Cnotes National Hockey League February Rated Plays - Trends - News - Etc. !!

[CNOTES]

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, February 27

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

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

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

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

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

 

[CNOTES]

NHL

Saturday, February 27

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

[CNOTES]

NHL
Dunkel

Saturday, February 27


Toronto @ Montreal

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

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

Detroit @ Colorado

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

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

Ottawa @ Calgary

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

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

Buffalo @ Los Angeles

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

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

Arizona @ Philadelphia

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

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

Winnipeg @ Pittsburgh

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

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

Florida @ Columbus

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

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

St. Louis @ Nashville

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

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

NY Rangers @ Dallas

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

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

 

[CNOTES]

NHL MONEYLINE


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

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


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


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


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


NHL PUCKLINE


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


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


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

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


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


NHL TOTALS


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


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

 

[CNOTES]

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27


GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS




ARI at PHI 01:00 PM


PHI -150




WIN at PIT 03:00 PM


WIN +180 BEST BET




STL at NAS 03:00 PM


NAS -129




FLA at CLB 03:00 PM


FLA +100 BEST BET




NYR at DAL 04:00 PM


NYR +113 BEST BET



TOR at MON 07:00 PM


MON -154




DET at COL 08:00 PM


COL +105 BEST BET




OTT at CAL 10:00 PM


CAL -101




BUF at LA 11:00 PM


BUF +248 BEST BET

 

[CNOTES]

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

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

 

[CNOTES]

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

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

 

[CNOTES]

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

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

 

[CNOTES]

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

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

 

[CNOTES]

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

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Islanders (33-19) at Oilers (22-34)
Date: February 28, 2016 9:30 PM EDT

Paced by the play of Jaroslav Halak, the New York Islanders couldn't ask for a better start to their longest road trip of the season.


Halak and the Islanders can improve to 4-0-0 on the trek and end their struggles at Edmonton by handing the Oilers an eighth consecutive defeat Sunday night.


The 10-year veteran had a 4.26 goals-against average while going 1-4-0 from Jan. 25-Feb. 13, then was benched for the next two games in favor of Thomas Greiss. Halak returned to the starting role for this seven-game trip and has led New York (33-19-7) to wins in the first three, allowing a combined two goals and posting a .978 save percentage.


'Your goalie has to fight for his space,' coach Jack Capuano said. 'I'm not a goalie coach but I do know if you sit back, you're in trouble. You've got to get out, you have to challenge, you have to hack and whack at certain times in front to protect your area and he's done that.'


The Islanders will try for an eighth win in 10 games while looking to extend their point streak to six games after Halak made 31 saves and Josh Bailey scored late in overtime of Thursday's 2-1 victory at Calgary.


"This is how a lot of these games go down the stretch," Bailey told the NHL's official website. "They are battles to the bitter end. You want to find a way to come out on top and I'm glad we did."


The unit that's killed an NHL-best 87.4 percent of its penalties has helped Halak by taking care of all eight on the trip.


Halak has a 1.86 GAA while winning six of seven starts against the Oilers (22-34-7), but he watched as Greiss made 30 saves in an 8-1 rout of Edmonton on Feb. 7 that began the Islanders' current 7-1-1 stretch. Kyle Okposo had a hat trick but has failed to score since that game.


John Tavares had a goal and two assists, giving him 10 points in seven games against the Oilers. He has eight goals and 11 assists in his last 14 overall.


New York has managed seven goals during an 0-4-1 slide at Edmonton, but the Oilers have dropped five straight at home and allowed 17 goals over the last four.


That's part of a seven-game losing streak overall which is their longest of the season. Edmonton has been held to one goal in three consecutive contests and seven times during a 1-8-2 stretch while going 3 for 33 on the power play.


Coach Todd McLellan, however, was pleased with the overall effort from back-to-back 2-1 road losses this week against the Pacific Division's top teams - Los Angeles and Anaheim.


'I think we have become a pretty scrappy team," said McLellan, whose club recorded a season-low 18 shots in Friday's overtime loss to the Ducks.


"We're stepping into the ring with Muhammad Ali right now with some of these teams and we're able to stay in until the late rounds. That's not good enough. We've got to find ways to win.'


Star rookie Connor McDavid has been held without a point in back-to-back contests for the first time in 13 games since missing almost three months with a broken clavicle. He has four goals with eight assists in seven home games since returning and also scored at New York this month.


With more trades likely to come, Edmonton announced Saturday it dealt backup goalie Anders Nilsson to St. Louis for minor-league netminder Niklas Lundstrom and a draft pick.

 

[CNOTES]

NHL MONEYLINE


NHL > (5) FLORIDA@ (6) MINNESOTA | 2016-02-28 15:05:00 - 2016-02-28 15:05:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA using money line in Home games second half of the season
The record is 1 Wins and 9 Losses for the this season (-12.85 units)


NHL > (9) SAN JOSE@ (10) VANCOUVER | 2016-02-28 19:05:00 - 2016-02-28 19:05:00
Play ON VANCOUVER using money line in Home games after 3 or more consecutive overs
The record is 9 Wins and 0 Losses for the last two seasons (+9 units)


NHL > (1) WASHINGTON@ (2) CHICAGO | 2016-02-28 12:35:00 - 2016-02-28 12:35:00
Play ON WASHINGTON using money line in all games
The record is 45 Wins and 15 Losses for the this season (+22.1 units)

NHL > (5) FLORIDA@ (6) MINNESOTA | 2016-02-28 15:05:00 - 2016-02-28 15:05:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA using money line in All games second half of the season
The record is 7 Wins and 19 Losses for the this season (-16.4 units)


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


NHL PUCKLINE


NHL > (5) FLORIDA@ (6) MINNESOTA | 2016-02-28 15:05:00 - 2016-02-28 15:05:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA in Home games second half of the season
The record is 1 Wins and 9 Losses for the this season (-12.85 units)


NHL > (9) SAN JOSE@ (10) VANCOUVER | 2016-02-28 19:05:00 - 2016-02-28 19:05:00
Play ON VANCOUVER in Home games after 3 or more consecutive overs
The record is 9 Wins and 0 Losses for the last two seasons (+9 units)

NHL > (1) WASHINGTON@ (2) CHICAGO | 2016-02-28 12:35:00 - 2016-02-28 12:35:00
Play ON WASHINGTON in all games
The record is 45 Wins and 15 Losses for the this season (+22.1 units)

NHL > (5) FLORIDA@ (6) MINNESOTA | 2016-02-28 15:05:00 - 2016-02-28 15:05:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA in All games second half of the season
The record is 7 Wins and 19 Losses for the this season (-16.4 units)


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


NHL TOTALS


NHL > (5) FLORIDA@ (6) MINNESOTA | 2016-02-28 15:05:00 - 2016-02-28 15:05:00
Play OVER MINNESOTA on the totalin All games in February games
The record is 9 Overs and 1 Unders for the this season (+8.3 units)


NHL > (1) WASHINGTON@ (2) CHICAGO | 2016-02-28 12:35:00 - 2016-02-28 12:35:00
Play UNDER CHICAGO on the totalin All games in non-conference games
The record is 26 Overs and 56 Unders for the last three seasons (+27.25 units)


NHL > (13) NY ISLANDERS@ (14) EDMONTON | 2016-02-28 21:35:00 - 2016-02-28 21:35:00
Play UNDER NY ISLANDERS on the totalin All games in a road game where where the total is 5.5
The record is 3 Overs and 13 Unders for the this season (+9.4 uni

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Kings (37-20) at Ducks (33-19)
Date: February 28, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Red-hot Anaheim might eventually pass Los Angeles for first place in the Pacific Division, but the Kings aren't exactly throwing their hands up and letting the Ducks blow by.


Another Anaheim win Sunday night at home would match its second-longest winning streak ever and draw it within two points of the Kings, though Los Angeles is quietly on a four-game winning streak of its own.


The Ducks' seven-game run is one short of matching their best since winning a franchise-record 10 straight from Dec. 6-28, 2013. They've gone an NHL-best 21-4-2 since the Christmas break to counter a horrendous start that placed the Ducks (33-19-8) squarely in last in the Western Conference 12 points back of the Kings (37-20-4).


After Friday's 2-1 overtime win over Edmonton extended their home winning streak to six in the third of a five-game homestand, postgame went about as it has for weeks now.


"I'm going to sound like a broken record, but we're just playing right now," said Ryan Getzlaf, who scored for the sixth time in 12 games after managing three goals through his first 44 contests and has a seven-game point streak against the Kings. "We went through so many struggles at the start of the year that it's not worth worrying about who you are chasing or who is chasing you. We're just trying to push forward all that we can and get as many wins as we can before the end of this year."


The last two wins have been the low-scoring variety, but Anaheim has averaged 3.81 goals per game over a 14-1-1 span. On the latest winning streak, that's had plenty to do with a successful power play as the Ducks have posted a 10-for-24 mark (41.7 percent) in their last seven.


Rickard Rakell scored a highlight-reel goal in overtime to keep the streak going, and the 22-year-old has five goals in his last nine contests.


"I think it was a 1-on-3, and for good measure he put it upstairs," coach Bruce Boudreau told the team's official website. "It was a great move by him, but he's capable of doing that."


The first two games of the season series have been split with the road team winning each, but the Ducks are 9-1-2 in regular-season meetings dating to the start of 2013-14.


While Anaheim has mounted its climb with plenty of scoring, the Kings have remained on top with modest offense at best, but they've held their last four opponents to three goals with none of them scoring more than one.


After Saturday's 2-0 home win over Buffalo, Los Angeles has scored two goals in each win and 10 in its last seven games. Tanner Pearson scored both against the Sabres, while Milan Lucic went his seventh game without a point to match his longest single-season drought since his rookie campaign.


"I thought our defense played really well," coach Darryl Sutter said. "I think that our centermen probably as a group had a better game than we've had as a foursome for quite a while."


In goal, Jhonas Enroth faced Buffalo so Jonathan Quick figures to play. Quick hasn't allowed more than two goals over a 4-1-1 span on which he's posted a 1.49 goals-against average. He has a 2.78 GAA in a 2-3-4 span versus Anaheim.


The Ducks started Frederik Andersen the last two games but will go back to John Gibson. Since matching a career high with six goals allowed in Pittsburgh on Feb. 8, the All-Star is 2-0-0 with a 1.88 GAA in three games. He also won in Los Angeles on Feb. 4 to improve to 3-1-0 in the series.


The Kings are an NHL-best 8-0-1 in the second game of back-to-back sets.

 

[CNOTES]

Armadillo: Sunday's six-pack


Six conferences whose tournaments start this week:.


-- CAA-- UNC-Wilmington, Hofstra tied for first place.


-- MAAC-- Monmouth clinches top seed with win today.


-- OVC-- Young Belmont team is the top seed.


-- WCC-- St Mary's wins tiebreaker, is top seed over Gonzaga.


-- MVC-- Wichita State won this league by four freakin' games.


-- Southern-- Chattanooga clinches top seed by beating VMI Monday.






Armadillo: Sunday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports Saturday........


13) Warriors 121, Thunder 118 OT-- Steph Currty nailed a 38-footer with 0:00.6 left in OT for the win. NBA has to be thrilled with Curry as its poster boy- kids are finding out that with hard work, you can become a great, great player at 6-3.


12) Surprising fact: Duke hasn't won the ACC regular season title by itself since 2006; they shared the 2010 title with Maryland-- the last time they were lower than a 3-seed in the NCAA tournament was in '07- they lost to VCU in the first round.


11) Texas 76, Oklahoma 63-- Sooners led 58-51, then Texas went on a 22-0 run, as Oklahoma lost for fourth time in last seven games.


10) Florida State 77, Notre Dame 56-- Irish PG Demetrius Jackson played 34:00, first time in six games he logged less than a full 40:00.


9) James Madison 71, Wm & Mary 65-- Dukes' win sets up a first-round game in the CAA tournament next Saturday against.....Wm & Mary.


8) Gonzaga 71, BYU 68-- HBO people have some happy film to edit as they put together their reality show on Gonzaga's team this week. Now it is on to the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas-- Zags may need to win the WCC tourney to make the NCAAs.


7) San Diego 85, Portland 76-- Toreros play home games in Jenny Craig Pavilion, named after the weight loss guru-- kids call it the Slim Gym.


6) Boise State 66, San Diego State 63-- Aztecs might be in same boat as Gonzaga, having to win their conference tournament in Las Vegas to make the NCAAs.


By the way, in the next two weeks, if you like college basketball, Las Vegas is the place to be; WCC, WAC, Pac-12, Mountain West all have tournaments there.


5) Vanderbilt 74, Kentucky 62-- Wildcats are 3-5 in SEC road games.


4) Bad Beat of the Day: Ohio U 103, Buffalo (+3.5) 96, OT-- Buffalo didn't score for last 2:49 of regulation- they led 85-80 at that point, then got blown away in OT. Weird thing is that Antonio Campbell scored only six points, and Ohio still won.


3) Utah 70, Arizona 64-- Utes are getting hot at the right time. Should be pointed out that during this game, Bill Walton talked about John Steinbeck, iguanas, Comanche Indians, and 90-year old Utah alum Arne Ferrin, whom he met this week. I'll have to admit that he sounded a little hoarse-- day games are unusual for him.


2) LSU 96, Florida 91-- Gators scored 62 points in second half, and still lost. ESPN had annoying know-it-all Dan Dakich on this game; LSU coaches won't be happy with his blunt critique of the Tigers'play in the second half-- he sounded bored that they sent him outside of the Big 14 this week.


1) Yale 76, Dartmouth 71 OT-- Yale/Princeton are tied for Ivy lead with one week left; actually Princeton has an extra game left against Penn, but they ain't losing to the Quakers. Ivy League doesn't have a tournament, so if Yale-Princeton tie for first, they will have a playoff game, probably at the Palestra.

 

[CNOTES]

NHL
Dunkel

Sunday, February 28


Tampa Bay @ Boston

Game 7-8
February 28, 2016 @ 6:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Tampa Bay
12.600
Boston
11.223
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Tampa Bay
by 1 1/2
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston
-115
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Tampa Bay
(-105); Under

San Jose @ Vancouver

Game 9-10
February 28, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Jose
10.711
Vancouver
11.809
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Vancouver
by 1
5
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Jose
-160
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Vancouver
(+140); Under

Los Angeles @ Anaheim

Game 11-12
February 28, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Los Angeles
13.118
Anaheim
11.707
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Los Angeles
by 1 1/2
5 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Los Angeles
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Los Angeles
N/A

NY Islanders @ Edmonton

Game 13-14
February 28, 2016 @ 9:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
NY Islanders
12.677
Edmonton
10.212
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
NY Islanders
by 2 1/2
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
NY Islanders
-150
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
NY Islanders
(-150); Under

Washington @ Chicago

Game 1-2
February 28, 2016 @ 12:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
11.206
Chicago
12.733
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago
by 1 1/2
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago
-130
5
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago
(-130); Under

St. Louis @ Carolina

Game 3-4
February 28, 2016 @ 3:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
St. Louis
10.404
Carolina
11.313
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Carolina
by 1
5 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Carolina
-110
5
Dunkel Pick:
Carolina
(-110); Over

Florida @ Minnesota

Game 5-6
February 28, 2016 @ 3:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Florida
12.616
Minnesota
11.202
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Florida
by 1 1/2
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Florida
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Florida
N/A

 

[CNOTES]

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, February 28

Hot teams
-- Washington won eight of its last ten games.
-- Florida won three of its last five games.
-- Lightning won last five games, allowing five goals in last four. Boston won three of its last four games.
-- Vancouver won its last two games, 5-3/5-1.
-- Anaheim won its last seven games. Kings won their last four games, allowing three goals.
-- Islanders won seven of their last nine games.

Cold teams
-- Chicago lost five of its last seven games.
-- St Louis lost its last three games, outscored 13-4. Carolina lost three of last four.
-- Minnesota lost last three games, scoring five goals.
-- San Jose lost three of its last four games.
-- Edmonton lost its last seven games.

Series records
-- Blackhawks lost last four games with Washington.
-- Carolina-St Louis split their last ten games.
-- Minnesota won five of last seven games with Florida.
-- Lightning won three of last four games with Boston.
-- Road team won last eight San Jose-Vancouver games.
-- Kings lost four of last five games with Anaheim.
-- Home side won last ten Islander-Edmonton games.

Totals
-- Over is 4-1-1 in last six Chicago games.
-- Last three Carolina games stayed under the total.
-- Four of last five Florida games stayed under total.
-- Over is 7-3 in last 10 games for both Tampa Bay/Boston.
-- Last six Vancouver games went over the total.
-- Last seven Los Angeles games stayed under the total.
-- Last five Islander games stayed under the total.

Back-to-backs
-- St Louis is 4-2 on road if it played night before.
-- Florida is 4-2 on road if it played night before.
-- Los Angeles is 7-1 if it played the night before.

 

[CNOTES]

NHL

Sunday, February 28

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

12:30 PM
WASHINGTON vs. CHICAGO
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing Chicago
Washington is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Chicago is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Washington
Chicago is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games

3:00 PM
FLORIDA vs. MINNESOTA
Florida is 4-12 SU in its last 16 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Florida's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games at home
Minnesota is 5-16 SU in its last 21 games

3:00 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. CAROLINA
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of St. Louis's last 9 games on the road
St. Louis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Carolina's last 7 games when playing at home against St. Louis
Carolina is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home

6:30 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. BOSTON
Tampa Bay is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Tampa Bay is 1-11 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Boston's last 10 games
Boston is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay

7:00 PM
SAN JOSE vs. VANCOUVER
San Jose is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Vancouver
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Jose's last 6 games when playing Vancouver
Vancouver is 4-12 SU in its last 16 games when playing San Jose
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Vancouver's last 6 games when playing San Jose

9:00 PM
LOS ANGELES vs. ANAHEIM
Los Angeles is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Anaheim
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Los Angeles's last 5 games
Anaheim is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Anaheim's last 6 games when playing at home against Los Angeles

9:30 PM
NY ISLANDERS vs. EDMONTON
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the NY Islanders last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the NY Islanders last 5 games when playing on the road against Edmonton
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Edmonton's last 11 games when playing NY Islanders
Edmonton is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against NY Islanders

 

[CNOTES]

NHL
Long Sheet

Sunday, February 28

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

WASHINGTON (45-11-0-4, 94 pts.) at CHICAGO (38-20-0-5, 81 pts.) - 2/28/2016, 12:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 155-196 ATS (-69.2 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
CHICAGO is 52-30 ATS (+4.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 45-15 ATS (+20.7 Units) in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 15-4 ATS (+9.8 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5 or less this season.
WASHINGTON is 56-41 ATS (+99.5 Units) in road games in February games since 1996.
WASHINGTON is 14-5 ATS (+7.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
CHICAGO is 4-9 ATS (-12.8 Units) in home games in February games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 4-1 (+4.1 Units) against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 4-1-0 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.7 Units)

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

ST LOUIS (35-20-0-9, 79 pts.) at CAROLINA (28-25-0-10, 66 pts.) - 2/28/2016, 3:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CAROLINA is 11-5 ATS (+16.3 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game this season.
ST LOUIS is 108-80 ATS (+27.4 Units) in road games in non-conference games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 3-2 (+0.0 Units) against the spread versus CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
ST LOUIS is 3-2-0 straight up against CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.0 Units)

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

FLORIDA (35-18-0-8, 78 pts.) at MINNESOTA (27-25-0-10, 64 pts.) - 2/28/2016, 3:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 3-2 (+0.5 Units) against the spread versus FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 3-2-0 straight up against FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.2 Units)

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

TAMPA BAY (35-22-0-4, 74 pts.) at BOSTON (34-22-0-6, 74 pts.) - 2/28/2016, 6:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 9-18 ATS (-11.9 Units) in road games after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 12-22 ATS (-12.0 Units) in road games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 17-6 ATS (+8.3 Units) second half of the season this season.
TAMPA BAY is 194-203 ATS (+434.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1996.
BOSTON is 33-45 ATS (-38.3 Units) in home games in February games since 1996.
BOSTON is 237-211 ATS (-82.8 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.
BOSTON is 11-15 ATS (-17.9 Units) in home games after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 7-3 (+4.6 Units) against the spread versus TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 7-3-0 straight up against TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.7 Units)

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

SAN JOSE (32-22-0-6, 70 pts.) at VANCOUVER (24-24-0-12, 60 pts.) - 2/28/2016, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN JOSE is 9-16 ATS (-13.7 Units) in February games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 32-35 ATS (-27.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 11-15 ATS (-15.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
VANCOUVER is 9-0 ATS (+9.0 Units) in home games after 3 or more consecutive overs over the last 2 seasons.
VANCOUVER is 24-36 ATS (-33.0 Units) in all games this season.
VANCOUVER is 222-213 ATS (-112.7 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.
VANCOUVER is 119-116 ATS (-71.3 Units) in home games vs. division opponents since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN JOSE is 5-4-0 straight up against VANCOUVER over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.8 Units)

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

LOS ANGELES (37-20-0-4, 78 pts.) at ANAHEIM (33-19-0-8, 74 pts.) - 2/28/2016, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ANAHEIM is 12-7 (+4.8 Units) against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
ANAHEIM is 12-7-0 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
6 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-1.3 Units, Under=-0.0 Units)

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

NY ISLANDERS (33-19-0-7, 73 pts.) at EDMONTON (22-34-0-7, 51 pts.) - 2/28/2016, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY ISLANDERS are 39-67 ATS (+106.5 Units) after a 3 game unbeaten streak since 1996.
EDMONTON is 19-12 ATS (+33.6 Units) in home games in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
NY ISLANDERS are 17-6 ATS (+9.3 Units) in non-conference games this season.
NY ISLANDERS are 12-2 ATS (+9.9 Units) after playing 3 consecutive road games over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 22-41 ATS (-35.2 Units) in all games this season.
EDMONTON is 31-84 ATS (+150.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY ISLANDERS is 3-2 (+0.2 Units) against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
NY ISLANDERS is 3-2-0 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.8 Units)

 

[CNOTES]

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28


GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS




WAS at CHI 12:30 PM


WAS +107 BEST BET




STL at CAR 03:00 PM


STL +102 BEST BET



FLA at MIN 03:00 PM


FLA +128 BEST BET




TB at BOS 06:30 PM


BOS -109




SJ at VAN 07:00 PM


SJ -150




LA at ANA 09:00 PM


LA +120 BEST BET



NYI at EDM 09:30 PM


NYI -145

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Blue Jackets (26-29) at Rangers (36-20)
Date: February 29, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The New York Rangers already have one of the league's top offenses and now it should be even better.


The club has acquired five-time 30-goal scorer Eric Staal ahead of Monday night's home matchup with the surging Columbus Blue Jackets.


New York (36-20-6) picked up Staal from Carolina on Sunday for center Aleksi Saarela, who is currently playing in his native Finland, and the Rangers' second-round selections in each of the next two drafts. Staal had spent his entire 12-year career with the Hurricanes and is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, once the final year of his seven-year, $55.75 million contract expires.


The former Hurricanes captain has 10 goals and 23 assists in 63 games this season. The Rangers, who average 2.8 goals, could use a boost since former Columbus star Rick Nash is out with a knee injury.


Staal leaves behind one brother in Carolina, Jordan Staal, and will be united with another brother, Marc, who plays defense for the Rangers.


'We felt like he was one of the best, if not the best, player available on the market to give us what we're looking for in our top nine,' Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton said. 'And that's why we made the move.'


New York will see a familiar face Monday in Columbus coach John Tortorella. Two seasons ago, the Rangers and Vancouver ended up with what amounted to a swap of coaches when Tortorella took over the Canucks and Alain Vigneault became Rangers coach. The combative Tortorella had spent the previous five seasons with New York, leading the club to the brink of the Stanley Cup Finals in 2011-12 before he was fired after the next season.


He made his return to the Garden on Nov. 30, 2013 in Vancouver's 5-2 loss, with Rangers fans chanting "Tor-tor-ella" as the final minutes ticked down. He also lost to New York 3-1 on April 1, 2014, in his only Canucks season before they fired him.


Now he's back with Columbus, which seeks its second three-game win streak and is enjoying a 9-2-3 run in its last 14 games following Saturday's 4-3 shootout victory over Florida. The Blue Jackets were outshot 13-1 in the first period and 24-11 after two but trailed just 2-1 heading into the third before Seth Jones and Brandon Saad scored.


'We talked about it between the first and second period, about how well we have played for quite awhile,' Tortorella said. 'There was no sense in losing our mind over it. We were bad. But it was still just 1-0 at that point in time.'


The Blue Jackets (26-29-8) now get to measure themselves against an opponent they have lost five straight against. The Rangers won twice in October by an aggregate score of 9-4 before Columbus fired Todd Richards and hired Tortorella.


New York is also surging by going 9-2-1 since Feb. 4 after completing a 2-1-0 trip with Saturday's 3-2 victory over Dallas on Kevin Klein's goal with 2:53 left. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 36 shots two nights after a 35-save effort in a 2-1 win over St. Louis.


"Last two buildings are really tough buildings that we came into," Vigneault said. "We played real solid tonight when they tied it up, we had a real strong push right after, got the game-winner. There's no doubt that we got some solid goaltending in these two games."


The Rangers have never faced rookie Joonas Korpisalo, who is 9-2-2 with a 2.42 goals-against average in his last 13 starts. Lundqvist has posted a 1.78 GAA in winning his last five starts versus the Blue Jackets.