Saturday 11/14/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

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Post your request, Comments or concerns here.
Good luck on all your plays.

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Hey- Fezzik has 3 cfb picks for sat and 2 NFL picks for sunday.. Does anyone have them yet? Thanks a lot !
 
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MMA heads to Australia

UFC 193: Rousey vs. Holm
Saturday, November 14th – 10:00 p.m. ET
Melbourne, Australia
Five Round Women’s Bantamweight Title Fight
Ronda Rousey (12-0-0) vs. Holly Holm (9-0-0)
Line: Rousey -1800, Holm +850

Undefeated Americans Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm meet at UFC Fight Night 193 in the Land Down Under.

Ronda Rousey made her professional MMA debut in 2011, and has quickly become the most recognizable name in the world of women’s fighting. She won her first six fights via armbar submission before becoming the first woman to sign with the UFC. Her dominant ways have since continued, and five of her last seven fights have been decided in under a minute.

Nine out of 12 of the California native’s victories have come via submission or technical submissions, with two knockouts and one technical knockout. The 28-year-old’s last bout, against the previously undefeated Bethe Correia, lasted just 34 seconds, and Rousey is proving to be a dominant force in the women’s bantamweight division.

Holly Holm is also undefeated, but is quite the underdog as the seventh-ranked fighter in the division. The former professional boxer has six knockouts to her name, and she matches up well physically in this bout.

Rousey is well known for her use of the armbar, which has been responsible for nine out of her 12 career victories. She is a very comfortable fighter on the ground and her grappling skills are second to none. Throughout her career, Rousey has averaged 8.00 takedowns per 15 minutes, and boasts a takedown accuracy of over 72 percent.

She also averages 6.16 submissions attempted per 15 minutes. She lands 4.35 significant strikes per minute, and connects at a solid clip of 63.1 percent. Her opponents, on the other hand, land just 2.63 significant strikes per minute, and she defends such strikes at a rate of 51.52 percent.

Despite her boxing background, Holm’s punching stats are subpar. She averages 3.63 significant strikes per minute at a lowly rate of 28.09 percent. Her boxing defense, however, is excellent, and she absorbs 2.20 significant strikers per minutes and she defends these at a rate of over 69 percent.

She only averages 0.50 takedowns attempted per minute, but has a conversion rate of 100 percent in that small sample size. She also defends takedowns at a 100 percent rate, but has yet to attempt a submission.

Other UFC 193 Bouts & Odds -

Women's Strawweight Bout:
Joanna J?drzejczyk
Valérie Létourneau

Heavyweight Bout:
Mark Hunt
Antônio Silva

Middleweight Bout:
Robert Whittaker
Uriah Hall

Heavyweight Bout:
Stefan Struve
Jared Rosholt

Lightweight Bout:
Jake Matthews
Akbarh Arreola

Welterweight Bout:
Kyle Noke
Peter Sobotta

Light Heavyweight Bout:
Anthony Perosh
Gian Villante

Flyweight Bout:
Richie Vaculik
Danny Martinez

Welterweight Bout:
Brendan O'Reilly
James Moontasri

Welterweight Bout:
Richard Walsh
Steve Kennedy

Middleweight Bout:
Dan Kelly
Steve Montgomery

Flyweight Bout:
Ben Nguyen
Ryan Benoit
 

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League One TODAY 12:30
RochdalevWigan
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KEY STAT: Rochdale have drawn their last four league games

EXPERT VERDICT: An FA Cup thrashing at Bury put paid to Wigan’s long unbeaten run and Gary Caldwell’s team will be aiming to bounce back but the draw appeals as the best bet. Rochdale have shared the points in their last four league games and the visitors have also played out their fair share of stalemates in recent weeks.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
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Euro Championships TODAY 17:00
UkrainevSlovenia
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KEY STAT: Ukraine have never beaten Slovenia

EXPERT VERDICT: Ukraine have a terrible playoff record, losing every one of the five in which they have been involved. And they also have a poor record against Slovenia, failing to beat them in four attempts, so the favourites could be worth taking on. First legs of qualifiers are often nervy affairs but the away side could nick it.

RECOMMENDATION: Slovenia
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Euro Championships TODAY 19:45
SwedenvDenmark
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KEY STAT: Denmark scored only eight goals in qualifying

EXPERT VERDICT: Denmark’s struggles in front of goal saw Albania pip them to a place in France and that lack of goals could cost them dear in Solna. Sweden held their own in a tough group containing Austria and Russia and could have too much firepower for the pragmatic Danes.

RECOMMENDATION: Sweden
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League Two Su 15Nov 12:15
HartlepoolvLeyton Orient
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KEY STAT: Orient’s 16 league games have produced 46 goals

EXPERT VERDICT: Leyton Orient are well placed in League Two but two wins from their last 11 league games will make uncomfortable reading for manager Ian Hendon. The O’s have kept just a single clean sheet in that sequence and going over on goals against struggling Pool looks a wise play.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
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League Two Su 15Nov 14:30
PortsmouthvAFC W'bledon
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KEY STAT: Pompey have won two of their eight home league games

EXPERT VERDICT: Wimbledon won three on the spin before being dumped out of the FA Cup by Forest Green and they might be able to trouble Portsmouth at Fratton Park. Pompey have been solid at home but have struggled to win on several occasions, so they may be worth opposing with the dangerous Wombles.

RECOMMENDATION: AFC Wimbledon
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Euro Championships Su 15Nov 19:45
HungaryvNorway
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KEY STAT: Norway won three of their five away qualifiers

EXPERT VERDICT: This has become a must-win fixture for Norway after a 1-0 first-leg defeat on Thursday in their Euro 2016 playoff but they battered Hungary from pillar to post in Oslo, only to fail to make their dominance count on the scoreboard. At the prices it may pay to back Norway to hit the target this time around.

RECOMMENDATION: Norway
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NHL notebook: Avs' Landeskog suspended two games
By The Sports Xchange

Colorado Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog has been suspended two games for an illegal check to the head of Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand on Thursday night.
The NHL's Department of Player Safety also announced Friday that Marchand was fined $5,000 for roughing Landeskog.
The incident occurred at 5:46 of the second period. Landeskog was assessed a match penalty for illegal check to the head, and the Avalanche captain was ejected from the game. Marchand was assessed a minor penalty for roughing.
Marchand was uninjured and played the rest of the game after serving a two-minute penalty for punching Landeskog after the collision.
Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based his average annual salary, Landeskog will forfeit $59,907.84. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

---Detroit Red Wings forward Teemu Pulkkinen has been fined $2,000 for diving/embellishment.
NHL Rule 64 is designed to penalize players (and teams) who repeatedly dive and embellish in an attempt to draw penalties.
Pulkkinen was issued a warning following an incident flagged by NHL Hockey Operations during a game at Vancouver on Oct. 24. His second citation, which triggered the $2,000 fine, was issued for an incident at 12:36 of the first period against Dallas on Nov. 8.

---The Chicago Blackhawks activated defensemen Michal Rozsival and Duncan Keith from long-term injured reserve.
Both players will be in the lineup Saturday night against the St. Louis Blues, coach Joel Quenneville said.
Rozsival, 37, has missed the entire season with a broken left ankle sustained during the Blackhawks' Western Conference second-round series against the Minnesota Wild last season. He agreed to a one-year contract Sept. 19.
Keith, 32, had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee Oct. 20 and was projected to miss 4-6 weeks. The Blackhawks are 5-4-1 with him out of the lineup.
The Blackhawks also reassigned defensemen Erik Gustafsson and Viktor Svedberg to the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League.

---The St. Louis Blues placed forward Martin Havlat on unconditional waivers.
Havlat was seeking his unconditional release from the team due to personal reasons. He has asked for privacy at this time, according to the team announcement.
Havlat, 34, was originally brought in by the Blues on a professional tryout and signed a one-year contract on Nov. 6. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Havlat appeared in two games with the team, scoring one goal.

---The Washington Capitals reassigned right winger Chris Brown for conditioning purposes and center Chandler Stephenson to the Hershey Bears of the AHL.
Brown, 24, has earned three points (two goals, one assist) in 22 career NHL games with Washington and Arizona. He appeared in five games with the Capitals last season with one goal. Washington acquired Brown on March 4, 2014.
Stephenson, 21, has played in nine games with the Capitals this season with no points and made his NHL debut on Oct. 15. He registered an assist on Oct. 10 in Hershey's 2015-16 season opener against Springfield and has earned 16 points (eight goals, eight assists) in 57 career AHL games.

---The Nashville Predators signed center Anthony Richard to a three-year entry-level contract.
Richard, 18, is ranked among the top 10 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League skaters in goals (sixth, 16), points (eighth, 34) and assists (10th, 18) through 22 games, while also leading the league in game-winning goals (five) and shots on goal (103) in his fourth season with the Val-d'Or Foreurs.
The 5-foot-10, 163-pound Richard was the Predators' fourth-round selection (100th overall) in the 2015 NHL draft.

---Team North America named four assistant coaches for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, including Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Peter DeBoer of the San Jose Sharks, Dave Tippett of the Arizona Coyotes and Jay Woodcroft of the Edmonton Oilers.
The assistant coaches will report to Team North America general manager Peter Chiarelli of the Oilers, associate GM Stan Bowman of the Chicago Blackhawks and head coach Todd McLellan of the Oilers.
"We are excited to announce Team North America's assistant coaches for the World Cup of Hockey 2016," Chiarelli said in a statement. "Jon, Peter, Dave and Jay are great additions to our staff and their tremendous experience will go a long way in helping our young players have a successful tournament."
Team North America will consist of players from the United States and Canada who will be age 23 or younger as of Oct. 1, 2016. Team North America will play in Group B, along with Team Finland, Team Russia and Team Sweden. Group A will consist of Team Canada, Team Czech Republic, Team USA and Team Europe, which will include players from outside the four countries that will send teams.
 
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Preview: Rangers (12-2) at Senators (5-5)

Date: November 14, 2015 1:00 PM EDT

The New York Rangers are flourishing offensively, and the points keep piling up.

They'll look to extend their longest point streak in eight years Saturday when they visit the Ottawa Senators.

New York (12-2-2) has earned a point in 11 straight games, tying for the ninth-longest streak in team history and the longest since a 13-game run in 2007-08. The 19-game streak by the 1939-40 club is the franchise's longest ever.

The current stretch includes seven straight victories in which the Rangers have scored 27 goals despite a modest 26.0 shots per game.

They outdueled another one of the league's top offensive teams Thursday in a 6-3 win against St. Louis despite registering 22 shots.

"A good test for us to raise our level," said defenseman Marc Staal, who improved to plus-8. "I thought (it was) one of the hardest competition games (we've) had. They play a strong game. They play smart. I think it was our best effort, emotional type of win. It (was) a good test for us and (I'm) glad we responded the way we did."

Mats Zuccarello continued his excellent play, recording a goal and two assists as one of six Rangers with multiple points. He leads the team with 15, 12 of which have come in the last 10 games, and has five goals and three assists in his last seven meetings with the Senators.

Zuccarello is enjoying a strong comeback after a slap shot struck him in the side of the head in Game 5 of a first-round playoff series against Pittsburgh in April, sidelining him for the remainder of the postseason. He suffered a brain contusion and hairline fracture in his skull and required speech therapy.

"He's playing at such a high level right now. It starts with his compete level," said Derek Stepan, who has four points in his last four games. "He competes so hard."

The Senators (8-5-3) continue to struggle on the penalty kill, allowing 15 goals on 59 opportunities, and have conceded at least one power-play goal in seven of their last eight games.

They gave up one on three chances Thursday against Vancouver but won 3-2 for their first regulation home victory behind Andrew Hammond's 33 saves.

New York hasn't been overly impressive on the power play with a 17.9 percent success rate, though it has scored on the advantage in three straight road games and is a league-best plus-25 in even-strength situations. Ottawa is minus-1.

Ottawa's Erik Karlsson had a goal and an assist for the second straight game Thursday and ranks near the top of the league with 14 assists. The reigning Norris Trophy winner's career high for assists is 59 in 2011-12.

Left wing Clarke MacArthur, who had 36 points in 62 games last season but hasn't played since Oct. 14 due to a concussion, has begun working out for the Senators, though no timetable for his return has been established.

The Rangers took last season's series 2-1 and have won nine of their last 12 trips to Ottawa.
 
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Preview: Penguins (9-6) at Devils (7-6)

Date: November 14, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

First-year Devils coach John Hynes is thrilled with more than his club's victories so far this season, and a win over the team sitting right above New Jersey in the standings should add to the list.

After sweeping the season series from the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Devils look to extend their home success against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night.

New Jersey (9-6-1) has missed the playoffs for three straight seasons and was widely expected to be among the NHL's worst teams in 2015-16. Opening with four losses seemed to confirm those predictions, but the Devils have since gone 9-3-0 to gain renewed optimism.

The club didn't reach 10 wins last season until Dec. 4 after 26 games.

"What we're real happy with, even more than the record, is just the way the team's come together," Hynes said. "Guys are playing for one another. There's a lot of belief in how we're playing."

That was evident in Thursday's 3-2 win at Chicago, which was New Jersey's second over the Blackhawks during a 3-1-0 stretch.

Sergey Kalinin has been a pleasant surprise of late with two goals and one assist over the past three games. The 24-year-old rookie right wing, who spent the last five seasons in Russia's KHL, assisted on Kyle Palmieri's goal Thursday before netting the decisive power-play tally with 2:27 to play.

"The game-winner was great," Hynes said. "We have him now net-front on the power play, which he earned."

Palmieri, who set up Kalinin's winner, has five goals and six assists over the last eight games after getting three points in the first eight. The right wing, though, only has one assist in four career meetings with Pittsburgh (10-6-0).

Adam Henrique has three goals over the last four matchups in Newark, and the Devils are 6-0-1 in their last seven there against the Penguins. A regulation win in this contest would move New Jersey past Pittsburgh into third place in the Metropolitan Division.

Pittsburgh has followed a six-game winning streak by losing two of three after falling 2-1 at home to Columbus on Friday.

The Penguins' power play continues to be a major problem, ranking among the worst in the league with a 13.0 percent success rate. The unit is 0 for 10 over the last two games after scoring one goal in each of the previous five.

"We've shown at different times we're capable of doing that but with the group that we have, it should kind of flow a little bit better than it has," center Sidney Crosby said.

Crosby has just two goals and seven assists, but all his points have come in just five games. He went without a point for the 11th time Friday and had only one shot on goal.

A visit to New Jersey may not help Crosby since he has one goal and two assists over his last six games there. Evgeni Malkin has been kept off the scoresheet in his last four games in Newark and has just three points in the past 10.

Marc-Andre Fleury may be rested after making 26 saves against the Blue Jackets. He's 8-6-0 with a 2.01 goals-against average in 14 games but hasn't played on back-to-back nights this season. In two such situations, the Penguins have turned to Jeff Zatkoff, who has won both of his starts with a 2.00 GAA.

Zatkoff would be facing the Devils for the first time, while Fleury is 5-14-1 with a 2.95 GAA in 20 career matchups on the road.
 
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Preview: Flyers (4-8) at Hurricanes (6-9)

Date: November 14, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers have both struggled offensively ahead of Saturday night's Metropolitan Division matchup, though the host Hurricanes will hope to draw on their recent success in the series.

Carolina (6-9-1) has lost four of five while totaling nine goals. Its 2.0 goals per game rank 28th, one spot ahead of Philadelphia (1.8).

The Hurricanes lost 3-2 in overtime to visiting Minnesota on Thursday despite 39 shots and a 2-0 lead at the 8:17 mark, though they recorded only three second-period shots.

They're in the midst of a stretch that sees them play nine of 10 at home, though they're 2-4-1 there this season. They have five power-play goals on 22 chances at home but own a minus-10 even-strength goal differential.

"Our intensity and lack of effort in the second period denied us the opportunity to get two points," coach Bill Peters said. "This homestand is huge. There are four games left now, right? It's absolutely huge. We've talked about it a million times. We know how it works, standings-wise. We understand what's at stake."

Carolina has won five straight at home against Philadelphia and eight of the last nine meetings overall with six victories decided by one goal or in a shootout.

The Flyers (5-8-3) are 2-4-2 on the road and have dropped eight of nine overall, the league's worst record since Oct. 27. They lost 5-2 to Washington on Thursday.

"I'm concerned, that's it, bottom line," coach Dave Hakstol said. "But we're going to go back to work tomorrow to make sure we push things in the right direction."

While Carolina's 31.5 shots per game rank near the top of the league, Philadelphia is averaging only 23.4 over its last five contests and generated a season-low 20 shots against the Capitals.

"I don't think we're shooting the puck enough," Hakstol said. "I think we're turning down too many opportunities, not necessarily on Grade A opportunities, just entering the zone, getting pucks to the net. It's something we've got to do a better job of. I don't think we throw enough pucks to the net."

Jakub Voracek scored 22 goals last season and tied for fourth in the league with 81 points, but doesn't have a goal through 16 games despite 58 shots and has only five assists. He had seven goals and 19 assists after 16 games last season. Voracek also has only one goal in his last nine meetings with the Hurricanes.

Steve Mason struggled again Thursday with 27 saves on 32 shots in his first start in 10 days after being sidelined because of an illness. He owns a 3.55 goals-against average, though his 1.91 mark against Carolina is his second-lowest against an opponent he's faced at least 10 times, trailing his 1.86 average against Florida.

Eric Staal has six goals and eight assists in his last 13 against the Flyers, while Jordan Staal has three goals and three assists in his last four matchups.
 

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Looking for Bondi 10* Lock of the Year!!!! If you would like to go half I/M me. 5-1 83% last 6yrs according to site.
 
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Preview: Jets (8-7) at Predators (7-3)

Date: November 14, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The Nashville Predators have labored to return to the consistent form they showed during their strong start, but they'll next face a team that's been struggling even more.

The Winnipeg Jets will seek to avoid a fifth consecutive defeat when they visit Nashville on Saturday night.

The Predators are 2-2-2 since opening 7-1-1, and they have alternated wins and losses in their last four games. They blew a one-goal lead in the third period against visiting Toronto on Thursday and lost 2-1 in a shootout.

Shea Weber scored his fourth goal in six games for Nashville, which finished with 22 shots for its lowest total since Oct. 13.

"I didn't think it was our best effort," forward Mike Fisher told the team's official website. "I think we can play better in a lot of different areas. It wasn't like we were bad. We get (Weber's) goal in the third and we got to try to shut them down, but it was one of those games."

The Jets (8-7-2) are 0-3-1 in their last four and have been outscored by a combined 14-6 in three consecutive regulation defeats. They've given up 11 goals in the first two of four straight road games, including a 6-3 loss to Dallas on Thursday after allowing the go-ahead goal on a power play with 5:55 to play.

"I think we just need to keep fighting together. That's the biggest key is just not to get down, not let the adversity get the best of us," said Blake Wheeler, who scored for a second straight game. "It's our first tough test this year. We're going to have to get through it together."

The Jets gave up two goals in their four times short-handed against the Stars and went 0 for 4 with the man advantage, dropping to 1 for 18 on the power play in six games this month.

"When your power play's on, there's a certain quickness to it, the way pucks get to the net, the traffic that you get in front of the net," coach Paul Maurice said. "We didn't have a whole lot of that going on. ... It turns on the power plays."

Nashville's penalty kill has proved vulnerable lately with six goals allowed in the past 15 opposing power plays.

The Predators (9-3-3) were 3-2-0 against the Jets in 2014-15, but Winnipeg won 3-1 at Nashville on March 7 in the teams' last meeting for just its second win in the franchise's last eight games at Bridgestone Arena.

That victory also marked the Jets' first when Pekka Rinne has started in the Predators' net. He is 7-1-0 with a 1.75 goals-against average in eight lifetime starts in the all-time series.

Nashville leading scorer James Neal hasn't registered a goal in five games this month but has scored 13 in 17 career games against the Jets, his most against any opponent.

Wheeler had a team-best three goals and two assists in last season's series. He has eight goals and five assists in 14 lifetime matchups.
 
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Preview: Red Wings (8-7) at Bruins (7-7)

Date: November 14, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The Boston Bruins are having all sorts of issues lately, but of utmost concern is how poorly they've played at home.

Boston looks to avoid dropping six of its first seven home games for only the second time in franchise history when it hosts the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night.

The Bruins (7-7-1) went on a 6-0-1 tear after a winless three-game homestand to begin the season, but they've lost four of five since that run after falling 3-2 to visiting Colorado on Thursday.

They led 2-0 on goals from Zdeno Chara and Ryan Spooner but couldn't hold on, dropping to 1-5-1 at TD Garden. Boston hasn't lost six of its first seven at home since losing 11 of 12 to begin its first NHL season in 1924-25.

"I think if we go out there and realize we're on home ice and we have the ability to dictate (the play), it will be a lot better for us," defenseman Torey Krug told the team's official website. "It's no excuse for what's been going on so far at home and we have to turn it around, and that's on us as players. We've got to go out and execute."

Krug, coach Claude Julien, goaltender Tuukka Rask and center Patrice Bergeron all said the recent issues can be attributed to the Bruins not being mentally strong enough and letting little mistakes weigh on them.

They've put up fewer than three goals in each of their last four, and leading scorer David Krejci has none over seven straight games after netting seven in his first eight.

"It's not acceptable what's going on right now and we have to take the responsibility that goes with it," Julien said. "We have to be a lot better and 10 minutes of good hockey is not good enough to win in this league."

Boston has won four straight home meetings with Detroit and eight of the last nine overall, including the postseason. The Red Wings (8-7-1) had won four of their previous five before falling to San Jose 3-2 on Friday despite outshooting the Sharks 28-14.

Pavel Datsyuk made his season debut after recovering from offseason ankle surgery and recorded a team-high four shots on goal. Teeum Pulkkinen scored and Tomas Tatar had a goal and an assist.

"I thought that in the third period, we started to try to get too cute with the puck instead of working for chances," coach Jeff Blashill said. "We've got great players, but we're not the biggest team in the world, so we have to be ultra-competitive in the offensive zone. I didn't see that (until) after we got down 3-1."

Jimmy Howard allowed two goals on seven first-period shots and fell to 3-4-1 with a 2.21 goals-against average. Petr Mrazek, who had a 38-save shutout of Washington on Tuesday in his previous start and has a 2.07 GAA in nine appearances, could get the nod to complete the back-to-back set.

Rask is 7-2-0 with a 1.52 GAA while not allowing more than two goals in his last nine starts against the Red Wings, including playoffs. He's gotten off to a rough start, though, allowing at least five goals in four of his 11 starts while posting a 3.21 GAA.

He has a .866 save percentage while starting all seven of Boston's home games.
 
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Preview: Panthers (6-7) at Lightning (8-8)

Date: November 14, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The Tampa Bay Lightning are grateful that their home losing streak is in past, but hardly satisfied. Perhaps some continued success against the Florida Panthers will increase their collective optimism.

Looking to win back-to-back games in Tampa for the first time this season, the Lightning try for a fifth consecutive home victory over the struggling Panthers on Saturday night.

Tampa Bay (8-8-2) was held to one goal each during a three-game home skid that ended Thursday when it modestly broke out for a 3-1 victory over Calgary. Steven Stamkos scored a tiebreaking, power-play goal in the third period and Ben Bishop made 30 saves to snap a personal five-game losing streak as the Lightning won for the third time in the last 10 games.

"Hopefully was can build off of this," Bishop told the NHL's official website. "We're not going to celebrate anything over one win. We have to build on what we did right and keep things going in the right direction. It's time to start peaking."

Tampa Bay can start by turning things around at home, where it went a league-best 32-8-1 in 2014-15, but is 3-4-0 this season. The Lighting are converting 24.0 percent of their power-play chances there and have scored with the man advantage in all but one of those contest. However, they haven't totaled more than three goals in any at home after doing so 20 times last season.

The Lightning hope their 11 shots and two goals from the third period Thursday are a sign of good things to come.

'With that last 10, 12 minutes, the boys were getting after it,' coach Jon Cooper said. 'They sense it was a game to win, and they went and took it. That's something we've had trouble with of late.

"We're on home ice, it's 1-1 in the third. You've got to win those.'

The Lightning have won 14 of their last 17 overall against Florida (6-7-3), and averaged 4.4 goals while going 7-1-1 at home during that stretch. Stamkos has 43 points over 35 career games against the Panthers.

Bishop, who despite his recent slide has a 1.52 goals-against average in his last six starts, is 6-1-0 with a 1.93 GAA against Florida. He's undefeated in three home meetings against the Panthers with Tampa Bay.

Florida has gone 1 for 9 on the power play and been outscored 11-5 in regulation and overtime while going 0-2-1 on the road this month. The Panthers weren't much better at home despite owning a 38-19 shot-advantage in Thursday's 3-2 loss to Buffalo.

They've been held to one or two goals six times during their current 1-4-2 stretch.

"Hopefully, it's going to go in more often but it would have been nice to get a win out of it (Thursday),' Panthers forward Jonathan Huberdeau said. "It (stinks), but we have to think positive because we're playing another good team Saturday.'

The Panthers didn't help themselves by allowing a third straight opponent to score on its only power-play opportunity of the game.

Roberto Luongo made 16 saves but has a 3.01 GAA during a 1-3-1 stretch. He's posted a 3.55 GAA during a four-game losing streak against the Lightning.

Huberdeau has four points in the last five games but scored his first goal after recording a career-high 15 last season. He had two with three assists in four games against Tampa Bay in 2014-15.

The teams meet again at Tampa on Monday, when the Panthers could possibly have center Aleksander Barkov back. The talented center has three goals and three assists but hasn't played since breaking his hand Oct. 22.
 
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Preview: Canucks (6-5) at Maple Leafs (3-8)

Date: November 14, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

Though it still hasn't been easy, the Toronto Maple Leafs continue to make progress.

They can extend their point streak to five games with a third consecutive victory Saturday night against the slumping Vancouver Canucks.

After earning four points in October, Toronto (4-8-4) is 3-1-2 this month. Two nights after rallying for a pair of third-period goals to win 3-2 at Dallas, the Maple Leafs got a tying score from Tyler Bozak early in the third and the lone shootout goal from Peter Holland in Thursday's 2-1 victory at Nashville.

In the midst of its longest point streak since a six-game winning stretch Dec. 6-16, Toronto has scored seven non-shootout goals in the last four but allowed the same number. More importantly, they've won consecutive games for the first time this season.

"Whatever it takes," said Bozak, who has five points in the last six games. "We're learning how to win games."

Coach Mike Babcock continues to be pleased with the effort, and sees the confidence growing within his club.

"When you have success, you feel you've earned it and you feel better about yourself," he said. "Obviously we're a work in progress and it's going to take us some time but we feel we're getting better."

Though the Maple Leafs are among the NHL's lowest-scoring teams at 2.06 goals per game, they've been highly competitive in the last four thanks to James Reimer's 1.67 goals-against average over that span. Reimer could remain in net even though Jonathan Bernier appears recovered from a lower-body injury and had a 1.50 GAA while winning Toronto's last two at home against Vancouver.

"We have some great pieces and we work hard every night," Holland said. "We just need to continue building off the good things were doing."

Reimer is 0-2-0 with a 5.26 GAA against Vancouver, but both games came on the road with the most recent in November 2013.

Toronto has converted 26.3 percent of its power-play chances and killed 16 of 18 penalties this month.

That might not bode well for Vancouver (7-5-5), which is 1 for 19 with man advantage in six November games and has allowed opponents to make good on 7 of 17 (41.2 percent) of their opportunities while losing four of the last five.

The penalty-kill appears to be the most concerning for the Canucks, who killed 29 of 32 in the first 12 games. Opponents are 4 for 7 on the power play in the last two.

"I think guys are trying maybe a little too hard," coach Willie Desjardins told the NHL's official website after the Canucks fell to 1-2-1 on a season-high seven-game trip with Thursday's 3-2 loss at Ottawa.

"We're trying so hard to get the kill, maybe we're overplaying a little bit," he added. "All the teams got a pretty good power play and our penalty-killing's been great for us. It hasn't been as good this trip, but it's been great all year."

Vancouver showed some offensive life in Tuesday's 5-3 win at Columbus, but only managed the two goals on 35 shots against the Senators.

"We know we have to be better," forward Henrik Sedin said. "I still feel that right now we have the group that can score. We're setting up, we're winning faceoffs, it's just that last play where we can't put the puck in the net."

Sedin has three goals and six assists in the last eight games. His brother Daniel has 10 points in the last nine but none in two of the last three.
 

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