Sunday 10/30/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NFL TRENDS

Sunday, October 30

9:30 AM
WASHINGTON vs. CINCINNATI
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 7 games on the road
Cincinnati is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games at home
Cincinnati is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games

1:00 PM
DETROIT vs. HOUSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Detroit's last 21 games on the road
Detroit is 8-15 ATS in its last 23 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Houston's last 8 games at home
Houston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

1:00 PM
NEW ENGLAND vs. BUFFALO
New England is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New England's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Buffalo's last 6 games
Buffalo is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

1:00 PM
NY JETS vs. CLEVELAND
NY Jets are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of the NY Jets last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cleveland's last 5 games at home
Cleveland is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games

1:00 PM
ARIZONA vs. CAROLINA
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Arizona's last 5 games on the road
Arizona is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games on the road
Carolina is 14-2 SU in its last 16 games at home
Carolina is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games when playing Arizona

1:00 PM
OAKLAND vs. TAMPA BAY
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Oakland's last 7 games
Oakland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Tampa Bay is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Tampa Bay is 3-16 SU in its last 19 games at home

1:00 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. INDIANAPOLIS
Kansas City is 15-3 SU in its last 18 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Kansas City's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Indianapolis's last 7 games when playing Kansas City
Indianapolis is 13-2 SU in its last 15 games when playing Kansas City

1:00 PM
SEATTLE vs. NEW ORLEANS
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Seattle's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Seattle's last 12 games
New Orleans is 5-10-1 ATS in its last 16 games at home
New Orleans is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games

4:05 PM
SAN DIEGO vs. DENVER
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of San Diego's last 8 games when playing Denver
San Diego is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Denver's last 7 games when playing at home against San Diego
Denver is 2-8-3 ATS in its last 13 games when playing at home against San Diego

4:25 PM
GREEN BAY vs. ATLANTA
Green Bay is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Atlanta
Green Bay is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Atlanta
Atlanta is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Green Bay
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Atlanta's last 13 games at home

8:30 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. DALLAS
Philadelphia is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Dallas
Philadelphia is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Dallas
Dallas is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Dallas's last 11 games


Monday, October 31

8:30 PM
MINNESOTA vs. CHICAGO
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Chicago is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games when playing Minnesota

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NFL
Short Sheet

Week 8


Sun – Oct. 30

Washington at Cincinnati, 9:30 AM ET
Washington: 30-51 ATS after a game with a turnover margin of -2 or worse
Cincinnati: 8-1 ATS off 1 or more straight overs

Green Bay at Atlanta, 4:25 PM ET
Green Bay: 12-2 ATS off a division game
Atlanta: 2-10 ATS as a home favorite

Detroit at Houston, 1:00 PM ET
Detroit: 8-25 ATS in road games after 2 or more consecutive wins
Houston: 13-3 ATS as a favorite

Seattle at New Orleans, 1:00 PM ET
Seattle: 32-59 ATS in October
New Orleans: 11-3 ATS as an underdog

New England at Buffalo, 1:00 PM ET
New England: 19-8 ATS revenging a loss against opponent by 14 points or more
Buffalo: 39-68 ATS after covering the spread in 2 out of their last 3

NY Jets at Cleveland, 1:00 PM ET
New York: 3-10 ATS after allowing 75 or less rushing yards last game
Cleveland: 6-1 ATS after 7 or more consecutive losses

Oakland at Tampa Bay, 1:00 PM ET
Oakland: 10-2 ATS in road lined games
Tampa Bay: 12-25 ATS in home games after a playing a game where 50 total points or more were scored

Kansas City at Indianapolis, 1:00 PM ET
Kansas City: 21-39 ATS in road games after having won 2 out of their last 3
Indianapolis: 15-5 ATS after gaining 6 or more yards/play in 3 consecutive games

San Diego at Denver, 4:05 PM ET
San Diego: 6-0 ATS as a road underdog of 3.5 to 7
Denver: 37-14 OVER in a home game where the total is between 42.5 and 45

Arizona at Carolina, 1:00 PM ET
Arizona: 0-7 ATS after allowing 9 points or less last game
Carolina: 11-2 ATS in home games after playing their last game on the road

Philadelphia at Dallas, 8:30 PM ET
Philadelphia: 6-7 ATS versus division opponents
Dallas: 25-12 ATS in home games after allowing 17 points or less in 2 straight games


Mon – Oct. 31

Minnesota at Chicago, 8:30 PM ET
Minnesota: 9-2 ATS in road lined games
Chicago: 31-49 ATS after failing to cover the spread in 3 out of their last 4

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NFL
Dunkel

Week 8

Sunday, October 30

Philadelphia @ Dallas

Game 271-272
October 30, 2016 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Philadelphia
137.848
Dallas
139.800
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Dallas
by 2
48
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Dallas
by 4 1/2
43
Dunkel Pick:
Philadelphia
(+4 1/2); Over

Arizona @ Carolina

Game 269-270
October 30, 2016 @ 1:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Arizona
130.230
Carolina
134.795
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Carolina
by 4 1/2
44
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Carolina
by 2 1/2
47 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Carolina
(-2 1/2); Under

San Diego @ Denver

Game 267-268
October 30, 2016 @ 4:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Diego
135.920
Denver
138.165
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Denver
by 2
40
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Denver
by 5 1/2
44
Dunkel Pick:
San Diego
(+5 1/2); Under

Kansas City @ Indianapolis

Game 265-266
October 30, 2016 @ 1:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Kansas City
130.846
Indianapolis
137.414
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Indianapolis
by 6 1/2
46
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Kansas City
by 3
50
Dunkel Pick:
Indianapolis
(+3); Under

Oakland @ Tampa Bay

Game 263-264
October 30, 2016 @ 1:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Oakland
135.184
Tampa Bay
127.641
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Oakland
by 7 1/2
46
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tampa Bay
by 1 1/2
49 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Oakland
(+1 1/2); Under

NY Jets @ Cleveland

Game 261-262
October 30, 2016 @ 1:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
NY Jets
122.214
Cleveland
128.951
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cleveland
by 6 1/2
48
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
NY Jets
by 3 1/2
43
Dunkel Pick:
Cleveland
(+3 1/2); Over

New England @ Buffalo

Game 259-260
October 30, 2016 @ 1:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New England
144.751
Buffalo
136.397
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
New England
by 8 1/2
53
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
New England
by 6
46 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
New England
(-6); Over

Seattle @ New Orleans

Game 257-258
October 30, 2016 @ 1:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Seattle
132.468
New Orleans
136.682
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
New Orleans
by 4
52
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Seattle
by 3
47 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
New Orleans
(+3); Over

Detroit @ Houston

Game 255-256
October 30, 2016 @ 1:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Detroit
126.726
Houston
135.329
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Houston
by 8 1/2
41
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
by 2 1/2
45 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Houston
(-2 1/2); Under

Green Bay @ Atlanta

Game 253-254
October 30, 2016 @ 4:25 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Green Bay
138.196
Atlanta
133.951
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Green Bay
by 4
49
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Atlanta
by 3
53
Dunkel Pick:
Green Bay
(+3); Under

Washington @ Cincinnati

Game 251-252
October 30, 2016 @ 9:30 am

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
126.978
Cincinnati
135.187
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cincinnati
by 8
50
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cincinnati
by 2 1/2
47
Dunkel Pick:
Cincinnati
(-2 1/2); Over


Monday, October 31

Minnesota @ Chicago

Game 273-274
October 31, 2016 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
137.070
Chicago
125.939
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota
by 11
44
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Minnesota
by 4 1/2
40 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
(-4 1/2); Over

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

JOE WIZ

Over 201 Wizards and Grizzlies

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CAPPERS ACCESS
(NFL)
Lions
Broncos
Cowboys

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

BIG AL

complimentary selection for Sunday, Oct. 30 is:

Atlanta Falcons over Green Bay Packers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Goody's 500 Preview
By Micah Roberts

And now we're down to the Elite 8.

NASCAR's version of the playoffs has been whittled down the field of 16 down to just eight drivers after six races and we can call the Round of 8 that starts Sunday at Martinsville Speedway the semifinals of sorts. The eight eligible drivers to win the Sprint Cup will have three races to impress the most before the championship field of four drivers is set for an all-or-nothing season finale No. 20 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The best way to advance for the eight drivers is to simply win one of the next three races, or else accumulate the most points. If there are three different Chase drivers to win each of the races, only one driver will advance on points. Two of the heavyweight contenders to win it all, Martin Truex Jr and Brad Keselowski, both had engine failures at Talladega last week and have been eliminated.

Let's take a look at the eight Sprint Cup contenders, their updated Championship odds from the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook and how they might fare this week at Martinsville and then at Texas and Phoenix the following two weeks.

Joey Logano 6/1: He should have nightmares recurring from last season when his championship hopes were dashed immediately at Martinsville when Matt Kenseth repaid a debt and wrecked him while leading. Logano had won three straight races and looked like the favorite to win it all up until that point. His only win between the three tracks came at Texas. I don't like him to advance.

Jimmie Johnson 4/1: No driver has more Chase wins than the six-time champ. This round also suits his likes well: eight wins at Martinsville, six at Texas and four at Phoenix. Look for his best chance at winning to happen at Texas just because the last race on a high-banked 1.5-mile track was Charlotte (Oct. 9) where he led 155 laps and won. I've got him advancing.

Kevin Harvick 5/2: You have to make him the top favorite to advance just because he's won eight times at Phoenix, including six of the last eight there. He's never won at Texas and has a 2011 win at Martinsville. It would be a surprise if he wasn't racing for the title at Homestead.

Matt Kenseth 7/1: Martinsville has never been his strongest track (0 wins), but he was runner-up in 2013, sixth in both 2014 races and fourth last spring. He's got the luxury of having great Gibbs set-ups there now, like Hamlin and Kyle. At Texas, he's one of the elite with two wins and a 9.5 average finish in 27 starts. He's also won at Phoenix, a place where I think he'll be battling teammate Carl Edwards for a chance to advance. My best is guess is that he won't advance.

Carl Edwards 7/1: He's never won at Martinsville in 24 starts, but he does have three Texas wins and two Phoenix wins. In the March Phoenix race he led 65 laps, but was runner-up to Harvick. I believe his ultimate fate will come down to Phoenix and possibly needing a win to advance.

Denny Hamlin 8/1: The Virginian is a five-time winner at Martinsville, he's won twice at Texas and also has a Phoenix win to his credit. He squeaked into this round with a third-place at Talladega, but with Martinsville being his best track (9.5 avg.) he has a great shot to advance right out of the gate with a win. I like that scenario to happen Sunday.

Kurt Busch 18/1: Only two drivers have a better average finish than his 11.7 this season, and its that type of consistency that advanced him to the Round of 8 despite not being in a car not capable of winning any of the last three. The 2004 champ has won at least once on all three of upcoming tracks. Think of Ryan Newman's incredible run to the championship game in 2014 when he didn't win a race all season and pointed his way through the gauntlet.

“If we can go to Martinsville and win that bad boy, that changes the whole Chase complexion," Busch said. "That’s what happened last year when Jeff Gordon won there. That gave him his shot at the championship. We’re doing our job as a team. We’ve had some luck on our side, and we’ve had good speed in our racecars.”

My bet would be that the older Busch brother doesn't make it.

Kyle Busch 6/1: All he did was lead 352 of the 500 laps in April for his first career win at Martinsville. He's had 10 top-five finishes in 22 starts there over his career. Last years champ also won the April 9 race at Texas, his second there, and has 10 top-fives in 21 starts. He's also won at Phoenix. He's a good bet to advance to the next round just because of his real chances of winning at Martinsville and Texas again.

The big wild cards during this round are Jeff Gordon and Truex who could both steal a race and make things difficult for the eligible drivers. Gordon is back in Dale Earnhardt Jr's No. 88 this week and has nine wins at Martinville, including last fall for his final Cup win. Truex has led the most laps on 1.5-mile tracks this season and should be considered the favorite to win at Texas.

I'm going to look for Hamlin to handle business right out of the gate and punch himself into the Championship game/round. This is his turf, his favorite style of racing with a flat track and the dude is ready to become a champion.

Top-5 Martinsville Finish Prediction:

1) #11 Denny Hamlin (6/1)
2) #18 Kyle Busch (6/1)
3) #88 Jeff Gordon (15/1)
4) #48 Jimmie Johnson (6/1)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Sabres (2-3) at Jets (4-4)

Date: October 30, 2016 3:00 PM EDT

There will not be any track suits in the MTS Centre Sunday afternoon.

Buffalo Sabres left winger Evander Kane, who courted controversy during his 3 1/2 years in Winnipeg -- and hasn't changed much since arriving in Buffalo late in the 2014-15 season -- won't be in the lineup when the Sabres play the Jets in Winnipeg on Sunday afternoon.

He is still recovering from cracked ribs suffered in the Sabres' home opener.

The Vancouver native finally wore out his welcome in the Jets' dressing room after he arrived at a team meeting wearing a track suit, breaking the team's dress code. Defenseman Dustin Byfuglien famously tossed the track suit in a cold tub and shortly afterward Kane found himself packaged up with defenseman Zach Bogosian and sent to Buffalo in exchange for Drew Stafford, Tyler Myers and Joel Armia.

When Kane returned to the MTS Centre last season, thousands of fans showed their approval. Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff regularly receives accolades for having pulled off what Jets fans believe to be one of the most one-sided trades by wearing track suits to the game.

The Sabres will be playing their second afternoon contest in as many days, having defeated the Florida Panthers 3-0 on Saturday at the First Niagara Center for their first victory of the season. The opening face-off in Winnipeg is scheduled for 2 p.m. CST.

Sabres center Johan Larsson told the Buffalo News that his team was relieved to finally get in the win column after snatching defeat from the jaws of victory several times this season.

"It was great to get a win here, get confidence in the group. We played really well and deserved the win," he said.

The Jets return home after a quick one-game road trip to Colorado Friday evening when they defeated the Avalanche 1-0, which came on the heels of a 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars on Thursday.

Byfuglien will be in the lineup on Sunday after briefly leaving Friday's contest with an undetermined injury after allegedly being slew-footed by the Stars' Antoine Roussel in the third period. He missed about seven minutes of action.

Jets coach Paul Maurice left no doubt about his opinion when he was asked if his big defenseman was the victim of a slew foot.

"Yes," Maurice said matter-of-factly to the Winnipeg Free Press. "It's a fast play so it's not as easy to pick up on the ice as you might think. You don't see it that much."

The Jets come into Sunday with a 4-4-0-0 record for eight points, which puts them in fourth place in the Central division. The Sabres are tied for last in the league with four points and a record of 1-3-1-1.

Some further optimism is creeping into the Sabres' dressing room as sophomore center Jack Eichel is no longer wearing a walking boot to treat his high-ankle sprain. He is two weeks into rehab for an injury that was expected to keep him out for two months.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Panthers (3-4) at Red Wings (6-3)

Date: October 30, 2016 5:00 PM EDT

DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings and the Florida Panthers, two teams coming off losses on Saturday, meet at Joe Louis Arena on Sunday.

Detroit (6-3-0) had its six-game winning streak snapped Saturday in a 1-0 loss to the Boston Bruins.

While neither team played great in a game that was choppy and full of turnovers, the Red Wings were by far the worse team as they were outshot 36-24 and were soundly whipped in the face-off circle, 64 percent to 36 percent.

Detroit got worse as the game went on and was outshot 29-14 in the second and third periods. The Red Wings have managed only one goal in their last two games.

They were also 0-for-4 on the power play Saturday night.

"It hurt us tonight. You don't want to lose games when you don't execute on it. Tonight it's not like we created lots of chances," Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. "We couldn't get ourselves set up. What's my level of concern? We've got to be way better at it tomorrow. I think every day is a new day, so we better look at how we can get better at it and we'd better execute at a higher level."

Goalie Jimmy Howard continued his outstanding play with 35 saves, but the only goal of the night was a soft one. Boston forward Tim Schaller's shot from along the goal line in the right corner bounced in off of Howard's left hip.

The goal ended Howard's shutout streak at 156:02. He had last given up a goal on Oct. 19.

"He's (Howard) been good. I think both goalies have probably been our best players so far," Detroit captain and forward Henrik Zetterberg said. "We other players got to step up here and play better, too. We can't rely on our goalies the whole time."

Petr Mrazek (4-2-0, 2.48) is expected to be in goal Sunday.

Florida (3-4-1) lost 3-0 at Buffalo Saturday afternoon and has lost three straight.

"It's the first game I'm really disappointed," Panthers coach Gerard Gallant said. "I thought we played well all season long. Tonight we didn't play well enough; we weren't even close to winning that hockey game. So it was disappointing."

The Panthers beat the Red Wings 4-1 in Sunrise, Fla., in the second game of the season on Oct. 15.

Florida had a chance to at least spoil the shutout with 57 seconds left Saturday when forward Vincent Trochek was awarded a penalty shot after being hooked on a breakaway, but his shot was over the net.

"To end a road trip, you've got to salvage from points here," Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle said. "We got to be ready against a good team 1/8the Red Wings on Sunday 3/8. We just got to get back and focus on our game and the way 1/8Gallant 3/8 wants us to play."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Flyers (3-5) at Hurricanes (2-3)

Date: October 30, 2016 5:00 PM EDT

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Carolina Hurricanes found something that worked and they're sticking with it.

So Cam Ward will be the goalie for Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers at PNC Arena.

"If you win, you stay in right now," Carolina coach Bill Peters said, referring to Friday night's stirring 3-2 victory against the New York Rangers in the home opener.

Peters said the decision to stay with Ward made for an easy answer to questions amid an opening stretch when the Hurricanes (2-3-2) haven't had a lot of answers.

Ward said he would like to be part of the solution, but he said he knows he needs more performances like Friday night's in order to have regular opportunities.

"Nobody needs to tell me I have to step up," Ward said.

The Flyers are in search of consistency as well and they enter this matchup fresh off Saturday night's 5-4 home loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Yet there were elements of the performance that the Flyers would like to carry into the next game less than 24 hours later.

"That's the blueprint right there," Philadelphia coach Dave Hakstol said. "(It) just wasn't enough. We're looking for two points."

Philadelphia's goalie situation might be less clear considering both netminders played Saturday. Steve Mason started and, after giving up three first-period goals, was replaced by Michal Neuvirth.

"You probably need a save there on one of them," Hakstol said of the first-period situation without a hint about who's in net for the next game.

After the Hurricanes began the season with six consecutive road games, they have some make-up work to do.

"I think we learned from our past games," Ward said.

Hurricanes center Jeff Skinner is coming off a three-point game (two goals, one assist). He had been dealing with a "middle-body" injury, but he seemed to have worked through that. He also wore the "A" for the first time at home.

Carolina left winger Bryan Bickell's deflection resulted in the game-winning goal against the Rangers.

"We need to carry this momentum into Sunday," Bickell said.

Jakub Voracek is coming off a two-goal game for the Flyers, while Claude Giroux also scored Saturday night to take an eight-game points streak to Carolina.

The Flyers (3-5-1), who'll play their fifth game in seven days, have given up at least three goals in each of the previous four games.

The Flyers defeated the Hurricanes 6-3 on Oct. 22 in Philadelphia. That marked the season-high goal total for the Flyers.

Philadelphia will be the first repeat opponent for the Hurricanes this season. These teams will play three more times, but not again until Jan. 31.

Sunday's game is the first of a six-game stretch with four road games for the Flyers.

Carolina assistant coach Rod Brind'Amour was back in Philadelphia on Thursday night as part of the Flyers' celebration for the franchise's 50-year anniversary. He's a former Flyers player.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Kings (4-4) at Blackhawks (4-3)

Date: October 30, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

CHICAGO -- To hear coach Joel Quenneville and captain Jonathan Toews talk about it, the Chicago Blackhawks are overcoming their early season jitters.

But for a franchise that's won three Stanley Cups since 2010, they readily admit that there's still plenty of room for improvement.

Chicago opens a three-game homestand Sunday night at the United Center against the Los Angeles Kings, who wrap up a two-game road trip in a building where they struggled in recent years.

Nearly three weeks into the season, the Blackhawks' penalty killing unit has been abysmal, allowing 15 goals in 30 short-handed situations to rank last in the league. The unit was third in the NHL as recently as the 2012-13 campaign, and finished in the top 20 each of the next two seasons before slumping to 22nd overall in 2015-16.

"I still think there's some areas we still got to feel that we can be better at look, and build on positives that we've achieved, " Quenneville told the team's official website Saturday, one day after Chicago (4-3-1) rallied for a 3-2 overtime victory against New Jersey. "As a group, let's take pride in working together, and let's make sure we get good pressure up ice, good pressure on entries, good clears, shooting lanes, all things that lead to having an effective ... penalty killing unit.'

Chicago killed off three of the Devils' four power plays, and recent history against the Kings indicates that trend could continue. The Blackhawks have killed off 21 of Los Angeles' 23 power-play opportunities while posting a 6-3-1 record over their last 10 matchups.

"We know this start to the year, there's been a few bumps in the road, but we know there's so much improvement and so much potential on this team. We're going to get better and better," said Toews, who assisted on Marian Hossa's power-play goal late in regulation against the Devils that made it 2-2.

Toews scored 28 goals in each of the last three seasons, but is still in search of his first in 2016-17. That will tie him with Ken Wharram for 10th on Chicago's all-time list with 251.

"I know it's a long year and I've had similar starts to this so I'm not worried but definitely want to keep shooting the puck and having a nose for the net and know they're going to start going in," Toews said.

Chicago is 9-1-1 on home ice when Toews records a point against the Kings.

Quenneville said Saturday that Corey Crawford will start in goal. He is 8-5-0 with a 2.83 goals-against average in 13 career starts versus the Kings. Quenneville also said he likes how Crawford has played recently, including a 30-save outing against the Devils.

"I thought he's been really good the last couple of games, they were his two best and (Friday night) was one of those games where the goalie was a big factor in us getting two points," Quenneville said.

The Blackhawks were 1-1-1 against the Kings in 2015-16, with the season series capped by a 5-0 loss at home on March 14 with Crawford in net.

Even though Los Angeles (4-4-0) skated away with that lopsided win, it was only the second in its last seven regular-season visits to the Windy City going back to February 2013.

The Kings try to bounce back after their four-game winning streak was snapped with a 1-0 loss to St. Louis on Saturday.

Peter Budaj, who's filled in admirably in goal while Jonathan Quick (lower body) and Jeff Zatkoff (groin) recover from injuries, allowed the lone goal early in the third period. He dropped to 4-1-0 with a 2.12 GAA and .906 save percentage in five starts this season.

"I think we worked hard, and it's a tough building against a very strong team, so that's still not an excuse," Budaj told the Kings' official website. "... Sometimes the bounces don't go your way, but you just have to regroup and get ready for tomorrow."

However, Budaj hasn't faced Chicago since April 9, 2014, while playing for Montreal. Budaj is 0-3-1 in his last four matchups with Chicago, and 1-5-1 with a 3.73 GAA in seven games versus the Blackhawks since November 2008.

As they prepare to play back-to-back games for the first time this season, backup goalie Jack Campbell could make his first NHL appearance in just over three years. Campbell, the 11th overall pick by Dallas in the 2010 NHL Draft, made his debut against Anaheim on Oct. 20, 2013, and gave up six goals on 47 shots in the Stars' 6-3 loss.

New captain Anze Kopitar led the Kings with four points (goal, three assists) in three games against Chicago in 2016-17. He's tied for second on the team with six points, one behind Alec Martinez.

Los Angeles may be without defenseman Brayden McNabb, who left Saturday's game with an upper body injury following a collision with Colton Parayko. Kings coach Darryl Sutter said McNabb (two goals in seven games) will be re-evaluated Sunday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Lightning (5-3) at Rangers (5-3)

Date: October 30, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

NEW YORK -- The Tampa Bay Lightning continue their six-game road trip on Sunday night when they visit the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

After starting the jaunt with victories against the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs, the Lightning have dropped consecutive 3-1 decisions to the Montreal Canadiens and New Jersey Devils. Although the Lightning started 5-1-0 and hold a 5-3-0 record, slow starts have been an issue all season -- the team has scored in just one first period in eight games.

"We've got to find ways to start games on time," Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said to the Tampa Bay Times. "You can have all the skill in the world, but if you don't stick to the game plan and structure and work at it, you're going to win a couple games because you're more skilled than the other team. But usually you're not going to win in this league. The parity is too great."

Goaltender Ben Bishop is expected to get the start in net after watching backup Andrei Vasilevskiy allow three goals on 23 shots Saturday. Right winger Nikita Kucherov, who missed the game Saturday with an upper-body injury, is listed as day-to-day.

Is it possible that Kucherov, who led the team with 30 goals last season, is back in time to face the Rangers?

"Could is the word. Can he? I'm not so sure," coach Jon Cooper said to the Tampa Bay Times before Saturday's game. "But I know he's feeling much better today...It's not a good situation, but let's just hope it's only a couple games or maybe one game."

Kucherov's offensive talents could be sorely missed against the Rangers (5-3-0), who lead the NHL in goals per game at 3.63. They remodeled the team in an attempt to add speed throughout the lineup and it has worked beautifully.

The problem is whether the quick team has the makeup to score enough ugly goals when the pretty ones aren't coming. That was the case in a 3-2 road loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday, when the Rangers couldn't get anything done in the dirty areas with their opponent sitting back and playing it safe with a lead.

"You know that teams are going to be patient back there," captain Ryan McDonagh said to the New York Daily News. "We've had a couple of games now needing a goal like that. We certainly had some chances, but you know they're going to be sagging, they're going to be taking away a lot of the slot area...So guys going to the net and getting a rebound is something we have to look at a little bit when we find ourselves in that situation."

If the Hurricanes gave the league a blueprint for slowing the Rangers offense, it may be something the Lightning employ Sunday. After all, they are playing the second half of a back-to-back while the Rangers are at home and rested so turning the neutral-zone to mud could benefit the road-weary Lightning.

"Shooting pucks...that's something we've got to learn," Rangers center Derek Stepan said to the New York Daily News. "When teams get up and are going to sit in that neutral-zone trap or whatever you want to call it, we have to find a way to get through it with speed and generate offense."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL roundup: Wild's Dubnyk records third straight shutout
By The Sports Xchange

SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- Devan Dubnyk recorded his third consecutive shutout, powering the Minnesota Wild to a 4-0 victory over the Dallas Stars on Saturday.
Dubnyk set team and personal records for the longest streak without allowing a goal, stopping 29 Dallas shots as Minnesota stayed unbeaten at home.
Mikael Granlund, Nino Niederreiter, Eric Staal and Tyler Graovac scored for the Wild, who maintained their place atop the Central Division standings.
Dallas got 11 saves from goaltender Kari Lehtonen and constantly tested Dubnyk throughout, but lost for the third time in the past four games.

Penguins 5, Flyers 4
PHILADELPHIA -- Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby each scored a pair of goals, including the 300th of Malkin's NHL career, to lead Pittsburgh over Philadelphia.
Malkin's second goal came 8:33 into the third period and stood up as the winner for the Penguins, who have won three in a row.
The Flyers received two goals from Jake Voracek and one apiece by Wayne Simmonds and Claude Giroux, but lost for the second straight time and third in four games.

Canadiens 2, Maple Leafs 1
MONTREAL -- Shea Weber's power play goal stood as the winner to lead Montreal over Toronto.
Carey Price stopped 36 shots for the Canadiens (8-0-1), who have won seven straight. Alex Galchenyuk scored and assisted on Weber's goal.
Frederik Andersen made 29 saves while Nazim Kadri scored for the Maple Leafs.

Blues 1, Kings 0
ST. LOUIS -- Jaden Schwartz scored the only goal early in the third period and Jake Allen got the shutout to give St. Louis a victory over Los Angeles.
Allen stopped 27 Los Angeles shots to record his first shutout of the season and 12th of his career. It was the third consecutive game, and the fifth time in their last six contests, that the Blues scored only one goal.
The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Kings, three of which came in overtime and one in a shootout.

Bruins 1, Red Wings 0
DETROIT -- Tuukka Rask made 23 saves for his 31st career shutout to lead Boston past Detroit.
Tim Schaller scored for the Bruins, who snapped a three-game slide and ended the Red Wings' six-game winning streak. It was Rask's first game back after missing three with a lower-body injury.
Jimmy Howard stopped 35 shots for Detroit, which lost its first game of the season at home.

Sabres 3, Panthers 0
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Anders Nilsson recorded 33 saves for his second career shutout as Buffalo ended a four-game losing streak.
Johan Larsson, Kyle Okposo and Sam Reinhart scored for the Sabres, who responded after a particularly poor showing in a 4-0 loss to Minnesota on Thursday and won for the first time this season at home.
Roberto Luongo made 22 saves for Florida (3-4-1), which began its four-game road trip with losses to Buffalo, Toronto and Pittsburgh.

Sharks 4, Predators 1
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- San Jose built a three-goal lead thanks to Joonas Donskoi, Joe Pavelski and Tommy Wingels and defeated Nashville in a rematch of last season's second-round Stanley Cup playoff series.
Martin Jones made 27 saves for the Sharks, who improved to 4-0-0 at home this season and won their third straight game overall.
James Neal scored his first goal of the season for the Predators. Pekka Rinne made 23 saves.

Capitals 5, Canucks 2
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Marcus Johansson scored two goals and collected an assist as Washington defeated Vancouver.
T. J. Oshie, with a goal and an assist, and Tom Wilson also scored for the Capitals, who snapped a two-game losing streak. Philipp Grubauer stopped 23 shots.
Bo Horvat and Jannik Hansen scored for the Canucks, who haven't won in five games (0-4-1). Jacob Markstrom made 30 saves for Vancouver.

Devils 3, Lightning 1
NEWARK, N.J. -- Cory Schneider made 32 saves as New Jersey jumped to a big lead before holding off Tampa Bay.
Adam Henrique and Damon Severson each had a goal and an assist for the Devils, who finished their five-game homestand 4-0-1. Devante Smith-Pelly also scored for New Jersey.
Tyler Johnson got the Lightning on the board early in the third period with his second goal of the season while Andrei Vasilevskiy allowed three goals on 23 shots in his third start of the season.

Avalanche 3, Coyotes 2
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Matt Duchene scored two goals, Rene Bourque added his first of the season and Colorado held on to defeat Arizona.
Calvin Pickard made 24 saves as the Avalanche snapped a two-game losing streak.
Martin Hanzel and Tobias Rieder scored for the Coyotes, who played at home for the first time since going 1-5-0 on a road trip. Louis Dominique stopped 31 shots.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Maple Leafs (2-3) at Islanders (3-5)

Date: October 30, 2016 6:00 PM EDT

NEW YORK -- The New York Islanders will see an old friend Sunday night, when Matt Martin makes his first visit to Barclays Center as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs. As glad as the Islanders will be to see Martin, they'd be even happier if their old offense returns, too.

The Islanders will look to snap out of a season-long goal-scoring funk when they host the Maple Leafs in the opener of a five-game homestand. New York (3-5-0) last played Thursday, when it fell 4-2 to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Toronto (2-3-3) will be playing the second game of a back-to-back set after losing to the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 on Saturday night.

All eyes, at least early on Sunday night, will be on Martin, who spent the first seven seasons of his NHL career with the Islanders before signing with the Maple Leafs as a free agent in July. Martin was wildly popular with Islanders fans and teammates for his feisty on-ice demeanor as well as his locker room leadership and off-ice involvement with the community.

The Matt Martin Foundation raises funds for a variety of causes, including children with cystic fibrosis. Martin's girlfriend, Sydney Esiason, has a brother with cystic fibrosis.

"I'm sure it'll be emotional for me," Martin told Newsday on Saturday. "I matured as a player and a person on the Island. It'll always be special for me. I'm trying to win a game, but as soon as it's over, I'll be rooting for those guys."

The Islanders surely feel the same way -- especially about the trying to win a game part. New York, which has lost two straight, has been tied in the third period in all five of its losses.

The major problem for the Islanders has been a struggling forward corps. Defensemen have accounted for eight of the team's 22 goals. Center John Tavares (four goals) is the lone forward with more than two goals, and left winger Brock Nelson and right winger Ryan Strome (two goals each) are the only other ones with more than a single tally.

Left winger Andrew Ladd, who was expected to become New York's No. 2 threat upon signing a seven-year deal in July, has yet to score a goal and was actually played on the fourth line last Wednesday against the Canadiens.

"We're just not getting offense from our forwards right now," Islanders head coach Jack Capuano told Newsday following Thursday's loss. "We've got to find a way to score goals if this team wants to win games. End of story."

The Maple Leafs enter in a bit of an offensive funk themselves. Toronto, which was held to fewer than two goals for the first time this season on Saturday, has scored seven goals in its last three games after racking up 18 in the first five.

"The good thing about this game is that maybe tonight you feel sorry for yourself, but then you're right back at it (Sunday)," Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly said. "We've got a big game against the Islanders that we've got to win. We've got another chance to redeem ourselves, so that's a good feeling."

Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said goalie Jhonas Enroth will make his second start of the season Sunday. Enroth will likely face Islanders no. 1 goalie Jaroslav Halak, who started Thursday's loss.

Enroth is 2-4-0 in six games against the Islanders. He was a member of the Los Angeles Kings the last time he opposed New York on Feb. 11, when Enroth took the defeat after stopping 25 of 29 shots in the Kings' 5-2 loss at Barclays Center.

Halak is 8-3-3 in 15 games against the Maple Leafs. He earned the win the last time he opposed Toronto on Feb. 12, 2015, when Halak stopped 32 of the 34 shots he faced in the Islanders' 3-2 victory at Nassau Coliseum.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Capitals (4-2) at Flames (4-4)

Date: October 30, 2016 9:30 PM EDT

CALGARY, Alberta -- A week ago at this time things were looking bleak for the Calgary Flames.

Following a 6-4 loss to the St. Louis Blues at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Oct. 22, the Flames had a 1-4-1 record heading into a two-game road trip to Chicago to play the Blackhawks and to St. Louis for a rematch against the Blues.

Thanks to timely scoring and solid goaltending from Brian Elliott, the Flames edged the Blackhawks 3-2 in a shootout before beating the Blues 4-1 and returning home to down the Ottawa Senators 5-2 on Friday.

"I think just recognizing who we are," said Elliott in regard to how the Flames found their rhythm after a woeful start to their season. "I think at the start of the year we didn't really know what kind of team we were and how to play effectively. Now guys are really buying into what we need to do and it's the little things."

The Flames look to stretch their winning streak to four straight games when they host the Washington Capitals (4-2-1) on Sunday night.

Left winger Michael Frolik, who's tied for the team goal-scoring lead with center Sean Monahan at four, said players talked about not changing anything during their winning streak.

"That's what we said in the room too," Frolik said. "We don't need to change anything. We just need to stick to the plan. That's what we did. We could tell ourselves it's working. We just needed to stick with it and build on that and keep it going."

One area of concern for Flames coach Glen Gulutzan is the lack of discipline his team showed against the Senators. Rookie left winger Matthew Tkatchuk and center Sam Bennett took back-to-back offensive zone penalties in the first period that both led to power-play goals for the Senators.

"We've got to stop taking stupid penalties. It's not an epidemic yet, but it's a concern and we're going to nip it," said Gulutzan, who wasn't pleased with his team's effort Friday despite the three-goal victory. "It wasn't our best game. We've got to find a way to be better at home. Starting our games, especially, and a good push."

The Flames also look to have a quick start against the road-weary Capitals, who will be playing their third straight road game and second in as many nights.

Left winger Marcus Johansson had two goals and an assist Saturday night in Vancouver to lead the Capitals to a 5-2 victory over the Canucks.

"When we got the puck deep, I think we showed what we can do," Johansson told reporters after the game. "We created a lot of chances and we make it tough for the other team. It was a good game for us and we need to carry that to the next one."

Right wingers Tom Wilson and T.J. Oshie and defenseman Karl Alzner also scored for the Capitals, who ended their two-game losing streak.

Goalie Philipp Grubauer stopped 23 of 25 shots he faced against the Canucks to improve his record to 2-0, but reigning Vezina Trophy winner Braden Holtby will be back in between the pipes for Washington on Sunday.

"We need a goalie so I've got to use one in each game," said Washington coach Barry Trotz of why he started Grubauer against Vancouver. "It was nothing, it was really just change it up a little bit. Grubby always gets some of the back-to-backs he's played well in his first start so give him something on the front end."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Sunday’s games

Winnipeg won seven of last ten games with Buffalo (over 2-0-1 in last three); Sabres lost four of last five visits here (under 3-2). Buffalo snapped a 4-game skid with home win over Florida yesterday. Sabres are 1-3 on the road. Jets won their last two games, allowing one goal; ftheir last four games stayed under. Winnipeg is 3-2 at home.

Florida won six of last nine games with Detroit; Panthers won three of last four visits to Motor City. Over is 4-3-2 in last nine series games. Florida lost its last three games, scoring total of four goals (over 3-3-2)- they’re 0-4 on road. Red Wings had six-game won streak snapped by Boston Saturday; four of their last six games stayed under the total.

Flyers won four of last five games with Carolina; under is 5-2-2 in last nine series games. Philly lost four of last five visits here (under 4-0-1) in series where home side won eight of last ten in series. Flyers lost six of last eight games; four of their last five went over. lost five of first seven games (over 5-2) but beat the Rangers 3-2 in their only home game so far.

Islanders are 5-3 in last eight games with Toronto; over is 8-2 in last ten series games. Leafs split their last four visits to Brooklyn (over 2-2). Toronto lost five of its last six games (under 3-2); they’re 0-5 on the road. Islanders lost last two games, are 3-5 this month, 3-2 at home. Over is 2-0-1 in their last three games.

Road team won five of last seven Ranger-Lightning games; Tampa Bay won three of last four visits to Manhattan. Over is 5-3-1 in last nine series games. Lightning lost its last two games after a 5-1 start; four of their last five games stayed under. Rangers won three of last four games; they’re 4-1 at home. Over is 4-3-1 in New York’s games this month.

LA-Chicago split their last ten games (over 6-0-4). Kings are 2-3 in last five visits here (over 3-0-2). LA won four of its last five games but is 1-3 on road after losing 1-0 in St Louis last night. Kings’ last three games stayed under. Blackhawks won four of their last six games (over 4-2-2).

Ottawa won three of its last four games with Edmonton; over is 6-3 in last nine series games. Senators won four of their last five visits here. Ottawa is 4-3 so far this month, 1-2 on road; five of their seven games went over. Edmonton won its last five games, outscoring foes 15-4, with all five games staying under the total. Oilers are 4-1 at home.

Washington is 5-3 in its last eight games with Calgary; road team won last four series games. Caps won three of last four visits here. Over is 6-3 in last nine series games. Washington won four of last six games after winning in Vancouver last night; three of their last four games went over total. Flames won their last three games, allowing five goals; four of their last six games went over the total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Sunday’s games

Winnipeg won seven of last ten games with Buffalo (over 2-0-1 in last three); Sabres lost four of last five visits here (under 3-2). Buffalo snapped a 4-game skid with home win over Florida yesterday. Sabres are 1-3 on the road. Jets won their last two games, allowing one goal; ftheir last four games stayed under. Winnipeg is 3-2 at home.

Florida won six of last nine games with Detroit; Panthers won three of last four visits to Motor City. Over is 4-3-2 in last nine series games. Florida lost its last three games, scoring total of four goals (over 3-3-2)- they’re 0-4 on road. Red Wings had six-game won streak snapped by Boston Saturday; four of their last six games stayed under the total.

Flyers won four of last five games with Carolina; under is 5-2-2 in last nine series games. Philly lost four of last five visits here (under 4-0-1) in series where home side won eight of last ten in series. Flyers lost six of last eight games; four of their last five went over. lost five of first seven games (over 5-2) but beat the Rangers 3-2 in their only home game so far.

Islanders are 5-3 in last eight games with Toronto; over is 8-2 in last ten series games. Leafs split their last four visits to Brooklyn (over 2-2). Toronto lost five of its last six games (under 3-2); they’re 0-5 on the road. Islanders lost last two games, are 3-5 this month, 3-2 at home. Over is 2-0-1 in their last three games.

Road team won five of last seven Ranger-Lightning games; Tampa Bay won three of last four visits to Manhattan. Over is 5-3-1 in last nine series games. Lightning lost its last two games after a 5-1 start; four of their last five games stayed under. Rangers won three of last four games; they’re 4-1 at home. Over is 4-3-1 in New York’s games this month.

LA-Chicago split their last ten games (over 6-0-4). Kings are 2-3 in last five visits here (over 3-0-2). LA won four of its last five games but is 1-3 on road after losing 1-0 in St Louis last night. Kings’ last three games stayed under. Blackhawks won four of their last six games (over 4-2-2).

Ottawa won three of its last four games with Edmonton; over is 6-3 in last nine series games. Senators won four of their last five visits here. Ottawa is 4-3 so far this month, 1-2 on road; five of their seven games went over. Edmonton won its last five games, outscoring foes 15-4, with all five games staying under the total. Oilers are 4-1 at home.

Washington is 5-3 in its last eight games with Calgary; road team won last four series games. Caps won three of last four visits here. Over is 6-3 in last nine series games. Washington won four of last six games after winning in Vancouver last night; three of their last four games went over total. Flames won their last three games, allowing five goals; four of their last six games went over the total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Grand Salami - October

The Grand Salami in pro hockey is decided by adding up all the goals scored in every game scheduled for that particular day. You can wager on 'over' or 'under' the Grand Salami total. The total is set by adding up all listed 'over/under' odds for each game on that particular day.

Note: The Grand Salami will have no action if any game is suspended or cancelled before the regulation time of three twenty minute periods. Also, regardless of the number of goals scored during the shoot out portion of the overtime, the final scored recorded for the game will give the winning team on more goal than its opponent based on the score at the end of regulation time.

*The majority of sportsbooks do not put out a total on the Grand Salami when there is only one game on the card. For tracking purposes, we will continue to show the 'over/under' for goals and combined goals scored on days with just one game.

NHL GRAND SALAMI
Date No. of Games Total Goals Combined Goals Scored Result
10/12 4 21.5 30 OVER
10/13 9 48.5 60 OVER
10/14 3 16 19 OVER
10/15 13 69 76 OVER
10/16 3 16 20 OVER
10/17 4 22 29 OVER
10/18 12 67.5 71 OVER
10/19 2 11.5 12 OVER
10/20 11 60.5 55 UNDER
10/21 3 16.5 18 OVER
10/22 12 64 74 OVER
10/23 4 21 23 OVER
10/24 2 10.5 9 UNDER
10/25 11 60.5 62 OVER
10/26 4 21.5 24 OVER
10/27 9 49.5 45 UNDER
10/28 6 32 24 UNDER
10/29 10 53 42 UNDER
10/30 8 - - -
10/31 No games scheduled - - -

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Senators (4-3) at Oilers (7-1)

Date: October 30, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

EDMONTON, Alberta -- The Ottawa Senators are going up against one of the NHL's most potent offences on Sunday with heavy hearts and a goaltending crisis.

As the Senators (4-3-0) prepare for Sunday's game against the host Edmonton Oilers (7-1-0), they are coping with the news that No. 1 goalie Craig Anderson's wife, Nicholle, has been diagnosed with cancer. Anderson had been on leave to look after what the team had called a "personal matter," but the Senators went public with the diagnosis Saturday -- and revealed that their top netminder will hurry back to be with the team.

Why does Anderson need to come back? Back-up Andrew Hammond suffered a lower-body injury in Friday's 5-2 loss to Calgary. Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said Saturday that Hammond will be placed on injured reserve and will miss at least a week of action.

As soon as Hammond left the game, Dorion got a phone call from Anderson.

"Nicole told Craig to phone me, which he did, during the game," Dorion said Saturday. "We talked to Craig after the game. And, it was determined that because they were in a wait period, and they were going to drive to Ottawa together as a family today, that it would be all right for Craig to come and rejoin his team."

"He's going to embraced by his teammates and it's only going to help us grow as a family and as a hockey family."

Chris Driedger will remain with team, and Matt O'Connor was called up Saturday from the Senators' AHL affiliate in Binghamton, N.Y. Dorion said both will stay with the team because Anderson could need to leave at any time to be with his wife.

O'Connor has one previous NHL game on his resume. When Driedger came in to replace Hammond on Friday, it was just his third career NHL game. He gave up four goals on 15 shots.

"Not every game's going to be a shutout so you've got to be prepared for the good ones and prepared for the bad ones and just move forward," said Driedger.

Whoever plays Sunday will face an Oilers team that won five in a row and scored 29 times in just eight games.

Add that to Edmonton No. 1 goalie Cam Talbot, who stopped 113 of the last 114 shots he's faced. His seven wins lead the NHL.

"It's probably one of the best stretches of my career right now," Talbot said. "I'm just trying to stay focused and stay confident, and go out there and give us a chance to win every night. My mindset is to go out there and make the saves I'm supposed to make and hopefully make a few that I'm not supposed to make."

Talbot started every game for the Oilers so far this season. Jonas Gustavsson played part of the second period in Edmonton's only loss this season, a loss to Buffalo back on Oct. 16.

Edmonton coach Todd McLellan said he will continue to ride Talbot.

"We have to win games, and Gus is very capable of doing that, I'm a firm believer. But, obviously, Cam is hot. He'll be our go-to guy tomorrow against Ottawa. As we head out on the road trip, it'll become a little more taxing in terms of fatigue and wear and tear."

The game against the Sens will finish a season-opening stretch which saw the Oilers play six of their first nine game on Rogers Place ice. After Sunday's game, Edmonton will go on a five-game road trip and begin a stretch which only sees two of its next 10 games on home ice.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jazz (1-1) at Clippers (1-0)

Date: October 30, 2016 4:30 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES -- New edition Marreese Speights already likes what he sees from the Los Angeles Clippers.

"We've got a deep team," said Speights, according to the Los Angeles Times. "We're going to be dangerous this year because of the vets we've got on the team. The starters start off slow, it's our job to come in and pick them up and push the lead to another level."

Speights and the Clippers' bench will attempt to provide another lift Sunday, when Los Angeles (1-0) tips off its home opener against the Utah Jazz (1-1).

In their season-opener Thursday at Portland, Speights and the Clippers' bench sparked them to a 114-106 win over the Trail Blazers, who bounced Los Angeles from the playoffs last season. Speights scored 15 points to help the Clippers' reserves outscore Portland's 45-20.

"They looked great (Thursday)," said Clippers forward Blake Griffin, who finished with 27 points and 13 rebounds, according to the Times. "That's what we need from them. I think our bench is more talented than a lot of teams in this league, definitely a little bit deeper than a lot of teams. So we need to use that to our advantage."

The Clippers believe Speights gives them an added advantage this season. A key reserve for the Golden State Warriors during the past three seasons, winning a title in 2015, Speights signed with Los Angeles as a free agent during the off-season.

The 6-10 power-forward/center offers versatility with his inside game and his ability to hit 3-pointers. Speights also enhances a solid group of reserves that includes reigning Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford, Wesley Johnson, Austin Rivers, Raymond Felton, Brandon Bass and Alan Anderson.

Utah is coming off a 96-89 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night. Point guard George Hill scored 23 points to lead the Jazz, who used a late burst to prevail.

Hill and forwards Joe Johnson and Boris Diaw are among the new faces with the Jazz. Hill, Johnson and guard Rodney Hood, among others, will be counted on to deliver quality performances with standout forward Gordon Hayward out until next month with a broken finger.

"It's a new season, and we're still learning how to gel with each other," said Hill, who scored 19 points in the Jazz's season-opening loss to the Trail Blazers on Tuesday, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. "It's a new team, and a new environment for everybody, and we're just trying to figure out roles and positions. We're going to go out and make plays."

Derrick Favors is another top performer expected to make key contributions for the Jazz. Favors returned against the Lakers after sitting out the past month with a knee injury. He scored 15 points and collected 11 rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench.

"Just happy to be back," Favors said.

Jazz coach Quin Snyder was pleased to have Favors back, but admitted it will take more time for him to get back in shape.

"He was determined," Snyder told the Tribune. "I think you (see) a hunger in him that's probably gone back to all the work that he's put in, beginning in May and June."