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

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Maple Leafs (21-28) at Canadiens (29-27)
Date: February 27, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Though the Montreal Canadiens are coming off an impressive victory over the NHL's top team, reaching the playoffs still remains a tall order.

At least the Canadiens can complete another season sweep of the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs with a 10th consecutive victory over their Original Six rival Saturday night.

Montreal (29-27-5) has earned five points in three games, handing Washington a rare home loss with a 4-3 victory Wednesday.

"It's something to be proud of," coach Michel Therrien told the Canadiens' official website. "That's the beauty of sport. The game is played on the ice, and the boys rose to the occasion."

The Canadiens are a modest 5-3-1 since enduring an agonizing 5-20-1 stretch that dropped them from Stanley Cup contenders to outside of playoff position in the Eastern Conference. Though Montreal is still within striking distance of the final wild-card spot, it's 13th in the East.

Rookie Mike Condon outplayed Braden Holtby on Wednesday as the Canadiens opened a 3-0 lead to chase the Capitals goaltender early in the second period, then held on after Washington scored twice in the third.

Condon has a 1.90 goals-against average in the last three games while forward Brendan Gallagher has scored in five of the last nine.

"We've been through some stuff here in the last (couple of) months but we still believe we're a pretty good hockey team," Gallagher said.

"We're just going to keep competing night after night. It's about getting results and getting back to the winning attitude that we've had for so long in here. (Wednesday was) a good step in the right direction."

The Canadiens have a good chance to remain down that road against Toronto (21-28-10), which hasn't scored more than three goals in any meeting over its 0-5-4 series stretch. It's totaled nine goals and gone 0 for 19 on the power play during an 0-3-2 slide at Montreal.

The Canadiens have killed 21 of 24 penalties in their last nine overall.

Toronto, however, snapped a four-game losing streak with Thursday's 3-1 victory over Carolina. Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau scored for the third time in five games during the Maple Leafs' second victory in nine contests.

After recording eight goals and 14 assists in 56 games with Montreal last season, Parenteau has 16 of each over 59 contests for the Maple Leafs in 2015-16. However, he could be moved prior to Monday's trade deadline as Toronto continues to look for ways to stockpile young talent and draft picks for the future.

Last in the East, the Maple Leafs have already traded veterans Dion Phaneuf, Roman Polak, Nick Spaling, and Shawn Matthias this month.

'It's in the back of your mind obviously,' said Quebec native Parenteau. 'I try not to think about it. I try to block it (out). I have two kids. I have a wife, too. We try not to listen to the media or anything. We go about our business and go from there.'

Toronto, which last won back-to-back games Feb. 2 and 4, confirmed Thursday that key forwards James van Riemsdyk and Joffrey Lupul will not return this season. Van Riemsdyk had 29 points in 40 games but a broken foot has sidelined him since Jan. 9. Dealing with as sports hernia, Lupul had 11 goals in 46 games this season.

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Preview: Senators (29-27) at Flames (26-30)
Date: February 27, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

The Ottawa Senators have little room for error in their quest to reach the playoffs.

Following a demoralizing defeat, the visiting Senators are at risk of suffering another one Saturday night if they don't take care of the lowly Calgary Flames.

Leading by one goal after two periods Thursday, Ottawa (29-27-6) was in position to claim a season-high fifth consecutive victory before Vancouver scored all three goals in the third to win 5-3.

'It's very frustrating,' said forward Mark Stone, who has nine goals in 12 games this month. 'We had a one-goal lead on the road. Can't ask for much more.'

Though the Senators are 12th in the Eastern Conference, they're very much within striking distance of the final wild-card spot. However, they can't afford games to slip away down the stretch.

"There's that fine line this time of year," coach Dave Cameron said.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Dion Phaneuf each had two assists for the Senators, who yielded 28 shots in the final two periods and were outshot for the sixth game in a row.

Ottawa lost four straight on the road before opening this three-game trip through Western Canada with Tuesday's 4-1 win at Edmonton, the only West team with fewer points than the Flames (26-30-4).

"We've got to win," Stone told the NHL's official website. "I don't think we thought we were going to win the next 20 games, but one game at a time, we need to start winning.

"Heading into Calgary, we need to throw this one away. Other teams are winning; we've got to find a way, too."

The Senators also blew a one-goal lead after two periods against the Flames on Oct. 28 before winning 5-4 in a shootout.

Ottawa has lost two straight and seven of eight at Calgary, but the Flames have dropped six of seven overall after Thursday's 2-1 overtime defeat to the New York Islanders. Calgary has totaled four goals during a three-game losing streak, one shy of a season high.

"Regardless of our situation we're still trying to win games," forward Brandon Bollig said. "At this point with our situation, everyone is playing with pride. There's a matter of professionalism. ... Try to win as many games as we can."

Calgary's Jiri Hudler, the subject of trade rumors leading up to Monday's deadline, recorded a third point in as many games with his 10th goal Thursday. The veteran forward has five goals and eight assists in his last 15 games.

Hudler has seven assists in five contests against the Senators since joining the Flames in 2012-13.

Also mentioned in trade talks, defenseman Kris Russell could return after missing the last six games with a lower-body injury.

"This is the time of the year; it doesn't change anything with our day-to-day business," coach Bob Hartley said about dealing with trade speculation. "We have games to win."

Ottawa's Craig Anderson allowed six goals during a four-game winning streak prior to yielding four against the Canucks. He has given up four goals in four straight starts against the Flames but beat them in October with 34 saves.

Senators veteran Kyle Turris had a goal and an assist that day and has seven points in these teams' last five meetings, but he's on a 14-game point drought.

These are the league's worst penalty-killing teams, with Ottawa at 74.6 percent and Calgary 73.6. The Flames' last nine opponents are 14 for 38 (36.8 percent) on the power play.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Red Wings (30-20) at Avalanche (32-27)
Date: February 27, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Detroit and Colorado rivalry features many storied chapters, though it fizzled a bit when the Red Wings moved to the Eastern Conference two seasons ago.

The next matchup figures to reignite the fire when the Red Wings and Avalanche meet for the first-ever outdoor game in Colorado on Saturday night at Coors Field as part of the NHL Stadium Series.

The height of this rivalry featured five playoff series from 1996-2002, a stretch during which Detroit won three Stanley Cups and Colorado won two.

The Red Wings (30-20-11) hope they can find the same success at Coors Field that they have across town over the last 15 seasons. Since the 2001-02 season, Detroit is 21-6-1 in Denver, including playoffs. Going back one more season, the Red Wings own a 41-14-8 record overall against the Avalanche.

But Saturday's outdoor game will bring some different variables than a typical NHL contest.

"It's different in a sense that, I don't want to say can go wrong, but there's more things that can happen that are out of your control," Detroit coach Jeff Blashill told the team's official website. "You have to go into the game just being OK with things going awry around you and keeping your focus and continuing to play. I think you have to enjoy the moment, you have to enjoy the whole atmosphere. I'm a big believer in that in life, period."

Detroit hasn't had much to smile about of late, totaling only seven goals during a 1-2-2 stretch.

That includes a winless four-game road trip, which extended Detroit's six-game skid away from home. The Red Wings have been outscored 22-10 during that drought.

However, Detroit avoided a season-high five-game losing streak with Tuesday's 2-1 shootout win over Columbus - the Red Wings' lone home game after their winless trip and before the outdoor game and Monday's visit to Dallas.

Petr Mrazek had his second straight strong performance with 28 saves after surrendering five goals in back-to-back games last week. Mrazek stopped 19 shots in a 2-1 shootout defeat at home to Colorado on Feb. 12. He's 1-0-2 with a 0.95 goals-against average in three career starts against the Avalanche.

The shootout loss extended Detroit's point streak in this series to eight games. The Red Wings are 5-0-3 in the past eight meetings, including three straight wins in Denver.

Colorado (32-27-4) has won five of seven overall with consecutive victories at home following a four-game skid there.

The Avs currently hold the West's final playoff spot with 68 points, and coach Patrick Roy is concerned about the aura that surrounds an outdoor game stealing his team's focus during the postseason push.

"There's a lot of distraction," he told the team's official website. "But at the same time, these are big points for us at this time of the year. It is important to remain focused."

Colorado has allowed an average of 3.31 goals in its last 13 games, and No. 1 goaltender Semyon Varlamov has suffered through his own struggles. Varlamov is 3-4-0 with a 3.32 GAA in his last seven starts.

He is 2-5-0 with a 2.86 GAA in seven career starts against Detroit, though he did make 43 saves in the shootout win earlier this month.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Sabres (25-30) at Kings (36-20)
Date: February 27, 2016 11:00 PM EDT

As far as the Los Angeles Kings are concerned, winning low-scoring games only prepares them for a playoff run they hope ends with their third Stanley Cup in five years.

History suggests they could get more practice in that regard Saturday night.

No team has scored more than two goals in each of the last five meetings between the Kings and visiting Buffalo Sabres, who also have been receiving some quality goaltending lately.

Los Angeles (36-20-4) leads Anaheim by two points atop the Pacific Division and has a showdown looming with the Ducks on the road Sunday. It has scored two goals or fewer in each of its last six, going 0-2-1 to start that stretch before winning the last three by the same 2-1 score.

Jeff Carter tied it in the third period against Edmonton on Thursday with his first goal in eight games before Dwight King's winner with 5:50 left.

The Kings certainly would like to be scoring more, but that doesn't mean they're not equipped to win a championship. Los Angeles finished second-to-last in goals when it won its first Stanley Cup in 2012 and 26th before winning the title in 2014.

It's tied for 16th this season.

"There's no doubt in my mind that we can be a championship team, for sure," forward Anze Kopitar told the team's official website. "We'd also rather be in a slump right now than come April. You have to work at it, it's not just going to come out of nowhere. You've just got to improve all over the ice so you can get chances off of that, create scoring chances that you eventually score on."

Buffalo (25-30-7) did the Kings a favor Friday by keeping the third-place Sharks six points back with a 3-1 victory in San Jose. Los Angeles has been able to hold its division lead largely due to the play of Jonathan Quick, who has a 1.49 goals-against average over his last six starts.

Former Sabres goaltender Jhonas Enroth could get the start in this one, though, in order for the Kings to have a rested Quick against the Ducks. Enroth lost 1-0 to New Jersey in his last start Feb. 14.

"We know we can't control how other teams are playing right now," forward Tyler Toffoli said. "We have to be worried about ourselves, worried about ourselves winning games, playing the right way, and just gaining momentum throughout the remainder of the season."

Los Angeles hasn't scored more than two goals in any of the last seven meetings with Buffalo, going 2-3-2 in those matchups. Ryan O'Reilly scored in overtime to give the Sabres a 2-1 victory Dec. 12, but he's out for at least three weeks with a lower-body injury.

Buffalo has allowed one goal or none in five of its last six and got 24 saves Friday from Chad Johnson, who has been rumored in trades ahead of Monday's deadline. Robin Lehner has a 1.39 GAA over his last five starts after stopping 28 shots in Wednesday's 1-0 loss to Anaheim and is likely to get the nod for this one.

Zach Bogosian scored the go-ahead goal off a deflection in the third against the Sharks before assisting on Evander Kane's empty netter. Bogosian has three goals over his last three after not scoring in his previous 34.

The Kings made a minor trade Friday, shipping Christian Ehrhoff to Chicago for fellow defenseman Rob Scuderi, who played for Los Angeles' 2012 championship team.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Long Sheet

Saturday, February 27

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ARIZONA (27-28-0-6, 60 pts.) at PHILADELPHIA (27-22-0-11, 65 pts.) - 2/27/2016, 1:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ARIZONA is 2-2 (+0.0 Units) against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA is 2-2-0 straight up against ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.0 Units)

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WINNIPEG (26-30-0-4, 56 pts.) at PITTSBURGH (30-21-0-8, 68 pts.) - 2/27/2016, 3:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 74-72 ATS (+168.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 33-39 ATS (-21.3 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 4-1 (+3.0 Units) against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 4-1-0 straight up against WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.3 Units)

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FLORIDA (35-18-0-7, 77 pts.) at COLUMBUS (25-29-0-8, 58 pts.) - 2/27/2016, 3:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLUMBUS is 5-3 (+1.6 Units) against the spread versus FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
COLUMBUS is 5-3-0 straight up against FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+4.0 Units)

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ST LOUIS (35-19-0-9, 79 pts.) at NASHVILLE (30-21-0-11, 71 pts.) - 2/27/2016, 3:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NASHVILLE is 198-145 ATS (+51.9 Units) on Saturday games since 1996.
NASHVILLE is 205-167 ATS (+394.6 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1996.
ST LOUIS is 10-1 ATS (+8.5 Units) in road games in February games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 100-80 ATS (+181.7 Units) in road games after a non-conference game since 1996.
NASHVILLE is 30-32 ATS (-15.7 Units) in all games this season.
NASHVILLE is 7-14 ATS (-12.1 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
NASHVILLE is 4-11 ATS (-9.9 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more this season.
NASHVILLE is 13-25 ATS (+39.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 11-3 (+7.5 Units) against the spread versus NASHVILLE over the last 3 seasons
ST LOUIS is 11-3-0 straight up against NASHVILLE over the last 3 seasons
7 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.1 Units)

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NY RANGERS (35-20-0-6, 76 pts.) at DALLAS (38-18-0-6, 82 pts.) - 2/27/2016, 4:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 11-2 ATS (+8.3 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game this season.
NY RANGERS are 99-63 ATS (+14.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 58-31 ATS (+15.7 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 22-11 ATS (+9.8 Units) in road games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 16-8 ATS (+24.0 Units) in road games in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 16-8 ATS (+24.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 2-8 ATS (-9.5 Units) in home games in February games over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 21-28 ATS (-9.2 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 14-20 ATS (-15.2 Units) in home games revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY RANGERS is 3-2 (+0.3 Units) against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
NY RANGERS is 3-2-0 straight up against DALLAS 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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TORONTO (21-28-0-10, 52 pts.) at MONTREAL (29-27-0-5, 63 pts.) - 2/27/2016, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 51-90 ATS (+156.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 16-51 ATS (+79.8 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 2-17 ATS (+28.5 Units) in road games on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 1-14 ATS (+19.9 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
TORONTO is 7-28 ATS (+45.2 Units) revenging a home loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 28-60 ATS (+101.3 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 21-38 ATS (-21.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 7-21 ATS (-14.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 27-10 ATS (+15.0 Units) on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 11-17 ATS (-11.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 10-2 (+7.5 Units) against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 10-2-0 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
8 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+4.9 Units)

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DETROIT (30-20-0-11, 71 pts.) at COLORADO (32-27-0-4, 68 pts.) - 2/27/2016, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 3-2 (+2.0 Units) against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
COLORADO is 3-2-0 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.7 Units)

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OTTAWA (29-27-0-6, 64 pts.) at CALGARY (26-30-0-4, 56 pts.) - 2/27/2016, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 76-77 ATS (-27.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CALGARY is 11-4 ATS (+6.4 Units) in home games in non-conference games this season.
OTTAWA is 28-21 ATS (+50.6 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
OTTAWA is 21-13 ATS (+35.1 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
OTTAWA is 3-2 (+0.7 Units) against the spread versus CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
OTTAWA is 3-2-0 straight up against CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.1 Units)

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BUFFALO (25-30-0-7, 57 pts.) at LOS ANGELES (36-20-0-4, 76 pts.) - 2/27/2016, 11:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
BUFFALO is 3-2 (+2.7 Units) against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
BUFFALO is 3-2-0 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
4 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+4.1 Units)

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, February 27

Hot teams
-- Flyers won three of last five games.
-- Penguins are 4-0 in game following its last four wis.
-- Florida won three of its last four games.
-- Predators won four of their last five games.
-- Rangers won three of their last four games.
-- Colorado won five of its last seven games.
-- Senators won four of their last five games.
-- Los Angeles won its last three games, all by 2-1 scores.

Cold teams
-- Arizona lost last four games, last three by one goal each.
-- Winnipeg lost four of its last five games.
-- Penguins lost three of their last five games.
-- St Louis lost its last two games, after winning its previous five.
-- Dallas Stars lost four of their last five games.
-- Maple Leafs lost seven of their last nine games. Montreal lost four of its last six.
-- Red Wings lost four of their last five games.
-- Calgary lost six of its last seven games.
-- Buffalo lost four of its last six games.

Series records
-- Flyers won four of last six games with Arizona.
-- Penguins won six of last seven games with Winnipeg.
-- Florida won its last three games with Columbus.
-- Blues won their last five games with Nashville.
-- Rangers won five of last eight games with Dallas.
-- Canadiens won their last nine games with Toronto.
-- Road team won last six Detroit-Colorado games; this game is being played outdoors.
-- Ottawa won five of its last seven games with Calgary.
-- Kings lost five of their last seven games with Buffalo.

Totals
-- Last three Arizona games stayed under the total.
-- Last four Pittsburgh games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Florida-Columbus games stayed under total.
-- Last six Nashville games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 5-1-1 in last seven Ranger-Dallas games.
-- Seven of last nine Toronto games went over total.
-- Under is 6-1-1 in last eight Detroit-Colorado games.
-- Five of last six Ottawa-Calgary games went over the total.
-- Last six Los Angeles games stayed under the total.

Back-to-backs
-- Buffalo won three of last four games if it played the night before.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL

Saturday, February 27

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Trend Report
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1:00 PM
ARIZONA vs. PHILADELPHIA
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Arizona's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Arizona's last 5 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 6 games when playing at home against Arizona
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing Arizona

3:00 PM
FLORIDA vs. COLUMBUS
Florida is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Florida's last 5 games when playing on the road against Columbus
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Columbus's last 6 games when playing Florida
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Columbus's last 14 games at home

3:00 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. NASHVILLE
St. Louis is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Nashville
St. Louis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Nashville's last 23 games when playing at home against St. Louis
Nashville is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against St. Louis

3:00 PM
WINNIPEG vs. PITTSBURGH
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Winnipeg's last 10 games on the road
Winnipeg is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games

4:00 PM
NY RANGERS vs. DALLAS
NY Rangers are 3-6-2 SU in their last 11 games ,when playing on the road against Dallas
NY Rangers are 8-3 SU in their last 11 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Dallas's last 9 games when playing at home against NY Rangers
Dallas is 2-3-1 SU in their last 6 games ,when playing at home against NY Rangers

7:00 PM
TORONTO vs. MONTREAL
Toronto is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Montreal
Toronto is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Montreal is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Montreal's last 15 games at home

8:00 PM
DETROIT vs. COLORADO
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Detroit's last 6 games on the road
Detroit is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Colorado is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home
Colorado is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Detroit

10:00 PM
OTTAWA vs. CALGARY
Ottawa is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Ottawa is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Calgary
Calgary is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Calgary's last 6 games

11:00 PM
BUFFALO vs. LOS ANGELES
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Buffalo's last 5 games when playing Los Angeles
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Buffalo's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Los Angeles's last 7 games when playing at home against Buffalo
Los Angeles is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Dunkel

Saturday, February 27


Toronto @ Montreal

Game 61-62
February 27, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
11.616
Montreal
10.514
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 1
5 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Montreal
-170
5
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(+150); Over

Detroit @ Colorado

Game 63-64
February 27, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Detroit
10.515
Colorado
12.044
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Colorado
by 1 1/2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Colorado
-115
5
Dunkel Pick:
Colorado
(-115); Over

Ottawa @ Calgary

Game 65-66
February 27, 2016 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Ottawa
10.414
Calgary
12.423
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Calgary
by 2
5
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Calgary
-125
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Calgary
(-125); Under

Buffalo @ Los Angeles

Game 67-68
February 27, 2016 @ 11:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Buffalo
12.122
Los Angeles
11.221
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Buffalo
by 1
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Los Angeles
-280
5
Dunkel Pick:
Buffalo
(+240); Under

Arizona @ Philadelphia

Game 51-52
February 27, 2016 @ 1:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Arizona
10.202
Philadelphia
11.736
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Philadelphia
by 1 1/2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Philadelphia
-140
5
Dunkel Pick:
Philadelphia
(-140); Over

Winnipeg @ Pittsburgh

Game 53-54
February 27, 2016 @ 3:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Winnipeg
10.212
Pittsburgh
12.733
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Pittsburgh
by 2 1/2
5
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Pittsburgh
-230
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Pittsburgh
(-230); Under

Florida @ Columbus

Game 55-56
February 27, 2016 @ 3:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Florida
12.216
Columbus
10.788
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Florida
by 1 1/2
5 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Columbus
-115
5
Dunkel Pick:
Florida
(-105); Over

St. Louis @ Nashville

Game 57-58
February 27, 2016 @ 3:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
St. Louis
12.712
Nashville
11.313
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
St. Louis
by 1 1/2
3 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Nashville
-135
5
Dunkel Pick:
St. Louis
(+115); Under

NY Rangers @ Dallas

Game 59-60
February 27, 2016 @ 4:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
NY Rangers
12.413
Dallas
11.099
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
NY Rangers
by 1 1/2
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Dallas
-135
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
NY Rangers
(+115); Under

[StarDust Bum]

NHL MONEYLINE

NHL > (61) TORONTO@ (62) MONTREAL | 2016-02-27 19:05:00 - 2016-02-27 19:05:00
Play AGAINST TORONTO using money line in Road games second half of the season
The record is 5 Wins and 33 Losses for the last two seasons (-26.05 units)

NHL > (61) TORONTO@ (62) MONTREAL | 2016-02-27 19:05:00 - 2016-02-27 19:05:00
Play AGAINST TORONTO using money line in All games vs. division opponents
The record is 1 Wins and 14 Losses for the this season (-12.75 units)

NHL > (51) ARIZONA@ (52) PHILADELPHIA | 2016-02-27 13:05:00 - 2016-02-27 13:05:00
Play AGAINST PHILADELPHIA using money line in All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 21 Wins and 44 Losses for the last two seasons (-30.55 units)

NHL > (57) ST LOUIS@ (58) NASHVILLE | 2016-02-27 15:05:00 - 2016-02-27 15:05:00
Play AGAINST NASHVILLE using money line in All games after a win by 2 goals or more
The record is 11 Wins and 23 Losses for the last two seasons (-18.75 units)

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

NHL PUCKLINE

NHL > (61) TORONTO@ (62) MONTREAL | 2016-02-27 19:05:00 - 2016-02-27 19:05:00
Play AGAINST TORONTO in Road games second half of the season
The record is 5 Wins and 33 Losses for the last two seasons (-26.05 units)

NHL > (61) TORONTO@ (62) MONTREAL | 2016-02-27 19:05:00 - 2016-02-27 19:05:00
Play AGAINST TORONTO in All games vs. division opponents
The record is 1 Wins and 14 Losses for the this season (-12.75 units)

NHL > (51) ARIZONA@ (52) PHILADELPHIA | 2016-02-27 13:05:00 - 2016-02-27 13:05:00
Play AGAINST PHILADELPHIA in All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 21 Wins and 44 Losses for the last two seasons (-30.55 units)

NHL > (57) ST LOUIS@ (58) NASHVILLE | 2016-02-27 15:05:00 - 2016-02-27 15:05:00
Play AGAINST NASHVILLE in All games after a win by 2 goals or more
The record is 11 Wins and 23 Losses for the last two seasons (-18.75 units)

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

NHL TOTALS

NHL > (53) WINNIPEG@ (54) PITTSBURGH | 2016-02-27 15:05:00 - 2016-02-27 15:05:00
Play UNDER WINNIPEG on the totalin All games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game
The record is 2 Overs and 11 Unders for the this season (+8.8 units)

NHL > (65) OTTAWA@ (66) CALGARY | 2016-02-27 22:05:00 - 2016-02-27 22:05:00
Play OVER OTTAWA on the totalin All games in non-conference games
The record is 31 Overs and 14 Unders for the last two seasons (+16.75 units)

[StarDust Bum]

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


ARI at PHI 01:00 PM

PHI -150


WIN at PIT 03:00 PM

WIN +180 BEST BET


STL at NAS 03:00 PM

NAS -129


FLA at CLB 03:00 PM

FLA +100 BEST BET


NYR at DAL 04:00 PM

NYR +113 BEST BET


TOR at MON 07:00 PM

MON -154


DET at COL 08:00 PM

COL +105 BEST BET


OTT at CAL 10:00 PM

CAL -101


BUF at LA 11:00 PM

BUF +248 BEST BET

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Capitals (45-11) at Blackhawks (38-20)
Date: February 28, 2016 12:30 PM EDT

The Chicago Blackhawks have acquired a bevy of players as they gear up for another Stanley Cup run and could have some of them in front of the home crowd Sunday.

The Blackhawks might need all the help they can get with a matchup against the league-best Washington Capitals and red-hot superstar Alex Ovechkin.

Chicago general manager Stan Bowman started his flurry of trades Thursday by re-acquiring Andrew Ladd from Winnipeg. The former Jets captain and member of the Blackhawks' 2010 Cup-winning team was brought over with Matt Fraser and Jay Harrison for Marko Dano and two draft picks.

Bowman added Christian Ehrhoff from Los Angeles on Friday for another veteran defenseman Rob Scuderi. He then picked up Tomas Fleischman and Dale Weise from Montreal for Philip Danault and a second-round pick in 2018.

"I really like the way this team looks right now. I'm excited to get on the ice and play," Bowman said. "Sometimes the moves are there to help your team and I think this year we clearly had some pieces we thought would give us a better chance."

Chicago (38-20-5) is expected to have nearly all of its new players available Sunday. Weise has to clear up an immigration issue first and reportedly will join the team within seven days.

The Blackhawks could use a boost from their new acquisitions after losing five of seven, totaling six goals in those defeats. A 3-1 setback to Nashville on Thursday was their fourth in five home games since the All-Star break.

The Capitals (45-11-4) have won 10 of 12, beating Minnesota 3-2 on Friday. Ovechkin started a third-period rally with his league-leading 40th goal and Dmitry Orlov tallied the tiebreaking score with 5:04 remaining.

Ovechkin has 11 goals and four assists in his last 10 games to vault past Chicago's Patrick Kane, who has 35 scores.

The five-time goal-scoring champ had the final score in a 4-1 win over Chicago on Oct. 15, Washington's fourth straight victory in the series. He has five goals and three assists in his last six games versus the Blackhawks.

"Obviously, they're skilled guys and won the Stanley Cup last year. They're an experienced team and it's a huge test for us," the Washington captain said.

The Capitals won't have their top scoring defenseman, John Carlson, for this trip after coach Barry Trotz announced Saturday he's out at least three weeks after re-aggravating a lower-body injury. Brooks Laich might play if he clears waivers, and Washington could get Jay Beagle back from an upper-body injury that's kept him out since Dec. 30.

"I think (the return) will come sometime this week. It's up to the coaches," Beagle said. "It's getting better. It's getting stronger every day. It's close."

Mike Weber, acquired from Buffalo on Tuesday for a third-round pick in 2017, went through his first practice with the Capitals on Saturday. The defenseman had to make a detour to Michigan for the birth of his second child this past week.

Ladd, who will play on the left side of Chicago's top line, had four goals in his final three games with Winnipeg and scored a goal in each of his two contests against Washington this season.

Fleischmann, who spent his first five-plus seasons with Washington from 2005-10, scored against his former team Wednesday, just his third goal in 35 games.

Former teammate Braden Holtby has a 1.67 goals-against average in winning his last three starts against the Blackhawks.

Chicago counterpart Corey Crawford has a 3.99 GAA in his last five starts after posting a 1.67 GAA in his first 15 of 2016.

[StarDust Bum]

B[]Preview: Blues (35-19) at Hurricanes (28-25)
[/B]Date: February 28, 2016 3:00 PM EDT

St. Louis has lost three straight in regulation for the first time since ending the 2013-14 regular season with six in a row, and the same problem might be to blame.

Carolina has also cooled off, and if it allows the Blues to straighten things out Sunday in Carolina, the Hurricanes will match the regulation skid of Ken Hitchcock's team.

On the slide two seasons ago, the Blues went on the penalty kill an average of 4.8 times per game and were limited to five goals. Over their last 10 games this season, it's 4.5 after limiting teams to 3.2 power-play chances over their first 54 games. Opponents are 3 for 12 on the power play in the last three games, but the concern is more on the other end of the ice.

"We're killing our PK guys," Hitchcock said. "They've got no energy to play on offense. So we don't have the energy to play offensively in the O-zone when we do get it fresh 5-on-5. We're dead from killing penalties."

The Blues (35-20-9) have scored four goals on the losing streak, and Saturday's 5-0 loss in Nashville was the team's first of at least five goals in more than a year. The club is now in danger of losing its 30th game, which last season took 76 contests to reach.

"Anytime something like this happens, it (stinks)," Jay Bouwmeester told the team's official website. "It happens to everybody. In the third period, we did some good things. We had some chances. That's what we were trying to do and just get some momentum."

That'll have to happen in the second of a four-game road trip, but the Blues figure to at least have Alex Pietrangelo back in the lineup. The defenseman was activated from injured reserve Saturday after missing nine games because of a right knee injury.

The Hurricanes (28-25-10) started the season series with a 4-1 win in St. Louis on Jan. 14 as part of a 2-0-2 span against the Blues. Jeff Skinner had a goal and an assist and has scored in four of his last five versus St. Louis.

Carolina has also strained offensively lately with two goal in its last two games, including a 4-1 home defeat to Boston on Friday. The Hurricanes fell to 2-4-0 with four multigoal losses since a 10-3-3 run ignited their playoff chase.

"We skated tonight, so that was a good sign," coach Bill Peters said. "We haven't skated in our two games prior to tonight. I just don't think we got going, and there wasn't any pace to our game tonight."

Skinner and Victor Rask, two of the team's top three in points, have both gone three games without a point, while Carolina continues to play without top scoring defenseman Justin Faulk and forward Andrej Nestrasil.

"We're not here to make excuses. We've never done that around here," captain Eric Staal told the team's official website. "When you're missing some key guys, it's tough sometimes."

It's resulted in consecutive regulation losses for Cam Ward for the first time since Nov. 27 and 30, though he's still kept them in games by not allowing more than three goals since Dec. 8. The veteran is 9-6-4 with a 1.97 goals-against average in that time. Eddie Lack played in the first meeting, but Ward is 5-1-3 with a 1.62 GAA in nine career games against the Blues.

Counterpart Jake Allen has a new backup after St. Louis acquired Anders Nilsson from Edmonton on Friday to fill in for the injured Brian Elliott. Allen, who just returned from his own injury layoff on Monday, last won on Dec. 29 and is 0-5-1 with a 3.11 GAA and in his last seven games. He's 2-0-0 with a 1.54 GAA against the Hurricanes.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Panthers (35-18) at Wild (27-25)
Date: February 28, 2016 3:00 PM EDT

The Florida Panthers made it abundantly clear Saturday that they are all in on what could be just their second postseason appearance in the last 15 years.

A day later, they can reiterate the fresh feeling by doing something they have accomplished just once before.

After adding three new pieces, the Panthers seek only their second win in Saint Paul when they visit the Minnesota Wild on Sunday.

Atlantic Division-leading Florida (35-18-8) pulled the trigger on three separate trades Saturday, acquiring forward Jiri Hudler from Calgary, defenseman Jakub Kindl from Detroit and forward Teddy Purcell from Edmonton while parting with only four draft picks and cash considerations.

The big splash was Hudler, a player just one season removed from a 31-goal, 76-point campaign with the Flames. The right winger has 10 goals and 25 assists in 53 games this season and could add some scoring punch to an offense that has totaled 14 goals on a 3-2-2 stretch.

Hudler has 16 goals and 25 assists in 77 career playoff games, which include the Red Wings' Stanley Cup run in 2008. Purcell has 11 goals and 21 assists in 61 contests this season, while Kindl has 68 points in 273 career games with Detroit.

'These guys give us some solid experience and playmaking ability and hockey sense,' said general manager Dale Tallon, who noted the Panthers may not be done dealing ahead of Monday's trade deadline. 'It takes an army to get to the playoffs.'

The three won't be with Florida on Sunday but are expected to play at Winnipeg on Tuesday. Hudler and Purcell still have visa problems to sort through, so there is a chance they won't be eligible for Thursday's game at Colorado.

The Panthers extended their point streak to five games despite opening a five-game road trip with Saturday's 4-3 shootout loss at Columbus.

Minnesota (27-25-10) owns a 6-0-1 record with one tie against the Panthers at Xcel Energy Center, part of a 12-3-2 mark with one tie in this series overall. However, the Wild are just 1-6-3 at home since Jan. 7.

Florida, which plays 13 of its final 21 games away from home, has only 28 all-time goals against the Wild. The scoring issues continued in a Jan. 3 matchup at home, though the Panthers snapped Minnesota's three-game winning streak in this series by pulling out a 2-1 victory behind a pair of Jaromir Jagr goals and a season-high 39 saves from backup Al Montoya.

While Florida is bringing in players for the home stretch, Minnesota is expected to get one of its own back Sunday. Zach Parise is likely to return after a two-game absence due to an upper-body injury, which he confirmed was not a concussion but didn't describe any further.

Parise is tied with Charlie Coyle and Thomas Vanek for the team lead with 18 goals despite missing 11 games, offense the Wild could use after scoring just five goals on their three-game losing streak.

"Felt good today," said Parise after Saturday's practice. "This time of year, it's not fun missing games."

Devan Dubnyk sat out Friday's 3-2 loss at Washington due to a "maintenance issue," but will dress and could start for the Wild on Sunday. He made 27 saves in the loss at Florida last month, falling to 4-1 with a .939 save percentage against the Panthers.

Montoya will try to improve on his 5-0 record and .964 save percentage against the Wild in his time with the New York Islanders, Winnipeg and the Panthers since 2011.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Lightning (35-22) at Bruins (34-22)
Date: February 28, 2016 6:30 PM EDT

Steven Stamkos' scoring binge has been a significant part of Tampa Bay's five consecutive wins, but the Lightning are also showcasing an improved defense.

The Lightning will next try to slow down the league's most-prolific scoring team of late, the Boston Bruins, on Sunday night while registering their first road win streak over their Atlantic Division rivals.

Stamkos is two shy of the longest goal-scoring streak of his career - a seven-game run in 2009-10 - after tallying one in each game of the Lightning's win streak. He also has two assists in that span as well as a shootout winner, which came in a 6-5 victory over Winnipeg on Feb. 18 to begin the run.

Tampa Bay (35-22-4) has since given up a combined five goals in four games. Opponents are 0 for 9 on the power play in that span.

Ben Bishop registered his first shutout since Jan. 12 and third of the season in Friday's 4-0 victory in New Jersey.

"I think we're getting there. I think we're playing better hockey," Bishop said after making 21 saves. "I think we can still take another step forward here, but it's a process. Obviously, these have been some big games against some (teams) right behind us (in the standings), and we've been able to get some wins. We need to take this in stride and keep moving forward."

Tampa Bay has the same point total as Boston (34-22-6) but holds second place in the Atlantic, having played one fewer game and with 32 non-shootout victories compared to the Bruins' 30.

No team has scored more since last Saturday than Boston, which has totaled 20 goals while winning three of four with Brad Marchand and Matt Beleskey leading the way.

Marchand has four goals and an assist in those three victories. His scoring binge dates back to Jan. 16, recording 17 of his career-high 32 goals in the past 19 games.

Beleskey has five goals in the last four games following a 15-game drought. He scored two in a 4-1 win over Carolina on Friday.

"Beleskey has been good lately," coach Claude Julien said. "Obviously pucks are starting to go in for him. He's working hard, finishing his checks and playing gritty."

Beleskey and Marchand both scored in a 3-1 road win over Tampa Bay on Oct. 31 in the teams' last meeting. Marchand sat out a 6-3 home loss to the Lightning on Oct. 12 because of a concussion.

Stamkos scored the tiebreaking goal and Brian Boyle netted a pair as Tampa Bay ended an 11-game losing streak in Boston that included the playoffs. The Lightning have six wins in 48 all-time regular-season and postseason games there.

Stamkos has totaled four goals in his last three games in Boston, and his 11 at TD Garden - including the playoffs - are his second-most in any opposing arena. He has 12 goals at Florida's BB&T Center.

Tampa Bay is seeking a season-high fourth consecutive road win while Boston is attempting to earn back-to-back home victories for the first time since Dec. 16-20.

The Bruins are 5-8-1 in their last 14 at the Garden and 9-2-0 in their past 11 away from home.

Tuukka Rask is 0-2-1 with a 4.76 goals-against average in his last three starts against Tampa Bay but has gone 4-1-0 with a 1.61 GAA in his past five overall. He's allowed one goal in each of his past two games while facing at least 40 shots.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Sharks (32-22) at Canucks (24-24)
Date: February 28, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Vancouver Canucks face a difficult task in catching the San Jose Sharks for third place in the Pacific Division. Due to some strange scheduling, however, the Canucks have a chance to quickly make up some ground.

In the first of three meetings over seven days, the Canucks look for a season-high third straight victory Sunday in this initial 2015-16 matchup with the visiting Sharks.

Though Vancouver (24-24-12) is one spot behind San Jose, which owns the final playoff spot in the division, 10 points separate the clubs. Since the Canucks also have plenty of ground to make up in the wild-card race, their best bet may be to catch the Sharks (32-22-6).

The division foes meet five times in the final 22 games with home-and-home sets Thursday and next Saturday and again March 29 and 31. The Canucks took three of the five meetings last season but the Sharks have won seven straight at Vancouver, including the playoffs.

"With San Jose, we just have to make sure we're focused on one game," Canucks coach Willie Desjardins said. "If we get (this) one we can worry about the next."

After scoring two goals in five straight games, Vancouver scored five apiece to beat Colorado and Ottawa at home to follow a four-game skid.

"We're starting to roll a little bit," rookie forward Jake Virtanen told the NHL's official website after he recorded a goal and an assist in Thursday's 5-3 win over the Senators.

While the Canucks have an opportunity to make some progress in the standings over the next week, they also remain realistic and know some key veterans could be dealt prior to Monday's trade deadline.

Fifth on the team with 24 points, Radim Vrbata remains the subject of various trade rumors though he could miss a second straight contest with a lower-body injury. There's also a strong chance defenseman Dan Hamhuis will be traded.

"It's not where you want to be, you want to be fighting for a playoff spot and not seeing all the speculation that's out there," said Hamhuis, who has six assists and is a plus-4 in 36 games during a season where he missed 21 contests after taking a puck to the face.

San Jose acquired veterans Roman Polak and Nick Spaling from Toronto earlier this week. Spaling scored in Wednesday's 4-3 shootout loss at Colorado, which the Sharks followed with a 3-1 home defeat to Buffalo on Friday. The latter snapped a season-high nine-game home point streak for San Jose, which is four points behind second-place Anaheim in the Pacific.

Defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic scored on the Sharks' first shot 1:28 into Friday's game, but they finished with 25 - 5.1 less than their season average.

"We came out with a great start but were unable to build on it," San Jose captain Joe Pavelski said.

The Sharks failed to draw a penalty for the second time in four games. Though they were never a man down Friday during the first game in club history where no penalties were called, their three previous opponents went 4 for 7 on the power play.

Vancouver is 5 for 15 with the man advantage in its last five contests.

Ryan Miller's seven-game winning streak against the Sharks ended with a 5-1 home loss Feb. 5 of last year.

The Sharks acquired goaltender James Reimer and forward Jeremy Morin from Toronto on Saturday for goalie Alex Stalock, forward Ben Smith and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2018 draft.

Reimer, who has a 2.19 goals-against average and .918 save percentage this season, adds depth in goal for San Jose.