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

[StarDust Bum]

Yesterday's Results: 2 - 2

Ytd: 15 -20 - 1............- 0.46

THURSDAY, MARCH 10

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


CAR at BOS 07:00 PM

BOS -186


BUF at MON 07:30 PM

BUF +127


OTT at FLA 07:30 PM

OTT +150


WIN at DET 07:30 PM

DET -179


EDM at MIN 08:00 PM

EDM +152


NJ at SJ 10:30 PM

NJ +210

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Penguins (34-24) at Blue Jackets (28-31)
Date: March 11, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Sidney Crosby didn't get a chance to renew his rivalry with Brandon Dubinsky the last time the Pittsburgh Penguins met the Columbus Blue Jackets.

That should change this time while the Blue Jackets are also expected to give Sergei Bobrovsky his first start since Jan. 21 in Friday night's home meeting with the Penguins.

These teams last met Dec. 21 when Pittsburgh (34-24-8) won 5-2 at home, giving the club its first victory in five tries since Mike Sullivan took over as coach for Mike Johnston. It also ended the Blue Jackets' three-game win streak in this series that included a pair of 2-1 victories in November.

Columbus (28-31-8) has won a season-high four straight at home.

"Obviously they're a good team, they're playing well right now," Sullivan said. "They're beating a lot of good teams. They skate well, they're a physical team, they play a straight-ahead game."

Crosby sat out his first game of the season with a lower-body injury that kept him out of the Dec. 21 matchup. It came after the previous meeting Nov. 27 featured some controversy, with Dubinsky cross-checking Crosby in the head to draw a one-game suspension. Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella added some heat to the incident by accusing the Penguins of complaining to the league offices.

Dubinsky and Crosby also fought each other last season, resulting in just the sixth fighting major of Crosby's career. He said there is more of a rivalry between these teams since they met in the postseason two years ago.

"It's developed into one of the division rivalries and playoffs probably has a lot to do with that," Crosby said. "I think, just like I said, the fact that we've had close games and intense games over the years has probably built that up a bit over the years."

Columbus plans to start Bobrovsky, who has been out for an extended period of time with a groin injury. He is eager to get back onto the ice.

"I had a few practices with the team," Bobrovsky told the Blue Jackets' official website. "I didn't have any restrictions, so I feel like I can stretch, I can push hard and I don't feel anything, so I felt like my body is ready to go."

Bobrovsky has posted a 1.94 goals-against average in winning his last four regular-season starts against the Penguins.

His primary aim may be to contain Crosby, who has 10 points in a six-game streak. Crosby has 13 in an eight-game regular-season run at Columbus.

Evgeni Malkin has 17 points in 13 career regular-season games versus the Blue Jackets, with a two-goal effort in January. The Penguins have won four of seven since Malkin returned Feb. 27 after missing 10 games with a lower-body injury.

Pittsburgh is also getting closer to full strength since Beau Bennett, Ben Lovejoy and Eric Fehr are all nearing returns.

"They're difficult decisions but they're good problems to have when you have people playing well that you think have made contributions and you've got these guys coming off injury that have played well at the same time," Sullivan said.

The Penguins fell 2-1 at the New York Islanders on Tuesday in their last game while the Blue Jackets had a 5-3 victory over Detroit the same day in which Cam Atkinson scored twice and Dubinsky had two assists.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Flyers (31-23) at Lightning (39-23)
Date: March 11, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

After ending Tampa Bay's franchise-record nine-game winning streak, the Philadelphia Flyers can continue their surge if they avoid a ninth straight road loss to the Lightning.

The Flyers also could send the Lightning to their worst losing streak since October on Friday night.

Philadelphia (31-23-11) completed a 5-1 homestand by scoring three times in the third period to beat Tampa Bay 4-2 on Monday.

"We're playing with confidence and we're sure of ourselves right now," forward Wayne Simmonds told the Flyers' official website. "It's a good way to be feeling going down the stretch here."

Simmonds has 10 points during a 7-2-1 stretch for Philadelphia, which is ninth in the Eastern Conference and very much within striking distance of both wild-card spots. The Flyers now face both Florida teams - both among the East's top six - on back-to-back nights as they hit the road for the first time since Feb. 23.

"This is going to be a great test for us going down (to Florida) for two really tough games," said Steve Mason, who has allowed two goals in two games after being benched in five straight. "That starts with a real tough game against the Lightning."

Mason made 16 saves Monday and had 29 in the teams' other meeting but let defenseman Jason Garrison score in overtime of a 3-2 loss at Tampa Bay (39-23-5) on Oct. 8.

The Flyers have totaled 14 goals during an 0-6-2 skid at Tampa, but the last two were decided by one goal each. A victory Friday would let Philadelphia win the season series for the first time since 2009-10.

The Lightning had won a team-record nine straight before Monday's lackluster effort against the Flyers, and they followed with a 1-0 overtime loss to Boston one night later.

"That's not who we are as a team," forward Brian Boyle said of the performance at Philadelphia. "We don't show that very often if at all."

Boyle felt the effort was significantly better against the Bruins, one of the teams they're battling for the Atlantic Division lead.

"It's unfortunate we couldn't get two (points) tonight, but we had our chances," he said. "We competed pretty hard. We're still trying to work to get better before the playoffs start."

Tampa Bay fell to 12-2-1 at home in 2016 and now could lose three straight overall for the first time since a season-high 0-3-1 slide Oct. 24-31.

Ben Bishop, who sat out at Philadelphia, made 32 saves as his six-game winning streak ended Tuesday. He has a 1.42 goals-against average in those last seven starts and stopped 23 shots against the Flyers in October.

While Bishop has had a hand in Tampa Bay killing 67 of its last 73 penalties, the power play has failed to score in five straight games and is 4 for 51 in the last 16. The Lightning are 1 for 5 against the Flyers this season.

Steven Stamkos has not recorded a point in three consecutive games - his longest drought since Tampa's four-game skid in October - and didn't have any in the first two with the Flyers.

Philadelphia's Shayne Gostisbehere scored twice Monday. He recorded one point in the previous six that followed a 15-game point streak. His 14 goals - in 47 games - are a team record for a rookie defenseman.

'He's learning fast,' said captain Claude Giroux, who had two assists Monday. 'He listens. When a young player comes in and wants to get better and listens to the people around him, good things are going to happen.'

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Ducks (37-20) at Blues (39-20)
Date: March 11, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

It's no secret that the St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks have used outstanding special teams as a major part of their success.

These are the league's top teams on the penalty kill and have also fared well on the power play heading into Friday night's matchup in St. Louis.

Anaheim (37-20-9) is at 86.6 percent on the penalty kill and St. Louis at 86.4. They are among the league's best with the man advantage as well, with the Ducks at 22.9 and Blues at 22.4.

St. Louis (39-20-9) showed how tough it can be on the penalty kill by limiting red-hot Chicago to 1 for 4 on the power play in Wednesday's 3-2 shootout victory. Jake Allen stopped the first seven shots he saw with the Blues a man down, and the only power-play goal St. Louis yielded came during a 5-minute penalty to Ryan Reaves.

'Our penalty killers did a heck of a job,' coach Ken Hitchcock said. 'That's a power play that's what, in the last 10 games, is 50 percent almost? Their numbers are incredible. The whole penalty kills, the two 2-minute penalties and the 5-minute penalty, I thought we did a great job.'

The league has rescinded Reaves' game misconduct from that contest.

David Backes and Troy Brouwer scored on the power play as St. Louis improved to 15 for 44 (34.1 percent) in its last 14 games.

The Blues continue to play without Alexander Steen, second on the club with 47 points. Steen has missed the last seven games with an upper-body injury.

Anaheim has lost consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 21-22 after Wednesday's 3-0 defeat at Colorado in the opener of a two-game trip. It came two days after the Ducks' franchise-best 11-game win streak ended with a 2-1 shootout defeat to Washington.

The Ducks were shut out for the first time in 27 games Wednesday.

'We weren't prepared to play tonight. Simple as that,' center Ryan Getzlaf said. 'They played well and we didn't show up to play.'

Anaheim is 0 for 7 on the power play in its last two games after going 19 for 43 during the win streak.

Corey Perry has gone three straight games without a point after a three-game stretch in which he had eight that followed a four-game pointless run.

Ducks center Shawn Horcoff is eligible to return after serving a 20-game suspension for violating the terms of the NHL's performance-enhancing substances program. Horcoff has 10 points in 45 games.

Defenseman Sami Vatanen, third on the team with 37 points, suffered an upper-body injury Wednesday and did not return. He will be re-evaluated before this game.

These teams have split two meetings, with St. Louis winning 2-1 at home Oct. 29 and Anaheim responding with a 4-3 shootout win Jan. 8. The Blues are 0 for 9 on the power play in those games and the Ducks 2 for 9.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Blackhawks (41-21) at Stars (40-20)
Date: March 11, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

An already dramatic Central Division race is about to get a little more exciting.

Sole possession of first place will be on the line when the Dallas Stars host the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night, though the winner may not be able to stake that claim for long.

A mere one point separates the Western Conference's top three teams entering this marquee matchup, with charging St. Louis gaining ground following Wednesday's 3-2 shootout win over the Blackhawks. The Stars will host the Blues on Saturday night.

Both Chicago (41-21-6) and Dallas (40-20-8) have allowed the Blues to close the gap with uneven recent results. The Blackhawks are 3-3-1 over a seven-game stretch while the Stars were dealt an eighth loss in 11 with Tuesday's 4-3 overtime defeat at struggling Montreal.

"Tough game on the road and I think it is good to get a point, but we've got to find a way to win that game," center Jason Spezza told the Stars' official website. "Whether it is in overtime or the couple chances we had in the third, that is a game we should be winning."

The Blackhawks, meanwhile, couldn't protect a 1-0 lead after two periods against St. Louis, though they still managed to earn an important point when Artemi Panarin tied it with 1:17 left and goaltender Corey Crawford pulled for an extra skater.

'We're disappointed we gave up the lead,' coach Joel Quenneville said. 'And then you score with the goalie out you've got to be pretty happy on the road."

The Blues scored both their late goals on the power play, further exposing Chicago's primary recent weakness. The Blackhawks have killed just 61.1 percent of short-handed chances in 12 games since Feb. 9, the NHL's lowest mark over that span.

A defensive decline can also explain Dallas' drop-off, as it's surrendered a league-high 40 goals over 10 contests since Feb. 18. Already without defensemen John Klingberg and Jordie Benn due to lower-body injuries, the Stars had their backline further thinned when Jason Demers suffered a potentially long-term shoulder injury Tuesday.

Dallas also is dealing with slumps from its top two forwards. Tyler Seguin is a minus-seven over a season-high five-game streak without a point and Jamie Benn hasn't scored in a season-high seven straight.

Spezza has been producing of late, recording a goal in four straight and tallying seven in his last eight, and the Stars may have ex-********* Patrick Sharp (lower body) back from a three-game absence.

Chicago's Marian Hossa, sidelined nine games with a lower leg injury, also may play after returning to practice on Tuesday.

Crawford has allowed two goals or less in five consecutive starts and had 36 saves in a 5-1 win at Dallas on Feb. 6. He was removed after one period in a 4-2 home loss to the Stars five days later, though, with Patrick Eaves registering a hat trick during a four-goal opening frame.

The Stars won the teams' initial 2015-16 meeting 4-0 behind Antti Niemi's 20 saves. The former ********* hasn't played since March 1, however, and has a 4.68 goals-against average over his last five starts.

Kari Lehtonen has worked Dallas' last three games, stopping 41 of 44 shots in wins over New Jersey and Ottawa prior to Tuesday's 24-save effort. He had a season-high 44 saves in the Feb. 11 win in Chicago.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Coyotes (28-32) at Flames (28-34)
Date: March 11, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

If the Arizona Coyotes are to improve to 4-0 against the Calgary Flames this season, they'll need to end the longest road losing streak in franchise history.

The Coyotes look to avoid an 11th consecutive road defeat Friday night against the Flames, who are trying to win back-to-back home games for the first time in more than two months.

It appeared Arizona would prevent its road slide from reaching a club-record 10 games Wednesday, but the visitors failed to hold a 2-0 lead en route to a 3-2 overtime loss to Vancouver.

'It's certainly frustrating,' forward Alex Tanguay said. 'When you are up 2-0 on the road you have to make sure you play solid, you don't get lost, you play the position."

Losers of nine of 10 overall, the Coyotes (28-32-7) have totaled 18 non-shootout goals in the last 12 road games.

Tanguay has been one of the few offensive bright spots with two goals and three assists in three games since coming over from Colorado on Feb. 29. Tanguay, who spent five seasons over two stints with Calgary, assisted on Arizona's third power-play goal in 11 road contests Wednesday.

"He makes good plays," coach Dave Tippett told the Coyotes' official website. "There (are) plays that are there that some players make and some don't, and he has a knack of making good plays ... He's contributed since he's got here. That's good to see."

Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson had a goal in each of the Coyotes' first three meetings with Calgary (28-34-5), but the team points leader could miss a second straight contest with an upper-body injury.

Louis Domingue has posted a 3.75 goals-against average during his 0-8-1 road losing streak but stopped 51 of 53 shots in the last two against the Flames.

Two points behind Arizona, Calgary has earned one in three straight contests and ended an 0-1-2 home skid with Wednesday's 3-2 overtime victory over Nashville. Johnny Gaudreau scored twice in a 10-second span of the first period and assisted on Mikael Backlund's winner.

Calgary hasn't won two in a row at home since an 11-game run Nov. 5-Dec. 27. It last won two straight overall during a three-game winning streak Feb. 6-11.

"We have to play our hardest every single game," Gaudreau told the NHL's official website. "There are a lot of expectations in this locker room to finish the season out strong, get a good summer in and be ready for next year."

With 66 points in 66 games, Gaudreau has surpassed his 64 from last season's stellar rookie season. A league-high 48 of those points have come at home.

'I just love playing in front of our fans,' said Gaudreau, whose 26 goals are two more than last season. 'Whether we lose or win, they're proud of us. So for me, the best gift to give back to them in a losing season is work my hardest each night and show them some creativity and excitement.'

Though Gaudreau was shut out in a 4-1 loss at Arizona on Feb. 12, he has two goals and two assists in the last three at home against the Coyotes.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL MONEYLINE

NHL > (9) ARIZONA@ (10) CALGARY | 2016-03-11 21:05:00 - 2016-03-11 21:05:00
Play ON ARIZONA using money line in All games after a division game
The record is 15 Wins and 6 Losses for the this season (+13.1 units)

NHL > (1) PITTSBURGH@ (2) COLUMBUS | 2016-03-11 19:05:00 - 2016-03-11 19:05:00
Play AGAINST PITTSBURGH using money line in All games vs. division opponents
The record is 19 Wins and 34 Losses for the last two seasons (-28.65 units)

NHL > (1) PITTSBURGH@ (2) COLUMBUS | 2016-03-11 19:05:00 - 2016-03-11 19:05:00
Play AGAINST PITTSBURGH using money line in All games in a road game where where the total is 5.5
The record is 9 Wins and 21 Losses for the last two seasons (-16.8 units)

NHL > (3) PHILADELPHIA@ (4) TAMPA BAY | 2016-03-11 19:35:00 - 2016-03-11 19:35:00
Play ON PHILADELPHIA using money line in Road games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 9 Wins and 4 Losses for the this season (+8.9 units)

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NHL PUCKLINE

NHL > (9) ARIZONA@ (10) CALGARY | 2016-03-11 21:05:00 - 2016-03-11 21:05:00
Play ON ARIZONA in All games after a division game
The record is 15 Wins and 6 Losses for the this season (+13.1 units)

NHL > (1) PITTSBURGH@ (2) COLUMBUS | 2016-03-11 19:05:00 - 2016-03-11 19:05:00
Play AGAINST PITTSBURGH in All games vs. division opponents
The record is 19 Wins and 34 Losses for the last two seasons (-28.65 units)

NHL > (1) PITTSBURGH@ (2) COLUMBUS | 2016-03-11 19:05:00 - 2016-03-11 19:05:00
Play AGAINST PITTSBURGH in All games in a road game where where the total is 5.5
The record is 9 Wins and 21 Losses for the last two seasons (-16.8 units)

NHL > (3) PHILADELPHIA@ (4) TAMPA BAY | 2016-03-11 19:35:00 - 2016-03-11 19:35:00
Play ON PHILADELPHIA in Road games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 9 Wins and 4 Losses for the this season (+8.9 units)

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NHL TOTALS

NHL > (1) PITTSBURGH@ (2) COLUMBUS | 2016-03-11 19:05:00 - 2016-03-11 19:05:00
Play OVER COLUMBUS on the totalin Home games second half of the season
The record is 25 Overs and 10 Unders for the last two seasons (+15.15 units)

NHL > (5) ANAHEIM@ (6) ST LOUIS | 2016-03-11 20:05:00 - 2016-03-11 20:05:00
Play UNDER ST LOUIS on the totalin All games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 8 Overs and 20 Unders for the this season (+11.6 units)

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Long Sheet

Friday, March 11

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PITTSBURGH (34-24-0-8, 76 pts.) at COLUMBUS (28-31-0-8, 64 pts.) - 3/11/2016, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 78-75 ATS (-34.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 1-7 ATS (-7.5 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 this season.
PITTSBURGH is 37-42 ATS (-25.2 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 19-34 ATS (-32.2 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 24-27 ATS (-17.1 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 40-35 ATS (-0.1 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 13-5 ATS (+18.5 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 20-14 ATS (+36.6 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 25-18 ATS (+44.7 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 11-7-0 straight up against COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
11 of 18 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+5.2 Units)

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PHILADELPHIA (31-23-0-11, 73 pts.) at TAMPA BAY (39-23-0-5, 83 pts.) - 3/11/2016, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 0-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) in road games in March games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 231-239 ATS (-85.3 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more since 1996.
TAMPA BAY is 21-8 ATS (+7.9 Units) second half of the season this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 12-9 ATS (+24.1 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5 or less this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 18-12 ATS (+33.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
TAMPA BAY is 332-387 ATS (+836.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 6-2 (+3.5 Units) against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
TAMPA BAY is 6-2-0 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.9 Units)

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ANAHEIM (37-20-0-9, 83 pts.) at ST LOUIS (39-20-0-9, 87 pts.) - 3/11/2016, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ANAHEIM is 99-65 ATS (+8.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 33-21 ATS (+54.2 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5 or less over the last 3 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 22-8 ATS (+10.4 Units) second half of the season this season.
ANAHEIM is 235-213 ATS (+462.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1996.
ST LOUIS is 7-14 ATS (-14.3 Units) on Friday nights over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ANAHEIM is 6-2 (+4.9 Units) against the spread versus ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
ANAHEIM is 6-2-0 straight up against ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.7 Units)

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CHICAGO (41-21-0-6, 88 pts.) at DALLAS (40-20-0-8, 88 pts.) - 3/11/2016, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 37-24 ATS (+12.7 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 54-32 ATS (+10.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 12-17 ATS (-17.0 Units) second half of the season this season.
DALLAS is 9-15 ATS (-14.2 Units) in home games vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 8-5-0 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
9 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+4.8 Units)

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ARIZONA (28-32-0-7, 63 pts.) at CALGARY (28-34-0-5, 61 pts.) - 3/11/2016, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA is 20-55 ATS (+105.1 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 6-20 ATS (+32.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 15-6 ATS (+22.5 Units) after a division game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 7-6 (+1.0 Units) against the spread versus ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 7-6-0 straight up against ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons
9 of 13 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+4.1 Units)

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NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, March 11

Hot teams
-- Columbus won four of last six games. Penguins are 4-0 in game following last four wins.
-- Philadelphia won five of its last six games.
-- St Louis won its last four games, scoring 16 goals.

Cold teams
-- Tampa Bay lost its last two games, after winning its previous eight.
-- Anaheim lost its last two games, scoring one goal, after winning 11 in a row.
-- Chicago lost three of its last four road games. Dallas lost five of its last seven games.
-- Arizona lost nine of its last ten games. Calgary lost eight of its last ten.

Series records
-- Blue Jackets won five of last seven games with Pittsburgh.
-- Flyers lost seven of last nine games with Tampa Bay.
-- Ducks won six of their last eight games with St Louis.
-- Dallas Stars won four of last five games with Chicago.
-- Coyotes won their last three games with Calgary.

Totals
-- Five of last six Columbus games went over the total.
-- Six of last eight Flyer-Lightning games went over the total.
-- Five of last seven Anaheim-St Louis games stayed under.
-- Five of last seven Dallas-Chicago games went over.
-- Eight of last ten Arizona-Calgary games stayed under.

Back-to-backs
-- None




NHL

Friday, March 11

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. COLUMBUS
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games when playing on the road against Columbus
Pittsburgh is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Columbus's last 13 games when playing Pittsburgh
Columbus is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Pittsburgh

7:30 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. TAMPA BAY
Philadelphia is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games
Tampa Bay is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Tampa Bay's last 8 games

8:00 PM
ANAHEIM vs. ST. LOUIS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Anaheim's last 5 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
Anaheim is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of St. Louis's last 6 games at home
St. Louis is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Anaheim

8:30 PM
CHICAGO vs. DALLAS
Chicago is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Dallas
Chicago is 12-5 SU in its last 17 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Dallas's last 6 games when playing at home against Chicago
Dallas is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Chicago

9:00 PM
ARIZONA vs. CALGARY
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Arizona's last 6 games
Arizona is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Calgary's last 5 games when playing Arizona
Calgary is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Dunkel

Friday, March 11


Anaheim @ St. Louis

Game 5-6
March 11, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Anaheim
13.044
St. Louis
11.684
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Anaheim
by 1 1/2
5 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
St. Louis
-120
5
Dunkel Pick:
Anaheim
(+100); Over

Chicago @ Dallas

Game 7-8
March 11, 2016 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago
13.048
Dallas
11.432
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago
by 1 1/2
4 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Dallas
-110
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago
(-110); Under

Arizona @ Calgary

Game 9-10
March 11, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Arizona
10.821
Calgary
9.353
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Arizona
by 1 1/2
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Arizona
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Arizona
N/A

Pittsburgh @ Columbus

Game 1-2
March 11, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Pittsburgh
13.331
Columbus
9.176
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Pittsburgh
by 4
4 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Pittsburgh
-140
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Pittsburgh
(-140); Under

Philadelphia @ Tampa Bay

Game 3-4
March 11, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Philadelphia
8.978
Tampa Bay
13.193
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Tampa Bay
by 4
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tampa Bay
-170
5
Dunkel Pick:
Tampa Bay
(-170); Over

[StarDust Bum]

Yesterday's Results: 2 - 2.............+_ 1.92
YTD: 17 - 22 -1.............+ 1.46

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FRIDAY, MARCH 11

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


PIT at CLB 07:00 PM

CLB +142


PHI at TB 07:30 PM

PHI +147


ANA at STL 08:00 PM

STL -108


CHI at DAL 08:30 PM

CHI -114


ARI at CAL 09:00 PM

ARI +125

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Preview: Islanders (37-20) at Bruins (38-23)
Date: March 12, 2016 1:00 PM EDT

Fatigue may have contributed to both the Boston Bruins and New York Islanders settling for one point each in their last contests. After some much-needed downtime, the two teams face off Saturday at Boston looking to continue their push for a postseason berth.

Though the Islanders (37-20-8) had a four-game winning streak snapped with a 4-3 shootout loss at Toronto on Wednesday night, they still collected a point for the 10th time in 11 games and took five of six in a stretch of three games in four nights.

Nick Leddy had a goal and an assist for New York, which was 73 seconds from extending its winning streak before allowing a power-play goal that forced overtime. The Islanders are two points behind the New York Rangers for second in the Metropolitan Division but have two games in hand.

"Every point is so crucial, we saw how close it came for us to have home ice last year and I think that's something that weighs on our minds," Islanders captain John Tavares said. "We had a chance to seal the deal and we didn't."

Tavares moved one goal shy of becoming the 11th player in Islanders history to score 200. He has 10 goals and 12 assists in 23 games versus the Bruins, including three of each in his last three games at Boston.

Leddy has 18 points in his last 18 games and his 36 points lead all Islanders defensemen. He has three straight multipoint games and ended a 10-game goal drought with his second-period tally.

"It's a new NHL," coach Jack Capuano said of Leddy. "You have to be able to skate on the back end, you have to be able to activate and join the rush and contribute offensively."

Thomas Greiss, who had 33 saves Wednesday in his first start since the Islanders learned No. 1 goaltender Jaroslav Halak would likely miss the rest of the regular season with an upper-body injury, stopped 28 of 29 shots in a 2-0 loss to Boston last season while with Pittsburgh in his only appearance against the Bruins.

Boston (38-23-8) is locked in a three-way fight with Tampa Bay and Florida for the Atlantic Division lead and is coming off Thursday's 3-2 overtime loss to Carolina.

It was the fourth straight game decided in overtime for Boston, which split those contests. The Bruins barely saw the puck before Carolina's Phillip Di Giuseppe scored the winner 1:30 into the extra period.

"It's not what they did to us," coach Claude Julien told the team's official website. "It's what we didn't do ourselvesâ?¦so let's chalk it up as a tough loss, but a good point, and let's move on here and prepare for Saturday (against the New York Islanders).

"If I was a betting man, I think our team's going to be much better on Saturday."

Patrice Bergeron has five goals and three assists in a six-game point streak. He also got the better of Tavares in Boston's most recent game against New York, getting a goal and an assist in a 2-1 road victory Nov. 8 while winning 9 of 12 faceoffs between the two.

The Bruins also won 5-3 at New York on Oct. 23 and have won four straight in the series.

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Preview: Hurricanes (31-26) at Sabres (27-33)
Date: March 12, 2016 1:00 PM EDT

After posting one of the Eastern Conference's worst February records, this month could not be going much better for the Carolina Hurricanes.

The next week could go a long way toward determining if they'll be a legitimate playoff contender over the season's final month.

Coming off an impressive win over one of the top teams in the East, the visiting Hurricanes can't afford to slip up Saturday against one of the conference's worst, the Buffalo Sabres.

Shipping captain Eric Staal to the New York Rangers at the trade deadline seemed to signal Carolina (31-26-11) was packing in the season, but coach Bill Peters' team apparently isn't giving up on it quite yet.

The Hurricanes have earned seven points in four March games after going 5-6-2 last month and are in a tight race with Detroit, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia for the two wild-card spots. They'll visit the Penguins on Thursday, two days after a matchup at league-leading Washington, which means beating the lowly Sabres (27-33-9) is paramount in their quest to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2009.

Carolina earned two points in a building in which it had dropped four in a row Thursday, opening a five-game trip with a 3-2 overtime victory over Boston to surpass last season's win total with 14 games to play. Phillip Di Giuseppe scored 1:30 into OT as the Hurricanes controlled the puck throughout the extra period and never allowed the Bruins to shoot.

'We believe you've got to hang on to the puck in overtime. Once you give it up, you typically don't get it back,' Peters said. 'We want to be an attacking team.'

Jeff Skinner set up the winner, giving him four goals and three assists in his last five games, while Elias Lindholm scored on the power play.

The Hurricanes allowed a power-play goal but have killed off 12 of 13 penalties in the last six games.

The Sabres have gone 0 for 8 with the man advantage in their last three contests and allowed a power-play goal in five straight. They haven't yielded a power-play goal in six in a row since December 2010.

Carolina's Cam Ward stopped 30 shots Thursday to win his second straight start following a three-game losing streak. Ward, however, has dropped four straight starts in Buffalo with a 3.57 goals-against average.

In the only matchup this season Nov. 27, Ward stopped 11 of 14 shots before being replaced by Eddie Lack after two periods in a 4-1 road loss.

Ward could be facing heavy pressure as the Sabres have ramped up their attack in six games this month, averaging 33.3 shots for one of the league's highest marks.

Buffalo had 38 shots Thursday in Montreal but only Nicolas Deslauriers and Brian Gionta scored.

"It was a weird game," Gionta told the team's official website. "At spurts things were happening, at other spurts nothing was going on. But again, we've got to find ways to win these games."

Robin Lehner made 31 saves in starting for the sixth time in seven games for Buffalo. He's gone 1-5-2 in his last eight starts and has posted a 5.20 GAA in losing all three career starts against Carolina.

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Preview: Rangers (39-22) at Red Wings (33-23)
Date: March 12, 2016 2:00 PM EDT

Three days off have done the banged-up New York Rangers good, and the ultimate reward comes Saturday in the form of Henrik Lundqvist's return to the net - along with the possible return of Rick Nash.

The Detroit Red Wings also got well by snapping a three-game losing streak their last time out, and they'll be looking to continue their home dominance in this series.

New York (39-22-6) is opening a back-to-back after its break, with a home matchup against Pittsburgh on tap Sunday. The Rangers rebounded from a home loss to the archrival Islanders by winning 4-2 at Buffalo on Tuesday in a somewhat sloppy effort.

New York built a 3-0 lead and outshot the Sabres 16-9 in the second period, but Buffalo cut the deficit to one after 40 minutes and posted a 19-4 shot advantage in the third.

' ... We did find a way to win,' said coach Alain Vigneault, whose team is 12-4-1 in the past 17.

The Rangers have done that twice in three games without star goaltender Lundqvist, with backup Antti Raanta playing well in the victories. However, Lundqvist, out with neck spasms suffered in a loss to the Penguins on March 3, will start against Detroit (33-23-11).

"I just need to go out there and play, relax, trust my instincts," Lundqvist told the team's official website. "When you are used to playing a lot, then don't play for a week, of course you're going to feel it; but it's really a mindset, just being comfortable and trusting yourself."

He's certainly been comfortable against the Red Wings, winning five straight matchups and posting shutouts in three of those while allowing one goal in one of the others.

All of those victories, however, came at Madison Square Garden, while the Red Wings have dominated the Rangers at Joe Louis Arena. Detroit has gone 12-1-1 in the past 14 such meetings, winning 2-1 in overtime in the latest one March 4, 2015.

New York did take the teams' most recent matchup, 1-0 in OT on Feb. 21 on Kevin Klein's goal to avoid a third straight overall loss in the series.

Vigneault said Nash has a "very good chance" to return Saturday from the leg injury that's kept him out the last 20 games. Defenseman Marc Staal (back spasms) should return, though center Derick Brassard (flu) is questionable.

Justin Abdelkader scored the tiebreaking goal late in the third period to lift Detroit to a 3-2 victory over Winnipeg on Thursday, ending the club's skid that was all in regulation. The Red Wings rallied from a 2-0 first-period deficit.

'That's a huge game for us, a huge win,' Abdelkader said. 'Obviously we know what's at stake, so those are two big points.

' ... To win in regulation and to get this win, especially after being down 2-0 shows the character in this room, and we have a lot of fight in here.'

Dylan Larkin, 19, scored his 20th goal, Jonathan Ericsson also scored and Petr Mrazek stopped 23 shots. Mrazek is likely to make his first career start against the Rangers.

While the Rangers are battling the Islanders for the second playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division, the Red Wings' situation is more precarious. Detroit is in wild-card position but trying to hold off Philadelphia and Carolina, which are pursuing it and Pittsburgh for the two wild-card berths.

" ... We've been here before," center Henrik Zetterberg said. "Last four years, five years, we've been in this and we know how to do it. Just gotta start playing playoff hockey a little earlier and we're doing that right now."

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Preview: Flyers (31-23) at Panthers (37-21)
Date: March 12, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The red-hot Philadelphia Flyers have done the Atlantic Division a couple of huge favors this week.

Still, they shouldn't expect any gratitude from the Florida Panthers.

Philadelphia has a chance to match its longest win streak of the season Saturday night when it visits the Panthers, who look to continue their home success.

There are few teams playing better right now than the Flyers (32-23-11), who beat Tampa Bay for the second time in five days with Friday's 3-1 victory. They have won three straight and six of seven to move into sole possession of ninth place in the Eastern Conference, two points behind Detroit for the second wild card.

After averaging 3.66 goals during a 5-1-0 homestand, Philadelphia reached three goals for the eighth time in 11 games. Sam Gagner, Matt Read and Brayden Schenn scored and Steve Mason turned aside 18 shots for his third consecutive win.

Schenn has been a key catalyst since the calendar turned to 2016, tallying 16 goals and 31 points in 30 games to rank among the NHL leaders in both categories during that span.

'I like what we're doing now,' Schenn said. 'Everyone is buying in, playing their roles, doing their jobs, and it's resulting in wins.'

Making Philadelphia's run even more impressive is who is not involved. Even with second-leading scorer Jakub Voracek sidelined the last six games because of a lower-body injury, the offense has remained potent and the Flyers have held three straight opponents under 20 shots.

'It's been a great effort the last little while here,' Mason said. 'Right now, we look like a strong hockey club out there. The guys look like they're overwhelming their opposition, which is great to see.'

Coach Dave Hakstol could stick with the locked-in Mason or go back to Michal Neuvirth for this game.

Mason is 15-17-8 with a 3.35 goals-against average in his career in the second of back to backs, while Neuvirth looks to rebound after allowing a season high-tying four goals in a 4-0 loss to Edmonton on March 3. Neuvirth made 31 saves in a 1-0 victory over the visiting Panthers (37-21-9) on Oct. 12.

The Flyers prevented the Lightning from picking up any ground in the crowded Atlantic race and Florida remained tied with them for second place, one point behind Boston.

First place had been a regular home for the Panthers this season before a 1-3-2 stretch dropped them from that perch. They ended a three-game skid with Thursday's 6-2 win over visiting Ottawa, as Jaromir Jagr scored twice and Vincent Trocheck had a goal and three assists.

"We just needed a little bit more confidence in here," Trocheck told the team's official website. "We're a young team. The confidence was a little bit down, so having a win like this, scoring that many goals, it definitely gets your confidence back up."

Jagr has scored 17 of his team-leading 23 goals at home, where Florida has points in six straight (4-0-2).

'It's a little bit easier at home,' said Jagr, who has scored five times in his last three contests against Philadelphia. 'You've got your home fans kind of pushing you a little bit more.'

Jussi Jokinen added a goal and an assist Thursday, giving him two and nine during a nine-game point streak.

Roberto Luongo has limited the Flyers to one goal in each of his last three starts against them, including a season-opening 7-1 home victory Oct. 10.