The Bum's NHL Best Bets-Trends-News Etc. !

[StarDust Bum]

Jackets claim Dalpe from Wild
February 27, 2017

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) The Columbus Blue Jackets have claimed center Zac Dalpe off waivers from the Minnesota Wild.

The 27-year-old Dalpe had a goal and two assists in nine games for the Wild this season. The Blue Jackets claimed him Monday and assigned him to Cleveland of the American Hockey League.

Dalpe, a former Ohio State player, has 12 goals and 12 assists in 128 NHL games with the Wild, Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks and Carolina Hurricanes. He was a second-round draft pick by Carolina in 2008.

Also Monday, Columbus put winger Matt Calvert on injured reserve with an oblique strain.

The Blue Jackets play at Montreal on Tuesday night.

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Red Wings recall LW Miller, G Coreau
February 27, 2017

The Detroit Red Wings recalled left winger Drew Miller and goaltender Jared Coreau from the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League on Monday.

Miller, 33, has five goals, one assist six points and 14 penalty minutes in 35 games with the Red Wings this season. He has two goals, one assist and eight shots on goal in seven games for Grand Rapids.

Miller owns 106 points (56 goals, 50 assists) in 484 games since joining the Red Wings in 2009-10. He has 121 career points (62 goals, 59 assists) in 551 NHL games between the Red Wings, Anaheim Ducks and Tampa Bay Lightning since making his NHL debut in 2006-07.

Miller also has six goals and seven assists in 60 Stanley Cup playoff games, and helped the Ducks to a Stanley Cup championship in 2007, skating in three games as a first-year pro.

Miller, born in Dover, N.J., but raised in East Lansing, Mich., was originally drafted by Anaheim in the sixth round of the 2003 NHL draft.

Coreau, 25, has appeared in 13 games during his first NHL season, recording a 5-3-3 record, a 3.27 goals-against average, an .893 save percentage and a team-best two shutouts. The Perth, Ontario, native started both games for the Griffins over the weekend, posting a 1-1 record and a .913 save percentage.

Coreau made his NHL debut on Dec. 3 at Pittsburgh and earned his first NHL win in his second career start on Dec. 23 at Florida. The victory kicked off a stretch of eight consecutive decisions for Coreau without a regulation loss (5-0-3), including a season-high 45 saves on Jan. 24 at Boston.

Coreau made 19 appearances for the Griffins this season and ranked among the AHL's top goalies at the time of his call-up with 11 wins, a 2.18 goals-against average and .924 save percentage. In four seasons with Grand Rapids, he owns a 57-34-3 record, 2.41 goals-against average, .921 save percentage and 10 shutouts.

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Flyers' Manning suspended 2 games
February 27, 2017

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Brandon Manning has been suspended two games for a late hit on Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel, the NHL announced Monday.

The incident occurred at 3:26 of the second period in the Penguins' 4-2 victory over the Flyers at Heinz Field on Saturday in a Stadium Series game. There was no penalty called on the play.

A video released by the NHL's Department of Player Safety said Manning was suspended because he delivered a "high, forceful hit to Guentzel that makes substantial head contact."

Under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement and, based on his average annual salary, Manning will forfeit $10,833.34. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

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Senators' G Hammond needs surgery
February 27, 2017

Ottawa Senators goaltender Andrew Hammond's injury-plagued campaign came to an end following the news that he needs season-ending surgery.

Senators general manager Pierre Dorion on Monday said Hammond, the hero of Ottawa's dramatic run to a playoff spot in 2014-15, underwent tests that revealed a torn labrum in his right hip.

"This surgery will keep Andrew out for the remainder of the season and our doctors are estimating that his rehabilitation will allow him to begin skating in approximately 12 weeks," Dorion said.

Injuries limited Hammond to only six appearances and four starts this season. He surrendered six goals in a shutout loss to St. Louis on Feb. 7, his first start in nearly two months.

Hammond tied an NHL record by surrendering two goals or fewer in 12 consecutive starts to begin his career and went his first 15 starts without a regulation loss (14-0-1) to ignite Ottawa's postseason charge as a rookie.

The 29-year-old native of Surrey, British Columbia, never came close to duplicating that success, going 7-11-4 with a 2.65 goals-against average in 2015-16. Hammond finished this season with an 0-2-0 mark, 4.08 goals-against average and .837 save percentage.

[StarDust Bum]

Coyotes acquire Pulkkinen from Wild
February 27, 2017

The Arizona Coyotes acquired forward Teemu Pulkkinen from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for future considerations, the teams announced Monday.

Pulkkinen, 25, had one goal and two penalty minutes in nine games with the Wild this season. He also collected 36 points (18 goals, 18 assists) and 36 penalty minutes in 47 games with the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League in 2016-17. Pulkkinen was selected to participate in the 2017 AHL All-Star Game.

It was the second trade in two days between the teams. Arizona sent leading goal scorer Martin Hanzal and Ryan White to Minnesota on Sunday in exchange for a prospect and three draft picks, including a first-rounder this year.

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound native of Vantaa, Finland, owns 21 points (12 goals, nine assists) and 28 penalty minutes in 79 career NHL games with the Wild and Detroit Red Wings.

Pulkkinen was originally drafted by the Red Wings in the fourth round of the 2010 NHL draft.

The Wild also recalled forward Tyler Graovac from Iowa and announced that forward Zac Dalpe was claimed off waivers by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Graovac, 23, has six goals in 46 games with Minnesota this season and eight points (seven goals, one assist) in 10 games with Iowa.

Dalpe, 27, tallied a goal and two assists in nine games with Minnesota and two goals in 12 games with Iowa. He underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a lateral meniscus tear in his right knee on Oct. 31.

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Leafs nab F Boyle from Lightning
February 27, 2017

The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired forward Brian Boyle from the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday in exchange for Byron Froese and a 2017 conditional second-round draft pick in 2017.

Toronto, trailing the Boston Bruins by one point for third place in the Atlantic Division, gained a ton of experience to augment its rookie-laden lineup with the addition of Boyle.

The 32-year-old Boyle had 13 goals and nine assists in 54 games with the Lightning, who traded starting netminder Ben Bishop to the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday.

"You get woken up from a nap expecting to play and you are no longer with that club," Boyle said. "It's definitely a feeling that I haven't had as a player in this league before. Pretty sure most people have gone through it and it's a lot of different things. ... It's really been a pleasure to play down in Tampa. It's been exciting, so from that standpoint it''s obviously tough to say goodbye."

Boyle, in the final season of a three-year, $6 million contract, is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The 10-year veteran is no stranger to postseason experience, appearing in 100 playoff games and reaching the Stanley Cup finals with the New York Rangers in 2014 and the Lightning in 2015.

"I go to a team that, and once again I get an unbelievable opportunity to play on an original six team with a tremendous amount of history, a team that I think really since the trade deadline last year when they started playing some of the young guys and now with Auston Mathews, they have some guys that are in there that are phenomenal, phenomenal players that are going to be really good," Boyle said.

"So it's an opportunity and I move up a few spots in the standings in the matter of a couple of hours and that's exciting for me. The playoffs for me is by far the most fun hockey I've ever had a chance to play."

Boyle has appeared in 603 regular-season games with the Kings, Rangers and Lightning, registering 93 goals and 73 assists. He also has 11 goals and 26 points in the postseason.

Froese, 25, appeared in two games with the Maple Leafs this season and failed to hit the scoresheet. The 6-foot, 205-pound forward has skated in 58 career NHL games with Toronto over the past two seasons, collecting two goals and five points.

Froese made his NHL debut against the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 24, 2015. He scored his first career NHL goal on Dec. 19 against the Kings.

Froese, a native of Winkler, Manitoba, led the Toronto Marlies in goals (24) and points (39) in 48 games this season. He will be assigned to the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League.

The Lightning also recalled forwards Yanni Gourde and Adam Erne from Syracuse.

Gourde, 25, has skated in two games with the Lightning this season, recording one shot on goal. He had a team-high 20 goals to go along with 43 points in 53 games with the Crunch.

Erne, 21, has seven shots on goal in four games with the Lightning this season. He had 14 goals and 27 points in 39 games at Syracuse.

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Habs receive D Benn for D Pateryn
February 27, 2017

The Montreal Canadiens swapped defenseman with the Dallas Stars on Monday, acquiring Jordie Benn in exchange for Greg Pateryn and a fourth-round draft pick in 2017.

Benn, 29, notched two goals and 13 assists in 58 games this season for the Stars, who entered play Monday nine points out of the final playoff spot after earning the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference last season.

The brother of Dallas captain Jamie Benn, he has 113 blocked shots and is nearing his career high of 122 set in 2013-14 with the Stars.

In parts of six seasons in Dallas, Benn has accumulated 71 points in 302 regular season contests. He also had three assists in seven playoff games.

Similar to Benn with the Stars, Pateryn, 26, has never played for any team other than the Canadiens, who entered Monday with a two-point edge over Ottawa atop the Atlantic Division.

Pateryn appeared in 24 games this season, collecting one goal and six points. He missed nearly two months while recovering from a broken ankle.

A physical presence, the 6-foot-3, 221-pound Pateryn had 100 hits in 38 games last season and 44 this season.

"Greg is a solid defender and possesses a physical presence on the back-end," Stars general manager Jim Nill said. "He brings size and another right shot into the mix for us."

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Sens acquire F Burrows from Canucks
February 27, 2017

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) The Ottawa Senators are gearing up for a postseason push, acquiring veteran forward Alexandre Burrows from the Vancouver Canucks for prospect Jonathan Dahlen on Monday.

The deal was announced two days before Wednesday's NHL trade deadline and gives the Senators a skilled pest with plenty of playoff experience.

Burrows, who turns 36 in April, played 822 regular-season games with the Canucks, with 193 goals, 191 assists and 1,066 penalty minutes.

The undrafted free agent who fought his way from the third-tier ECHL to eventually star on Vancouver's top line added 19 goals and 15 assists in 70 playoff games.

''We had to do something like this,'' Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said Monday before Ottawa's game in Tampa, Florida. ''We just felt it was time to add another piece, and in Alex Burrows, I can tell you, we're ecstatic to have added that piece.''

Set to become an unrestricted agent this summer, the Quebec native had a full no-trade clause in his contract and would have had to sign off on the deal that brings him to Canada's capital.

''We've talked about an extension, I think we'll be able to announce something tomorrow,'' Dorion said.

Burrows had four straight seasons of at least 25 goals from 2008-09 to 2011-12 playing largely with Henrik and Daniel Sedin. His best season came in 2009-10 when he scored 35 goals and added 32 assists.

''It's been a hard day,'' Canucks general manager Jim Benning said in Vancouver. ''Alex Burrows has been the heart and soul of our franchise for a long time.

''He's given us everything that he's had. He's been so good with our young players this year, but given where we're at right now we just felt it was time to make the move.

''We got back, we feel, a good, young player in Jonathan Dahlen so we're excited about that.''

Burrows' days as an offensive catalyst are behind him - he has nine goals and 11 assists in 55 games this season - but he will still bring an edge to a Senators team pressuring the Montreal Canadiens for top spot in the Atlantic Division.

Dahlen, 19, was selected in the second round, 42nd overall, by Ottawa at the 2016 draft.

The forward has impressed at the international level, getting six points in seven games for Sweden at the 2017 world junior championship and leading his country in scoring with five points in five games at the 2016 Ivan Hlinka under-17 tournament.

''He's a player we've had our eye on,'' said Benning, whose team didn't have a second-round pick last year. ''He's a goal scorer, he's good around the net, he's sure-handed, he's got a good nose for the net and he'll pay the price to get there.

''Where we're at right now and where Ottawa's at, it was a fair deal for both teams.''

[StarDust Bum]

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

WAS at NYR 07:00 PM

U 5.5

ARI at BOS 07:00 PM

ARI +275

U 5.5

NAS at BUF 07:00 PM

BUF +120

O 5.5

COL at PHI 07:00 PM

O 5.5

CLB at MON 07:30 PM

O 5.0

CAR at FLA 07:30 PM

CAR +125

U 5.0

MIN at WIN 08:00 PM

MIN +100

O 5.5

EDM at STL 08:00 PM

EDM +110

O 5.0

PIT at DAL 08:30 PM

O 6.0

LA at CAL 09:00 PM

U 5.0

DET at VAN 10:00 PM

U 5.0

TOR at SJ 10:30 PM

TOR +120

O 5.5

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Wednesday's six-pack

— Kentucky 73, Vanderbilt 67— Vandy led 25-6 early in the game.

— Iowa State 86, Oklahoma State 83— High-level game between Final 4 contenders.

— Western Michigan 70, Northern Illinois 56— 7th straight win for the Broncos.

— The Professor chimes in with a solid lookalike: Purdue hoop coach Matt Painter and WWE honcho Shane McMahon.

— Duke 75, Florida State 70— Seminoles have been cruddy on road; very disappointing.

— Colorado State 78, Wyoming 76– Rivals traded 3-pointers in last 0:15 of a wild ending. Colorado State has won seven games in a row.

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Armadillo: Wednesday's List of 13: Mid-week musings……..

13) Back in 2010, I’m at the MGM Grand for the first weekend of the NCAA tournament. Had a great time; place is too big, but thats another story.

Early on in one of the games, three young guys next to me are going nuts; kid scores a basket to make the score 15-12 and they’re hugging each other. I have no idea why, so had to ask: “Is that guy who scored your brother or something?”

Turns out there was a proposition bet on every game: first team to get to 15 points, and these guys had the winner. I’d get dizzy trying to handicap “first team to 15” bets.

12) Bad beat of last weekend: San Diego (-5.5) 85, Portland 82— Kid on Portland drained a 3 right at the buzzer to cover the spread; losing Pilots were 10-14 on the arc, 20-20 on line and still lost a game they trailed by 18 in with 17:29 left.

The thing is this: if you bet San Diego in this game, you laid 5.5 points with a team that 48 hours earlier, had LOST BY 58 POINTS on their home court, 96-38 to Gonzaga.

Takes a lot of onions to lay 5.5 with a team coming off a 58-point loss.

11) Random NBA stats: Cleveland Cavaliers are 0-7 vs spread on the road if they played the night before. Golden State is 3-7 in that situation.

10) This year, when college hoop referees don’t feel like calling a foul, or feel one isn’t justified, they simply give the “touchdown” signal, as if to say, the defender stayed straight up.

9) I’m thinking that UCLA’s Bryce Alford reminds me a lot of Jimmer Fredette; terrific with the ball in his hands, couldn’t guard a lamp post.

If Steve Alford hadn’t have gotten the UCLA coaching job, Bryce would be playing ball at New Mexico (and Cullen Neal would’ve gone to St Mary’s). Bryce Alford would be torching what is a down Mountain West Conference.

8) Petco Park in San Diego flooded over the weekend, after heavy rains combined with a clogged drain or two; the ballfield looks like a pond, but because they recently had a motorcycle race there, the field didn’t have any grass on it anyway and was scheduled to be re-sodded soon.

7) Duke QB Thomas Sirk got a 6th year of eligibility from the NCAA after he tore his achilles, but he will transfer from Duke and play his last year of college ball elsewhere.

6) Houston Astros will have 12-foot high screens at Minute Maid Park this year, which will come up when the game starts and will run the length of each dugout, to protect fans from flying bats and foul balls.

5) Three years ago, Buzz Williams left Marquette for Virginia Tech, an odd move for a basketball coach; Williams went 139-69 in six years at Marquette, 69-37 in Big East games, so he was doing well, but he moved on to Blacksburg anyway.

In three years since, this being the third year, Marquette is 50-43 under Steve Wojciechowski, 20-32 in Big East games, with no NCAA tournament appearances- they’re a bubble team right now, .

Virginia Tech is 52-45 under Williams (41-23 the last two years), 22-31 in ACC games (20-15 the last two years). Hokies are probably going to the NCAA’s for the first time in ten years.

Sometimes it is tough to coach a college team in a pro town, which Milwaukee is, but Williams is a program builder who has done a terrific job at Virginia Tech.

4) Adrian Peterson and Jamaal Charles both got the gate from their NFL teams Tuesday; tough to be a 30-ish NFL running back with a big contract.

Football players must look at baseball/NBA guys and their guaranteed contracts and it has to tick them off mightily.

3) Rangers OF Josh Hamilton had his 11th knee operation Monday; not sure of how many he has had on each knee, but seeing as he only has two knees, there are no good ratios.

2) I would not want front row seats to a college or NBA game; basketball players are large humans and if they go hard after a loose ball, you wouldn’t want one of them crashing into you.

Couple years ago, Lebron James crashed into golfer Jason Day’s wife and knocked her flying at a game in Cleveland; she took it like a trooper but it had to hurt like hell.

1— Warren Buffett announced Monday that if any Berkshire Hathaway employee exactly nails the Sweet 16 in their NCAA tournament bracket, that person will receive $1M a year for life, as long as only one person does it.

Buffett also offers $100,000 to the Berkshire employee who predicts the most consecutive winners during the tournament. Last year, two guys split the $100,000.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, March 1

Lightning won eight of last ten games with Carolina; they won three of last five games in Raleigh (over 4-1). Hurricanes lost in a SO last nite; they’ve lost six of last seven games overall, three in row on road. Under is 5-0-1 in their last six games. Tampa Bay won three of last four games; they’ve won four of last five at home. Under is 3-1-1 in their last five home games.

Blackhawks won their last four games with Pittsburgh, with three of four in OT/SO. Penguins were outscored 13-5 in losing last four visits to Windy City. Under is 7-1-1 in last nine series games. Pittsburgh lost 3-2 in Dallas last nite, blowing 2-0 lead in 3rd period; they lost three of last four road games, are 2-3 in last five games overall. Five of their last six road games went under. Chicago won four in row, nine of last ten games; over is 9-1 in those games.




NHL

Wednesday, March 1

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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
CAROLINA vs. TAMPA BAY
Carolina is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Carolina's last 7 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 6 games when playing Carolina
Tampa Bay is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Carolina

9:00 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. CHICAGO
Pittsburgh is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Chicago's last 10 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh
Chicago is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Long Sheet

Wednesday, March 1

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CAROLINA (25-25-0-9, 59 pts.) at TAMPA BAY (28-25-0-8, 64 pts.) - 3/1/2017, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CAROLINA is 17-10 ATS (+29.1 Units) when playing on back-to-back days over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 28-33 ATS (-16.6 Units) in all games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 6-10 ATS (-6.0 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 this season.
TAMPA BAY is 5-14 ATS (-14.2 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more this season.
TAMPA BAY is 7-15 ATS (-9.7 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.
TAMPA BAY is 354-406 ATS (+778.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.


Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 6-2 (+3.4 Units) against the spread versus CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
TAMPA BAY is 6-2-0 straight up against CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.0 Units, Under=-0.6 Units)

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PITTSBURGH (38-15-0-8, 84 pts.) at CHICAGO (39-18-0-5, 83 pts.) - 3/1/2017, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 4-0 (+4.1 Units) against the spread versus PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 4-0-0 straight up against PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.4 Units)

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Dunkel

Wednesday, March 1


Pittsburgh @ Chicago

Game 3-4
March 1, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Pittsburgh
13.864
Chicago
11.331
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Pittsburgh
by 2 1/2
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago
-135
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Pittsburgh
(+115); Under

Carolina @ Tampa Bay

Game 1-2
March 1, 2017 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Carolina
9.876
Tampa Bay
12.491
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Tampa Bay
by 2 1/2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tampa Bay
-185
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Tampa Bay
(-185); Over

[StarDust Bum]

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

CAR at TB 07:00 PM

CAR +170

U 5.5

PIT at CHI 08:00 PM

PIT +115

O 5.5

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

— Northwestern 67, Michigan 65— Wildcats win on length-of-court OB pass for a layup with 0:01.3 left. Is that the win that gets Northwestern in the NCAA’s for the first time?

— SE Missouri 78, Tennessee St 75 OT— Overtime drama in the OVC tourney.

— Murray State 85, Tennessee Tech 84, 2OT— Racers’ PG took 40 shots (15-40), scored 41 points, but hit a 28-footer to win the game in double overtime. Fun game to watch.

— Florida 78, Arkansas 65— Underrated Gators are 24-6.

— Kansas State 75, TCU 74— Battle for 6th place and a bye in Big X tournament.

— Looks like Kevin Durant will miss the rest of the regular season; playoffs are roughly seven weeks away.

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Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Doing some thinking out loud……

13) Why would anyone buy tickets to watch the Philadelphia 76ers play? They stink every year (103-284 the last five years) and then they draft young players who rarely play.

— Ben Simmons, zero NBA games (of a possible 59)
— Joel Embiid (31 games, of a possible 223)
— Jahlil Okafor (94 games, of a possible 141)

Karl-Anthony Towns has played in all 142 of Minnesota’s games since he’s been there. Is it that difficult to identify healthy players?

Sacramento’s TV guys actually referred to Towns playing in every game the other night, as if it were an unusual gift.

12) White Sox 1B Jose Abreu had to leave Sox camp this week to go to Miami and testify in a smuggling/conspiracy trial against his old agent. Abreu testified that he disposed of a phony passport by eating it on an airplane while en route to America. Oy.

Abreu is also the first baseman on my fantasy team, so hopefully this distraction is behind him.

11) Speaking of my fantasy baseball team, I added Phillies catching prospect Jorge Alfaro last week, so now I’ll have to watch Colombia’s games in the World Baseball Classic, since he is on their squad. Alfaro will start this year in AAA, is supposed to be a quality hitter.

10) As for the 4:30am game Monday between Israel and Korea, um…..no thanks. Even I have to sleep sometime.

9) Love having spring training games on in the house during the day; Padres were on Tuesday with Don Orsillo/Mark Grant on the call. Always good to hear laughter on your TV.

8) Redskins’ QB Kirk Cousins will be paid $1,408,447 PER GAME next season.

7) This is my annual reminder that it must suck to have a birthday on February 29; you get a birthday once every four years. When do people celebrate their birthday the other three years?

The most famous people I can find with this birthday are motivational speaker Tony Robbins, hockey player Cam Ward and rapper Ja Rule. Deceased stars Dennis Farina and Dinah Shore were also born on February 29.

6) Best of luck today to Angels’ SS Yunel Escobar, who is taking his US Citizenship Test today in Miami. It is GOOD that people from other countries WANT TO LIVE HERE.

5) Speaking of the Angels, their radio guys (simulcast on TV) were killing the Padres’ roster the other day; San Diego was 68-94 LY. Angels’ guys came out and said it is doubtful the Padres would win that many this year. Unusual to hear teams get ripped on TV.

4) Saturday, Colorado State visits Nevada in what is a showdown for the regular season title in the Mountain West. Teams haven’t met yet this season.

There isn’t any tangible advantage to winning the regular season title; conference tourney is at UNLV no matter what, but neither CSU or Nevada has won that many hoop titles so it is a big deal to them, which makes the game Saturday a good one to watch.

3) What are the three best free-throw shooting leagues in America?

1- Summit League, 74.2%
2— Southern Conference, 73.4%
3— Ohio Valley Conference, 73.3%

Worst free-throw shooting league? Sun Belt, at 68.1%

2) What are the three best 3-point shooting leagues in America?

1— Summit League, 39.6%
2— ACC, 37.2%
3— Pac-12, 37.0%

Worst 3-point shooting league? WAC, at 32.3%

Pretty clear that the Summit League is the league with the best shooters.

1— This is from former Alabama defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, talking about when Nick Saban came to his house to recruit him:

“Coach Saban isn’t going to sit there, and put on a big smile, and promise you this and that. He isn’t going to tell you that you’re a surefire starter, or an All-SEC shoo-in, or a first-round NFL pick. He isn’t going tell your mom, “Wow … this has to be the best pot roast I’ve ever had.”

Actually — you know how I know that? Because Nick Saban turned down my mom’s food. Straight up: Coach came over to our house for a recruiting visit. And my mom, knowing we were having company over, had done some home cooking. So, of course, when Coach walked in the door, my mom offered him some dinner. And wanna know what coach said to Mom?

“I already ate.”

He said thank you, but no thank you, he already ate. He hit her with the already ate. And all joking aside — Coach was incredibly polite, and I share that story purely out of love — it was a pretty telling moment for me. In this weird way, it told me everything that I needed to know about about Coach Saban’s intentions.

And what I mean by that is: Coach Saban hadn’t come over to put on a show, or to flatter us, or to tell us what he thought we wanted to hear. He didn’t make some big sales pitch, or promise the moon. He didn’t promise a starting spot, or SEC dominance, or national titles, or NFL riches — none of that. Truthfully, Coach didn’t promise me a thing. But what he did do was sit across from me … and answer every single one of my questions … and treat me like an adult.”

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, March 2

Rangers won their last four games with Boston; home side won seven of last eight series games. New York lost four of its last five visits to Beantown. Five of last six series games went over total. Rangers lost 5-2/4-1 in last two games but they’ve won three of last four on road. Four of their last six games stayed under total. Bruins won three in row, seven of last eight games; they won four in row at home. Over is 6-3-1 in their last ten games.

Road team won seven of last ten Devil-Capital games; New Jersey lost three of last four games in this building. Over is 4-2-1 in last seven series games. Devils lost their last four games, last two in OT, but they’ve also won six of last seven road games. Three of their last four games went over total. Washington won seven of last ten games, including last five at home. Under is 4-1-1 in their last six games.

Flyers won three of last four games with Florida; home side won six of last eight series games. Panthers lost three of last four visits to Philly. Under is 5-2-1 in last eight series games. Florida won its last five road games, but lost three of last four overall, all at home. Over is 5-2-3 in their last ten games overall. Flyers lost seven of last ten games, four of last six at home. Under is 6-2-2 in their last ten games.

Buffalo won five of its last seven games with Arizona (under 5-2); teams split their last four meetings in western New York. Coyotes lost three of their last four games overall, four of last five games on the road (over 4-1). Sabres lost their last four games, outscored by total of 18-10; they lost four of last six home games. Three of their last four games went over the total.

Blue Jackets won six of last eight games with Minnesota, teams split last four meetings played here. Under is 7-2-1 in last ten series games (0-2 in last two). Wild won five of last seven games; they’ve won eight of last nine road games. Last four Minnesota games went over total. Columbus won four of last six games overall, three of last four at home. Three of last four Blue Jacket games went over.

Road team won nine of last ten Nashville-Montreal games; six of last eight series games went to overtime. Predators won three of last four visits to Montreal. Under is 7-2-1 in last ten series games. Nashville won its last four games, scoring 19 goals; they’re 5-3 in last eight road games. Last ten Predator games went over total. Canadiens won their last three games, all in OT; they lost three of last four at home. Under is 6-1 in their last seven games.

Colorado won eight of its last ten games with Ottawa; they won four of last five games in this building. Eight of last nine series games went over total. Avalanche lost eight of last ten games overall, six of last eight on road. Under is 4-2-1 in their last seven games. Senators are 3-0 in game following their last three losses, but they lost last two home games. Under is 8-2 in their last ten games.

Islanders won five of last seven games with Dallas; home side won last five series games. New York lost 3-2/3-0 in last two visits to Texas. Three of last four series games stayed under total. Islanders won three of last four games but lost four of last six road games. Over is 5-2-1 in their last eight games. Dallas Stars won three of last four games overall, four of last five at home. Six of their last eight games went over.

Kings won their last three games with Toronto; Maple Leafs lost 2-1/2-0 in last two visits to Los Angeles. Under is 6-2-1 in last nine series games. Toronto scored total of four goals in losing last three games; they’ve lost six of last eight road games. Four of their last five games stayed under total. Los Angeles lost six of its last eight games, losing last two games in OT- they lost three of last four at home. Under is 3-1-2 in their last six games.

Road team won last 11 Vancouver-San Jose games; Canucks were outscored 11-6 in losing last three games in Shark Tank. Over is 2-0-3 in last five series games. Vancouver lost five of its last six games, three of last four on road. Three of their last four road games went over. San Jose is 3-1 in its last four games; they lost three of last four at home. Under is 3-0-1 in their last four games.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL

Thursday, March 2

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

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

8:00 PM
FLORIDA vs. PHILADELPHIA
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Florida's last 5 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Florida is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Philadelphia's last 15 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing at home against Florida

8:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. COLUMBUS
Minnesota is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing Columbus
Minnesota is 7-15-1 SU in its last 23 games ,when playing on the road against Columbus
Columbus is 15-7 SU in its last 22 games when playing at home against Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Columbus's last 12 games at home

8:00 PM
NEW JERSEY vs. WASHINGTON
New Jersey is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games when playing Washington
New Jersey is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games
Washington is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games

8:00 PM
NY RANGERS vs. BOSTON
The total has gone OVER in 9 of the NY Rangers last 13 games on the road
NY Rangers are 1-7 SU in their last 8 games when playing on the road against Boston
Boston is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston's last 6 games when playing NY Rangers

8:30 PM
COLORADO vs. OTTAWA
Colorado is 1-13 SU in its last 14 games on the road
Colorado is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games
Ottawa is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Ottawa's last 7 games at home

8:30 PM
NASHVILLE vs. MONTREAL
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Nashville's last 11 games when playing Montreal
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Nashville's last 5 games
Montreal is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Nashville
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Montreal's last 11 games when playing Nashville

9:30 PM
NY ISLANDERS vs. DALLAS
NY Islanders are 5-7-3 SU in their last 15 games ,when playing on the road against Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 8 of the NY Islanders last 12 games when playing Dallas
Dallas is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games
Dallas is 2-5 SU in their last 7 games when playing NY Islanders

11:30 PM
TORONTO vs. LOS ANGELES
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toronto's last 5 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
Toronto is 4-6-2 SU in its last 12 games ,when playing on the road against Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games at home
Los Angeles is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games

11:30 PM
VANCOUVER vs. SAN JOSE
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Vancouver's last 6 games on the road
Vancouver is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
San Jose is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
San Jose is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Long Sheet

Thursday, March 2

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NY RANGERS (40-21-0-2, 82 pts.) at BOSTON (33-24-0-6, 72 pts.) - 3/2/2017, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY RANGERS are 7-15 ATS (-12.1 Units) after a division game this season.
NY RANGERS are 40-23 ATS (+8.0 Units) in all games this season.
NY RANGERS are 17-7 ATS (+9.1 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 this season.
NY RANGERS are 8-2 ATS (+5.9 Units) in road games second half of the season this season.
NY RANGERS are 14-7 ATS (+6.8 Units) in road games after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 13-6 ATS (+19.2 Units) in road games after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 31-13 ATS (+14.0 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 21-14 ATS (+37.3 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 4-8 ATS (-6.5 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 this season.
BOSTON is 248-221 ATS (-103.3 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.
BOSTON is 3-9 ATS (-12.4 Units) in home games revenging a home loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 30-41 ATS (-18.2 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 19-25 ATS (-12.6 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY RANGERS is 5-3 (+1.9 Units) against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
NY RANGERS is 5-3-0 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.8 Units)

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NEW JERSEY (25-25-0-12, 62 pts.) at WASHINGTON (42-13-0-7, 91 pts.) - 3/2/2017, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 42-20 ATS (+69.1 Units) in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 42-15 ATS (+19.8 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5 or less over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 21-6 ATS (+9.6 Units) second half of the season this season.
WASHINGTON is 54-20 ATS (+23.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 7-2 ATS (+10.2 Units) in road games second half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 10-2 (+5.8 Units) against the spread versus NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 10-2-0 straight up against NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.9 Units)

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FLORIDA (29-23-0-10, 68 pts.) at PHILADELPHIA (29-26-0-7, 65 pts.) - 3/2/2017, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA is 167-200 ATS (-78.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 8-17 ATS (+8.0 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 238-250 ATS (-154.5 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 42-64 ATS (+108.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 19-29 ATS (-16.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 4-4-0 straight up against FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.4 Units)

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ARIZONA (22-33-0-7, 51 pts.) at BUFFALO (26-26-0-11, 63 pts.) - 3/2/2017, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA is 24-61 ATS (+115.9 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
BUFFALO is 16-9 ATS (+28.9 Units) in home games after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BUFFALO is 3-2 (+1.9 Units) against the spread versus ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons
BUFFALO is 3-2-0 straight up against ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.1 Units)

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MINNESOTA (41-14-0-6, 88 pts.) at COLUMBUS (39-16-0-6, 84 pts.) - 3/2/2017, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
COLUMBUS is 39-22 ATS (+8.4 Units) in all games this season.
COLUMBUS is 30-23 ATS (+57.7 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 149-161 ATS (+349.1 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game since 1996.
COLUMBUS is 15-9 ATS (+4.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
MINNESOTA is 41-20 ATS (+12.9 Units) in all games this season.
MINNESOTA is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in road games second half of the season this season.
MINNESOTA is 11-2 ATS (+8.3 Units) in road games in March games over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 16-5 ATS (+10.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLUMBUS is 3-2 (+1.7 Units) against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
COLUMBUS is 3-2-0 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.4 Units)

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NASHVILLE (32-22-0-9, 73 pts.) at MONTREAL (35-21-0-8, 78 pts.) - 3/2/2017, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NASHVILLE is 80-79 ATS (-24.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NASHVILLE is 5-16 ATS (-11.2 Units) in road games after 3 or more consecutive overs over the last 3 seasons.
NASHVILLE is 8-17 ATS (-14.3 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.
NASHVILLE is 4-9 ATS (-9.0 Units) after a 3 game unbeaten streak over the last 2 seasons.
NASHVILLE is 230-188 ATS (+28.1 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1996.
MONTREAL is 18-32 ATS (+51.2 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NASHVILLE is 3-2 (+0.8 Units) against the spread versus MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
NASHVILLE is 3-2-0 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.2 Units)

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COLORADO (17-41-0-3, 37 pts.) at OTTAWA (33-22-0-6, 72 pts.) - 3/2/2017, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 17-44 ATS (+82.9 Units) in all games this season.
COLORADO is 5-19 ATS (+34.0 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
OTTAWA is 33-28 ATS (+96.0 Units) in all games this season.
OTTAWA is 47-37 ATS (+87.2 Units) after a division game over the last 3 seasons.
OTTAWA is 43-34 ATS (+79.1 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
OTTAWA is 12-7 ATS (+19.2 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more this season.
OTTAWA is 9-4 ATS (+13.4 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game this season.
COLORADO is 229-228 ATS (+481.4 Units) in road games second half of the season since 1996.
COLORADO is 116-90 ATS (+212.4 Units) in road games in non-conference games since 1996.
COLORADO is 39-37 ATS (+87.4 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 21-19 ATS (+47.9 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 16-15 ATS (+41.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
OTTAWA is 49-56 ATS (-40.4 Units) in home games after playing 3 consecutive road games since 1996.
OTTAWA is 6-11 ATS (-7.2 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
OTTAWA is 2-2-0 straight up against COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
4 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+4.2 Units)

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NY ISLANDERS (29-22-0-10, 68 pts.) at DALLAS (25-28-0-10, 60 pts.) - 3/2/2017, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY ISLANDERS are 30-17 ATS (+9.1 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
NY ISLANDERS are 47-45 ATS (+108.4 Units) in road games after playing 3 consecutive road games since 1996.
DALLAS is 25-38 ATS (-20.3 Units) in all games this season.
DALLAS is 8-15 ATS (-8.7 Units) in non-conference games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY ISLANDERS is 3-2 (+0.6 Units) against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
NY ISLANDERS is 3-2-0 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.1 Units)

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TORONTO (28-21-0-13, 69 pts.) at LOS ANGELES (30-27-0-6, 66 pts.) - 3/2/2017, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 87-139 ATS (+252.3 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 36-81 ATS (+138.6 Units) second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 9-15 ATS (-9.2 Units) in non-conference games this season.
TORONTO is 21-49 ATS (+83.9 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 349-380 ATS (-116.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
TORONTO is 17-34 ATS (+53.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 8-3 ATS (+12.7 Units) in road games after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 30-33 ATS (-7.1 Units) in all games this season.
LOS ANGELES is 37-39 ATS (-34.5 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 27-31 ATS (-19.3 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 3-2 (+0.1 Units) against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 3-2-0 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.4 Units, Under=-0.2 Units)

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VANCOUVER (26-29-0-7, 59 pts.) at SAN JOSE (37-18-0-7, 81 pts.) - 3/2/2017, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VANCOUVER is 31-29 ATS (+70.1 Units) revenging a home loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.
VANCOUVER is 62-61 ATS (+134.6 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.
VANCOUVER is 189-204 ATS (+450.3 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
SAN JOSE is 38-40 ATS (-17.9 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5 or less over the last 3 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 36-38 ATS (-27.9 Units) in home games second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 19-21 ATS (-15.9 Units) in home games vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 8-13 ATS (-13.1 Units) in home games after 3 or more consecutive unders over the last 3 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 22-24 ATS (-18.6 Units) in home games after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 3 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 63-56 ATS (-18.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 12-15 ATS (-17.6 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
VANCOUVER is 5-7 (+1.2 Units) against the spread versus SAN JOSE over the last 3 seasons
SAN JOSE is 7-5-0 straight up against VANCOUVER over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-0.3 Units)

[StarDust Bum]

NHL (PROFESSIONAL)

DUNKEL'S HIGHLIGHTED GAME

Arizona at Buffalo - Thursday March 2, 2017
The Coyotes head to Buffalo tonight to face a Sabres team that is 0-4 in its last 4 games versus Western Conference opponents. Arizona is the pick (+150) according to Dunkel, which has the Coyotes favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Arizona (+150).

THURSDAY MARCH 2, 2017

Vancouver
@
San Jose
Game 69-70
March 2, 2017 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating: Vancouver
11.343
San Jose
12.384
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: San Jose
by 1
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: San Jose
-270
5
Dunkel Pick: San Jose
(-270); Over

Toronto
@
Los Angeles
Game 67-68
March 2, 2017 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating: Toronto
12.015
Los Angeles
11.145
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Toronto
by 1
3
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Los Angeles
-160
5
Dunkel Pick: Toronto
(+140); Under

NY Islanders
@
Dallas
Game 65-66
March 2, 2017 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating: NY Islanders
10.416
Dallas
8.966
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: NY Islanders
by 1 1/2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Dallas
-130
6
Dunkel Pick: NY Islanders
(+110); Over

Colorado
@
Ottawa
Game 63-64
March 2, 2017 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating: Colorado
8.648
Ottawa
11.117
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Ottawa
by 1 1/2
3
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Ottawa
-250
5
Dunkel Pick: Ottawa
(-250); Under

Nashville
@
Montreal
Game 61-62
March 2, 2017 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating: Nashville
10.985
Montreal
12.516
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Montreal
by 1 1/2
3
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Montreal
-130
5
Dunkel Pick: Montreal
(-130); Under

Minnesota
@
Columbus
Game 59-60
March 2, 2017 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating: Minnesota
11.574
Columbus
10.069
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Minnesota
by 1 1/2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Columbus
-130
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota
(+110); Over

Arizona
@
Buffalo
Game 57-58
March 2, 2017 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating: Arizona
11.224
Buffalo
9.616
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Arizona
by 1 1/2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Buffalo
-170
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Arizona
(+150); Over

Florida
@
Philadelphia
Game 55-56
March 2, 2017 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating: Florida
12.665
Philadelphia
11.551
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Florida
by 1
3
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Philadelphia
-115
5
Dunkel Pick: Florida
(-105); Under

New Jersey
@
Washington
Game 53-54
March 2, 2017 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating: New Jersey
9.069
Washington
12.537
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Washington
by 3 1/2
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Washington
-300
5
Dunkel Pick: Washington
(-300); Under

NY Rangers
@
Boston
Game 51-52
March 2, 2017 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating: NY Rangers
10.578
Boston
13.024
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Boston
by 2 1/2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Boston
-160
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Boston
(-160); Over

[StarDust Bum]

Flames snag Lazar in deal with Senators
March 1, 2017

The Calgary Flames acquired forward Curtis Lazar from the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday.

Calgary also secured the services of minor league defenseman Mike Kostka in the deal for defenseman Jyrki Jokipakka and a second-round pick in the 2017 draft.

Jokipakka is no stranger to being shipped at the trade deadline, as the 25-year-old traveled the same route last year to join the Flames from the Dallas Stars. The 25-year-old has one goal and five assists in 36 games this season.

A former first-round pick, Lazar has been limited to just one point -- an assist -- in 33 games this season. The 22-year-old British Columbia native has recorded 12 goals and 24 assists in 176 career contests since being selected by Ottawa with the 17th overall pick of the 2013 draft.

Lazar captained the gold medal-winning Team Canada squad at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championships.

Kostka, 31, has scored one goal and set up 11 others in 46 games with Binghamton of the American Hockey League.

***********************

D Streit traded twice, lands with Pens
March 1, 2017

Veteran defenseman Mark Streit was traded to two teams in one afternoon, eventually landing with the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday.

Streit was dealt by the Philadelphia Flyers to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Valtteri Filppula and two draft picks -- a fourth-round selection and a conditional seventh-rounder in 2017.

The Lightning quickly turned around and shipped the 39-year-old Streit to the Penguins in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick in 2018.

Tampa Bay agreed to pick up 50 percent of the salary for Streit, who will be a restricted free agent after the season.

The Penguins have been ravaged by injuries to defensemen Kris Letang, Olli Maatta and Trevor Daley. They also picked up a veteran blue-liner last week, acquiring Ron Hainsey from the Carolina Hurricanes.

Streit has five goals and 16 assists in 49 games this season -- his fourth with Philadelphia. A native of Bern, Switzerland, Streit has topped the 40-point mark in six of his 11 seasons.

For his career, Streit has registered 95 goals and 333 assists in 765 regular-season games with the Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders and Flyers. He also had 13 points in 31 postseason contests.

****************************

Sharks hope addition of Hansen helps
March 1, 2017

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) San Jose general manager Doug Wilson has seen more than enough from his team in the first three-quarters of the season to justify sacrificing a bit of the future for a playoff push.

So Wilson didn't hesitate when he got the chance to add winger Jannik Hansen from Vancouver less than 24 hours before the trade deadline for former first-round pick Nikolay Goldobin and a conditional fourth-round pick that would turn into a first-rounder if San Jose wins the Stanley Cup.

''Our group should feel very good about themselves, where they are. I still think our best hockey is ahead of us,'' Wilson said Wednesday after the deadline passed. ''This is about building momentum down the stretch and playing the right way. We're excited today. The players they feel good about where they're at.''

The Sharks head into the stretch run in first place in the Pacific Division, five points ahead of Edmonton and seven in front of Anaheim. San Jose has two games in hand on the Oilers and one on the Ducks, putting the team in prime position for another playoff run after making it to the Stanley Cup Final a year ago.

Wilson believes the addition of Hansen only enhances those chances. Hansen scored 22 goals last year for the Canucks and has experience playing on the top line with the Sedin twins and in more of a checking role. He has been hampered by injuries this season with just six goals and seven assists in 28 games but is 100 percent healthy now.

''We think he plays the right way, he's really versatile, he can go up and down in the lineup,'' Wilson said. ''His speed, obviously, his grit. He brings all the things that I think a playoff player epitomizes.''

Hansen jumped at the opportunity to leave the rebuilding Canucks and have another shot at the playoffs. The Canucks are in sixth place in the Pacific and were looking for young assets like Goldobin instead of a 30-year-old like Hansen.

Hansen said the Sharks were his top choice of the eight teams he was willing to be traded to and is excited to be on a contender.

''It's a team that can win. That definitely played a huge part in putting them on there,'' he said. ''I'm very excited for the opportunity to play some meaningful games in the spring and hopefully in the early summer.''

Hansen has one year remaining on his contract and the Canucks will pay 20 percent of his remaining salary.

Hansen will not join the Sharks in time for Thursday's game against the Canucks. He still must get his work permit approved and the team doesn't know yet when he will be available to play or where he will fit into the lineup.

The deadline was also notable for a deal the Sharks didn't make. Wilson opted against adding a more experienced backup goalie to ease the pressure on starter Martin Jones during a busy March that features 16 games.

But the Sharks have seen enough from first-year goalie Aaron Dell in his 10 starts this season to be confident to play him down the stretch, especially in some of the five back-to-backs San Jose has this month. Dell is 7-3-1 with a 1.95 goals against average this season.

''It was the body of work,'' coach Peter DeBoer said. ''I think we just kept putting him in there, expecting him to maybe hit a bump, and he didn't. He just kept winning, kept playing well. Every time he went in there the guys had confidence, and just speaking to the guys, they felt he could do the job.''

[StarDust Bum]

Fishing out the winners and losers on NHL trade deadline day
March 2, 2017

Although the NHL trade market produced no whopping deals this year, just about everybody had their nets in the water all the way up until the deadline Wednesday.

Several Stanley Cup contenders caught good players for the postseason grind ahead, while several struggling teams made judicious use of their assets.

Standard disclaimer: Nobody really wins or loses on deadline day because the results of their endeavors are revealed in the coming weeks, months and years. Nevertheless, here is the league consensus on which teams made savvy moves - and avoided foolish ones - over the past several days:

WINNERS

WASHINGTON CAPITALS: The overall NHL leaders bolstered their loaded lineup with defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, and they gave up nothing more painful than their low first-round pick this summer. They also didn't lose any assets that could disrupt team chemistry as they chase that elusive first Stanley Cup.

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS: The defending champs didn't get Shattenkirk, but general manager Jim Rutherford fleshed out his defense with the additions of veteran blue liners Mark Streit and Ron Hainsey. Rutherford also kept Marc-Andre Fleury, giving the Pens goaltending depth if they need it.

MINNESOTA WILD: Sensing a pattern here? The NHL's best teams mostly got better, and they usually did it without giving up major assets. The Central Division-leading Wild added steady center Martin Hanzal and Ryan White in a deal for draft picks - a small price to pay for a team with a wide-open window to reach its first Stanley Cup Final.

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: Perhaps there was nostalgia involved in the return of defenseman Johnny Oduya, but the Blackhawks have some awfully good times to recapture. Putting him back alongside fellow Swede Niklas Hjalmarsson down the stretch immediately makes Chicago a nightmare for opposing forwards.

COLORADO AVALANCHE: Their season is a wreck, yet the Avs didn't panic by giving up on Gabriel Landeskog or Matt Duchene. GM Joe Sakic also gave Jarome Iginla freedom to chase his first Stanley Cup, albeit with the longshot Los Angeles Kings.

FLORIDA PANTHERS: Steady scorer Thomas Vanek for a conditional mid-round draft pick? That's a no-brainer, and it could be a big factor in the Panthers' playoff hopes.

VANCOUVER CANUCKS: Good returns for Jannik Hansen and Alex Burrows have created goodwill for embattled GM Jim Benning. The rebuild finally might be underway in earnest.

LOSERS

BUFFALO SABRES: They were the odd team out, failing to make a deal on the NHL's trade deadline day for the first time since 2002. General manager Tim Murray couldn't move defensemen Dmitry Kulikov and Cody Franson before their contracts expire, and captain Brian Gionta wasn't interested enough in a move to pursue it. He acknowledges that's a ''speed bump'' in his rebuilding plan.

MONTREAL CANADIENS: They've already got a fine team, yet they added no scoring depth and did little to get faster or more versatile in the postseason. Steve Ott, Dwight King and Jordie Benn are capable NHL players, but Washington and Pittsburgh still appear to be a cut above the Habs in total talent, particularly in the offensive end.

ST. LOUIS BLUES: Almost nobody thinks they got enough for Shattenkirk, who could have just stayed and played a key role in helping his longtime club's playoff push, even if the Blues didn't re-sign him this summer.

EDMONTON OILERS: They largely stayed pat, deciding to lean on the young core around Connor McDavid as they attempt to end their 10-season playoff drought. And for that, the Sharks, Ducks, Kings and Flames all thank them.

SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN

ARIZONA COYOTES: Millennial GM John Chayka got a decent return for Martin Hanzal and Michael Stone, as long as the Coyotes draft well. But they didn't appear to maximize their available assets when they kept Shane Doan and Radim Vrbata, who seemed almost certain to bring something to help the Desert Dogs' latest rebuild.

LOS ANGELES KINGS: Goalie Ben Bishop's pre-deadline arrival revealed the top brass' deep ambivalence about Peter Budaj, one of the league's feel-good stories. If the Kings are actually committed to giving rest to Jonathan Quick while they attempt to get into playoff position, Bishop is an immense acquisition. And while some have scoffed at the addition of the 39-year-old Iginla to an already slow team, they haven't calculated the importance of Iginla's leadership and hunger - and let's just say they're probably overestimating the importance of departing two-time Cup champion Dwight King.

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING: GM Steve Yzerman did some nifty roster shuffling to help his chances of re-signing Jonathan Drouin, Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat this summer, but he gave up a chunk of his club's identity to do it. Valtteri Filppula and Brian Boyle will be missed, and Yzerman really didn't get much for the well-liked Bishop, one of the NHL's best goalies over the past four years in Tampa Bay.