Betting news, trends, odds and predictions for Thursday, March 22, 2018 from various handicappers and websites
Florida Panthers vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Preview and Predictions 03-22-2018
21st March 2018 by Gracenote
The Florida Panthers can complete a perfect three-game road trip and move into playoff position in the Eastern Conference when they visit the streaking Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night. The Panthers earned a shutout win at Montreal on Monday before knocking off Ottawa 7-2 only 24 hours later to move within one point of New Jersey for the second wild-card spot in the East with two games in hand.
"I think these two games were pretty textbook, defensively," Florida goalie James Reimer told reporters. "Back end of a back to back, obviously, it's hard and sometimes your legs aren't there, so you've got to be mentally sharp and for the most part (Tuesday) the guys did really well." The Blue Jackets moved into third place in the Metropolitan Division with their ninth straight victory Tuesday - a 5-3 triumph against the New York Rangers - and have beaten the Panthers three times in a row, including both this season. "(The streak) is a cool feather in the cap but right now all we care about is getting into the playoffs," Columbus captain Nick Foligno told reporters. "I'm not taking anything away from what we've done here, but we know that it really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things." Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has won his last six starts for the Blue Jackets with a .930 save percentage in that span and is 11-1-2 lifetime against Florida.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Florida, FS Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (37-27-7): Forward Frank Vatrano, who was acquired from Boston before the trade deadline, has made quite an impression since returning from injury with three goals and an assist in six games with a plus-3 rating. All-Star center Aleksander Barkov has five of his team-leading 73 points in the last five games and needs one goal to reach 100 in his career. Second-leading scorer Vincent Trocheck (66 points) suffered an upper-body injury Tuesday and his status is uncertain while defenseman Alex Petrovic (lower-body) is questionable.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (41-28-5): Left wing Artemi Panarin registered his first hat trick with Columbus on Tuesday and boasts 22 of his team-best 68 points in the last 16 games. "The teams that end up being there at the end of the year have a game-breaker and a guy who relishes being in those situations. A guy who wants the puck in key situation," coach John Tortorella told reporters of Panarin. "We're fortunate to have one." Defenseman Seth Jones (49 points, second on the team) has missed three straight games with an upper-body injury and is questionable.
OVERTIME
1. Foligno recorded five assists in the last three games to reach 400 points in his career.
2. Florida D Keith Yandle is one point from reaching 50 for the first time since 2013-14 while with Arizona.
3. Columbus LW Thomas Vanek boasts eight points in the last seven games after going pointless in his first four outings with the team.
PREDICTION: Blue Jackets 3, Panthers 2
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. New York Islanders Preview and Predictions 03-22-2018
21st March 2018 by Gracenote
The Tampa Bay Lightning look to build off a momentum-changing victory when they begin a quick two-game trip with a matchup against the New York Islanders on Thursday night. The Lightning rallied from a three-goal deficit for a 4-3 victory over Toronto on Tuesday after losing two of the previous three and lead second-place Boston by four points.
"We just thought, 'Let's stick to our game and how good it would feel if we come back and win this game,'" Tampa Bay left wing Alex Killorn told reporters after scoring the winning goal. "We played one of our better third periods in a long time." The Lightning have split a pair of meetings this season against the Islanders, who won for the second time in 13 games Tuesday with a 4-1 triumph versus Pittsburgh at home. New York is 10 points behind New Jersey for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with nine games to go after a 2-7-4 stretch that followed two straight shutout wins. "We've just been struggling and it's a hole you've got to dig out of," Islanders forward Anders Lee told reporters. "I think we can finish the season strong and set ourselves up as much as we can for next season. That where we're at right now. Just nine games of hard hockey."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), MSG Plus (New York)
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (50-19-4): Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 27 shots Tuesday to break Ben Bishop's franchise record with his 41st victory, and owns a .952 save percentage in six career appearances against the Islanders. Right wing Nikita Kucherov scored his team-leading 37th goal Tuesday and leads the league with a career-best 94 points - 12 of them coming in his last eight contests. Right wing Ryan Callahan (four goals, 15 points) suffered an upper-body injury in Tuesday's victory and will not make the road trip that ends in New Jersey on Saturday.
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (31-32-10): Lee boasts five goals in his last five games to push his team-leading and career-best total to 36 while fellow forward Jordan Eberle has reached 25 for the fourth time in his first campaign with New York. Captain John Tavares owns six of his 75 points in the last three games and Calder Trophy frontrunner Mathew Barzal has two goals and four assists in the last four contests to tie him for the team lead in points. Goalie Christopher Gibson (2-1-2) earned the victory Tuesday and has stopped at least 35 shots in all four of his full games.
OVERTIME
1. New York RW Cal Clutterbuck sat out Tuesday's game because of migraines and is questionable for the Lightning contest.
2. Tampa Bay F Yanni Gourde is tied for the franchise rookie record with 24 goals and four of them have come against the Islanders.
3. New York is 6-for-13 on the power play over the last three games and sits tied for ninth in the league (21.8 percent) entering Wednesday.
PREDICTION: Lightning 5, Islanders 2
New York Rangers vs. Philadelphia Flyers Preview and Predictions 03-22-2018
21st March 2018 by Gracenote
Alex Lyon recorded his first NHL win by turning aside 25 of 26 shots in relief against the New York Rangers last month. After another strong performance in relief in his last outing, the 25-year-old Lyon is expected to get the call on Thursday as the Philadelphia Flyers host the Rangers at Wells Fargo Center.
"He's shown a real good level of ability to be performance-ready, whether it's in a start or coming off the bench, which isn't always the easiest scenario," Philadelphia coach Dave Hakstol said of Lyon, who made 11 saves in relief of an ineffective Petr Mrazek in Tuesday's 5-4 shootout loss to Detroit. Captain Claude Giroux notched three assists for the third time this season in that outing and also joined Travis Konecny in recording a three-point performance (one goal, two assists) in the Flyers' 7-4 victory over the Rangers on Feb. 18. That triumph was just Philadelphia's second in the last nine meetings with New York, which didn't do the Flyers any favors after falling for the fifth time in seven outings with Tuesday's 5-3 setback to white-hot Columbus. The Blue Jackets inched past the Flyers into third place in the Metropolitan Division, with Philadelphia clinging to the top wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference following a 3-6-2 stretch.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), NBCS Philadelphia
ABOUT THE RANGERS (32-33-8): Kevin Hayes had a short-handed goal on Tuesday for his 17th point (10 goals, seven assists) in his last 19 games and enters Thursday's tilt with four tallies in his last four meetings with Philadelphia. Fellow forward Chris Kreider also scored versus the Blue Jackets to boost his point total to seven (two goals, five assists) in his last three games and has 11 points (seven goals, four assists) in 16 career encounters with the Flyers. Jesper Fast is riding a career-high six-game point streak with one goal and five assists, but he has been held off the scoresheet in both matches with Philadelphia this season.
ABOUT THE FLYERS (37-25-12): Sean Couturier and defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere each collected a goal and assist versus the Red Wings, with the former netting his team-leading 30th tally and 100th career while also extending his point streak to five games (one goal, six assists). The 24-year-old Gostisbehere has five points (three goals, two assists) in his last five contests, with four coming with the man advantage. Jakub Voracek set up a goal against Detroit to boost his point total to 10 (five goals, five assists) in his last 10 games.
OVERTIME
1. Philadelphia's Ivan Provorov will break a tie with former D Chris Therien by appearing in his franchise-best 157th consecutive game to begin his NHL career.
2. New York's final nine games of the season are against Eastern Conference representatives, with seven of those versus Metropolitan Division foes.
3. The Flyers traded the rights to C Cooper Marody to Edmonton on Wednesday in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.
PREDICTION: Rangers 4, Flyers 3
Arizona Coyotes vs. Carolina Hurricanes Preview and Predictions 03-22-2018
21st March 2018 by Gracenote
The Carolina Hurricanes' postseason hopes get slimmer by the day, but they hope to keep them alive when they host the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday. Carolina trails New Jersey by nine points for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with nine games remaining, digging that hole by losing six of its last eight contests.
The Hurricanes' latest setback was their fourth straight at home, a 7-3 loss to Edmonton on Tuesday. Sebastian Aho recorded his club-high 26th goal and an assist in the defeat to extend his point streak to six games and pull even for the team lead in points (59) with fellow Finn Teuvo Teravainen, who also tallied. Arizona is seeking its third consecutive victory as it continues a six-game road trip that began with Wednesday's 4-1 triumph in Buffalo. Clayton Keller set up a pair of goals for the Coyotes to give him 35 assists and 55 points, breaking the club records for a rookie respectively set by Max Domi in 2015-16 and Peter Mueller in 2007-08.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, FS Carolinas
ABOUT THE COYOTES (25-37-11): Luke Schenn was in the lineup Wednesday for the first time since March 10 due to the absence of fellow defenseman Jason Demers, who is out for the season with an upper-body injury. The 29-year-old Demers recorded six goals and 14 assists over 69 games during his first campaign with Arizona after being acquired from Florida in mid-September. Keller has registered two goals and five assists during his six-game point streak while Derek Stepan has collected a tally and six assists over his last six contests for the Coyotes, who have moved two points ahead of Vancouver to escape the basement in the Western Conference.
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (31-31-11): Carolina's playoff chances took another hit Wednesday as the team announced Victor Rask and defenseman Brett Pesce would miss the remainder of the season due to shoulder injuries. Rask, a 25-year-old Swedish center, has recorded 14 goals and 17 assists in 71 games while the 23-year-old Pesce has netted three tallies and set up 16 others in 65 contests. Aho has collected three goals and five assists during his point streak, with all three tallies coming on the power play to raise his team-leading total to eight.
OVERTIME
1. The Hurricanes have registered at least one power-play goal in five of their last seven games, going 6-for-21 in that span.
2. Schenn's next game will be his 700th in the NHL.
3. Carolina has recalled D Roland McKeown from Charlotte of the American Hockey League.
PREDICTION: Hurricanes 4, Coyotes 2
Edmonton Oilers vs. Ottawa Senators Preview and Predictions 03-22-2018
21st March 2018 by Gracenote
The Ottawa Senators dealt with plenty of adversity a year ago when goaltender Craig Anderson's wife was battling cancer and now are facing tragedy again this season. Captain and star defenseman Erik Karlsson will not be in the lineup for a second straight game when the Senators host the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night.
Karlsson posted on Twitter about the circumstances surrounding the stillborn death of his son, expressing thanks for the love and support he and his wife received during the couple's ordeal. "Everybody's heartbroken. It's awful," Senators coach Guy Boucher said. "We definitely feel for Erik and his wife and his family and as a group in there. It's been a tough year. There's been all kinds of things that have been tough, but I think this is a real personal, devastating blow." Edmonton is wrapping up a four-game road trip in Ottawa, improving to 2-1-0 on the trek with a 7-3 rout of Carolina on Tuesday night. The Oilers have struggled against the Senators, dropping a 6-1 decision at home on Oct. 14 to extend their losing streak in the series to four games.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet West (Edmonton), RDS, TSN5 (Ottawa)
ABOUT THE OILERS (32-36-5): Leon Draisaitl eclipsed the 200-point mark by scoring one goal and setting up three others to draw him within 11 of matching last season's personal-best total of 77. Pontus Aberg, acquired at the trade deadline from Nashville, was scratched for two games for what coach Todd McLellan said were "for reasons beyond his play." Aberg, who reportedly missed a practice, returned to the lineup in Carolina and had a goal and two assists for his first three-point game.
ABOUT THE SENATORS (26-35-11): Defenseman Patrick Sieloff etched his name in the record books Tuesday, becoming the first player in history to score in each of his first two NHL games while playing for different teams, yet all that earned him was a demotion to Belleville of the American Hockey League. Marian Gaborik, acquired in a trade with Los Angeles in mid-February, has scored in three of the past four games. He has a strong track record against Edmonton with 26 goals and 57 points in 59 games.
OVERTIME
1. Oilers captain Connor McDavid has yet to score in five games versus the Senators, although he has six assists.
2. Ottawa has outscored Edmonton 17-5 over the past four matchups.
3. The Oilers acquired University of Michigan F Cooper Marody from Philadelphia in exchange for a 2019 third-round draft pick.
PREDICTION: Oilers 4, Senators 3
Washington Capitals vs. Detroit Red Wings Preview and Predictions 03-22-2018
21st March 2018 by Gracenote
The Washington Capitals are in the driver's seat as they pursue a third consecutive Metropolitan Division title, but they play five of their last nine away from home. The reigning two-time Presidents' Trophy winners have won five of their last six as they kick off a three-game road trip at the skidding Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night.
Washington coach Barry Trotz is not about to overlook the Red Wings, who snapped a 10-game losing streak Tuesday with a 5-4 shootout victory over the Philadelphia Flyers -- a 6-3 winner over the Capitals on Sunday. "At this time of year, it doesn't really matter where teams are in the standings," Trotz said. "I think you don't look at any opponent right now any differently if you can." Although Washington is a pedestrian 16-15-5 on the road, Detroit has gone nearly a month since it last won in regulation (Feb. 24 versus Carolina). The Red Wings and Capitals have split a pair of meetings this season, with the away team winning in overtime, but since-traded Tomas Tatar scored half of Detroit's eight goals in the two matchups.
TV: 7:30 ET, NBC Sports Network
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (42-24-7): John Carlson scored the game-winning goal late in the third period and also set up Alex Ovechkin's NHL-high 44th tally in Tuesday's win to remain tied with Dallas' John Klingberg for the most points by a defenseman (61). Forward Tom Wilson did not record a point but he had six shots on goal, doled out nine hits and blocked three shots in a season-high 21:06. "You talk about hard to play against, different guys have different ways that they can have effect on opponents," Trotz said of Wilson.
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (27-35-11): Dylan Larkin, a 23-goal scorer as a rookie in 2015-16, halted a 17-game drought by converting twice in Tuesday's win to give him 11 tallies for the season. "He's done a real good job of playing a 200-foot game, and that's what's going to make him a great player in this league," Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. "He understands that." Frans Nielsen notched the only goal of Tuesday's shootout, giving him 48 for his career and 22 game-winning tallies in the format -- both league records.
OVERTIME
1. Capitals backup G Philipp Grubauer is expected to get the start against the Red Wings.
2. Detroit is 1-for-18 on the power play over the past seven games.
3. Capitals C Evgeny Kuznetsov (upper body), who missed the past two games, will travel with the team to Detroit.
PREDICTION: Capitals 3, Red Wings 2
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Nashville Predators Preview and Predictions 03-22-2018
21st March 2018 by Gracenote
Pekka Rinne boasts a .950 save percentage during his 11-game winning streak to bolster his bid for the Vezina Trophy while the Nashville Predators have recorded at least one point in a franchise-best 15 games (14-0-1) to put themselves in the lead for the Presidents' Trophy. Rinne and the Predators aim to continue their torrid play on Thursday when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Rinne reached the 40-win plateau for the third time and recorded his career-best eighth shutout in impressive fashion, turning aside all 35 shots he faced in Monday's 4-0 romp over Buffalo. "In our opinion, he's been the most valuable player for us, and definitely will be recognized for sure come award time in Vegas this summer," forward Ryan Johansen said of the 35-year-old Finn, who has permitted just five goals on 156 shots in his last five outings. Rinne wasn't as fortunate in his last encounter with Toronto, as James van Riemsdyk scored in regulation and again in the seventh round of the shootout of a 3-2 win on Feb. 7. The 28-year-old van Riemsdyk pushed his team-leading total in goals to 33 with seven in his last four games, including a pair in Tuesday's 4-3 setback to Tampa Bay.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Sportsnet Ontario (Toronto), TVAS, FS Tennessee (Nashville)
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (43-23-7): Auston Matthews skated with William Nylander and Zach Hyman during Wednesday's practice and declared himself good to go against Nashville after being sidelined for 10 games with a shoulder injury. "I felt good. Nice to kind of get in all the reps and everything so, in my mind, I think I'm ready to go, take it as I'm getting ready to play tomorrow so felt really good today," the 20-year-old Matthews said. Fellow forward Mitch Marner notched an assist versus the Lightning to extend his point streak to six games (two goals, six assists).
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (48-14-10): Viktor Arvidsson (team-leading 26 goals, 55 points) has scored eight goals and set up 10 others in his last 15 games. The 24-year-old Swede joined Colton Sissons with a tally versus Toronto, and the latter has two goals and an assist in his last two contests. Filip Forsberg has also been on a tear with 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in his past 10 games.
OVERTIME
1. Toronto G Frederik Andersen improved to 7-1-0 in his career versus Nashville after turning aside 44 shots in the first meeting.
2. Nashville's 13th-ranked power play is 0-for-19 in the last seven contests.
3. Maple Leafs D Connor Carrick boosted his point streak to four games (one goal, three assists) after setting up van Riemsdyk's first goal on Tuesday.
PREDICTION: Maple Leafs 4, Predators 2
Vancouver Canucks vs. Chicago Blackhawks Preview and Predictions 03-22-2018
21st March 2018 by Gracenote
The Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks are stumbling toward the finish line of the regular season, each mired in last place in their respective divisions and trying to break out of a losing streak. One of the teams will finally get back into the win column when the Blackhawks host the reeling Canucks on Thursday night.
Chicago, which topped the Western Conference with 109 points a year ago, was eliminated from postseason contention after Tuesday's 5-1 setback to Colorado to end a nine-year playoff run. "Obviously, it was one of those runs you want to keep going," forward Patrick Kane said after Chicago's fourth straight loss and sixth in seven games. "We had a disappointing second half of the season, to say the least." The loss of leading scorer Brock Boeser has sapped the life out of Vancouver, which is 0-for-7 since the rookie was injured. While the Canucks now own the worst record in the West, they have won three in a row in the series, including both meetings at home this season by a combined 9-4.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver), NBCS Chicago
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (25-39-9): Boeser had scored 29 goals before he fractured a bone in his back on March 5 and his absence has been painfully apparent -- Vancouver has scored seven goals in the seven-game slide, including three consecutive shutouts. "It's frustrating to lose. The players are frustrated," coach Travis Green said. "I don't blame them. I think it's a combination of not scoring ... and losing." The Canucks have failed to score on the power play in seven of eight games and had only one chance in five of them.
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (30-35-9): Joel Quenneville has guided Chicago to three Stanley Cup titles since 2009-10 but there are questions about his future despite the fact he is having his first losing season in 21 years. "He's giving us all the right points about what we should be doing before the game and what the other team's doing," forward Vinnie Hinostroza said. "It's usually the execution that's not there. I don't see him giving up at all." Kane collected an assist Tuesday to reach 70 points for the seventh time.
OVERTIME
1. Canucks G Jacob Markstrom has lost five straight starts but beat the Blackhawks in both matchups this season.
2. Chicago has scored first in 27 of its last 36 games but is only 12-12-3 in those contests.
3. Canucks F Daniel Sedin has two assists in eight contests since a five-game goal-scoring streak.
PREDICTION: Blackhawks 4, Canucks 2
Los Angeles Kings vs. Colorado Avalanche Preview and Predictions 03-22-2018
21st March 2018 by Gracenote
The Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche meet in Denver on Thursday in a game loaded with Stanley Cup playoff implications and featuring two potential Hart Trophy candidates. Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon is riding a 13-game point streak and is the main reason the Avalanche hold the top wild-card spot in the Western Conference while Anze Kopitar is also a strong Selke contender as Los Angeles sits one point behind the Avalanche.
"It's crunch time and I think, not just myself, but everyone is playing really well," MacKinnon told reporters after recording two assists in Tuesday's 5-1 victory at Chicago, giving him 13 goals and 26 points during his point streak and the Avalanche five wins in their last six games. "We're finding our gear and (Semyon Varlamov) has been really good, too. If you don't have goaltending, you're not going to win in this league, obviously. He's been awesome." The Kings split the first two contests of a four-game road trip, defeating Minnesota 4-3 in overtime Monday and losing to Winnipeg 2-1 in overtime Tuesday. "I think we got three out of four points against two tough opponents, which is a really positive thing,'' Los Angeles coach John Stevens told reporters. "But I think we want to be honest with ourselves and know we can play better. ..." The Kings won the first of three meetings this season 2-1 on Dec. 21 in Los Angeles on Dustin Brown's overtime goal for their third straight victory in the series with the final encounter April 2 in California.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS West (Los Angeles), Altitude (Colorado)
ABOUT THE KINGS (40-27-7): Kopitar recorded an assist in each of the last two games and has two goals and 10 assists in his last nine contests, giving him team highs of 29 goals and a career-high 82 points. Dustin Brown (23 goals, 51 points) has three goals and two assists in his last four games and is on pace for his most goals and assists since 2010-11. Jeff Carter has eight goals and 10 points in 13 games since missing more than four months with an ankle injury while Drew Doughty (54 points) continues to build a case to win his second Norris Trophy in three seasons with eight assists in his last five games while averaging 26:47 of ice time - second-most in the NHL to Minnesota's Ryan Suter (26:49).
ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (40-25-8): The MGM line featuring MacKinnon (team highs of 38 goals and 91 points), Gabriel Landeskog (56 points) and Mikko Rantanen (79) continues to produce at a high level with Rantanen recording his 26th goal Tuesday while matching MacKinnon with his 53rd assist. Defenseman Tyson Barrie also had a goal and an assist versus Chicago, giving him 15 points (six goals) during his career-high 11-game point streak. Varlamov (22-14-6, 2.69 goals-against average, .919 save percentage) has appeared in 18 straight games, starting 15 of the last 16, and is 6-1-3 with a .942 SP in March.
OVERTIME
1. Los Angeles C Trevor Lewis (14 goals, 25 points) is questionable to play after sustaining an upper-body injury Monday and missing Tuesday's game.
2. Colorado C Colin Wilson returned Tuesday after missing eight games because of a concussion and recorded an assist in 11:47 of ice time.
3. The Kings have alternated wins and losses in their last 10 games (5-3-2).
PREDICTION: Kings 3, Avalanche 2
Vegas Golden Knights vs. San Jose Sharks Preview and Predictions 03-22-2018
21st March 2018 by Gracenote
The expansion Vegas Golden Knights seem light-years removed from when they shifted to a five-man goaltender carousel to spin their way out of early-season trouble. With Marc-Andre Fleury nursing a head injury, the Pacific Division-leading Golden Knights open a modest two-game road trip on Thursday with a tilt against the second-place San Jose Sharks.
"Not getting into specifics with what he's doing, but he's not going to come today. He may join us tomorrow or in the near future," coach Gerard Gallant said of Fleury, who exited after one period in Tuesday's 4-1 triumph versus Vancouver after taking a shot off the mask. Malcolm Subban came on in relief and is expected to get the nod on Thursday in place of the three-time Stanley Cup champion, who already had missed 25 games this season with a concussion. Vegas has won five of seven but has failed to pad its eight-point lead over San Jose, which has erupted for 27 goals en route to winning a season-best five in a row. "You always find out what your group is made of when they're pushed up against the wall," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. "We were in a group a couple weeks ago of five or six teams that were all pretty much in the same spot, and we found a way to separate ourselves."
TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network
ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (47-21-5): Jonathan Marchessault is bidding to put his seven-game point drought in his rear-view mirror with an assist in Sunday's 4-0 victory over Calgary and a goal versus Vancouver in his last two outings. The 27-year-old Quebec native scored 1:21 into overtime to cap a three-point performance in Vegas' 5-4 overtime win over San Jose on Nov. 24 before scoring a goal and setting up another in a 5-3 triumph over the Sharks on Feb. 8. "This is going to be like a playoff game. I can't wait," Marchessault said of Thursday's upcoming tilt. "They have a lot at stake and so do we. If we focus on our game and not worry about them - we'll be OK. But I expect a real hard game with both teams ready to go."
ABOUT THE SHARKS (41-23-9): Defenseman Brent Burns notched two of his three assists on the power play in Tuesday's 6-2 romp over New Jersey, repeating the feat of his last encounter versus Vegas. The 2017 Norris Trophy winner has five of his club-best 48 assists in the last four contests while captain Joe Pavelski (team-leading 59 points) has one goal and five assists during his five-game point streak. Pavelski tallied twice in the more recent meeting with the Golden Knights, but Martin Jones has struggled by yielding seven goals to the club in just over four periods of action this season.
OVERTIME
1. San Jose C Logan Couture has three goals and three assists in his last four contests and D Brenden Dillon has scored two goals and set up four others during his five-game point streak.
2. G Oscar Dansk, who sported a 3-0-0 mark with a 1.78 goals-against average in four games with Vegas, was recalled from Chicago of the American Hockey League on an emergency basis Wednesday.
3. The Sharks' eighth-ranked power play has six goals in the last seven games after going 0-for-28 in their previous 12.
PREDICTION: Sharks 5, Golden Knights 2
NHL
Thursday, March 22
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Trend Report
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ARIZONA @ CAROLINA
Arizona is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Carolina
Arizona is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Carolina's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Carolina's last 5 games when playing at home against Arizona
FLORIDA @ COLUMBUS
Florida is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Florida's last 5 games when playing on the road against Columbus
Columbus is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Columbus is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
TAMPA BAY @ NY ISLANDERS
Tampa Bay is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games when playing NY Islanders
Tampa Bay is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing NY Islanders
The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Islanders's last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Islanders's last 5 games
NY RANGERS @ PHILADELPHIA
The total has gone OVER in 5 of NY Rangers's last 5 games
NY Rangers is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing NY Rangers
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games
WASHINGTON @ DETROIT
Washington is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing on the road against Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Detroit's last 9 games at home
Detroit is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Washington
EDMONTON @ OTTAWA
Edmonton is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Edmonton's last 5 games when playing on the road against Ottawa
Ottawa is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Edmonton
Ottawa is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
TORONTO @ NASHVILLE
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Toronto's last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 6 games on the road
Nashville is 14-1 SU in its last 15 games
Nashville is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games at home
VANCOUVER @ CHICAGO
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Vancouver's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Vancouver's last 5 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chicago's last 5 games when playing Vancouver
The total has gone UNDER in 19 of Chicago's last 25 games at home
LOS ANGELES @ COLORADO
Los Angeles is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Los Angeles is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games when playing Colorado
Colorado is 11-1 ATS in its last 12 games
Colorado is 16-2 ATS in its last 18 games at home
VEGAS @ SAN JOSE
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Vegas's last 5 games on the road
Vegas is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
San Jose is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Jose's last 5 games
NHL
Long Sheet
Thursday, March 22
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ARIZONA (25-37-0-11, 61 pts.) at CAROLINA (31-31-0-11, 73 pts.) - 3/22/2018, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA is 25-49 ATS (+91.8 Units) in all games this season.
ARIZONA is 27-65 ATS (+124.0 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
ARIZONA is 35-43 ATS (+98.5 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 19-14 ATS (+36.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
CAROLINA is 31-42 ATS (+73.2 Units) in all games this season.
CAROLINA is 13-22 ATS (-18.1 Units) second half of the season this season.
CAROLINA is 11-17 ATS (-8.0 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
CAROLINA is 11-18 ATS (-10.4 Units) in non-conference games this season.
CAROLINA is 1-7 ATS (-8.5 Units) in home games after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game this season.
CAROLINA is 13-20 ATS (-11.8 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
CAROLINA is 14-21 ATS (-11.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
ARIZONA is 2-3 (+0.7 Units) against the spread versus CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
CAROLINA is 3-2-0 straight up against ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.9 Units)
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NY RANGERS (32-33-0-8, 72 pts.) at PHILADELPHIA (37-25-0-12, 86 pts.) - 3/22/2018, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY RANGERS are 11-22 ATS (+34.8 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
NY RANGERS are 2-13 ATS (+21.3 Units) in road games after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game this season.
NY RANGERS are 128-122 ATS (+265.0 Units) in road games after allowing 4 goals or more since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 51-61 ATS (-15.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
NY RANGERS is 7-4 (+1.6 Units) against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
NY RANGERS is 7-4-0 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.7 Units, Under=-0.7 Units)
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FLORIDA (37-27-0-7, 81 pts.) at COLUMBUS (41-28-0-5, 87 pts.) - 3/22/2018, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
COLUMBUS is 17-4 ATS (+11.5 Units) in home games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 25-7 ATS (+17.3 Units) after a 3 game unbeaten streak over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 23-16 ATS (+6.8 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
FLORIDA is 4-4 (+0.3 Units) against the spread versus COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
COLUMBUS is 4-4-0 straight up against FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.6 Units)
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TAMPA BAY (50-19-0-4, 104 pts.) at NY ISLANDERS (31-32-0-10, 72 pts.) - 3/22/2018, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 11-13 ATS (-13.5 Units) after a division game this season.
TAMPA BAY is 383-420 ATS (-128.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
NY ISLANDERS are 33-21 ATS (+54.6 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 51-23 ATS (+11.8 Units) in all games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 6-1 ATS (+4.9 Units) in road games in March games over the last 2 seasons.
NY ISLANDERS are 9-15 ATS (+24.1 Units) in a home game where where the total is 6 or more this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 9-4 (+3.4 Units) against the spread versus NY ISLANDERS over the last 3 seasons
TAMPA BAY is 9-4-0 straight up against NY ISLANDERS over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.1 Units)
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WASHINGTON (42-24-0-7, 91 pts.) at DETROIT (27-35-0-11, 65 pts.) - 3/22/2018, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 3-12 ATS (+15.6 Units) in road games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.
WASHINGTON is 167-96 ATS (+19.7 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 18-8 ATS (+7.4 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
DETROIT is 19-43 ATS (+70.8 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 5-3 (+0.0 Units) against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 5-3-0 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-0.4 Units)
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EDMONTON (32-36-0-5, 69 pts.) at OTTAWA (26-35-0-11, 63 pts.) - 3/22/2018, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
EDMONTON is 33-41 ATS (-13.2 Units) in all games this season.
EDMONTON is 15-25 ATS (-11.0 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
EDMONTON is 3-13 ATS (-12.6 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more this season.
EDMONTON is 6-17 ATS (-12.7 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.
OTTAWA is 49-51 ATS (-8.0 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
OTTAWA is 32-27 ATS (+64.9 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
OTTAWA is 26-46 ATS (-33.6 Units) in all games this season.
OTTAWA is 97-78 ATS (-5.3 Units) in a home game where where the total is 6 or more since 1996.
OTTAWA is 100-109 ATS (-79.3 Units) in home games in non-conference games since 1996.
OTTAWA is 5-16 ATS (+24.9 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game this season.
OTTAWA is 7-16 ATS (+26.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
OTTAWA is 4-1 (+3.9 Units) against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
OTTAWA is 4-1-0 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.2 Units)
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TORONTO (43-23-0-7, 93 pts.) at NASHVILLE (48-14-0-10, 106 pts.) - 3/22/2018, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 4-1 (+4.4 Units) against the spread versus NASHVILLE over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 4-1-0 straight up against NASHVILLE 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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VANCOUVER (25-39-0-9, 59 pts.) at CHICAGO (30-35-0-9, 69 pts.) - 3/22/2018, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VANCOUVER is 25-48 ATS (+90.4 Units) in all games this season.
VANCOUVER is 22-56 ATS (+104.7 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
VANCOUVER is 4-19 ATS (+31.6 Units) after a division game this season.
VANCOUVER is 39-66 ATS (+112.6 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
VANCOUVER is 14-33 ATS (+52.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO is 30-45 ATS (+81.8 Units) in all games this season.
CHICAGO is 12-25 ATS (-23.2 Units) second half of the season this season.
CHICAGO is 4-16 ATS (+24.3 Units) after a division game this season.
CHICAGO is 13-25 ATS (-13.3 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
CHICAGO is 356-357 ATS (+788.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
CHICAGO is 2-10 ATS (-10.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
VANCOUVER is 4-4 (+1.6 Units) against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 4-4-0 straight up against VANCOUVER over the last 3 seasons
6 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+4.7 Units)
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LOS ANGELES (40-27-0-7, 87 pts.) at COLORADO (40-25-0-8, 88 pts.) - 3/22/2018, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOS ANGELES is 38-43 ATS (-24.1 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 13-23 ATS (-10.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
COLORADO is 41-33 ATS (+75.2 Units) in all games this season.
COLORADO is 22-14 ATS (+6.7 Units) second half of the season this season.
COLORADO is 25-21 ATS (+48.4 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
COLORADO is 17-12 ATS (+32.1 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more this season.
COLORADO is 19-12 ATS (+34.3 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.
COLORADO is 19-18 ATS (+40.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 3-4 (+0.1 Units) against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 4-3-0 straight up against COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.1 Units)
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VEGAS (47-21-0-5, 99 pts.) at SAN JOSE (41-23-0-9, 91 pts.) - 3/22/2018, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
VEGAS is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against the spread versus SAN JOSE over the last 3 seasons
VEGAS is 2-0-0 straight up against SAN JOSE over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.0 Units)