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

[CNOTES]

NHL
Long Sheet

Thursday, March 17

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MINNESOTA (32-27-0-11, 75 pts.) at NEW JERSEY (33-30-0-7, 73 pts.) - 3/17/2016, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 32-38 ATS (-16.3 Units) in all games this season.
MINNESOTA is 12-22 ATS (-15.8 Units) second half of the season this season.
MINNESOTA is 27-32 ATS (-14.2 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 12-16 ATS (-10.1 Units) in non-conference games this season.
MINNESOTA is 15-20 ATS (-13.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
NEW JERSEY is 15-12 ATS (+31.0 Units) in non-conference games this season.
NEW JERSEY is 15-11 ATS (+29.9 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game this season.
MINNESOTA is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) in road games in March games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW JERSEY is 3-2 (+1.6 Units) against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
NEW JERSEY is 3-2-0 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.3 Units)

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CAROLINA (31-26-0-13, 75 pts.) at PITTSBURGH (37-24-0-8, 82 pts.) - 3/17/2016, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CAROLINA is 19-48 ATS (+86.7 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5 or less over the last 3 seasons.
CAROLINA is 14-8 ATS (+22.0 Units) after a division game this season.
PITTSBURGH is 81-75 ATS (+184.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 85-104 ATS (-39.4 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5 or less since 1996.
PITTSBURGH is 40-42 ATS (-34.1 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 22-34 ATS (-29.4 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CAROLINA is 5-7 (+0.4 Units) against the spread versus PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 7-5-0 straight up against CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.5 Units)

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DETROIT (34-25-0-11, 79 pts.) at COLUMBUS (28-33-0-8, 64 pts.) - 3/17/2016, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 7-15 ATS (-12.2 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 15-20 ATS (-12.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
COLUMBUS is 40-37 ATS (-2.1 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 13-7 ATS (+20.7 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 37-19 ATS (+16.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 2-8 ATS (-7.1 Units) in home games after allowing 4 goals or more this season.
COLUMBUS is 6-18 ATS (-14.8 Units) in home games after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 13-19 ATS (-9.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLUMBUS is 5-3 (+3.6 Units) against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
COLUMBUS is 5-3-0 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.0 Units)

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FLORIDA (39-22-0-9, 87 pts.) at TORONTO (24-34-0-11, 59 pts.) - 3/17/2016, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA is 158-195 ATS (-79.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season since 1996.
FLORIDA is 39-31 ATS (+5.3 Units) in all games this season.
FLORIDA is 14-6 ATS (+7.0 Units) after a division game this season.
FLORIDA is 15-5 ATS (+8.8 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more this season.
TORONTO is 54-97 ATS (-54.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 19-58 ATS (-43.1 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 3-19 ATS (+34.1 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
TORONTO is 31-67 ATS (+113.1 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 116-129 ATS (-78.6 Units) in home games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
FLORIDA is 7-2 (+4.6 Units) against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
FLORIDA is 7-2-0 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.3 Units, Under=-0.5 Units)

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NY ISLANDERS (38-21-0-9, 85 pts.) at NASHVILLE (35-22-0-13, 83 pts.) - 3/17/2016, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NASHVILLE is 208-167 ATS (+35.9 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1996.
NY ISLANDERS are 19-7 ATS (+9.9 Units) in non-conference games this season.
NASHVILLE is 35-35 ATS (-11.5 Units) in all games this season.
NASHVILLE is 5-12 ATS (-12.5 Units) in home games in March games over the last 3 seasons.
NASHVILLE is 15-25 ATS (+41.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY ISLANDERS is 4-1 (+3.3 Units) against the spread versus NASHVILLE over the last 3 seasons
NY ISLANDERS is 4-1-0 straight up against NASHVILLE over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.1 Units)

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TAMPA BAY (40-25-0-5, 85 pts.) at DALLAS (41-21-0-9, 91 pts.) - 3/17/2016, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 209-137 ATS (+27.1 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game since 1996.
TAMPA BAY is 28-11 ATS (+13.0 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 13-5 ATS (+18.1 Units) in road games after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 195-204 ATS (+435.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1996.
DALLAS is 13-19 ATS (-18.5 Units) second half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 3-2 (+0.2 Units) against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
TAMPA BAY is 3-2-0 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+5.1 Units)

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SAN JOSE (39-24-0-6, 84 pts.) at ARIZONA (30-32-0-7, 67 pts.) - 3/17/2016, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN JOSE is 37-37 ATS (-26.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 27-28 ATS (-23.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
ARIZONA is 13-6 ATS (+20.9 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 this season.
ARIZONA is 14-10 ATS (+25.1 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
ARIZONA is 17-6 ATS (+24.8 Units) after a division game this season.
SAN JOSE is 12-4 ATS (+7.1 Units) in road games second half of the season this season.
ARIZONA is 22-55 ATS (+84.3 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 22-56 ATS (+112.8 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 16-52 ATS (+85.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 7-30 ATS (+57.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN JOSE is 8-3 (+2.0 Units) against the spread versus ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons
SAN JOSE is 8-3-0 straight up against ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.4 Units)

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NY RANGERS (40-23-0-7, 87 pts.) at LOS ANGELES (42-22-0-5, 89 pts.) - 3/17/2016, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY RANGERS are 104-67 ATS (+14.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 58-45 ATS (+12.0 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5 or less over the last 3 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 63-35 ATS (+15.9 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 15-4 ATS (+10.9 Units) in road games when playing on back-to-back days over the last 3 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 23-11 ATS (+10.9 Units) in road games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 18-8 ATS (+26.1 Units) in road games in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 19-9 ATS (+29.1 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 82-69 ATS (+2.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 7-3 (+3.5 Units) against the spread versus NY RANGERS over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 7-3-0 straight up against NY RANGERS over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.2 Units)

 

[CNOTES]

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, March 17

Hot teams
-- Pittsburgh won its last three games, allowing six goals.
-- Florida, Toronto both won three of their last four games.
-- Nashville won seven of its last ten games.
-- San Jose won seven of its last nine games. Arizona won its last two games, 4-0/4-1.
-- Los Angeles won five of last seven games. Rangers won three of their last four road games.

Cold teams
-- Devils lost last three home games, outscored 13-2. Minnesota lost three of last four games.
-- Carolina lost six of its last nine games; their last five games all went OT/SO.
-- Red Wings lost five of their last seven games. Columbus lost three of its last four.
-- Islanders lost three of their last four games.
-- Tampa Bay lost four of its last five games. Dallas Stars lost three of their last four.

Series records
-- Devils won three of last four games with Minnesota.
-- Carolina won three of its last five visits to Pittsburgh.
-- Columbus won five of last seven games with Detroit.
-- Florida won six of its last seven games with Toronto.
-- Islanders won their last four games with Nashville.
-- Dallas Stars lost five of last seven games with Tampa Bay.
-- Sharks won five of their last six games with Arizona.
-- Rangers lost seven of last nine games with Los Angeles.

Totals
-- Four of last six New Jersey games went over total.
-- Three of last four Penguin games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 7-2-1 in last ten Detroit-Columbus games.
-- Over is 4-0-2 in last six Florida games.
-- Over is 5-1-1 in last seven Nashville games.
-- Eight of last nine Tampa Bay-Dallas games went over.
-- Four of last five San Jose games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 3-1-1 in last five Ranger games.

Back-to-backs
-- Rangers are 8-5 if they played the night before.

 

[CNOTES]

NHL

Thursday, March 17

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
CAROLINA vs. PITTSBURGH
Carolina is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games on the road
Carolina is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is 12-6 SU in its last 18 games when playing Carolina
Pittsburgh is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

7:00 PM
DETROIT vs. COLUMBUS
Detroit is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games on the road
Detroit is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Columbus
Columbus is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Columbus's last 19 games at home

7:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. NEW JERSEY
Minnesota is 5-10-2 SU in its last 17 games ,when playing New Jersey
Minnesota is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games on the road
New Jersey is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New Jersey's last 5 games when playing at home against Minnesota

7:30 PM
FLORIDA vs. TORONTO
Florida is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Florida's last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Toronto is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Florida
Toronto is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games at home

8:00 PM
NY ISLANDERS vs. NASHVILLE
NY Islanders are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing Nashville
NY Islanders are 8-4 SU in their last 12 games
Nashville is 6-1 SU in their last 7 games when playing at home against NY Islanders
Nashville is 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing NY Islanders

8:30 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. DALLAS
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Tampa Bay's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Tampa Bay's last 11 games
Dallas is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay
Dallas is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games

10:00 PM
SAN JOSE vs. ARIZONA
San Jose is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Arizona
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of San Jose's last 13 games when playing Arizona
Arizona is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Arizona's last 13 games when playing San Jose

10:30 PM
NY RANGERS vs. LOS ANGELES
NY Rangers are 2-7 SU in their last 9 games when playing Los Angeles
NY Rangers are 2-5 SU in their last 7 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Los Angeles is 7-2 SU in their last 9 games when playing NY Rangers

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Senators (33-30) at Sabres (28-33)
Date: March 18, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Though a longshot to make the playoffs, the Ottawa Senators haven't lost their fight.


Neither have the Buffalo Sabres, though perhaps not for the right reasons.


The visiting Senators can record a third straight victory and take the season series from the Sabres on Friday night.


Sitting fifth in the Atlantic Division with some traffic also in the way of reaching a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, Ottawa (33-30-8) knows its chances of making a second straight playoff appearance are slim. That doesn't mean the Senators are resigned to anything.


"We just have to play the games, play hard, play for each other, and at the end of the year show that we still care in here," defenseman Erik Karlsson told the NHL's official website.


The Senators displayed that grit Tuesday when Mika Zibanejad scored the tying goal with 7.1 seconds left in regulation and Karlsson came through late in overtime for a 3-2 victory over Minnesota.


'We're going to try and win every single game that we have left,' said Karlsson, who has five points in three games. 'That's the mentality we're going to have in here.


'There's not a second that we're going to try and not play our best and not work our hardest.'


After sweeping a brief home stay against Toronto and the Wild, the Senators try to avoid a third consecutive road defeat before returning for two more in Ottawa.


They are 0 for 17 on the power play in seven games but those fortunes could change against the Sabres (28-33-10), whose last seven opponents went 7 for 22 (31.8 percent) with the man advantage.


Craig Anderson has stopped 52 of 54 shots over two contests after struggling in last Thursday's 6-2 loss at Florida in his return from missing four games with a lower-body injury. He's won four straight at Buffalo, 11 of 12 overall in the series and has a 1.66 goals-against average in his last 14 against the Sabres.


Anderson was in net throughout as the Senators took two of the first three meetings this season.


The Sabres have earned a point in six of eight but fell for the eighth time in 12 games, 3-2 in overtime to Montreal on Wednesday. In a matchup of frustrated teams, Buffalo was whisted for 14 of the game's 26 penalties and half of the six 10-minute misconduct calls.


Though the Sabres continue to play hard, their lack of discipline is something rather typical of a team set to miss the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season.


"We certainly let the game get away from us with our composure level," coach Dan Bylsma said. "No question it's the difference in the game."


Ex-Senator Robin Lehner, also involved in the pushing and shoving Wednesday, has dropped four in a row and allowed three goals in three straight. However, he's 1-0-1 with a 1.57 GAA against his former club this season.


Teammate Ryan O'Reilly had an assist in his return after missing 11 games with a lower-body injury. He hasn't recorded any of his team-leading 50 points against the Senators.


Rookie Jack Eichel has three goals and an assist in the season series.


Buffalo is 1 for 16 on the power play in four games. Ottawa has killed all 11 penalties in its last four.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Blackhawks (41-24) at Jets (29-36)
Date: March 18, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The rebuilding Winnipeg Jets jumped at the chance to receive a highly touted prospect and first-round pick from Chicago at the trade deadline, even if it meant giving up their captain and helping the Central Division rival Blackhawks in their pursuit of another championship.


That deal and the flurry of other moves haven't had the effect Chicago hoped, though.


Not only are the Blackhawks in the midst of a four-game skid, they'll be without goaltender Corey Crawford on Friday night as Andrew Ladd makes his first return to Winnipeg since the trade.


Contract talks ceased when the Jets (29-36-5) felt they couldn't afford the asking price of Ladd, who will be an unrestricted free agent following the season. Fearing losing him for nothing, Winnipeg struck a deal with Chicago to send Ladd to his former team in exchange for a package that included 21-year-old center Marko Dano.


The Blackhawks (41-24-6) also acquired Tomas Fleischmann, Dale Weise and Christian Ehrhoff in separate deals to help their bid for a second straight Stanley Cup title and fourth in seven seasons.


Ladd has two goals and two assists in eight games with Chicago, but it has gone 3-4-1 in that stretch while dropping to third place in the Central. The Blackhawks have been outscored 16-6 during their losing streak after falling 3-2 to Philadelphia on Wednesday.


"We're headed into a stretch here where we've got 11 games left and we've lost four in a row," said Patrick Kane, who had an assist to give him an NHL-leading 90 points. "Obviously, not the stretch we want. I don't want to say it's panic time, but at the same time we have to shore things up before playoffs come into play here."


Kane and Jonathan Toews scored in a 2-0 victory over the Jets in the last meeting Dec. 11, when Crawford stopped 25 shots for one of his league-high seven shutouts. It seemed coach Joel Quenneville simply gave Crawford the night off against the Flyers, but the club revealed Thursday that Crawford is dealing with an upper-body injury and won't make the trip to Winnipeg.


Scott Darling will get his second straight start in place of Crawford, who is considered day to day.


'We've got to get back to playing our kind of hockey,' defenseman Brent Seabrook said. "This last stretch here, we've got to get some points to be where we want to be.'


Ladd scored the game-winner in Winnipeg's 3-1 victory over the Blackhawks on Oct. 29 and returns to the place he spent 4 1/2 seasons. He also spent a year with the organization in Atlanta when Chicago traded Ladd to the Thrashers after helping the Blackhawks win the 2010 Stanley Cup.


Dano has made a solid early impression with his new club, posting three goals and two assists over his last five. He had one of each in 13 games with Chicago after coming over in the offseason trade that sent Brandon Saad to Columbus.


The Jets failed again to win three straight for the first time all season when they allowed three first-period goals in Wednesday's 4-1 loss at Calgary.


"It's a challenge, mentally, to stay in what you believe in," winger Blake Wheeler said. "But we believe that doing that is going to pay off in the not-too-distant future."


Ondrej Pavelec has lost all six of his starts against Chicago with a 4.50 goals-against average. Coach Paul Maurice instead could go with Michael Hutchinson, who is 4-1-1 with a 1.33 GAA against the Blackhawks.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Avalanche (36-31) at Flames (30-35)
Date: March 18, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

The Colorado Avalanche are making a concerted effort to avoid watching the scoreboard and checking the standings as they try to make the playoffs.


The Avalanche continue a four-game trip through Canada on Friday night against the Calgary Flames.


Battling Minnesota for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference, Colorado (36-31-4) snapped a three-game road skid and improved to 1-1-0 on the trek with Wednesday's 3-1 victory over Vancouver.


"Right now, we're not looking at the standings anymore," goaltender Semyon Varlamov told the Avalanche's official website. "We just need to win our games. ... I can tell you it's up to us."


Coach Patrick Roy is pushing his team to concentrate only on what it can control.


"We did what we had to do (Wednesday)," Roy said. "Now we're going to have to refocus for Calgary. That's what good teams (do). Good teams are capable of refocusing and getting their game ready for the next challenge."


The Avs have split the first two meetings with the Flames (30-35-5), both at home, falling 4-0 in the most recent Jan. 2. Colorado dropped both games at the Saddledome last season.


"I feel like playoffs starts for us right now, and it's going to be interesting," Varlamov said. "I'm looking forward to playing against Calgary. It's going to be another big one."


After making 22 saves in a 6-3 win over the Flames on Nov. 3, Varlamov was pulled after allowing four goals on 19 shots in January. He's posted a 1.26 goals-against average while winning three of his last four.


Ex-Flame Jarome Iginla has 17 points in 18 games, and had two goals and an assist in the teams' first meeting. He does not have a point in three games at Calgary since leaving the club in March 2013.


The Flames improved to 3-1-1 on a six-game homestand by beating Winnipeg 4-1 on Wednesday, giving them back-to-back victories at the Saddledome for the first time since an 11-game run Nov. 5-Dec. 27.


"We said in the room here that we want to finish strong," forward Michael Frolik told the NHL's official website. "Every game, we want to play hard, we want to be on the puck. Every shift, we want to play very hard.


"I think we were doing that the last couple of games and just want to carry on that in the rest of the season."


After recording a hat trick in Monday's 7-4 win over St. Louis, Frolik had a goal and two assists against the Jets. Frolik's linemates Mikael Backlund has four goals and four assists in seven games and Joe Colborne has four and two in six.


"It's fun playing with those two," Colborne said. "When you're on a line with two guys that are going like that, it's a lot of fun. I think we're just three similar guys."


Calgary is likely to be without Dennis Wideman after the veteran defenseman suffered an upper-body injury in a collision with Colborne on Wednesday. It was Wideman's third game since returning from a 19-game suspension for cross-checking linesman Don Henderson.


Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog is serving the finale of his three-game ban for a hit on Anaheim's Simon Despres last week.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Canucks (27-30) at Oilers (28-38)
Date: March 18, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Henrik Sedin seems resigned to the fate of the Vancouver Canucks, who have begun prepping for the future by adding highly touted Nikita Tryamkin to the active roster.


The Edmonton Oilers also hope their best days are ahead behind rookie Connor McDavid.


Tryamkin will try to build on his promising debut Friday night when the visiting Canucks look to avoid their third straight loss with a seventh victory in eight meetings with the Oilers.


Plenty of eyes were on the 6-foot-7 Tryamkin on Wednesday when he contributed an assist in a 3-1 home loss to Colorado. Plenty of hype has surrounded the Russian since he signed with Vancouver on March 8 after finishing with 11 points in 53 games in the KHL.


The Canucks eased the 21-year-old defenseman in with some practice time before playing him 11 minutes against the Avalanche. That time is likely to increase over the final 13 games.


"I really enjoyed my first game," he told the team's official website through an interpreter. "The rink was smaller, everything was faster. â?¦ I needed more time to adapt to the new fast pace."


Tryamkin assisted on Sedin's early goal before Colorado scored the next three to move into the Western Conference's last wild-card spot and drop Vancouver 10 points back. The Canucks need an unlikely turn of events to avoid missing the playoffs for the second time in three years.


"It would have been tougher if it would have been a Stanley Cup contender going through this," Sedin said after the team's second straight loss and 14th in 21 games. "We know where we are. It's tough to win games in this league. We are trying to understand that and get better."


Vancouver (27-30-12) will try to improve to 7-0-1 against Edmonton since the start of the 2014-15 season. Following a 2-1 overtime home loss to the Oilers on Oct. 18, Jannik Hansen scored his second goal of the game at 4:01 of the extra period in a 2-1 home victory over Edmonton on Dec. 26.


Edmonton (28-38-7) is tied with Winnipeg for the fewest points in the West, but has its own reasons to be excited about the future. McDavid, a Calder Trophy candidate, recorded two assists in Wednesday's 6-4 home win over St. Louis that snapped a two-game losing streak.


McDavid has nine goals and 17 assists in 23 games since missing three months with a broken clavicle. He assisted on Nail Yakupov's goal in the first meeting with Vancouver before Lauri Korpikoski scored in OT to end a five-game skid in the series.


Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had two power-play goals Wednesday, while Mark Letestu added one with a man advantage and another into an empty net. The Oilers broke through with their first four-power-play goal effort since January 2013 after going 4 for 53 in their previous 20 games.


"It's something we've been harping on," Nugent-Hopkins said. "It hasn't been good enough lately and, we broke out. We won some battles, took some shots and it paid off.'


The Canucks have killed 25 of 29 penalties over their last 12 games. However, they haven't converted on 17 power-play chances in the past five and average 2.36 goals, among the worst marks in the NHL.


Vancouver has won in its last three visits to Rexall Place.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Bruins (39-24) at Ducks (38-22)
Date: March 18, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

A series of letdowns following a franchise-record winning streak has dropped the Anaheim Ducks out of the Pacific Division lead and into a battle for home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.


The Boston Bruins are getting a heavy dose of that group's contenders during a road trip that could affect their standing in the Atlantic.


Anaheim looks to snap out of its funk by winning a fifth straight meeting with the Bruins on Friday night.


The Ducks' post-Christmas surge included a club-best 11-game winning streak from Feb. 13-March 5 to put them in first place for the first time all season.


Anaheim has gone 1-3-1 since, though, while totaling four goals in the defeats, conjuring up thoughts of the scoring woes that plagued it at the start of the season. Jamie McGinn scored in the first period Wednesday, but the Ducks (38-22-9) couldn't muster anything else in a 2-1 home loss to the New York Rangers.


They had gone 9-0-1 at home since last losing in regulation there Jan. 17.


'I thought we passed up way too many chances to shoot,' coach Bruce Boudreau said after Anaheim didn't have a power-play opportunity for the first time since Dec. 19. 'We tried to be cute, and when we're a cute team and not just getting pucks to the net, we're not successful."


Los Angeles has reclaimed the Pacific lead during the Ducks' slump, and San Jose would be Anaheim's first-round opponent if the standings held. The Sharks helped their cause for home-ice advantage in that potential series with Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Bruins.


That was the first of eight road games over the next nine for Boston (39-24-8), which still has one of the league's best road records at 23-8-3. David Krejci and Loui Eriksson scored in the first period before the Bruins had their seven-game point streak snapped.


They'll finish their trip through California by facing the Ducks and Kings on back-to-back nights.


"We're playing a pretty good three teams on this road trip, so take it game by game," Krejci said. "Too bad we didn't get two points (Tuesday), but we should learn from this and play a full 60 minutes, not just the first and third periods. Hopefully we learn from our mistakes and be better next game."


Boston is in the thick of what has essentially become a three-team race for the Atlantic title with Florida and Tampa Bay. Its only home game during the road-heavy stretch is against the Panthers on March 24.


"We're just going to have to keep plugging away," goaltender Tuukka Rask said. "These are all tough teams and we have to play a really tight defensive game and wait for our opportunities. We realize that we have to get some points out of here and focus on Anaheim and L.A. coming up and try to get some wins."


Rask was chased after two periods in a 6-2 loss to Anaheim on Jan. 26 as six different Ducks recorded at least two points. It's uncertain if Rask will get the start as the Bruins try to beat Anaheim for the first time since Oct. 31, 2013.


John Gibson could be in net for the Ducks, who begin a five-game trip following this contest.

 

[CNOTES]

NHL MONEYLINE


NHL > (55) CHICAGO@ (56) WINNIPEG | 2016-03-18 20:05:00 - 2016-03-18 20:05:00
Play ON CHICAGO using money line in All games after a non-conference game
The record is 23 Wins and 6 Losses for the this season (+16.6 units)


NHL > (51) NASHVILLE@ (52) WASHINGTON | 2016-03-18 19:05:00 - 2016-03-18 19:05:00
Play ON WASHINGTON using money line in All games
The record is 45 Wins and 14 Losses for the this season (+22.05 units)

NHL > (55) CHICAGO@ (56) WINNIPEG | 2016-03-18 20:05:00 - 2016-03-18 20:05:00
Play AGAINST WINNIPEG using money line in Home games second half of the season
The record is 4 Wins and 13 Losses for the this season (-11.55 units)

NHL > (51) NASHVILLE@ (52) WASHINGTON | 2016-03-18 19:05:00 - 2016-03-18 19:05:00
Play ON WASHINGTON using money line in all games
The record is 50 Wins and 19 Losses for the this season (+22.3 units)

NHL > (59) VANCOUVER@ (60) EDMONTON | 2016-03-18 21:05:00 - 2016-03-18 21:05:00
Play AGAINST EDMONTON using money line in All games vs. division opponents
The record is 18 Wins and 61 Losses for the last three seasons (-37.6 units)


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

NHL PUCKLINE


NHL > (55) CHICAGO@ (56) WINNIPEG | 2016-03-18 20:05:00 - 2016-03-18 20:05:00
Play ON CHICAGO in All games after a non-conference game
The record is 23 Wins and 6 Losses for the this season (+16.6 units)


NHL > (55) CHICAGO@ (56) WINNIPEG | 2016-03-18 20:05:00 - 2016-03-18 20:05:00
Play AGAINST WINNIPEG in Home games second half of the season
The record is 4 Wins and 13 Losses for the this season (-11.55 units)


NHL > (51) NASHVILLE@ (52) WASHINGTON | 2016-03-18 19:05:00 - 2016-03-18 19:05:00
Play ON WASHINGTON in all games
The record is 50 Wins and 19 Losses for the this season (+22.3 units)


NHL > (59) VANCOUVER@ (60) EDMONTON | 2016-03-18 21:05:00 - 2016-03-18 21:05:00
Play AGAINST EDMONTON in All games vs. division opponents
The record is 18 Wins and 61 Losses for the last three seasons (-37.6 units)
---------------------

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Predators (36-22) at Capitals (50-14)
Date: March 18, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Slow starts have been a problem lately for the NHL-leading Washington Capitals, but their latest effort in the first period has them encouraged a change is imminent.


They had no such first-period issues in their last matchup with the Nashville Predators.


The Capitals look to continue gearing up for the playoffs by getting off to another strong start and win for the 10th time in 12 home games Friday night against the Predators.


Washington (50-14-5) clanked shots off the post against Carolina on Tuesday, but forward Jay Beagle said players didn't let frustration seep in as the Capitals went on to win 2-1 in overtime.


Slow starts have dogged the Capitals, but this wasn't one of them.


"I think it was a great start," captain Alex Ovechkin said. "So far it was the best in maybe 10 or 15 games. Just hit crossbar, post, lots of good chances. That's how we have to play."


That game against the Hurricanes, which clinched a playoff berth for Washington, represented a divergence from the lingering trend. The Capitals had allowed the first goal in the previous five games and in 13 out of the last 15.


The Capitals are 10-5-1 in their past 16 games, but in the first period, they have led only 2:16, been tied 106:41 and trailed for 210:53.


"I'm kind of sick of talking about it, but it's a stat, it's there and it's ugly," forward Justin Williams said. "I think sometimes if you just keep talking about it, talking about it and talking about, then it becomes a problem. They you can get it in your head and all sorts of other things."


It has been in players' heads because it's not an isolated issue. Opponents have outscored the Capitals 17-4 over this 16-game span, and yet the top team in the NHL has shown an uncanny ability to roar back in the third period, outscoring teams 20-9.


Yet with 13 games left in the regular season, it's not about victories or points for the Capitals as much as preparing for the playoffs. That's why the start against Carolina was so encouraging.


"We showed what we can do to start the game and set up our game," goaltender Braden Holtby said. "You look at it as we only scored two goals with the overtime goal, but we could've had quite a few more - just the posts and the tough shots we threw on net in traffic. Just didn't go our way, but we stuck with it and that shows that we played a committed game."


Falling behind in the playoffs, where games are tighter and goals are harder to come by, especially on the power play, isn't a recipe for success for a team trying to win its first Stanley Cup. If the Capitals can replicate their start against Carolina in April and May, it could pay big dividends.


"(We) didn't wait for them to kind of see how the game was going to play out," Beagle said. "We went after them and tried to dictate the pace and game in our barn, and that's the way we got to play."


Washington certainly did that at Nashville on Feb. 9, scoring the first two goals - one in the opening period - on its way to a 5-3 victory.


While the Capitals are closing in on their second Presidents' Trophy, the Predators (36-22-13) are 10 points clear of the postseason cutoff thanks to a 9-1-2 stretch.


"I really liked the way we played," coach Peter Laviolette said after Thursday's 4-2 win over the New York Islanders. "Coming off the (3-1-1) road trip, you never know what you're going to get, but I thought we were pretty sharp from start to finish."


James Neal had a goal and assist, three days after netting a hat trick in a 3-2 win at Edmonton. The right wing's 27 goals are one back of Filip Forsberg for the team lead, and he's scored nine times with five assists in 15 career meetings with Washington.

 

[CNOTES]

NHL
Dunkel

Friday, March 18


Nashville @ Washington

Game 51-52
March 18, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Nashville
11.319
Washington
12.906
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 1 1/2
5 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
-170
5
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(-170); Over

Ottawa @ Buffalo

Game 53-54
March 18, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Ottawa
9.252
Buffalo
11.851
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Buffalo
by 2 1/2
4 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Buffalo
-120
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Buffalo
(-120); Under

Chicago @ Winnipeg

Game 55-56
March 18, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago
11.477
Winnipeg
12.335
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Winnipeg
by 1
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago
-160
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Winnipeg
(+140); Over

Colorado @ Calgary

Game 57-58
March 18, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Colorado
12.570
Calgary
11.019
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Colorado
by 1 1/2
5
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Calgary
-115
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Colorado
(-105); Under

Vancouver @ Edmonton

Game 59-60
March 18, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Vancouver
10.692
Edmonton
9.104
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Vancouver
by 1 1/2
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Edmonton
-145
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Vancouver
(+125); Under

Boston @ Anaheim

Game 61-62
March 18, 2016 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boston
12.848
Anaheim
11.286
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston
by 1 1/2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Boston
N/A

 

[CNOTES]

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, March 18

Hot teams
-- Nashville won seven of its last ten games. Carolina won three of last four home games.
-- Ottawa won its last two games, 4-0/3-2ot.
-- Avalanche won three of their last four games. Calgary won four of its last six.
-- Bruins won three of their last four road games.

Cold teams
-- Buffalo lost three of its last four games.
-- Chicago lost its last four games, outscored 16-6. Winnipeg lost seven of last 10 games.
-- Vancouver lost six of its last nine games. Edmonton lost three of last four at home.
-- Anaheim lost four of its last five games.

Series records
-- Predators won three of last four games with Washington.
-- Senators won five of last six games with Buffalo.
-- Chicago won four of last five games with Winnipeg.
-- Flames won four of last six games with Colorado.
-- Canucks won six of last seven games with Edmonton (last three went OT).
-- Ducks won their last four games with Boston.

Totals
-- Over is 6-1-1- in last eight Nashville games.
-- Under is 4-0-1 in last five Ottawa-Buffalo games.
-- Four of last five Chicago-Winnipeg games stayed under.
-- Four of last five Calgary games stayed under.
-- Over is 4-1-1 in last six Vancouver games.
-- Under is 4-1-1 in last six Boston games.

Back-to-backs
-- Nashville is 3-7 if it played the night before.

 

[CNOTES]

NHL

Friday, March 18

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

7:00 PM
NASHVILLE vs. WASHINGTON
Nashville is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games when playing Washington
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Nashville's last 8 games
Washington is 15-6 SU in its last 21 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 7 games when playing at home against Nashville

7:00 PM
OTTAWA vs. BUFFALO
Ottawa is 6-16 SU in its last 22 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Ottawa's last 7 games
Buffalo is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Ottawa
Buffalo is 5-14 SU in its last 19 games at home

8:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. WINNIPEG
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games when playing Winnipeg
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 6 games when playing on the road against Winnipeg
Winnipeg is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Winnipeg's last 5 games when playing Chicago

9:00 PM
COLORADO vs. CALGARY
Colorado is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Calgary
Colorado is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Calgary is 5-12 SU in its last 17 games
Calgary is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games

9:00 PM
VANCOUVER vs. EDMONTON
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Vancouver's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Vancouver's last 6 games when playing Edmonton
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Edmonton's last 7 games at home
Edmonton is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Vancouver

10:00 PM
BOSTON vs. ANAHEIM
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Boston's last 10 games
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Anaheim is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Anaheim is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games at home

 

[CNOTES]

NHL
Long Sheet

Friday, March 18

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

NASHVILLE (36-22-0-13, 85 pts.) at WASHINGTON (50-14-0-5, 105 pts.) - 3/18/2016, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NASHVILLE is 36-35 ATS (-12.6 Units) in all games this season.
NASHVILLE is 6-15 ATS (+22.0 Units) when playing on back-to-back days over the last 2 seasons.
NASHVILLE is 7-13 ATS (-12.8 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more this season.
NASHVILLE is 16-28 ATS (-16.1 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 50-19 ATS (+28.4 Units) in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 18-5 ATS (+11.1 Units) after a division game this season.
WASHINGTON is 47-35 ATS (+5.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
NASHVILLE is 209-167 ATS (+33.5 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1996.
WASHINGTON is 156-199 ATS (-72.0 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
NASHVILLE is 3-2 (+1.0 Units) against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
NASHVILLE is 3-2-0 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
5 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+5.5 Units)

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

OTTAWA (33-30-0-8, 74 pts.) at BUFFALO (28-33-0-10, 66 pts.) - 3/18/2016, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OTTAWA is 81-56 ATS (+18.7 Units) in road games when playing with 2 days rest since 1996.
BUFFALO is 14-41 ATS (+72.2 Units) in home games second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
BUFFALO is 2-11 ATS (+13.4 Units) in home games vs. division opponents this season.
BUFFALO is 5-17 ATS (+25.5 Units) in home games revenging a loss versus opponent this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
OTTAWA is 8-3 (+3.7 Units) against the spread versus BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
OTTAWA is 8-3-0 straight up against BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
9 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+7.2 Units)

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

CHICAGO (41-24-0-6, 88 pts.) at WINNIPEG (29-36-0-5, 63 pts.) - 3/18/2016, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 309-321 ATS (-139.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
CHICAGO is 20-25 ATS (-27.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
WINNIPEG is 49-39 ATS (+92.5 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO is 23-6 ATS (+14.4 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
WINNIPEG is 29-41 ATS (-34.3 Units) in all games this season.
WINNIPEG is 4-13 ATS (-12.3 Units) in home games second half of the season this season.
WINNIPEG is 13-23 ATS (-15.5 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WINNIPEG is 5-7 (+2.0 Units) against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 7-5-0 straight up against WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
7 of 12 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.6 Units)

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

COLORADO (36-31-0-4, 76 pts.) at CALGARY (30-35-0-5, 65 pts.) - 3/18/2016, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 10-5 ATS (+4.8 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
CALGARY is 18-11 ATS (+30.8 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 36-35 ATS (+74.6 Units) in all games this season.
COLORADO is 13-9 ATS (+25.2 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 this season.
COLORADO is 43-35 ATS (+78.2 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 10-4 ATS (+5.9 Units) on Friday nights over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 58-50 ATS (+111.9 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 32-23 ATS (+56.1 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 4-4 (+0.8 Units) against the spread versus COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 4-4-0 straight up against COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.1 Units)

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

VANCOUVER (27-30-0-12, 66 pts.) at EDMONTON (28-38-0-7, 63 pts.) - 3/18/2016, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VANCOUVER is 27-42 ATS (+72.8 Units) in all games this season.
VANCOUVER is 352-313 ATS (-100.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
VANCOUVER is 52-38 ATS (+94.3 Units) in road games on Friday nights since 1996.
VANCOUVER is 74-55 ATS (+18.4 Units) in road games after playing 3 consecutive home games since 1996.
EDMONTON is 52-103 ATS (-89.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 10-40 ATS (+70.4 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 17-43 ATS (+72.1 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.
EDMONTON is 164-165 ATS (-46.2 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
VANCOUVER is 9-3 (+3.8 Units) against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
VANCOUVER is 9-3-0 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
6 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.5 Units)

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

BOSTON (39-24-0-8, 86 pts.) at ANAHEIM (38-22-0-9, 85 pts.) - 3/18/2016, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ANAHEIM is 4-1 (+3.2 Units) against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
ANAHEIM is 4-1-0 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.2 Units)

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Penguins (38-24) at Flyers (34-23)
Date: March 19, 2016 1:00 PM EDT

The Pittsburgh-Philadelphia rivalry increases in intensity during late-season matchups when both teams are involved in the playoff race.


Saturday's meeting is the first of three crucial ones down the stretch.


The Flyers have caught fire and are expected to have Jakub Voracek back as they look to beat the visiting Penguins for the ninth time in the last 10 matchups.


Philadelphia's 3-2 win at Chicago on Wednesday briefly put it in the Eastern Conference's second wild-card spot, but it will head into this contest sitting one point back of Detroit. The Flyers (34-23-12) have gone on an 8-1-1 tear that includes three consecutive home victories to make up ground.


Brayden Schenn scored the tying goal against the Blackhawks in the second period before Radko Gudas' deflected shot found the net in the middle of the third.


"You can see all the guys buying in and pulling together," Gudas said. "It's a great feeling to be around this team right now. Even if you get down one goal, we're coming back. You've got that feeling inside that we're working hard to come back."


The most impressive aspect of the surge is that Voracek has been sidelined for the last nine with a left foot injury. He has been cleared to play and was a full participant in practice Friday, but coach Dave Hakstol said Voracek will be a game-time decision.


Voracek, who has four goals and eight assists during a seven-game point streak against the Penguins, made it sound as if he'll be in the lineup.


"I pushed it really hard," Voracek said. "It felt pretty good. Now I just have to find a way to help the team win a game."


The Flyers had won eight in a row against Pittsburgh (38-24-8) before Phil Kessel scored twice and Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist in the Penguins' 4-3 victory Jan. 21.


Pittsburgh is four points ahead of the Flyers in the wild-card standings. They'll also face each other April 3 and in the Penguins' regular-season finale April 9.


"You've got to be intense, and in a game like that the intensity is higher. The emotion is higher," Crosby told the team's official website. "You've got to raise your level as well, but at the same time just be disciplined and focus on playing the game. You've got to focus on playing the game and getting two points."


Pittsburgh is on a roll as well after beating Carolina 4-2 on Thursday for its fourth straight win. The streak started when Evgeni Malkin suffered an upper-body injury against Columbus on March 11. He'll be out at least another five weeks as the Penguins try to pass the New York Islanders, who hold a one-point lead for the Metropolitan Division's last automatic playoff berth.


The Penguins rallied from a two-goal deficit Thursday, just as they did in the last meeting with the Flyers.


"It should be a good game," forward Carl Hagelin said. "We're right there with each other and both teams are looking to get two points, and hopefully we get them."


Marc-Andre Fleury has a 1.75 goals-against average in his last eight starts and should be in net for this one, although he has a 4.20 GAA in his last six against the Flyers.


It's unclear if Steve Mason or Michal Neuvirth will get the nod for Philadelphia.


The Flyers will be without forward Chris VandeVelde after he was suspended two games for elbowing Chicago's Jonathan Toews in the head.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Hurricanes (31-27) at Wild (32-28)
Date: March 19, 2016 2:00 PM EDT

Frustrated and embarrassed, the Minnesota Wild must find a way to move on from a rough finish to their latest road trip.


A visit from the Carolina Hurricanes might help.


Looking to avoid a third consecutive loss overall and at home, the Wild try to continue their success against the Hurricanes on Saturday.


Minnesota (32-28-11) opened a three-game trip with a 4-1 victory over Montreal last Saturday, but things got worse from there. The Wild allowed the tying goal with 7.1 seconds left in regulation of a 3-2 overtime defeat to Ottawa on Tuesday and on Thursday, they yielded their highest goal total of the season in a 7-4 loss to New Jersey.


"We're right in the race for a playoff spot, and games like that, they can't happen," forward Nino Niederreiter told the Wild's official website.


Just behind Colorado for the second wild-card spot, Minnesota has gone 1-3-1 in its last five and threw up a major red flag with Thursday's performance.


"It's hard to say anything after a game like that," forward Erik Haula said. "It wasn't anything at all what we wanted. I thought we got better in the end but it wasn't even close to what we want to bring."


The Wild certainly weren't focused in the first period as the Devils chased Devan Dubnyk with three goals on eight shots.


"You start with the first goal, and the second and third, we just weren't good enough in front of the net," said Niederreiter, who has scored in three consecutive games to equal his career high of 37 points. "It's game (71) ... have to make sure we battle those."


Minnesota hasn't had much trouble containing Carolina, giving up nine goals during a five-game winning streak. Dubnyk is 1-1-1 with a 3.50 goals-against average in his last four starts, but beat the Hurricanes (31-27-13) for a fourth straight time by making 37 saves in a 3-2 overtime victory Nov. 12.


Carolina has totaled five goals in going 0-1-2 since opening its five-game trip with a 3-2 overtime victory over Boston last Thursday. The Hurricanes scored the first two goals against Pittsburgh on Thursday, but went on to a 4-2 loss that ended their six-game point streak.


"We were just trying to get pucks to the net," rookie forward Phillip Di Giuseppe said. "We had a good start, and we should have fed better off that."


Carolina is six points behind Detroit for the final wild-card spot with multiple teams to pass.


"Next game is huge for us," Di Giuseppe said. "This is our first (regulation) loss since the (trade) deadline. It wasn't the result we wanted, but we'll come back stronger in the next game."


Di Giuseppe has three of his seven career goals on this trip, and six points in six games.


Eddie Lack made 44 saves in his second straight start Thursday. He's faced at least 30 shots each time while going 1-1-2 with a 2.70 GAA this month.


Though the Hurricanes are 0 for 7 on the power play in two games, they've killed 19 of 20 penalties over the last nine.


Minnesota went 2 for 3 with the man advantage against the Devils but is 0 for 11 in three March home contests.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Rangers (40-23) at Sharks (39-25)
Date: March 19, 2016 4:00 PM EDT

Fuming following a loss reminiscent of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final, Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers must refocus on their current battle for playoff positioning.


The star goaltender can put the rough night behind him by beating a team he has dominated in the past.


Lundqvist looks to end his March struggles and help the Rangers solidify their hold on second place in the Metropolitan Division when they visit the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.


New York (40-23-8) was denied a second straight win on its three-game California trip and had to settle for one point Thursday in a 4-3 overtime loss to Los Angeles.


The Rangers extended their road point streak to five games and have gone 8-2-2 in their last 12 away from home, but they blew a 3-1 third-period lead and a controversial non-call contributed to the disheartening defeat.


Lundqvist felt he was interfered with by the Kings' Tyler Toffoli on Anze Kopitar's tying goal with 4:10 to play, though coach Alain Vigneault's challenge was denied. Kopitar then scored in overtime to drop New York to 3-3-2 this month.


'I'm so frustrated right now, I don't even know where to begin,' Lundqvist said.


Lundqvist made 33 saves but suffered his fourth consecutive loss - this one similar to Game 2 of the 2014 final at Los Angeles, in which a controversial goal scored after Lundqvist might have been interfered with led to a 5-4 double-overtime defeat. That put the Kings up 2-0 in the series, which they won in five games.


"We got three points out of four in two of the toughest buildings in the league (also Anaheim on Wednesday)," Vigneault told the team's official website. "We battled real hard. I thought we did what we had to do to come out of here with two points. I'm real proud of how we competed. That's a real good team over there."


Lundqvist is 0-2-2 with a 3.76 goals-against average in March. He didn't play in a 4-0 win over the Sharks on Oct. 19, New York's third straight in the series, but has gone 2-1-0 with a 0.67 GAA in his last three starts against them. The most recent was a 30-save effort in a 3-1 victory at San Jose on Jan. 10, 2015.


The Rangers are three points up on the Islanders for second place, though the Islanders, who also play Saturday, have two games in hand.


San Jose (39-25-6) has no worries about an automatic playoff spot in the Pacific, holding a 15-point lead over Arizona for third place, but the Sharks are also pushing Anaheim for second.


After beating Washington and Boston in a three-day span at home, the Sharks fell 3-1 to the Coyotes on the road Thursday after having two early goals waved off.


Dainius Zubrus' first-period score was nixed by a reviewed offside call and Chris Tierney's goal in the second was disallowed due to a kicking motion.


'It's a little frustrating when you're happy you scored and two times they cancel it,' said forward Tomas Hertl, who scored his first goal in seven games. 'But it was probably the right call and we should score a couple more goals.'


San Jose has averaged 3.5 goals during a 9-3-3 stretch at home.


Martin Jones made 24 saves but allowed four goals Oct. 19 in his only career appearance against the Rangers.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Red Wings (35-25) at Panthers (40-22)
Date: March 19, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Florida Panthers' final seven games are against foes currently out of playoff position, an upcoming stretch that will seemingly give them a prime opportunity to clinch their first division title in four years.


They'll get a better idea of how they measure up against playoff competition over the next week.


Florida looks to win three straight for the first time in six weeks Saturday night when it hosts a Detroit Red Wings team looking to improve its postseason chances.


The Panthers (40-22-9) have regained the Atlantic lead by winning four of their last five following a 1-3-2 stretch, and they're four victories away from surpassing the franchise record set in 1999-2000. They won the last two of a three-game trip with 4-1 victories over Montreal on Tuesday and Toronto on Thursday.


Florida faces the Canadiens and Maple Leafs twice more each with matchups against New Jersey, Ottawa and Carolina sprinkled in over the season's final 10 days. Winning a division title for the first time since 2011-12 could depend on how it navigates this upcoming stretch, though.


After hosting Detroit (35-25-11), the Panthers embark on another three-game trip against the New York Rangers, Boston and Tampa Bay. The Bruins and Lightning aren't far back of Florida in the Atlantic.


'We've got some big games ahead of us, so we didn't want to overlook (the NHL-worst Maple Leafs) and look ahead,' said Roberto Luongo, made 32 saves Thursday. "They made us earn it.'


Jussi Jokinen sat out against Montreal with a lower-body injury but returned with two goals, both of which were intended passes that deflected into the net. He had two assists in each of the first two meetings with the Red Wings, a 2-1 overtime win Nov. 29 and 6-3 victory Feb. 4.


The latter capped a five-game winning streak for the Panthers, who haven't won three straight since. Luongo looks to help change that and has a 1.65 goals-against average while winning his last three starts against Detroit.


Petr Mrazek made 23 saves to blank Florida 3-0 in the most recent matchup Feb. 8, but he fell ill and sat out Detroit's 3-1 win over Columbus on Thursday. Jimmy Howard stopped 27 shots, and he could be in net for this one if Mrazek isn't ready to go.


"We can enjoy the flight down to Florida and then we've got to forget about it and get ready for the Panthers," Howard said. "They're ahead of us in the standings and we're scratching and clawing for points here and we're going to need to build off of this."


Henrik Zetterberg scored for the Red Wings, who had dropped five of their previous seven. They're clinging to the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot with a one-point edge on Philadelphia and trail the Lightning by four for the Atlantic's last automatic berth.


Detroit held a one-goal lead after the first period against the Blue Jackets, marking the first time it has led heading into the second since a win over Ottawa on Feb. 10.


"I think we just have to realize where we are," Zetterberg said. "We have to play with more urgency."


Dylan Larkin ranks among the rookie scoring leaders with 20 goals and 21 assists, but his assist Thursday was just his third point in 17 games since having an assist in the last meeting with the Panthers. He scored in each of the first two matchups.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Canadiens (33-32) at Senators (33-30)
Date: March 19, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The amount of games to make the playoffs are dwindling for both the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens, and the Atlantic Division rivals have failed to generate any consistent momentum for a push ahead of Saturday night's critical game in Ontario's capital.


The Senators (33-30-8) were denied a third straight win after losing 3-1 at Buffalo on Friday. They conceded a pair of goals around Alex Chiasson's tally in the first 8:17 of the contest and failed to help themselves by playing short-handed for more than half of the final 7:03.


"We need more pride; need to battle a little hard," Chiasson told the team's official website. "We're fighting for our life, our playoff hope. Not the effort that's demanded of us. We should expect more from ourselves."


Ottawa's power play again sputtered, going 0 for 4 to extend its man-advantage drought to 21 chances over the last eight games. The Senators had killed all 11 penalties over the previous four games before yielding a power-play goal 2:07 into Friday night's defeat.


'Not good enough,' said goaltender Craig Anderson, echoing Chiasson's sentiments. 'Bottom line is we didn't get two points and that's what we needed.'


The Senators are seven points behind Detroit for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot with 10 games remaining.


While Ottawa was unable to extend its winning streak, Montreal (33-32-6) avoided a third straight loss by defeating Buffalo 3-2 in overtime Wednesday. Paul Byron's winning goal deflected off the stick of a Sabres defenseman to make sure Ben Scrivens' season-high 41 saves didn't go for naught.


"We played with a lot of emotion last game, which is an encouraging sign," forward Lars Eller said after practice Friday. "It's nice to see everyone not backing off."


Coach Michel Therrien rewarded Scrivens with another start, which will be his first against Ottawa since a 4-3 overtime loss Nov. 13, 2014, playing for Edmonton. Scrivens is 2-2-1 with a 2.39 goals-against average in five lifetime starts versus the Senators.


Montreal's postseason situation is as dire as Ottawa's, entering this game nine points behind Detroit. The Canadiens will be without P.K. Subban - second on the team with 51 points - for both their games this weekend as Therrien ruled his top defenseman out as he continues to recover from a neck injury suffered March 10.


The Habs' defense corps took another hit Friday when Mark Barberio was ruled out due to concussion-like symptoms.


Montreal has taken five of six possible points this season between the teams after a 3-1 victory in the most recent meeting Dec. 12. The Canadiens tied a franchise record with 27 first-period shots before chasing Anderson in the second.


Jean-Gabriel Pageau has scored three of Ottawa's four goals in the season series, one in each game, and the Senators are 0 for 7 on the power play versus the Habs.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Sabres (28-33) at Maple Leafs (24-35)
Date: March 19, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Buffalo Sabres finally snapped their losing streak in Toronto earlier this month with help from star rookies Sam Reinhart and Jack Eichel.


Reinhart also got the Sabres going in their latest victory and will try to deliver another in Saturday night's rematch with the Maple Leafs.


Buffalo (29-33-10) snapped a six-game skid at the Air Canada Centre by rallying for a 4-3 shootout victory March 7. Eichel started the comeback by scoring one of the Sabres' two goals in the third period and Reinhart had the only score of the shootout.


Reinhart scored his 20th goal in a 3-1 win against visiting Ottawa on Friday and registered an assist. He had one goal in his previous 12 games.


Reinhart and Eichel are the third Sabres rookie duo with 20-plus goals and first since Danny Gare and Peter McNab in 1974-75.


"They're going to be a huge part of our team moving forward and we're lucky to have both of them," defenseman Zach Bogosian said.


Buffalo, which hasn't won back-to-back games since Feb. 12 and 14, will try to send Toronto to a fourth consecutive defeat in the series. The Sabres have won each of this season's two meetings in shootouts.


The Maple Leafs (24-35-11) were denied a third straight victory and their third in a row at home Thursday with a 4-1 defeat to Florida. After allowing one goal in its previous two games, Toronto was bitten by a pair of unlucky bounces.


The Panthers' Jussi Jokinen was credited with goals when two passing attempts off Maple Leafs sticks got past Jonathan Bernier.


"Two goals that are pretty lucky," said defenseman Morgan Rielly, who scored his team's goal. "I don't think that they would argue that. But that's just the way the game goes. They played well. They played with speed and they generated those chances."


Garret Sparks is expected to end Bernier's run of three consecutive starts. He was in net earlier this month against the Sabres, one of 10 career starts.


Buffalo goaltender Robin Lehner is dealing with a nagging right ankle injury, an ailment that caused him to miss 39 games earlier this season. Nathan Lieuwen was called up in his absence and could get his sixth career start - and first since 2013-14 - on Saturday with Chad Johnson having played Friday.


Lieuwen has never faced Toronto while Johnson has been in net for both matchups this season.


Evander Kane will try to provide support for whichever netminder starts by adding to his three goals and two assists in his last five games against Toronto.


Maple Leafs forward Brad Boyes had three goals and four assists in his past six games against his former team but is among a number of Maple Leafs who are dealing with injuries. Boyes has an ailing shoulder that's kept him out since March 7 against Buffalo, and leading goal scorer Leo Komarov has a lower-body injury.