Hockey Today
SCOREBOARD
Thursday, May 7
Vancouver at Chicago (8 p.m. EDT). The host Blackhawks look to get even in Game 4 after falling behind 2-1 in the series with a home loss to the Canucks in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinal series.
STARS
Wednesday
— Kris Letang(notes), Penguins, scored his first career playoff goal 11:23 into overtime for a 3-2 victory over Washington that cut Pittsburgh’s deficit to 2-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.
— Sergei Samsonov(notes), Hurricanes, scored a goal and assisted on Jussi Jokinen’s(notes) winner in overtime as Carolina beat Boston 3-2 and took a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.
STAYING PUT?
The NHL is planning a showdown in court over the Phoenix Coyotes’ filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and the proposed sale of the team to Blackberry boss Jim Balsillie. League spokesman Frank Brown said attorneys for the NHL would appear in federal bankruptcy court in Phoenix on Thursday. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Wednesday that whether Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes had the authority to file for bankruptcy “is something we’re going to look into.”
SENT HOME
Anaheim Ducks defenseman James Wisniewski(notes) was released from the hospital on Wednesday, earlier than the team expected. Wisniewski was hit in the chest by Pavel Datsyuk’s(notes) slap shot during the second period of Tuesday’s playoff game against Detroit. He continued to skate but ultimately fell to his hands and knees while coughing blood as play stopped. After several minutes Wisniewski was taken to a hospital where it was determined he has a bruised lung. He was released on Wednesday afternoon, but there was no timetable for his return to the ice.
SORRY FOLKS
Hundreds of Pittsburgh Penguins fans got text messages saying they had won four tickets to an upcoming playoff game, but were disappointed to learn the messages had been sent in error. Team spokesman Tom McMillan says the message was mistakenly sent to 460 fans who entered a recent contest before a game. Each of the fans already received an automated phone call, explaining the mistake. Every fan who got the mixed-up message will receive a $25 gift card, a Penguins cap and T-shirt, and two tickets to a game next season.
SPEAKING
“The guys could have got frustrated, we kept with it and stuck with it and we eventually got rewarded. Any time you go down 2-0 on the road, you know when you come home you’ve got to respond.”—Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby(notes) after the Penguins’ 3-2 overtime victory on Wednesday night cut their deficit against the Washington Capitals to 2-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Vancouver Canucks vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Steve Bernier's power-play marker stood up as the winner as the Canucks clipped the Blackhawks 3-1 to take 2-1 lead in the series on Tuesday night.
Vancouver won as +125 road underdogs as the game played UNDER the 5.5-goal total listed by sportsbooks.
Henrik Sedin and Mason Raymond also scored for the Canucks, who got two assists from Alexander Edler in the win.
Brian Campbell potted the lone marker for Chicago, which outshot Vancouver 24-21 on the night.
Team records:
Vancouver: 45-27-10
Chicago: 46-24-12
Vancouver most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 8-2
Before playing San Jose are 6-4
After playing Chicago are 6-4
After a win are 8-2
Chicago most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 5-5
Before playing Edmonton are 7-3
After playing Vancouver are 7-3
After a loss are 5-5
A few trends to consider:
Vancouver is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games
Vancouver is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games on the road
Vancouver is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Chicago
Vancouver is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games at home
Chicago is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chicago's last 7 games
Chicago is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games
Next up:
Chicago at Vancouver, Saturday, May 9
Detroit Red Wings vs. Anaheim Ducks
Scott Niedermayer's power-play goal in the second period proved to be the winner, as the Ducks nipped the Red Wings 2-1 to take a 2-1 series lead on Tuesday night.
Anaheim cashed as +130 home underdogs as the teams played UNDER the 5.5-goal total set by sportsbooks.
Teemu Selanne scored the other marker for the Ducks, who were outshot 46-23 by the Red Wings in the victory.
Henrik Zetterberg found the back of the net for Detroit, which went 1-for-3 with the man-advantage on the night.
Team records:
Detroit: 51-21-10
Anaheim: 42-33-7
Detroit most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 7-3
Before playing Edmonton are 6-4
After playing Anaheim are 4-6
After a loss are 5-5
Anaheim most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 7-3
Before playing Detroit are 6-4
After playing Detroit are 5-5
After a win are 5-5
A few trends to consider:
Detroit is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Detroit's last 8 games when playing on the road against Anaheim
Detroit is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Detroit is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Anaheim
Anaheim is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Anaheim's last 8 games when playing at home against Detroit
Anaheim is 16-6 SU in its last 22 games
Anaheim is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Detroit
Next up:
Anaheim at Detroit, Sunday, May 10
VANCOUVER (51-28-0-10, 112 pts.) at CHICAGO (51-29-0-11, 113 pts.)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
VANCOUVER is 10-5 (+3.0 Units) against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
VANCOUVER is 10-5-0 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
8 of 12 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.7 Units)
DETROIT (56-22-0-11, 123 pts.) at ANAHEIM (48-35-0-8, 104 pts.)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
ANAHEIM is 11-10 (+1.6 Units) against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
ANAHEIM is 11-10-0 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
10 of 20 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.3 Units)
Vancouver at Chicago
Vancouver:
9-1 Away if total is 5 or less
12-4 Away off Away win by 2+ goals
Chicago:
73-93 SU at home playing only their 2nd game in 5 days
2-5 SU at home vs. Vancouver
Detroit at Anaheim
Detroit:
2-6 SU off 1 goal road loss
3-7 SU at Anaheim
Anaheim:
30-19 SU playing their 3rd game in 5 days
23-9 SU when leading in a playoff series
VANCOUVER vs. CHICAGO
Vancouver is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Chicago
Vancouver is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games on the road
Chicago is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chicago's last 7 games
DETROIT vs. ANAHEIM
Detroit is 4-12-1 SU in its last 17 games when playing on the road against Anaheim
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Detroit's last 8 games when playing on the road against Anaheim
Anaheim is 16-6 SU in its last 22 games
Anaheim is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
NHL Playoffs
Detroit's tying goal with 1:04 left in Game 3 was disallowed by referee's whistle, so Wings are down 2-1 to 8th-seed that has serious momentum. Ducks have been outshot 145-93 so far in series, with Detroit putting 62 shots on goal in Game 2 loss, 46 more in Game 3, but Hiller has stopped most everything. Anaheim won three of its four home playoff games. In series so far, eight of fifteen goals were scored on the power play.
Vancouver is 3-0 on road in playoffs this spring (3-2/3-2/3-1); they have led all three games in Chicago series after first period, but were outshot in all three games (87-69). Canucks is 5-18 on power play in series-- five of their eleven series goals came on power play- Blackhawks are 3-16 on power play. After scoring six third period goals in first two series games, Chicago was held scoreless in third period of Game 3 (10 shots).