NHL Betting News and Trends For Saturday, March 10, 2018

Catch a Predator
For the longest time, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights were the talk of the league, with the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins and defending Western Conference champ Nashville Predators on the back burner. The Pens are sitting at 80 points, second place in the Metropolitan Division, but well back of the overall leaders. However, the Nashville Predators have streaked their way to the top of the Western Conference, leading the Winnipeg Jets by six points in the Central Division with 16 left to play. The Preds are on a nine-game winning streak and showing no signs of slowing down.

Tropical Depression
The Carolina Hurricanes are now under new ownership, but the story remains the same. The Canes are on the outside looking in after a 6-2 drumming from their former captain Eric Staal and the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night. Carolina heads into Wednesday's action down four points to the Columbus Blue Jackets, who hold the No. 8 spot in the East. The Florida Panthers are also right in the mix with 71 points, and they have three games in hand on Carolina. In fact, there are four teams within seven points of the Jackets, so the Hurricanes have plenty of company and can ill-afford any losses. They're 2-6-2 and losing their grip on a wild-card spot, which will not sit well with an increasingly angry fan base in the Raleigh/Durham area.
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Looking Ahead

Wednesday, March 7
The Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers do battle for Keystone State supremacy. A few weeks ago, this didn't look like a terribly attractive matchup. But the Flyers have been on fire, winning 10 of their past 14 games to vault to within two points of the Metro Division lead. So this will be a super important game, as the winner will come away with sole possession of second place, and perhaps a share or outright lead. The Penguins have held serve, winning eight of their past 11 overall, while going 11-5 in their past 16 against teams with a winning record. The 'over' is 5-1 in the past six meetings in this series, while the Pens have come away with seven of the past 10 meetings.

Thursday, March 8
The Ducks and the Predators meet for the third time this season. Anaheim has been hot lately, including a 4-0 win against Washington on Tuesday, completing a 3-0-1 homestand. Nashville has been hot, too, however, as they'll go for their 10th consecutive victory on Thursday night. The Predators have also won each of the first two meetings in this series, taking a 3-2 shootout victory on Dec. 2 in the most recent matchup, while besting the Ducks 5-3 in Anaheim back on Nov. 3. The Ducks are playing much better hockey these days, however, and this is likely to be a playoff preview.

As mentioned, the Capitals were whitewashed in Anaheim on Tuesday in the first stop of their West Coast road trip. The Caps have won three in a row at home, but they have dropped three stragiht on the road while averaging just 1.0 goals per game. They're allowing 4.0 GPG across the past three outings away from home. Los Angeles posted a 5-2 victory in D.C. back on Nov. 30, as Braden Holtby got the best of Jonathan Quick. Holtby was pulled after allowing three quick goals on Tuesday, so Philipp Grubauer might get the nod in L.A. based on his solid play as a stand-in.

Friday, March 9
The Wild and Canucks will tangle in the Pacific Northwest. It is the third meeting between these teams, and while the Canucks have won each of the first two battles, both contests remained in one-goal results. Vancouver won 3-2 in overtime in the most recent meeting on Jan. 14 in St. Paul, and Anders Nilsson and the Canucks blanked the Wild 1-0 on Oct. 24. In the past five meetings, the Wild have managed to pick up just one victory, which is amazing considering the disparity in the standings between these two clubs over the past couple of seasons.

Saturday, March 10
It's an Original Six battle on Saturday afternoon in Beantown, and we have two clubs going in completely opposite directions. The Blackhawks are normally at or near the top of the Western Conference standings and contending, but it's been a trying season with a turnstile in the crease since Corey Crawford went down. The Bruins won 6-5 on Tuesday night to stay hot, winning their fourth consecutive game. Three of those contests resulted in overtime, and 16 of their games have resulted in overtime or a shootout this season. Boston has won seven of the past eight at home, while Chicago has won consecutive games just twice since Jan. 10. They haven't won three in a row since cobbling together a season-best five-game winning streak from Dec. 8-17.

The New York Rangers and Florida Panthers battle in Sunrise on Saturday night, and these are two of a handful of teams jockeying for the No. 7 or 8 playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. This is the third meeting this season, and both games have resulted in 5-4 scores. The Panthers won 5-4 in regulation at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 28, while the Rangers won on the Panthers home ice on Nov. 4 in overtime. The road team has won five in a row in this series, with the home team last winning when the Rangers took a 4-2 decision at MSG back on March 21, 2016.

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Boston Bruins Preview and Predictions 03-10-2018

9th March 2018 by Gracenote
All-Star left wing Brad Marchand is taking on even more responsibility with three key players out and hopes to stay hot when his Boston Bruins host the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday afternoon in the opener of a home-and-home set. Marchand boasts five goals and four assists over the last four games for the Bruins, who have won five straight to stay within six points of first-place Tampa Bay in the Atlantic Division with three games in hand.

"With (Patrice Bergeron) being out from their line and (David) Backes being out, he wants to be a difference-maker even more and the past few games he's been that," Boston goalie Tuukka Rask told reporters of Marchand, who leads the team with 29 goals and 67 points. "So it's great for him. He's even got the letter on his chest." Backes will sit out two more games because of a suspension while Bergeron (foot) and defenseman Charlie McAvoy (knee) are out at least a few more weeks. The Bruins will try to take advantage of the fading Blackhawks, who are 2-4-0 in their last six games and likely will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2007-08. Chicago, which sits last in the Central Division, took a 2-1 lead after one period Thursday against Carolina before being outshot 29-15 in the final 40 minutes en route to a 3-2 loss at home.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, NHL Network, NBCS Chicago, NESN (Boston)

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (29-31-8): Forward Tomas Jurco scored one of the goals Thursday to give him three in six games after managing only one in his previous 49 NHL contests with Chicago and Detroit. Patrick Kane leads the team with 24 goals and 63 points and captain Jonathan Toews has five of his 45 points in the past four games to tie fellow center Nick Schmaltz for second. Rookie Alex DeBrincat is second on the team with 22 goals, but is mired in a nine-game drought, while Artem Anisimov needs one to reach 20 for the third straight season and fourth overall.

ABOUT THE BRUINS (42-15-8): Marchand's linemate David Pastrnak has also stepped up with Bergeron out, recording one goal and 10 assists in the last seven games to push his season total to 63 points - second behind Marchand. Defenseman Torey Krug was kept off the scoresheet in Thursday's 3-2 win over Philadelphia after collecting nine points (three goals) in the previous four contests while veteran forward Brian Gionta has made an impact with four points in four games since being signed. Forward Riley Nash boasts seven points (three goals) in the last five games to increase his career-high total to 35.

OVERTIME

1. Chicago D Jan Rutta, who has 19 points in 44 games this season, signed a one-year extension Thursday worth $2.3 million.

2. Rask turned aside 31 shots to earn the win Thursday after sitting out the previous two games with a lower-body injury.

3. The teams split a pair of games last season with the road team winning each. They will meet again in Chicago on Sunday afternoon.

PREDICTION: Bruins 4, Blackhawks 2
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Montreal Canadiens vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Preview and Predictions 03-10-2018

9th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Tampa Bay Lightning continue to show flaws while piling up victories and look to extend their point streak to 10 games when they host the Atlantic Division-rival Montreal Canadiens on Saturday afternoon. The Lightning rolled to 3-0 and 5-1 leads Thursday against the depleted New York Rangers before settling for a 5-3 victory and have allowed 17 goals in the last four games despite winning them all.

"It's contagious on the bench," Tampa Bay left wing Chris Kunitz told reporters after the victory. "I don't know if we're taking our foot off the gas (in the third period). But it's tough to play a full game like we were in the first 15 minutes (Thursday)." The Lightning are 8-0-1 in their last nine games but have had problems against struggling Montreal, going to a shootout in each of the last two encounters with each team winning once. The Canadiens had gained at least a point in seven straight games (3-0-4) before starting their four-game road trip with a pair of losses, including a 5-0 setback at Florida on Thursday despite recording 40 shots on net. "You have to live with the knocks and the bad breaks," Montreal coach Claude Julien told reporters. "We're asking a lot of players to play bigger roles than they're ready for because we have an arm-length of injuries. A lot of those guys are impact players on our team. We all know that and we have to live with the consequences."

TV: 1 p.m. ET, TSN2, RDS (Montreal), FS Sun (Tampa Bay)

ABOUT THE CANADIENS (25-31-11): Right wing Brendan Gallagher posted five of his team-high 41 points in the four games prior to Thursday and tops Montreal with 24 goals. Forward Alex Galchenyuk is second on the team with 39 points, but has been blanked in three straight games, while center Jonathan Drouin (10 goals, 23 assists) also came up empty in the past three contests. Antti Niemi (lower-body), who is 4-2-3 with a .931 save percentage since coming to Montreal, could return between the pipes to try and improve a 0-3-1 mark against Tampa Bay in 2017-18.

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (47-17-4): Center Anthony Cirelli, who scored the game-winner in the 2015 Memorial Cup final for Oshawa, has given Tampa Bay a lift since being recalled with two goals, three assists and a plus-4 rating in four games. "He picked up some points for us, which has been great, but how has he played in the circle? How is he doing defensively? ..." coach Jon Cooper told reporters. "And he's checking a lot of the boxes." Right wing Nikita Kucherov leads the league with 87 points and boasts five assists in the last three contests while captain Steven Stamkos has seven of his 78 points in the past four games.

OVERTIME

1. Tampa Bay F Yanni Gourde has 24 goals and needs one to pass Tyler Johnson for the franchise rookie record.

2. Canadiens D Mike Reilly registered four assists in five games since being acquired from Minnesota at the trade deadline.

3. The Lightning are 1-for-13 on the power play over the last six games and Montreal is 0-for-13 in the past four.

PREDICTION: Lightning 5, Canadiens 2
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Winnipeg Jets vs. Philadelphia Flyers Preview and Predictions 03-10-2018

9th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Philadelphia Flyers have both raised expectations and anxiety levels with pronounced winning and winless streaks this season. Following a red-hot 10-0-1 run to end February with an 0-4-1 start to March, the Flyers continue their stretch against formidable foes on Saturday afternoon when they host the surging Winnipeg Jets at Wells Fargo Center.

"Hard to swallow" was Philadelphia coach Dave Hakstol's response after watching Brad Marchand score with 22 seconds remaining in the third period of a 3-2 setback to Boston on Thursday. The Flyers have also dropped decisions this month to Eastern Conference-best Tampa Bay, surging Florida and Metropolitan Division-leading Pittsburgh while dates with the Jets and Pacific Division-best Vegas line their immediate schedule. While Philadelphia has yet to taste victory this month, Winnipeg has won all four of its contests in March and improved to 3-0-0 on its season-high six-game road trip with a 3-2 triumph over New Jersey. NHL Second Star of the Week Patrik Laine scored his eight goal in four contests to extend his point streak to 10 games (14 goals, six assists) for the Jets, who are 9-2-0 in their last 11 overall and 7-0-1 in their last eight on the road.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, TSN3 (Winnipeg), NBCS Philadelphia

ABOUT THE JETS (41-17-9): Connor Hellebuyck moved past Kari Lehtonen for the franchise single-season record in wins with his 35th on Thursday, turning aside 41 shots versus the Devils to improve his save percentage to .925 in his past eight starts. "I haven't let it soak in," the 24-year-old Hellebuyck said. "It's a good feeling, having my name up there is pretty cool. It's a big milestone in my career and I'm going to enjoy it and continue on and keep pushing the pace." Forward Nikolaj Ehlers is having a fine season in his own right with 26 goals and as many assists, including five and seven, respectively, over the last 10 games.

ABOUT THE FLYERS (34-23-11): Winnipeg native Nolan Patrick continued his scoring surge in spectacular fashion on Thursday, deftly backhanding a pass between his legs to Jakub Voracek for an early power-play goal. The 19-year-old Patrick has looked significantly more at ease as his rookie season has gone on with nine points (five goals, four assists) in his past 11 contests. Captain Claude Giroux also notched an assist on Voracek's goal to move within four points of Eric Lindros (659) for fifth place in Flyers' scoring history.

OVERTIME

1. The matinee features Philadelphia's Voracek and Giroux as well as Winnipeg captain Blake Wheeler, who each have 57 assists to share top honors in the NHL this season heading into play on Friday.

2. Jets C Mark Scheifele (upper body), D Dmitry Kulikov (lower body) and former Flyers G Steve Mason (lower body) will not play on Saturday, per coach Paul Maurice.

3. Winnipeg has won six straight games against Eastern Conference foes and 10 of its last 11.

PREDICTION: Jets 5, Flyers 1
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Vegas Golden Knights vs. Buffalo Sabres Preview and Predictions 03-10-2018

9th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Vegas Golden Knights have established a number of records in their inaugural season and have another within their sights as they resume a five-game road trip with a matinee against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday. Vegas is 2-1-0 on its current trek to reach 19 victories away from home, tying Anaheim for the most road wins by an expansion club.

After losing four of their previous five, the Pacific Division-leading Golden Knights blanked Detroit 4-0 behind two goals from Alex Tuch, who also scored in a 5-4 overtime win over Buffalo on Oct. 17. "You're not going to be perfect the whole year," Vegas goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury said. "You're going to have ups and downs, but we don't' stay down long." The Sabres have a league-low 10 wins at KeyBank Center, but they have a chance to pad that total in the opener of a six-game homestand. Jacob Josefson scored the decisive goal in the shootout in Thursday's 4-3 win at Ottawa, Buffalo's fourth win in its last six games.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, AT&T Sportsnet-Rocky Mountain (Vegas), MSG-Buffalo

ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (43-19-5): Cody Eakin broke out of a lengthy offensive funk by scoring a pair of goals and setting up another in Thursday's win, which came on the heels of a 25-game stretch in which he managed just one tally and one assist. "It's nice to contribute," Eakin said. "I was looking to take it to the net, and I thought we didn't really force anything." Fleury registered his third shutout of the season and 47th of his career to move within two wins of becoming the 13th netminder in history to reach 400.

ABOUT THE SABRES (22-35-11): Buffalo learned Friday that forward Kyle Okposo suffered his second concussion in less than a year when he collided with Ottawa's Bobby Ryan in Thursday's game. "Just seeing him last night, I thought he was in a good place," coach Phil Housley said. "Obviously, there's things that can happen down the road. But from my perspective, he was in good spirits, so that was a good sign." Ryan O'Reilly, who has points in five of his last six games, scored twice in the early-season matchup at Vegas.

OVERTIME

1. Fleury is 20-5-3 with four shutouts against Buffalo.

2. Sabres F Sam Reinhart has four goals and nine points in his last nine games.

3. Golden Knights D Nate Schmidt, who has missed the past four games, was back at practice Friday.

PREDICTION: Golden Knights 3, Sabres 2
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Arizona Coyotes vs. Colorado Avalanche Preview and Predictions 03-10-2018

9th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Colorado Avalanche have come a long way since finishing with a franchise-worst 48 points last season as they continue their push toward a playoff spot when the Arizona Coyotes pay a visit on Saturday afternoon. Colorado is adding points despite three straight losses - all in overtime - with Thursday's 5-4 setback in Columbus putting it one behind Los Angeles for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

"We found a way to carve a point, but we need to get some more pucks in traffic to the net," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar told reporters. "We'll take the point. I don't think we deserve the point (Thursday). We certainly have to be better than that." Where Colorado has been better is at home as its 23-8-2 record at the Pepsi Center is among the league's best, and it is 13-1-1 in its last 15 there since a 3-1 loss to Arizona on Dec. 27. The Coyotes are coming off a 2-1 victory at Vancouver on Wednesday and are 9-2-2 over its last 13 games, but remain last in the NHL with 53 points. The teams split the first two of three meetings this season as Carl Soderberg scored twice in Colorado's 6-2 victory in Arizona on Dec. 23 - his first of three two-goal games this season with the last coming Thursday.

TV: 3 p.m. ET, FS Arizona Plus, Altitude (Colorado)

ABOUT THE COYOTES (21-34-11): Clayton Keller is fourth among NHL rookies with a team-high 48 points and tied for fifth with a club-best 18 goals after scoring four and assisting on eight during Arizona's strong run. "Last (13) games, he's got a lot of juice," coach Rick Tocchet told reporters. "You can tell there's no hitting the wall. I really feel this last month he's going to finish strong." Derek Stepan (43 points) scored the game-winner and added an assist Wednesday, giving him four points in his last three games.

ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (35-24-8): Nathan MacKinnon is fifth in the NHL in points with 79 - trailing leader Nikita Kucherov of Tampa Bay by eight despite playing seven fewer contests - and has seven goals and seven assists in a seven-game point streak. Defenseman Tyson Barrie (nine goals, 44 points in 53 games) scored Thursday and has three goals and four assists during a five-game point streak. Goaltender Jonathan Bernier (17-11-2, 2.82 goals-against average, .914 save percentage), who hasn't played since Feb. 16 because of a concussion, will practice Friday before Bednar determines whether he is ready to return as Semyon Varlamov (18-13-6, 2.87, .913) went 4-2-4 while making the last 10 starts.

OVERTIME

1. Colorado is 11-for-33 on the power play over its last nine games with MacKinnon scoring four times, Mikko Rantanen (22 goals, 66 points this season) adding three and captain Gabriel Landeskog (22, 49) providing a pair.

2. Coyotes D Alex Goligoski (nine goals, 30 points, 23:13 average ice time) could return after missing the last two games to witness the birth of his child.

3. Avalanche LW Sven Andrighetto (six goals, 18 points in 38 games) returned Thursday after missing 28 contests with a lower-body injury and played on the fourth line with C Dominic Toninato and Gabriel Bourque.

PREDICTION: Avalanche 3, Coyotes 2
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Washington Capitals vs. San Jose Sharks Preview and Predictions 03-10-2018

9th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Washington Capitals will try to avoid a winless jaunt through the state of California when they conclude a three-game road trip with a visit to the San Jose Sharks on Saturday afternoon. The Capitals managed just one goal in losses to Anaheim and Los Angeles to fall one point behind Pittsburgh for first place in the Metropolitan Division.

Washington also was swept in the same three-game trek a year ago and has dropped its last seven games (0-6-1) in California. "We're just in a rut," Capitals forward Brett Connolly said. "It's not coming easy for us right now and we all know that. We just have to find a way to push through and get our mojo back." San Jose blanked St. Louis 2-0 on Thursday to improve to 3-1-0 on the six-game homestand as it continues to jockey with Anaheim for second place in the Pacific Divison. "I think our motivation was the standings," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said after his team surrendered a season-low 16 shots on goal. "Everyone's fighting for a playoff spot. We know how important points are, and the guys were ready to play."

TV: 4 p.m. ET, NBCS Washington, NBCS California (San Jose)

ABOUT THE CAPITALS (37-23-7): With Braden Holtby struggling badly, backup Philipp Grubauer started against Los Angeles and could get the nod versus the Sharks after earning the victory in a 4-1 win over San Jose on Dec. 4. T.J. Oshie, mired in a 17-game goal drought, suffered a concussion in that matchup. He told the Washington Post that it was hard "to really catch up and feel comfortable on the ice. I'm not saying that was the only reason, but that has a good amount to do with it."

ABOUT THE SHARKS (36-22-9): San Jose finally ended an ugly dry spell on the power play when Mikkel Boedker converted in the third period Thursday to end an 0-for-29 slump with the man advantage dating to Feb. 8. "We don't seem to focus on it," Boedker said of the drought. "We know what's going on. It's just a matter of sticking with it. We have All-Star players in this group that's going to take us out of the hole." Tomas Hertl scored into an empty net, marking just his first goal and his third point over the last nine games.

OVERTIME

1. Washington has lost 22 of its last 26 against San Jose, although three of the wins have come in the past eight meetings.

2. Although the power play has struggled, the Sharks have killed off all 11 penalties in the past six games.

3. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, who is two goals shy of 600 for his career, has scored eight times in 17 games versus San Jose.

PREDICTION: Sharks 3, Capitals 2
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St. Louis Blues vs. Los Angeles Kings Preview and Predictions 03-10-2018

9th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Los Angeles Kings have won seven of their last 10 to remain in the mix with their California rivals in the congested Pacific Division. The Kings look to continue their ascent while handing the slumping St. Louis Blues yet another setback on Saturday when the Western Conference foes meet at Staples Center.

St. Louis sat six points ahead of Los Angeles on Feb. 11 before its offense went limp during a disastrous 1-7-2 stretch, with the team mustering two goals or fewer on eight occasions. "It's just tough to get wins right now," said Jake Allen, who made 34 saves in Thursday's 2-0 setback to San Jose. "We have our backs to the wall. We're not getting chances like we used to. We have to step it up or it's going to be tough." That could be a tall order against the Kings, who have won four of six overall and seen Jonathan Quick permit two goals or fewer in six of his last eight contests. The former Conn Smythe Trophy winner traditionally hasn't been as fortunate against the Blues, as he surrendered three goals in a 4-2 setback at St. Louis on Oct. 30 en route to falling to 8-11-3 in his career versus the club.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, NHL Network, FS Midwest (St. Louis), FS West (Los Angeles)

ABOUT THE BLUES (35-27-5): Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz each had a goal and an assist in the first meeting with Los Angeles, with the former recording 14 points in 16 career outings versus the Kings while the latter has six in his last six. The duo failed to dent the scoresheet in St. Louis' 4-1 setback to Los Angeles on Dec. 1, with that being the theme for Tarasenko in four of his last six games overall. The 26-year-old Russian has a club-best 26 goals and his 56 points are one shy of Brayden Schenn, who has just two assists in his last seven contests.

ABOUT THE KINGS (37-25-5): Jeff Carter scored and set up a goal in Thursday's 3-1 win over Washington to boost his point total to five (four goals, one assist) in the past six outings since missing 55 games due to an ankle injury. Fellow forward Trevor Lewis returned from a 12-game absence due to an upper-body injury to score versus the Capitals, extending his career-high total in goals (14) while matching his personal best in points (25). "Having (forward Trevor Lewis) back was a guy we really missed, and getting some games under (Jeff Carter's) belt has been really important for us too," coach John Stevens said.

OVERTIME

1. St. Louis' 29th-ranked power play is mired in a 1-for-21 stretch on the power play in the last six games.

2. Kings LW Tanner Pearson, who is riding a three-game point streak, collected one goal and two assists in two meetings with the Blues this season.

3. St. Louis is just 17-18-4 versus Western Conference foes, as opposed to 18-9-1 against foes from the East.

PREDICTION: Blues 2, Kings 1
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Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Preview and Predictions 03-10-2018

9th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Toronto Maple Leafs hope to avoid a fifth consecutive loss when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. Toronto fell to 0-2-2 over its last four games with Monday's 5-3 setback in Buffalo but is riding a nine-game home winning streak.

Leo Komarov ended his 12-game drought by scoring a pair of goals in the loss by the Maple Leafs, who sit comfortably in third place in the Atlantic Division - 12 points ahead of Florida and seven behind Boston. Pittsburgh, which owns a one-point lead over Washington for first place in the Metropolitan, is riding a three-game winning streak after rolling to a 5-2 victory in Philadelphia on Wednesday. Conor Sheary scored twice while captain Sidney Crosby collected three assists to give him 1,100 points during his illustrious career. Evgeni Malkin recorded a goal and an assist versus the Flyers to increase his team-leading point total to 84 and give him eight during his four-game streak.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL Network, AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh, CBC, Sportsnet, TVA, CITY (Toronto)

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (39-25-4): Malkin has landed on the scoresheet in 10 of his last 11 games, registering seven multi-point performances in that span. The 31-year-old Russian is a two-time Art Ross Trophy winner and is in the running for a third award as he trails Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov by only three points for the league lead. After losing Bryan Rust (upper body) and Dominik Simon (lower body) in Wednesday's victory, Pittsburgh recalled Josh Jooris from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League.

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (39-22-7): Matt Martin made the most of a rare night in the lineup Monday, notching his ninth assist of the season to tie his career high. The rugged 28-year-old left wing, who was a healthy scratch for Toronto's previous 18 games, was playing for the first time since Jan. 22. Mitch Marner scored a goal against the Sabres to pull within one of the career-high 19 he recorded as a rookie last season and increase his team-leading total to 54 points.

OVERTIME

1. Komarov has recorded only 15 points over his last 66 games after notching three in his first two contests this season.

2. Crosby is four assists away from 700 for his career.

3. Toronto has not lost at home since Jan. 22, when it dropped a 4-2 decision against Colorado.

PREDICTION: Penguins 4, Maple Leafs 2
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New York Rangers vs. Florida Panthers Preview and Predictions 03-10-2018

9th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Florida Panthers' sizzling play since the All-Star break has propelled the Sunshine State representatives into the conversation for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Boasting a 14-3-1 mark in their last 18 games, the Panthers look to continue their surge and record a franchise-record eighth straight home win on Saturday when they host the New York Rangers.

"We know what we have to do at home to get where we need to be," said Panthers coach Bob Boughner, who saw Roberto Luongo turn aside all 40 shots he faced in Thursday's 5-0 romp over Montreal to improve his save percentage to .938 in his last 19 games. Evgenii Dadonov and fellow forward Vincent Trocheck each scored and set up a goal, giving the former 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in his past 13 games while the latter has 12 (eight goals, four assists) in that stretch. Henrik Lundqvist will be tasked with slowing down that duo while making his 800th career NHL appearance on Saturday. The 2012 Vezina Trophy recipient, who was pulled after yielding four goals in Thursday's 5-3 setback to Tampa Bay, sports a 17-5-1 mark with two shutouts in his last 24 appearances versus Florida.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), FS Florida

ABOUT THE RANGERS (30-32-6): While New York's fortunes haven't been overly positive this season, Ryan Spooner is making quite the impression as he continued his torrid stretch on Thursday with a goal and two assists. The 26-year-old has 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in six games since being acquired from Boston on Feb. 25 and seven (three goals, four assists) in his past eight versus Florida. Fellow forward Kevin Hayes scored and set up a goal versus the Lightning to boost his career-high goal total to 19 this season and his point total to 14 (eight goals, six assists) in his past 14 games.

ABOUT THE PANTHERS (33-25-7): Frank Vatrano, who has been sidelined since Feb. 6 with a high-ankle sprain, is expected to make his debut with his new team on Saturday. "If he feels good, we're going to play him (Saturday) night," Boughner said Friday of the 23-year-old Vatrano, who was acquired from the Bruins on Feb. 22 for a third-round pick. Vatrano is expected to be paired on the team's second line with Jonathan Huberdeau (career-best 21 tallies) and Trocheck (team-leading 26 goals).

OVERTIME

1. Florida C Aleksander Barkov has five goals and nine assists during his eight-game point streak.

2. New York owns a 10-2-2 mark against the Panthers since the start of the 2013-14 season.

3. Florida D Keith Yandle, who is a former Ranger, set up three tallies on Thursday to increase his point total to 20 (two goals, 18 assists) in the past 18 games.

PREDICTION: Panthers 5, Rangers 2
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New Jersey Devils vs. Nashville Predators Preview and Predictions 03-10-2018

9th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Nashville Predators can establish the longest winning streak in the league this season when they go for their 11th consecutive victory against the visiting New Jersey Devils on Saturday night. Owners of the best record in the Western Conference, the Predators are one point behind Tampa Bay in the race for the Presidents' Trophy.

Ryan Johansen score one goal and set up another as Nashville downed Anaheim 4-2 on Thursday night for its 10th win in a row, matching Colorado's run for the best in the NHL this season. "We're just taking it day-by-day and looking at our team game and what we can always be improving on and these wins are obviously nice as they keep coming along," Johansen said. While the Predators have a six-point cushion atop the Central Division, New Jersey is sliding in the opposite direction as it prepares to kick off a six-game road trip. The Devils are holding down one of the wild-card slots in the East but have dropped four of five games and lead ninth-place Florida by three points, with the Panthers having three games in hand.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, MSG Plus (New Jersey), FS Tennessee (Nashville)

ABOUT THE DEVILS (34-26-8): Taylor Hall was held off the scoresheet for the first time in 2018 in Thursday's 4-2 loss to Winnipeg, ending a stretch of 26 straight games with a point and his NHL-best 19-game point streak. "It was going to end sometime," said Hall, who missed three games during the streak dating to Jan. 2. "There were some nights on the streak where I didn't play well at all and maybe found a way to get a couple of points." Netminder Cory Schneider has a forgettable streak going, losing 10 straight starts (0-8-2).

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (44-14-9): Goaltender Pekka Rinne has been on a spectacular roll for Nashville, posting eight consecutive victories and recording an 18-1-1 mark with four shutouts in his last 20 starts, including a 3-0 win over New Jersey on Jan. 25. Viktor Arvidsson has amassed seven goals and seven assists over the past 10 games and also had one of each in the victory over the Devils in January. Johansen picked up an assist against New Jersey in the earlier meeting and has collected 16 points in 19 games dating to Feb. 1.

OVERTIME

1. New Jersey whiffed on four power plays against Winnipeg after going 7-for-14 over the previous five games.

2. Nashville is 1-for-14 with the man advantage in the last five games.

3. Devils Fs Travis Zajac and Pavel Zacha did not accompany the team to Nashville.

PREDICTION: Predators 4, Devils 2
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Minnesota Wild vs. Edmonton Oilers Preview and Predictions 03-10-2018

10th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Minnesota Wild attempt to strengthen their hold on third place in the Central Division when they visit the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. Minnesota maintained its three-point lead over Dallas for the spot Friday with its third straight victory, a 5-2 triumph at Vancouver.

Charlie Coyle and Matt Cullen each recorded a goal and an assist in the victory while Eric Staal snapped a 2-2 tie late in the second period to give him 37 goals this season and four tallies during his three-game streak. Edmonton is looking to conclude its five-game homestand with a three-game winning streak after dropping the first two contests. The Oilers edged Arizona in overtime on Monday before getting past the New York Islanders in a shootout three nights later, with captain Connor McDavid forging a tie late in the third period before scoring the decisive goal in the third round of the bonus format. The tying tally was the career-high 31st of the season for the 21-year-old McDavid, who is riding a six-game point streak during which he has collected four goals and six assists.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), CBC, Sportsnet (Edmonton)

ABOUT THE WILD (39-22-7): Staal leads the team with 68 points, which is three more than his total over 82 games last season - his first with the club. The 33-year-old also tops the Wild in tallies, scoring 18 over his last 20 contests, and is three away from the third 40-goal season of his career and first since 2008-09 while with Carolina. Zach Parise also has been wielding a hot stick as he enters Saturday with a three-game goal-scoring streak and a six-game point run during which he has recorded four tallies and two assists.

ABOUT THE OILERS (29-34-4): Ethan Bear had a memorable game Thursday, setting up McDavid's goal for his first point in his fourth NHL contest. The 20-year-old defenseman, who was a fifth-round pick in the 2015 draft, also finished with a plus-1 rating after being a combined minus-5 over his first three career games. Several Oilers are closing in on milestones as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins needs two points for 300 in his career, Leon Draisaitl is three shy of 200 and blue-liner Adam Larsson is four away from 100.

OVERTIME

1. Wild G Devan Dubnyk could be rested against Edmonton after registering his 199th career victory Friday.

2. Nugent-Hopkins has recorded a goal and an assist in three games since returning from a rib injury.

3. Minnesota RW Mikael Granlund is on a four-game assist streak but has gone five games without a tally, keeping him one shy of his second straight 20-goal season.

PREDICTION: Oilers 4, Wild 2
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NHL

Saturday, March 10

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Trend Report
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CHICAGO @ BOSTON
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chicago's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chicago's last 9 games
Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

VEGAS @ BUFFALO
Vegas is 17-3 ATS in its last 20 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Vegas's last 6 games
Buffalo is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Buffalo's last 9 games at home

WINNIPEG @ PHILADELPHIA
Winnipeg is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Winnipeg is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Philadelphia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Winnipeg
Philadelphia is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Winnipeg

MONTREAL @ TAMPA BAY
Montreal is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 games
Montreal is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 games when playing Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Tampa Bay's last 8 games

ARIZONA @ COLORADO
Arizona is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Arizona is 11-3 ATS in its last 14 games
Colorado is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Colorado is 14-1 ATS in its last 15 games at home

ST. LOUIS @ LOS ANGELES
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of St. Louis's last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of St. Louis's last 5 games on the road
Los Angeles is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games when playing at home against St. Louis
Los Angeles is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

WASHINGTON @ SAN JOSE
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing on the road against San Jose
San Jose is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Washington
San Jose is 21-4 SU in its last 25 games when playing Washington

NY RANGERS @ FLORIDA
NY Rangers is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Florida
The total has gone OVER in 5 of NY Rangers's last 6 games when playing Florida
Florida is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Florida's last 5 games at home

PITTSBURGH @ TORONTO
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Pittsburgh's last 9 games
Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 6 games at home

NEW JERSEY @ NASHVILLE
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of New Jersey's last 7 games
New Jersey is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Nashville is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Nashville is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

MINNESOTA @ EDMONTON
Minnesota is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Edmonton
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota's last 6 games
Edmonton is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Edmonton's last 6 games when playing at home against Minnesota
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NHL
Long Sheet

Saturday, March 10

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CHICAGO (29-31-0-8, 66 pts.) at BOSTON (42-15-0-8, 92 pts.) - 3/10/2018, 1:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 29-39 ATS (-15.7 Units) in all games this season.
CHICAGO is 11-21 ATS (-10.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BOSTON is 42-23 ATS (+67.1 Units) in all games this season.
BOSTON is 266-232 ATS (-105.1 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.
BOSTON is 101-104 ATS (-66.7 Units) in home games in non-conference games since 1996.
BOSTON is 213-173 ATS (-97.7 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
BOSTON is 101-87 ATS (-67.2 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
CHICAGO is 2-2 (+0.2 Units) against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 2-2-0 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.2 Units)

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WINNIPEG (41-17-0-9, 91 pts.) at PHILADELPHIA (34-23-0-11, 79 pts.) - 3/10/2018, 1:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 57-55 ATS (+1.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
WINNIPEG is 41-26 ATS (+7.3 Units) in all games this season.
WINNIPEG is 30-24 ATS (+60.0 Units) in road games second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 4-9 ATS (-8.6 Units) in home games in non-conference games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 3-10 ATS (-8.0 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 3-2 (+1.4 Units) against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA is 3-2-0 straight up against WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.9 Units)

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MONTREAL (25-31-0-11, 61 pts.) at TAMPA BAY (47-17-0-4, 98 pts.) - 3/10/2018, 1:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MONTREAL is 25-42 ATS (-18.6 Units) in all games this season.
MONTREAL is 21-29 ATS (-13.0 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 12-28 ATS (+42.8 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
MONTREAL is 3-13 ATS (+20.1 Units) in road games after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game this season.
MONTREAL is 1-9 ATS (+12.9 Units) in road games after 3 or more consecutive losses this season.
MONTREAL is 8-22 ATS (+33.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
TAMPA BAY is 47-21 ATS (+77.6 Units) in all games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 26-10 ATS (+9.2 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.
TAMPA BAY is 380-419 ATS (-175.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 7-4 (+4.9 Units) against the spread versus TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 7-4-0 straight up against TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.3 Units)

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VEGAS (43-19-0-5, 91 pts.) at BUFFALO (22-35-0-11, 55 pts.) - 3/10/2018, 1:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BUFFALO is 218-227 ATS (+499.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1996.
VEGAS is 43-24 ATS (+16.5 Units) in all games this season.
VEGAS is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) on Saturday games this season.
VEGAS is 18-10 ATS (+7.6 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
BUFFALO is 1-10 ATS (+13.7 Units) in home games in non-conference games this season.
BUFFALO is 13-32 ATS (+50.2 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
VEGAS is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against the spread versus BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
VEGAS is 1-0-0 straight up against BUFFALO 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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ARIZONA (21-34-0-11, 53 pts.) at COLORADO (35-24-0-8, 78 pts.) - 3/10/2018, 3:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA is 21-45 ATS (+83.4 Units) in all games this season.
ARIZONA is 1-10 ATS (+15.6 Units) when playing with 2 days rest this season.
ARIZONA is 38-107 ATS (+215.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
COLORADO is 35-32 ATS (+86.4 Units) in all games this season.
COLORADO is 11-2 ATS (+8.9 Units) in home games second half of the season this season.
COLORADO is 16-13 ATS (+32.9 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
COLORADO is 21-20 ATS (+47.5 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
COLORADO is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in home games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.
COLORADO is 125-131 ATS (-25.4 Units) in home games after allowing 4 goals or more since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
ARIZONA is 5-3 (+3.2 Units) against the spread versus COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
ARIZONA is 5-3-0 straight up against COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.5 Units)

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WASHINGTON (37-23-0-7, 81 pts.) at SAN JOSE (36-22-0-9, 81 pts.) - 3/10/2018, 4:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 190-224 ATS (-78.3 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
WASHINGTON is 21-7 ATS (+10.2 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN JOSE is 4-1 (+3.1 Units) against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
SAN JOSE is 4-1-0 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.3 Units)

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ST LOUIS (35-27-0-5, 75 pts.) at LOS ANGELES (37-25-0-5, 79 pts.) - 3/10/2018, 4:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 10-18 ATS (-9.4 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
ST LOUIS is 4-13 ATS (+18.7 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ST LOUIS is 4-11 ATS (-7.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
ST LOUIS is 46-32 ATS (+79.5 Units) in road games second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 18-21 ATS (-10.9 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5 or less over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 18-20 ATS (-16.3 Units) in home games second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 199-241 ATS (-93.7 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.
LOS ANGELES is 109-111 ATS (-61.1 Units) in home games after a win by 2 goals or more since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 5-3 (+1.4 Units) against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
ST LOUIS is 5-3-0 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.3 Units)

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NY RANGERS (30-32-0-6, 66 pts.) at FLORIDA (33-25-0-7, 73 pts.) - 3/10/2018, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.
NY RANGERS are 14-8 ATS (+22.9 Units) in road games revenging a home loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 14-9 ATS (+24.5 Units) in road games after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 187-176 ATS (-46.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
FLORIDA is 4-4 (+1.1 Units) against the spread versus NY RANGERS over the last 3 seasons
FLORIDA is 4-4-0 straight up against NY RANGERS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+5.1 Units)

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PITTSBURGH (39-25-0-4, 82 pts.) at TORONTO (39-22-0-7, 85 pts.) - 3/10/2018, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 1-7 ATS (-6.9 Units) in road games on Saturday games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 20-8 ATS (+8.6 Units) second half of the season this season.
PITTSBURGH is 60-37 ATS (+13.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 33-43 ATS (-24.9 Units) in home games when playing with 3 or more days rest since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 4-4 (+0.7 Units) against the spread versus PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 4-4-0 straight up against PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.2 Units)

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NEW JERSEY (34-26-0-8, 76 pts.) at NASHVILLE (44-14-0-9, 97 pts.) - 3/10/2018, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW JERSEY is 3-17 ATS (+28.1 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
NASHVILLE is 44-23 ATS (+72.9 Units) in all games this season.
NASHVILLE is 21-8 ATS (+7.7 Units) second half of the season this season.
NASHVILLE is 21-7 ATS (+12.5 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW JERSEY is 2-3 (+0.4 Units) against the spread versus NASHVILLE over the last 3 seasons
NASHVILLE is 3-2-0 straight up against NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.1 Units)

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MINNESOTA (39-22-0-7, 85 pts.) at EDMONTON (29-34-0-4, 62 pts.) - 3/10/2018, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 5-2 (+2.2 Units) against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 5-2-0 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.6 Units, Under=-0.3 Units)
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