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Preview: Islanders (0-0) at Flyers (0-0)

Date: April 25, 2013 7:00 PM EDT


Six years have passed since the New York Islanders last made the playoffs or the Philadelphia Flyers failed to qualify.

Both of those runs are now over.

Two days after their postseason drought officially ended, the Islanders look to maintain their April point streak Thursday night and beat a Flyers team in the midst of a solid stretch that's coming far too late.

A regular season-ending five-game road trip could have left New York fans unable to see their team in person again until the fall, but now they're assured of at least two more games this spring. That's because there will be playoff hockey on Long Island for the first time since 2007 thanks to New York earning a 4-3 shootout loss over Carolina on Tuesday while ninth-place Winnipeg lost in regulation.

"You know we're happy to be there and give ourselves an opportunity to compete in the playoffs," said top scorer John Tavares, in his fourth season with the Islanders. "A lot of us haven't had that experience."

Tavares notched his 27th goal with 1:01 left in regulation to help New York improve to 8-0-3 in April.

That run has moved the Islanders (24-16-6) into sixth place in the Eastern Conference, within reach of Toronto for the No. 5 seed and two points ahead of Ottawa and the Rangers. New York closes the regular season Friday in Buffalo before beginning the playoffs next week.

"Our guys have battled hard and they deserve it," coach Jack Capuano told the team's official website. "Most importantly, our fans deserve it. They're passionate. They've been with us. They haven't seen playoff hockey in a while. I'm proud of what the guys accomplished."

Philadelphia fans are very used to seeing postseason hockey. The only time their team missed the playoffs in the last 19 years came in 2007, but Thursday will be the last Flyers' home game until next season because they were eliminated from contention last Friday.

That bad news came in the middle of a stretch during which Philadelphia (21-22-3) has won four of five, scoring at least four goals in each victory.

"It's not fun where we are at in the standings," said Simon Gagne, a former 40-goal scorer who has five in 36 games this season. "There are a lot of high expectations this year, but I think everything you're doing right, it's to help management to show what kind of team we have next year with those young players."

One of those players is 24-year-old goaltender Steve Mason, who has a 2.08 goals-against average in six games since being acquired from Columbus. He's won his last three starts, including a 39-save performance Tuesday in a 5-2 victory over Boston.

Jakub Voracek leads the team with a career-high 21 goals and has four in the past five games for the Flyers, whose 14-7-2 home record is the best among teams which won't make the postseason.

New York's 14-5-3 road record is one of the league's best, including 8-1-2 in the last 11.

The Islanders won their only trip to Philadelphia, 4-3 in a shootout March 28, and beat the Flyers 4-1 on April 9 in the last matchup.

Tavares scored in each win and totaled a plus-2 rating after having a minus-3 in a 7-0 home loss to the Flyers on Feb. 18 in the teams' first meeting.

Ilya Bryzgalov is 3-0-2 with a 1.55 GAA in his last five starts against the Islanders.

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Preview: Senators (0-0) at Capitals (0-0)

Date: April 25, 2013 7:00 PM EDT


Claiming the Southeast Division title was an impressive feat for the Washington Capitals given their slow start.

Reigning Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson, meanwhile, could provide a huge boost to the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night as they seek the victory that would reward them with a postseason spot of their own.

In this compressed lockout season, reaching the playoffs - let alone claiming the division - was a steep challenge to the Capitals after a brutal 2-8-1 start under first-year coach Adam Oates.

While playing in the mediocre Southeast gave Washington (26-18-2) some time to right itself, having Alexander Ovechkin return to playing at a superstar level after finding a comfort zone following his switch from right to left wing was a huge factor in tearing to a fifth division title in six seasons.

Ovechkin assisted on Nicklas Backstrom's go-ahead goal before scoring an empty-netter that capped a 5-3 win Tuesday night over Winnipeg that also clinched the third seed in the Eastern Conference.

"He's played great the last couple months, as we talked about his willingness to change positions for the team and for what I think will make him a better player," Oates said of Ovechkin, who has 13 goals and six assists in helping the Capitals win 10 of 11.

"He's had a good two months and he's pulled us along and all 20 guys have gotten better because of it. He's given us a lot of confidence, but like he's said, he's one piece of it - it's 20 guys."

Ovechkin echoed his coaches thoughts, noting the contributions of Matt Hendricks, Mathieu Perreault and Jason Chimera after each scored Tuesday.

"They played unbelievable," he said. "They scored a huge three goals for us. (Chimera) can't score almost all year and right now we need him to score and he's scoring goals. I hope that's going to give him more confidence."

Ovechkin's only off game recently came in Washington's lone loss this month, a 3-1 defeat last Thursday at Ottawa in which he had a minus-3 rating. The Senators (23-16-6) have dropped both their games since that victory, including 3-1 to Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

But Karlsson's expected return for this game - he will decide after Thursday's morning skate - from a lacerated Achilles tendon suffered Feb. 14 would be a sorely needed boost to their offense from the blue line.

Ottawa has scored two goals in its last two games, converted 3 of 44 power plays in losing seven of 11 and failed to tally more than three goals in any of its last 13.

"I think he's closer, there's always a chance," coach Paul MacLean said following Wednesday's practice about Karlsson, who had six goals and four assists in 14 games before the injury. "He practiced and took a regular turn today so that's another step in the process and we'll see how it goes (Thursday). He's kind of an infectious personality, he's helped the tempo of our practices so it would help the tempo of our game."

The Senators can also clinch a playoff berth if Winnipeg loses in regulation to Montreal on Thursday night.

Craig Anderson, who made 31 saves in a 3-2 win over Washington in the other meeting Jan. 29, will start for Ottawa. He had 18 saves last Thursday in his third straight victory over the Capitals.

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Preview: Rangers (0-0) at Hurricanes (0-0)

Date: April 25, 2013 7:00 PM EDT


After failing to secure a playoff berth in their last opportunity, the New York Rangers don't want to waste another chance against one of the league's worst teams - and one they've dominated recently.

New York will try again to clinch a third straight postseason appearance Thursday night in Raleigh by claiming its eighth consecutive victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Rangers (24-18-4) are focused on taking care of business with a win, though they can also wrap up an Eastern Conference playoff spot if ninth-place Winnipeg loses in regulation to Montreal on Thursday. Additionally, New York would qualify for the postseason if both teams earn a point.

"We don't want to back in," said center Brad Richards, who has four goals and four assists over the last four games. "We'll get back to work and still control our fate if we win. That's all we can ask for."

Following a Jets' regulation loss Tuesday, New York missed a prime opportunity to punch its playoff ticket as league-worst Florida rallied for two third-period goals in a 3-2 victory that snapped the Rangers' three-game winning streak.

Carolina (19-24-3) isn't far ahead of the Panthers, tied for the league's fourth-fewest points, and has lost seven in a row to New York while getting held to 13 goals. Henrik Lundqvist won four of those games, posting a 1.44 goals-against average and keeping the Hurricanes without a goal in two shootouts.

Lundqvist was in net for both meetings this season, including 48 saves a 4-1 victory April 6 in the last matchup as the Rangers won in Raleigh for the sixth time in seven tries.

Ryan Callahan will try to extend a seven-game point streak in this series that's included six goals and three assists. He's also recorded three goals and four assists over a five-game point streak overall.

Carolina is on a small run of its own, having recorded back-to-back wins for the first time since March 9-12.

Alexander Semin scored for the third time in four games as the Hurricanes claimed a 4-3 shootout victory over the New York Islanders on Tuesday.

While Semin has six points during a four-game streak, Jiri Tlusty has a six-game run during which he has four goals and four assists.

"We're starting to find our identity, and that's important going into next year," said Dan Ellis, who had 36 saves Tuesday for his second straight win after losing seven in a row.

Although he's 3-1-1 with a 2.07 GAA in his last five games against the Rangers, Ellis lost both starts this season and was pulled in the last meeting after allowing three goals over the first two periods.

Derek Stepan scored against Ellis in both matchups and has six goals with nine assists in 12 games this month, tying Rick Nash for the team lead with 40 points.

Eric Staal tops the Hurricanes with 50, and he's expected to team up with two brothers for the first time Thursday. Jordan Staal is in his first season with Carolina, and the team called up 22-year-old Jared Staal from Charlotte of the AHL on Wednesday.

Jared, the youngest of the three, has never appeared in the NHL. The Staals will become the 10th trio of brothers in North America's four major professional sports leagues - and the fourth in the NHL - to play for the same team in the same season.

"The more, the merrier," Eric, the team captain, said after practice Wednesday.

Another Staal brother, Marc, plays for the Rangers but hasn't taken the ice since getting injured March 5.

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Preview: Maple Leafs (0-0) at Panthers (0-0)

Date: April 25, 2013 7:30 PM EDT


The Toronto Maple Leafs are trying to regain their momentum and potentially improve their seeding before heading into the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons.

They'll try to sweep a season series from the Florida Panthers for the first time in seven years Thursday night.

Toronto (25-16-5) has already clinched a postseason berth, and is trying to gain ground in the race for home-ice advantage in a first-round playoff series.

The Maple Leafs are fifth in the Eastern Conference, four points behind fourth-place Montreal with two games left. They're also one point ahead of the sixth-place New York Islanders with Ottawa and the New York Rangers lurking three points back.

Toronto may have a chance to gain ground on the Canadiens, who visit a Winnipeg team on Thursday playing its season finale in the hopes of keeping its playoff hopes alive.

The Leafs and Canadiens conclude the regular season in Toronto on Saturday.

Before that, the Maple Leafs will try to shake out of a 1-3-0 funk after going 7-1-1 over the previous nine games.

Their recent struggles continued with Wednesday's 5-2 defeat at Tampa Bay.

"Our execution with the puck has to get better," coach Randy Carlyle said. "We can't make these same mistakes in the postseason."

Joffrey Lupul has a goal in each of the past three games, giving him 11 with six assists over his past 11 contests. That includes a pair of third-period goals in a 3-2 win over Florida (14-26-6) on March 26.

Phil Kessel, who has seven goals and eight assists in nine games, assisted on both of Lupul's tallies in that meeting after scoring one of his own in a 3-0 win at Florida on Feb. 8.

The Maple Leafs last swept a season series from the Panthers in 2005-06, winning all four meetings.

The Panthers are trying to conclude their home schedule with back-to-back wins for just the second time this season.

They played the role of spoiler Tuesday, beating the New York Rangers 3-2 to keep them from clinching a playoff spot.

Coach Kevin Dineen, though, doesn't care what opponents are playing for while Florida misses the postseason for the 11th time in 12 seasons.

"Our goal is to concentrate on our game," he said.

Tomas Fleischmann had a goal and an assist against the Rangers, giving him seven points over the past seven home games.

The left wing scored in the most recent meeting with Toronto, while Jonathan Huberdeau managed an assist.

With two games left in the regular season, Huberdeau is making a final push to become the first member of the Panthers to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year.

He's the rookie scoring leader with 14 goals while his 28 points are tied for first with Ottawa's Cory Conacher. Huberdeau, though, has one goal and is a minus-7 over his last 11 games.

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Preview: Penguins (0-0) at Devils (0-0)

Date: April 25, 2013 7:30 PM EDT


Having already clinched the top seed in the East, the Pittsburgh Penguins look to rebound from a rare defeat while continuing to heal up their banged-up stars.

Even with all its key players, Pittsburgh has had a difficult time in Newark.

After having their seven-game winning streak snapped, the short-handed Penguins will try for their third win in 12 road meetings on Thursday night when they take on the Devils.

Pittsburgh (35-11-0), which has found a way to keep winning despite dealing with several injuries, appeared to get a boost with the return of reigning MVP Evgeni Malkin on Tuesday.

Malkin, who had missed four games because of a shoulder injury, assisted on Jarome Iginla's game-tying power-play goal in the third period before Buffalo scored the final two in a 4-2 win that handed the Penguins their first loss since April 3.

"We've been pretty physical lately and we've been skating well and I don't think we did that quite as much,' said Iginla, who extended his scoring streak to four games.

Malkin may also be able to give the Penguins a spark in this contest since he's had four goals and five assists over his last seven games against the Devils (18-18-10), who were eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday.

Pittsburgh, though, could be missing another important piece - defenseman Brooks Orpik is uncertain for this contest after suffering a lower-body injury in the first period on Tuesday.

The Penguins hope to get back to full strength by the start of the playoffs next week, but continue to be without captain Sidney Crosby (broken jaw), forward James Neal (concussion) and defenseman Paul Martin (hand injury).

Pittsburgh has still won 22 of its last 25 games overall, but New Jersey has taken two of the first three meetings after sweeping home-and-home contests on Feb. 9-10.

The Devils, who are the only team with a winning record against the Penguins, have also won nine of 11 at home in this series. New Jersey claimed its third win in four games following a 10-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over Montreal on Tuesday.

"Without a doubt, there's a lot of pride on this team," said winger Steve Sullivan, who keyed the win with a goal and an assist. "We want to win every game. We weren't going to just give up.'

Ilya Kovalchuk played a major role with a pair of assists in a 3-1 home win over Pittsburgh on Feb. 9. He's looking to extend a five-game point streak (3 goals, 7 assists) at home in this series.

Leading scorer Patrick Elias has three goals in his last three games overall, but has scored only once in his last 14 against the Penguins.

Johan Hedberg is expected to start in goal after snapping a three-game losing streak in this series with 23 saves in a 3-1 road victory on Feb. 10.

Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma, meanwhile, has already named goalie Marc-Andre Fleury his starter for the final two contests.

Fleury, who had won four straight starts before losing to the Sabres, has a 3.58 goals-against average while losing five of his last six starts at New Jersey.

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Preview: Lightning (0-0) at Bruins (0-0)

Date: April 25, 2013 7:30 PM EDT


The Boston Bruins have floundered down the stretch as they head into their sixth straight postseason appearance, with many of their missteps coming against teams out of playoff contention.

They'll try to clean up their sloppy play against another opponent well behind them in the standings Thursday night as they host the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Bruins (27-13-5) sit second in the Eastern Conference and at the top of the Northeast Division with 59 points. Montreal also has the same amount of points but Boston currently owns the tiebreaker with a game in hand.

But while the Bruins have already clinched a playoff berth, they haven't exactly seized the chance to secure their seeding, dropping five of six.

Three of the last four losses - including Tuesday's 5-2 defeat at Philadelphia - have come against teams already eliminated from playoff contention. Thursday's matchup is another one as Tampa Bay trails Boston by 19 points. The Bruins' two other remaining games won't be against pushovers, though, as they take on Southeast Division champion Washington and playoff-hopeful Ottawa.

"We're running out of time here to get this stuff going," coach Claude Julien told the team's official website. "You always hope it's some sort of wake up call, but the way the season's gone, you're questioning whether you will or not. Only time will tell."

Giveaways continue to plague the Bruins of late, as they're averaging 11.2 per game over the last six compared to 8.3 on the season. Their two highest single-game totals this year have come in the last two games. The Bruins coughed up the puck 16 times against the Flyers and 20 times Sunday against league-worst Florida, though they still claimed a 3-0 victory.

It didn't take long for one of those errors to bite them Tuesday as a turnover ended up as a goal for Philadelphia only 1:40 in.

"Just really poor puck management tonight and poor decision making," Julien said. "To me, that's a reflection of guys not being ready to play. At some point, they've got to take the accountability of being ready."

The Lightning (18-24-4) will miss the postseason for a second straight year after they were mathematically eliminated last week. They did, however, just knock off a playoff-bound team Wednesday, putting a six-game skid to rest with a 5-2 home win over Toronto.

Martin St. Louis recorded his seventh career hat trick and improved his point total to a league-leading 58, as he seeks his second scoring title and first since 2004.

"To see what he does, it doesn't amaze me, but it amazes a lot of people," said teammate Steven Stamkos, who scored his 29th goal. "I'm pretty fortunate to be able to see him every day and see how hard he works and how much he wants to be the best player that he can be."

Stamkos has scored seven goals in his last five games against Boston with at least one in each.

The Bruins are aiming for their first season sweep of the Lightning in six years after winning the first two meetings.

Boston has outscored Tampa Bay 22-7 during a five-game home win streak in the series.

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Preview: Predators (0-0) at Red Wings (0-0)

Date: April 25, 2013 7:30 PM EDT


Now that the Detroit Red Wings control their own destiny, they hope to make it count.

After their latest victory moved them back into playoff position, the Red Wings look for a third straight win Thursday night when they face the visiting Nashville Predators, whom they've shut out in the last two meetings.

Detroit (22-16-8) has earned at least one point in six of seven games and with a second straight victory Wednesday, 3-1 over Los Angeles, moved one point ahead of Columbus into the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Red Wings are one point behind seventh-place Minnesota.

"We're trying to crawl our way back into the playoffs,' Detroit's Jimmy Howard said after he made 23 saves Wednesday.

With two games remaining, the Red Wings have only themselves to blame if they don't reach the playoffs for a 22nd straight season - and last before heading to the Eastern Conference.

"We still have it in our own hands," said captain Henrik Zetterberg, who has five assists in two games. "We've been playing pretty good and if we play like that, we'll be fine.

"There's been ups and downs, but mostly we've been able to keep working hard."

Johan Franzen wasn't able to finish Wednesday's game because of an undisclosed injury, but coach Mike Babcock hoped he would be healthy enough to play Thursday.

After its home finale, Detroit travels to Dallas on Saturday for what it hopes will not be the final game of the year. The Blue Jackets, who visit the Stars on Thursday, host Nashville (16-21-9) on Saturday.

"They've all felt like a playoff game here for a while,' Howard said. "So, it's just two more here, and hopefully get the job done.'

Howard has been a big reason behind Detroit's last two victories, stopping 57 of 58 shots. He's made 55 saves while the Red Wings have outscored the Predators 7-0 in the last two meetings.

Detroit last recorded three straight shutouts of the same opponent against Colorado from Jan. 8-Feb. 8, 2008. Nashville, meanwhile, has never been blanked by the same foe in three consecutive contests.

Pavel Datsyuk, who had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings on Wednesday, has one score with five assists in three games versus Nashville this season.

Looking to avoid their first nine-game road slide since one of the same duration spanned the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons, the Predators have dropped 14 of 15 (1-10-4) away from home.

However, Nashville snapped a franchise-worst eight-game slide (0-7-1) with a 4-3 win over Calgary on Tuesday. Austin Watson scored his first NHL goal in his sixth career game and Shea Weber added two assists for the Predators, who will miss the playoffs for the first time in four seasons.

"We won the game. We haven't won for a while, so we weren't quite sure what to do,' Nashville coach Barry Trotz joked. "The guys have been working hard and they are not getting rewarded. (Tuesday night) it was good to get rewarded.'

Filip Forsberg, the No. 11 overall pick in the 2012 draft acquired from Washington in the trade for Martin Erat earlier this month, recorded his first NHL point with an assist Tuesday.

Weber scored the winner and added an assist in Nashville's 4-3 overtime home win over Detroit on Feb. 19.

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Preview: Flames (0-0) at Blues (0-0)

Date: April 25, 2013 8:00 PM EDT


Currently in his 10th NHL season, defenseman Jay Bouwmeester has never appeared in a postseason game.

That will change when the St. Louis Blues open the playoffs next week, thanks to a trade prior to the deadline that ended his days with the struggling Calgary Flames.

Bouwmeester will face his former team for the first time since the deal as St. Louis seeks a season-best, five-game home winning streak Thursday night.

The Blues sought defensive depth as they clung to eighth place in the Western Conference when they sent a conditional first-round pick and two prospects to the Flames for Bouwmeester on April 1.

St. Louis (27-17-2) has won nine of 12 with Bouwmeester in the lineup and guaranteed the veteran his first postseason experience with a 3-1 win over Colorado on Tuesday.

"It's one little item checked off our list," captain David Backes said of clinching a playoff berth. "We've had a pretty good run to get to where we need to get."

The Blues, who conclude their regular season Saturday at home against NHL-best Chicago, are battling Los Angeles and San Jose for home-ice advantage in the first round.

Bouwmeester, who leads active players with 633 consecutive games played, spent six seasons with Florida before signing a five-year contract with Calgary in 2009, never making the postseason.

"You want to have success," said Bouwmeester, who recorded his fifth assist with the Blues on Patrik Berglund's power-play goal Tuesday. "It's fun winning. We've had a pretty good stretch here."

His former team, eliminated from the playoffs for a fourth straight year, also has excelled lately despite making multiple trades earlier this month.

Calgary (19-23-4) had won five of six and three straight before falling to Nashville 4-3 on Tuesday. Rookie Roman Cervenka scored twice to give him three goals and an assist during a season-best, three-game point streak.

The Flames have been playing with plenty of new faces with eyes on the future after trading Bouwmeester as well as franchise cornerstone Jarome Iginla to Pittsburgh and Blake Comeau to Columbus.

"There's a lot of new guys playing," said 36-year-old goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff, who reportedly is considering retirement after the season. "You know, it's not fun to lose but it's good to see our young guys. They played well again (Tuesday) and good to see them getting chances to play."

Kiprusoff has a career-worst 3.44 goals-against average this season, but he made 36 saves and Cervenka scored twice as the Flames beat St. Louis 3-2 in the last meeting March 24 to end a three-game skid in the series.

Both matchups this season have been in Calgary, including the Blues' 5-2 victory Feb. 15 as David Perron scored twice and Alexander Steen had a goal and two assists.

St. Louis has held opponents to one goal in four consecutive home games - all victories. Brian Elliott started each of those contests after going 1-4-1 with a 4.31 GAA in his first six home outings.

Elliott is 7-2-0 with a 1.14 GAA in his last nine starts overall and has a 1.83 GAA in five career starts versus the Flames.

Kiprusoff is 7-3-1 with a 1.36 GAA in his last 11 versus St. Louis, which may be without defenseman Barret Jackman after he was injured blocking a shot Tuesday.

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Preview: Canadiens (0-0) at Jets (0-0)

Date: April 25, 2013 8:00 PM EDT


The Montreal Canadiens are back in the playoffs following a one-year absence, but their recent poor play may have cost them their first Northeast Division title since 2007-08.

One loss just about ended the Winnipeg Jets' playoff chances.

Montreal will try to snap a season-worst three-game road losing streak Thursday night when the Jets close out their regular season.

The Canadiens (27-14-5) clinched a playoff spot with a 5-1 victory over Buffalo on April 11, but they've since lost five of six and are tied with Boston for the division lead. The Bruins, though, have a game in hand.

Montreal is fourth in the Eastern Conference and still has a chance to secure home-ice advantage in the opening round if it doesn't finish ahead of Boston, but the club has issues to fix before the postseason kicks off. Starting stronger would be one of those, as the Canadiens have fallen behind by at least two goals in the first period of each of their last five losses.

"It's been our last five or six now that we've come out flat and gone down early," forward Rene Bourque told the Canadiens' official website following Tuesday's 3-2 loss at New Jersey.

The Canadiens also need to fix a penalty-kill unit that's allowed 10 goals in 27 chances during the 1-5-0 stretch.

"We have to make the right decisions and we have to be smart," said coach Michel Therrien, whose team plays at Toronto in Saturday's season finale.

The Jets (24-20-3) have to win Thursday, and even that might not be enough to prevent them from getting eliminated from the East race. That's a tough position for the club to be in, especially since it could have moved a point ahead of Washington for the Southeast Division lead when the teams met Tuesday.

Instead, the Capitals' 5-3 victory gave them the division title, and it left Winnipeg - which was 6-0-1 in its previous seven - in ninth place, one point behind Ottawa and the New York Rangers.

That's not a huge gap, but it is considering the Senators have three games left and the Rangers play two more times.

"It was basically our Game 7 in the playoffs," said center Nik Antropov, who scored after missing the previous eight games with a lower-body injury. "And it's frustrating to lose that way."

The Jets have very little chance of making the postseason for the second time in franchise history - and first since 2007 when they were based in Atlanta - but they don't plan on just going through the motions in their finale.

"The worst thing you can do is sell yourself short and end up having those teams losing and then shoot yourself in the foot by not putting forth your best effort," said captain Andrew Ladd, the team leader with 46 points. "We're all professionals in this room - we'll show up and work hard and try to win that game against Montreal."

The Jets are 5-0-1 in their last six at home, while the Canadiens are riding their worst road skid since finishing last season 0-3-4.

Montreal, which lost 4-0 in its last game in Winnipeg on Dec. 22, 2011, has won four straight and seven of eight in this series following a pair of victories this season.

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Preview: Blue Jackets (0-0) at Stars (0-0)

Date: April 25, 2013 8:30 PM EDT


The Columbus Blue Jackets had the fewest points in the NHL when they last faced the Dallas Stars. Now they can end the Stars' playoff chances and improve their own Thursday night in Dallas.

The NHL's worst team last season with 65 points, the Blue Jackets (22-17-7) are pushing for their second postseason appearance and first since 2009 due to an impressive two-month turnaround. From a league-worst 5-12-3 following a 5-4 overtime loss to the Stars on Feb. 26, Columbus is in the final week of the regular season battling Minnesota, Detroit and Dallas for the final two playoff spots in the Western Conference.

The Blue Jackets, entering the finale of a six-game road trip, have won six of seven after a 4-3 victory at San Jose on Sunday.

"It feels like a little bit of destiny with this team," R.J. Umberger said after assisting on Ryan Johansen's game-winner with 1:37 to play. "We're just a very confident team. We feel like we are underdogs every night. We're proving people wrong. This team believes a lot and it just feels like our destiny that we're to make the playoffs. We want to make it more than anything."

The Stars (22-20-4) do too, but with four losses in five games since winning a season-best five in a row, they're on the verge of missing the postseason for the fifth consecutive season. They were tied for fifth in the West after that last matchup with Columbus but are down to 10th with two games left, including Saturday against the Red Wings.

"We have to get two more wins," coach Glen Gulutzan said after Dallas ended an 0-2-1 trip with Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the Sharks.

Gulutzan's team could be officially eliminated as early as Thursday, and that's guaranteed to happen without a victory.

With their playoff fate out of their control, the Stars can only focus on winning four straight at home for the first time since the start of 2011-12.

Columbus, which has won six of eight on the road, will likely put Sergei Bobrovsky in net for the 12th straight game. He's 16-5-3 with a 1.65 goals-against average since the February loss to Dallas.

"Your goalie on any given night has to be your best player and for sure he's been our best player," forward Cam Atkinson said of Bobrovsky, who made 32 saves Sunday and had 24 in a 2-1 win over the Stars on Jan. 28.

Kari Lehtonen stopped 25 shots in that matchup and has a 1.80 GAA in 10 career starts versus Columbus. He's played well in four games since missing a week with a groin injury, posting a .921 save percentage, but Dallas has been outshot by 21 during that stretch and lost the last three by one goal.

Perhaps the return of Alex Chiasson will help the Stars avoid a season high-tying fourth consecutive defeat. The rookie forward, who has a team-high six goals since his NHL debut April 3, is closer to returning after missing the last four contests with a shoulder problem.

"Right now my injury feels pretty good," Chiasson told the team's official website Tuesday. "I've just got to focus on getting my legs and my lungs back. I haven't skated much since that Chicago game (April 15)."

Both meetings between these teams this season have been in Columbus. The Blue Jackets won their last visit to Dallas on Dec. 29, 2011, and have never won more than two straight there.

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Preview: Ducks (0-0) at Canucks (0-0)

Date: April 25, 2013 10:00 PM EDT


The Anaheim Ducks and Vancouver Canucks both just clinched their respective divisions. There's a lot of work ahead for both clubs if they're going to meet in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.

Anaheim will try to close out its road schedule with a third straight victory on Thursday night when the Cory Schneider-less Canucks go for a ninth consecutive victory at Rogers Arena.

After missing the playoffs last season, the Ducks (29-11-6) clinched the Pacific with Monday's 3-0 victory at Edmonton. The Ducks' only previous division title came in 2007 when they won their lone Stanley Cup title.

Anaheim defeated the Canucks in the conference semifinals that year in the only playoff series between these clubs.

"We still have to keep working hard, but the last two games have been a step in the right direction for us," rookie goaltender Viktor Fasth said Monday after the Ducks swept two in a row visiting the Oilers following four straight defeats. "I think we were even better in this game than we were the night before. We still have things to work on before the playoffs, though.'

The Ducks, five points ahead of Vancouver (26-13-7), will open the postseason as the No. 2 seed behind Chicago.

The Canucks locked up the third seed and their fifth consecutive Northwest Division title with Monday's 3-1 victory over the Blackhawks.

"It's always nice to beat the best team in the NHL, but our second goal every year after making the playoffs is to clinch the division title,' said Schneider, who finished with 24 saves. "It speaks to the success this team has had in the past five, six years of winning titles and stuff like this.

"We'll enjoy this for about 10 minutes and then worry about the (Anaheim) Ducks coming to town (Thursday).'

The Ducks, though, won't have to worry about Schneider, who has been ruled out of this game with an undisclosed injury. The Canucks called up Joe Cannata from AHL Chicago on Wednesday, meaning Roberto Luongo will get the nod from coach Alain Vigneault for the first time in 10 days.

Luongo, who has won his last two starts, has faced the Ducks once this season, stopping 10 of 12 shots in relief of Schneider in a 7-3 season-opening home loss on Jan. 19.

The Canucks, who evened the season series six days later with a 5-0 victory in Anaheim, will try to end the Ducks' five-game point streak in Vancouver. The Canucks' current run at Rogers Arena is their best since their franchise-record 11-game home winning streak ended with a 6-5 shootout loss to Anaheim on April 2, 2009.

The Ducks would like nothing more than to snap another streak in Vancouver before hosting Phoenix on Saturday in their regular-season finale.

"First and foremost we needed to get back to our game and playing well,' defenseman Francois Beauchemin said. "We needed to get some confidence and score some goals."

Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, tied for the team lead with 15 goals, have one total in the two games against Vancouver, while Canucks leading scorers Henrik and Daniel Sedin have combined for two goals and five assists in those matchups.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Dunkel

Columbus at Dallas
The Blue Jackets look to build on their 9-3 record in their last 12 games against a team with a losing record. Columbus is the pick (+110) according to Dunkel, which has the Blue Jackets favored by 1/2 a goal. Dunkel Pick: Columbus (+110). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, APRIL 25

Game 1-2: NY Rangers at Carolina (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Rangers 12.946; Carolina 11.347
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Rangers by 1 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: NY Rangers (-150); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Rangers (-150); Over

Game 3-4: Ottawa at Washington (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Ottawa 11.974; Washington 11.440
Dunkel Line & Total: Ottawa by 1/2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Washington (-130); 5
Dunkel Pick: Ottawa (+110); Under

Game 5-6: NY Islanders at Philadelphia (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Islanders 12.299; Philadelphia 11.942
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Islanders by 1/2; 7
Vegas Line & Total: Philadelphia (-115); 6
Dunkel Pick: NY Islanders (-105); Over

Game 7-8: Toronto at Florida (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 11.421; Florida 10.637
Dunkel Line & Total: Toronto by 1; 4
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 9-10: Pittsburgh at New Jersey (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 12.248; New Jersey 11.028
Dunkel Line & Total: Pittsburgh by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total:
Dunkel Pick:

Game 11-12: Nashville at Detroit (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Nashville 10.603; Detroit 12.346
Dunkel Line & Total: Detroit by 1 1/2; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Detroit (-220); 5
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-220); Under

Game 13-14: Montreal at Winnipeg (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Montreal 10.133; Winnipeg 12.097
Dunkel Line & Total: Winnipeg by 2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Winnipeg (-110); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Winnipeg (-110); Over

Game 15-16: Calgary at St. Louis (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Calgary 12.333; St. Louis 11.919
Dunkel Line & Total: Calgary by 1/2; 4
Vegas Line & Total: St. Louis (-135); 5
Dunkel Pick: Calgary (+115); Under

Game 17-18: Columbus at Dallas (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Columbus 12.136; Dallas 11.833
Dunkel Line & Total: Columbus by 1/2; 5 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Dallas (-130); 5
Dunkel Pick: Columbus (+110); Over

Game 19-20: Anaheim at Vancouver (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Anaheim 11.331; Vancouver 12.184
Dunkel Line & Total: Vancouver by 1; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 21-22: Tampa Bay at Boston (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay 10.801; Boston 12.087
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Boston (-230); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-230); Under
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NHL
Long Sheet

Thursday, April 25

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NY RANGERS (24-18-0-4, 52 pts.) at CAROLINA (19-24-0-3, 41 pts.) - 4/25/2013, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY RANGERS are 48-71 ATS (-33.8 Units) after 3 or more consecutive overs since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY RANGERS is 8-2 (+5.8 Units) against the spread versus CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
NY RANGERS is 8-2-0 straight up against CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.3 Units)

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OTTAWA (23-16-0-6, 52 pts.) at WASHINGTON (26-18-0-2, 54 pts.) - 4/25/2013, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 26-20 ATS (+0.7 Units) in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 10-1 ATS (+8.7 Units) in April games this season.
WASHINGTON is 26-20 ATS (-0.8 Units) second half of the season this season.
WASHINGTON is 12-5 ATS (+6.9 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 6-4 (+1.2 Units) against the spread versus OTTAWA over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 6-4-0 straight up against OTTAWA over the last 3 seasons
8 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+6.2 Units)

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NY ISLANDERS (24-16-0-6, 54 pts.) at PHILADELPHIA (21-22-0-3, 45 pts.) - 4/25/2013, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY ISLANDERS are 14-8 ATS (+23.5 Units) in road games second half of the season this season.
NY ISLANDERS are 12-5 ATS (+18.5 Units) after playing 3 consecutive road games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 79-88 ATS (-72.4 Units) in home games revenging a loss versus opponent since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 16-21 ATS (-16.0 Units) in home games after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 12-18 ATS (-16.6 Units) in home games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 11-4 (+4.8 Units) against the spread versus NY ISLANDERS over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA is 11-4-0 straight up against NY ISLANDERS over the last 3 seasons
8 of 15 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.2 Units)

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TORONTO (25-16-0-5, 55 pts.) at FLORIDA (14-26-0-6, 34 pts.) - 4/25/2013, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
FLORIDA is 6-4 (+2.0 Units) against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
FLORIDA is 6-4-0 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.4 Units)

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PITTSBURGH (35-11-0-0, 70 pts.) at NEW JERSEY (18-18-0-10, 46 pts.) - 4/25/2013, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 8-7-0 straight up against NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
9 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.1 Units)

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NASHVILLE (16-21-0-9, 41 pts.) at DETROIT (22-16-0-8, 52 pts.) - 4/25/2013, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NASHVILLE is 16-30 ATS (-14.1 Units) in all games this season.
NASHVILLE is 16-30 ATS (-14.1 Units) second half of the season this season.
NASHVILLE is 3-13 ATS (+18.1 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
NASHVILLE is 1-10 ATS (+12.0 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
DETROIT is 15-2 ATS (+11.5 Units) in home games after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 26-5 ATS (+17.2 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 11-0 ATS (+11.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
NASHVILLE is 155-129 ATS (+24.3 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1996.
DETROIT is 5-12 ATS (+17.2 Units) vs. division opponents this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
NASHVILLE is 12-8 (+6.1 Units) against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
NASHVILLE is 12-8-0 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
12 of 16 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+7.6 Units)

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MONTREAL (27-14-0-5, 59 pts.) at WINNIPEG (24-20-0-3, 51 pts.) - 4/25/2013, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 7-3 (+3.7 Units) against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 7-3-0 straight up against WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.2 Units)

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CALGARY (19-23-0-4, 42 pts.) at ST LOUIS (27-17-0-2, 56 pts.) - 4/25/2013, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 6-4 (+2.2 Units) against the spread versus ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 6-4-0 straight up against ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.7 Units)

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COLUMBUS (22-17-0-7, 51 pts.) at DALLAS (22-20-0-4, 48 pts.) - 4/25/2013, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 64-63 ATS (+135.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 9-4 ATS (+14.4 Units) in April games over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 41-49 ATS (+109.7 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 6-4 (+1.0 Units) against the spread versus COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 6-4-0 straight up against COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.9 Units)

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ANAHEIM (29-11-0-6, 64 pts.) at VANCOUVER (26-13-0-7, 59 pts.) - 4/25/2013, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ANAHEIM is 5-5 (+2.4 Units) against the spread versus VANCOUVER over the last 3 seasons
VANCOUVER is 5-5-0 straight up against ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
8 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+6.3 Units)

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TAMPA BAY (18-24-0-4, 40 pts.) at BOSTON (27-13-0-5, 59 pts.) - 4/25/2013, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 18-28 ATS (-12.3 Units) in all games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 15-34 ATS (+57.0 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 18-28 ATS (-12.3 Units) second half of the season this season.
TAMPA BAY is 8-18 ATS (+27.0 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
TAMPA BAY is 157-171 ATS (+371.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1996.
BOSTON is 209-192 ATS (-128.3 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.
BOSTON is 158-138 ATS (-43.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
BOSTON is 9-13 ATS (-13.6 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 11-6 (+3.0 Units) against the spread versus TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 11-6-0 straight up against TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
10 of 17 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.3 Units)

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, April 25

Hot teams
-- Rangers won five of their last seven games. Carolina won its last two games, after they had lost 17 of previous 19 games.
-- Capitals won ten of their last eleven games.
-- Islanders won 11 of their last 15 games. Flyers won four of last five.
-- Pittsburgh won seven of its last eight games. Devils won three of last four.
-- Red Wings won their last two games, allowing one goal.
-- Winnipeg won six of its last eight games.
-- St Louis won 10 of its last 13 games. Flames won five of their last seven.
-- Blue Jackets won six of their last seven games.
-- Ducks won their last two games, allowing one goal. Canucks won seven of last ten.

Cold teams
-- Ottawa lost seven of its last eleven games.
-- Panthers lost six of their last seven games. Maple Leafs lost three of last four games.
-- Nashville lost 11 of its last 13 games.
-- Canadiens lost five of their last six games.
-- Dallas Stars lost four of their last five games.
-- Bruins lost five of their last six games. Tampa Bay lost six of last seven.

Totals
-- Six of last nine Carolins games went over the total.
-- Last eight Ottawa games stayed under the total.
-- Last four Islander games went over the total.
-- Over is 5-2-1 in last eight Toronto games.
-- Penguins' last three road games stayed under total.
-- Under is 7-0-2 in last nine Detroit games.
-- Over is 5-1-1 in last seven Montreal games.
-- Under is 5-2-2 in last nine Calgary games.
-- Over is 6-2-1 in Dallas Stars' last nine games.
-- Under is 6-0-1 in last seven Anaheim games; over is 9-2 in last 11 Canuck-Duck tilts. .
-- Four of last five Boston-Tampa Bay games went over total.

Series records
-- Rangers won their last seven games with Carolina.
-- Senators won their last three games with Washington.
-- Islanders won three of last four visits to Philly.
-- Maple Leafs beat Florida twice this season, 3-0/3-2.
-- Devils are 5-3 in their last eight games with Pittsburgh.
-- Detroit shut Predators out last two times teams played, after losing seven of previous eight series games with Nashville.
-- Canadiens won seven of last eight games with Winnipeg.
-- Blues won three of last four games with Calgary.
-- Dallas Stars won five of last seven games with Columbus.
-- Ducks won three of last four visits to Vancouver.
-- Bruins won five of last seven games with Tampa Bay.

Back-to-backs
-- Toronto is 3-5 when it played the night before, 2-4 on road.
-- Red Wings are 5-4 if they played night before, 4-2 if they won.
-- Tampa Bay is 2-5 if it played the night before.
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NHL

Thursday, April 25

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
NY ISLANDERS vs. PHILADELPHIA
NY Islanders are 3-14 SU in their last 17 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
NY Islanders are 6-2 SU in their last 8 games
Philadelphia is 14-3 SU in their last 17 games when playing at home against NY Islanders
Philadelphia is 20-5 SU in their last 25 games when playing NY Islanders

7:00 PM
NY RANGERS vs. CAROLINA
NY Rangers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing Carolina
NY Rangers are 3-6 SU in their last 9 games on the road
Carolina is 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing NY Rangers
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Carolina's last 5 games at home

7:00 PM
OTTAWA vs. WASHINGTON
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Ottawa's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Ottawa's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing at home against Ottawa

7:30 PM
NASHVILLE vs. DETROIT
Nashville is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Nashville's last 5 games when playing Detroit
Detroit is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing Nashville
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Detroit's last 5 games when playing Nashville

7:30 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. NEW JERSEY
Pittsburgh is 22-3 SU in its last 25 games
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Pittsburgh's last 20 games
New Jersey is 3-11 SU in its last 14 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New Jersey's last 7 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh

7:30 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. BOSTON
Tampa Bay is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 6 games at home
Boston is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games

7:30 PM
TORONTO vs. FLORIDA
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing Florida
Toronto is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Florida's last 6 games when playing at home against Toronto
Florida is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Toronto

8:00 PM
CALGARY vs. ST. LOUIS
Calgary is 3-14 SU in its last 17 games on the road
Calgary is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing St. Louis
St. Louis is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of St. Louis's last 5 games at home

8:00 PM
MONTREAL vs. WINNIPEG
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Montreal's last 6 games on the road
Montreal is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Winnipeg's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Winnipeg's last 20 games at home

8:30 PM
COLUMBUS vs. DALLAS
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Columbus's last 6 games when playing on the road against Dallas
Columbus is 7-15 SU in its last 22 games when playing on the road against Dallas
Dallas is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home
Dallas is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

10:00 PM
ANAHEIM vs. VANCOUVER
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Anaheim's last 5 games when playing on the road against Vancouver
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Anaheim's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Vancouver's last 5 games when playing at home against Anaheim
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Vancouver's last 5 games at home