Cnotes53 2017 NHL Best Bets-News-Trends-Thru The Stanley Cup ! !

[Cnotes53]

SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY JANUARY 24, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home Site
8:00 PM Toronto Maple Leafs Chicago Blackhawks United Center
10:00 PM Los Angeles Kings Calgary Flames Scotiabank Saddledome


******************************

Wednesday?s 6-pack

Patriots? Super Bowls in Brady/Belichick era (underdogs 5-2 vs spread):

2001: W20-17 vs Rams +14

2003: W32-29 vs Carolina -7

2004: W24-21 vs Philadelphia -7

2007: L14-17 vs NJ Giants -12

2011: L17-21 vs NJ Giants -3

2014: W28-24 vs Seattle -1

2016: W34-28 vs Atlanta OT -3

Quote of the Day

?There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow, so today is the right day to??.live?
Dalai Lama

Wednesday?s quiz

Since the last time they were in the Super Bowl, how many QB?s have started a game for the Eagles?

Tuesday?s quiz

Before DeMarcus Cousins did it Monday night, David Lee was last NBA player with 30 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists in a game.

Monday?s quiz

Emmitt Smith and Thurman Thomas share the record for most postseason touchdowns in the NFL, with 21.


Wednesday?s List of 13: some college knowledge??

Some college basketball notes for a winter Wednesday (thru Monday?s games)

13) Most experienced teams in country:

1) Tex-Arlington (13-8)
3) Idaho (13-6)
4) Tennessee Tech (13-8)
5) Missouri State (15-6)

12) Teams with best defensive eFG%:

1) Michigan State
2) Virginia
4) Cincinnati
5) Purdue
6) San Diego

11) Teams that force the highest %age of turnovers:

1) Stephen F Austin 28.5%
2) West Virginia 26.1%
3) St John?s 24.5%
5) Portland State 24.1%

10) San Diego State is only 11-7 in Brian Dutcher?s first year as coach; they?re 3-4 in Mountain West games, after going 152-56 the previous 12 years under Steve Fisher. How is it different?

? Aztecs are playing faster; pace #116- they were under 300th the last four years
? Teams are shooting 40.1% on arc vs San Diego State; their defensive rating is lowest it has been since 2006. Their offensive numbers are actually slightly better than usual this year.
? Aztecs lost last three games, by 3-4-4 points; their point guard play could be better.

9) Best 3-point shooting teams in country:

1) Purdue 43.7%
2) Wofford 42.6%
3) Wm&Mary 42.5%
4) Idaho 42.5%

8) Teams that get highest %age of their points on 3-pointers:

1) Washington State 47.5%
2) Belmont 45.4%
3) Elon 43.4%
4) Davidson 42.7%

7) Best free throws shooting teams:

1) Wm&Mary 80.8%
2) Central Michigan 80.2%
5) Marquette 79.3%
6) Oregon 79%

6) Teams that get highest %age of their points on free throws:

1) Cal-Fullerton 26.7%
2) Northern Arizona 25.4%
T3) South Carolina/Wyoming 24.6%

5) The Big X is totally loaded; Baylor/Iowa State are the lowest teams and they?re good. Kansas is 6-1 in Big X, with zero wins by more than six points.

4) Only five of the first 37 Big East conference games were decided by 4 or less points.

3) Home teams are only 20-19 SU in Mountain West games so far this season.

2) Top teams vs spread this season:

1) South Alabama 13-3
2) Belmont 14-5
3) Montana 13-4
4) East Tennessee State 12-3-1

1? Worst 3-point shooters in country:

351) Sacred Heart 27.2%
349) East Carolina 27.5%
346) Fordham 28.2%
344) Memphis 29.1%

 

[Cnotes53]

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, January 24

Chicago won five of last six games with Toronto; last three went OT/SO. Maple Leafs lost their last five games in the Windy City. Three of last four series games went over total. Toronto lost five of its last six games overall, three of last four on road. Under is 6-2-1 in last nine series games. Blackhawks lost last three games, outscored 13-3; they?re they?ve lost five of last seven home games. Under is 4-1 in their last five games.

Calgary won five of last six games with Los Angeles; over is 3-0-2 in last five series games. Kings are 2-3 in last five visits to the Saddledome. LA lost seven of its last eight games; they lost last three road games. Over is 5-3 in their last eight games. Flames lost last two games after winning previous seven; they lost last two games by 2-1 scores, in OT/SO. Five of their last seven games stayed under total.




NHL

Wednesday, January 24

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
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TORONTO @ CHICAGO
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Toronto's last 14 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Chicago is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto
Chicago is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Toronto

LOS ANGELES @ CALGARY
Los Angeles is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Calgary
Los Angeles is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games on the road
Calgary is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Los Angeles
Calgary is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games


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

NHL
Dunkel

Wednesday, January 24


Toronto @ Chicago

Game 1-2
January 24, 2018 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
12.224
Chicago
10.337
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago
-115
6
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(-105); Over

Los Angeles @ Calgary

Game 1-2
January 24, 2018 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Los Angeles
12.335
Calgary
10.889
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Los Angeles
by 1 1/2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Los Angeles
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Los Angeles
N/A




NHL
Long Sheet

Wednesday, January 24

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

TORONTO (26-18-0-5, 57 pts.) at CHICAGO (22-19-0-6, 50 pts.) - 1/24/2018, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 370-394 ATS (-116.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
TORONTO is 175-204 ATS (-68.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season since 1996.
CHICAGO is 6-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
CHICAGO is 6-15 ATS (-12.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 4-1 (+3.1 Units) against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 4-1-0 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.6 Units)

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

LOS ANGELES (25-18-0-5, 55 pts.) at CALGARY (25-16-0-6, 56 pts.) - 1/24/2018, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 6-5-0 straight up against CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.4 Units)

 

[Cnotes53]

Nylander's penalty shot in OT lifts Leafs over Blackhawks
January 24, 2018

CHICAGO (AP) The Toronto Maple Leafs found themselves in yet another tight game. William Nylander found a way to make sure they got two points this time.

Nylander scored on a penalty shot 6 seconds into overtime to lift the Maple Leafs to a 3-2 win over the sagging Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night.

Nylander was awarded the attempt after he broke in alone on Jeff Glass from the opening faceoff in the extra period, but was hooked from behind by Chicago's Duncan Keith. Nylander scored the game-winner and his 10th goal by faking Glass and then burying a high backhander to send the Blackhawks to their fourth straight defeat.

''I thought I needed to throw a little harder fake on him so he'd bite,'' Nylander said. ''I went to the backhand on the two previous breakaways. Third time's the lucky charm.''

Nylander was stopped by Glass with 4:02 left in the third period when he pounced on Jordan Oesterle's turnover and cut in alone.

''I've had breakaways in the previous games and hadn't scored,'' Nylander said. ''So it's nice to score on one.''

Eight of Toronto's last nine games have been decided by one goal, including three overtime losses and one in regulation. In the Maple Leafs' 4-2 loss to Colorado on Monday, the Avalanche's Gabriel Landeskog finished the scoring with a late empty-netter.

''That's the way it is every night,'' said Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock, whose team won for second time in seven games. ''I still think we can play way better.''

Toronto's Nazem Kadri connected for his 15th goal, a power-play score that snapped a seven-game scoring drought and was just his second goal in 20 games. Mitch Marner also scored for the Maple Leafs.

Brent Seabrook and Nick Schmaltz scored power-play goals for Chicago, which snapped an 0-for-16 drought with the man advantage. Schmaltz's goal, at 7:55 of the third period, tied it at 2.

Seabrook's first-period score was the Blackhawks' first power-play goal at home since Dec. 8 against Buffalo, ending a span of 33 failed chances over 10 games.

Chicago coach Joel Quenneville sounded almost more wistful than disappointed about how his team lost this one.

''We had one (a hooking from behind) that was called a two-minute minor,'' Quenneville said. ''I don't know what's more advantageous: a power-play with a 4-on-3 or a penalty shot.''

Toronto's Frederik Andersen made 34 saves, including some tough chances as Chicago battled for a second straight game following several soft efforts. Glass finished with 33 stops.

Seabrook's power-play goal opened the scoring 5:29 in. His shot from the top of the right circle deflected off the stick of Toronto's Leo Komarov and flipped past Andersen.

Marner was credited with tying it 1-all with 3:23 left in the first to cap a scramble in the Chicago zone. After Glass made a couple of tough saves, Jake Gardiner's shot from the top of the left circle struck Marner in traffic and deflected in.

Andersen came up with the sharper stops in the scoreless second. He made a glove save on Anthony Duclair from the slot at 1:33, then a pair of close-in rapid-fire saves on Patrick Sharp and Ryan Hartman midway through the period.

Kadri put Toronto ahead 2-1 with a power-play goal at 4:58 of the third. He connected from the right edge of the crease when he one-timed in a pinpoint, cross-ice feed from Tyler Bozak.

Schmaltz's goal 2:57 later tied it at 2 and withstood a video review. From a goalmouth scrum, Schmaltz fired in a loose puck from the right side of the crease and with Andersen down. The puck crossed the goal line just before Chicago's Artem Anisimov tumbled over the Toronto goalie.

NOTES: Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said Corey Crawford (upper-body) is making progress but can't predict when his No. 1 goalie will return. Crawford hasn't been on the ice since being pulled in the first period at New Jersey on Dec. 23, but has resumed working out with the team and may travel with the Blackhawks on a trip following the All-Star break. ''When we get him on the ice we'll learn more,'' Quenneville said. ''Playing might be a little distant.'' ... Maple Leafs D Morgan Rielly missed his third game with an upper-body injury and D Nikita Zaitsev missed his 16th with a lower-body injury. Reilly is expected back after the All-Star break. ... Maple Leafs RW Kasperi Kapanen, recalled from the Toronto Marlies of the AHL on Wednesday was in the lineup, but D Rinat Valiev, recalled from the Marlies on Tuesday, was not. ... Connor Carrick, a 23-year-old native of Orland Park, Illinois, started for the Maple Leafs and skated before a contingent of family and friends.

UP NEXT

Maple Leafs: At the Dallas Stars on Thursday night

Blackhawks: At the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night.

 

[Cnotes53]

In the Crease - Week 17
January 24, 2018

STREAKY TEAMS

Wins and Losses Streak Over/Under Streak

Boston 14-0-3-1 past 18 games overall Chicago Under 4-1 past five games
Colorado 9-1 past 10 games overall Detroit Under 10-3 past 13 games
New Jersey 2-6-1-2 past 11 games overall N.Y. Islanders Over 13-4-2 past 19 games

Avs...and the Habs Nots

The Colorado Avalanche saw their nine-game winning streak go up in smoke on Tuesday evening at Bell Centre in Montreal, as the Canadiens doubled them up by a 4-2 count. Still, it was an impressive run for a team which ranked near the bottom of the standings last season with a brutal goal differential. This season, they have proven to be a lot stronger of a team, excelling despite the fact they lost Semyon Varlamov to a lower-body injury a few weeks ago. Jonathan Bernier has stood tall in the crease to not only hold down the fort, but take this team to another level.

Ranger Danger

The New York Rangers have struggled on their west coast road swing, dropping games at Colorado, Los Angeles and Anaheim by a combined score of 13-6. Over the past eight outings they have posted just two victories while getting outscored by a 31-20 margin. The most consistent thing about the Blueshirts recently has been their lack of defense, with the 'over' cashing in six of their past seven outings. It doesn't figure to get any better before the All-Star break, as they wrap up the first half against the San Jose Sharks. After havng some issues scoring earlier in the season, the Sharks are averaging 4.0 goals per game over the past seven outings, which is exactly what the Rangers do not need to see at this juncture.

Looking Ahead

Wednesday, January 24

A pair of Original Six clubs in desperate need of a battery recharging meet on the west side of Chicago on Hump Day. The Maple Leafs stroll into town with losses in five of their past six games overall while going 0-4 in their past four against the Central Division. They're also a dismal 3-7 in their past 10 games on the road. Luckily for the Leafs, the 'Hawks haven't been much better. Chicago has dropped four of their past five overall, and they're 1-4 in their past five at home. The Blackhawks have won just eight of the past 29 games against teams with a winning overall mark. Chicago could come alive against Toronto, however, a team they have pushed around over the years. The Leafs are 3-13 in the past 16 meetings with the Blackhawks, while losing seven straight meetings in the Windy City. The home team has won eight of the past 10 in this series, with the 'under' hitting in 10 of the past 14 battles in Chicago.

The Kings were upended by the Canucks on Tuesday night, so now they look to rebound and extinguish the Flames. Los Angeles is playing their third game in four days, and they're 5-0 in the past five in the third game of a 3-in-4 situation. L.A. is just 3-7 in their past 10 on the road, however, while going 1-7 in their past eight overall and 0-6 in their past six inside the conference. The Flames have won four of their past five against winning teams, and seven of their past nine games overall. The Kings have won just once in the past six tries against the Flames. The 'over' is 3-0-2 in the past five in this series, while going 3-1-1 in the past five at the Saddledome.

Thursday, January 25

The Bruins and Senators close out the unofficial first half before the All-Star break with their third meeting of the season, each coming since Dec. 27. Ottawa hopes that this meeting goes a little differently than the first two battles, as Boston won 5-1 at home on the 27th of December, and 5-0 in Canada's capital city on Dec. 30. The Sens are not showing signs of turning it around, as they're 0-4 in their past four outings while getting outscored 14-5. On the flip side, the Bruins have won four in a row, outscoring the oppositon 16-6. Defense and goaltending has reigned supreme, with the 'under' 4-1 in their past five outings.

The Flames and Oilers renew acquaintances in the Battle of Alberta. Edmonton is licking its wounds after a 5-0 hammering from the Buffalo Sabres of all teams in their last game Tuesday night. The Oilers have been a huge disappointment this season, but they have been able to push their rivals aside. This is the third meeting over the season, with Edmonton winning on Opening Night at home by a 3-0 score over the Flames, and they won a 7-5 shootout in Calgary back on Dec. 2. Defense has ruled the day lately for the Oilers, or a lack of offense on their part. The 'under' is 7-3 over their past 10.

The Jets and Ducks heads into the All-Star break with a battle at Honda Center. This will be the second meeting of the season between these sides, and the Jets hope it goes a little something like the first battle in Anaheim back on Nov. 24. The Jets won 4-1 in that game, as Connor Hellebuyck bested John Gibson. However, the Ducks are a little healthier than they were in that battle two months ago. Anaheim has won three of of their past four, all at home, and they're 5-1 over their past six overall on home ice. The 'over' is also 4-1 in their past five games in Anaheim. The Jets are coming off an emotional 5-4 overtime win at San Jose on Tuesday, their third straight victory. The 'under' has hit in four of the past five for the Jets, and 7-3 over the past 10 outings.

 

[Cnotes53]

SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAY JANUARY 25, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home Site
7:00 PM Minnesota Wild Pittsburgh Penguins PPG Paints Arena
7:00 PM Nashville Predators New Jersey Devils Prudential Center
7:00 PM Tampa Bay Lightning Philadelphia Flyers Wells Fargo Center
7:30 PM Boston Bruins Ottawa Senators Canadian Tire Centre
7:30 PM Carolina Hurricanes Montreal Canadiens Bell Centre
7:30 PM Chicago Blackhawks Detroit Red Wings Little Caesars Arena
7:30 PM Washington Capitals Florida Panthers BB&T Center
8:00 PM Colorado Avalanche St. Louis Blues Scottrade Center
8:30 PM Toronto Maple Leafs Dallas Stars American Airlines Center
9:00 PM Calgary Flames Edmonton Oilers Rogers Place
9:00 PM Columbus Blue Jackets Arizona Coyotes Gila River Arena
10:00 PM Buffalo Sabres Vancouver Canucks Rogers Arena
10:00 PM New York Islanders Vegas Golden Knights T-Mobile Arena
10:00 PM Winnipeg Jets Anaheim Ducks Honda Center
10:30 PM New York Rangers San Jose Sharks SAP Center at San Jose

 

[Cnotes53]

Thursday?s 6-pack

11 quarterbacks who started games for the Eagles since their last Super Bowl:

63? Donovan McNabb

40? Michael Vick

29? Carson Wentz

27? Nick Foles

14? Sam Bradford

10? Mark Sanchez

7? Mike McMahon, Kevin Kolb

6? Jeff Garcia

3? Vince Young

2? AJ Feeley

Quote of the Day

?It?s not about being drafted high. It?s being drafted high to the right team. If I?m a better fit somewhere else, that?s where I belong.?
Wyoming QB Josh Allen, a top NFL draft prospect

Thursday?s quiz

What is the capital of Wyoming?

Wednesday?s quiz

Since the last time they were in the Super Bowl, 11 QB?s have started a game for the Eagles?

Tuesday?s quiz

Before DeMarcus Cousins did it Monday night, David Lee was last NBA player with 30 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists in a game.

*************************************

Thursday?s List of 13: Doing some thinking out loud??.

13) ESPN officially named Matt Vasgersian and Alex Rodriguez to join their Sunday Night Baseball crew; unusual that they went outside ESPN for their play-by-play guy, but they did. My initial reaction: think A-Rod will do a fine job. Vasgersian is very good, though Jon Sciambi is an ESPN guy who is just as good.

12) Golden State has played 48 games this year; they?re 38-10. Kevin Durant sat eight of those games out with injuries; he?s been thrown out of four other games, most in the NBA.

So he was thrown out of 10% of his team?s games, finished only 75% of their games. $25 million doesn?t buy as much as it used to.

Just seems like there are an awful lot of unhappy people in the NBA, and yet everybody makes a boatload of money. Its not a good look for the league.

11) Dick LeBeau has been in the NFL for 59 consecutive years, but now that Mike Vrabel is the new head coach in Tennessee, LeBeau is out of a job and he?s 80- kind of doubtful he?s going to get another job. End of an era, for sure.

Funny thing is, Titans hired Vrabel as their new head coach- he was Houston?s DC this past season and Tennessee had a better defense than Houston, but is LeBeau is the guy out of a job. Go figure.

10) Last three years, the NFC champ was a team that was at .500 or under the year before.

9) Think about how great a year Jacksonville Jaguars had; they were up 10 in 4th quarter in AFC title game? Jags were 22-74 the last six years before this one. Quite a leap they made.

8) Disappointing that Lou Williams didn?t make the NBA All-Star Game; he deserves it.

7) Irrelevant Stat of the Day: 12 of the last 13 Super Bowl winners wore white jerseys; Patriots chose to wear white next week- Brady is 3-0 in Super Bowls with white jerseys.

6) Oklahoma?s Trae Young has an irrational fear of birds, otherwise known as Ornithophobia.

5) With the Senior Bowl this week and NFL Network devoting most of the next three months to the 2018 NFL Draft, keep in mind that Antonio Brown was the 195th player taken in the 2010 Draft. Tom Brady was also a 6th round pick. Kurt Warner wasn?t drafted.

In other words, despite all the man-hours spent on this important part of the league, it is still an inexact science and it always will be, which is a big part of why it is so fascinating.

4) Alabama?s football program made a $45.9M profit last year; I feel sorry for the poor bastard who replaces Nick Saban when he leaves Tuscaloosa.

3) Villanova loses one of its starters, Phil Booth with a broken hand. Booth is shooting 43% on the arc this season. Wildcats? bench is #289 in minutes played; this is a big blow.

2) In the first minute the Super Bowl odds were up on the board, Golden Nugget took a $10K money line bet on the Eagles. Spread is 5 right now, though there are 4.5 and 5.5?s out there.

1? Richmond 77, Duquesne 73 OT? Third Dukes home game in a row that went to overtime.

 

[Cnotes53]

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, January 25

Minnesota won its last three games with Pittsburgh, but lost three of last four visits to the Steel City. Four of last six series games went over. Wild won four of their last five games; they?re 1-4 in last five road games. Five of their last six games stayed under total. Penguins won six of their last eight games overall- they won last four home games, scoring 18 goals. Pittsburgh?s last three games stayed under the total.

Nashville-New Jersey split their last ten games; road team won last four. Predators won three of last five games in the Garden State. Last three series games went over total. Nashville won five of last six games overall, but lost three of last four on road. Six of their last nine games went under the total. Devils lost last three games, outscored 9-3; they lost three of last four home games. Four of last five New Jersey games stayed under.

Flyers won four of their last six games with Tampa Bay; last three series games went over total. Tampa Bay lost three of last five games in this building. Lightning is 4-5 in its last nine games, but won three of last four on road. Over is 6-2 in their last eight games. Flyers won eight of last nine games, with three of last four wins in OT- they won last five home games. Philly?s last four games stayed under total.

Florida won four of last six games with Washington; road team won four of last five series tilts. Caps split their last four games in this building. Under is 5-4-1 in last ten series games. Capitals lost four of their last five games; they lost four of last six road games. Four of their last six games stayed under total. Panthers lost six of their last eight games overall; they won three of last four home games. Seven of last eight Florida games went over total.

Hurricanes won three of last four games with Montreal, but they lost four of last five games in this building. Under is 5-1-3 in last nine series games. Carolina lost six of last eight games overall, three of last five road games. Three of their last four games stayed under. Canadiens lost four of their last six games overall, three of last four at home. Three of their last four games went under the total.

Chicago-Detroit split their last ten games; home side won seven of the ten games. Blackhawks last three of last four games in Detroit. Over is 3-1-1 in last five series games. Chicago lost its last four games, all at home; they won three of last four road games but are 2-7 if they played night before. Red Wings lost five of last seven games overall; they lost last four home games. Five of their last six games stayed under total.

Bruins won three of last four games with Ottawa; they won three of last four games in this arena. Under is 5-3-2 in last ten series games. Boston won four in row, 8 of last ten games; they?re 5-1 in last six road games. Four of their last five games stayed under total. Senators lost their last five games, outscored 14-5; they lost their last three home games. Three of their last four games stayed under total.

Blues won seven of last eight games with Colorado; Avalanche lost their last three games in this building. Over is 5-5 in last ten series games. Colorado won 10 of its last 11 games overall, three of last four on road. Under is 5-3-1 in their last nine road games. St Louis won three of last four games overall, four of last six home games. Three of their last four games stayed under total.

Toronto won eight of last ten games with Dallas; Maple Leafs won four of last five visits to Texas. Four of last five series games stayed under. Toronto lost five of last seven games; they?re 1-4 on road if they played night before. Under is 7-2-1 in their last ten games. Dallas Stars won six of last eight games overall, four of last six at home. Three of their last four games went over the total.

Columbus won its last five games with Arizona; they won three of last four games in Arizona. Last three series games stayed under. Blue Jackets lost three of last four games overall, four of last six road games. Seven of their last nine games stayed under total. Arizona won its last two games after a 1-7 skid; they lost four of last six home games. Three of their last four games stayed under total.

Edmonton won its last six games with Calgary, which lost four of last five visits here. Four of last six series games went over. Flames lost their last three games, all by 2-1 scores either in OT/SO; they?re 5-2 if they played night before- they won their last four road games. Six of last eight Calgary games stayed under. Oilers won three of last four games; they?re 2-3 in last five home games. Under is 7-3 in their last ten games.

Las Vegas lost 6-3 to Islanders in Brooklyn Oct 30, teams? only meeting. New York lost three of last four games overall; they split last six road games. Five of their last seven games went over the total. Golden Knights won three of last four games, both overall and at home. Last three Las Vegas games went over the total.

Canucks won their last four games with Buffalo; Sabres lost their last four games in this arena. Over is 6-1-1 in last eight series games. Buffalo won three of last five games overall, but lost four of last six road games. Under is 3-1 in their last four road games. Vancouver lost seven of its last ten games overall, five of last seven at home. Over is 13-6 in their last 19 games.

Jets won last two games with Anaheim after losing seven of previous eight meetings; Winnipeg lost three of last five games in the Pond. Jets won its last three games overall; they?re 4-3 in last seven road games. Four of their last five games stayed under. Ducks won three of last four games overall, four of last five at home; three of their last four games went over the total.

San Jose won three of its last four games with the Rangers, who lost three of last four games in the Shark Tank. Under is 5-2-1 in last eight series games. New York lost its last three games overall, its last five road games. Six of their last seven games went over total. Sharks won five of last seven games overall, seven of last nine home games. Three of their last four games went over the total.

 

[Cnotes53]

NHL

Thursday, January 25

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
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NASHVILLE @ NEW JERSEY
Nashville is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Nashville is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New Jersey's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of New Jersey's last 11 games at home

TAMPA BAY @ PHILADELPHIA
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Tampa Bay's last 8 games
Philadelphia is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Philadelphia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

MINNESOTA @ PITTSBURGH
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Minnesota's last 6 games
Minnesota is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Pittsburgh is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
Pittsburgh is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games

CHICAGO @ DETROIT
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chicago's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chicago's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Detroit's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Detroit's last 5 games when playing at home against Chicago

WASHINGTON @ FLORIDA
Washington is 14-6 SU in its last 20 games when playing Florida
The total has gone OVER in 16 of Washington's last 23 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Florida's last 5 games
Florida is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

CAROLINA @ MONTREAL
Carolina is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Carolina's last 8 games on the road
Montreal is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Carolina
Montreal is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home

BOSTON @ OTTAWA
Boston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Boston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Ottawa's last 5 games at home
Ottawa is 11-3 ATS in its last 14 games when playing Boston

COLORADO @ ST. LOUIS
Colorado is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 games
Colorado is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games
St. Louis is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Colorado
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of St. Louis's last 14 games at home

TORONTO @ DALLAS
Toronto is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games when playing Dallas
Dallas is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Dallas's last 5 games when playing Toronto

COLUMBUS @ ARIZONA
Columbus is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Arizona
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Columbus's last 5 games on the road
Arizona is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Arizona is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home

CALGARY @ EDMONTON
Calgary is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Calgary's last 5 games when playing on the road against Edmonton
Edmonton is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Calgary
Edmonton is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Calgary

WINNIPEG @ ANAHEIM
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Winnipeg's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Winnipeg's last 5 games when playing Anaheim
Anaheim is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Anaheim's last 5 games at home

BUFFALO @ VANCOUVER
Buffalo is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Buffalo is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Vancouver is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Buffalo
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Vancouver's last 5 games when playing at home against Buffalo

NY ISLANDERS @ VEGAS
The total has gone OVER in 5 of NY Islanders's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of NY Islanders's last 7 games
Vegas is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Vegas is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home

NY RANGERS @ SAN JOSE
The total has gone OVER in 6 of NY Rangers's last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of NY Rangers's last 15 games when playing on the road against San Jose
San Jose is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
San Jose is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games

 

[Cnotes53]

NHL
Long Sheet

Thursday, January 25

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MINNESOTA (26-17-0-5, 57 pts.) at PITTSBURGH (26-21-0-3, 55 pts.) - 1/25/2018, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 53-59 ATS (-30.0 Units) second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 94-54 ATS (+20.0 Units) second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 28-10 ATS (+9.7 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 30-10 ATS (+14.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 7-15 ATS (-10.9 Units) in non-conference games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 3-2 (+0.9 Units) against the spread versus PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 3-2-0 straight up against PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.5 Units)

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NASHVILLE (28-11-0-7, 63 pts.) at NEW JERSEY (24-15-0-8, 56 pts.) - 1/25/2018, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW JERSEY is 2-2 (+1.4 Units) against the spread versus NASHVILLE over the last 3 seasons
NEW JERSEY is 2-2-0 straight up against NASHVILLE over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.2 Units)

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TAMPA BAY (33-12-0-3, 69 pts.) at PHILADELPHIA (24-16-0-8, 56 pts.) - 1/25/2018, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 55-49 ATS (+0.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 33-15 ATS (+9.2 Units) in all games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 26-12 ATS (+12.3 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 17-5 ATS (+9.2 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 4-3 (+2.2 Units) against the spread versus TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA is 4-3-0 straight up against TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.1 Units)

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WASHINGTON (28-15-0-5, 61 pts.) at FLORIDA (19-21-0-6, 44 pts.) - 1/25/2018, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
FLORIDA is 4-3 (+2.3 Units) against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
FLORIDA is 4-3-0 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.8 Units)

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CAROLINA (21-19-0-8, 50 pts.) at MONTREAL (20-22-0-6, 46 pts.) - 1/25/2018, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CAROLINA is 57-73 ATS (+130.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CAROLINA is 3-10 ATS (-8.5 Units) after a division game this season.
MONTREAL is 20-28 ATS (-9.4 Units) in all games this season.
MONTREAL is 13-18 ATS (-9.8 Units) in home games second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 4-10 ATS (-11.2 Units) in home games revenging a loss versus opponent this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CAROLINA is 4-3 (+1.3 Units) against the spread versus MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
CAROLINA is 4-3-0 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
5 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+4.2 Units)

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CHICAGO (22-19-0-7, 51 pts.) at DETROIT (19-20-0-8, 46 pts.) - 1/25/2018, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 6-14 ATS (-9.7 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
CHICAGO is 354-349 ATS (-137.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
CHICAGO is 151-169 ATS (-89.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season since 1996.
DETROIT is 18-29 ATS (+48.2 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 13-20 ATS (-9.6 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 3-2-0 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.1 Units)

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BOSTON (28-10-0-8, 64 pts.) at OTTAWA (15-22-0-9, 39 pts.) - 1/25/2018, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
OTTAWA is 11-5 (+10.2 Units) against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
OTTAWA is 11-5-0 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
8 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.8 Units)

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COLORADO (27-17-0-3, 57 pts.) at ST LOUIS (29-18-0-3, 61 pts.) - 1/25/2018, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 39-28 ATS (+8.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 27-20 ATS (+52.0 Units) in all games this season.
COLORADO is 8-1 ATS (+9.2 Units) in January games this season.
COLORADO is 8-1 ATS (+9.2 Units) second half of the season this season.
COLORADO is 14-11 ATS (+28.9 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
COLORADO is 16-13 ATS (+33.7 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
COLORADO is 15-11 ATS (+29.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ST LOUIS is 7-14 ATS (-17.1 Units) in home games after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 7-4 (+0.6 Units) against the spread versus COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
ST LOUIS is 7-4-0 straight up against COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.4 Units)

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TORONTO (27-18-0-5, 59 pts.) at DALLAS (28-17-0-4, 60 pts.) - 1/25/2018, 8:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 3-1 (+3.1 Units) against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 3-1-0 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.0 Units)

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COLUMBUS (26-19-0-3, 55 pts.) at ARIZONA (12-28-0-9, 33 pts.) - 1/25/2018, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
COLUMBUS is 28-15 ATS (+12.7 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 163-149 ATS (+328.6 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
COLUMBUS is 10-3 ATS (+13.8 Units) in road games after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 12-37 ATS (-50.9 Units) in all games this season.
ARIZONA is 4-13 ATS (+22.5 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 this season.
ARIZONA is 25-62 ATS (+107.8 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
ARIZONA is 10-26 ATS (+47.5 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
ARIZONA is 27-70 ATS (+130.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLUMBUS is 5-0 (+5.0 Units) against the spread versus ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons
COLUMBUS is 5-0-0 straight up against ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.6 Units)

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CALGARY (25-16-0-7, 57 pts.) at EDMONTON (21-24-0-3, 45 pts.) - 1/25/2018, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
EDMONTON is 8-3 (+5.5 Units) against the spread versus CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
EDMONTON is 8-3-0 straight up against CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.0 Units)

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NY ISLANDERS (24-20-0-5, 53 pts.) at VEGAS (32-11-0-4, 68 pts.) - 1/25/2018, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VEGAS is 32-15 ATS (+48.0 Units) in all games this season.
VEGAS is 13-6 ATS (+5.4 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
VEGAS is 15-8 ATS (+6.6 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY ISLANDERS is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against the spread versus VEGAS over the last 3 seasons
NY ISLANDERS is 1-0-0 straight up against VEGAS over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.0 Units)

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BUFFALO (13-26-0-9, 35 pts.) at VANCOUVER (19-23-0-6, 44 pts.) - 1/25/2018, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BUFFALO is 13-35 ATS (+62.9 Units) in all games this season.
BUFFALO is 6-27 ATS (+45.4 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
BUFFALO is 0-13 ATS (+20.1 Units) in road games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
BUFFALO is 8-25 ATS (+42.2 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
VANCOUVER is 233-237 ATS (-146.2 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.
VANCOUVER is 2-12 ATS (+20.7 Units) after a division game this season.
VANCOUVER is 375-352 ATS (-46.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
VANCOUVER is 95-86 ATS (-65.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
VANCOUVER is 4-1 (+3.2 Units) against the spread versus BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
VANCOUVER is 4-1-0 straight up against BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.7 Units)

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WINNIPEG (29-13-0-7, 65 pts.) at ANAHEIM (23-17-0-9, 55 pts.) - 1/25/2018, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ANAHEIM is 536-429 ATS (+78.8 Units) second half of the season since 1996.
ANAHEIM is 241-191 ATS (+27.3 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.
ANAHEIM is 49-21 ATS (+18.9 Units) in home games revenging a home loss versus opponent since 1996.
ANAHEIM is 40-27 ATS (+10.1 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
ANAHEIM is 7-1 ATS (+6.0 Units) after playing 3 consecutive home games this season.
ANAHEIM is 430-434 ATS (-54.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
ANAHEIM is 37-23 ATS (+13.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WINNIPEG is 3-4 (+0.0 Units) against the spread versus ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
ANAHEIM is 4-3-0 straight up against WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
5 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.8 Units)

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NY RANGERS (24-20-0-5, 53 pts.) at SAN JOSE (26-14-0-7, 59 pts.) - 1/25/2018, 10:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN JOSE is 3-2 (+0.5 Units) against the spread versus NY RANGERS over the last 3 seasons
SAN JOSE is 3-2-0 straight up against NY RANGERS over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.2 Units)

 

[Cnotes53]

NHL Capsules
January 25, 2018

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) Alex Ovechkin scored his 30th goal of the season and got his 500th career assist to help the Washington Capitals snap a three-game skid with a 4-2 win over the Florida Panthers on Thursday night.

Ovechkin is the sixth player in NHL history with at least 30 goals in 13 or more consecutive seasons at any point in his career.

Brett Connolly, John Carlson and Nicklas Backstrom also scored for the Capitals. Braden Holtby stopped 32 shots.

Denis Malgin scored both goals for Florida, which has lost three straight. Harri Sateri made 42 saves in his second NHL start.

LIGHTNING 5, FLYERS 1

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Brayden Point, Yanni Gourde and Ryan Callahan each scored in the second period to lead Tampa Bay over the Philadelphia Flyers, helping the Lightning head into the All-Star break with the best record in the NHL.

Vladislav Namestnikov scored twice late in the third to turn this one into a rout. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 36 shots. The Flyers pulled the goalie with 7:20 left and got a 6-on-4 goal from Travis Konency.

The Lightning are off to their best start in franchise history and top the NHL with 34 wins and 71 points as the league gets set to take a lengthy break. Tampa Bay's stars have little time to rest: Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and Vasilevskiy were named to the All-Star team. Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman was scratched from the game because of injury and was replaced by Point.

PENGUINS 6, WILD 3

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Evgeni Malkin scored two power-play goals and Sidney Crosby had three assists to reach another career milestone as the Pittsburgh Penguins topped the Minnesota Wild.

Malkin, who has 23 goals, added an assist to give him 16 goals and 31 points in his last 24 games. Crosby passed Jaromir Jagr for second on the team's all-time scoring list with 1,082 points and is now behind only current Penguins owner Mario Lemieux, who finished his career with 1,723 points.

Dominik Simon scored twice, Carl Hagelin had a goal and an assist and Brian Dumoulin scored one goal for Pittsburgh. Phil Kessel, the Penguins' leading scorer with 58 points, also had three assists for the Penguins, who won their fifth straight home game.

Rookie Casey DeSmith, making his fourth straight start for Pittsburgh, stopped 23 shots. DeSmith had his bid for his first NHL shutout end when Eric Staal scored with 11:16 to play. Mikael Granlund added his 15th on the power play and Jonas Brodin had his fifth for the Wild, whose season-best six-game points streak ended.

BLACKHAWKS 5, RED WINGS 1

DETROIT (AP) - Alex DeBrincat had his second hat trick of an impressive rookie season and the Chicago Blackhawks chased Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard in the first period on their way to a victory over the Red Wings.

DeBrincat, Anthony Duclair and Vinnie Hinostroza scored in the first 8:47 before Howard was pulled, and the Red Wings never got back in the game. DeBrincat added another goal in the second period and scored an empty-netter in the third, bringing his season total to 17.

Anton Forsberg came within 3:51 of his first career shutout before Anthony Mantha scored for Detroit.

PREDATORS 3, DEVILS 0

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - All-Star defenseman P.K. Subban scored in his third straight game and Pekka Rinne made 23 saves for his fourth shutout in leading the streaking Nashville Predators past the slumping New Jersey Devils.

Mattias Ekholm and Viktor Arvidsson also scored as the Predators extended their point streak to a season-high eight games (6-0-2).

With regular goaltenders Cory Schneider and Keith Kinkaid injured, rookie Ken Appleby made 24 saves in his first career start for the Devils, who have lost four straight in regulation. New Jersey has two wins in its last 12 games (2-7-3).

BRUINS 3, SENATORS 2

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) - Jake DeBrusk scored with 8:41 left to lift the Boston Bruins over the Ottawa Senators for their fifth straight win.

Danton Heinen and Tim Schaller also scored to help the Bruins get a point in their 18th straight game (14-0-4), their second longest point streak ever. Tuukka Rask stopped 21 shots.

Thomas Chabot and Ryan Dzingel scored for Ottawa, but the Senators are mired in a five-game skid. Mike Condon had 41 saves.

Boston was without leading scorer Brad Marchand, who began his five-game suspension for an elbow against New Jersey forward Marcus Johansson on Tuesday.

HURRICANES 6, CANADIENS 5

MONTREAL (AP) - Teuvo Teravainen scored twice and added an assist as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Montreal Canadiens.

Jordan Staal, Jeff Skinner, Derek Ryan and Justin Williams also scored for the Hurricanes, who had lost their last two. Cam Ward made 26 saves and defenseman Noah Hanifin had three assists.

Charles Hudon scored twice and added an assist for the Canadiens. Brendan Gallagher, Jeff Petry and Max Pacioretty also scored, while Carey Price stopped 23 of 29 shots in defeat.

Montreal fell behind early and tied it three times, but Carolina held on for its third straight victory against the Canadiens.

BLUES 3, AVALANCHE 1

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Brayden Schenn scored in his fourth straight game, Paul Stastny also had a goal and the St. Louis Blues beat the Colorado Avalanche.

Alexander Steen scored for the fourth time in his last five games, and Carter Hutton made 36 saves for the Blues, who have won four of five.

Alexander Kerfoot scored for the Avalanche, who lost their second straight after winning 10 in a row. Jonathan Bernier made 31 saves. Colorado dropped consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 5-7.

MAPLE LEAFS 4, STARS 1

DALLAS (AP) - Curtis McElhinney made 39 saves while playing for the first time in more than a month, helping the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Dallas Stars.

Nazem Kadri scored twice, and Zach Hyman and Auston Matthews had one each for the Maple Leafs. Jake Gardiner had three assists for the second time in four games, and William Nylander assisted twice.

Tyler Seguin scored to bring Dallas within 3-1 late in the second period, but Matthews restored Toronto's three-goal lead at 2:38 of the third. Ben Bishop had 25 saves for Toronto.

 

[Cnotes53]

Is the Emerald City a hockeytown?
January 23, 2018

KENT, Wash. (AP) They showed up on a Tuesday night in early January to enjoy the 2-for-1 beers and hot dogs, the free parking, the $15 tickets a few rows off the ice and the chance to chant ''Portland sucks,'' for three hours.

Some of the more than 5,000 people in attendance wore the jerseys of the Islanders, Sharks, Rangers, Maple Leafs, Bruins, Canucks, Golden Knights and of course, the hometown Seattle Thunderbirds of the junior-level Western Hockey League. Someday it may be the Sasquatch, Totems or Sockeyes or whatever a potential future NHL franchise in Seattle ends up adopting as its nickname.

This scene plays out regularly inside the accesso ShoWare Center, about 20 miles southeast of downtown Seattle. Junior hockey in Seattle has a storied history. Hockey's history in the Emerald City dates back more than a century to when the Seattle Metropolitans hoisted the 1917 Stanley Cup.

All indications are that the NHL and Seattle are on the verge of a marriage sometime in 2018. The arrival of an NHL franchise - likely in 2020 or 2021 depending on construction of a remodeled Seattle Center arena - will fill a void in the gloomy months of the sports calendar and drop the NHL into the biggest market in the country without a winter sports team.

But can a booming Seattle eventually become a hockeytown?

''It's the last place in the United States in my opinion to catch on to hockey,'' said former Philadelphia Flyers general manager and current Thunderbirds GM Russ Farwell.

''Everyone assumes that because we're close to Canada we're into hockey and that's not the case,'' Farwell continued. ''There is no reason this can't be a good hockey town and I think there is a lot of pluses.''

The first test of Seattle's willingness to embrace the NHL will arrive in the coming months when the prospective NHL ownership group begins a season-ticket drive, the same way the league tested Las Vegas. Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan released a statement Tuesday after visiting with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on her way to the U.S. Conference of Mayors to express her support and enthusiasm for the NHL in Seattle.

But finding a foothold in Seattle will be an examination of how starved fans are for another team. Basketball is embedded in the DNA of the region thanks to 41 years of the SuperSonics until 2008 and a lengthy history of producing NBA talent. When the rain of the fall and winter drive young athletes inside, they grab a basketball and head for the nearest gym to play pickup games.

Basketball courts and coffee shops seem to be on every corner, but ice rinks are scarce.

''The chance to participate and stay involved and play the game needs ice rinks and that's all it would take,'' Farwell said. ''There's no reason this couldn't be grown to be a good hockey city and center and stuff but it's not automatic and it's not just going to happen.''

Any NHL team in Seattle would find a completely different landscape than a decade ago when the Sonics and NBA moved to Oklahoma City and the city lost its winter sports outlet.

Seattle's skyline is filled with as many construction cranes as snowcapped peaks in the surrounding mountains. Amazon has taken over an entire section of the city, joined nearby by satellite offices of Google and Facebook. The amount of wealth now in the Seattle market is part of the reason Oak View CEO Tim Leiweke has regularly called Seattle ''a brilliant marketplace'' and one of the most enticing expansion opportunities in pro sports history.

Seattle has become a city of transplants due to the booming local economy. A hockey franchise would provide those newcomers a team to rally around, much like what happened when the Sounders of the MLS arrived in 2009.

But it's a different sports marketplace than a decade ago, when ticket sales and television revenues were driving franchise success. The globalization of sports due to technology has become a challenge for all leagues, said Jennifer Hoffman of the College of Education at the University of Washington.

''I think the question about our population is what sports are they interested in? And that's going to be a challenge for all of our franchises, our big franchises and our smaller ones,'' Hoffman said. ''It's not a Seattle phenomenon but we're a good case for this point in history where digital transition is really occurring and it's really hard to know who your fans are and where they are.''

John Barr believes there are plenty of potential hockey fans in the Seattle market. A Bay Area transplant, Barr has become the voice of hockey fans with his NHLtoSeattle.com website and social accounts. Barr got hooked on the sport while attending San Jose games when the Sharks arrived the Bay Area. He's regularly makes trips to Boston, Minnesota, Montreal, Nashville and Las Vegas for games.

''The Seahawks run this town and I think a lion share of people obviously want the Sonics back,'' Barr said. ''I totally understand the hierarchy there, but I just think this is a great opportunity for the area to have the NHL and have a winter sport.''

Season tickets are just one of several significant obstacles. Arena construction won't begin until later this year with an ambitious goal of completion in late 2020. There are also transportation issues near the arena site.

And the franchise needs to be awarded in the first place. Bettman wouldn't even entertain discussion about Seattle recently.

''The application has not yet been filed so any speculation about Seattle is, at this point, a little premature,'' Bettman said.

In the corner of his office, Thunderbirds Vice President Colin Campbell has a photo of Wayne Gretzky in the foreground with Campbell behind the glass. He grew up in Edmonton and was a Zamboni driver for the Oilers in his younger years. Now he ponders the future of hockey in Seattle with the NHL on the horizon.

''It always amazed me when I first got here that people didn't even know there was a hockey team in town. Well, that's still the case,'' said Campbell, who moved to Seattle in 1995. ''It's still out there, and yet we're doing very well in this building and everything is going good. But it's a big market, it's a tough market to reach ... so with an NHL team coming in and working together it will create new opportunities to grow.''

 

[Cnotes53]

SB52 Cross-Sport Props
January 28, 2018

The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook has released hundreds of proposition wagers for Super Bowl LII between the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles for Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018.

Included in that mix are ?Cross-Sport? prop wagers, which allow bettors to focus on pro football and other sports, one of them pro hockey.

Listed below are opening props from the SuperBook for selected NHL games to be played on Sunday.

Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018

Vegas Golden Knights at Washington Capitals (9:30 a.m. PT)
San Jose Sharks at Carolina Hurricanes (10:00 a.m. PT)
Ottawa Senators at Montreal Canadiens (10:00 a.m. PT)

Be sure to check the times and rules for each prop.

PRO HOCKEY CROSS-SPORT PROPS

WHO WILL HAVE MORE?
GOLDEN KNIGHTS/CAPITALS - 2/4/18 - CLOSES AT 9:35 AM PST
POINTS = GOALS + ASSISTS
SHOOTOUT GOALS EXCLUDED
10609 Jonathan MARCHESSAULT* (VGK) ? 110 POINTS
10610 EAGLES + PATRIOTS PK ? 110 FUMBLES LOST

WHO WILL HAVE MORE?
GOLDEN KNIGHTS/CAPITALS - 2/4/18 - CLOSES AT 9:35 AM PST
10611 Jonathan MARCHESSAULT* (VGK) +130 SHOTS ON GOALS
10612 Danny AMENDOLA* (NE) - ? - 150 RECEPTIONS

WHO WILL HAVE MORE?
GOLDEN KNIGHTS/CAPITALS - 2/4/18 - CLOSES AT 9:35 AM PST
POINTS = GOALS + ASSISTS
SHOOTOUT GOALS EXCLUDED
10613 Nate SCHMIDT* (VGK) +130 POINTS
10614 Tom BRADY* (NE) PK ? 150 INTERCEPTIONS

WHO WILL HAVE MORE?
GOLDEN KNIGHTS/CAPITALS - 2/4/18 - CLOSES AT 9:35 AM PST
10615 James NEAL* (VGK) - ? EVEN SHOTS ON GOALS
10616 Nick FOLES* (PHI) ? 120 TD PASSES + INTERCEPTIONS

WHO WILL HAVE MORE?
GOLDEN KNIGHTS/CAPITALS - 2/4/18 - CLOSES AT 9:35 AM PST
POINTS = GOALS + ASSISTS
SHOOTOUT GOALS EXCLUDED
10617 William KARLSSON* (VGK) +110 POINTS
10618 Stephen GOSTKOWSKI* (NE) - ? - 130 FIELD GOALS MADE

WHO WILL HAVE MORE?
GOLDEN KNIGHTS/CAPITALS - 2/4/18 - CLOSES AT 9:35 AM PST
IN CASE OF SHOOTOUT, ONLY 1 GOAL ADDED TO THE WINNERS SCORE
10619 Vegas GOLDEN KNIGHTS - ? - 120 GOALS
10620 Tom BRADY* (NE) EVEN TOUCHDOWN PASSES

WHO WILL HAVE MORE?
GOLDEN KNIGHTS/CAPITALS - 2/4/18 - CLOSES AT 9:35 AM PST
IN CASE OF SHOOTOUT, ONLY 1 GOAL ADDED TO THE WINNERS SCORE
10621 KNIGHTS + CAPITALS ? 130 GOALS
10622 EAGLES + PATRIOTS PK +110 TOUCHDOWNS

WHO WILL HAVE MORE?
GOLDEN KNIGHTS/CAPITALS - 2/4/18 - CLOSES AT 9:35 AM PST
10623 KNIGHTS + CAPITALS ? 110 1ST PERIOD GOALS
10624 Jake ELLIOTT* (PHI) PK ? 110 FIELD GOALS MADE

WHO WILL HAVE MORE?
GOLDEN KNIGHTS/CAPITALS - 2/4/18 - CLOSES AT 9:35 AM PST
10625 Vegas GOLDEN KNIGHTS - 6? - 110 SHOTS ON GOALS
10626 PATRIOTS POINTS ? 110

WHO WILL HAVE MORE?
GOLDEN KNIGHTS/CAPITALS - 2/4/18 - CLOSES AT 9:35 AM PST
10627 Washington CAPITALS - 8? - 110 SHOTS ON GOALS
10628 EAGLES POINTS - 110

WHO WILL HAVE MORE?
IF GOLDEN KNIGHTS DON?T QUALIFY FOR THE PLAYOFFS ALL BETS REFUNDED
INCLUDES ALL KNIGHTS WINS THROUGH ALL 4 ROUNDS OF PLAYOFFS
INCLUDES ALL RETURNS FOR A TOUCHDOWN
10629 VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS - ? - 110 2017-18 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF WINS
10630 EAGLES+PATRIOTS ? 110 TOUCHDOWNS

WHO WILL HAVE MORE?
IF GOLDEN KNIGHTS DON?T QUALIFY FOR THE PLAYOFFS ALL BETS REFUNDED
STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS CONSISTS OF 4 ROUNDS
10631 VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS ? 110 2017-18 STANLEY CUP SERIES WINS
10632 EAGLES+PATRIOTS PK ? 110 FUMBLES LOST

WHO WILL HAVE MORE?
SENATORS/CANADIENS - 2/4/18 - CLOSES AT 10:05 AM PST
IN CASE OF SHOOTOUT, ONLY 1 GOAL ADDED TO THE WINNERS SCORE
10633 SENATORS + CANADIENS - ? - 140 GOALS
10634 EAGLES + PATRIOTS +120 QB SACKS

WHO WILL HAVE MORE?
SENATORS/CANADIENS - 2/4/18 - CLOSES AT 10:05 AM PST
10635 Montreal CANADIENS - 6? - 110 SHOTS ON GOAL
10636 Tom BRADY* (NE) ? 110 COMPLETIONS

 

[Cnotes53]

Flames put Jaromir Jagr on waivers
January 28, 2018

In what could spell the end of his illustrious NHL career, Jaromir Jagr has been placed on waivers by the Calgary Flames.

Two people with direct knowledge of the move confirmed it to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Sunday because the team had not announced the transaction. The second-leading scorer in league history is on regular waivers, though one person told the AP that if the 45-year-old Jagr clears, he will be placed on unconditional waivers Monday for the purpose of terminating his NHL contract so he can return to Europe to finish the season.

Calgary signed Jagr to a $1 million, one-year deal with performance bonuses at the start of the season, and he made his Flames debut on Oct. 11. Jagr had a goal and six assists in 22 games this season and hasn't played since Dec. 31 because of what the team called a lower-body injury. He went on injured reserve Jan. 14.

Jagr bounced around with the Flames, playing on the top line with stars Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan and with youngsters Sam Bennett and Mark Jankowski. The Czech native was in and out of the lineup because of injuries and couldn't find a defined role, and the Flames went on a seven-game winning streak largely without him to move into playoff position.

Calling it ''a different role than I've ever been'' in, Jagr said recently he has had to adapt his game to less ice time than he was used to. He was a star in the 1990s with the Pittsburgh Penguins, winning the Stanley Cup in 1991 and 1992, and he was counted on for far less with the Flames.

''I have to practice differently,'' Jagr said in November. ''I've got to go all in for 45 seconds and maybe rest for five, six. Before I was practicing for one minute off, one minute on. That wouldn't help me much. So things like that you have to adjust.''

Adjusting has been a part of Jagr's journey as the fifth overall pick in 1990 through stints with nine NHL teams: the Penguins, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils, Florida Panthers and Flames. Despite spending three seasons in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League, Jagr is the active NHL leader with 1,733 games played, 766 goals, 1,555 assists and 1,921 points, and he is second only to Wayne Gretzky on the all-time scoring list.

''It's a lot of games, it's a lot of years, it's a lot of work on the body,'' Flyers teammate and countryman Jakub Voracek said. ''If you want to play for such a long time, you have to adjust. He went from 1990 to 2017-18. When you think about it, it's 28 years and the game changed so much from a physical standpoint to a speed standpoint.''

Jagr kept up the pace in a changing sport with a legendary workout regimen that included skating with weights and going for runs at midnight. There are tales of team employees giving him the keys to practice facilities so he could let himself in to work out.

''It's cool to see what's worked for him and his routine and what he does off the ice and stuff like that,'' Flames forward Michael Frolik said.

The NHL has expanded from 21 to 32 teams and instituted the shootout during Jagr's career, which has lasted longer than the tenure of commissioner Gary Bettman.

''Probably `90s when he started it was a little bit more wide open, then I think early 2000s before the lockout, you needed to be big and strong and it was all about size and strength and you could do all that holding, hooking, grabbing, cross-checks and all that,'' Panthers teammate Jussi Jokinen said. ''And then the lockout pretty much changed everything. You needed more skill and more speed and more hockey IQ.''

Jagr figured that out and is 34 games shy of Gordie Howe's all-time record, a milestone he could have hit this season had he been healthy and continued to play. Instead, he could play for HC Kladno in the Czech League, which he co-owns.

It is uncertain whether Jagr has an opportunity to play for the Czech Republic in next month's Winter Olympics without NHL players. A federation spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Jagr's status with the national team, though the 25-man roster already has been announced.

Jagr didn't look at this season as a farewell tour. In his final months he was unwilling to think about his many accomplishments.

''I don't like to look back,'' Jagr said. ''Once you start looking back, you're done.''

 

[Cnotes53]

NHL All-Star Game returns to Tampa Bay
January 26, 2018

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) The NHL All-Star game is being played in Tampa Bay for the first time since Wayne Gretzky made his last appearance in the showcase and many still questioned whether the league could prosper in a non-traditional market better known for sunshine and beaches than winning hockey.

Nearly two decades later, the answer is a resounding yes.

Not only has the league flourished in Tampa and other Sun Belt locations where the game continues to grow, the hometown Lightning have evolved into what generally is regarded as a model franchise - not merely for hockey, but all of pro sports.

Now a community that's hosted four Super Bowls, the World Series, two Stanley Cup finals and last year's college football national championship game welcomes the spotlight for its first NHL All-Star game since 1999.

Gretzky made the last of his 18 All-Star appearances that year and had a goal and two assists to capture MVP honors.

''It's very special to be named to an All-Star game, regardless of where it's played. But when it's in your home city, it's that much more special,'' said Lightning star Steven Stamkos, a five-time selection.

''I know the amount of work that's gone into preparing for it,'' Stamkos, one of four Tampa Bay players in this weekend's game, said. ''It's going to be a great showcase of a hockey city. ... I'm sure we'll put on a great show.''

Downtown Tampa, along with 19,000-seat Amalie Arena, has been transformed into a colorful tribute to the league's biggest stars.

Festivities began Friday with a free outdoor concert headlined by Fitz and the Tantrums and the opening of All-Star PreGame, a three-day fun fest open to the general public as well as fans fortunate enough to land game tickets.

Media Day and the All-Star Skills Competition are Saturday, followed by Sunday's main event featuring teams from the Atlantic, Metropolitan, Central and Pacific divisions playing a three-game tournament in a popular three-on-three format adopted in 2016.

And if the game's brightest stars coming to town isn't a big enough reason to celebrate, All-Star weekend is being held in conjunction with Tampa's annual Gasparilla Pirate Invasion, an annual event that attracts about 200,000 people for a parade along the city's downtown waterfront.

''It's a big block party. There's something for everyone, whether you're a season ticket member or somebody who just enjoys catching an occasional Lightning game on TV,'' former Lightning general manager Jay Feaster, now the club's executive director of community hockey development, said.

Feaster assembled the team that won Tampa Bay's only Stanley Cup title in 2004, however the Lightning never fully reaped the benefits of the championship run because a labor strife wiped out the next season.

A growing fan base ready to embrace the club's success suddenly didn't have a defending champion to cheer.

Feaster is excited about a resurgence led by owner Jeff Vinik, coach Jon Cooper and Hall of Famer Steve Yzerman, who as the current general manager has composed a talented young roster built for long-term success.

The Lightning, celebrating their 25th season, reached the All-Star break with the league's best record and have re-emerged as a championship contender after narrowly missing the playoffs a year ago.

The Lightning dropped the Stanley Cup final to Chicago in six games three years ago, then came within one victory of returning to the NHL's biggest stage the following season.

''What Steve Yzerman has done I think is just masterful, the way he's assembled this team,'' Feaster said.

''He's assembled it (to be) not just one and done. We won one Stanley Cup when I was general manager,'' Feaster added. ''We got back to the playoffs after the lockout a couple of times, but never got close to an Eastern Conference final or a Stanley Cup final again.''

The Lightning will be represented by a league-leading four players in Sunday's game - Stamkos, goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy and forwards Nikita Kucherov and Bryden Point, a replacement for injured Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman.

Feaster, who worked for the Lightning from 1998 to 2008, returned to Tampa in 2014 to lead the club's youth and high school outreach efforts after a stint as GM of the Calgary Flames.

While he always felt the region had the potential to thrive as a hockey market, Feaster said the growth of the sport locally in the years since the community-minded Vinik took control of the team in 2010 has far exceeded his expectations.

In the two seasons following the Lightning's latest appearance in the Stanley Cup final, the number of youth hockey players in the Tampa Bay area increased by 747 kids, up from a base of about 1,000.

''Jeff has done such a tremendous job of growing the brand, and the hockey team has helped, too,'' Feaster said.

''As you know, if you're not winning, the mustard isn't yellow enough in the building,'' Feaster added. ''It's the team. It's what Jeff puts into the community. ... It truly is exponential growth.''

 

[Cnotes53]

San Jose to host 2019 All-Star game
January 27, 2018

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) San Jose will host the 2019 NHL All-Star game.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the news before Saturday night's 2018 All-Star game skills competition.

San Jose last hosted the All-Star game in 1997.

Bettman also announced plans for next season's international games.

- Work is continuing to finalize two mid-September preseason games in China.

- In late September, New Jersey (Switzerland) and Edmonton (Germany) will play a preseason against a local team. The Devils and Oilers will then face each other in a regular-season opener in Sweden.

- Winnipeg and Florida will travel to Finland in early November for two regular-season games.

 

[Cnotes53]

Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack

More Super Bowl props, from the Westgate casino

? First team to use a replay challenge: Eagles -$130, Patriots +$110

? Nick Foles? first pass will be: Complete -$250, Incomplete +$200

? Will either team score in first 6:30 of game? Yes +$105, No -$125

? Will either team score in final 2:00 of first half? Yes -$300, No +240

? Total QB sacks in the game: over/under 4.5

? Team that scores last: Patriots -$130, Eagles +$110


**********

Armadillo: Tuesday's List of 13: Nobody asked me, but??.

13) Big NBA trade: Clippers dealt Blake Griffin to Detroit for Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic, a 1st-round and a 2nd-round pick. Detroit also gets Brice Johnson and Willie Reed in the deal.

Griffin is on a 5-year, $171M contract that doesn?t have a no-trade clause in it.

12) Griffin?s contract has $150M of guaranteed money in it; no NFL contract has more than $70M guaranteed.

11) There are murmurs that if UConn changes basketball coaches this spring, Bobby Hurley will be one of the names on their list. My question is this and I don?t know what the answer is:

Is UConn a better basketball job than Arizona State? I?m not sure it is.

Hurley is from New Jersey, so coming back east would be a plus for his family, but expectations are very high in the Nutmeg State. Is Hurley in waiting for the Duke job? Mike Krzyzewski is 70, so that job will be opening up in the not-too-distant future.

10) New England Patriots have played in seven Super Bowls under Bill Belichick; obviously, they?re 5-2 in those games, but they also didn?t score in first quarter in any of the seven games.

9) New England is going to have two new coordinators next season, which should be fun to watch.

8) I watch a lot of football, but rarely the Pro Bowl; not even sure why it exists. Of all the all-star games, basketball should be the best, but the players don?t try so I?m thinking baseball?s is.

7) Arkansas gave basketball coach Mike Anderson a 2-year contract extension thru 2022.

6) UNLV is 4-4 in the Mountain West; they?re 4-0 when PG Jordan Johnson takes less than 12 shots from the floor, 0-4 when he takes 12+ shots. Rebels are a better team when Johnson sets up his teammates up for shots. Other teams try to get him to shoot the ball more.

5) Wyoming Cowboys are 14-7, 5-3 in the Mountain West Conference; they?re 5-0 in overtime games this season, which doesn?t happen much.

4) Very expensive torn achilles for DeMarcus Cousins, who is a free agent this summer, along with Lebron James, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul and Paul George.

3) Milwaukee Bucks? interim coach Joe Prunty was Luke Walton?s high school coach in San Diego.

2) Watching NBA games over the weekend, it dawned on me the immense impact Stephen Curry is having on the game, in a positive way. Curry is so skilled, such a great shooter, and he wasn?t born that way- he?s had to work his butt off to become this great.

That sends a message to kids, that if they work on their skills, they can become great players, too. Size isn?t everything; smaller players can make a big impact, if they put the ball in the hoop.

Instead of practicing useless stuff or just playing an endless amount of meaningless pickup games, more kids are practicing shooting and it is paying off.

1) Phoenix Suns have made at least one 3-pointer in 1,109 consecutive games, an NBA record.

 

[Cnotes53]

NHL Betting Cheat Sheet and Odds: Time for a turnaround in Edmonton?
Monty Andrews

The Edmonton Oilers enter the post-All-Star portion of the season at +4,500 to win the Stanley Cup, ahead of only seven other teams.

Clash of the Titans

Two of the top three teams in the NHL face off Tuesday night as the Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Winnipeg Jets in the first game for both teams out of the All-Star break. The Lightning begin the unofficial second half of the season with the best record in the NHL, one point better than the Vegas Golden Knights. But they're in tough in this one against a Winnipeg team that sits second in the Western Conference and has been one of the hottest home teams in the league, going 17-3-1 at Bell MTS Place. Tampa prevailed 4-3 in overtime in the first meeting of the season between the teams back on Dec. 9.

Goals A-Plenty?

The Toronto Maple Leafs kicked off the 2017-18 campaign as an over bettor's dream, exceeding the total in 11 of their first 16 games. But it's the New York Islanders who have taken over the mantle as the team most likely to boast a total above 6 - and you can expect plenty of fireworks when these clubs face off Wednesday night at Air Canada Centre. The Islanders enter the secnd half ranked second in the NHL in goals per game (3.4) and second-last in goals-against (3.6); Toronto has improved its defense and goaltending but remains in the top seven in goals (3.1). It's the first of three meetings between the teams.

Time For a Turnaround?

The Edmonton Oilers came into the season as one of the favorites to reach the Stanley Cup final. But as the calendar flips to February, the Oilers are longshots to even make the playoffs - and they'll kick off their quest to do the improbable Thursday night against the visiting Colorado Avalanche. Edmonton comes into this one at +4,500 to win the championship, ahead of only seven other teams. The Avalanche, meanwhile, won 10 consecutive games but dropped their final two contests heading into the break and have a rather daunting stretch of road games coming up to open the second half.

Player Notes

* Colorado forward Nathan MacKinnon has surged his way into Art Ross Trophy contention with 60 points, but has some work to do away from Denver if he hopes to remain in contention. MacKinnon has just 14 points in 22 road games entering the second half.

* Dallas Stars blueliner John Klingberg is the leader in scoring among defensemen with 48 points, including 42 helpers - tied for third-most in the NHL. The Stars have won 10 consecutive games in which Klingberg records multiple points.

* Vegas netminder Marc-Andre Fleury has been one of the hottest goaltenders in the league since returning from injury - and under bettors are grateful. The Golden Knights are 9-3-2 SU and 3-11 O/U in 14 starts since Fleury came back in mid-December.

Injury Updates

* The Carolina Hurricanes will be shorthanded coming out of the All-Star break, with forward Sebastian Aho out indefinitely with a concussion and a knee injury. Aho has 37 points in 45 games and was red-hot of late with 14 points over his last 11 outings.

* There's optimism that Chicago goaltender Corey Crawford will travel with the team as the Blackhawks prepare to embark on a three-game road trip. Crawford hasn't played since Dec. 23; Chicago is 6-6-2 SU and 8-6 O/U without him.

* The Lightning are still hopeful that defenseman Victor Hedman will return to action early next month after missing the past two weeks with a knee injury. Tampa lost its first two games without Hedman, but promptly bounced back to win the next three.

Stanley Cup Futures

* Do you believe in the Golden Knights? Oddsmakers do, at least in terms of expansion Vegas winning the Stanley Cup final. They're the top choice out of the Western Conference, carrying +850 odds on Bet365 - behind only Tampa Bay (+550) overall.

* The defending Stanley Cup finalists remain solid plays to return to the championship series. The two-time defending-champion Pittsburgh Penguins are listed at +1,800 to win it all, while the Nashville Predators are among the favorites at +1,100.

* Six teams are true longshots as the unofficial second half gets underway this week. Vancouver is at +7,500, followed by the Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings at +10,000, Buffalo at +150,000 and Arizona at a staggering +499,990.

Over/Under Trends

* New York is the site of the league's top two over plays. The New York Islanders have been the best play through 50 games, going above the total a whopping 32 times; the Rangers are next in line with 29 overs, tied with Tampa Bay.

* At the other end of the spectrum, the two strongest under options are based in California. The Anaheim Ducks are No. 1 in the league with 30 unders through 50 games while the San Jose Sharks, who led the league last year, are next with 29.

 

[Cnotes53]

These teams are the best and worst bets from the first half of the NHL season
Ashton Grewal

Here?s a quick look from a betting perspective at the best and worst of the season?s first four months.

Best bet

Vegas Golden Knights (+19.59 units)

The Golden Knights are one of the biggest stories in all of sports right now and did the impossible by making headlines on ESPN during the NFL playoffs. A $100 wager on each Vegas game this season would have turned a profit of $1,959. Puckline players (those who bet with a 1.5-goal spreads) are enjoying Vegas? success here too with the club sporting a 34-14 ATS record.

The Golden Knights are second in the league in points with 68 and their odds to win the Stanley Cup sit at 10/1 after opening as high as 500/1.

Worst bet

Arizona Coyotes (-21.71 units)

The squad with the fewest points in the NHL is also the league?s least profitable one. The Coyotes are second last in goals for per game (2.34) and third worst in goals allowed 3.36. Max Domi, who tallied 18 goals and 52 points in his rookie season three years ago, has found the back of the net just three times in 50 games for Arizona.

Best Over bet

New York Islanders

The average goals scored per game in an NHL game this season is 5.78 and the average total scored in an Islanders game is 6.96. Yowzers. New York is dead last in goals allowed, second in goals for and possess the second least effective penalty kill in the league.

The Over is 32-15-3 in the Islanders? 50 games, but the Under is 2-0 in their last two entering the break. New York is catching more 6.5-goal totals so look for the club?s Over/Under record to balance out in the season?s second half.

Best Under bet

San Jose Sharks

The Under is 29-18-1 for a 61.7 percent win rate in San Jose games. The Sharks were the best under team on ice a year ago and the Over has cashed in just 37.7 percent of their games over the last season and a half.

Joe Thornton, the club?s second leader in points, is set to miss an extended period after undergoing surgery to repair an MCL.

Best Home bet

Vegas Golden Knights

The NHL?s newest team is taking advantage of its opponents? interest in the nightlife on the Strip. The "Vegas flu" has helped the Golden Knights win 19 of their 24 home games with a 1.38 goal differential.

The Winnipeg Jets have been nearly as good with 17 victories in 21 home dates. Winnipeg leads the league in goals for on home ice at 3.95. A devoted Jets fan would be up $805 or 8.05 units if they bet $100 on Winnipeg in all of its home games.

Best Road bet

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Bolts have as many wins in their home rink as they do outside of Tampa Bay. The Lightning are 17-9 straight up in 26 away games and up 5.62 units on the road this season.
The Calgary Flames and Vegas Golden Knights have both turned a slightly higher profit on the road but have fewer victories.

Futures

The Lightning opened among the top favorites to hoist Lord Stanley?s Cup despite missing the playoffs a year ago. Turns out the prognosticators and oddsmakers were right about Tampa Bay. The Bolts have the shortest odds to win the Cup at 11/2.

The NHL teams, besides Vegas, that saw the biggest adjustment to their odds to win the Stanley Cup are the New Jersey Devils (100/1 to 20/1), the Winnipeg Jets (40/1 to 12/1) and the Edmonton Oilers (10/1 to 45/1).

 

[Cnotes53]

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, January 30

Devils won eight of last ten games with Buffalo; they won last five visits to western New York. Three of last four series games went over total. New Jersey was outscored 12-3 in losing its last four games; they lost five of last six road games. Devils? last four games stayed under. Buffalo won its last three games, all on road; they?ve lost five of last seven home games. Sabres? last three games stayed under total.

Carolina/Ottawa split their last ten games; home teams won last six. Senators lost their last three visits to Raleigh. Under is 5-2 in last seven series games. Ottawa lost its last five games, outscored 17-7; they lost three of last four road games. Four of their last five games went under the total. Hurricanes lost six of last nine games overall, their last three home games. Over is 5-5 in their last ten games.

Islanders won four of last six games with Florida; under is 4-2-1 in last seven series games. Florida split their last four visits to Brooklyn. Panthers lost seven of their last nine games; over is 8-1 in those nine games. Florida lost five of its last six road games. Islanders lost three of last four home games, but they?re 5-3 in last eight games overall. Over is 5-3 in their last eight games.

Columbus won eight of last ten games with Minnesota; three of last four series went over total. Wild lost three of their last four visits to Ohio. Minnesota won four of last six games overall but lost five of their last six road games. Five of their last seven games stayed under. Blue Jackets lost three of their last five games; they split their last four home games. Eight of their last ten games stayed under the total.

Penguins won seven of last ten games with San Jose; under is 7-1-1 in last nine series games. Sharks lost three of their last four visits to Pittsburgh. San Jose won three of last four road games but are 2-3 in last five games overall. Four of their last five games went over the total. Penguins won seven of their last nine games overall- they won last five home games. Three of their last four games stayed under.

Ducks won their last eight games with Boston; they won their last three visits to Beantown. Four of last five series games went over total. Anaheim won four of its last five games, all at home; they lost three of their last four road games. Four of their last five games went over the total. Bruins won their last five games, allowing total of eight goals- they won three of last four home games. Under is 5-1 in last six Boston games.

Nashville won six of its last seven games with Chicago; last three series games stayed under the total. Blackhawks lost their last three visits to Music City, scoring total of five goals. Chicago lost four of its last five games, but they?ve won four of last five road games. Five of their last seven games stayed under. Predators won six of last seven games overall, five of last six home games. Under is 7-3 in their last ten games.

Blues won their last four games with Montreal; over is 4-1-1 in last six series games. Canadiens lost three of last four games in this building. Montreal lost five of its last seven games overall, they lost five of their last six road games. Over is 5-3 in their last eight games. St Louis won four of its last five games overall, four of last six home games. Four of their last five games went over the total.

Lightning won six of last eight games with Winnipeg; they won their last four visits to Manitoba. Six of last eight series games went over the total. Tampa Bay won its last three games overall and four of last five road games. Seven of their last nine games went over total. Jets won three of last four games, three of which went OT/SO- they won last three home games. Four of their last six games stayed under the total.

Dallas Stars won three of last four games with Los Angeles; teams split last six series games played here- over is 3-1 in last four series games played here. Kings lost seven of their last nine games overall, three of last four on road. Four of their last six games stayed under total. Dallas won six of its last nine games overall; they split their last six home games. Over is 5-5 in their last ten games overall.

Knights-Flames are meeting for first time. Las Vegas won three of last five games overall- they split last six road games. Three of their last four games went over total. Calgary lost its last four games, all in OT/SO; Flames lost their last three home games, all by 2-1 scores in OT. Four of their last five games stayed under total.

Canucks won five of their last six games with Colorado; under is 3-1-2 in last six series games. Avalanche won three of last five visits to Vancouver. Colorado lost its last two games after a 10-game win streak- they split last six road games. Under is 6-3-1 in their last ten games. Canucks lost three of last four games overall, six of last eight at home. Under is 6-4 in their last ten games overall.

 

[Cnotes53]

NHL

Tuesday, January 30

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
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ANAHEIM @ BOSTON
Anaheim is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Boston
Anaheim is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston
Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Boston is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home

NEW JERSEY @ BUFFALO
New Jersey is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Buffalo
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New Jersey's last 6 games
Buffalo is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Buffalo's last 18 games at home

OTTAWA @ CAROLINA
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Ottawa's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Ottawa's last 9 games when playing on the road against Carolina
Carolina is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Ottawa
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Carolina's last 9 games when playing at home against Ottawa

MINNESOTA @ COLUMBUS
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Minnesota's last 6 games when playing on the road against Columbus
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Minnesota's last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Columbus's last 6 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Columbus is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing Minnesota

FLORIDA @ NY ISLANDERS
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Florida's last 5 games
Florida is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against NY Islanders
The total has gone OVER in 15 of NY Islanders's last 21 games at home
NY Islanders is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Florida

SAN JOSE @ PITTSBURGH
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Jose's last 6 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Jose's last 5 games
Pittsburgh is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Pittsburgh is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games

CHICAGO @ NASHVILLE
Chicago is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chicago's last 5 games on the road
Nashville is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Nashville is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Chicago

MONTREAL @ ST. LOUIS
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Montreal's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Montreal's last 6 games when playing St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of St. Louis's last 15 games at home
St. Louis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Montreal

TAMPA BAY @ WINNIPEG
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Tampa Bay's last 6 games on the road
Tampa Bay is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Winnipeg
Winnipeg is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Winnipeg's last 5 games when playing Tampa Bay

LOS ANGELES @ DALLAS
Los Angeles is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Los Angeles is 12-6 SU in its last 18 games when playing on the road against Dallas
Dallas is 17-7 SU in its last 24 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Dallas's last 13 games at home

VEGAS @ CALGARY
Vegas is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Vegas is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Calgary's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Calgary's last 5 games at home

COLORADO @ VANCOUVER
Colorado is 10-2 ATS in its last 12 games
Colorado is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games
Vancouver is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Colorado
Vancouver is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games when playing at home against Colorado