Friday 11/27/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Big profits from betting these NCAAF small-conference teams

Buffalo is a sizable favorite versus UMass but is playing for a chance at a bowl game next month.

Team to Watch: Buffalo Bulls

This week: -6.5 vs UMass Minutemen

The Buffalo Bulls currently sit at 5-6 SU and heading into the last week of the season they need one more win to become Bowl eligible. The UMass Minutemen have severely underperformed this season. They’re not getting consistent production from QB Blake Frohnapel and their defense is currently one of the worst in the country. The Bulls are led by veteran QB Joe Licata and he has a legitimate NFL-caliber receiver in Ron Willoughby, both of which should be able to shred the rather porous defense of the Minutemen.

Buffalo has struggled to find its offense the last couple of weeks, however, this is a matchup that we believe will allow them to find their footing. It's rare to see the Bulls favored by this much but we believe in this situation it's warranted as they leave everything they have on the field to get themselves to a Bowl game.


Team to Beware of: Western Michigan Broncos

This week: +8 vs Toledo Rockets

The Western Michigan Broncos have had somewhat of a down season after their impressive run last year. They came into the season highly touted and, while they have performed well given their 6-5 season, they have fallen short each time they have faced an upper-level conference opponent. They weren't able to hang with either Northern Illinois or Bowling Green, which are the true benchmarks of the conference.

Toledo is 9-1 on the season with its lone loss coming after allowing a fourth-quarter touchdown with under two mins to play against Northern Illinois. Since that loss, the Rockets have been nearly unstoppable and shutdown an explosive Bowling Green offense on the road in their last contest. The Rockets have their sights sets on a division championship and while the Broncos will likely put up some points, the Rockets defense will get the stops needed to come away with the win and cover.


Total Team: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

This week: 63.5 vs Marshall Thundering Herd

This should be an extremely entertaining game for the fans to watch. Both teams come into this contest 9-2 on the season with the winner staking claim to the C-USA East title. While these teams have ultra-impressive offenses and the ability to put points on the board in a hurry, the total set for this game has all of the makings of a defensive battle.

Both defenses are highly underrated but it's important to know that the Thundering Herd have only given up more than 30 points just once this season. Western Kentucky will get its points, but we don't believe this will be the high-scoring, back-and-forth contest that many are expecting and will instead be more of a showcase in the defenses of both sides, keeping this total just Under.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL notebook: Flames G Hiller returns from IR
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

The Calgary Flames activated goaltender Jonas Hiller from injured reserve on Thursday.

Hiller has been on IR with a lower-body injury since Nov. 8 after suffering the injury on Oct. 28. He has a 2-3-0 record in seven games this season.

The Flames also recalled center Markus Granlund from the Stockton Heat of the American Hockey League. In addition, the Flames assigned goaltender Joni Ortio to their AHL affiliate. Ortio has played in four games for the Flames this season with a 0-2-0 record.

---The Dallas Stars placed goaltender Kari Lehtonen on the injured list and called up prospect Jack Campbell to take the roster spot.

The Stars also recalled defenseman Patrik Nemeth from the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League.

---The Nashville Predators recalled forward Colton Sissons from Milwaukee of the American Hockey League and placed forward Miikka Salomaki on injured reserve.

---The Washington Capitals recalled right winger Chris Brown from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League.

Brown, 24, has earned three points (two goals, one assist) in 22 career NHL games with Washington and Arizona. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Brown was acquired by Washington on March 4, 2014.

---The Minnesota Wild reassigned forward Christoph Bertschy to the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League.

Bertschy, 21, was recalled on an emergency basis the day before and logged a team-high four hits in 6:14 of ice time in Wednesday night's 3-2 loss to Winnipeg. He has skated in three games with Minnesota this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rangers (15-4) at Bruins (11-8)

Date: November 27, 2015 1:00 PM EDT

The New York Rangers have a gaudy record, but that was hardly on their minds after an alarming loss their last time out.

Avoiding another one Friday means ending the four-game winning streak of the Boston Bruins, who have dominated their series in recent years.

Despite its fast start, New York (16-4-2) stumbles into TD Garden looking to bounce back from a 5-1 rout to Montreal on Wednesday that snapped a nine-game home win streak. The Rangers again have championship aspirations but looked outclassed by the Canadiens, perhaps their biggest obstacle to getting out of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Montreal scored three times in the third period to put the game out of reach and won despite the departure of star goaltender Carey Price to injury after the second.

"We didn't obviously answer the bell for the challenge we had tonight," coach Alain Vigneault told the team's official website. "We are going to have a good practice (Thursday) and get ready for Boston."

Counterpart Henrik Lundqvist allowed five goals for the first time in 45 starts and was pulled with 10 minutes left in the game.

"I'm extremely disappointed to give up five goals," said Lundqvist, who managed to remain the NHL leader in goals-against average at 1.94 by one-hundredth of a point over Washington's Braden Holtby. "I've been feeling good lately, so hopefully this was just a little bump in the road. I felt good for two periods, but then that third goal was a big letdown. For some reason I lost attention to detail there a little bit."

The Rangers, who came in having won 11 of 12, have dropped nine of 11 to the Canadiens. They've had similar problems against the Bruins (12-8-1), who are 5-1-0 in the last six meetings and 7-1-2 in 10 - lopsided results that could also spell trouble for the Rangers in the East playoffs.

Frank Vatrano scored his second goal of the game in overtime to give streaking Boston a 3-2 victory at Detroit on Wednesday. Vatrano deflected rookie defenseman Colin Miller's shot past Petr Mrazek for his third NHL goal.

'It feels great. Really a big win for us,' Vatrano said.

Miller scored his second career goal with 1:44 left to tie the game.

'The first two periods it was really frustrating watching our team play,' coach Claude Julien said. 'Our young guys came through tonight and we found a way to win, but we've got to be better.'

The Red Wings held a 34-22 shot advantage, including 11-4 in the second period.

Jonas Gustavsson gave Tuukka Rask a day off with 32 saves, and Rask is expected to be back in net Friday. He's posted a 1.95 goals-against average in 15 career starts against the Rangers.

New York's Rick Nash scored Wednesday to give him five goals in three games after recording two in his first 17. He's scored a goal in his last two matchups with the Bruins.

Boston's Loui Eriksson had an assist against Detroit to give him four goals and three assists in the past six games. He's off to a strong start with nine goals and 10 assists, putting him well ahead of his pace of last season, when he finished with 22 goals and 25 assists.

Eriksson has recorded six points in a five-game streak against New York. Teammate Patrice Bergeron has three goals and an assist in his last five matchups.

The Bruins have outscored opponents 4-0 in the first period during their win streak and are second in the league in goal differential in the opening 20 minutes at plus-9 - one behind the Rangers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Predators (10-6) at Flyers (6-10)

Date: November 27, 2015 3:30 PM EDT

Though they didn't get down on themselves about it, the Nashville Predators certainly are glad their scoring drought is finally over.

Offensive woes remain an ongoing problem for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Having made sure they avoided going winless - and scoreless - on a five-game road swing, the Predators might not need much offense in the finale Friday in Philadelphia to take care of the NHL's lowest-scoring team.

Nashville's franchise-record stretch without a goal was halted at 227 minutes, 39 seconds, on Mike Fisher's first-period goal in a 3-2 win at Buffalo on Wednesday.

"Knew it was going to come, just a matter of time," Fisher told the NHL's official website. "... We were due for bounces and we got a few."

The Predators (12-6-3) had been shut out by Columbus, Minnesota and the New York Rangers in the first three games of the trip despite outshooting those opponents 93-64.

"We weren't going to get shut out the rest of the year," coach Peter Laviolette said. 'That would be impossible, right? ... At some point we're going to score a goal. I think there's just a lot of confidence in our guys that they're going to score. They do the right things, they put the puck at the net. It's going to go in."

Craig Smith and Cody Hodgson also scored for Nashville, though Fisher's goal may have been the most important because the six-time 20-goal scorer had gone eight straight games without a point and has just five all season.

Philadelphia (7-10-5) has plenty of forwards off to bad starts. Wayne Simmonds is in a five-game point drought and has just three goals after recording 57 over the past two seasons. Jakub Voracek remains stuck on one goal after topping 20 in each of the previous three seasons.

The result has been the Flyers scoring a league-low 1.73 goals per game. They've surpassed three goals once in 22 games.

"We have to look at everything," coach Dave Hakstol said when asked if changes must be made to generate more offense. "(We) try to do that every day. So we have to look at everything."

Hakstol's club had a season-low 18 shots in Wednesday's 3-1 loss to the Islanders. Two days earlier, the Flyers had 36 in a 3-2 win over Carolina.

"We're just inconsistent," captain Claude Giroux said. "It's the same story every game. We need to find a way to be consistent the whole game. I'm not too sure what to say."

Philadelphia has lost four of five while scoring six goals, with four coming on the power play. Nashville's penalty kill is in the middle of the pack at 80.3 percent, but the club has been short-handed the ninth-fewest times in the league at 66.

Pekka Rinne was rested Wednesday after losing the first three games of the Predators' trip without any goal support, though he wasn't sharp with an .841 save percentage. He's 3-0-1 with a 1.92 goals-against average in his last four starts against the Flyers.

Steve Mason has lost 11 of 13 starts this season, including four straight despite a .929 save percentage. He's 1-4-1 with a 2.94 GAA in his last six against Nashville.

These clubs split two meetings last season in Laviolette's first games against the Flyers since they fired him three games into 2013-14. He led Philadelphia to the Stanley Cup final in 2010.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jets (10-11) at Wild (11-6)

Date: November 27, 2015 4:00 PM EDT

The Minnesota Wild survived an eight-game stretch without star winger Zach Parise and are hoping it won't reach nine.

Parise may return Friday when the Wild look to hand the Winnipeg Jets a seventh straight road loss.

Minnesota (11-6-3) has gone 4-3-1 since losing Parise on Nov. 5 to a knee injury. Parise, who had seven goals at the time of the injury and led the club with 33 a season ago, has been skating since Nov. 16 even though he was originally supposed to miss at least four weeks.

"I don't know yet, we'll see how it responds," Parise told the league's official website. "But I felt good and I felt comfortable doing everything."

Coach Mike Yeo will approach this contest with two plans.

"We have a plan if he plays and we have a plan if he doesn't play," he said. "We don't know which one we're going with yet."

If Parise can't play, Jordan Schroeder will be in the lineup after a one-game absence due to illness. Yeo indicated that Justin Fontaine will miss his 11th straight game with a knee injury, though the forward could return Saturday against Dallas.

"We think that when we're healthy, we have a pretty deep group up front with a number of guys who are capable of contributing offensively," Yeo said.

The Wild won their first three games without Parise before a 1-3-1 stretch capped by Wednesday's 3-2 home defeat to Vancouver.

Minnesota has the league's second-worst penalty kill at 74.0 percent after letting its last seven opponents go 7 for 22. Winnipeg (10-11-2), though, will be hard-pressed to take advantage with the fourth-worst power play at 15.3 percent, including 3 for 40 this month.

The Jets may be more concerned with staying out of the penalty box, averaging a league-high 14:00 of penalty minutes while committing an NHL-high 129 infractions.

Winnipeg opened a three-game trip with a 5-3 defeat to Washington Wednesday, falling to 0-5-1 in its last six road games with five straight regulation defeats. Its last longer road slide was an 0-6-2 stretch Dec. 16, 2009-Jan. 5, 2010.

The Jets have conceded the first goal in every game of this road skid.

"We're chasing games and for too many minutes of the game chasing that game, and when you're doing that, you're looking for offense that's hard to generate," coach Paul Maurice said. "We gotta get some guys scoring in a big chunk that aren't, right?"

Bryan Little has a team-high nine goals but none in four straight games, though he has five points in this season's two meetings with the Wild as the clubs have split. Blake Wheeler has four points in those games, and the Minnesota native is tied for ninth in the league with 23 points.

The Jets, conceding 3.2 goals per game for the league's second-worst mark, could give Connor Hellebuyck his NHL debut with this game beginning a back-to-back set. Hellebuyck was called up from the AHL this week following the news Ondrej Pavelec is out through December with a knee sprain.

New No. 1 goalie Michael Hutchinson is 0-4-1 with a 4.72 goals-against average in five road starts this month.

Devan Dubnyk is tied for third in the league with 18 starts for the Wild, who are also opening a back-to-back set.

Minnesota is 5-2-2 against Central Division foes while Winnipeg is 2-6-0, including 0-4-0 on the road.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Lightning (10-9) at Capitals (14-5)

Date: November 27, 2015 5:00 PM EDT

Ben Bishop is in his best form as he readies for an opponent he's had little success against.

Bishop and the Tampa Bay Lightning look to reverse their recent struggles against the Washington Capitals on Friday in a matchup of teams riding three-game winning streaks.

Tampa Bay (11-9-3) has yielded three goals over its last four games and Bishop two in winning the past three. After recording his first shutout with 30 saves Saturday against Anaheim, he made 37 in a 2-1 shootout victory over Los Angeles on Wednesday.

'Bish has been bailing us out when we needed him,' coach Jon Cooper said. "We've been playing team defense pretty well, but he made some big-time saves. And for us to start stringing a couple wins together, we needed it. You're getting 2-1 against the Rangers (on Nov. 19) and 2-1 against L.A., but fortunately at least we're scoring two, because it seemed like not too long ago we weren't getting any."

The defending Eastern Conference champion Lightning rank 22nd with 2.35 goals per game and have been shut out in their last two road stops. They've scored one goal in Bishop's previous three away starts, all losses.

Tyler Johnson did give Tampa Bay's slumping offense a boost Wednesday, returning from a three-game absence caused by an upper-body injury to produce the team's regulation goal.

Washington (15-5-1) has had fewer problems scoring of late, generating 13 goals during its unbeaten run. Defenseman Dmitry Orlov has one in all three victories after scoring the game-winner late in the second period in Wednesday's 5-3 decision over Winnipeg.

Alex Ovechkin has three goals in four games and Justin Williams four in his last seven after managing two over his first 14. Evgeny Kuznetsov had a goal and two assists against Winnipeg to extend his team-leading point total to 24, six of which have come during the win streak.

"I think for his age he's really matured as a player," center Nicklas Backstrom told the Capitals' official website of the 23-year-old Kuznetsov. "He's really responsible all over the ice. He's got his great skill too. He can do it all, and that's great for us. He's been playing great lately."

Washington has scored four or more goals in each win during a 7-1-1 stretch against the Lightning, with Ovechkin amassing nine goals and five assists. Backstrom compiled three goals and three assists as the Capitals won two of last season's three meetings.

Bishop has often bared the brunt of that barrage, owning a 3.96 goals-against average while going 1-4-1 in seven career matchups.

Counterpart Braden Holtby enters on a roll of his own, having recorded a 1.80 GAA over five consecutive wins that includes a 33-save shutout of Edmonton on Monday. He's been even better at home, registering a 1.65 GAA and .941 save percentage in winning six straight there.

The Lightning have lost six of seven in Washington and are 3-12-4 in their last 19 regular-season games at Verizon Center.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blackhawks (12-8) at Ducks (7-11)

Date: November 27, 2015 5:00 PM EDT

Patrick Kane's best run of his career has him sitting atop the league in points while helping provide the Chicago Blackhawks with a formidable second line that also features two newcomers.

The problem is that the other three combinations are having trouble producing, leading to a surprising change in the top six.

After a strong effort, coach Joel Quenneville could choose to go with his new lineup again as the Blackhawks continue their road trip Friday against the Anaheim Ducks.

Kane has 10 goals and 18 assists during a career-best 17-game point streak after assisting on goals by defensemen Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith in Wednesday's 5-2 win over San Jose.

His 34 points have come mostly while playing with rookie standout Artemi Panarin and center Artem Anisimov, who was acquired from Columbus in the Brandon Saad trade. Panarin also had two assists against the Sharks, but Anisimov had his five-game point streak snapped.

'If it ends, it ends,' Kane said. 'I just want to play my game and make sure I'm doing the right things out there for the team. If it continues, it continues. I'm not too worried about it right now.'

Quenneville has been fretting about why the Blackhawks (12-8-2) haven't been able to get much scoring from elsewhere. He decided to break up Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa from the top line Wednesday, sending Hossa to the third line with Marcus Kruger and Marko Dano.

Toews played with Andrew Shaw and Ryan Garbutt, and they each earned an assist on Toews' goal in the first period. Chicago improved to 2-1-1 on a six-game trip that ends Saturday against Los Angeles.

"Maybe on the road it was our best complete game," Quenneville said. "I thought we had a really good game in Vancouver (on Saturday) with nothing to show for it. I thought (Wednesday) we got rewarded. Good back-to-back efforts as far as playing the right way and doing a lot of good things."

Toews scored in overtime to give the Blackhawks a 1-0 win over the Ducks on Oct. 26 in the first meeting since Chicago won Game 7 of last season's Western Conference finals in Anaheim.

The Ducks (8-11-4) are going to need vast improvement to reach that level this season. They haven't won back-to-back games since a four-game run Nov. 1-7, going 3-4-2 since after losing 4-2 at Arizona on Wednesday.

'We can play really good on certain occasions and the next night we don't play nearly as well,' coach Bruce Boudreau said. 'We had pockets and there were times we looked like we were brain dead.'

Ryan Kesler and Sami Vatanen scored in the third period as Anaheim's rally fell short. It trailed by two goals early the previous night against Calgary before coming back to win 5-3 and end a three-game home losing streak.

'It's frustrating,' said Ryan Getzlaf, who had a franchise record-tying five assists against the Flames and another Wednesday. 'We're trying to build off a pretty good game and should have come in with some excitement, but we came out flat.'

John Gibson has started back-to-back games in net with Frederik Andersen out with an illness. It's unclear if Andersen, who made 23 saves in the first meeting and started each game against the Blackhawks in the postseason, will be able to go in this one.

Corey Crawford stopped 39 shots against the Ducks last month. Quenneville hasn't announced if Crawford or Scott Darling will be in net.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Penguins (12-8) at Blue Jackets (9-14)

Date: November 27, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

An angry Sidney Crosby refuted the idea that there is a rift between him and Pittsburgh Penguins owner Mario Lemieux.

An angry John Tortorella called the Columbus Blue Jackets' latest victory lucky.

The Blue Jackets managed to shut down Crosby and Evgeni Malkin the last time these teams met and have taken four of the last five matchups heading into this one Friday night at Nationwide Arena.

Crosby has been enduring a difficult season, though he scored twice in Wednesday's 4-3 overtime win over St. Louis to increase his goal total to five. The captain also fired back at a report that he was feuding with the legendary Lemieux.

'I honestly don't even know what to say to that,' he said. 'If people are going to make stuff up, it's totally out of my control. I feel stupid even commenting on it. That's ridiculous.'

Crosby scored twice in a regular-season game for the first time since Feb. 12 after not doing so for 46 games.

He appears to be breaking out of an early season slump. The two-time NHL MVP went pointless in eight of his first nine games but now has a three-game streak and 10 points in his last 12.

'I don't know if it's a coincidence that something like that comes up when you're struggling and the points aren't coming,' Crosby said. 'In my experience, that's usually the case.'

Columbus (9-14-0) won 2-1 at New Jersey on Wednesday, but Tortorella wasn't pleased as his team was outshot 28-25 by the team with the NHL's lowest average shots.

"I'm not going to talk about individuals, it was a team effort of sloppiness," Tortorella said. "We're lucky we won."

The coach was happier when the Blue Jackets won at Pittsburgh (13-8-0) by the same score Nov. 13, saying that "I thought we had good sticks, I thought we won a lot of battles, checked well."

Brandon Saad and Scott Hartnell had second-period goals, and neither Crosby nor Malkin registered a point that night.

Malkin had totaled 14 points with at least one in his first 10 regular-season games against Columbus. Crosby entered that contest with 20 points in 14 regular-season contests versus the Blue Jackets.

That duo could be more lethal this time. Malkin scored the winning goal Wednesday after he assisted on Crosby's second goal, giving the Russian seven points in his last four games.

"Obviously they're special players," right wing Phil Kessel said. "If you watch them out there, they do special things and tonight they both had good games so it helps us win."

Pittsburgh will get its first look at Brandon Dubinsky since he memorably fought Crosby in a game last season. Dubinsky was scratched from the first meeting due to an upper-body injury.

"We have to find a way to string some together," Dubinsky said. "It's not going to be an easy task, but I think this group can do it.'

Columbus averages 13:21 of penalty minutes for the league's second-highest mark, is last in the league in winning face-offs at 46.9 percent and is fourth-worst with 4.7 takeaways per game.

"A number of things is maddening about our club right now," Tortorella said.

The Blue Jackets, 0 for 13 on the power play in its last five games, are the only team that hasn't played an overtime game.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Canadiens (17-4) at Devils (9-9)

Date: November 27, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The Montreal Canadiens are back to their winning ways and Carey Price is again dealing with a nagging lower-body injury.

Though it's uncertain how much time their star goaltender could miss, Price won't be in net when the visiting Canadiens try for a fourth straight victory Friday night in the opener of a home-and-home series with the New Jersey Devils.

Playing his third game since missing nine in a row, Price left after two periods when he re-aggravated that injury in Wednesday's 5-1 win over the New York Rangers. His right leg appeared to bend awkwardly at one point in the second.

"He tweaked it again," coach Michel Therrien said. "That's why we don't want to take any chance. It's still early in the season, so it's important for us when he plays, he's got to make sure he is healthy.'

The reigning Vezina Trophy winner, who ranks third in the league with a .934 save percentage and sixth with a 2.06 goals-against average, was not expected to start this contest. He also could sit Saturday's rematch at home.

Rookie backup Mike Condon stopped all 11 shots Wednesday.

"It's next guy up," captain Max Pacioretty told the NHL's official website. "You never want to see that happen, especially with Carey, our best player, but (Condon) did a great job in relief."

Condon, who started each game while Montreal (17-4-2) went 5-2-2 without Price, posted a 1.57 GAA while winning six of his first seven starts this season but is 1-2-1 with a 3.45 GAA as a starter since.

"Have a short memory, focus on the things that matter," Condon said. "It doesn't matter about the game you played before, it just matters about being in the moment. Whether it's a bad goal or a nice save, you've got to move on to the next one because there's a lot of games to be played."

With the most points in the NHL, the Canadiens should feel confident no matter who is on the ice. Montreal has totaled 14 goals while beating the Rangers and New York Islanders twice in the last three games.

Pacioretty's scored four times in the last five contests and has five goals with six assists in the last 11. He had a goal and two assists while Montreal went 2-0-1 against New Jersey last season.

The Devils (11-9-1) have scored seven goals and averaged 22.5 shots while losing three of four. New Jersey recorded all but four of its 28 shots after the first period Wednesday but managed only Adam Henrique's team-leading 10th goal in a 2-1 loss to Columbus.

New Jersey's run of a power-play goal in five straight games ended. Montreal has killed 14 of 15 penalties during a 3-0-1 road stretch.

"We've got to bring our best game," said Henrique, who failed to record a point in those three meetings with Montreal last season.

Teammate Patrik Elias didn't have a point but logged almost 15 minutes of ice time Wednesday in his return from missing the first 20 games with a knee injury.

"He looked good, quick, and I thought he was really smart the way he managed his shifts," coach John Hynes said of the 39-year-old Elias. "He had a good work ethic."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hurricanes (8-10) at Sabres (7-12)

Date: November 27, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The lack of offensive production that's contributed to a string of close defeats is starting to wear on the Buffalo Sabres.

They'll try to avoid extending their season-high slide to seven games Friday night against the visiting Carolina Hurricanes.

Ranked 28th in the NHL with 2.05 goals per game, Buffalo (8-12-2) has scored seven times during its 0-4-2 stretch. One of those defeats came in overtime, another in a shootout and the last two by one goal in regulation.

"This is getting pretty frustrating now, I think it's like a broken record," forward Marcus Foligno told the Sabres' official website. "We're losing games by a goal and ... I think we're outplaying teams in some of these games."

The Sabres felt that was the case in Wednesday's 3-2 loss to Nashville. Buffalo outshot the Predators 25-11 in the first two periods but trailed 3-0 before Evander Kane scored late in the second.

Buffalo hasn't notched a power-play goal in four games and is 1 for 18 in the last six. However, coach Dan Bylsma is trying to find positives amid this dark stretch.

The Sabres recorded 32 shots after failing to reach 30 in six of the previous eight games. They also killed all three penalties Wednesday.

'There's a lot in the game that's good,' Bylsma said. 'There's nothing good about getting down 3-0 and not winning the hockey game, but some pretty good stuff from our lines.'

Rookie Jack Eichel snapped a six-game goal drought with his seventh to match Ryan O'Reilly for the team lead. Eichel, though, has recorded two of his 11 points in the last seven contests.

"Hopefully I can build some momentum," the 19-year-old said.

While Buffalo forward Zemgus Girgensons returned from missing four games with an upper-body injury, teammate Tyler Ennis could sit a second straight contest also with an upper-body issue.

Ennis doesn't have a point in his last three games, but has four goals and two assists in his last seven against Carolina.

The Hurricanes (8-10-4) have won two of three while earning at least one point in four straight games and six of the last seven. Jordan Staal recorded a goal after the puck bounced off two skates and Jeff Skinner had one on a skate deflection as Carolina rode that good fortune to a 4-1 victory over Edmonton on Wednesday.

"Put your head down, go to work and earn those luck chances," Cam Ward, who made 30 saves for his second straight victory, told the NHL's official website. "They're starting to bounce our way, and hopefully we can continue that."

Though the Hurricanes have been competitive during their 2-1-4 stretch, the only time they've posted back-to-back wins came on a three-game run Oct 27-30. Coach Bill Peters hopes his team's latest triumph can light a spark to ignite a needed winning streak.

'You have to hate to lose," Peters said. "Every game is a dogfight. Losing is a disease, and winning is an unquenchable thirst you have to have.'

Carolina's Justin Faulk has three goals and six assists during a seven-game point streak.

Ward's dropped three straight at Buffalo and has a 3.27 goals-against average in his last four there.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Islanders (11-8) at Panthers (7-9)

Date: November 27, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

The New York Islanders have played mostly lackluster hockey for nearly a month, but they showed a new edge in their last victory.

The Florida Panthers are just looking for a strong finish to what has been a disastrous homestand.

New York will try to build more momentum Friday night when it visits the Panthers.

The Islanders are 5-6-2 over their last 13 games, scoring twice on 35 power plays in the past 11 while giving up 10 power-play goals on 32 chances in the same span. New York is also 2 for 26 on the power play in road games this season.

The Islanders looked better in a 3-1 victory against visiting Philadelphia on Wednesday, however, outshooting the Flyers 36-18 for their second-best differential this season.

"It was one of our better games defensively," coach Jack Capuano said. "We didn't give them too much."

New York (11-8-3) also matched Philadelphia's physicality, racking up 20 penalty minutes. Matt Martin squared off with Wayne Simmonds while Nick Leddy took on Claude Giroux, and those two fights were one fewer than the Islanders had participated in all season.

"We needed a good, hard, physical game like that," said Casey Cizikas, who scored his third goal. "Those games are fun. When they get testy like that, when they get physical like that, that's what makes the game of hockey so much fun. I think we thrived off of that."

Kyle Okposo scored his fifth, giving him two goals to go along with eight assists in his last nine games. He'll be trying to extend a personal seven-game point streak in this series.

Florida (8-9-4) has lost three in a row after falling 3-1 to Los Angeles on Monday, the third time it has been held to one goal on this five-game homestand.

The Panthers outshot the Kings 34-32 but gave up an 18-4 advantage in the first period. They've been outshot 468-371 over the first 40 minutes compared to a 226-192 advantage in the final period.

"The first 20 (minutes) was real bad, and that cost us the game," coach Gerard Gallant said.

Roberto Luongo made 21 saves in relief of Al Montoya, who left in the first period after taking a shot to the shoulder and head. The Panthers didn't provide an update on Montoya's status.

"I think something got him in the back of the head or neck," Gallant said. "He was pretty sore."

Luongo owns a 3.08 goals-against average in his last five starts against the Islanders, while Jaroslav Halak is 9-2-0 with a 1.89 GAA against the Panthers.

Jaromir Jagr leads Florida with eight goals but has scored once in his last six games. He has one goal in his past 11 against the Islanders.

New York captain John Tavares has seven goals and six assists in 10 career games in Sunrise.

The Panthers have won four of the last six meetings with the teams combining for 38 goals.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Oilers (7-14) at Red Wings (11-8)

Date: November 27, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

Although they had a decisive advantage in shots, the Detroit Red Wings couldn't come away with a win in the opener of their longest homestand of the season.

The Red Wings could come away with a better result Friday night against an opponent they've dominated at Joe Louis Arena recently, though the Edmonton Oilers won the teams' first meeting of 2015-16.

Detroit (11-8-3) outshot Boston 34-22 on Wednesday and had an 11-4 edge while scoring twice in the second period. The Red Wings, though, couldn't hold a late lead and lost 3-2 in overtime after giving up the tying goal with 1:44 left in regulation.

"I thought we played great, so that's something to build off of. Obviously, we've got to find ways to hold onto that lead and find ways to win in overtime," forward Darren Helm said. "I think we keep moving, build off the positives that we did today and come back for next game."

Detroit continues a six-game homestand by trying for a 10th consecutive win over Edmonton at Joe Louis. The Red Wings have won 25 of 31 against the Oilers at home, with only two of Detroit's six losses coming in regulation.

Detroit's nine-game home win streak is its longest active one against any opponent and represents Edmonton's longest current such skid versus any team.

The Oilers (7-14-1) ended an eight-game losing streak in the series with a 3-1 victory Oct. 21. They won't have the player that scored the winning goal Friday, as star rookie Connor McDavid is out with a fractured collarbone.

Edmonton also lost Nail Yakupov for at least two weeks when he sprained his ankle getting tangled up with a linesman in Wednesday's 4-1 road loss to Carolina. Yakupov had two assists against Detroit last month.

The Oilers are 1-4-1 in their last six and have lost four straight on the road.

"That's a really, really disappointing performance by our hockey club," coach Todd McLellan said. "I still believe in our group, but we weren't engaged physically. We were outworked. It's the determination factor that I'm looking for and I didn't think we were a very determined team."

Pavel Datsyuk, who missed the first meeting with Edmonton while recovering from ankle surgery, has four goals and six assists in his last seven against the Oilers. Datsyuk scored his 300th career goal Wednesday and second in as many games.

Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg has 15 points in his past 11 matchups with Edmonton, though he's scored one goal.

Cam Talbot will start in net for the Oilers in their first of back-to-back games. He stopped 28 shots Oct. 21 but has given up 13 goals in his last three outings.

Defenseman Justin Schultz is not expected to return from a back injury until Saturday in Pittsburgh, the fourth of a season-high five-game road trip for the Oilers.

The Red Wings started Petr Mrazek in the latest matchup with Edmonton but are expected to go with Jimmy Howard in this one. Howard has won his last 12 starts against the Oilers with a 1.48 goals-against average.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Canucks (8-8) at Stars (17-5)

Date: November 27, 2015 8:30 PM EDT

Dallas Stars coach Lindy Ruff is thankful that he has two capable goaltenders now that Kari Lehtonen is hurt.

The Stars will likely start Antti Niemi on Friday night when they host a Vancouver Canucks club that has dropped eight straight in this series.

Lehtonen entered in relief of Niemi in Tuesday's 7-4 defeat to Ottawa that ended the Stars' five-game win streak. He suffered an upper-body injury that night and was placed on injured reserve Thursday. It's unclear how long Lehtonen will be sidelined.

Dallas (17-5-0) is starting a back-to-back set with a trip to Minnesota on Saturday, and the club called up goaltender Jack Campbell from the AHL on Thursday. Campbell was a first-round pick in 2010 but made his only NHL appearance in October 2013.

"Every team gets challenged with injuries and here is our first challenge," Ruff told the Stars' official website. "We've got to rise to the occasion. Everybody's opportunity usually comes at somebody's expense, and now it is a bigger opportunity for somebody."

Niemi has started 12 games and Lehtonen 10. Niemi made 29 saves the last time these teams met as Dallas won 4-3 on Jamie Benn's overtime goal Oct. 29.

That extended the Canucks' misery in the series to eight straight meetings (0-6-2). Dallas has outscored Vancouver 33-13 in that streak.

Benn is the NHL's top goal scorer with 16 and is enjoying a six-game point streak during which he has six goals - all at home - and five assists. The winger has scored twice in consecutive games, and he's totaled seven goals in his last nine meetings with Vancouver along with six assists.

His 32 points rank second in the NHL, and teammate Tyler Seguin is third with 31 while also riding a six-game point streak. Vancouver's Daniel Sedin is fourth with 25.

Dallas is averaging 3.55 goals for the league's second-best mark. The Stars are only tied for 13th with 2.59 allowed per game after conceding a season high Tuesday.

Ruff's Western Conference-leading club has yet to lose two straight and has won all four games against Pacific Division foes.

"We've been doing so well, and we've been able to answer every loss with playing a strong game afterward, that I have all the confidence that we just reset and go at it," he said.

Defenseman Jason Demers, who scored in the last meeting with Vancouver, will return from a one-game absence with a lower-body injury.

Vancouver (9-8-6) has received 47 points from the Sedins. The brothers and Jannik Hansen had 13 of the Canucks' 21 goals in a seven-game stretch before Wednesday's 3-2 victory at Minnesota in which Radim Vrbata scored twice.

Vrbata has scored three goals in two games after a nine-game drought and has six goals this season after recording 31 last season.

"It was frustrating," he said. "I don't know if one game will change it, but hopefully this is the start of something good now."

The Canucks figure to go with Ryan Miller, tied for the league lead with 19 starts. Miller is 0-4-2 with a 4.25 goals-against average in his last six against Dallas.

Vancouver ended an 0-3-1 road slide Wednesday. The club was planning to spend Thanksgiving in Dallas at the Cowboys-Panthers NFL game.

"It might be good for us to get out and forget about hockey a little bit and then be ready for the game in Dallas," coach Willie Desjardins said.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Flames (8-13) at Coyotes (11-9)

Date: November 27, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

The Calgary Flames are near the bottom of the NHL's overall standings, and they'll likely stay there unless they find a way to improve their play away from home.

With coach Bob Hartley potentially shuffling his lines, the Flames seek just their second road win this month Friday night against the Arizona Coyotes.

Only Edmonton (15) entered Thanksgiving with fewer points than Calgary (8-13-1), and a 3-8-1 road record is among the biggest reasons why the Flames have struggled to recapture last season's success.

After home wins over New Jersey and Chicago, Calgary was poised for its first three-game streak of the season with a 3-2 lead entering the third period Tuesday at Anaheim. Instead, the Flames surrendered three unanswered goals en route to a 5-3 loss, their 21st straight in Anaheim.

"We've been like that on the road for quite a bit," said Michael Frolik, who scored twice. "We can't finish up the whole 60 minutes. We had a good start tonight, but we just need to find a way to win those kinds of games."

Tuesday marked Calgary's seventh consecutive game with three goals or fewer, and it has totaled only 14 while losing five of six on the road.

Hartley switched up his lines at Thursday's practice and said they could be used against Arizona (11-9-1). His top line featured Sean Monahan centering leading scorer Johnny Gaudreau and David Jones.

"Don't be surprised if you see those same lines tomorrow morning at morning skate," Hartley told the team's official website. "We're trying to create a balance. We could always go back to the lines that we had because I felt that we had pretty good chemistry but at the same time we want to get more offense."

Hartley did confirm that Karri Ramo will make his 12th consecutive start in net. Ramo is 2-6-0 with a 3.41 goals-against average on the road this season, but is 4-0-0 with a 1.25 GAA in four career starts against the Coyotes. He stopped 26 shots in a 3-0 victory at Arizona on Nov. 29, 2014, in his only appearance there.

The Coyotes kicked off a busy stretch of three home games in four days with Wednesday's 4-2 win over the Ducks. Antoine Vermette scored his first goal of the season in the second period and added an empty-netter to help Arizona win its third in four home games.

"When you're younger, maybe you're more sensitive to those stretches, but you know if you keep putting in the work, eventually it's going to come," Vermette said.

Anthony Duclair extended his point streak to five games with his eighth goal, tying fellow rookie Max Domi for the team lead. Domi ranks second among all first-year players with 18 points.

"I'm feeling great and getting confidence from all the guys helping me out," Duclair said. "I'm happy with my game all around. I think I'm getting better that way."

Coyotes coach Dave Tippett needs one win for the 500th of his career, but his team lost all five meetings with the Flames last season.

Mike Smith was in net for four of those defeats, posting a 3.81 GAA.

Arizona captain Shane Doan sat out Wednesday due to a lower-body injury and is day to day.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL Hockey Odds and Picks: Scouting the Week Ahead
by Alan Matthews

The Montreal Canadiens were able to withstand the loss of the NHL's best goalie, Carey Price, for nine games while remaining comfortably atop the Atlantic Division. But the Habs' resolve will now be tested again as they have lost arguably their second-best forward, Brendan Gallagher, indefinitely.

Gallagher is out for the foreseeable future after undergoing surgery Monday to repair fractures suffered to two fingers on his left hand in Sunday's 4-2 win over the New York Islanders. Check out the video if you have a strong stomach as one of his finger looks just gruesome after. The injury happened in the second period, when the Isles' Johnny Boychuk teed up a shot that Gallagher blocked with his hand. The right winger has nine goals and 10 assists this season and was plus-7. He had appeared in 166 consecutive games, last missing a game in November 2013 due to the flu. It's likely that he misses at least six weeks.

Gallagher, not a big guy at 5-foot-9, is one of those typical hard-nosed hockey players, but why use your hand? If Price is the team MVP, Gallagher is the club's heart and soul.

"He's always gone down like that," teammate Max Pacioretty explained. "Last year, I stood up (to block a shot) and I got one in the finger and broke my finger. There's no real technique of how to do it properly. I think it's just a matter of bad luck."

For now, the Habs are going to replace Gallagher from within -- getting off to such a hot start gives Montreal the ability to not panic and make a trade to replace Gallagher's production. The Canadiens remain +350 Eastern Conference favorites and +800 to win the Stanley Cup, behind only Dallas (+650).

Some other injuries of note:

Winnipeg goalie Ondrej Pavelec was placed on injured reserve Monday with a significant knee sprain that will keep him out until at least December. He was hurt in the second period of Saturday's loss over Arizona when Pavelec collided with the Coyotes' Shane Doan. But it wasn't Doan's fault as he was pushed by Jets defenseman Mark Stuart. Pavelec is 5-6-1 with a 2.82 goals-against average and .906 save percentage. Michael Hutchinson will become the No. 1 goaltender for now.

Minnesota star Zach Parise hasn't played since Nov. 5 due to a knee injury and is inching closer to a return but it's not likely to be this week.

Senators goalie Andrew Hammond, who now backs up Craig Anderson, is still recovering from a concussion and Coach Dave Cameron said Hammond's recovery has "stalled" so he could be a while.

The Blues welcomed back center Paul Stastny on Monday night after missing 16 games with a broken right foot. Stastny is a six-time 20-goal scorer and had been out since he was hurt in the second period of a 4-3 win over Vancouver on Oct. 16. Stastny played nearly 20 minutes and had one shot Monday in a win over the Sabres.

Games To Watch

Chicago at San Jose, Wednesday: The Sharks are the hottest team in the NHL right now with a six-game winning streak. What's amazing is all those came on the road in a perfect trip through the Eastern Conference (best Sharks trip ever). The Sharks have the league's best road record at 10-3-0 but are only 3-5-0 at home. They erased a 3-1 third-period deficit against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday and won going away 5-3. What's more impressive is all that was without forward Logan Couture, who remains sidelined with a fractured right fibula. He's not likely to be back this week but has started skating. This is game No. 4 of a six-game trip for the Blackhawks, who have dropped two straight. They have to go to Anaheim on Friday and the Kings on Saturday. I believe your clear Calder Trophy favorite right now is Chicago's Artemi Panarin, who has seven goals and 14 assists. He leads all rookies in assists, points, primary assists (eight), power-play points (five) and rookie forwards in average ice time per game at 19:11. This is the first meeting of the season between Chicago and San Jose. The Sharks are -110.

Los Angeles at Tampa Bay, Wednesday : This was the matchup that ESPN's Barry Melrose picked as the Stanley Cup Finals. L.A. is +1200 on Bovada to win the Cup and Tampa +1400. The Kings might be a bit flat as this concludes a tough five-game road trip in which Los Angeles is 2-2. Tampa has climbed back over .500 with back-to-back home wins over Stanley Cup contenders the New York Rangers and Anaheim Ducks. The Bolts put up five goals on the Ducks on Saturday, including two from Steven Stamkos. The Lightning had just 21 goals over their previous 13 games. Tampa Bay played without injured forwards Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat, Cedric Paquette and Jonathan Drouin. All are day-to-day except for Palat, who could miss three to five more weeks. The Lightning are -115 favorites.

Vancouver at Dallas, Friday: There are no games on Thanksgiving. The Stars might be pulling away in the Central Division as they have won five in a row entering Tuesday. Dallas scored at least three goals in all five. The Stars are outscoring opponents 31-17 in the third period this season. Vancouver is slumping, having dropped five of six. It lost in Dallas on Oct. 29, 4-3 in overtime. Jamie Benn scored the winner.

New Jersey at Montreal, Saturday: The Devils were supposed to be one of the NHL's worst teams this season but they are 11-5-0 since a 0-3-1 start when they were outscored 13-6. Goalie Cory Schneider is playing like a Vezina Trophy winner and Coach John Hynes is a Jack Adams Award candidate. This is the back end of a home-and-home between these teams so we might not see the Habs' Price and Schneider on Saturday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Hot teams
-- Bruins won last four games, allowing seven goals. Rangers won eight of their last ten.
-- Lightning won last three games, allowing two goals. Washington won four of its last five.
-- Blackhawks won four of their last six games.
-- Pittsburgh won three of its last four games. Columbus won five of its last seven.
-- Canadiens won four of their last five games.
-- Dallas Stars won five of their last six games.
-- Arizona won three of its last four home games.

Cold teams
-- Nashville lost three of its last four games. Flyers lost six of their last eight.
-- Winnipeg lost eight of its last ten games. Minnesota lost four of its last five.
-- Ducks lost six of their last nine games.
-- New Jersey lost three of its last four games.
-- Buffalo lost last six games, scoring seven goals. Carolina lost six of its last eight games.
-- Florida lost last three games, scoring six goals. Islanders are 4-5 in their last nine games.
-- Edmonton lost five of its last six games. Detroit lost three of last four home games.
-- Canucks lost five of their last seven games.
-- Calgary lost five of its last six road games.

Series records
-- Rangers lost six of last seven games with Boston.
-- Home side won seven of last nine Philly-Nashville games.
-- Jets won three of last four games with Minnesota.
-- Lightning lost seven of last nine games with Washington.
-- Blackhawks won four of last five games with Anaheim.
-- Blue Jackets won four of last five games with Pittsburgh.
-- Canadiens won six of last nine games with New Jersey.
-- Sabres lost six of last nine games with Carolina.
-- Islanders lost four of last six games with Florida.
-- Red Wings won eight of last nine games with Edmonton.
-- Canucks lost last eight games with Dallas Stars.
-- Coyotes lost their last five games with Calgary.

Totals
-- Over is 3-1-1 in last five Boston games.
-- Under is 3-0-1 in last four games for both Philly/Nashville.
-- Four of last five Winnipeg games stayed under.
-- Nine of last ten Washington-Tampa Bay games went over.
-- Four of last five Chicago-Anaheim games went over total.
-- Seven of last ten Pittsburgh-Columbus games went over.
-- Seven of last eight Montreal games went over the total.
-- Over is 6-0-1 in last seven Buffalo-Carolina games.
-- Last seven Islander-Florida games went over the total.
-- Under is 5-2-1 in last eight Detroit-Edmonton games.
-- Four of last five Dallas-Vancouver games went over.
-- Five of last seven Calgary-Arizona games stayed under.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bucks (6-9) at Magic (7-8)

Date: November 27, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

While the Orlando Magic have enjoyed the early return from a lineup adjustment, the Milwaukee Bucks have slipped into a defensive lull that has them desperate for a change.

The Magic hope to notch a second straight win Friday night with one of their best players contributing off the bench while the visiting Bucks continue to search for answers.

Milwaukee has won four of six in this series, including a 115-100 victory on Jan. 29 that snapped a 17-game losing streak at Orlando.

The Magic (7-8) followed wins in four of five games with losses in three of four, leading to a mix-up of coach Scott Skiles' starting five against New York on Wednesday.

Skiles, searching for a boost defensively and some scoring off the bench, started Channing Frye in place of Victor Oladipo, who responded with a season-high 24 points. The third-year shooting guard made just 5 of 15 shots but hit 13 of 15 free throws to provide a spark in a 100-91 victory.

Oladipo averaged just 6.3 points on 32.3-percent shooting in his previous four games while missing two in the middle with a concussion. He started 71 of his 72 games a year ago and the first 12 of this season.

'I came in with a little chip on my shoulder,' Oladipo said. 'A lot of it was just getting back to being who I am and realizing when I do that, we have a good chance of winning.'

The Magic, who have won five of six at home, shot 39.5 percent but were well balanced. Nikola Vucevic finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Tobias Harris had 17 and 10 and Elfrid Payton added 12 points and 11 assists.

Orlando, which has shot better than 50 percent just once this season, might be in line for another step forward against a Milwaukee defense allowing 114.0 points per game in its last five contests.

The defensive slump included a 109-88 win over Detroit on Monday, but the Bucks followed with their sixth loss in eight games on Wednesday, an ugly 129-118 home loss against Sacramento.

Milwaukee (6-9), loser of four straight on the road, allowed the Kings to score 40 first-quarter points, but it was actions at the end of the game that suggested frustrations have finally boiled over.

Coach Jason Kidd was ejected with 1:49 left after swatting the ball out of referee Zach Zarba's hand following a non-foul call against his team. Kidd needed to be restrained by players and an assistant coach before retreating to the locker room.

The extracurricular activities didn't end there. Directly following the game, Kings and Bucks players were heard shouting at each other in a hallway leading to the locker rooms.

'I was having a Coke and eating some popcorn,' Kidd said. 'I was sent in early. I don't know what happened.'

Milwaukee players wouldn't shed light on the altercation either, but Kidd did admit that his interaction with Zarba was linked to a lack of whistles for his team.

'But that wasn't the issue of the game," Kidd said. "They got our temperature and saw we didn't want to play defense.'

Sacramento finished at 57.1-percent shooting, the highest against Milwaukee this season. After allowing opponents to shoot better than 50 percent once in their first 10 games, the Bucks have held foes under that number just once in their last five.

Teams have scored more than 100 points in six of seven against Milwaukee and at least 115 in four of five.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cavaliers (11-4) at Hornets (9-6)

Date: November 27, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The Charlotte Hornets have been outstanding offensively in stretches and stifling on the defensive end in others while continuing to roll on their home court.

Now they may have to slow down their biggest nemesis to stay perfect on this homestand.

While Charlotte looks to win its eighth straight home game, LeBron James will try to help the Cleveland Cavaliers avoid their fourth consecutive road loss Friday night by extending his personal 20-game winning streak against the Hornets that includes the postseason.

After averaging 100.7 points during a 5-6 start, Charlotte (9-6) got into an offensive groove by scoring 118.7 per game in the first three on this homestand.

The Hornets cooled off in a 16-point third quarter Wednesday, but closed out the game on a 25-2 run en route to a 101-87 victory over Washington. They allowed a franchise-low six points in the fourth, limiting the Wizards to 0-of-17 shooting over their last 19 possessions.

Charlotte, which has won six in a row when holding an opponent under 100 points, hasn't won eight straight at Time Warner Cable Arena since late in the 2013-14 season.

"When we play defense, we can beat any team in the league," guard Nicolas Batum said.

That kind of effort has been difficult to come by when the Hornets have faced James. The four-time MVP had 25 points and nine assists, while J.R. Smith hit seven 3-pointers as Cleveland capped a three-game sweep in last season's series with a 129-90 home win Jan. 23.

James hasn't lost to Charlotte since Feb. 19, 2010, averaging 29.8 points on 58.8 percent shooting - including a 41.9 mark from 3-point range - during a personal winning streak that includes the playoffs and dates to his time with Miami. That 20-game run is tied for the longest active streak versus any opponent with Matt Barnes' winning streak against Minnesota.

Although it has averaged 108.3 points on 48.5 percent shooting while going 8-0 at home, Cleveland has dropped its last three on the road and scored 98.3 on 43.5 percent shooting in its last four. The club snapped a three-game losing streak at Charlotte with a 91-87 victory Jan. 2.

The Cavs (11-4) hope to avoid dropping both games on this brief road swing after their three-game winning streak was snapped in Wednesday's 103-99 loss at Toronto. James finished with 24 points, eight assists and six rebounds but shot just 6 for 16 from the field.

James insists playing without injured All-Star Kyrie Irving, Timofey Mozgov, Matthew Dellavedova and Iman Shumpert is not an excuse for the team's poor play on the road.

'We've got to understand that it is our guys versus everyone else, versus the fans, versus the opposing group," he said.

Kevin Love continued his strong play Wednesday with 21 points, five 3-pointers and 13 rebounds. He's averaging 24.2 points while shooting 21 of 42 from long range and 11.7 boards in his last six games.

The Cavaliers will try to continue the solid job they've done against Kemba Walker, who has totaled 18 points while shooting 7 for 30 (23.3 percent) in the last two meetings.

Walker has averaged 24.8 points and hit 11 of 23 from 3-point range in his last five games overall.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Heat (9-5) at Knicks (8-8)

Date: November 27, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

Knicks coach Derek Fisher is searching for answers to New York's sluggish offense, especially the drop in production off the bench.

It's not likely to get any better in another meeting with a Miami Heat team that boasts one of the NBA's best defenses.

While Fisher claims he's not tinkering with his personnel, the Knicks could see some changes Friday night as they try to avoid a second loss to the Heat in four days.

New York (8-8) is 28th in the NBA in field-goal percentage at 41.3 and 23rd with 97.2 points per game - and things have been even worse in its previous two games.

The Knicks shot 32.2 percent, including 4 of 24 from long range, in a 95-78 loss at Miami on Monday before falling 100-91 at Orlando two nights later by making just 37.3 percent of their shots and going 9 of 27 from beyond the arc.

Part of New York's recent issues stem from a bench which has totaled 22 points, gone 7 for 47 from the floor and missed all 16 of its 3-point attempts over the last two games. The reserves were averaging 39.3 points through the first 14 games.

Langston Galloway has been a major culprit by going 1 of 14, and his only two points over the last two games came against the Heat (9-5).

"It's a team game," Fisher said. "Earlier in the season our guys off the bench were doing a great job, giving us some energy and intensity and able to score some baskets. They've struggled as of late but that's how it goes sometimes during a season."

Changes aren't necessarily coming despite the Knicks losing seven straight to Miami with an 86.1 scoring average. The Heat surrender a league-low 40.5 field-goal percentage and their 92.6 points allowed per game rank behind only San Antonio's 90.5.

"I think the rotation really happens that night. You can't decide before a game starts exactly what you're going to do," Fisher said. "I think too many things can happen over the course of a game. Right now, we're just continuing to try to find guys that we know are going to consistently give us what we need. That's going to be different every night."

Consistency isn't an issue for Carmelo Anthony, who leads the Knicks with 22.8 points per game. He had 28 points and 13 rebounds against the Magic after scoring 21 at Miami. He's averaging 29.9 points over his last 11 meetings with the Heat.

Kristaps Porzingis had 20 points and 14 rebounds against Miami on Monday, but he followed that with 10 and eight with six blocks while missing 10 of 13 against Orlando.

With Miami trying to bounce back from Wednesday's 104-81 loss at Detroit, Dwyane Wade will have some added motivation after finishing with two points on 1-for-9 shooting in his lowest scoring game when playing at least 20 minutes.

"I just sucked," said Wade, who was averaging 22.3 points over the previous three and is second on the team with 17.2 per game.

Wade is averaging 20.5 points over his last six against the Knicks after scoring 16 earlier this week.

Chris Bosh had 16 points in that matchup, but he scored 11 on free throws while going 2 for 12 from the field. He shot 3 of 9 and tied a season low with nine points Wednesday.

It's uncertain if Luol Deng will be back after missing one game with a hamstring injury he suffered against the Knicks. The forward is averaging 10.3 points.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wizards (6-6) at Celtics (8-7)

Date: November 27, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

The Washington Wizards' lack of resolve continues to baffle Randy Wittman, and John Wall's turnovers keep piling up.

The Boston Celtics haven't impressed lately either ahead of Friday night's meeting.

Washington lost 101-87 at Charlotte on Wednesday despite holding a nine-point lead with fewer than nine minutes remaining. The Wizards (6-6) missed their final 17 shots and were limited to six fourth-quarter points, their lowest total going back to at least 2002-03.

"You've got to make plays in this league. That's what it boils down to," Wittman said. " ... We don't have guys that are making plays right now.

"We start feeling sorry, start pouting and putting our heads down and it just becomes a snowball. We've got to grow up in that aspect."

Wall made a preseason agreement with assistant coach Howard Eisley that would see him pay Eisley $100 for each two-plus turnover game. It's cost him $900 already.

Wall's 1.8 assist-to-turnover ratio is the worst of his career, a season after posting a personal-best 2.6 mark. The team is 1-3 when he commits more than five.

He has 13 turnovers and 11 assists in his last two games and his field-goal percentage of 41.4 is also his worst since his rookie season. He was 6 for 18 from the field against the Hornets.

Wall has averaged 7.0 turnovers in his last four meetings with Boston and committed a season high-tying eight in a 118-98 road loss to the Celtics on Nov. 6. The Celtics scored 24 points off 24 Wizards turnovers and got a team-high 21 points from Jared Sullinger.

Boston (8-7) had dropped three of four prior to Wednesday's 84-80 victory over winless Philadelphia. The Celtics shot 34.1 percent and had to come back from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit against a team that lost its 26th consecutive game.

"You guys know how much of a disappointment it would have been (to lose)," said forward Jae Crowder, who had eight points on 3-of-11 shooting. "Very, very, very disappointing to all of us, coaches and players."

Isaiah Thomas scored 30 and Boston held Philadelphia to three points in the final 6:13, but the performance represented a different kind of letdown from the one a night earlier, when the Celtics lost by 24 at Atlanta.

"I didn't even mention last night's game. I told them what we need to do on a consistent level and said, 'That's all I have to say,'" coach Brad Stevens said. "I just think we need to defend with greater urgency."

Washington continues to be erratic defensively, giving up 96.5 points in wins and 116.3 in losses - the league's third-largest differential.

"Until we are committed all the way, we're going to be up and down," Wittman said.

Marcus Smart, averaging 9.8 points and 3.2 assists, has missed three straight games for Boston due to a lower left leg injury and is expected to be sidelined two more weeks.