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

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Wild (21-11) at Stars (27-10)
Date: January 09, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Jim Nill's determination to turn the Dallas Stars into a Stanley Cup contender prompted him to make several major moves after taking the general manager job in 2013.

The players he's acquired on his watch are helping realize his vision in his third season at the helm, leading to a five-year contract extension as a reward for the Stars sitting atop the Western Conference just past the season's midway point.

Dallas looks to win six straight at home for the first time in more than nine years by beating the Minnesota Wild for the fourth time this season Saturday night.

Nill plucked Tyler Seguin from Boston less than three months into on the job to pair him with Jamie Benn, who won the Art Ross Trophy last season. They have 24 goals apiece and are again among the league's leading scorers, but they also have a solid supporting cast that has the Stars (29-10-4) eying a deep postseason run.

Seguin scored in regulation before he and offseason acquisition Patrick Sharp scored in the shootout of a 2-1 win over Winnipeg on Thursday that snapped a three-game skid.

Sharp also had an assist, and his 36 points rank third on the club behind Benn, Seguin and defenseman John Klingberg. Jason Spezza, whom Nill acquired from Ottawa before last season, is fourth with 33.

"In just over two years, Jim has helped instill a culture of excellence within our organization and extending that partnership to 2022-23 is vital for the direction of the hockey club," owner Tom Gaglardi said. "From the day he stepped into this role, he has displayed tremendous decision-making in the re-tooling of our group and we're excited to build upon the foundation that has been laid."

The latest victory snapped the Stars' worst funk of the season and brought them to the verge of their first six-game home streak since Nov. 20-Dec. 6, 2006. Sharp's assist Thursday gave him eight along with six goals during an 11-game point streak.

"It wasn't our best game, but the guys found a way to win," said Seguin, who snapped a season-worst three-game point drought. "We're going to be happy with that. That's something we can build off of."

Seguin has four goals and five assists during a five-game point streak against the Wild, including an overtime goal Nov. 28 before scoring and then assisting on Vernon Fiddler's second goal in a 6-3 victory in the most recent matchup Dec. 21.

Minnesota (21-11-8) will be playing on the road for the fifth time in six games after Thursday's 4-3 home loss in overtime to Philadelphia. Zach Parise had a hat trick in Tuesday's win over Columbus and scored against the Flyers to tie it in the third.

The Wild couldn't complete the comeback after falling behind by two goals midway through the second.

"I think it showed the second half of the game that it's all mental," coach Mike Yeo said. "Once we addressed it, the guys, I thought, started to feed off each other's energy. It takes a lot of character to come back with the schedule that we've had."

Devan Dubnyk made 32 saves, but it's unclear if he'll be in net for this contest with Minnesota playing Sunday against New Jersey. He has a 3.73 goals-against average while losing three of his last four starts against Dallas.

Antti Niemi could be back in net for the Stars. He has a 1.97 GAA in his last five appearances against the Wild but didn't start Thursday after giving up six goals in Tuesday's loss to the New York Rangers.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Predators (17-15) at Coyotes (20-16)
Date: January 09, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Ryan Johansen made an immediate contribution in his initial game with the Nashville Predators but couldn't end his new team's recent woes singlehandedly.

The Predators will try again when they face an opponent they've dominated recently on Saturday night, but the Arizona Coyotes have been playing some of their best hockey of late.

Nashville (19-15-7) acquired Johansen from Columbus on Wednesday for defenseman Seth Jones in a swap of former top-five draft picks. The forward scored the opening goal and had an assist in his first contest for the Predators on Friday, but Colorado took command in the third period for a 5-3 win.

"It's definitely nice to get something early like that. Hopefully, I can use that as some confidence and move forward in shooting the puck," said Johansen, who scored his first goal in 16 games. "It's too bad we couldn't find a way to win this one. It would have been a lot cooler."

Nashville dropped to 1-3-1 in its last five after its second straight loss. The Predators have lost three in a row twice this season, most recently Dec. 12-17, but will next face a team it has beaten six consecutive times.

Nashville won 5-2 at home against the Coyotes (20-16-4) in the latest meeting Dec. 1. Filip Forsberg scored two of the Predators' four goals in a third-period rally.

Arizona, however, would appear in prime form to end its lengthy skid to Nashville. The Coyotes are 6-1-2 in their last nine and 3-0-1 in their past four with a 2-1 victory in Calgary on Thursday.

Martin Hanzal tallied the tiebreaking goal early in the third period in his first game since Dec. 19, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored his fifth in nine contests. Hanzal had missed the previous seven games because of a lower-body injury.

"He's a big body out there. You don't realize how much you miss him until he comes back," coach Dave Tippett said. "He solidifies our center ice. It's certainly good to have him back."

In the opener to a seven-game homestand, Tippett's team will seek to win three in a row for the first time since Nov. 25-28. Nashville is 1-4-1 in its last six road games.

The Predators might start backup goaltender Carter Hutton after Pekka Rinne was in net for Friday's loss. Hutton, 3-1-1 with a 2.95 goals-against average in five starts this season, lost in a shootout in his only matchup with Arizona on Oct. 31, 2013.

Rinne is 5-0-0 with a 1.37 GAA and a shutout in his last five games against the Coyotes and that could tempt coach Peter Laviolette to leave him in. Rinne has only started once this season on consecutive days, allowing four goals on 27 shots in a 4-0 loss at Minnesota on Nov. 21.

Tippett, meanwhile, is expected to give Louis Domingue his fifth consecutive start. Domingue lost 2-1 in overtime to Nashville in his lone matchup March 9, making 38 saves.

James Neal scored the winning goal in that game, among his four in his last four matchups, but he doesn't have a point in a season-worst five consecutive contests. Johansen has three goals and two assists in his last four games against Arizona.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Lightning (18-17) at Canucks (13-16)
Date: January 09, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Vancouver Canucks have been among the biggest disappointments over the season's first half.

Only one will get the second half off to a positive start.

Seeking back-to-back wins for the first time in almost a month, the Lightning go for a fourth straight victory in Vancouver on Saturday night.

Tampa Bay (20-17-4) made a run to the Stanley Cup Final last season, losing in six games to Chicago. That increased expectations for 2015-16, making the Lightning one of the favorites to win the Cup.

They're not even in playoff position at the midway point, however, sitting one point back of New Jersey for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Canucks aren't much better. They're third in the Pacific Division, one point ahead of Calgary, the team that knocked them out of the opening round of last year's playoffs.

Vancouver, though, is starting to show some improvement at home, winning five of seven there after a 3-6-3 start.

Bo Horvat scored his second goal with 1:06 left in regulation, putting the Canucks ahead for good in a 3-2 home win over Carolina on Wednesday.

Horvat has three goals in two games after netting two over the first 39.

Sven Baertschi is also giving Vancouver some unexpected scoring. He has four goals and two assists over the past six games after getting one of each against the Hurricanes.

The scoring depth has been timely with Daniel Sedin scoring once over the past five games while Henrik Sedin has come up empty in 10.

"We need that," second-year coach Willie Desjardins said. "It's been a tough go for Hank and Danny. They've carried us for quite a bit this year. That's not a fair thing to do.

"We've been waiting for somebody else to step us. Baertschi seems to have found his game at this level a little bit. He's playing well. He's making great plays with the puck. Bo is a strong guy. He's a good skater. They have found some chemistry with (Radim) Vrbata and we need that scoring."

Daniel Sedin and Baertschi found the net in a 2-1 win at Tampa Bay on Dec. 22. However, it was the Canucks' penalty-killing unit that was vital, stopping the Lightning on nine of 10 power plays.

"We have to make sure we're ready to skate. They're a good skating club," Desjardins said. "They've got lots of talent. We just have to make sure we're ready to skate with them."

That hasn't been the case at Vancouver, where the Lightning have won three straight meetings after going 0-8-1 with two ties in their first 11 visits.

Tampa Bay is 4-4-1 since winning back-to-back games on Dec. 14-15. The Lightning are aiming to do that again after scoring three unanswered goals in the third period of Friday's 3-2 win at Edmonton.

Tied for the team lead with 31 points, Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos are doing their part.

Kucherov has 13 points in 10 games while Stamkos has seven goals and two assists over the last nine. That stretch, though, includes a pointless performance against the Canucks last month for Stamkos, who collected eight goals and six assists in his first seven career meetings.

Vancouver acquired Emerson Etem from the New York Rangers on Friday in exchange for Nicklas Jensen and a sixth-round pick in 2017. He had three assists in 19 games for New York.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Blues (21-14) at Kings (24-12)
Date: January 09, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Kings' comfortable lead in the Pacific Division is partly due to their dominance at home. The St. Louis Blues have experienced it for over four years.

The Kings try to beat the struggling Blues for a 12th straight meeting at Staples Center on Saturday night.

Los Angeles (26-12-2) heads into the midway point of its season with a 10-point cushion on second-place Arizona in the division.

The Kings, who haven't won a division title since 1990-91, have won 13 of their last 16 home games after an 0-3 start there.

They got this four-game homestand off to a strong start Thursday, beating Toronto 2-1 for their sixth win in seven overall.

History would indicate Los Angeles has a good chance to keep that success going. The Kings have won 11 straight home matchups with the Blues (23-14-7), including three in the playoffs.

They also won 3-0 at St. Louis on Nov. 3 in the first of three season meetings.

The Blues enter this one on an 0-2-3 skid, their longest losing streak since dropping the final six games of 2013-14.

St. Louis has squandered two-goal leads in each of its last three games, including Friday's 4-3 shootout loss at Anaheim. The Blues' collapse was highlighted by being outshot 22-3 after the second period.

"It's kind of been that way the last couple weeks for us. We get a lead, I think we start feeling a little bit too comfortable," said right wing Ryan Reaves, who scored his second goal. "I think we put in a pretty gutsy effort, but we've got to learn to bury teams in the third period.

"We're in a rut right now, and we're finding ways to kind of shoot ourselves in the foot."

That includes Vladimir Tarasenko, whose 24 goals are tied with Dallas' Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin for the league lead. The All-Star right wing has only scored twice over the past seven games and was held without a point Friday.

Tarasenko notched seven goals and three assists over his previous nine overall matchups with the Kings before the shutout in November.

Alexander Steen has been held in check by Los Angeles, tallying just two points in 14 career road meetings, including playoffs.

St. Louis has scored three goals or fewer in 11 of the last 12 games and facing Jonathan Quick doesn't figure to help any. Quick has posted a .955 save percentage during a six-start win streak and made 25 saves against the Maple Leafs.

Quick has been in net for 10 of the 11 wins during the Kings' home streak against the Blues, compiling a 1.22 goals-against average and four shutouts.

Jeff Carter has two points at St. Louis in November, giving him seven in the last three matchups. The center scored his 12th goal Thursday after missing five games with an upper-body injury.

"He hasn't played - everyone says it was 26th, but he really hasn't played since the 22nd of December - so you had to really manage it and watch it, so he was able to manage it," coach Darryl Sutter said. "I think he did a good job of it."

[StarDust Bum]

NHL MONEYLINE

NHL > (9) TORONTO@ (10) SAN JOSE | 2016-01-09 19:05:00 - 2016-01-09 19:05:00
Play AGAINST TORONTO using money line in Road games second half of the season
The record is 2 Wins and 25 Losses for the last two seasons (-22.35 units)

NHL > (15) NASHVILLE@ (16) ARIZONA | 2016-01-09 21:05:00 - 2016-01-09 21:05:00
Play ON ARIZONA using money line in All games after a division game
The record is 9 Wins and 2 Losses for the this season (+10.3 units)

NHL > (9) TORONTO@ (10) SAN JOSE | 2016-01-09 19:05:00 - 2016-01-09 19:05:00
Play AGAINST TORONTO using money line in Road games on Saturday games
The record is 2 Wins and 21 Losses for the last three seasons (-19.2 units)

NHL > (1) WASHINGTON@ (2) NY RANGERS | 2016-01-09 13:05:00 - 2016-01-09 13:05:00
Play ON WASHINGTON using money line in All games
The record is 29 Wins and 8 Losses for the this season (+17.65 units)

NHL > (1) WASHINGTON@ (2) NY RANGERS | 2016-01-09 13:05:00 - 2016-01-09 13:05:00
Play ON WASHINGTON using money line in all games
The record is 30 Wins and 10 Losses for the this season (+16.65 units)

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NHL PUCKLINE

NHL > (9) TORONTO@ (10) SAN JOSE | 2016-01-09 19:05:00 - 2016-01-09 19:05:00
Play AGAINST TORONTO in Road games second half of the season
The record is 2 Wins and 25 Losses for the last two seasons (-22.35 units)

NHL > (15) NASHVILLE@ (16) ARIZONA | 2016-01-09 21:05:00 - 2016-01-09 21:05:00
Play ON ARIZONA in All games after a division game
The record is 9 Wins and 2 Losses for the this season (+10.3 units)

NHL > (9) TORONTO@ (10) SAN JOSE | 2016-01-09 19:05:00 - 2016-01-09 19:05:00
Play AGAINST TORONTO in Road games on Saturday games
The record is 2 Wins and 21 Losses for the last three seasons (-19.2 units)

NHL > (1) WASHINGTON@ (2) NY RANGERS | 2016-01-09 13:05:00 - 2016-01-09 13:05:00
Play ON WASHINGTON in all games
The record is 30 Wins and 10 Losses for the this season (+16.65 units)

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NHL TOTALS

NHL > (9) TORONTO@ (10) SAN JOSE | 2016-01-09 19:05:00 - 2016-01-09 19:05:00
Play OVER SAN JOSE on the totalin Home games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 18 Overs and 5 Unders for the last two seasons (+13.05 units)

NHL > (17) TAMPA BAY@ (18) VANCOUVER | 2016-01-09 22:05:00 - 2016-01-09 22:05:00
Play UNDER VANCOUVER on the totalin All games when playing against a team with a losing record in the first half of the season
The record is 3 Overs and 12 Unders for the this season (+9.15 units)

NHL > (17) TAMPA BAY@ (18) VANCOUVER | 2016-01-09 22:05:00 - 2016-01-09 22:05:00
Play UNDER VANCOUVER on the totalin All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 3 Overs and 12 Unders for the this season (+9.15 units)

NHL > (7) PITTSBURGH@ (8) MONTREAL | 2016-01-09 19:05:00 - 2016-01-09 19:05:00
Play UNDER PITTSBURGH on the totalin All games on Saturday games
The record is 9 Overs and 23 Unders for the last two seasons (+13.4 units)

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Saturday's six-pack

Six free agents who still haven't signed for 2016.......

-- Yoenis Cespedes OF (30)-- If no one wants him, send him to Oakland!!!

-- Justin Upton OF (28)-- Not a big fan, but he's a lot better than his brother.

-- Chris Davis 1B (30)-- Numbers will go down if he leaves Camden Yards.

-- Ian Desmond SS (30)-- Don't the Padres need a shortstop?

-- Dexter Fowler OF (30)-- If the Cubs don't want him, why should you?

-- Wei-Yin Chen, P (30)-- If I'm a NL GM, we're going all-in on this guy.

**********

Armadillo: Saturday's List of 13: Random stuff with weekend here.....

13) ESPN's Adam Schefter had a great NFL stat this week: Four QBs who start for the road teams this weekend have made a combined 37 playoff starts; four home QBs have started zero playoff games.

12) Drafting ballplayers is an inexact science; smart people make some hideously bad decisions. Why are the Warriors great? Steph Curry was the 7th pick in the 2009 draft. Klay Thompson was the 11th pick in the '11 draft. Minnesota had two picks in the '09 draft ahead of Golden State; they took Ricky Rubio/Jonny Flynn. Yikes.

11) I laugh when pro golfers act disgusted with shots they hit, then the ball winds up 20 feet from the hole. Of course they're very precise and their winning/losing rides on getting as many shots as close to the hole as possible, but I can't hit two shots in a row on the fairway and they're such perfectionists.

There must be some epic temper tantrums off camera when these guys have bad days.

10) Then there is the Ally bank commercial, when the guy plays golf with his boss and cheats for his boss- that commercial makes me want to puke. I could never do that which probably explains my mediocre career as a civil servant........lolol

9) Ole Miss opened its new basketball arena this week and TV guys were raving about how nice it is. One thing about facilities though; when the rich donors cough up major money for better facilities, they expect to see an upgrade in the win-loss record.

Nebraska upgraded its facilities and is struggling, which has turned up the heat on Tim Miles. Auburn has new facilities and quickly fired Tony Barbee when he struggled in the SEC after it opened. Rich people are impatient; they expect results.

8) Speaking of which, Georgia's offensive coordinator makes $850K, the OL coach will make $650K, more than just about every MAC head coach.

7) The guy who was St Louis Cardinals' scouting director hacked the Astros' scouting database not once, but twice; thats a federal offense and he pled guilty on five counts of corporate espionage this week- the could could go to jail for five years.

6) One of the things in the leaked documents that were hacked was that the Marlins would've traded Giancarlo Stanton to Houston for Carlos Correa, George Springer. Seeing as I have Stanton in my keeper fantasy league, knowing he could be playing 81 games in Minute Maid Park instead of Miami's cavernous yard makes me sick.

5) Over the last 20 years, under is 20-13-1 in NFL playoff games involving teams who are divisional rivals, such as Steelers-Bengals tonight.

4) Washington Nationals traded former closer Drew Storen to Toronto Friday; Nats fell apart late LY- their bullpen imploded when they acquired Jonathan Papelbon and moved Storen to a set-up role.

3) Minnesota Vikings are only NFL team this year that started same five offensive linemen in all 16 games; thats good scouting, good coaching and a lot of luck that none of them got hurt.

2) Oakland Grizzlies of Horizon League have a player named Max Hooper who is 58-129 (45%) outside the arc this year; he hasn't taken one 2-point shot in a game!!! He scored a layup in a scrimmage during practice the other day and the coach stopped practice so the team could give him a standing ovation. Seriously.

1) Jim Boeheim returns from his nine-game suspension tonight, team went 4-5 while he was away. ESPN will treat him like a hero, but he was banished from the team because the program cheated and to say he didn't know what was going on is comical. Coaches are control freaks; if they don't know, its because they don't want to know.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Long Sheet

Saturday, January 9

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WASHINGTON (30-7-0-3, 63 pts.) at NY RANGERS (22-14-0-4, 48 pts.) - 1/9/2016, 1:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY RANGERS are 86-55 ATS (+29.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 45-23 ATS (+13.8 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 36-16 ATS (+16.7 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 30-10 ATS (+14.6 Units) in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 39-29 ATS (+69.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 63-72 ATS (-47.2 Units) in home games after a non-conference game since 1996.
NY RANGERS are 110-108 ATS (-51.1 Units) in home games after a win by 2 goals or more since 1996.
NY RANGERS are 117-118 ATS (-77.1 Units) in home games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game since 1996.
NY RANGERS are 177-206 ATS (-163.6 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY RANGERS is 10-7 (+2.0 Units) against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
NY RANGERS is 10-7-0 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
9 of 15 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.7 Units)

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NY ISLANDERS (22-14-0-5, 49 pts.) at PHILADELPHIA (17-15-0-7, 41 pts.) - 1/9/2016, 1:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY ISLANDERS are 20-36 ATS (-22.4 Units) on Saturday games over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 12-7 ATS (+20.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 12-7 ATS (+21.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 2-11 ATS (+15.5 Units) revenging a home loss versus opponent this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 8-18 ATS (+27.5 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY ISLANDERS is 6-4 (+1.6 Units) against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
NY ISLANDERS is 6-4-0 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+4.0 Units)

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BOSTON (21-14-0-4, 46 pts.) at OTTAWA (19-16-0-6, 44 pts.) - 1/9/2016, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
OTTAWA is 6-5 (+2.6 Units) against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
OTTAWA is 6-5-0 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+4.1 Units)

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PITTSBURGH (19-16-0-5, 43 pts.) at MONTREAL (23-16-0-3, 49 pts.) - 1/9/2016, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 63-64 ATS (-33.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 22-31 ATS (-24.5 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 25-8 ATS (+15.2 Units) on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 88-75 ATS (+171.3 Units) in road games when playing with 2 days rest since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 4-4 (+0.9 Units) against the spread versus PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 4-4-0 straight up against PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.8 Units)

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TORONTO (16-16-0-7, 39 pts.) at SAN JOSE (18-18-0-2, 38 pts.) - 1/9/2016, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 11-35 ATS (+60.9 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 11-36 ATS (+56.1 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 1-14 ATS (+23.5 Units) in road games on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 6-22 ATS (+35.5 Units) revenging a home loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 10-29 ATS (+44.8 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 7-19 ATS (+28.0 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 11-7 ATS (+20.4 Units) in non-conference games this season.
SAN JOSE is 58-62 ATS (-16.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 20-26 ATS (-18.6 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 15-21 ATS (-16.6 Units) on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 6-13 ATS (-16.6 Units) in home games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 9-15 ATS (-17.4 Units) in home games in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 84-85 ATS (-63.4 Units) in home games after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game since 1996.
SAN JOSE is 25-29 ATS (-16.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 16-20 ATS (-18.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN JOSE is 5-0 (+5.0 Units) against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
SAN JOSE is 5-0-0 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.8 Units)

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CAROLINA (17-18-0-7, 41 pts.) at COLUMBUS (15-24-0-3, 33 pts.) - 1/9/2016, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
COLUMBUS is 47-30 ATS (+78.2 Units) in home games in January games since 1996.
COLUMBUS is 27-23 ATS (+53.5 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 29-13 ATS (+14.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 2-11 ATS (+15.0 Units) after a division game this season.
COLUMBUS is 8-18 ATS (-11.2 Units) in home games after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 13-31 ATS (+47.8 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 8-16 ATS (-8.7 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CAROLINA is 6-4 (+1.9 Units) against the spread versus COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
CAROLINA is 6-4-0 straight up against COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.5 Units)

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MINNESOTA (21-11-0-8, 50 pts.) at DALLAS (29-10-0-4, 62 pts.) - 1/9/2016, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 29-14 ATS (+12.7 Units) in all games this season.
DALLAS is 16-4 ATS (+10.2 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 this season.
DALLAS is 12-4 ATS (+5.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
MINNESOTA is 19-12 ATS (+32.9 Units) in road games second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 6-6-0 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.8 Units)

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NASHVILLE (19-15-0-7, 45 pts.) at ARIZONA (20-16-0-4, 44 pts.) - 1/9/2016, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
NASHVILLE is 6-1 (+5.0 Units) against the spread versus ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons
NASHVILLE is 6-1-0 straight up against ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.3 Units)

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TAMPA BAY (20-17-0-4, 44 pts.) at VANCOUVER (16-16-0-9, 41 pts.) - 1/9/2016, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 4-1 (+2.5 Units) against the spread versus VANCOUVER over the last 3 seasons
TAMPA BAY is 4-1-0 straight up against VANCOUVER over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.6 Units)

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ST LOUIS (23-14-0-7, 53 pts.) at LOS ANGELES (26-12-0-2, 54 pts.) - 1/9/2016, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 13-22 ATS (-14.9 Units) revenging a home loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 9-2 ATS (+6.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
LOS ANGELES is 10-19 ATS (-23.9 Units) in January games over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 23-27 ATS (-20.0 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 5-2 (+3.5 Units) against the spread versus ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 5-2-0 straight up against ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.0 Units)

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, January 9

Hot teams
-- Washington won eight of its last ten games.
-- Islanders won three of their last five games. Philly won its last four home games.
-- Toronto won three of its last four games.
-- Arizona won three of its last four games.
-- Canucks won four of their last six games.
-- Los Angeles won six of its last seven games.

Cold teams
-- Rangers lost five of their last eight games.
-- Boston lost five of its last seven games. Senators lost six of last eight.
-- Penguins lost four of their last six games. Montreal lost seven of its last ten.
-- San Jose lost five of its last seven games.
-- Carolina lost three of its last four games. Blue Jackets lost five of last seven.
-- Minnesota, Dallas both lost three of their last four games.
-- Predators lost four of their last five games.
-- Lightning is 4-5 in its last nine games.
-- St Louis lost its last five games, last three in OT/SO.

Series records
-- Rangers won four of last five games with Washington.
-- Islanders won six of their last seven games with Philly.
-- Ottawa won four of last six games with Boston.
-- Road team won five of last six Pittsburgh-Montreal games.
-- Sharks won their last six games with Toronto.
-- Hurricanes won four of last five games with Columbus.
-- Dallas Stars won four of last five games with Minnesota.
-- Coyotes lost their last six games with Nashville.
-- Lightning won four of last five games with Vancouver.
-- Kings won eight of last ten games with St Louis.

Totals
-- Over is 3-1-1 in last five Washington games.
-- Five of last six Philly games went over total.
-- Six of last seven Ottawa games stayed under.
-- Three of last four Pittsburgh road games stayed under.
-- Over is 6-1-1 in last eight San Jose games.
-- Under is 7-2 in last nine Carolina-Columbus games.
-- Five of last six Dallas-Minnesota games went over.
-- Six of last eight Nashville-Arizona games went over.
-- Under is 4-0-2 in last six Tampa Bay-Vancouver games.
-- Last four Los Angeles games stayed under the total.

Back-to-backs
-- Boston is 3-1 if it played night before; teams are 3-7 night after playing the Devils.
-- Carolina is 5-2 if it played night before; Columbus is 3-7, 2-1 at home.
-- Nashville is 0-5 if it played night before.
-- Tampa Bay is 2-4 if it played night before; teams are 2-5 night before playing the Oilers. .
-- St Louis is 3-2 on road if it played night before; teams are 3-8 the night after playing against the Ducks.

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NHL

Saturday, January 9

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Trend Report
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1:00 PM
NY ISLANDERS vs. PHILADELPHIA
The total has gone OVER in 4 of the NY Islanders last 5 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the NY Islanders last 6 games on the road
Philadelphia is 1-6 SU in their last 7 games when playing NY Islanders
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing at home against NY Islanders

1:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. NY RANGERS
Washington is 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing NY Rangers
Washington is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games on the road
NY Rangers are 6-13 SU in their last 19 games
NY Rangers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Washington

7:00 PM
BOSTON vs. OTTAWA
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Boston's last 15 games
Boston is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games when playing on the road against Ottawa
Ottawa is 8-17 SU in its last 25 games when playing Boston
Ottawa is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Boston

7:00 PM
CAROLINA vs. COLUMBUS
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Carolina's last 9 games when playing Columbus
Carolina is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Columbus
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Columbus's last 7 games when playing at home against Carolina
Columbus is 5-13 SU in its last 18 games

7:00 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. MONTREAL
Pittsburgh is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games
Pittsburgh is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games when playing Montreal
Montreal is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Montreal's last 5 games at home

7:00 PM
TORONTO vs. SAN JOSE
Toronto is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Toronto is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
San Jose is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto
San Jose is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games

8:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. DALLAS
Minnesota is 5-12 SU in its last 17 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota's last 6 games when playing Dallas
Dallas is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Dallas's last 6 games at home

9:00 PM
NASHVILLE vs. ARIZONA
Nashville is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Arizona
Nashville is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Arizona is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Nashville
Arizona is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games at home

10:00 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. VANCOUVER
Tampa Bay is 3-7-2 SU in its last 12 games ,when playing on the road against Vancouver
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Tampa Bay's last 7 games when playing Vancouver
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Vancouver's last 7 games when playing Tampa Bay
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Vancouver's last 6 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay

10:30 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. LOS ANGELES
St. Louis is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
St. Louis is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games when playing Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Los Angeles's last 6 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Dunkel

Saturday, January 9


Minnesota @ Dallas

Game 13-14
January 9, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
12.348
Dallas
11.533
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota
by 1
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Dallas
-145
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
(+125); Over

Nashville @ Arizona

Game 15-16
January 9, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Nashville
12.538
Arizona
9.944
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Nashville
by 2 1/2
4 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Nashville
-120
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Nashville
(-120); Under

Tampa Bay @ Vancouver

Game 17-18
January 9, 2016 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Tampa Bay
11.120
Vancouver
12.699
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Vancouver
by 1 1/2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tampa Bay
-130
5
Dunkel Pick:
Vancouver
(+110); Over

St. Louis @ Los Angeles

Game 19-20
January 9, 2016 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
St. Louis
9.554
Los Angeles
13.360
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Los Angeles
by 4
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Los Angeles
-170
5
Dunkel Pick:
Los Angeles
(-170); Under

Washington @ NY Rangers

Game 1-2
January 9, 2016 @ 1:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
11.644
NY Rangers
13.134
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
NY Rangers
by 1 1/2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
-115
5
Dunkel Pick:
NY Rangers
(-105); Over

NY Islanders @ Philadelphia

Game 3-4
January 9, 2016 @ 1:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
NY Islanders
13.933
Philadelphia
9.849
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
NY Islanders
by 4
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
NY Islanders
-115
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
NY Islanders
(-115); Under

Boston @ Ottawa

Game 5-6
January 9, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boston
12.858
Ottawa
11.355
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston
by 1 1/2
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Ottawa
-110
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Boston
(-110); Under

Pittsburgh @ Montreal

Game 7-8
January 9, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Pittsburgh
10.396
Montreal
12.858
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Montreal
by 2 1/2
6 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Montreal
-120
5
Dunkel Pick:
Montreal
(-120); Over

Toronto @ San Jose

Game 9-10
January 9, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
12.058
San Jose
11.112
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 1
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Jose
-140
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(+120); Over

Carolina @ Columbus

Game 11-12
January 9, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Carolina
12.284
Columbus
9.799
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Carolina
by 2 1/2
5
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Columbus
-125
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Carolina
(+105); Under

[StarDust Bum]

SATURDAY, JANUARY 9

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


NYI at PHI 01:00 PM

PHI -100


WAS at NYR 01:00 PM

NYR -103

[StarDust Bum]

SATURDAY, JANUARY 9

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


MIN at DAL 08:00 PM

MIN +120 BEST BET

U 5.5


NAS at ARI 09:00 PM

ARI +111

O 5.5 BEST BET


TB at VAN 10:00 PM

VAN +108

O 5.0


STL at LA 10:30 PM

STL +160 BEST BET

U 5.0

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Sabres (14-22) at Jets (19-19)
Date: January 10, 2016 3:00 PM EDT

Evander Kane left Winnipeg on rough terms about a year ago, and his reception upon return might not be any less rocky.

Kane will try to help the Buffalo Sabres beat Winnipeg for just the second time in 11 tries on Sunday in his first game there since a seven-player trade ended his deteriorating relationship with the Jets.

Kane's time with the Winnipeg organization - two seasons with the Atlanta Thrashers and 3 1/2 with the Jets - included several reported tiffs with his former teammates and what he said were yearly trade requests during the offseasons in Winnipeg.

What led to his departure was a February feud with Dustin Byfuglien after Kane allegedly violated Winnipeg's dress code by wearing a tracksuit to a team meeting. Byfuglien allegedly then threw the tracksuit into a cold tub to send a message, and Kane left the rink and missed the Jets' home game that night. Kane then opted to have season-ending shoulder surgery and was traded to Buffalo a week later.

Kane downplayed his return - which also includes Buffalo's Zach Bogosian and Winnipeg's Tyler Myers and Drew Stafford, who all swapped teams in the trade.

"Ah, just another game," Kane said. "I'm going into it preparing as if we were playing any other team in the league. We're on a six-game slide here, so I'm looking for two points."

Kane wasn't sure about what type of reception to expect from fans, some of which are planning to wear tracksuits as part of "Tracksuit Night."

"I don't know," he said. "I guess we'll find out together."

Buffalo (15-22-4) could desperately use a win after going without a point in six consecutive losses. The Sabres combined for eight goals while Kane has gone without a point during the stretch.

Kane has just eight goals and five assists in 31 games this season with a minus-10 rating for a team that ranks toward the bottom of the NHL with 2.24 goals per game. Stafford is tied for Winnipeg's team lead with 14 goals with eight assists, while Myers has five goals and 13 assists as the Jets fall in the middle of the league with 2.66 goals per game.

Winnipeg (19-19-3) is 4-2-1 in the last two weeks and wrapped up a 2-2-1 road trip with Thursday's 2-1 shootout loss at Dallas. The Jets play nine of their next 10 games at MTS Centre, where they are 11-5-1 and have won eight of their last 10.

"Everyone's on the same page," Byfuglien said. "It's a big part of being a good team is everyone pulling on the same rope."

Byfuglien had little to say about Kane's return.

"It's just like any other game, any other teammate that's been traded," he said. "It's business. We've got to go and do our job."

Winnipeg - 9-1-0 in this series since Jan. 7, 2012 and winners of six straight home games over the Sabres - has used rookie Connor Hellebuyck in net almost exclusively since mid-December since Ondrej Pavelec was lost to a knee injury.

Hellebuyck is 9-4-1 and has been outstanding in his last three starts, posting a .969 save percentage.

Chad Johnson has lost his last three starts for Buffalo with a 3.39 goals-against average. He has suffered shutout losses in his only two career starts against Winnipeg despite a 0.92 GAA.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Senators (17-16) at Capitals (29-7)
Date: January 10, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

With perhaps his best chance to earn the one achievement that's eluded him his entire career, Alex Ovechkin can first attain yet another remarkable individual accomplishment.

Ovechkin goes for goal No. 500 when the powerful Capitals return to Verizon Center in search of a 10th consecutive home win Sunday night against the Ottawa Senators.

After registering his 498th goal in Saturday's first period, Ovechkin moved within one of becoming the 43rd player to reach the milestone by rushing the length of the ice and scoring 1:25 into overtime in a 4-3 victory over the New York Rangers. It's the seventh goal in seven games for the five-time Rocket Richard Trophy recipient, whose 24 this season are one off the league lead.

'To be honest, I didn't think about it," he said of nearing 500. "I'll probably think about it (Sunday) before the game. Right now, it's a huge comeback for us. When it happens, it happens.'

Ovechkin will have two chances to record the mark at Verizon Center, where Washington (30-7-3) hasn't lost since Nov. 19. The Capitals, who haven't won 10 in a row at home in a single season since a 13-game run Jan. 5-March 6, 2010, host Vancouver on Thursday.

The Capitals come home off a 3-0-2 trip that followed a nine-game winning streak. They're 19-2-2 since Nov. 21 and have amassed a league-leading 65 points, adding to the notion that this could be the best opportunity in Ovechkin's 11 seasons to capture a Stanley Cup.

Ovechkin has just one goal in his last six meetings with Ottawa (20-16-6), which held Boston's potent offense in check in Saturday's 2-1 overtime victory. The Senators have won two of three, including a 3-2 victory Monday at St. Louis that halted a 0-6-1 road skid that contained a 2-1 defeat to the Capitals on Dec. 16.

The Senators have had trouble producing goals of late, managing just seven over their last five outings, but got one late in overtime from Mark Stone to support Craig Anderson's 33 saves.

'It's about momentum,' coach Dave Cameron said. 'You get a win, you play well and you get rewarded for playing well. It certainly should put you in a good mindset going in against the best team in the East. We're going to have our hands full (Sunday) night.'

Ottawa's challenge becomes more difficult if Braden Holtby is in goal for a second straight day. The NHL's leader in wins (27) made 23 saves against the Rangers for his 22nd consecutive start without a regulation loss. He's 19-0-2 with a 1.89 goals-against average since a 1-0 defeat at Detroit on Nov. 10.

Holtby has been especially dominant at home, where he's 11-0-0 with a 1.81 GAA over his past 12 starts. He stopped 26 shots against the Senators last month.

Washington, second in the NHL with 130 goals, won't have Marcus Johansson available as he finishes serving a two-game suspension for Thursday's illegal check on the Islanders' Thomas Hickey. There's still plenty of firepower on hand, though, with Ovechkin rolling and Nicklas Backstrom having recorded three goals and three assists over a five-game point streak.

The Capitals also sport the league's second-best power play at 25.6 percent. Ottawa ranks 28th on the penalty kill but has yielded only one power-play goal over its last four.

With the Senators also playing a back-to-back, Andrew Hammond could draw a second start against Washington this season. He returned from a concussion to make 23 saves in last month's matchup.

The Capitals are 3-0-1 in their last four against Ottawa after losing seven straight in the series.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Avalanche (21-18) at Blackhawks (25-13)
Date: January 10, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Joel Quenneville's propensity for lineup changes is something he's overcome with a consistent group that has clicked during the Chicago Blackhawks' longest winning streak of the season.

He's perfectly content relying on Corey Crawford in net most of the time, too.

The Blackhawks are on the verge of winning seven straight games, but they'll likely get a tough test Sunday night at home from a Colorado Avalanche team that has scored plenty during a three-game winning streak.

Quenneville never is shy to tinker with his lines, using various combinations aside from his second group of Patrick Kane, Artem Anisimov and Artemi Panarin, which has been one of the most efficient in the league.

After Chicago (26-13-4) totaled one goal in losses to Dallas on Dec. 22 and Carolina on Dec. 27, Quenneville bumped Andrew Shaw to the top line with Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa and moved Teuvo Teravainen to the third.

The Blackhawks haven't lost since while scoring at least three goals in every game during their streak. Philip Danault scored his first NHL goal to break a tie in the third period against Buffalo on Friday before Toews added an empty-netter in a 3-1 home victory.

Toews also assisted on Niklas Hjalmarsson's first-period goal and Duncan Keith finished with two assists. That was enough for Chicago to win for the first time in six instances when Kane, the league's leading scorer, failed to record a point.

'I like the improvements in our game. I think we got a little bit more predictability in our lineup now,' Quenneville said. 'We tried some different things. We'll continue to try to get better, but I like the way, the progression in our team game and our puck possession game.'

Crawford made 28 saves and won his fourth straight start. He's 11-3-0 with a 1.63 goals-against average and four of his NHL-leading six shutouts since Dec. 6.

'I thought I started (the season) pretty strong - really strong, actually,' Crawford said. 'I kinda dipped in November a little bit, was just inconsistent in games, losing focus, giving up goals you don't want to be giving up. I was able to get back at it, play a lot of games, really get in the zone, just be consistent.'

Crawford lost his only start against Colorado this season 3-0 on Dec. 15 and has dropped his last three against the Avalanche. He wasn't in net when Toews scored in overtime to beat Colorado 4-3 on Dec. 31, snapping Chicago's four-game losing streak in the series.

That marked a rare regulation defeat for the Avalanche (21-18-3) during a 9-2-2 stretch that began Dec. 12. They've scored at least four goals each time during a three-game winning streak and got the tiebreaking tally from Tyson Barrie in Friday's 5-3 win over Nashville.

The Central is the only division with four teams at the 50-point mark as Colorado tries to make up ground in arguably the league's strongest group.

'To think, a month ago we were nine points behind (the Predators),' Barrie said. 'It says a lot about our club and what we have been able to do. A lot of season left, but I think we're building towards something and we're getting better every night.'

Semyon Varlamov allowed at least three goals for the fifth time in his last seven starts, though, and has a 3.42 GAA in that span. He had a 1.24 GAA while winning his previous eight starts against Chicago before the New Year's Eve defeat.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Red Wings (20-13) at Ducks (15-16)
Date: January 10, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Detroit Red Wings' longest road trip of the season has featured two games on the East Coast before a cross-country flight to play the first of three in California.

They haven't showed any signs of fatigue yet.

Detroit can win a season-high fourth straight game by snapping a four-game losing streak to the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night.

The Red Wings (21-13-7) began their six-game trip with a win over Buffalo on Jan. 2. They beat New Jersey on Monday and flew to San Jose for Thursday's 2-1 victory over the Sharks.

They'll face the Ducks (17-16-7) and then Los Angeles on Monday before concluding the journey Thursday at Arizona. Justin Abdelkader scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period against the Sharks as Detroit got 35 saves from Petr Mrazek, who has provided plenty of help to start the trip.

Mrazek has won each game and has stopped 57 of 58 shots over the last two. He has a 1.83 goals-against average in his last eight appearances - six starts - and made a pair of spectacular saves late in the San Jose game to close it out.

"He's played great for us, especially here lately," Abdelkader said. "I think we've gotten great goaltending throughout the year. Both guys have stepped in when they really needed to. Right now we've been riding Petr lately and he's been playing great. We just got to do a little better job in front of him and make it a little easier on him."

With the Red Wings playing a back-to-back set, it's unclear if Mrazek or Jimmy Howard will get the nod in this contest. Howard is 0-1-2 over his last four starts - he was pulled in another - with a 4.49 GAA.

Coach Jeff Blashill has praised Mrazek lately, and he could choose to ride the hot hand in both games.

"The big thing with Petr is he doesn't get nervous," Blashill said. "The bigger the moment, it doesn't affect his game he just continues to play. I think he enjoys being in those situations. He's got a special mentality that way."

Howard was in net the last time the Red Wings faced the Ducks, a 4-3 shootout defeat Feb. 23 that marked their fourth consecutive loss in the series despite two goals from Pavel Datsyuk.

Anaheim enters this matchup on a 5-1-1 run since the league returned from the holiday break. It beat St. Louis 4-3 in a shootout Friday as Ryan Kesler's second goal of the game tied it early in the third.

Ryan Getzlaf scored the winner in the shootout.

'We knew we needed to buckle down and claw back,' Kesler said. 'We did a good job of it. It would have been tough not getting that extra point, but the guys battled hard and we deserved that extra point.'

John Gibson made 25 saves and is 5-1-0 with a 1.56 GAA during Anaheim's hot stretch. The Ducks held the Blues scoreless on four power plays and have killed off their opponents' last 26 chances with the man advantage. They lead the league with an 89.4 percent kill rate.

Gibson made 35 saves in the last meeting with Detroit, his only career start against the Red Wings.