Sunday 2/28/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

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Scott Spreitzer

Hornets +4

Atlanta finally picked up their first post-all star win last time out over the Bulls, but we don't like the way the Hawks matchup with the Hornets. They don't have an answer for Kemba Walker and Marvin Williams has shown an ability to put of big numbers of late. Charlotte crushed Atlanta 107-84 in a meeting in January, out-rebounding the Hawks by a 54-37 mark. The Hawks still struggle on the glass and they aren't too hot with 3-point shooting. Charlotte rolls into town playing much better basketball than the host, winning eight of their last 10 SU (7-3 ATS). They have also covered five of their last six road games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Bruce Marshall

Virginia Tech +2

Wake is scheduled to get top scorer F Devin Thomas (15.8 ppg) back from two-game suspension. But the Deacs are still a bit depleted after the recent dismissal of starting F Cornelius Hudson. Even with Thomas back in the fold for this home finale, don't trust the Deacs, who have lost 12 of 13 SU and saw VPI begin the tailspin back on Jan. 14 in 93-91 loss at Blacksburg. The difference is that Hokies have made significant progress since, with Buzz Williams' team now positioned for some sort of postseason event after back-to-back wins over Florida State and BC, as Maryland transfer G Seth Allen (19 ppg those two) appears recovered from a recent shooting slump.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Raphael Esparza

Sylvester Stallone - Creed (-330) Best Supporting Actor

I know that this number is a bit high, but I actually see value still at -330. Wouldn't shock me to see this number close at -400 or higher! The only person that could steal this Oscar award from Rocky is maybe Mark Rylance for the movie Bridge of Spies. Again, don't see it happening because Sylvester Stallone won this award in the Golden Globes and I see home grabbing another trophy for his outstanding role in Creed. I highly recommend watching this movie because the acting that Stallone and the whole cast of Creed was brilliant and again one of the biggest surprises this 2015-16 movie releases.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Sleepyj

Colorado -6.5

I made this game -9...So grabbing -6.5 looks good to me...Az St on the road is a tough out...They have a total of about 3 or 4 wins on the road all year...This is the teams 3rd road game in a row and facing Colorado won't be easy...Colorado still has a shot at a big dance bid, but they need to win out IMO...These teams haven't played this year. but stat wise Colorado is far ahead...Az St struggles to defend and assist the basketball....Buffaloes will crush the Aztecs on the boards and in the paint...Az St is going to have to shoot a very high % in this one...I don't see that happening here on the road...Under the key number of 7 has me on the Buffaloes rather strong today.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NATIONAL SPORTS SERVICE

Monmouth -17.5 over Niagara (NCAAB)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

INSIDER SPORTS REPORT

Wisconsin -5.5 over Michigan (NCAAB)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cleveland At Washington

When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, February 28, 2016
Where: Verizon Center, Washington, District of Columbia

The Cleveland Cavaliers seem to react to each of their rare losses in a similar manner – bemoaning the mental mistakes and hanging their heads. The Cavaliers will try to reduce those mental errors and avoid back-to-back losses when they visit the Washington Wizards on Sunday.

The Cavaliers held a nine-point lead with under five minutes to play at Toronto on Friday before suffering a 99-97 loss, with LeBron James missing the rim on a 3-point attempt at the buzzer. “When you lose the way we lost, just mental mistake after mental mistake, those hurt more than anything when you can play better mentally,” James told reporters. “People get so caught up in the physical thing. We lack mental right now. And we got to continue to get better with it.” The Wizards are trying to claw their way back to .500 and into postseason competition, and they split a two-game road trip by beating the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday. Washington has won four of six since the All-Star break and is back home for two straight before heading back out for a stretch of five of six away.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cleveland), CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington)

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (41-16): Cleveland still sits in first place in the Eastern Conference but had its lead clipped to two games over Toronto with Friday’s loss. The Cavaliers allowed the Raptors to shoot 50.7 percent from the floor and had no answer for All-Star Kyle Lowry, who was on fire late and finished with a career-high 43 points. “They just did all the right things when they needed to and we knew it was going to be a tough game for us,” Cavaliers forward Kevin Love told reporters. “It came down to the wire; we just couldn’t get over the hump.”

ABOUT THE WIZARDS (27-30): Washington’s problems are on the defensive end, and the team locked down in the second half by holding the 76ers to 42 points after the break on Friday. “We got to defend, man, it’s as simple as that,” Wizards point guard John Wall told reporters. “When we defend, we’re perfectly fine.” The results are backing up Wall’s claim, and the Wizards have allowed 94 points or fewer in each of the four wins since the break while surrendering an average of 111.5 in the two setbacks.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Cavaliers G Mo Williams (knee) sat out Friday and will not play on Sunday.

2. Wizards G Bradley Beal is 1-of-12 from 3-point range in the last two games.

3. Cleveland earned a 121-115 win in Washington on Jan. 6 behind 34 points and 10 rebounds from James.

PREDICTION: Cavaliers 106, Wizards 94

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Charlotte At Atlanta

When: 3:30 PM ET, Sunday, February 28, 2016
Where: Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia

The Charlotte Hornets are one of the hottest teams in the Eastern Conference with wins in six of their last seven games despite enduring a road-heavy portion of the schedule. The Hornets will try to earn a 5-1 road trip when they cap the excursion by visiting the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.

Charlotte has pushed its way into the top eight in the East and is only one game behind the Hawks in the standings thanks to the recent, Kemba Walker-led surge. The dynamic guard buried the go-ahead shot on Friday as the Hornets escaped with a 96-95 win over the Indiana after squandering a double-digit lead. Atlanta was fading with losses in five of six but looked stronger with a balanced attack in Friday’s 103-88 win over the Chicago Bulls. The Hawks had trouble holding onto a lead in the losses in three straight after the All-Star break but raced out early against the Bulls and won every quarter while limiting the visitors to 36.4 percent shooting.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, FSN Southeast (Charlotte, Atlanta)

ABOUT THE HORNETS (30-27): Walker went to his left hand for the go-ahead layup with 2.4 seconds left on Friday for the latest in a long line of game-winning shots that stretches back to college. “He wants the ball, there’s no question about that,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford told reporters of Walker. “He wants to take the big shot. Make or miss, he has courage, so you know he’s raising up as if he’s gonna make it.” Walker has scored 20 or more points in in each of his eight games this month and is averaging 24.1 points in that span.

ABOUT THE HAWKS (32-27): Atlanta kept inching closer to a win, even holding a lead on the NBA-best Golden State Warriors late on Monday before falling, but finally put everything together on Friday. Center Al Horford has been one of the more consistent performers on the team and rolled to 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting in the win. Horford was limited to a season-low two points in 28 minutes at Charlotte on Jan. 13 while chasing smaller lineups around the perimeter.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Hawks G/F Kent Bazemore is 3-of-24 from 3-point range in the last six games.

2. Hornets F Marvin Williams collected 26 points and 13 rebounds on Friday and has recorded double-digits on the boards in three straight contests.

3. Charlotte snapped a three-game losing streak in the series with a 107-84 home win on Jan. 13.

PREDICTION: Hornets 106, Hawks 100

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Toronto At Detroit

When: 6:00 PM ET, Sunday, February 28, 2016
Where: The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan

All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry will try to stay hot after a remarkable performance as his Toronto Raptors go after their fifth straight victory Sunday night when they visit the Detroit Pistons. Lowry scored a career-high 43 points on 15-of-20 shooting, including the game-winning basket, and dished out nine assists in a 99-97 victory over Cleveland on Friday night.

“The bigger deal is that we won the game,” Lowry told reporters. “That’s all that matters. I think we grew (Friday), but we’ve got the team to get better. Now we’ve (got to) put our efforts into Detroit and worry about Detroit.” The Raptors trail Cleveland by two games for the top seed in the Eastern Conference while the Pistons are just out of playoff position after knocking off Milwaukee 102-91 on Saturday for their third consecutive victory. Reggie Jackson is averaging 24 points during the last four games and Andre Drummond leads the league with 50 double-doubles, including 13 in a row. The Pistons attempt to salvage the finale of a three-game season series.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One (Toronto), FSN Detroit

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (39-18): Lowry became the first Toronto player to score at least 40 points twice during a season since Chris Bosh in 20019-10 and it was needed badly Friday with his backcourt partner under the weather. DeMar DeRozan, who leads the team at 23.2 points per contest, was held to six on 1-of-11 shooting against Cleveland while suffering flu-like symptoms after scoring 31 in the previous game. Swingman Terrence Ross stepped up with 15 points Friday and is averaging 12 during his past three outings.

ABOUT THE PISTONS (30-29): Marcus Morris scored 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting to go along with eight rebounds Saturday for his best performance in more than a month while Jackson scored 22 to lead the way. Drummond has grabbed at least 15 rebounds in three straight contests (17 on Saturday) and five times in 12 games this month. Forward Tobias Harris has made a major impact since being acquired from Orlando at the trade deadline, averaging 17.6 points and shooting 50.7 percent from the field in five games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Lowry has made 579 shots from 3-point range, tied with Andrea Bargnani for second on the team’s all-time list, behind only Morris Peterson (801).

2. Detroit G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is averaging 14 points during the last four games and missed the last meeting against Toronto because of injury.

3. Toronto C Bismack Biyombo is averaging nine points, on 12-of-16 shooting from the field, and eight rebounds during the last three contests.

PREDICTION: Raptors 99, Pistons 95

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Portland At Indiana

When: 6:00 PM ET, Sunday, February 28, 2016
Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana

The Portland Trail Blazers lit up the Indians Pacers from the outside in their first meeting this season and look to pile up the points again when the teams square off Sunday in Indianapolis. The Trail Blazers hit 18 3-pointers – a record for a Pacers’ opponent – in 36 attempts en route to a 123-111 victory at home Dec. 3.

Portland went 7-12 after that win to fall seven games below .500, but has won 12 of its last 14 after opening a six-game road trip with a 103-95 victory over Chicago on Saturday. Damian Lillard, who had five triples in that previous encounter with the Pacers, scored 31 points as the Blazers won their fourth in a row on the road. Indiana is 1-1 on a three-game homestand after suffering a 96-95 loss to Charlotte, which got a basket from Kemba Walker with 2.4 seconds left to nullify the Pacers’ comeback. Indiana would love to pick up a victory before it plays six of seven on the road, with the home game against powerhouse San Antonio.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, CSN Northwest (Portland), FSN Indiana

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (31-28): Portland’s win in Chicago was even more impressive given the dismal shooting effort of C.J. McCollum, who was 1-of-12 from the floor and missed all five of his 3-point tries while scoring a season-low six points. Allen Crabbe picked up some of the slack with 11 points off the bench and will be watched closely by the Pacers after hitting 4-of-5 3-pointers in the win over Indiana earlier this season. The Blazers got past the Bulls on the strength of a 22-10 disparity in made free throws, and Lillard has hit 29 in a row over his last three games.

ABOUT THE PACERS (31-27): Rodney Stuckey returned after more than a month off Friday to contribute four points, five rebounds and a steal in 12 minutes and will have his minutes capped at 15 on Sunday. While he works his way back into the rotation, forward C.J. Miles is nearing a return from a calf strain, although he is expected to miss his fourth straight game Sunday. Their ailments have helped to open a door for 19-year-old rookie Myles Turner, who has scored in double digits in nine straight games while shooting 50 percent or better in eight of them.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Lillard has scored 30-plus points in six of his last seven contests.

2. Pacers SF Paul George has made at least 10 field goals in three straight games, tied for the longest such run of his career.

3. Portland is 5-1 in its last six games against Indiana.

PREDICTION: Pacers 105, Trail Blazers 103

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Philadelphia At Orlando

When: 6:00 PM ET, Sunday, February 28, 2016
Where: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida

Every time the Orlando Magic take a step forward, they tend to take two steps back. The Magic will try to avoid a big third step back and put some positive momentum together when they host the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.

Orlando earned a 124-115 win at the 76ers on Tuesday but followed it up with a pair of losses, including a 108-95 setback to the struggling New York Knicks on Friday. “It was kind of a go-through-the-motions type of game and we didn’t have much life,” Magic coach Scott Skiles told reporters. “In many ways we were worse (defensively than in a 130-114 home loss to Golden State on Thursday). We were just completely fatigued. That’s what we looked like right from the beginning of the game.” Philadelphia’s latest losing streak hit seven with a 103-94 loss to the Washington Wizards on Friday. The NBA-worst 76ers held a halftime lead over the Wizards before faltering.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, FSN Florida (Orlando)

ABOUT THE 76ERS (8-50): Philadelphia is all about development, and the frontcourt of Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel continues to show promise. Coach Brett Brown is juggling the positioning of his two young big man, with both preferring to play the center spot. Okafor served as the nominal center on Friday and finished with 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting while Noel added nine points and eight rebounds.

ABOUT THE MAGIC (25-32): Even dunk contest star Aaron Gordon looked like he was suffering from tired legs on Friday but still managed 17 points and eight rebounds. “We’ve got to continue to play regardless of whether or not we feel the momentum is swinging,” Gordon told reporters. “Obviously, basketball is a game of runs, but regardless of what runs they go on, we need to continue to go on and continue to fight. I don’t think we did that (Friday).” Gordon bridged the All-Star break with a string of six straight double-digit rebounding efforts but was held to eight boards in each of the last two contests.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Magic F Ersan Ilyasova averaged 10.3 points in his first four games after being acquired from the Detroit Pistons but was held scoreless on Friday.

2. 76ers SF Robert Covington has made multiple 3-pointers in each of the last six games.

3. The road team has taken each of the last three in the series, with Philadelphia earning a 96-87 victory in Orlando on Jan. 20.

PREDICTION: Magic 112, 76ers 105

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Minnesota At Dallas

When: 7:00 PM ET, Sunday, February 28, 2016
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas

The Dallas Mavericks continue a home-heavy portion of the schedule when they welcome the Minnesota Timberwolves to town on Sunday night. The Mavericks rallied from 23 points down to top Denver in overtime 122-116 on Friday to improve to 2-1 on their current six-game homestand.

Including the homestand, Dallas plays nine out of 10 games at American Airlines Center before it finishes the season with 10 of 16 contests on the road, making this stretch a critical one for a team clinging to a playoff spot in the Western Conference. “Every game going forward is gonna be the biggest game of the year,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle told reporters of his squad, which entered Saturday in sixth place in the West but just two games up on the ninth-place team. The Timberwolves got a pair of free throws from Andrew Wiggins with three seconds left to grab a 112-110 win at New Orleans on Saturday. It was the fifth win in nine games for Minnesota, a relatively solid stretch for a team that is two losses away from clinching its 11th straight losing season.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBA TV, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN Southwest (Dallas)

ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (19-40): Karl-Anthony Towns registered 30 points and 15 rebounds in Saturday’s win while Zach LaVine finished with 25 points on 11-of-17 shooting. LaVine has been mixed into the starting lineup a bit more and continues to respond to that role, as he is now averaging 19.7 points while shooting 48 percent from 3-point distance in 10 starts. Wiggins has topped the 20-point mark in five of his last six games and has hit exactly 10 free throws in three of those affairs.

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (31-28): Dallas was on its way to its seventh loss in nine games before it stormed back to overtake the Nuggets, and Carlisle’s decision to go with a small lineup – a setup he may employ going forward – was the catalyst. Raymond Felton essentially replaced center Zaza Pachulia and shined down the stretch, finishing with 16 points, six assists and a plus-30 rating. “Game to game, there’s obviously going to be some teams that it’s tough to match up against, but it’s something that we can definitely look to and we’ve had some success doing it,” forward Chandler Parsons – who spent much of the second half and overtime playing power forward and finished with 27 points – told the media of the small lineup.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Mavericks PF Dirk Nowitzki scored 29 points and grabbed seven rebounds in a victory over the Timberwolves on Jan. 10.

2. Towns owns 12 double-doubles in the span of 14 games.

3. Dallas has won five straight meetings overall and three in a row at home.

PREDICTION: Mavericks 113, Timberwolves 105

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Miami At New York

When: 7:30 PM ET, Sunday, February 28, 2016
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York

Joe Johnson can’t get into uniform fast enough for the depleted Miami Heat, who had 10 available players during a loss in Boston on Saturday and announced after the contest that they had signed the veteran guard. It is unclear if Johnson will be in uniform for his new team Sunday when the Heat visit the New York Knicks.

Miami is dealing with another health scare for star Chris Bosh, who has not played since the All-Star break, and is without guards Beno Udrih (foot) and Josh Richardson (shoulder). The Heat did not have enough weapons to stay with the Celtics down the stretch Saturday and managed only 19 fourth-quarter points in a 101-89 setback. The Knicks are coming off their third win in the last 16 games – a 108-95 triumph over Orlando on Friday – but had their top three scorers miss practice Saturday because of various lingering injuries. “A little banged up,” New York interim coach Kurt Rambis told reporters. “(Carmelo Anthony), Arron (Afflalo) and (Kristaps Porzingis) had some little things and got dismissed from practice just to deal with. We’ll see if it becomes problematic (Sunday).”

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Sun (Miami), MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE HEAT (32-26): Several teams were said to be in the mix to bring in Johnson after he was waived by the Brooklyn Nets this week, but he chose to join Miami after clearing waivers Saturday. “To put somebody on the floor that can shoot the ball, can score in different areas of the floor and make plays, just adds to what we’re trying to do,” Heat star Dwyane Wade told reporters Sunday. “Joe is a friend of mine. I tried to do my best to paint the picture that this is a good place to be, and the decision from there is his. Make sure he sees my name in his inbox a lot.” Johnson is averaging 11.8 points on 40.6 percent shooting — his lowest marks since the 2002-03 season.

ABOUT THE KNICKS (25-35): Anthony repeatedly reiterated his commitment to New York while hearing his name pop up in trade rumors prior to the deadline, and delivered 19 points, 11 rebounds and six assists Friday. The veteran star is leading the Knicks in points (21.4), rebounds (8.0) and assists (4.2), but New York does not look like a team that will compete for a postseason spot this spring. “Losing’s got to be hard. I’m sure that’s frustrating for (Anthony),” Rambis told reporters. “All players want to win a championship. All players want to get in the playoffs. That’s when it’s really fun. The regular season is a grind. Losing and not getting in the playoffs is frustrating for us all but probably more so for him.”

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Heat PG Goran Dragic is averaging 19.8 points in five games since the All-Star break.

2. Knicks PG Jose Calderon is averaging 17 points on 12-of-18 shooting in the last two games.

3. Miami took two of the first three meetings this season, including a 97-78 triumph in New York on Nov. 27.

PREDICTION: Heat 102, Knicks 96

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Washington at Chicago

When: 12:30 PM ET, Sunday, February 28, 2016
Where: United Center, Chicago, Illinois

Chicago has been busy prior to Monday’s trade deadline and it’s only fitting that the visiting Washington Capitals get the first crack at the new-look Blackhawks on Sunday in a nationally-televised game and potential Stanley Cup Finals preview. Chicago’s biggest move was reacquiring Andrew Ladd from Winnipeg on Thursday and the 30-year-old left wing, who scored 17 goals for the Blackhawks when they won the Cup in 2009-2010, should be pumped in his return to the Windy City.

“Regardless of who I play with, going to a team that has a chance at winning the Stanley Cup is an exciting prospect for anyone,” Ladd, who scored 37 goals in two-plus seasons with Chicago, told reporters. The Blackhawks are one point behind first-place Dallas in the Central Division, while Washington boasts a 16-point lead on the New York Rangers in the Metropolitan. The Capitals have trailed in seven straight games, but are 5-2-0 during that stretch after Friday’s 3-2 victory over Minnesota. “It’s human nature, when you know you’re in a good spot and you don’t need to push it,” Washington’s Alex Ovechkin told reporters Friday after scoring his league-best 40th goal. “But as soon as they score one goal or two goals, it’s `OK, we have to wake up and play our game.'”

TV: 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC

ABOUT THE CAPITALS (45-11-4): Defenseman John Carlson missed Friday’s game with a lingering lower-body injury that forced him out for 12 contests prior to the All-Star break. Fellow blue-liner Mike Weber, who was acquired from Buffalo on Tuesday, is expected to join the team in Chicago after becoming a father for the second time and could replace Carlson in the lineup. Evgeny Kuznetsov boasts team highs of 45 assists and 63 points after recording an assist Friday and has three goals and 14 points in 13 February games after piling up four goals and 16 points in 10 January contests.

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (38-20-5): Chicago also added offensive depth by acquiring Dale Weise and Tomas Fleischmann from Montreal and swapped veteran defensemen with Los Angeles by sending Rob Scuderi, 37, to the Kings in exchange for Christian Ehrhoff, 33, on Friday. The Blackhawks are also believed to be seeking another defenseman to bolster a corps led by stars Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. Captain Jonathan Toews, who is third on the team with 21 goals, hasn’t scored in eight games but collected six assists during that span while Patrick Kane leads the NHL with 84 points and is second in goals (35).

OVERTIME

1. Through Friday’s games, Washington (23.3 percent) and Chicago (22.5) had the top two power plays in the league with the Capitals fourth in penalty killing and one of six teams in the NHL who are in the top 10 in both special-team units (Anaheim, Boston, Buffalo, New Jersey and St. Louis).

2. The Blackhawks have allowed eight power-play goals in 19 chances over their last seven games.

3. Washington has won four straight meetings, including 4-1 on Oct. 15 in the first contest of the two-game season series.

PREDICTION: Blackhawks 3, Capitals 2

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: St. Louis at Carolina

When: 3:00 PM ET, Sunday, February 28, 2016
Where: PNC Arena, Raleigh, North Carolina

The Carolina Hurricanes look to get their offense back in gear after two straight losses, but it won’t be easy when they host the normally stingy St. Louis Blues on Sunday afternoon. The Hurricanes crept close to the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference before suffering a damaging 3-1 defeat at Toronto on Thursday and dropping a 4-1 decision to Boston a day later.

Carolina is four points behind Pittsburgh for the final playoff position in the East and plays just two of its next nine contests at home. The Hurricanes will face an angry St. Louis team which has dropped three straight games in regulation for the first time this season after Saturday’s 5-0 loss at Nashville. The Blues are among the league leaders in scoring defense (2.39) despite giving up 17 goals over their last four contests. Help is coming as defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is expected to return to the lineup Sunday after missing three weeks with a knee injury.

TV: 3 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), FSN Carolinas

ABOUT THE BLUES (35-20-9): Jake Allen has struggled in three games (.870 save percentage) since returning from a knee injury and, with Brian Elliott (lower body) out, St. Louis acquired Anders Nilsson from Edmonton on Saturday for more depth in net. Nilsson (10-12-2, 3.14 goals-against average, .901 save percentage) was obtained for fellow goaltender Niklas Lundstrom and a fifth-round draft pick. Jori Lehtera missed Saturday’s game after being hit in the face with a puck Thursday and is questionable to play against Carolina.

ABOUT THE HURRICANES (28-25-10): Carolina captain Eric Staal, an unrestricted free agent after the season, could be playing his last game in a Hurricanes uniform with the trade deadline looming on Monday. Staal has struggled this season with just 33 points but has notched two in his last three games. Carolina likely will be without defenseman Justin Faulk (leg), who has missed eight of the last nine contests, as well as Jay McClement (upper body) and Andrej Nestrasil (lower body).

OVERTIME

1. Carolina C Jordan Staal leads the team with 39 points but has been kept off the scoresheet in two straight games and was a minus-4 against Boston.

2. St. Louis RW Vladimir Tarasenko (team-best 29 goals and 54 points) did not register a point in either of the last two games but totaled five over the previous two.

3. The Hurricanes have earned at least one point in four straight meetings with the Blues (2-0-2), including a 4-1 triumph on Jan. 14 in St. Louis.

PREDICTION: Blues 3, Hurricanes 1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Florida at Minnesota

When: 3:00 PM ET, Sunday, February 28, 2016
Where: Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul, Minnesota

The Minnesota Wild looked as though they were surging toward a playoff position in the Western Conference a week ago after winning four in a row. The Wild have dropped three straight games since – the last two by a goal – but will try to change the trend Sunday afternoon, when they host the Atlantic Division-leading Florida Panthers, who acquired three veteran players on Saturday.

Minnesota is four points behind Colorado for the second wild-card spot in the West with Monday’s trade deadline fast approaching. The Wild could get a boost if Zach Parise (upper body) can return against the Panthers, who added Teddy Purcell, Jiri Hudler and defenseman Jakub Kindl in three separate deals. The trio likely won’t be available until at least Tuesday in Winnipeg, but Florida general manager Dale Tallon added experience and power-play help for the stretch drive. The Panthers have earned points in five consecutive contests (3-0-2) after a 4-3 shootout loss at Columbus on Saturday that began a five-game road trip.

TV: 3 p.m. ET, FSN Florida, FSN Wisconsin, FSN North (Minnesota)

ABOUT THE PANTHERS (35-18-8): Purcell and Hudler will help a power play that has scored in three straight games but is 3-for-31 over the last nine games. Aleksander Barkov has scored three goals in two contests since returning to the lineup while linemate Jonathan Huberdeau (concussion) has missed the last two games and is out indefinitely. Jaromir Jagr has recorded five points in four games to push his season total to a team-high 45 and career amount to 1,847, leaving him three shy of Gordie Howe for third place on the all-time list.

ABOUT THE WILD (27-25-10): The biggest problem for Minnesota over the last three games has been its penalty-killing unit, which has allowed four goals in five opportunities and ranked 27th in the league through Friday (77.1 percent). “We’ve got to do a better job and we’ve got to get that save when we need it there,” interim coach John Torchetti told reporters after Friday’s 3-2 loss to Washington. Parise, who has recorded 36 points – seven fewer than captain Mikko Koivu for the team lead – practiced Saturday and is expected to play against Florida.

OVERTIME

1. Minnesota LW Thomas Vanek is warming up with three goals and a pair of assists in his last five games.

2. Florida G Al Montoya beat the Wild 2-1 on Jan. 3 with 39 saves and could get another start against them as Roberto Luongo played Saturday.

3. The Wild placed LW Chris Porter on waivers and assigned C Jordan Schroeder to Iowa of the American Hockey League on Saturday.

PREDICTION: Wild 4, Panthers 2

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Tampa Bay at Boston

When: 6:30 PM ET, Sunday, February 28, 2016
Where: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts

Captain Steven Stamkos has put together his longest goal-scoring run of the season and the Tampa Bay Lightning are following his lead in the win column. Stamkos and the Lightning look to extend their streaks to six games when they visit the Boston Bruins on Sunday in a battle that will snap a tie for second place in the Atlantic Division.

Stamkos leads the team with 27 goals after scoring Friday in Tampa Bay’s 4-0 victory at New Jersey and has prospered since being moved back to center. “I’m confident right now,” Stamkos told reporters. “When you feel good with the puck, your legs are moving. You’re willing to make some plays that when things aren’t going well you may not try.” The Bruins have allowed two goals total in winning their last two outings and begin a stretch of four in a row at home where they have struggled all season (13-15-3). Brad Marchand has posted four goals in four games and 17 in the past 19 contests for Boston, which lost at home and won on the road against the Lightning this season – both in October.

TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (35-22-4): Stamkos’ surge began when he was reunited with linemates Alex Killorn and Ryan Callahan, who have also each increased their production. Killorn has two goals and four assists in the last six contests and Callahan boasts three goals and five assists in the same span after suffering through a long scoring slump. Defenseman Victor Hedman, who is third on the team with 36 points and owns a plus-12 rating, left the New Jersey game with an undisclosed injury, but is expected to play Sunday.

ABOUT THE BRUINS (34-22-6): Forward Matt Beleskey has found his scoring touch of late while recording five goals in the last four games – two in the 4-1 victory at Carolina on Friday – with a plus-5 rating. While Marchand tops the team with a career-best 32 goals, Pierre Bergeron leads the Bruins with 53 points after registering a tally and four assists in the past four contests. Pending free-agent forward Loui Eriksson, who is tied with David Krejci for second on the team with 48 points, could be dealt before the Monday deadline.

OVERTIME

1. Boston RW Brett Connolly has eight goals in 64 games since being acquired from Tampa Bay at the trade deadline last season.

2. Lightning D Matt Carle has three points with a plus-10 rating in the last five games after being kept off the scoresheet his first 40 contests and posting a minus-12.

3. Tampa Bay is just 2-for-36 on the power play the last 10 contests and the Bruins converted only four of 45 chances over the past 14.

PREDICTION: Lightning 4, Bruins 3

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: San Jose at Vancouver

When: 7:00 PM ET, Sunday, February 28, 2016
Where: Rogers Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia

The Vancouver Canucks host the San Jose Sharks on Sunday in the first contest of their five-game series as a scheduling quirk has them playing the entire set in 33 days, including three in the next seven. Vancouver trails third-place San Jose by 10 points in the Pacific Division, but the Canucks’ best playoff hope – however bleak – comes in the wild-card race, where it trails Colorado by eight points with four games in hand on the Avalanche.

“With San Jose, we just have to make sure we’re focused on one game,” Vancouver coach Willie Desjardins told reporters. “If we get (this) one we can worry about the next.” The Canucks, who have lost seven straight to the Sharks at home, could be sellers as Monday’s trade deadline approaches as defenseman Dan Hamhuis and forward Radim Vrbata appear to be hot commodities. San Jose went shopping Saturday as they acquired goaltender James Reimer and minor-league forward Jeremy Morin from Toronto for goalie Alex Stalock, forward Ben Smith and a conditional fourth-round selection in the 2018 draft. The Sharks, who are 1-2-1 in their last four games with the regulation losses to a pair of teams out of playoff position, are eight points behind first-place Los Angeles in the Pacific and four points back of red-hot Anaheim as those three fight it out for home ice in at least the first two rounds of the playoffs.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN California (San Jose), Sportsnet (Vancouver)

ABOUT THE SHARKS (32-22-6): Joe Pavelski (team-high 26 goals) and Joe Thornton (club-most 42 assists) share the team lead in points (56) and in plus-minus at plus-19. Brent Burns scored twice in his last four games and leads NHL defenseman with 20 goals, and has 51 points this season while pulling within one of 400 in his career. The acquisition of the veteran Reimer gives San Jose the opportunity to spell Martin Jones (29-17-4, .916 save percentage in 51 games), who appeared in a combined 34 contests over his first two seasons while backing up Jonathan Quick in Los Angeles.

ABOUT THE CANUCKS (24-24-12): Hamhuis is attractive to a Stanley Cup contender in need of a steady veteran defenseman, who can log plenty of minutes but becomes an unrestricted free agent at season’s end. Vrbata (12 goals), also a soon-to-be UFA who is an NHL-worst minus-32, missed Thursday’s 5-3 victory over Ottawa after leaving last Sunday’s game with a leg injury and isn’t expected to play against the Sharks despite returning to the ice Friday. Defenseman Matt Bartkowski and forward Emerson Etem scored two goals apiece Thursday, giving them five and three, respectively, on the season.

OVERTIME

1. The Sharks lost to Buffalo 3-1 on Friday in a game with no penalties – the first such contest in San Jose club history.

2. Entering Saturday, San Jose had the No. 3 power play in the NHL at 22.5 percent after going 3-for-18 in its last seven games.

3. The Canucks host the Sharks on Thursday — after each plays one home game — and the clubs meet again in San Jose on Saturday.

PREDICTION: Sharks 3, Canucks 2

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Los Angeles at Anaheim

When: 9:00 PM ET, Sunday, February 28, 2016
Where: Honda Center, Anaheim, California

Hockey in Southern California has been heating up of late, and the race for the Pacific Division title could get even hotter when the second-place Anaheim Ducks host the division-leading Los Angeles Kings on Sunday. Los Angeles raced out to a large lead in the Pacific before sliding back to the pack recently, but the club appears to have found its form despite struggling offensively as it enters the showdown with Anaheim with a four-game winning streak.

The Kings have scored only two goals in each victory — and fewer than three in seven straight contests — but have allowed a total of three tallies during the run after Jhonas Enroth blanked his former Buffalo team Saturday for his seventh career shutout. Anaheim is the only team in the Western Conference that has been playing better than Los Angeles, winning a season-high seven consecutive contests and earning points in nine straight (8-0-1) to pull within four of its regional rival. Captain Ryan Getzlaf has been a major contributor during the Ducks’ surge, as he is riding a 10-game point streak that includes six two-point performances. Anaheim is 16-2-1 since Jan. 13, with one of the regulation losses — as well as one of the victories — coming against Los Angeles.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBCSN

ABOUT THE KINGS (37-20-4): Rob Scuderi began his second career stint with Los Angeles on Saturday and notched an assist for his fifth point in 43 games with three teams this season. The 37-year-old defenseman, who was acquired from Chicago on Friday, also played for the Kings from 2009-13 — winning the Stanley Cup in 2012. Tanner Pearson’s two-goal performance versus Buffalo was the third of his career and first since Oct. 26, 2014, against Columbus.

ABOUT THE DUCKS (33-19-8): Getzlaf has been kept off the scoresheet in only two of his last 21 games, collecting 27 of his team-leading 50 points in that span. His power-play goal in Friday’s overtime win against Edmonton gave Anaheim a man-advantage tally in seven consecutive games — its longest such streak since a seven-game run from March 25-April 5, 2009. Frederik Andersen has not lost in regulation since Dec. 21, going 11-0-1 with a 1.88 goals-against average and .931 save percentage since falling to the New York Islanders.

OVERTIME

1. The Ducks are 3-0-0 on their five-game homestand and have won six straight at Honda Center since falling to the Kings 3-2 on Jan. 17.

2. Los Angeles C Tyler Toffoli leads the team with 24 goals but has scored just one in his last 10 games.

3. Anaheim C Rickard Rakell has recorded six points in his last six contests, including his team-leading fifth game-winning goal Friday.

PREDICTION: Ducks 3, Kings 2

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: NY Islanders at Edmonton

When: 9:30 PM ET, Sunday, February 28, 2016
Where: Rexall Place, Edmonton, Alberta

The New York Islanders attempt to remain perfect on their season-high road trip and secure in their position in the Metropolitan Division when they visit the cellar-dwelling Edmonton Oilers on Sunday. New York is 3-0-0 on its seven-game trek, allowing a total of two goals, and sits in third place in the Metropolitan – three points ahead of Pittsburgh and five behind the second-place New York Rangers.

Captain John Tavares has been on an offensive tear, registering eight of his team-leading 23 goals and 13 assists over his last 17 contests while being kept off the scoresheet only three times in that span. Edmonton will be glad to put an end to a horrific February as it is in the midst of seven-game slide (0-5-2) and has dropped 10 of its last 11 this month (1-8-2). Jordan Eberle reached a milestone Friday, netting the Oilers’ lone tally in a 2-1 overtime loss at Anaheim to hit the 20-goal plateau for the third straight season and fourth time in his six NHL campaigns. The Islanders look to sweep the two-game season series after routing the Oilers 8-1 at home on Feb. 7.

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, MSG Plus (New York), Sportsnet 1 (Edmonton)

ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (33-19-7): Kyle Okposo is hoping a meeting with Edmonton will help him regain his scoring touch. The 27-year-old, who trails Tavares (50) by four points for the club lead, has gone eight games without a goal since registering his second career hat trick in the triumph over the Oilers earlier this month. Anders Lee and Mikhail Grabovski both need one goal to give the Islanders eight players in double digits.

ABOUT THE OILERS (22-34-7): Three days after shipping the rights to defenseman Philip Larsen to Vancouver, Edmonton continued its housecleaning prior to the trade deadline on Saturday, beginning early in the morning by dealing Anders Nilsson to St. Louis for fellow Swedish goaltender Niklas Lundstrom. Later in the day, Teddy Purcell – who ranked fifth on the team with 32 points – was sent to Florida and defenseman Justin Schultz to Pittsburgh, both for third-round picks in this year’s draft. “With expiring contracts, if you’re not going to move forward with them, you have to move them along,” general manager Peter Chiarelli told reporters.

OVERTIME

1. The Oilers recalled G Laurent Brossoit, who allowed one goal in a shootout loss to Winnipeg on Feb. 13, from Bakersfield of the American Hockey League.

2. Islanders C Frans Nielsen is two tallies away from the second 20-goal season of his career.

3. Edmonton rookie C Connor McDavid has been kept off the scoresheet in his last two games after collecting 16 points over his first 11 contests after returning from a fractured clavicle.

PREDICTION: Islanders 4, Oilers 2