Hockey Today
SCOREBOARD
Monday, March 9
New York Rangers at Carolina (7 p.m. EDT). Eric Staal tied franchise records with four goals and six points in Carolina’s 9-3 victory in Tampa Bay on Saturday night. New York beat Boston on Sunday for its third straight victory.
STARS
Sunday
— Sidney Crosby, Penguins, scored his 25th goal and had the lone shootout goal in Pittsburgh’s 4-3 victory in Washington.
— Carey Price, Canadiens, made 31 saves in Montreal’s 3-1 win in Dallas.
— Stephane Veilleux and Niklas Backstrom, Wild. Veilleux scored twice, and Backstrom made 36 saves in Minnesota’s 3-2 victory in Anaheim.
— Bryan Little, Thrashers, scored twice in Atlanta’s 5-2 victory over Calgary.
— Nik Antropov, Rangers, had a goal and assist to help New York beat Boston 4-3. Antropov joined the Rangers on Wednesday in a trade with Toronto.
— Peter Budaj, Marek Svatos and Ryan Smyth, Avalanche. Budaj made 24 saves, and Svatos and Smyth each had a goal in Colorado’s 5-1 win over Chicago.
— Yann Danis, Islanders, made 30 saves in New York’s 3-2 victory over Phoenix.
STREAKS
The New York Rangers have won three straight to improve to 3-1-1 since John Tortorella took over as coach following Tom Renney’s firing. … Dallas has lost six straight at home to match a franchise record set in 1970 in Minnesota. … Colorado beat Chicago 5-1 on Sunday to snap a six-game losing streak.
SCOUTING
John Tavares broke the Ontario Hockey League goal record Sunday, scoring three times in the London Knights’ 4-3 victory in Windsor to push his career total to 215. Expected to be the top pick in the NHL draft, Tavares broke the mark of 213 set by Ottawa’s Peter Lee in 1976. Tavares leads the OHL with 56 goals and 104 points. … Mike Hoffman scored his 50th goal of the season to help visiting Drummondville beat Rimouski 5-4 on Sunday, snapping the Oceanic’s winning streak at 17 games in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
SPEAKING
“Great ones seem to have the game on the line when it’s their turn. Tonight it was Sidney’s time to have the game on the line, and he’s a great one. And he made no mistake when it was his turn.”—Washington coach Bruce Boudreau after Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby scored the lone shootout goal in the streaking Penguins’ 4-3 victory over the Capitals on Sunday. Crosby also scored in regulation.
New York Rangers vs. Carolina Hurricanes
The Rangers defeated Boston 4-3 as a -115 favorite on Sunday. The seven goals scored went OVER the posted over/under total (5.5).
Nik Antropov recorded a goal and an assist for New York and Nikolai Zherdev scored the game-winner.
Eric Staal had four goals and two assists on Saturday night as the Hurricanes rolled to an easy 9-3 win over the Lightning.
The Canes were winners as -155 road favorites in that contest, while the combined score went well OVER the night's posted total (5.5).
Current streak:
New York has won 3 straight games.
Carolina has won 3 straight games.
Team records:
New York: 34-24-8
Carolina: 35-27-5
New York most recently:
When playing on Monday are 6-4
Before playing Florida are 6-4
After playing Boston are 5-5
After a win are 5-5
Carolina most recently:
When playing on Monday are 5-5
Before playing Boston are 4-6
After playing Tampa Bay are 6-4
After a win are 5-5
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of the NY Rangers last 10 games when playing Carolina
NY Rangers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing Carolina
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of the NY Rangers last 18 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the NY Rangers last 6 games when playing on the road against Carolina
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Carolina's last 7 games
Carolina is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Carolina is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Carolina's last 10 games when playing NY Rangers
Next up:
NY Rangers at Nashville, Thursday, March 12
Carolina at Chicago, Wednesday, March 11
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Ottawa Senators
Alexei Ponikarovsky had the lone Maple Leafs goal in their 4-1 loss to the Oilers on Saturday night.
The Oilers were winners as -135 road favorites in that contest, while the combined score fell UNDER the night's posted total (6).
Nick Foligno and Daniel Alfredsson had two goals apiece as the Senators topped the Sabres 6-3 on Saturday night.
The Senators got the win as -115 home favorites in that contest, while the combined score went OVER the night's posted total (5.5).
Current streak:
Ottawa has won 2 straight games.
Team records:
Toronto: 26-27-13
Ottawa: 25-29-10
Toronto most recently:
When playing on Monday are 6-4
Before playing San Jose are 3-3-2
After playing Edmonton are 5-5
After a loss are 5-5
Ottawa most recently:
When playing on Monday are 4-6
Before playing Boston are 6-4
After playing Buffalo are 6-4
After a win are 5-5
A few trends to consider:
Toronto is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Toronto is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing Ottawa
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Toronto's last 12 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Toronto's last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Ottawa's last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Ottawa's last 7 games at home
Ottawa is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games when playing at home against Toronto
Ottawa is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
Next up:
Toronto home to NY Islanders, Tuesday, March 10
Ottawa home to Tampa Bay, Wednesday, March 11
Vancouver Canucks vs. Los Angeles Kings
The Canucks won their fourth straight by defeating the Sharks 3-1 on Saturday. That game's four goals went UNDER the posted over/under (5.5).
Alexander Edler, Mats Sundin and Kevin Bieksa scored for the Canucks, and Roberto Luongo made 28 saves for the win.
Teddy Purcell had the game-winning goal on Saturday afternoon as the Kings picked up a 4-3 win over the Wild.
The Kings were winners as -120 home favorites in that contest, while the combined score went OVER the day's posted total (5).
Current streak:
Vancouver has won 4 straight games.
Los Angeles has won 2 straight games.
Team records:
Vancouver: 34-22-8
Los Angeles: 28-28-9
Vancouver most recently:
When playing on Monday are 5-5
Before playing San Jose are 6-4
After playing San Jose are 1-9
After a win are 8-2
Los Angeles most recently:
When playing on Monday are 3-7
Before playing Dallas are 5-5
After playing Minnesota are 2-8
After a win are 6-4
A few trends to consider:
Vancouver is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Vancouver's last 6 games
Vancouver is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Vancouver's last 7 games when playing Los Angeles
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Los Angeles's last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Los Angeles's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Los Angeles's last 7 games when playing Vancouver
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Los Angeles's last 20 games when playing at home against Vancouver
Next up:
Vancouver at Anaheim, Wednesday, March 11
Los Angeles at Vancouver, Friday, March 13
NY RANGERS vs. CAROLINA
NY Rangers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing Carolina
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of the NY Rangers last 10 games when playing Carolina
Carolina is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Carolina's last 7 games
TORONTO vs. OTTAWA
Toronto is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing Ottawa
Toronto is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Ottawa's last 7 games at home
Ottawa is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games when playing at home against Toronto
VANCOUVER vs. LOS ANGELES
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Vancouver's last 7 games when playing Los Angeles
Vancouver is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Los Angeles is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Los Angeles's last 5 games at home
Hot teams
-- Carolina won six of its last eight games. Rangers won last three games, scoring total of 14 goals.
-- Toronto won five of its last seven games. Senators won their last two games, after losing six of previous seven.
-- Kings won last two games, 5-4/4-3, since coming off long road trip. Canucks won four in row, 12 of last 14 games.
Cold teams
-- None.
Totals
-- Seven of last nine Carolina games went over the total.
-- Seven of last eight Ottawa games went over the total.
-- Last four Los Angeles games went over the total.
Back-to-Back
-- Rangers are 4-2 if they won a game the day/night before.
-- Toronto is 5-2 last seven times they also had a game the next night.
Series Records
-- Rangers won seven of last nine games vs Carolina.
-- Maple Leafs won six of last eight games against Ottawa.
-- Road team won six of last eight LA-Vancouver games.
NHL Hockey Picks
by Ron Raymond
NY Rangers vs. Carolina
The Rangers and Canes are two teams with confidence and don't be surprised if this game goes to either OT or a shoot out. Cam Ward has been money the last few weeks and Tortorella has given the Rangers a whole new edge and look! Canes are coming off a big 9-3 win over Tampa Bay and the Rangers are coming off an NBC Game of the Week win over Boston. When it's all said and done; the two goalies will be the first and second star of this game and the third star will be the player who nets the winner. My lean goes to the Canes, as the Rangers are 1-6 SU in their last 7 road games. When CAROLINA team played as a home team - Last 4 years - During the month of March; The Hurricanes are 15-5 SU at home the last 4 seasons in this spot.
Prediction: Carolina 2 NY Rangers 1
Toronto vs. Ottawa
Both teams are out of the playoff picture, but it's still the Battle of Ontario and emotions are always high in these games. Ottawa has bought into the new coaches system and the Leafs are playing hard to keep their job under the new regime in Leaf land. Gerber gets a shot at his old club, but the way Ottawa is playing right now, it won't be enough for Toronto to skate with the new energized Senators. Toronto looked flat Saturday night vs. the Oilers and the Sens new motto is to jump out early and attack right off the drop of the puck. When OTTAWA team Played as Home team as a Favorite - Last 5 years - With 1 day off - Coming off a Home win as a Favorite - Coming off a 2 game winning streak; the Sens are 10-3 SU in this role the L5Y.
*80% CLUB STAT; When ANY NHL Team Played as Home team as a Favorite - Vs Eastern conference opponent - After a division game - Total is 6.0 - Coming off a 2 game winning streak - Coming off a Home win as a Favorite; The Home Fave (OTTAWA) is 14-5-1 SU in this system since 1996.
Prediction: Ottawa 5 Toronto 3
Vancouver vs. LA Kings
Vancouver is on a major role, winning 12 of their last 14 games; only two other NHL teams have 10 or more wins in their last 14 games and that's New Jersey and the Penguins. My only concern is the letdown factor for Vancouver, as they are coming off a huge win over San Jose, but LA is coming off a big home win over Minny, so it balances out. When VANCOUVER team played as a Road team - Total is 5.5 - Coming off vs. Western Conference opponent - Coming off a 4 game Home stand; the Canucks are 7-3 SU in this spot.
Prediction: Vancouver 3 LA Kings 2