNIPEG@ (66) CALGARY | 2015-12-22 21:05:00 - 2015-12-22 21:05:00
                          Play OVER CALGARY on the totalin Home games first half of the season
                          The record is 11 Overs and 3 Unders for the this season (+9.05 units)

                          NHL > (59) NEW JERSEY@ (60) DETROIT | 2015-12-22 19:35:00 - 2015-12-22 19:35:00
                          Play UNDER NEW JERSEY on the totalin All games on Tuesday nights
                          The record is 4 Overs and 17 Unders for the last two seasons (+11.7 units)

                          NHL > (61) MONTREAL@ (62) MINNESOTA | 2015-12-22 20:05:00 - 2015-12-22 20:05:00
                          Play UNDER MONTREAL on the totalin All games on Tuesday nights
                          The record is 4 Overs and 16 Unders for the last two seasons (+11.5 units)
                          Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                          Comment


                          • TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22

                            GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


                            STL at BOS 07:00 PM

                            BOS -144 TRIPLE PLAY


                            ANA at NYR 07:00 PM

                            ANA +130 DOUBLE PLAY


                            VAN at TB 07:30 PM

                            TB -180


                            NJ at DET 07:30 PM

                            NJ +144 DOUBLE PLAY


                            OTT at FLA 07:30 PM

                            OTT +122 DOUBLE PLAY


                            MON at MIN 08:00 PM

                            MIN -145


                            CHI at DAL 08:30 PM

                            CHI +110 TRIPLE PLAY


                            TOR at ARI 09:00 PM

                            ARI -115


                            WIN at CAL 09:00 PM

                            WIN +102 DOUBLE PLAY


                            SJ at LA 10:30 PM

                            SJ +154 TRIPLE PLAY
                            Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                            Comment


                            • Preview: Blue Jackets (12-20) at Lightning (16-15)
                              Date: December 26, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

                              The only coaches to lead the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Stanley Cup Final will be in Amalie Arena on Saturday night, and Jon Cooper and John Tortorella are both searching for offense.

                              The league-worst Columbus Blue Jackets, now coached by Tortorella, have lost six of their last seven games at Tampa heading into this matchup with Cooper's Lightning.

                              Cooper led Tampa Bay to the Eastern Conference title last season, with that feat only bettered in franchise history by Tortorella's Lightning capturing the 2004 Stanley Cup.

                              Offense is a concern for both coaches. Tampa Bay (17-15-3) is 23rd in goals per game at 2.5, with Columbus 24th at 2.4.

                              The Lightning totaled 13 goals in three games before Tuesday's 2-1 loss to Vancouver.

                              "It's kind of a microcosm of how our first 35 games have gone," Cooper said. "You've got to put the puck in the net."

                              Columbus (13-20-3) fell 5-2 at Pittsburgh in its last game Monday, getting outshot 35-24. The Blue Jackets were outscored 4-0 in a second period in which Boone Jenner and Brandon Dubinsky were whistled for fighting penalties.

                              "We have to get into an aggressive mind-set," Tortorella said. "We did not develop enough offense tonight."

                              Fittingly, the Lightning won 2-1 at Columbus on Dec. 14 in the only previous meeting this season. That marked the ninth game of a season-high 10-game goal drought for Steven Stamkos in which he kicked the puck into the net for a disallowed tally.

                              Stamkos broke out by totaling three goals in back-to-back games before coming up empty Tuesday. The Lightning continue to play without injured center Tyler Johnson, who had 29 goals last season.

                              Brian Boyle, whose head struck the glass after a first-period hit in Friday's 5-2 win over Ottawa, didn't play against the Canucks and is day to day. Boyle is third on the club with eight goals.

                              Jenner and Scott Hartnell each have 13 goals to lead Columbus, which has received abysmal production from Ryan Johansen and Nick Foligno, who have combined for 11. Foligno and Johansen totaled 57 goals a season ago.

                              Johansen's assist Monday marked his first point in five games. He hasn't scored in his last 10.

                              Tampa Bay went 1 for 10 on the power play Tuesday, ranking 24th in that department at 16.8 percent. The Lightning are 1-1-0 on a six-game homestand.

                              "Now we've got to make a push," Cooper said. "We've got four more games at home here that we can gain some ground in the standings and we have every thought that we are going to do that."

                              The Lightning figure to start Ben Bishop, who is third in the NHL with a 2.00 goals-against average. The Blue Jackets are starting a back-to-back set and will go with Curtis McElhinney or Joonas Korpisalo, who made his NHL debut in the first meeting against Tampa Bay.

                              Tampa Bay winger Nikita Kucherov has six points in a four-game streak.

                              The Blue Jackets are fifth in the NHL with an average of 27.3 hits with the Lightning sixth-worst at 19.5. Columbus held a 36-23 advantage in that category in the first meeting.
                              Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                              Comment


                              • Preview: Canadiens (19-13) at Capitals (23-6)
                                Date: December 26, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

                                The start of the 2015 portion of the NHL schedule was Montreal's time. The end is threatening to cancel out that success, and the slide started with an early December loss to Washington - the team which has since taken over.

                                The Capitals were already soaring at that time, and they haven't come down since. The next step is returning from the Christmas break with a strong home showing against the Canadiens on Saturday night to extend their winning streak to a season-best seven games.

                                Montreal (20-13-3) started the season with nine straight wins and opened December with a victory to get to 19-4-3. A 3-2 home loss to Washington on Dec. 3 then started a 1-9-0 span that has it just one point clear of Boston in the Atlantic Division.

                                Washington (25-6-2), meanwhile, is 13-1-1 dating to Nov. 21 with two six-game winning streaks, building a sizable lead atop the Eastern Conference. The latest was Monday's 2-1 win in Carolina with goals from Michael Latta and Jason Chimera, who is a goal shy of becoming the sixth Caps player with 10.

                                The power play was 0 for 2, but Washington ranks second at 25.7 percent behind the Bruins and is at 30.0 percent (15 of 50) over the last 15 games.

                                "It can't be the power play every game, and the top six guys," center Jay Beagle told the team's official website after assisting on Latta's goal. "It can't be on them every game to score goals. Lats gets us going with that big goal there, and we get one off a draw there. It's nice when we're chipping in and to be successful - especially down the road - you've definitely got to have the third and fourth lines chipping in."

                                But those expected parts have been the driving force behind the run as the team goes for its longest winning streak since an eight-gamer April 2-16, 2013. Evgeny Kuznetsov, Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom are one of three trios on a given team with at least 30 points each, the others being Dallas and Ottawa.

                                The Capitals are also looking to win eight consecutive home games for the first time since winning 13 straight Jan. 5-March 6, 2010.

                                It's been more than two years since Montreal last beat Washington in regulation with the Capitals limiting the Canadiens to 10 goals over a 4-0-2 span.

                                The Canadiens' slide has them searching for answers on both ends of the ice. In the last 10 games, they've been outscored 3.20-1.50, and that disparity has grown on a five-game losing streak to 3.80-1.00. Montreal last lost six straight Oct. 13-24, 2011, and is also in danger of a six-game road skid for the first time since a seven-gamer March 12-April 5, 2012.

                                The latest on both streaks was Tuesday's 2-1 loss in Minnesota.

                                "We meet often. We talk often. It doesn't really need to be aired out there. I think what we need to do is stick with it. We've done a lot of good things," said leading scorer Max Pacioretty, who has one goal and one assist over the last 10 games.

                                It doesn't help that they're likely to be up against Braden Holtby, who leads the NHL with a 1.96 goals-against average and ranks fifth with a .931 save percentage. He last lost in regulation Nov. 10, going 13-0-1 since.

                                Holtby is 7-0-2 with a 1.40 GAA against the Canadiens, while Mike Condon's only game against the Capitals was the loss earlier this month. The rookie is 0-6-0 with a 3.16 GAA in eight games dating to that contest.
                                Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X