The Bum's October's NHL POD's-News-Trends-Stats !

[StarDust Bum]

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

Date: October 02, 2013 7:30 PM EDT


A poor start doomed the Philadelphia Flyers last season.

They hope the addition of several key veterans will prevent that from happening again.

With at least Vincent Lecavalier and Mark Streit expected to make their respective team debuts Wednesday night, the Flyers attempt to open 2013-14 in strong fashion against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Philadelphia lost six of its first eight games last season and went on to miss the playoffs for just the second time in 18 tries. The Flyers fell five points short of the postseason with a 23-22-3 record.

"Every team's objective is to get off to a good start," coach Peter Laviolette said. "We didn't get one last year. We were disappointed about that, and it put us behind the eight-ball. We scratched and clawed all year, and it didn't work out for us."

Some new faces could make a difference.

The Flyers signed Lecavalier as a free agent and acquired Streit - also a former captain - from the New York Islanders.

Lecavalier, 33, was inked to a five-year, $22.5 million contract after spending all of his 14 NHL seasons with Tampa Bay. He had 10 goals with 22 assists in 2012-13.

The center has 52 points in 50 career meetings with Toronto, including four goals and one assist in the past six.

Streit, 35, spent the last four seasons as the Islanders' top defenseman before moving to Philadelphia on a $21-million, four-year deal.

The Flyers' final key offseason move was re-acquiring Ray Emery, who won 16 games for them in 2009-10.

After going 17-1-0 with a 1.94 goals-against average in 21 games as a backup for Stanley Cup champion Chicago, Emery is expected to split time in net with Steve Mason after Philadelphia bought out the remainder of Ilya Bryzgalov's nine-year, $51 million contract.

Mason went 4-2-0 with a 1.90 GAA in seven games last season after being picked up in a trade from Columbus.

He doesn't see Emery as competition.

"Everybody wants to put (their) spin on it," Mason told the team's official website. "I'm not out there to battle Ray or anything like that, I'm just trying to get better in my own, individual way, and if he's out there pushing me, that's a good thing."

Despite the new additions, the Flyers will still rely heavily on captain Claude Giroux, who underwent offseason surgery on his right index finger after a golfing accident.

Giroux is trying to improve on his 48 points from last season after totaling career highs of 28 goals and 93 points in 2011-12.

The Flyers dropped two of three to the Maple Leafs last season, including a 4-2 home defeat Feb. 25 after winning seven of the previous eight there.

Toronto opened its season with a 4-3 win at Montreal on Tuesday. The victory included five fights with Canadiens enforcer George Parros leaving on a stretcher with a concussion after hitting his face on the ice when the Leafs' Colton Orr pulled him down.

James van Riemsdyk, who scored the league's first goal of the season, gets another shot at his former team. He had a pair of goals in three games last season against Philadelphia, where he spent his first three years.

James Reimer got his season off to a strong start by making 34 saves, but it's unclear if he'll be back in net.

Like Philadelphia, the Maple Leafs also acquired a goaltender during the offseason, trading for Jonathan Bernier from Los Angeles.

Bernier went 9-3-0 with a 1.88 GAA in 14 games as Jonathan Quick's backup last season.

"When I'm in there, I'm not competing against anybody on my team," Reimer said. "I'm competing against the other team, not the guys sitting beside me."

Reimer has lost three of five meetings with the Flyers behind a 3.23 GAA, while Bernier lost his only meeting 7-4 with the Kings on Dec. 30, 2010. He gave up six goals on 22 shots before being pulled midway through the second period.

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NHL HEAD TO HEAD

Apr 4, 2013 Score ATS Results
PHI « 5 Over: 8
TOR 3 Cover: 218
Tools: Boxscores • Recaps

Feb 25, 2013 Score ATS Results
TOR « 4 Over: 6
PHI 2 Cover: 238
Tools: Boxscores • Recaps

Feb 11, 2013 Score ATS Results
PHI 2 Over: 7
TOR « 5 Cover: 303
Tools: Boxscores • Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

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

Date: October 02, 2013 8:00 PM EDT


With veteran Daniel Alfredsson in the mix, the Detroit Red Wings are eager to begin play in the Eastern Conference.

The 40-year-old winger hopes to make what could be his only season in Detroit a memorable one starting Wednesday night when the Red Wings try to continue their home success against the rebuilding Buffalo Sabres.

Playing its last year in the Western Conference, Detroit won half of its 48 games during the lockout-shortened 2013 season and reached the playoffs for a 22nd straight time. After knocking off second-seeded Anaheim, the Red Wings took a 3-1 lead on Chicago in the conference semifinals before the Blackhawks won three straight en route to their second Stanley Cup title in four seasons.

Following that disappointing finish, the Red Wings re-signed leading scorer Pavel Datsyuk, gave a surprise $5.5 million, one-year deal to Alfredsson and brought in veteran center Stephen Weiss.

"They're going to have as good of a team as anyone arguably in the league," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said.

Though the Red Wings have not made it past the second round since losing to Pittsburgh in the 2009 Stanley Cup finals, their long-desired move to the East will cut down on travel and could make a club known for solid stick-handling and overall speed an instant contender within a conference where the play is generally considered more wide-open than the West.

"This team will do well in the East," Alfredsson told the Red Wings' official website. "It's a way better travel schedule. Puck possession, a different style and a lot of teams haven't seen them as much."

How well they do could depend largely on Alfredsson.

A two-time 40-goal scorer during 17 seasons with Ottawa, Alfredsson stunned many by signing with Detroit rather than the Senators for what could be his final NHL season before retirement.

Though he had 10 goals in 2013 and more than 24 once in the league's last four full seasons, Alfredsson hopes a new environment and style of play will help revive his game and offer a legitimate shot at hoisting his first Stanley Cup.

"I've been in Ottawa my whole career and looking at my situation I wanted to try something new and exciting," said Alfredsson, expected to be on the second line with Weiss and Johan Franzen.

Weiss posted three straight 20-goal campaigns with Florida before injuries limited him to one in 17 games last season.

Despite the presence of Datsyuk, Franzen and Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit finished in the bottom half of the league with 2.5 goals per game in 2013.

Jimmy Howard, meanwhile, tied for seventh with 21 wins and ranked eighth with a 2.13 goals-against average while starting all but six games. That performance earned him a $31.8 million, six-year deal in April.

Howard has yielded four goals on 96 shots and posted one shutout while going 3-0-0 in four games versus Buffalo.

The Red Wings are 11-0-1 at home against the Sabres since a 3-2 regulation loss March 6, 1994.

Coming off a 21-21-6 season during which longtime coach Lindy Ruff was fired in February and replaced by Ron Rolston, Buffalo hopes some youth will help lead to its first playoff appearance in three seasons.

"I can't predict how the season's going to go," owner Terry Pegula said. "But I know that the guys in the locker room are pretty upbeat."

Pegula and Rolston hope the likes of 2012 first-round picks Mikhail Grigorenko and Zemgus Girgensons will help improve a club that averaged 2.5 goals and ranked 29th on the power play, converting 14.1 percent. Grigorenko posted a goal and four assists in 25 contests last season.

Picked eighth overall in this year's draft, defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who turns 19 at the end of the month, also is expected to be in the lineup Wednesday.

"You're probably not going to see the potential of our team unfold for a couple of months," Rolston said. "But everyone is excited about it. And everyone has expectations that we've got what we need here now."

Thomas Vanek recorded at least 25 goals in his previous seven seasons with the Sabres, then totaled 20 and 41 points in 38 games in 2013.

A free agent after this season, Ryan Miller hopes to improve after posting a 2.81 GAA - his highest in eight seasons as Buffalo's top goaltender.

The Michigan native is 1-3-1 with a 3.81 GAA at Joe Louis Arena.

[StarDust Bum]

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

Date: October 02, 2013 9:30 PM EDT


Patrick Roy can empathize with the Anaheim Ducks' new motto, "Unfinished Business."

The last time the Hall of Fame goaltender took the ice in the NHL, his Colorado Avalanche were bounced out of the 2003 playoffs in the first round after a 105-point campaign.

Now entering his first season as Colorado's coach, he's looking to get the franchise headed back toward elite status beginning with Wednesday night's season opener against the visiting Ducks, who are coming off a short postseason run despite capturing their first division title since winning the 2007 Stanley Cup.

Roy helped the Avalanche win the 2001 Cup and guided them to their ninth consecutive division title before retiring following the team's seven-game playoff loss to Minnesota in his final season.

Those glory years are far behind Colorado (16-25-7), which missed the postseason for the third straight year after finishing at the bottom of the Western Conference in the lockout-shortened 2013 season.

Roy, along with vice president of hockey operations and former Avs captain Joe Sakic, is tasked with helping turn a young core and a mix of veterans into a postseason contender.

"Those guys were stars (and) are now dedicating themselves to getting the team back to where it was when they were playing,' said forward Alex Tanguay, who played with Roy and Sakic on Colorado's last championship team. "You look at their resumes, when they're going to tell you something, we know that they've been around. The message is going to be something that they lived. This is a new beginning for this team.'

Anaheim (30-12-6) also is looking to start anew after it finished second to Chicago in the West in the regular season before bowing out of the playoffs in seven games to seventh-seeded Detroit.

The Ducks have won a single playoff series since capturing their last Cup in '07, and captain Ryan Getzlaf is hoping the club remembers the disappointment it felt after the latest playoff defeat.

Players have been wearing shirts bearing the team's new motto as a reminder.

"We better have some frustration from last year," said Getzlaf, who along with former Hart Trophy winner Corey Perry signed an eight-year extension last season. "That's part of building a winning organization. When you lose in a Game 7 situation like that it's got to weigh on you going into the start of the year."

The Ducks brought back Dustin Penner, who played on a line with Getzlaf and Perry in 2007, on a one-year, $2 million deal in hopes they'll rekindle their previous success.

"What's important to me at this stage of my career is just winning,' Penner said. "I want to be one of those guys that can be dependable and accountable for the coaching staff."

Penner will replace Bobby Ryan, who was traded along with his $10.2 million salary cap hit to Ottawa for young forward Jakob Silfverberg. Ryan scored at least 31 goals in the last four full seasons, but coach Bruce Boudreau is expecting scoring punch to come from the likes of Getzlaf, Perry and 43-year-old Teemu Selanne, who is back for his final season.

"Our whole motto this year is unfinished business," Boudreau said. "We did a lot of great things, but our plan from the start of the season to the end was to go further than that, so it's a goal we're going to strive for.'

Colorado is taking steps toward having those expectations again. It returns co-leading scorers Matt Duchene (17 goals, 26 assists) and P.A. Parenteau (18 goals, 25 assists), as well as 21-year-old captain Gabriel Landeskog.

Roy is expecting No. 1 overall pick Nathan MacKinnon to provide some offense as well. The 18-year-old will start on a line with Parenteau and Jamie McGinn.

"We don't want Nathan to come here to be our savior,' Roy said. "We want Nathan to be the (best) player he can be.'

It's unclear who each team will start in goal for the opener. Jonas Hiller and Viktor Fasth are expected to split time for the Ducks as they did last season. Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who backstopped Anaheim to the 2007 title, and Semyon Varlamov each return for Colorado.

Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin is back after recovering from a torn ACL, but fellow defenseman Sheldon Souray likely will be out until January after having surgery on a torn ligament in his wrist.

Colorado defenseman Ryan Wilson will begin the season on injured reserve with a knee injury.

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NHL HEAD TO HEAD

Apr 10, 2013 Score ATS Results
COL « 4 Under: 5
ANA 1 Cover: 142
Tools: Boxscores • Recaps

Feb 24, 2013 Score ATS Results
COL 3 Over: 7
ANA « 4 Cover: 201
Tools: Boxscores • Recaps

Feb 6, 2013 Score ATS Results
ANA « 3 Cover: 273
COL 0 Under: 3
Tools: Boxscores • Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Maple Leafs (1-0) at Flyers (0-0)

Date: October 02, 2013 7:30 PM EDT


A poor start doomed the Philadelphia Flyers last season.

They hope the addition of several key veterans will prevent that from happening again.

With at least Vincent Lecavalier and Mark Streit expected to make their respective team debuts Wednesday night, the Flyers attempt to open 2013-14 in strong fashion against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Philadelphia lost six of its first eight games last season and went on to miss the playoffs for just the second time in 18 tries. The Flyers fell five points short of the postseason with a 23-22-3 record.

"Every team's objective is to get off to a good start," coach Peter Laviolette said. "We didn't get one last year. We were disappointed about that, and it put us behind the eight-ball. We scratched and clawed all year, and it didn't work out for us."

Some new faces could make a difference.

The Flyers signed Lecavalier as a free agent and acquired Streit - also a former captain - from the New York Islanders.

Lecavalier, 33, was inked to a five-year, $22.5 million contract after spending all of his 14 NHL seasons with Tampa Bay. He had 10 goals with 22 assists in 2012-13.

The center has 52 points in 50 career meetings with Toronto, including four goals and one assist in the past six.

Streit, 35, spent the last four seasons as the Islanders' top defenseman before moving to Philadelphia on a $21-million, four-year deal.

The Flyers' final key offseason move was re-acquiring Ray Emery, who won 16 games for them in 2009-10.

After going 17-1-0 with a 1.94 goals-against average in 21 games as a backup for Stanley Cup champion Chicago, Emery is expected to split time in net with Steve Mason after Philadelphia bought out the remainder of Ilya Bryzgalov's nine-year, $51 million contract.

Mason went 4-2-0 with a 1.90 GAA in seven games last season after being picked up in a trade from Columbus.

He doesn't see Emery as competition.

"Everybody wants to put (their) spin on it," Mason told the team's official website. "I'm not out there to battle Ray or anything like that, I'm just trying to get better in my own, individual way, and if he's out there pushing me, that's a good thing."

Despite the new additions, the Flyers will still rely heavily on captain Claude Giroux, who underwent offseason surgery on his right index finger after a golfing accident.

Giroux is trying to improve on his 48 points from last season after totaling career highs of 28 goals and 93 points in 2011-12.

The Flyers dropped two of three to the Maple Leafs last season, including a 4-2 home defeat Feb. 25 after winning seven of the previous eight there.

Toronto opened its season with a 4-3 win at Montreal on Tuesday. The victory included five fights with Canadiens enforcer George Parros leaving on a stretcher with a concussion after hitting his face on the ice when the Leafs' Colton Orr pulled him down.

James van Riemsdyk, who scored the league's first goal of the season, gets another shot at his former team. He had a pair of goals in three games last season against Philadelphia, where he spent his first three years.

James Reimer got his season off to a strong start by making 34 saves, but it's unclear if he'll be back in net.

Like Philadelphia, the Maple Leafs also acquired a goaltender during the offseason, trading for Jonathan Bernier from Los Angeles.

Bernier went 9-3-0 with a 1.88 GAA in 14 games as Jonathan Quick's backup last season.

"When I'm in there, I'm not competing against anybody on my team," Reimer said. "I'm competing against the other team, not the guys sitting beside me."

Reimer has lost three of five meetings with the Flyers behind a 3.23 GAA, while Bernier lost his only meeting 7-4 with the Kings on Dec. 30, 2010. He gave up six goals on 22 shots before being pulled midway through the second period.

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NHL HEAD TO HEAD

Apr 4, 2013 Score ATS Results
PHI « 5 Over: 8
TOR 3 Cover: 218
Tools: Boxscores • Recaps

Feb 25, 2013 Score ATS Results
TOR « 4 Over: 6
PHI 2 Cover: 238
Tools: Boxscores • Recaps

Feb 11, 2013 Score ATS Results
PHI 2 Over: 7
TOR « 5 Cover: 303
Tools: Boxscores • Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

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

Date: October 02, 2013 8:00 PM EDT


With veteran Daniel Alfredsson in the mix, the Detroit Red Wings are eager to begin play in the Eastern Conference.

The 40-year-old winger hopes to make what could be his only season in Detroit a memorable one starting Wednesday night when the Red Wings try to continue their home success against the rebuilding Buffalo Sabres.

Playing its last year in the Western Conference, Detroit won half of its 48 games during the lockout-shortened 2013 season and reached the playoffs for a 22nd straight time. After knocking off second-seeded Anaheim, the Red Wings took a 3-1 lead on Chicago in the conference semifinals before the Blackhawks won three straight en route to their second Stanley Cup title in four seasons.

Following that disappointing finish, the Red Wings re-signed leading scorer Pavel Datsyuk, gave a surprise $5.5 million, one-year deal to Alfredsson and brought in veteran center Stephen Weiss.

"They're going to have as good of a team as anyone arguably in the league," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said.

Though the Red Wings have not made it past the second round since losing to Pittsburgh in the 2009 Stanley Cup finals, their long-desired move to the East will cut down on travel and could make a club known for solid stick-handling and overall speed an instant contender within a conference where the play is generally considered more wide-open than the West.

"This team will do well in the East," Alfredsson told the Red Wings' official website. "It's a way better travel schedule. Puck possession, a different style and a lot of teams haven't seen them as much."

How well they do could depend largely on Alfredsson.

A two-time 40-goal scorer during 17 seasons with Ottawa, Alfredsson stunned many by signing with Detroit rather than the Senators for what could be his final NHL season before retirement.

Though he had 10 goals in 2013 and more than 24 once in the league's last four full seasons, Alfredsson hopes a new environment and style of play will help revive his game and offer a legitimate shot at hoisting his first Stanley Cup.

"I've been in Ottawa my whole career and looking at my situation I wanted to try something new and exciting," said Alfredsson, expected to be on the second line with Weiss and Johan Franzen.

Weiss posted three straight 20-goal campaigns with Florida before injuries limited him to one in 17 games last season.

Despite the presence of Datsyuk, Franzen and Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit finished in the bottom half of the league with 2.5 goals per game in 2013.

Jimmy Howard, meanwhile, tied for seventh with 21 wins and ranked eighth with a 2.13 goals-against average while starting all but six games. That performance earned him a $31.8 million, six-year deal in April.

Howard has yielded four goals on 96 shots and posted one shutout while going 3-0-0 in four games versus Buffalo.

The Red Wings are 11-0-1 at home against the Sabres since a 3-2 regulation loss March 6, 1994.

Coming off a 21-21-6 season during which longtime coach Lindy Ruff was fired in February and replaced by Ron Rolston, Buffalo hopes some youth will help lead to its first playoff appearance in three seasons.

"I can't predict how the season's going to go," owner Terry Pegula said. "But I know that the guys in the locker room are pretty upbeat."

Pegula and Rolston hope the likes of 2012 first-round picks Mikhail Grigorenko and Zemgus Girgensons will help improve a club that averaged 2.5 goals and ranked 29th on the power play, converting 14.1 percent. Grigorenko posted a goal and four assists in 25 contests last season.

Picked eighth overall in this year's draft, defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who turns 19 at the end of the month, also is expected to be in the lineup Wednesday.

"You're probably not going to see the potential of our team unfold for a couple of months," Rolston said. "But everyone is excited about it. And everyone has expectations that we've got what we need here now."

Thomas Vanek recorded at least 25 goals in his previous seven seasons with the Sabres, then totaled 20 and 41 points in 38 games in 2013.

A free agent after this season, Ryan Miller hopes to improve after posting a 2.81 GAA - his highest in eight seasons as Buffalo's top goaltender.

The Michigan native is 1-3-1 with a 3.81 GAA at Joe Louis Arena.

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[StarDust Bum]

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

Date: October 02, 2013 9:30 PM EDT


Patrick Roy can empathize with the Anaheim Ducks' new motto, "Unfinished Business."

The last time the Hall of Fame goaltender took the ice in the NHL, his Colorado Avalanche were bounced out of the 2003 playoffs in the first round after a 105-point campaign.

Now entering his first season as Colorado's coach, he's looking to get the franchise headed back toward elite status beginning with Wednesday night's season opener against the visiting Ducks, who are coming off a short postseason run despite capturing their first division title since winning the 2007 Stanley Cup.

Roy helped the Avalanche win the 2001 Cup and guided them to their ninth consecutive division title before retiring following the team's seven-game playoff loss to Minnesota in his final season.

Those glory years are far behind Colorado (16-25-7), which missed the postseason for the third straight year after finishing at the bottom of the Western Conference in the lockout-shortened 2013 season.

Roy, along with vice president of hockey operations and former Avs captain Joe Sakic, is tasked with helping turn a young core and a mix of veterans into a postseason contender.

"Those guys were stars (and) are now dedicating themselves to getting the team back to where it was when they were playing,' said forward Alex Tanguay, who played with Roy and Sakic on Colorado's last championship team. "You look at their resumes, when they're going to tell you something, we know that they've been around. The message is going to be something that they lived. This is a new beginning for this team.'

Anaheim (30-12-6) also is looking to start anew after it finished second to Chicago in the West in the regular season before bowing out of the playoffs in seven games to seventh-seeded Detroit.

The Ducks have won a single playoff series since capturing their last Cup in '07, and captain Ryan Getzlaf is hoping the club remembers the disappointment it felt after the latest playoff defeat.

Players have been wearing shirts bearing the team's new motto as a reminder.

"We better have some frustration from last year," said Getzlaf, who along with former Hart Trophy winner Corey Perry signed an eight-year extension last season. "That's part of building a winning organization. When you lose in a Game 7 situation like that it's got to weigh on you going into the start of the year."

The Ducks brought back Dustin Penner, who played on a line with Getzlaf and Perry in 2007, on a one-year, $2 million deal in hopes they'll rekindle their previous success.

"What's important to me at this stage of my career is just winning,' Penner said. "I want to be one of those guys that can be dependable and accountable for the coaching staff."

Penner will replace Bobby Ryan, who was traded along with his $10.2 million salary cap hit to Ottawa for young forward Jakob Silfverberg. Ryan scored at least 31 goals in the last four full seasons, but coach Bruce Boudreau is expecting scoring punch to come from the likes of Getzlaf, Perry and 43-year-old Teemu Selanne, who is back for his final season.

"Our whole motto this year is unfinished business," Boudreau said. "We did a lot of great things, but our plan from the start of the season to the end was to go further than that, so it's a goal we're going to strive for.'

Colorado is taking steps toward having those expectations again. It returns co-leading scorers Matt Duchene (17 goals, 26 assists) and P.A. Parenteau (18 goals, 25 assists), as well as 21-year-old captain Gabriel Landeskog.

Roy is expecting No. 1 overall pick Nathan MacKinnon to provide some offense as well. The 18-year-old will start on a line with Parenteau and Jamie McGinn.

"We don't want Nathan to come here to be our savior,' Roy said. "We want Nathan to be the (best) player he can be.'

It's unclear who each team will start in goal for the opener. Jonas Hiller and Viktor Fasth are expected to split time for the Ducks as they did last season. Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who backstopped Anaheim to the 2007 title, and Semyon Varlamov each return for Colorado.

Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin is back after recovering from a torn ACL, but fellow defenseman Sheldon Souray likely will be out until January after having surgery on a torn ligament in his wrist.

Colorado defenseman Ryan Wilson will begin the season on injured reserve with a knee injury.

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NHL HEAD TO HEAD

Apr 10, 2013 Score ATS Results
COL « 4 Under: 5
ANA 1 Cover: 142
Tools: Boxscores • Recaps

Feb 24, 2013 Score ATS Results
COL 3 Over: 7
ANA « 4 Cover: 201
Tools: Boxscores • Recaps

Feb 6, 2013 Score ATS Results
ANA « 3 Cover: 273
COL 0 Under: 3
Tools: Boxscores • Recaps

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Dunkel

Buffalo at Detroit
The Red Wings look to build on their 9-1 record in the last 10 game versus the Sabres in Detroit. Detroit is the pick (-185) according to Dunkel, which has the Red Wings favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-185). Here are all of today's picks.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2

Game 51-52: Toronto at Philadelphia (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 11.853; Philadelphia 10.827
Dunkel Line & Total: Toronto by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Philadelphia (-135); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+115); Over

Game 53-54: Buffalo at Detroit (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Buffalo 11.207; Detroit 12.698
Dunkel Line & Total: Detroit by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Detroit (-185); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-185); Under

Game 55-56: Anaheim at Colorado (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Anaheim 11.542; Colorado 10.187
Dunkel Line & Total: Anaheim by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Colorado (-120); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Anaheim (+100); Over




NHL
Long Sheet

Wednesday, October 2

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TORONTO (29-19-0-7, 65 pts.) at PHILADELPHIA (23-22-0-3, 49 pts.) - 10/2/2013, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 5-2 (+2.7 Units) against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA is 5-2-0 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+4.6 Units)

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BUFFALO (21-21-0-6, 48 pts.) at DETROIT (31-21-0-10, 72 pts.) - 10/2/2013, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BUFFALO is 236-168 ATS (+37.7 Units) vs. division opponents since 1996.

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

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ANAHEIM (33-13-0-9, 75 pts.) at COLORADO (16-25-0-7, 39 pts.) - 10/2/2013, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ANAHEIM is 9-27 ATS (+39.5 Units) first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 4-3 (+2.1 Units) against the spread versus ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
COLORADO is 4-3-0 straight up against ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.5 Units)

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NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, October 2

Hot teams
-- Maple Leafs won their opener 4-3 last night in Montreal.

Cold teams
Season is starting this week, so not a lot of info yet; we'll have knowledge here every night from now until the Stanley Cup is hoisted next spring.......

Series records
-- Flyers won 10 of their last 13 games with Toronto (1-2 LY).
-- Red Wings won four in row, seven of last eight games with Buffalo.
-- Ducks won eight of their last eleven visits to Denver.

Totals
-- Six of last seven Maple Leaf-Flyer games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Buffalo-Detroit had five goals scored.
-- Five of last six Anaheim-Colorado games stayed under the total.




NHL

Wednesday, October 2

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Trend Report
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7:30 PM
TORONTO vs. PHILADELPHIA
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 7 games
Toronto is 3-10 SU in its last 13 games when playing Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Philadelphia is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games when playing Toronto

8:00 PM
BUFFALO vs. DETROIT
Buffalo is 1-11 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Buffalo is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Detroit is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Detroit is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Buffalo

9:30 PM
ANAHEIM vs. COLORADO
Anaheim is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Anaheim is 18-6 SU in its last 24 games when playing Colorado
Colorado is 6-18 SU in its last 24 games
Colorado is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Anaheim

[StarDust Bum]

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

10/01/13 4-*2-*0 66.67% +*735 Detail

Totals 4-*2-*0 66.67% +735


Wednesday, October 2

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Toronto - 7:30 PM ET Toronto +113 500 POD # 1


Philadelphia - Over 5.5 500 POD # 2


Buffalo - 8:00 PM ET Detroit -221 500


Detroit - Over 5.5 500


Anaheim - 9:30 PM ET Anaheim -110 500


Colorado - Over 5.5 500

[StarDust Bum]

Thursday, October 3

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Tampa Bay - 7:00 PM ET Tampa Bay +180 500 POD # 4
Boston - Over 5.5 500

New Jersey - 7:00 PM ET New Jersey +175 500 POD #1
Pittsburgh - Under 5.5 500

Calgary - 7:00 PM ET Calgary +210 500 POD # 2
Washington- Over 5.5 500

Los Angeles - 8:00 PM ET Los Angeles -115 50
Minnesota - Under 5 500

Nashville - 8:30 PM ET Nashville +170 500 POD # 3
St. Louis - Over 5 500

Florida - 8:30 PM ET Dallas -180 500
Dallas - Under 5.5 500

NY Rangers - 10:00 PM ET Phoenix -120 500
Phoenix - Under 5 500

Vancouver - 10:00 PM ET San Jose -145 500
San Jose - Over 5 500

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Senators (0-0) at Sabres (0-1)

Date: October 04, 2013 7:00 PM EDT


Although their long-time leader is now playing elsewhere, the Ottawa Senators are poised to sustain the success they've achieved the past two seasons.

For the first time since the 1995 season, the Senators will take the ice without Daniel Alfredsson when they visit the rebuilding Buffalo Sabres on Friday night.

Ottawa recorded 92 points to reach the playoffs in 2011-12 and went 25-17-6 in the lockout-shortened 2013 season, overcoming injuries to Jason Spezza, 2012 Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson and goalie Craig Anderson to again make the playoffs. It went on to upset second-seeded Montreal in the first round.

"We probably surprised a few people last year with our injuries and being able to finish the way that we did," forward Zack Smith told the Senators' official website. "I think this year there are a lot more expectations from different people, but if we're a healthy club it's going to be exciting to see what we can actually do."

It's who is not in Ottawa, however, that drew some of the biggest offseason headlines throughout the league.

After 17 seasons with the team, Alfredsson put off retirement and signed a one-year, $5.5 million deal with Detroit. The 40-year-old is the franchise's all-time leader in games, goals, assists and points, but he scored 10 in 47 contests for a team that ranked 27th with 112 goals during 2013.

The Senators are clearly focused on moving on, with coach Paul MacLean responding to a question about Alfredsson at Wednesday's press conference by skirting the issue.

Asked if he was curious about the Red Wings' opener against Buffalo that night, MacLean told the team's official website, "We'll watch it because they're playing Buffalo, yeah. It's been three years since I was (a Detroit assistant coach), they've changed so much."

The Senators moved to upgrade their offense in the offseason by acquiring Bobby Ryan from Anaheim in a deal that sent talented young forward Jakob Silfverberg west. Ryan scored at least 31 goals in each of the four seasons prior to 2013, when he had 11 in 46 games.

"He shoots the puck in the net and that's something we haven't had here since I've been here," MacLean said. "Having someone with that ability certainly should help our confidence as a team as far as it comes to scoring goals."

A healthy Spezza should also help.

The recently named captain matched a career high with 34 goals in 2011-12, but back problems limited him to two and four assists in eight regular season and playoff games in 2013.

Ryan, Spezza and Karlsson hope to mesh well with young forwards Cory Conacher and Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who combined for seven playoff goals last season.

"I don't think we'll be 27th (in scoring)," general manager Bryan Murray said of this season. "But you never know. But I think we've got enough offense."

Ottawa's offensive deficiencies in 2013 were largely offset by its conference-best 2.08 goals-against average. Anderson went 12-9-2 with a 1.69 GAA despite missing 18 games due to an ankle injury, while backup Robin Lehner had a 2.20 GAA in 12 starts.

Ottawa won the first three meetings with the Sabres last season before losing 4-2 at Buffalo on April 5.

The Sabres look to bounce back from their 2-1 loss at Detroit on Wednesday. Zemgus Girgensons scored in his NHL debut, but Buffalo went 0 for 7 on the power play and failed to convert on a pair of two-man advantages.

The Sabres ranked 29th on the power play last season at 14.1 percent.

"(The veterans) know that we're going to have to lead the team, especially the power-play guys," co-captain Steve Ott told the Sabres' official website. "In low-scoring games, in a 2-1 game, those are the ones that win you games."

The 19-year-old Girgensons was one of three teenagers in the Sabres' lineup.

Buffalo's Thomas Vanek had a team-high 20 goals and 21 assists in 38 games last season, but he's been held to two assists in his last eight games against the Senators.

Karlsson has six goals and four assists in his last nine versus Buffalo.

Sabres forward Ville Leino is out indefinitely due to a broken rib suffered against the Red Wings. Leino played in eight games last season because of a hip injury.

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NHL HEAD TO HEAD

Apr 5, 2013 Score ATS Results
OTT 2 Cover: 278
BUF « 4 Over: 6
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Mar 16, 2013 Score ATS Results
OTT « 4 Over: 7
BUF 3 Cover: 269
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Feb 12, 2013 Score ATS Results
BUF 0 Under: 2
OTT « 2 Cover: 252
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Feb 5, 2013 Score ATS Results
BUF 3 Over: 7
OTT « 4 Cover: 241
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[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Islanders (0-0) at Devils (0-1)

Date: October 04, 2013 7:00 PM EDT


After ending a five-year playoff drought, the New York Islanders enter 2013-14 under the spotlight.

Kicking things off on a positive note, though, could prove difficult against future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur, who tries to help the New Jersey Devils bounce back in his season debut.

Hoping to avoid a sixth consecutive season-opening loss, the Islanders try to spoil the Devils' home opener Friday night.

New York endured five straight last-place finishes before going 24-17-7 in the lockout-shortened season, taking Pittsburgh to six games in a first-round playoff series. Star center John Tavares led the way with 28 goals to finish third in the NHL.

"I definitely see the expectations are higher, and people are going to expect for us to be in the playoffs," said the 23-year-old Tavares, New York's newly anointed captain.

"It's going to be a great task for us this year, but we're looking forward to it. Playing in the playoffs makes you hungrier to get back there. You can sense that hunger. We want to get back there and prove even more to ourselves."

Aside from trading former captain Mark Streit to Philadelphia and buying out Rick DiPietro's infamous $67.5 million contract, the Islanders had a relatively quiet offseason. They added former Minnesota forwards Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Cal Clutterbuck, though Clutterbuck is sidelined with a laceration on his leg.

"Our quest starts (Friday) night and we're excited to get it going," defenseman Travis Hamonic said. "Unfortunately it's been a long summer and a long training camp, but it's nice be at this point. We're excited for the ride this year. It's up and it's down. You hope that you've done the right work in the summer to prepare for it."

New Jersey's first game didn't go as planned, falling 3-0 at Pittsburgh on Thursday. Recently acquired Cory Schneider made 18 saves for the Devils, who failed to generate any offense.

Damien Brunner recorded a career-high eight shots, but fellow newcomer Jaromir Jagr was held to one.

"It was one of those nights, the puck didn't go in," coach Peter DeBoer said. "We've got to find a way to put some in the back of the net."

Brodeur, meanwhile, saw his NHL record of 18 consecutive season-opening starts end. The league's all-time leader in wins (669) and shutouts (121), though, is expected to start this game.

"I don't know if there were any guys who did it more often than me, I doubt somebody will, it's kind of a tough one," he said. "I had a good run. We'll keep one of the two alive with Friday's game."

The 41-year-old Brodeur went 13-9-7 with a 2.22 goals-against average last season. While his 50 wins versus the Islanders are his most against any team, Brodeur is 1-2-1 with a 3.02 GAA in his last four home games in the series.

The Islanders took three of five from New Jersey in 2012-13, including both road matchups while scoring a combined eight goals. Tavares has six and two assists during a four-game stretch against the Devils.

"Any time it's a division rival and a team that you have history with and you play a lot, you always want to bring your best and earn those points," Islanders defenseman Brian Strait said. "They're in our conference so it's crucial every time we play them."

New York could turn to goalie Evgeni Nabokov, who was re-signed this summer. The 38-year-old veteran was 23-11-7 with a 2.50 GAA and three shutouts last season.

Nabokov has allowed one goal in each of the last two matchups versus New Jersey, improving to 5-8-0 with a 2.97 GAA in 13 starts against the Devils.

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NHL HEAD TO HEAD

Apr 1, 2013 Score ATS Results
NYI « 3 Under: 4
NJD 1 Cover: 248
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Feb 16, 2013 Score ATS Results
NJD 1 Cover: 296
NYI « 5 Over: 6
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Feb 3, 2013 Score ATS Results
NJD « 3 Under: 3
NYI 0 Cover: 277
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Jan 31, 2013 Score ATS Results
NYI « 5 Over: 9
NJD 4 Cover: 249
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Jan 19, 2013 Score ATS Results
NJD « 2 Cover: 301
NYI 1 Under: 3

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Red Wings (1-0) at Hurricanes (0-0)

Date: October 04, 2013 7:00 PM EDT


Jimmy Howard isn't concerned about being unfamiliar with certain opponents now that the Detroit Red Wings have transitioned to the Eastern Conference.

After a successful yet sometimes sloppy introduction to the East, the Red Wings look to cut down on trips to the penalty box on the road Friday night against the Carolina Hurricanes, who open their season with some injury concerns.

Detroit (1-0-0) got its wish of switching conferences with the league's realignment, but that means having the majority of its games against teams it hasn't seen very much in recent years. For example, Howard is an eight-year veteran who has faced Carolina only twice, most recently a 3-0 loss April 6, 2011.

Howard and the rest of the Red Wings didn't seem fazed in Wednesday's 2-1 home win over Buffalo, as Mikael Samuelsson and Pavel Datsyuk scored 36 seconds apart in the first period.

"There's enough video nowadays that it shouldn't really matter," said Howard, who made 19 saves. "The coaching staff does a great job breaking down the teams for us and breaking down their players and their tendencies. There shouldn't really be any surprises for us."

The main focus for Detroit going forward will be on staying out of the box. The Red Wings were shorthanded seven times Wednesday, including a pair of 5-on-3 situations.

Though they were able to kill off each, minimizing penalties will be crucial.

"We're going to have to clean that up, especially early on in the year when it seems more tightly called," Howard said. "There's still a lot of areas that we can work on, and it's nice to get that first game under your belt."

Carolina is excited to finally get going, though some players likely will be fighting through injuries Friday.

Jeff Skinner (lower-body injury) recently began practicing after missing the final two preseason games, while Alexander Semin (upper body) returned to practice Wednesday.

The Hurricanes will be without Tim Gleason (concussion) indefinitely, but they signed fellow defenseman Radek Dvorak to a one-year contract Wednesday. Winger Tuomo Ruutu will begin the season on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

Coach Kirk Muller, though, was encouraged by Semin's return to the ice.

"He's a guy that can miss time and just jump in. He's in good shape," Muller said. "He plays a lot more off instinct, than anything. He jumps right in and doesn't look like he really misses a beat."

Semin, who signed a five-year, $35 million deal in March and finished with 13 goals and 31 assists last season, will again play on the top line with Eric Staal and Jiri Tlusty.

Staal led the team with 53 points while Tlusty scored a team-best 23 goals, and that line produced much of the scoring for the Hurricanes (19-25-4), who haven't made the playoffs since 2009.

It won't get any easier for them in the new Metropolitan Division, which includes Pittsburgh, Washington, Philadelphia, the New York Rangers, the New York Islanders, New Jersey and up-and-coming Columbus.

"It's going to be tough. It's a good division," defenseman Justin Faulk said. "Obviously, there's a lot of teams that are pretty good. But we're looking forward to it. Every team's good in the league. Every night, anyone can win, and I think we're pretty confident with the group that we have in here to do a pretty good job."

Skinner, who had 13 goals and 11 assists in 42 games last season, enters his fourth NHL season seeking his first playoff appearance.

"We just want to make the playoffs. That's what everyone plays the game for," Skinner told the team's official website. "I haven't been there yet. That's the goal, and that's what everyone is striving for."

Detroit has four of the last five meetings.

[StarDust Bum]

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

Date: October 04, 2013 7:00 PM EDT


Twelve seasons in the Western Conference produced one playoff berth - and no postseason victories - for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Blue Jackets were one of the hottest teams down the stretch to close last season and are hoping a shift to the East will pay dividends.

Columbus plays as an Eastern Conference team for the first time Friday night at home against the Calgary Flames.

The Blue Jackets never quite fit in the West, as they were often forced to make long flights for games against teams in the Pacific time zone. Now they are in the brand-new Metropolitan Division as part of an Eastern Conference that is comprised solely of teams in the Eastern time zone.

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"This going to the East in the new divisional concept, it's going to be a difficult time for any of these teams to make the playoffs,' Blue Jackets director of hockey operations John Davidson said.

Columbus narrowly missed making the playoffs in its last season in the West despite closing on a 19-5-3 surge after March 3 for the NHL's second-best record in that span behind Pittsburgh. The Blue Jackets finished with a 24-17-7 mark and 55 points - which would have tied them for eighth place in the East and would have been within two points of four other teams.

"We expect nothing short of being in the playoffs this year,' forward R.J. Umberger said. "That's our goal.'

The Blue Jackets will celebrate the start of the new season by having Ohio native Jack Nicklaus take part in the ceremonial puck drop.

Columbus probably wishes it would debut a healthy Nathan Horton instead of welcoming the greatest golfer in history. Horton signed a seven-year, $37.1-million deal this offseason, but the former Boston star won't be available until December due to shoulder surgery.

The Blue Jackets will have Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky, who was fifth in the NHL with a 2.00 goals-against average a season ago as he provided stability for a franchise that floundered due to the struggles of former Columbus goalie Steve Mason.

"Bob is Bob,' coach Todd Richards said. "I have no doubt he can do it again."

Columbus went 5-0-2 over the previous two seasons against Calgary behind eight points from Vinny Prospal, who led the Blue Jackets with 30 a season ago but is no longer with the club.

Marian Gaborik, acquired April 3 from the Rangers, will begin his first full season with Columbus as he tries to help improve an offense that finished 25th in goals last campaign.

The Flames finished with the NHL's fifth-worst record last season, and opened 2013-14 by blowing a three-goal lead in a 5-4 shootout loss at Washington on Thursday.

David Jones, Lee Stempniak, Jiri Hudler and Lance Bouma all scored for Calgary, which led 3-0 after one period and 4-1 in the second.

Coach Bob Hartley said there was "no excuse" for the defeat.

"Very happy with the effort, obviously disappointed with the result," Hartley said. "I told the boys, 'It's one thing to play in the NHL, and there's a different way to win in the NHL.'"

Karri Ramo made 35 saves in his Calgary debut as he replaces the retired Miikka Kiprusoff.

The Flames are expected to again be without Michael Cammalleri, out with a hand injury.

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NHL HEAD TO HEAD

Mar 29, 2013 Score ATS Results
COB « 6 Over: 10
CGY 4 Cover: 238
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Mar 22, 2013 Score ATS Results
CGY 1 Over: 6
COB « 5 Cover: 254
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Feb 7, 2013 Score ATS Results
CGY « 4 Cover: 301
COB 3 Over: 7
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[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Kings (1-0) at Jets (1-0)

Date: October 04, 2013 8:00 PM EDT


In their second game as a Western Conference team, the Winnipeg Jets will seek to match their best start in franchise history.

The Los Angeles Kings, meanwhile, will try to secure their best in 10 seasons after Friday night's visit to Winnipeg by also building on a comeback victory in its opener.

The Jets (1-0-0) trailed by two goals midway through the second period Tuesday in Edmonton before Michael Frolik found the net twice and Jacob Trouba scored in his first NHL game. Frolik, part of a Stanley Cup-winning team in Chicago last season, netted the tiebreaking goal in the 5-4 win with 5:02 remaining.

"It was a really up-and-down game, but we battled hard, especially in the end," he said. "It was a good finish for us, and we can be happy with the way we turned the game around.

"I don't think that we can afford to give up that many goals. The defense could be a little tighter."

Winnipeg will try for a better defensive effort while improving to 2-0-0 for the first time since 2009-10, when the franchise was in its penultimate season as the Atlanta Thrashers. The Thrashers also won their first two games in 2003-04.

"Players want to get off to a good start," coach Claude Noel said. "We're happy (the season opener) is behind us. Our task is to continue to get better."

The Kings will try to spoil Winnipeg's home opener while winning its first two games for the first time since a 3-0-0 start in 2002-03.

Los Angeles (1-0-0) came back from a pair of early one-goal deficits Thursday for a 3-2 shootout victory in Minnesota. Jeff Carter scored the tying goal with 6:46 remaining in regulation and the shootout winner.

Jonathan Quick kept the Wild scoreless over the final 42:48 of regulation and the five-minute overtime, then foiled Minnesota's two shootout attempts.

"He was huge," center Anze Kopitar said. "Over the course of the past three or four years we've gotten pretty familiar with his play. He's always been back there holding strong for us, and tonight was no different.

"He held us in there and we found a way to score a goal at the end of the game, and finished it off in the shootout."

The Kings are facing the Jets for the first time since a 1-0 overtime loss in Winnipeg on Dec. 29, 2011. Los Angeles is 1-2-2 in its last five matchups with that franchise after going 7-0-2 in its first nine.

After playing the Jets just once since their move from Atlanta, the Kings will face them three times this season. The next meeting, though, isn't until March 6 in Winnipeg.

Frolik scored all three of his goals last season against Los Angeles and had two of his seven assists. He tallied just one assist in Chicago's five-game victory over the Kings in the conference championship series.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Predators (0-1) at Avalanche (1-0)

Date: October 04, 2013 9:00 PM EDT


While new coach Patrick Roy will try to show a cooler temperament, the Colorado Avalanche will seek to build on a lopsided win in their season opener.

With captain Gabriel Landeskog's status questionable, the Avalanche will also attempt to match their best start since relocating to Colorado after a visit from the Nashville Predators on Friday night.

Colorado was in the midst wrapping up a 6-1 win over Anaheim on Wednesday when No. 1 overall draft pick Nathan MacKinnon was involved in a knee-to-knee hit with Ducks defenseman Ben Lovejoy. That angered Roy, who showed his displeasure by nearly knocking the barrier between the benches into Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau during a heated postgame argument.

Roy, a once fiery goaltender, was fined $10,000 by the NHL on Thursday.

"I guess I have to change a few things. I got the $10,000 fine by the league for that," Roy said. "I understand it now. At the same time, I will always defend my players."

The Avalanche (1-0-0) will try to move on while improving to 2-0-0 for only the third time in their 18 seasons in Denver. Colorado won its first two games in 2009-10 and 2001-02.

The franchise prevailed in its first five contests in its final season in Quebec, 1994-95, and started a team-best 7-0-0 in 1985-86. The Avalanche will try to take another step toward matching those starts with a third consecutive home win against the Predators.

It's unknown if Landeskog will be available for that attempt. The winger sat out Thursday's practice because of an ailing leg.

"We have to bring the same intensity (as in the Anaheim game), same game plan and we've got to stick together," said forward Jamie McGinn, who scored two goals.

The first of Colorado's two victories over Nashville at the Pepsi Center last season snapped a nine-game skid in the series. The Avalanche took two of three meetings between the teams.

MacKinnon might help Colorado earn another win against its new Central Division rivals. The 18-year-old center had two assists in his NHL debut and became the youngest player with a multipoint performance since 1944.

In this game, MacKinnon likely will face his friend and No. 4 overall pick, Nashville defenseman Seth Jones. The son of former NBA player Popeye Jones made his debut on his 19th birthday Thursday but couldn't lead the Predators to a win.

Nashville (0-1-0) couldn't recover from an early three-goal deficit in a 4-2 defeat in St. Louis. Pekka Rinne was replaced by Carter Hutton after giving up the third goal with 10:15 remaining in the opening period.

"Obviously, I'm not happy with the result, not happy with the effort," said Rinne, who faced six shots.

That early exit could earn Rinne another start. A 9-0-1 record and a 1.68 goals-against average in his last 12 games against Colorado could help his cause.

Rinne, though, has struggled to stop Matt Duchene in some of those recent matchups.

The Avalanche center has seven goals and four assists in his last 10 contests against Nashville. Predators captain Shea Weber has six goals and 11 assists in his past 20 matchups versus Colorado.

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NHL HEAD TO HEAD

Apr 2, 2013 Score ATS Results
COL 1 Under: 4
NAS « 3 Cover: 222
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Mar 30, 2013 Score ATS Results
NAS 0 Under: 1
COL « 1 Cover: 321
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Feb 18, 2013 Score ATS Results
NAS 5 Cover: 279
COL « 6 Over: 11
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