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

[StarDust Bum]

TUESDAY, JANUARY 12

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


PIT at CAR 07:00 PM

CAR +112


CLB at NYI 07:00 PM

CLB +133 BEST BET


SJ at WIN 08:00 PM

SJ +115 BEST BET


NJ at STL 08:00 PM

STL -193


BUF at MIN 08:00 PM

MIN -212


NAS at CHI 08:30 PM

NAS +131 BEST BET


EDM at ARI 09:00 PM

EDM +130 BEST BET


TB at COL 09:00 PM

COL +116 BEST BET

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Blue Jackets (13-24) at Maple Leafs (12-17)
Date: January 13, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets are among the worst teams in the Eastern Conference.

The Maple Leafs' chances of showing improvement will be much more daunting without James van Riemsdyk for at least six weeks.

After scoring once while losing the last two games, Toronto attempts to overcome the absence of its top scorer Wednesday night against the Blue Jackets.

The Maple Leafs (16-17-7) and Blue Jackets (15-24-4) have three playoff appearances between them over the past 10 seasons, and Columbus owns two of them.

While the Jackets have the fewest points in the NHL, Toronto enters the midway point of 2015-16 eight points back of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Closing that gap will be a lot tougher without van Riemsdyk, the team leader with 29 points who is out with a non-displaced fracture in his left foot.

The Leafs lost the left wing during Saturday's 7-0 loss at San Jose, two days after falling 2-1 at Los Angeles. That came after a promising 8-2-2 stretch.

"I think our team has gotten better every day and played harder and harder and so I like that," coach Mike Babcock said. "If you take out the last game, obviously we were no good. I like the direction we're going. I don't like the standings, but I like a lot of things about us.

"I know a lot more about the group than I did to start and who's going to be a part of things moving ahead, which is real important."

For now that includes Josh Leivo, who was recalled from the Toronto Marlies of the AHL to replace van Riemsdyk. The left wing had 30 points in 35 games for the Marlies, and he totaled three points in 16 games over the past two seasons with the Leafs.

"He's obviously done a real good job where he's at, now he gets an opportunity with us," Babcock told the team's official website. "We'll try to give him an opportunity and a good opportunity, and find out what we have. I think it's real important to find out what you have in your own group before you go looking elsewhere for help."

Columbus could use any sort of help as it seeks to avoid its first six-game road losing streak since Oct. 15-Nov. 14, 2013.

"We're in it right up to our eyeballs right now, as far as where we are as a team," coach John Tortorella told the team's official website. "We have to stay together and keep trying to get better."

That certainly didn't happen Tuesday when the Blue Jackets' overall skid reached four games with a 5-2 defeat to the New York Islanders. They were outshot 33-20, including 17-5 in the first period.

'It's unacceptable. It makes me sick,' Brandon Dubinsky fumed. 'The work wasn't there consistently. This is a man's league and we played like boys.'

Dubinsky didn't get a point after collecting six over the previous five games. He's got 18 in his last 20 matchups with Toronto, including three in the last two after notching an assist in a 6-3 home loss Oct. 16.

Scott Hartnell has totaled two goals and two assists over his past two meetings with the Maple Leafs, who pulled away with three unanswered tallies in the third period in October.

The left wing has one assist in 15 career visits to Toronto.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Bruins (19-15) at Flyers (17-15)
Date: January 13, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Philadelphia Flyers would be feeling much better about their recent surge had they not been forced to play catch-up after a difficult first six weeks of the season.

If the Boston Bruins can't snap out of their funk, they'll watch the Flyers slide right past them in the wild-card chase.

Philadelphia can extend its winning streak to four with a sixth consecutive home victory when the Bruins visit Wednesday night.

The Flyers (18-15-7) were outscored by 24 goals while going 7-10-5 through Nov. 25 and didn't win back-to-back games even once during the final month of that stretch. That slow start under rookie coach Dave Hakstol left them scrambling to make up points, which they've done recently.

Philadelphia has won three straight following a three-game skid and is 11-5-2 with a plus-9 scoring differential over the last six weeks. It improved to 7-1-1 at home in that span after beating the New York Islanders 4-0 on Saturday.

Sean Couturier and Michael Raffl had a goal and an assist apiece, Matt Read scored with a pair of assists, and Steve Mason had 20 saves in his third shutout of the season.

Despite the early struggles, the Flyers aren't far behind in the Eastern Conference wild-card race at the season's midway point.

"You need to be a consistent team throughout the year to be a playoff team," Hakstol said. "We're in a spot right now where we have to keep pushing to put ourselves into that position."

They won the last contest without promising rookie defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, who is dealing with a lower-body injury. He'll also sit out against the Bruins (21-15-5), whose 28.1 percent conversion rate on the power play is the best in the league.

Philadelphia is among the worst in the NHL with a 78.7 penalty-kill percentage, although opponents are 0 for 8 during its winning streak.

"Going forward, every single game for us is going to be huge," winger Jakub Voracek said. "Boston is a good team. It's a challenge for us, but we have to make sure we play physical and play smart."

Voracek assisted on Claude Giroux's overtime goal to give the Flyers a 5-4 win over the Bruins on Oct. 21, overcoming a two-goal deficit in the third period and snapping Boston's six-game winning streak in the series.

The Bruins have scored fewer than two goals five times during a 2-6-1 stretch, including consecutive 2-1 losses to Ottawa on Saturday and the New York Rangers on Monday. Those came after opening a five-game trip with Friday's 4-1 win at New Jersey.

"We have to learn to win tight games," coach Claude Julien said after the most recent defeat. "Need more desperation at the end. We were good for the first 40 minutes. The third period just wasn't as good."

Boston has one of the league's best road records at 12-4-3, but it could be experiencing some fatigue during a stretch of six games in eight nights that ends with a back-to-back set against Buffalo and Toronto on Friday and Saturday.

"We'll just keep plugging away and try and get the wins," said Tuukka Rask, who has stopped 66 of 70 shots over the last two. "Only thing is we have to find ways to score goals like we did in Jersey, but other than that, I think we're fine."

Rask is 1-5-1 with a 2.73 goals-against average during the Bruins' slump, but he's 6-0-1 with a 2.10 GAA in his last seven against the Flyers.

Mason beat Boston in the first meeting after going 0-2-2 with a 3.17 GAA over his previous five in the series.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Panthers (21-12) at Flames (18-20)
Date: January 13, 2016 9:30 PM EDT

The Florida Panthers' franchise-best winning streak has ended but the chance to make more club history still exists.

Following their first defeat in a month, the visiting Panthers can equal a team record with at least a point in a 14th straight game Wednesday night against the struggling Calgary Flames.

Florida (26-12-5) was fifth in the Atlantic Division and outside of playoff position in the Eastern Conference following a 3-1 loss at Boston on Dec. 12. A month later, the Panthers lead the division and own the second-most points in the East thanks to a 12-game win streak that ended with Monday's 3-2 overtime loss at Vancouver.

"We've been on quite a run for some time now," assistant coach John Madden said. "We did some good things (Monday), but we didn't do enough to win."

Roberto Luongo made 27 saves and Jonathan Huberdeau scored for the third time in four contests but the Panthers blew a 2-0 advantage in their third straight game - and fourth in five - decided by one goal.

Florida allowed 15 goals during the winning streak and Monday marked the first time in nine games it yielded more than two. Luongo posted a 1.31 goals-against average during his nine-game undefeated run.

'We've been playing close games a little bit too much,' said Huberdeau, who has four goals and 10 assists in 13 games. 'At least we got a point and are ready for the next game.'

Florida's 13-game point streak is a single-season record and one shy of the overall club mark that spanned the final two of 1995-96 and first 12 of 1996-97. The Panthers could have a good chance to match the record at Calgary (19-20-2), where they've won three of four and have earned at least a point in five straight.

The Flames have gone 1-4-0 at home since a franchise-best 11-game winning streak at the Saddledome. Despite overcoming a two-goal deficit to draw even and yielding a season-low 18 shots Monday, the Flames fell 5-4 at home to San Jose for their sixth defeat in 10 games since winning seven straight.

"It's disappointing," said forward Sean Monahan, who snapped an eight-game goal drought. "It gets frustrating, it gets tough but you've got to find a way to get mentally tough and grind those games out."

Calgary went 3 for 4 on the power play and scored one fewer goal than it did in its previous four home games. However, it gave up at least four for the second time in the last four at the Saddledome.

"You score four goals at home and it should be plenty to win," coach Bob Hartley said. "Very poor management of the game on our part."

Defenseman Mark Giordano has recorded a point in five straight and four goals and nine assists in the last 10. He was held without a point at Florida on Nov. 10, when David Jones scored twice and Monahan had the other goal in a 4-3 loss.

It's uncertain if Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad, who's posted a plus-16 rating in the past 21 contests and hasn't had a minus game in that span, will miss a second straight contest with an upper-body injury.

There's no mystery surrounding the status of coach Gerard Gallant for Wednesday, as he'll be away from the team for his mother's funeral. Assistant Mike Kelly will be in charge.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Senators (17-17) at Ducks (15-17)
Date: January 13, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

The Ottawa Senators have had some embarrassing showings at both ends of the ice lately. Offensive inconsistency has been stopping the Anaheim Ducks from turning promising showings into a substantial run.

The two meet Wednesday night in Anaheim with each club looking to avoid a second straight loss.

The Senators (20-17-6) fell 7-1 in Washington on Sunday and have been outscored 26-11 in a 2-5-0 span. It was the second time they've allowed seven goals in that stretch, both coming on the road.

Ottawa has gone 2-9-1 away from home since starting the season 7-2-1 there.

"This league is about balance, finding balance, and we have to find our balance," coach Dave Cameron told the team's official website. "It's an individual thing more than anything. We're not going to beat them to death over this one. It's done.

"For the most part, your game plans don't change. Your team plays basically the same way, the same system, because you give your system around your team and what you have. The challenge is going to be the perseverance part. They have to have the ability to let it go and not beat themselves up over it. Can they? Well, that's an individual thing."

Mike Hoffman scored for Ottawa on Sunday and has been an individual bright spot. His 20 goals in 39 games are seven shy of his career-best 79-game total from last season, and his team-best plus-11 rating looks all the more impressive considering the Senators' minus-11 mark in non-shootout goals.

Their 15-goal scoring discrepancy in the last seven games is due in part to a 2-for-23 power-play effort and 15-for-23 performance on the penalty kill. They seem unlikely to become more productive with the man advantage against Anaheim, which has killed off all 26 penalties over the last seven games.

The Ducks (17-17-7) reached the halfway point in their season with Sunday's 2-1 home loss to Detroit, and they've split the first four of a season-high eight-game homestand. Anaheim has managed to go 5-2-1 in its last eight despite scoring 15 goals and getting limited to one or no goals five times.

"The margin of error is very slim when you're averaging less than two goals a game," said coach Bruce Boudreau, whose team has a league-worst 1.85 mark. "We had opportunities to score. We just didn't finish."

Corey Perry did once and has three goals in his last four games, but he's the only Duck with more than eight goals while every other team in the league has at least two 10-goal scorers.

Ryan Getzlaf has been part of the drop-off with three goals in 37 contests, and his 0.68 points per game matches his rookie mark for the lowest of his 11-season career.

Ottawa won both matchups last season by a 9-2 total. Andrew Hammond made 25 saves in a 3-0 win at Anaheim on Feb. 25, but he allowed all of the goals against the Capitals.

Craig Anderson is expected to return to the net with a chance at his 200th victory after ending a three-game losing streak with a 33-save effort in Saturday's 2-1 home win over Boston. Anderson has dropped his last five road starts with a 3.58 goals-against average and is 3-8-0 with a 3.25 mark against the Ducks.

Anaheim All-Star John Gibson hasn't given up more than three goals all season and has a 1.64 GAA in a 5-2-0 span.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL MONEYLINE

NHL > (1) COLUMBUS@ (2) TORONTO | 2016-01-13 19:05:00 - 2016-01-13 19:05:00
Play ON COLUMBUS using money line in Road games second half of the season
The record is 16 Wins and 11 Losses for the last two seasons (+14.6 units)

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NHL PUCKLINE

NHL > (1) COLUMBUS@ (2) TORONTO | 2016-01-13 19:05:00 - 2016-01-13 19:05:00
Play ON COLUMBUS in Road games second half of the season
The record is 16 Wins and 11 Losses for the last two seasons (+14.6 units)

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NHL TOTALS

NHL > (1) COLUMBUS@ (2) TORONTO | 2016-01-13 19:05:00 - 2016-01-13 19:05:00
Play OVER TORONTO on the totalin Home games after allowing 4 goals or more
The record is 20 Overs and 6 Unders for the last two seasons (+13.95 units)

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Long Sheet

Wednesday, January 13

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COLUMBUS (15-24-0-4, 34 pts.) at TORONTO (16-17-0-7, 39 pts.) - 1/13/2016, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
COLUMBUS is 4-13 ATS (+18.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
COLUMBUS is 16-11 ATS (+31.7 Units) in road games second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 19-16 ATS (+40.5 Units) revenging a home loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 3-14 ATS (-12.5 Units) in January games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 11-37 ATS (+53.8 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 28-40 ATS (-29.0 Units) in home games when playing with 3 or more days rest since 1996.
TORONTO is 10-30 ATS (+46.5 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 18-30 ATS (+52.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLUMBUS is 4-3 (+1.1 Units) against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
COLUMBUS is 4-3-0 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.7 Units)

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BOSTON (21-15-0-5, 47 pts.) at PHILADELPHIA (18-15-0-7, 43 pts.) - 1/13/2016, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 62-61 ATS (-29.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 6-14 ATS (-10.1 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
BOSTON is 8-14 ATS (-14.4 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 9-2 ATS (+6.6 Units) in home games in January games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 13-7 ATS (+5.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 13-7 ATS (+21.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season this season.
BOSTON is 168-136 ATS (+309.3 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 since 1996.
BOSTON is 53-40 ATS (+98.8 Units) in road games after playing 3 consecutive road games since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 227-235 ATS (-147.9 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 6-1 (+4.4 Units) against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 6-1-0 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.4 Units)

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FLORIDA (26-12-0-5, 57 pts.) at CALGARY (19-20-0-2, 40 pts.) - 1/13/2016, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 69-65 ATS (+1.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CALGARY is 23-11 ATS (+36.2 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5 or less over the last 3 seasons.
CALGARY is 52-48 ATS (+109.6 Units) second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
CALGARY is 8-2 ATS (+10.1 Units) in home games in non-conference games this season.
CALGARY is 25-18 ATS (+48.7 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 26-17 ATS (+8.7 Units) in all games this season.
FLORIDA is 34-20 ATS (+13.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 3-2 (+0.2 Units) against the spread versus FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 3-2-0 straight up against FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.2 Units)

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OTTAWA (20-17-0-6, 46 pts.) at ANAHEIM (17-17-0-7, 41 pts.) - 1/13/2016, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ANAHEIM is 26-10 ATS (+12.1 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5 or less over the last 2 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 461-386 ATS (+69.6 Units) second half of the season since 1996.
ANAHEIM is 201-161 ATS (+13.1 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.
OTTAWA is 79-54 ATS (+18.3 Units) in road games when playing with 2 days rest since 1996.
OTTAWA is 25-17 ATS (+43.2 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
OTTAWA is 17-10 ATS (+27.9 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
OTTAWA is 17-9 ATS (+28.1 Units) in road games after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 17-24 ATS (-11.0 Units) in all games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
OTTAWA is 2-2 (+0.2 Units) against the spread versus ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
ANAHEIM is 2-2-0 straight up against OTTAWA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.8 Units)

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NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, January 13

Hot teams
-- Flyers won last three games, scoring four goals in all three games.
-- Panthers won nine of their last ten games.

Cold teams
-- Columbus lost seven of its last nine games. Toronto lost its last two games by a combined score of 9-1.
-- Boston lost seven of its last nine games.
-- Calgary lost four of its last six games.
-- Ottawa lost five of last seven games. Ducks lost three of last five games, scoring 10 goals.

Series records
-- Blue Jackets lost three of last four games with Toronto.
-- Flyers lost six of last seven games with Boston.
-- Road team won seven of last ten Florida-Calgary games.
-- Ottawa won last two games with Anaheim, after losing seven of previous eight.

Totals
-- Seven of last nine Columbus games went over total.
-- Over is 5-2-1 in last eight Boston-Philly games.
-- Under is 7-1-1 in last nine Florida games.
-- Seven of last nine Ottawa games stayed under.

Back-to-backs
-- Columbus is 3-6 if it played night before; teams are 5-3 night after playing the Islanders.




NHL

Wednesday, January 13

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
COLUMBUS vs. TORONTO
Columbus is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Columbus is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Toronto is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Columbus

8:00 PM
BOSTON vs. PHILADELPHIA
Boston is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston's last 7 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 7 games when playing at home against Boston
Philadelphia is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Boston

9:30 PM
FLORIDA vs. CALGARY
Florida is 12-1 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Florida's last 6 games when playing on the road against Calgary
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Calgary's last 5 games when playing Florida
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Calgary's last 5 games at home

10:00 PM
OTTAWA vs. ANAHEIM
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Ottawa's last 5 games when playing on the road against Anaheim
Ottawa is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Anaheim
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Anaheim's last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Anaheim's last 5 games when playing at home against Ottawa

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Short Sheet

Wednesday, January 13

Columbus at Toronto, 7:05 PM ET
Columbus: 24-17 SU revenging a loss where opponent scored 4 or more goals
Toronto: 13-32 SU off a road loss

Boston at Philadelphia, 8:05 PM ET
Boston: 6-14 SU revenging a loss versus opponent
Philadelphia: 9-2 SU in home games in January

Florida at Calgary, 9:35 PM ET
Florida: 15-6 SU after playing a road game
Calgary: 0-8 SU revenging a close loss vs opponent of 1 goal or less

Ottawa at Anaheim, 10:05 PM ET
Ottawa: 25-17 SU in non-conference games
Anaheim: 17-24 SU in all games

[StarDust Bum]

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


CLB at TOR 07:00 PM

CLB +140 BEST BET

O 5.5


BOS at PHI 08:00 PM

BOS -114

U 5.5


FLA at CAL 09:30 PM

FLA -109

U 5.0


OTT at ANA 10:00 PM

OTT +147 BEST BET

U 5.0

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rangers (22-14) at Islanders (20-15)
Date: January 14, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

First place in the Metropolitan Division looks like a pipe dream for the New York Rangers and New York Islanders at the moment.

That shouldn't lessen the intensity of the archrivals fighting it out for second place.

The teams meet Thursday night for the second time this season, again in Brooklyn, with matching point totals as they jockey for position in the playoff race.

The Rangers (23-14-5) have shown signs of coming out of their prolonged funk of late, going 2-0-1 in the last three after a 5-11-2 stretch. Rebounding from a heartbreaking overtime loss to division-leading Washington, they rallied for a 2-1 home victory over Boston on Monday.

Jesper Fast scored on a deflection in front with 1:42 to play after Derick Brassard had tied the game in the first minute of the third period, and Henrik Lundqvist made 32 saves.

'The way we came back today, we played a really solid game and turned it up in the third, which is really a good sign that we have that determination and won't give up,' Lundqvist said.

It was the first time the Rangers overcame a deficit at the start of the third period and won in regulation. They were 0-11-2 coming in.

'The last four or five games we've started playing like ourselves,' said Brassard, who has two goals and an assist in his last three games. 'Even if we are down in the score, we see those signs that we can come back. It shows a lot of character. The difference in the third period tonight was our will, and we found a way to win the game.'

They weren't able to do so in their first game at Barclays Center on Dec. 2, coming out on the wrong end of an intense and tightly played 2-1 shootout loss. Viktor Stalberg answered John Tavares' power-play goal in the second period, but Kyle Okposo's goal in the first round was the only one of the tiebreaker.

The Islanders (23-15-5) pulled even with the Rangers going into this matchup with a 5-2 home victory over Columbus on Tuesday, avoiding a third straight loss. Brock Nelson had three goals and an assist and Thomas Greiss made 18 saves for the Islanders, 5-7-0 in their last 12.

The Islanders are 19-2-0 when they score at least three goals, including shootouts, and 16-3-2 when they score first.

'We came out flying and put them on their heels,' said center Ryan Strome, who ended a 16-game goal drought. 'It's always a hard game against Columbus. We have to come out against the Rangers the same way.'

The Islanders have been inconsistent at home of late, alternating losses and wins in the last six games. They've totaled 20 goals in their past four victories at Barclays while scoring one in each of the last three defeats.

'We'll enjoy this one tonight. I'm sure everyone will be ready for the Rangers,' forward Cal Clutterbuck said.

Catching the Capitals, who are a staggering 16 points up on both teams, looks unlikely at this point. Though still barely halfway through the season, the Rangers and Islanders appear set up for a season-long battle for the second and third automatic playoff spots and home-ice advantage for a potential first-round matchup.

"The Islanders just came off a big win. They're one of the best four-line teams in the league, and they're a big challenge for us and we're gonna have to be ready for them," coach Alain Vigneault said.

Lundqvist, who will start Thursday, has lost four straight starts against the Islanders with a 3.73 goals-against average.

Jaroslav Halak, expected back in goal for the Islanders, has given up two or fewer goals in four of his last five matchups with the Rangers.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Canucks (14-16) at Capitals (30-7)
Date: January 14, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Less than a week after Alex Ovechkin joined the 500-goal club, Daniel Sedin could make some history of his own against him.

Looking for an 11th consecutive home victory, Ovechkin and the league-leading Washington Capitals try to prevent Sedin from becoming the Vancouver Canucks' all-time leading goal scorer Thursday night.

The Capitals have been idle since Sunday, when Ovechkin scored twice in a 7-1 rout of Ottawa to become the 43rd player to reach 500. He's scored five of his NHL-leading 26 goals in the last three games for Washington (32-7-3), which has won four in a row and outscored opponents 56-28 during a 13-1-1 stretch.

'I think when one person has success, it reflects on everybody,' coach Barry Trotz said. "It was a moment that was great for the team to share.'

In the midst of their longest home winning streak since a club-record 13-game run Jan. 5-March 6, 2010, the Capitals scored a season-high seven goals for the fourth time Sunday.

"We have a really good mentality," said forward Nicklas Backstrom, who has three goals and six assists during a six-game point streak. "We work hard every night. We try not to take nights off."

One of Ovechkin's 501 goals was the difference in a 3-2 victory at Vancouver (17-16-10) on Oct. 22. Sedin had an assist and has six along with five goals during a six-game point streak against Washington.

Sedin scored two of his team-leading 19 goals Monday, including one in overtime of a 3-2 victory over Florida to tie Markus Naslund's franchise record of 346.

"(Naslund) was an idol growing up," Sedin told the NHL's official website about his fellow Swede. "He meant so much to (me and twin brother Henrik) coming into this league.

"He's a better goal-scorer than me, no question about that. It's more about how many games I played. He will always be the No. 1 in the goal department."

In the midst of a 6-2-2 stretch, the Canucks begin a six-game eastern road swing looking to record a point in their fourth consecutive contest. They face another big challenge against the NHL's top team after beating the hottest, having snapped the Panthers' 12-game winning streak.

"We're moving on from the last game," Henrik Sedin said. "What's most important is that we won and our focus is on our next game (Thursday) in Washington."

The Capitals have converted 44.0 percent of their power-play chances in the last eight home games. The Canucks have the Western Conference's worst penalty kill on the road since the beginning of November (71.8 percent).

Vancouver is expected to start goalie Ryan Miller, who has missed the last eight games with muscle issues. Miller posted a 4.22 goals-against average while going 1-2-0 in his last four starts - all on the road. He stopped 32 shots against Washington earlier this season.

Though it's unlikely forward Brandon Sutter (sports hernia) and defenseman Luca Sbisa (hand) will play Thursday, both could return at some point on the trip. Sbisa hasn't played since Dec. 1 and Sutter since Nov. 10.

It also remains uncertain when veteran forward Mike Richards will make his Capitals debut after the club signed him last week. Richards hasn't played since last season with Los Angeles, which bought out the remaining five years of his contract after his arrest at a Canadian border in June on charges of possession of a controlled substance.

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Preview: Blackhawks (27-13) at Canadiens (21-17)
Date: January 14, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

The Chicago Blackhawks sat 13 points out of the Central Division lead 2 1/2 weeks ago prior to a run that has them on the verge of reaching the top.

It's been quite the opposite situation for the Montreal Canadiens lately.

Chicago seeks a ninth victory in a row when it begins a road-heavy stretch against slumping Montreal in the first of two meetings in four days Thursday night.

The Blackhawks (28-13-4) lost 4-0 at Central-leading Dallas on Dec. 22 as their deficit in the division reached double digits, and they came out of the holiday break with a 2-1 home loss to Carolina five days later to drop even further back.

They've taken advantage of Dallas' current rough patch, though, and can tie for the Central lead with a win over the Canadiens (23-17-3). Chicago's 3-2 win over Nashville on Tuesday completed a perfect four-game homestand and matched their longest winning streak since a franchise-record 11-game run Feb. 22-March 6, 2013.

Coach Joel Quenneville received a contract extension through 2019-20 earlier in the day, then matched Al Arbour for second in career victories with 782.

"We went (into Dallas) before Christmas there, (and) had to win to even think of closing the gap," Quenneville said. "They beat us, and (it was like), 'OK, that's a distant thought.'

"Things change quickly in our division, in our league and in our game. All of the sudden, we've put ourselves in a much better spot. You're thinking playoff spot, (and) now you're thinking first place."

Marian Hossa celebrated his 37th birthday by assisting on both of Andrew Shaw's goals, and Corey Crawford made 41 saves. The Montreal native has won his last five starts with a 1.58 goals-against average.

'Everyone's playing well together as a team,' Crawford said. 'Making the right plays. We're not making too many mistakes out there in all three zones. I think our team is very well-rounded right now.'

Crawford is 3-0-2 with a 1.38 GAA in his career against his hometown team, and the Blackhawks have won the last three meetings with Montreal. Chicago is beginning a stretch of playing nine of 11 on the road, with one of the rare home games coming Sunday against the Canadiens.

Even a split of those meetings likely would give Montreal a bit of a boost. It held an 11-point lead in the Atlantic on Dec. 2 but has since gone 4-13-0, falling to third behind Florida and Detroit.

Coach Michel Therrien said that Carey Price, the reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner who hasn't played since Nov. 25, would not return until after the All-Star break because of a lower-body injury.

Rookie Mike Condon has done his best to fill in but is 3-8-0 with a 2.64 GAA in 11 starts and two relief appearances during Montreal's slump. He won his previous three starts before making 29 saves in Saturday's 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh.

'He played awesome,' forward Max Pacioretty said. 'We have to be better in front of him. He shut the door. A lot of big saves."

The Canadiens have dealt with a bit of a distraction this week after Alex Galchenyuk's girlfriend was arrested early Sunday morning for a domestic violence-related incident involving Galchenyuk, who chose not to file a complaint.

Fellow Montreal forward Devante Smith-Pelly also was at the apartment. The two met with general manager Marc Bergevin and Therrien on Tuesday, but teammates said the matter was being handled internally and each participated in practice.

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Preview: Hurricanes (19-18) at Blues (22-14)
Date: January 14, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Carolina Hurricanes probably don't have much of a chance to win the Metropolitan, but a recent surge has pushed them closer to one of the division's automatic playoff berths.

The St. Louis Blues continue to rack up points as they chase the top spot in the Central.

Carolina goes for a season-high fourth straight win Thursday night when it visits a St. Louis team that has earned a point in its last five games.

The Hurricanes (19-18-7) trail first-place Washington by 22 points in the Metropolitan, but they've taken advantage of some struggles from both New York teams to pull within six points of second and third place.

Carolina moved one point back of Pittsburgh with a 3-2 win on Jeff Skinner's power-play goal in overtime Tuesday, improving to 11-5-3 in its last 19.

"We've been staring at the standings all year," said center Eric Staal, who had a goal and an assist to give him four points during the win streak. "We talked about (how) we scraped and clawed ... (and) now you've got to climb, you've got to beat teams in front of you."

Center Elias Lindholm assisted on all three goals after registering an assist in a 4-3 overtime win over Columbus on Saturday and scoring twice in a 4-1 victory over the Blue Jackets on Friday that started the win streak.

Carolina hasn't taken four in a row since Nov. 1-7, 2014.

"I think we have (believed we could make the playoffs) all year," Staal told the Hurricanes' official website. "I don't think that's changed. Other people might not, but I think the guys in our room have been committed to what we're trying to accomplish here.

" ... I like the vibe and feeling that we have. We have to grow that confidence and keep winning these close games. That will put us in the right spot."

St. Louis (25-14-7) had been in a bunch of close games - four straight decided after regulation - before scoring the final four goals in a 5-2 win over visiting New Jersey on Tuesday.

The Blues are 2-0-3 in their last five and sit in third place in the Central, three points behind surging Chicago and five back of Dallas.

Center Patrik Berglund scored twice against the Devils in his sixth game back after missing the first 40 with a shoulder injury, and Brian Elliott made 22 saves in his second straight win starting in place of an injured Jake Allen.

Berglund had one goal and one assist in his first five games.

"You're always worried for a player coming back from such a long-term injury, when does he hit the wall, but I think he hit the wall earlier than we thought and now he's punched through it," coach Ken Hitchcock told the Blues' official website. "He seems more energized than he's ever been, which is a good sign for us."

St. Louis won both meetings last season in shootouts and has dominated Carolina at home since the franchise moved from Hartford, going 8-2-1 with a tie.

That trend could continue as the Hurricanes enter with three losses in their last four on the road, while the Blues have gone 5-1-1 in their last seven on home ice.

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Preview: Predators (17-17) at Jets (19-21)
Date: January 14, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

In lieu of victories in the standings, the Nashville Predators are settling for moral ones. They're well aware that needs to change.

The Predators attempt to snap their longest slide of the season by avenging the defeat that started it when they visit the last-place Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night.

Nashville (19-17-7) is tied with Colorado for the Western Conference's second wild-card spot, one point ahead of Vancouver.

The Predators have done nothing to improve their tenuous position, losing four in a row for the first time since dropping six straight to end last season.

They're 1-6-1 in their last eight road games, losing the first three of this four-game trip after falling 3-2 to Chicago on Tuesday. Nashville found some solace in its failed attempt to overcome a three-goal deficit, outshooting the Blackhawks 33-12 over the last two periods.

"I like the fact that our team didn't quit," coach Peter Laviolette told the Predators' official website. "We have to try to build off of that. I know we have a tough game (Thursday) and I think our guys will be ready to play again.

"We have to win hockey games, and it's been frustrating because I feel like we've had that conversation too many times, so many times."

Pekka Rinne surely shares that frustration on the road. He's 1-8-2 with a 3.29 goals-against average in his last 11 starts away from home after making 20 saves Tuesday.

He had just 14 in a 4-1 loss to Winnipeg (19-21-3) on Jan. 5 after stopping 20 shots in a 7-0 win Nov. 14.

James Neal had a goal and an assist in that matchup, and he leads the Predators with 15 goals. The right wing, however, hasn't found the net in the last 17 road games and seven straight overall.

Filip Forsberg has two goals in three games after scoring at Chicago. He didn't factor in the scoring against the Jets last week after getting six points over his previous seven meetings.

The Jets, occupants of the Central Division's basement, have lost three in a row for the first time since a season-high six-game slide Nov. 5-16.

Like the Predators, frustration is mounting for Winnipeg.

"I just don't think that there's enough of an investment from everyone to get to where we need to go," right wing Blake Wheeler said. "How do we get that? That's the million-dollar question. How do we get 20-plus individuals buying into the same thing and spilling everything they have every night into it? Hopefully we'll figure it out by (Thursday)."

The Jets' attempt to snap the skid may require overcoming an absence by Tyler Myers. The defenseman got a game misconduct for cross-checking Tommy Wingels in the third period of Tuesday's 4-1 loss to San Jose.

The incident could draw the attention of the NHL's player safety department, leading to a suspension.

"I think it's a joke if I get a phone call from the league," Myers said.

Winnipeg's offense has been inconsistent during a 4-6-1 stretch, getting held to two goals or one in each of those defeats while scoring four times in three victories.

Drew Stafford had two goals at Nashville last week, tying him with Bryan Little for the team lead at 14. Stafford hasn't scored in three games since but has two assists, and Little has gone eight in a row without a goal while registering six assists.

Of Stafford's 24 points, 18 have come at home.

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Preview: Red Wings (21-14) at Coyotes (22-16)
Date: January 14, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

A subpar special teams performance sent the Detroit Red Wings to their first loss on their longest road trip of the season.

To finish that trek on a successful note, the Red Wings will have to end the Arizona Coyotes' season-best win streak Thursday night.

Detroit (22-14-7) gave up a pair of power-play goals and went 0 for 2 on the man advantage Monday in a 4-2 defeat to Los Angeles, dropping to 4-1-0 on its six-game trip. The Red Wings got their previous three wins while scoring a combined five goals.

"We got to make sure we get more pucks to the net. We got to simplify a little bit," coach Jeff Blashill said. "It's hard to score in the league. We're not scoring enough goals overall so we got to make sure we're getting more pucks to the net."

The Red Wings gave up two goals in the previous three games on their season-high win streak and killed off all seven penalties.

The Coyotes (22-16-4) have gone 6 for 11 on the man advantage over their four consecutive victories and were 3 for 4 in a 4-3 overtime victory against Edmonton on Tuesday. Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored the winning goal on a power play, and Max Domi had the other two in the third period to complete his first career hat trick.

"We're a confident group right now. We're playing really well," forward Anthony Duclair said. "When we play as a team, we can beat anybody in this league. I think it's just a matter of believing in ourselves. We've got some great leadership in this locker room that's been doing a great job so far. We're just going to continue on like that."

Arizona, 10-2-2 in its last 14 home games, will seek to avenge a 5-1 drubbing to the Red Wings on Dec. 3 while earning a fourth consecutive win on its own ice.

Justin Abdelkader scored the first of Detroit's three goals in the opening period of that victory, and the Red Wings outshot the Coyotes 44-27. Detroit is 2-0-1 in its last three in the series and won 3-1 in its latest trip to Arizona on Feb. 7 after losing in three of the previous four visits.

Petr Mrazek was in net for that victory - his only appearance against the Coyotes - and is expected to start this game. He has a 1.25 goals-against average in four consecutive wins.

The Coyotes will likely counter with rookie Louis Domingue, who has a 1.47 GAA in four consecutive victories. Domingue, called up from the minors Dec. 11, has never faced Detroit.

"At the end of the day, I knew I could play here," Domingue told the team's official website. "I took a big step in my game, my confidence level. I practiced better and I'm trying to elevate that every day."

Red Wings defenseman Alexey Marchenko is expected to be a healthy scratch after scoring his first goal of the season in Los Angeles, and forward Drew Miller is expected to remain out for an extended period because of a torn left meniscus.

Detroit's penalty kill has operated at 84.6 percent in its 28 games with Miller and 68.8 percent without him.