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Eastern Conference Outlook
By Alex Smith

Washington Capitals vs. Philadelphia Flyers
2015-16 Head-to-Head Record: Tied 2-2 SU, 1-1-2 O/U
Home team has won 6 of the Last 9 Meetings
Flyers: 7 of the Last 10 Meetings
Capitals: Lost 12 of Last 17 Road Playoff Games

Two clubs who's playoff history dates back to the vicious Patrick Division battles during the 1980s, The Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers are set to clash once again in the first round of this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Capitals have had a monstrous campaign, dominating for well over 3/4ths of the season. Washington set a new record for most wins (56/57), most points (120/121/122) and they captured their second President's Trophy in franchise history. Led by their superstar captain Alexander Ovechkin, who notched his 3rd consecutive 50-goal season and goaltender Braden Holtby, who ended the season tied with Martin Brodeur for most wins by a goaltender in a season with 47, the Caps have been the odds-on favorite to win the Stanley Cup since after the New Year.

However, we have seen President's Trophy-winning clubs fall short of the grand prize time and time again. The 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks are the last club to win both the President's Trophy and Stanley Cup in the same year, and that was a shortened season due to a lockout. You have to go back to the 2001-02 Detroit Red Wings to find a club that won both trophies in a full 82-game season year. Philadelphia returns to the postseason after a down year in 2015-16.

The Flyers, led by first year coach Dave Hakstol, played simple, stripped-down hockey this year, focusing on puck possession, clean neutral-zone play and balanced lines that provided a good wealth of scoring all season. Forwards Wayne Simmonds & Claude Giroux along with rookie D-man Shayne Gostisbehere have been the 3 key pieces for this club's success offensively, while goaltender Steve Mason has turned in a decent ledger this season for the Flyers, but he has yet to prove his worth in a postseason series. With a 2-6 career playoff record, he will the biggest piece of the puzzle in order for them to pull what would be a big upset.

The Flyers haven't fully returned to the "Broad Street Bullies" just yet, but they play a strong, physical brand of hockey that is a contrast from the fast, offensive possession style that the Capitals have made an art form of this season. While these two teams have a built-up rivalry and some tight contests between each other, this Washington team is on a mission to get over their recent playoff struggles. This team will turn on an extra gear in this series and advance to the 2nd Round in what should be a deep postseason run.

Prediction: Capitals in 6

Washington Capitals
(Record: 56-17-8; 120 Points - Presidents' Trophy Winners)
O/U Record: (21-12-19 at 5 / 12-17 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#5: 21.9%)
Penalty Kill: (#2: 85.2%)
# of OT/SO Games: 19

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015
(Beat NY Islanders in 7, Lost to NY Rangers in 7)
(7-7 SU, 3-9-2 O/U & 7-7 ATS Last Postseason)

14-14, 6-17-5, 18-10 ATS Last 5 Series
5-12 Last 17 Playoff Road Games

Current Form: On a 3-6 SU Run Last 9 Games
PK Unit: 20 Kills/22 Chances Last 9 Games

Leading Scorers: Evgeny Kuznetsov (20g, 77pts)
Alex Ovechkin (50g, 71pts), Nicklas Backstrom (20g, 70pts)
Justin Williams (22g, 52pts), T.J. Oshie (26g, 50pts)

#1 Goalie: Braden Holtby (48-9-7, 2.20 G.A.A; .923 Sv% with 3 SO in 65 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 16-18, 1.92 G.A.A; .936 Sv%)

Philadelphia Flyers
(Record: 41-27-14; 96 Points)
O/U Record: (23-11-20 at 5 / 8-18 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#11: 18.9%)
Penalty Kill: (#20: 80.5%)
# of OT/SO Games: 27

Last Playoff Appearance: 2014 (Lost to NY Rangers in 7)
(3-4 SU, 3-2-2 O/U & 3-4 ATS in that Series)
8-10 SU, 10-6-2 O/U & 8-10 ATS Last 3 Playoff Series

Current Form: On a 15-8 SU Run
On a 6-3 SU Run Last 9 Games as a Favorite

Leading Scorers: Claude Giroux (22g, 67pts)
Wayne Simmonds (32g, 60pts), Brayden Schenn (26g, 58pts)
Jakub Voracek (11g, 55pts), Shayne Gostisbehere (17g, 46pts)

#1 Goalie: Steve Mason (23-19-10, 2.51 G.A.A; .918 Sv% w/ 4 SO in 53 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 2-6, 3.11 G.A.A; .907 Sv% in 8 GS)

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Detroit Red Wings
2015-16 Head-to-Head Record: Tied 2-2, 1-3 O/U
Home team has won 10 of last 14 meetings
Lightning: Beat Red Wings in 1st Round Last Year in 7 Gms
Red Wings: 25 Straight Postseason Appearances (Longest Streak in North American Sports)

This rematch from last year's opening round series will have a much different feel this time around. The Tampa Bay Lightning enter this series as defending Eastern Conference Champions after beating the Red Wings in a thrilling seven-game series that was very physical and showcased the defensive prowess from both clubs that hadn't been their mantra during the season prior.

One major change in this match-up will be the absence of Bolts star winger Steven Stamkos, who is out indefinitely after surgery to correct a blood clot in his arm. Stamkos was 2nd in points scored for this Tampa club that has had trouble off and on all season finding consistent secondary scoring, a trait that carried them deep into the playoffs just a season ago. Detroit fought off Boston to grab the 3rd spot in the Atlantic Division on the final weekend of the season to extend their postseason record to 25 consecutive seasons.

Kudos to 1st year coach Jeff Blashill for handling the pressure of dealing with rotating injuries, shaky goaltending and maintaining a record that the Motor City faithful take great pride in. With that said, this series will be a test of which club's offense can heat up at the right time. The Wings will be looking for a boost from rookie sensation Dylan Larkin and veteran mainstay Pavel Datsyuk, who has announced this will be his last NHL season at the conclusion of the playoffs. The oft-injured winger is one of the last members from the Detroit clubs that won Stanley Cups in 2002 & 2008.

The goaltending tandem of Jimmy Howard & Petr Mrazek were the glaring weakness in this series last year, and it seems like not much has changed in that time. Jimmy Howard has been solid as of late, winning 6 of his last 9 starts, but Petr Mrazek, who started all 7 games in the 2015 series, has lost 4 of his last 5 starts. For the Bolts, it's Ben Bishop who has been turning in yet another solid season between the pipes. The 6'7" netminder has won 6 of his last 8 starts and held opponents to 2 or fewer goals in 6 of his last 9 appearances overall. This will be another tightly contested series where goals will be at a premium, and small mistakes will be critical.

Prediction: Lightning in 6

Tampa Bay Lightning
(Record: 46-31-5; 97 Points)
O/U Record: (23-25-10 at 5 / 11-16 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#28: 15.8%)
Penalty Kill: (#7: 84%)
# of OT/SO Games:

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015
(Beat Detroit in 7, Beat Montreal in 6, Beat NY Rangers in 7, Lost to Chicago in 6)
(14-16, 12-17-1 and 16-14 ATS Last 5 Series dating back to 2014)

Current Form: 0-4 SU Last 4 as an Underdog, 3-6 Last 9 Road Games,
PK has allowed 1 Goal in 5 of Last 8 Games

Leading Scorers: Nikita Kucherov (30g, 66pts)
Steven Stamkos (36g, 64pts - Injured), Victor Hedman (10g, 47pts)
Alex Killorn (14g, 40pts), Ondrej Palat (16g, 40pts)

#1 Goalie: Ben Bishop: (35-21-4, 2.06 G.A.A; .926 Sv% with 6 SO in 60 GS)
(Career Playofff Record: 13-11, 2.18 G.A.A; .921 Sv%)

Detroit Red Wings
(Record:41-30-11; 93 Points)
O/U Record: (25-28-16 at 5 / 6-14 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#13: 18.8%)
Penalty Kill: (#14: 81.5%)
# of OT/SO Games: 22

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 (Lost to Tampa Bay in 7)
(3-4 SU, 2-4-1 O/U & 3-4 ATS in that Series)
19-23 SU, 13-17-12 O/U & 23-18 ATS Last 5 Postseasons

Current Form: 5-13 SU Last 18 Road Games
Power-Play has scored at least 1 Goal in 9 of Last 11 Games
Howard: 6-3 SU Last 9 Starts
Mrazek: 1-4 SU Last 5 Starts

Leading Scorers: Henrik Zetterberg (13g, 50pts)
Pavel Datsyuk (16g, 49pts), Tomas Tatar (21g, 45pts)
Dylan Larkin (23g, 45pts), Gustav Nyquist (17g, 43pts)

Goalies:
Jimmy Howard (14-14-5, 2.80 G.A.A; .906 Sv% in 33 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 21-24, 2.53 G.A.A; .919 Sv%)

Petr Mrazek (27-16-6, 2.33 G.A.A; .921 Sv% w/4 SO in 49 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 3-4, 2.11 G.A.A; .925 Sv%)

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Pens lead 3-1 SU, 1-1-2 O/U
Road Team has won 7 of Last 10 Meetings
Under is 5-2-2 Last 9 Meetings
Rangers: Beat Penguins in 5 Games of first round in 2015
Penguins: Lost 6 of Last 10 meetings vs. Rangers

Another first round re-match from last postseason takes place as the scorching hot Pittsburgh Penguins take on the New York Rangers.

It was the Blueshirts who made short work of Sidney Crosby and company last April as the Rangers won the series 4 games to 1, but this season, the Penguins have picked up 3 wins in their 4 meetings. Earlier in the year it was the Rangers that were the all the rage in the Eastern Conference, starting off on a 18-7-3 run, but then cooling off once the injury bug started to hit and affect key guys like goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, and defensemen Kevin Klein & Dan Girardi.

Now it's Pittsburgh that has been one of the best teams in the NHL down the stretch, winning 16 of their last 20 contests to bounce from a fringe team on the bubble of reaching a Wild Card berth to firmly planting themselves into 2nd place in the Metropolitan Division. The mid-season coaching change, hiring Mike Sullivan to replace Mike Johnston, worked out very well, as this dynamic offense, led by Crosby, Evgeni Malkin & newly acquired Phil Kessel finally woke up and took charge, scoring goals in bunches for most of the 2nd half of the season.

Pittsburgh's only major concern has to be their current situation in net. Marc-Andre Fleury has missed time this season on two separate occasions with concussion issues, and while rookie Matt Murray looked stellar in goal during Fleury's recent absence, he too was injured in their season finale, suffering a blow to his head and is now listed as questionable for the start of this series.

As of now, should Fleury & Murray both be ruled out, the goaltending duties would be on Jeff Zatkoff & Tristan Jarry, the latter of which has never even appeared in an NHL contest. This will be an all-out battle, given these two clubs' history with one another. And while the offense for Pittsburgh has been electric, the question mark between the pipes is just big enough to cause some serious concern. I'll give the edge to King Henrik's club to edge out a close series victory.

Prediction: Rangers in 7

Pittsburgh Penguins
(Record: 48-26-8; 104 Points)
O/U Record: (26-16-12 at 5 / 10-17 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#16: 18.4%)
Penalty Kill: (#5: 84.4%)
# of OT/SO Games: 18

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 (Lost to NY Rangers in 5)
(1-4 SU, 1-4 O/U & 5-0 ATS in that Series)
16-17 SU, 16-16-1 O/U & 16-17 ATS Last 6 Series

Current Form: On a 16-4 SU Run Last 20 Games
Scored 4+ Goals in 11 of Last 14 Games
PK Unit: 41 Kills / 45 Chances over Last 14 Games

Leading Scorers: Sidney Crosby (36g, 85pts)
Kris Letang (16g, 67pts), Phil Kessel (26g, 59pts)
Evgeni Malkin (27g, 58pts) Patric Hornqvist (22g, 51pts)

Goalies:
Marc-Andre Fleury (35-17-6, 2.29 G.A.A; .921 Sv% w/5 SO in 58 GP)
(Career Playoff Record: 53-44, 2.65 G.A.A; .906 Sv%)
(Last 5 Years Postseason: 15-20, 2.86 G.A.A; .905 Sv%)

Matt Murray (9-2-1, 2.00 G.A.A; .930 Sv% in 13 GS)
Rookie Was Starting in Place of Fleury, who was out with a concussion, but he suffered a head injury in the Season Finale and is questionable as well.

Jeff Zatkoff (4-7-1, 2.79 G.A.A; .917 Sv% in 11 GS)
(No NHL Playoff Experience)

New York Rangers
(Record: 46-27-9; 101 Points )
O/U Record: (20-29-16 at 5 / 8-9 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#14: 18.6%)
Penalty Kill: (#26: 78.2%)
# of OT/SO Games: 16

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015
(Beat Pittsburgh in 5, Beat Washington in 7, Lost to Tampa Bay in 7)

11-8 SU, 6-12-1 O/U, 5-14 ATS Last Postseason
40-41 SU, 24-40-17 O/U & 31-50 ATS Last 5 Postseasons
4-5 in 1st Home Game of Series since 2013

Current Form:On a 7-4 SU & 6-0-5 O/U Run Last 11 Games
Allowed 2+ Goals in 18 of Last 19 Games
Lundqvist: 4-8 SU Last 12 Starts

Leading Scorers: Mats Zuccarello (26g, 61pts0
Derick Brassard (27g, 58pts), Derek Stepan (22g, 53pts)
Keith Yandle (5g, 47pts), J.T. Miller (22g, 43pts), Chris Kreider (21g, 43pts)

#1 Goalie:
Henrik Lundqvist (35-21-7, 2.48 G.A.A; .920 Sv% with 4 SO in 64 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 54-56, 2.22 G.A.A; .923 Sv% with 9 SO)

Florida Panthers vs. New York Islanders
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Panthers lead 2-1 SU, 1-0-2 O/U
Home Team has won 6 of the Last 10 Meetings
Underdogs have won 6 of the Last 10 Meetings
Over is 8-0-2 Last 10 Meetings
Panthers: 18-8 SU Last 26 Home Games
Islanders: On a 7-4 SU Run Last 11 Games Overall

It's a Cross-Divisional clash as the Atlantic Division Champion Florida Panthers open the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New York Islanders.

This has been a miraculous season for the 'Cats, as many people picked this club to fall somewhere between a Wild Card entry and a Top 5 Lottery Pick for the next Draft. However, with a solid blend of youthful talent and some crafty veterans, the Panthers not only reached the playoffs for the 2nd time in this decade, but with 103 points, the team set a new record for most points in franchise history, en route to winning their 2nd ever division title.

The "Ageless Wonder," 46-year old Jaromir Jagr is not only still skating on an NHL roster, but he leads this club in points and has really set an example for the younger guys on this hockey team with his tireless work ethic and love for this game. He's a perfect locker room guy to have around up-and-coming stars like Vincent Trocheck, Jonathan Huberdeau, Aaron Ekblad & Nick Bjugstad.

The New York Islanders had a nice honeymoon season in their new digs at the Barclays Center over in Brooklyn, reaching the playoffs for the 3rd time in 4 seasons. The core of this club remains intact from last year, with star winger john Tavares leading the way, along with contributions from Forwards Kyle Okposo & Brock Nielson. This club is tough & gritty and will bang the boards with anyone in the league.

Their one weakness heading into the postseason is their defense, and that's as a result of injuries sweeping through their blue line and goaltenders as of late. D-men Travis Hamonic & Calvin de Haan both missed time late in the season with ailments, the former has yet to return to the line-up. In net, Starter Jaroslav Halak has been out for over a month with a groin issue, and Thomas Greiss has been moved to the #1 role, but his new back-up, Jean-Francois Berube, went down a week ago with a lower body issue, and he's questionable for Game 1.

Should something happen to Greiss, who virtually has no NHL playoff experience, the task of tending net would go to either Berube or Christopher Gibson, who barely even have a week's worth of NHL season time on their pads.

This will be a fun series to watch, as we get to see Florida in the playoffs, which is a rare treat, and we also get to see a great fan base in Brooklyn cheer on their squad. Both teams have made great strides over the last couple of seasons to reach this point and we will see a pair of hungry hockey clubs battle it out in this one. I like the Panthers here to win their first playoff series in over 20 years.

Prediction: Panthers in 6

Florida Panthers
(Record: 47-26-9; 103 Points, Atlantic Division Champions)
O/U Record: (25-18-18 at 5 / 8-13 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#23: 16.9%)
Penalty Kill: (#24: 79.5%)
# of OT/SO Games: 17

Last Playoff Appearance: 2012 (Lost to New Jersey in 7)
(3-4 SU, 2-2-3 O/U & 5-2 ATS in that series)

Current Form: On an 11-5 SU Run Last 16 Games Overall
PK Unit has allowed 1+ Goals in 9 of Last 11 Games
Offense has scored 3+ Goals in 13 of Last 17 Games

Leading Scorers: Jaromir Jagr (27g, 65pts)
Jussi Jokinen (18g, 60pts), Aleksander Barkov (28g, 59pts)
Jonathan Huberdeau (20g, 59pts), Vincent Trocheck (25g, 53pts - Injured)

#1 Goalie: Roberto Luongo (34-19-6, 2.35 G.A.A; .922 Sv% w/4 SO in 59 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 32-31, 2.54 G.A.A; .916 Sv% with 5 Shutouts)

New York Islanders
(Record: 45-27-10; 100 Points)
O/U Record: (11-9-8 at 5 / 22-32 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#17: 18.3%)
Penalty Kill: (#4: 84.5%)
# of OT/SO Games: 21

Last Playoff Appearance:2015 (Lost to Washington in 7)
(5-10 SU, 6-7-1 O/U & 8-5 ATS Last 2 Postseasons)

Current Form: Over is 8-2-1 Last 11 Games
On a 4-1 SU run Last 5 Games as a Favorite

Leading Scorers:
John Tavares (33g, 70pts), Kyle Okposo (22g, 64pts)
Frans Nielsen (20g, 52pts), Brock Nelson (26g, 40pts)

Goalies:
Jaroslav Halak (18-13-4, 2.30 G.A.A; .919 Sv% w/3 SO in 36 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 13-15, 2.39 G.A.A; .924 Sv%) (Injured-Groin)

Thomas Greiss (23-12-4, 2.36 G.A.A; .924 Sv% in 38 GS)
(No NHL Playoff Experience)

Western Conference Outlook
By Alex Smith

Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Stars lead 4-1 SU, 3-2 O/U
Road Team has won 6 of the Last 9 Meetings
Favorite has won 5 of the Last 8 Meetings
Over is 6-2 Last 8 Meetings
Stars: On a 13-5 SU Run Last 18 Games Overall
Wild: 2-5 SU Last 7 Playoff Games

With a dramatic 3-2 victory in their regular season finale at home, the Dallas Stars clinched both the Central Division crown and the top seed in the Western Conference, and will now open the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Minnesota Wild in the first round.

Dallas has been one of the best teams in the league all season from an offensive standpoint, with one of the best power-play units converting at a 22% clip, led by the duo of forwards Jamie Benn & Tyler Seguin, the two combined for 74 Goals & 87 Assists during the season.

Minnesota comes into this series on a 5-game losing streak, after previously winning 6 in a row. Their schizophrenic offensive attack has been the primary cause for their roller-coaster season, which saw a bit more stability once John Torchetti was brought in as new Head Coach late into the season. The Wild went 15-11-1 down the stretch with the former Chicago assistant at the helm. Injuries have bit this club as of late, as two key forwards Thomas Vanek & Zach Parise, could miss the start of this series. That duo combined for 43 goals during the season.

The keys to this series will undoubtedly come down to Goaltending & Special Teams. Dallas has been platooning between the Finnish duo of Antti Niemi & Kari Lehtonen all season. While both netminders have turned in respectable records this year, the 32-year old Niemi holds a 10-4-2 career record versus the Wild, which could give him the starting edge, despite Lehtonen winning 6 of his last 7 starts.

Devan Dubnyk will start between the pipes for Minnesota, and he will have to shake off his recent struggles if the Wild stand a chance of advancing out of the first round for the 3rd consecutive year. Dallas' PP shouldn't have too much of a struggle against the Wild's penalty-killing units.

Minnesota is ranked 4th-worst in the league in PK% at just under 78%. The Wild are a disciplined team, that stresses puck possession, but if they can't find the back of the net, they do get frustrated easily, which can turn into penalties.

If the Stars' blue-line corps can do enough to keep quality shots away from either netminder, this could be a very quick series for the club that once called the Twin Cities home over 2 decades ago.

Prediction: Stars in 5

Dallas Stars
(Record: 50-23-9; 109 Points - Central Division Champions)
O/U Record: (2-1-1 at 5 / 43-33 at 5.5 / 0-2 at 6)
Power Play: (#4: 22.1%)
Penalty Kill: (#10: 82.3%)
# of OT/SO Games: 17

Last Playoff Appearance: 2014 (Lost to Anaheim in 6)
(2-4 SU, 4-2 O/U & 4-2 ATS in that series)

Current Form: On a 9-2 SU run Overall and 6-0 Run at home.
5-1 SU Last 6 as a Favorite
PP has scored at least 1 Goal in 6 of Last 9 Games
PK Unit 50 Kills/53 Chances in the Last 15 Games
Lehtonen: 6-1 SU in his Last 7 Starts

Leading Scorers: Jamie Benn (41g, 88pts)
Tyler Seguin (33g, 73pts), Jason Spezza (33g, 63pts)
John Klingberg (10g, 57pts), Patrick Sharp (20g, 54pts)

Goalies:
Kari Lehtonen (25-10-2, 2.76 G.A.A; .906 Sv% in 39 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 2-6, 3.88 G.A.A; .874 Sv%)

Antti Niemi (25-13-7, 2.68 G.A.A; .905 Sv% in 43 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 35-26, 2.74 G.A.A; .907 Sv%

Minnesota Wild
(Record: 38-33-11; 87 Points)
O/U Record: (21-25-20 at 5 / 8-8 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#15: 18.5%)
Penalty Kill: (#27: 77.9%)
# of OT/SO Games: 15

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015
(Beat St. Louis in 7, Lost to Chicago in 4)
10-18 SU, 14-9-6 O/U & 14-15 ATS Last 5 Series
0-5 in Game 1's Last 5 Series

Current Form: On an 0-5 SU run
Offense held to 30< SOG in 7 of Last 9 Games

Leading Scorers: Mikko Koivu (17g, 56pts)
Zach Parise (25g, 53pts), Ryan Suter (8g, 51pts)
Mikael Grandlund (13g, 44pts), Nino Niederreiter (20g, 43pts)

#1 Goalie: Devan Dubnyk (32-27-6, 2.33 G.A.A; .918 Sv% with 5 SO in 65 GS) (Career Playoff Record: 4-7, 2.53 G.A.A; .908 Sv%)

St. Louis Blues vs. Chicago Blackhawks
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Blues lead 3-2 SU, 2-1-2 O/U
Road Team has won 5 of the Last 7 Meetings
Underdog has won 4 of the Last 6 Meetings
Blackhawks: 3-10 in Game 1 of Playoff Series since 2011
Blues: Lost to Chicago in 6 Games in 2014 first round

A historic division rivalry is renewed once again in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the defending Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks look to officially begin their quest for a repeat, start off battling against the St. Louis Blues.

The Hawks & Blues face-off in an opening round series just 2 postseasons ago, where the Blues held a 2-0 series lead and dropped 4 straight, leading to the 2nd of what became 3 consecutive first round exits, while Chicago went all the way to Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, losing in Overtime to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion LA Kings.

This year's series has a similar setup, with St. Louis clinching home-ice less than a week ago after picking up a 2-1 OT win against these Hawks, in a game where they trailed for virtually the entire game, and tied up the contest with under a minute left and picking up the 2nd point early in the extra frame.

Both teams have superb offenses and talented defenders, but some hot & cold spells with goaltending. Chicago's top netminder Corey Crawford has returned after missing 11 starts with concussion-like symptoms, but he showed a bit of rust in his last start, a 5-4 OT loss at Columbus to conclude the regular season. The 2-time Cup Winner was looking like a Vezina Trophy Finalist during the 1st Half of the Season, going 28-12-2 with 7 shutouts before the All-Star Break, but faltering down the stretch with a 7-6-3 record.

The Blues are riding the hot pads of Brian Elliott, who suffered a mid-season injury, only to return and dominate between the pipes with a 12-1-1 record in his last 14 starts. Jake Allen was also very strong in net during Elliott's absence, but he is now out with his 2nd significant injury of the season and is questionable to even back-up his 31-year old counterpart.

The hottest offensive line in all of hockey has been the trio of Patrick Kane, Artemi Panarin & Artem Anisimov. The 2013 Conn Smythe Winner will be adding to his trophy room collection this Summer regardless of how the Playoffs fare, as Kane becomes the 1st ever American-born player to win the Art Ross Trophy for most points scored during the regular season with 106. In addition, the 25-year old rookie Panarin led all first-year players with 76 points and is a shoe-in for the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year.

With all of this being said, the Hawks will need this line to produce as well as major contributions from Captain Jonathan Toews and veteran Marian Hossa, who is slated to return from a minor leg injury in time for this series. St. Louis has been a very tough team and they will be playing with a chip on their shoulder knowing that they have done well against Chicago during the season and will look to avenge their playoff defeat from 2 years ago. This club has just enough talent to pull off their first series win since 2012.

Prediction: Blues in 7

St. Louis Blues
(Record: 49-24-9; 107 Points)
O/U Record: (29-31-10 at 5 / 3-9 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#6: 21.5%)
Penalty Kill: (#3: 85.1%)
# of OT/SO Games: 22

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 (Lost to Minnesota in 7)
11-17 SU, 12-12-4 O/U & 10-18 ATS Last 4 years

Current Form: On a 14-4 SU run Last 18 Games.
Brian Elliott: 12-1-1 Last 14 Starts
Under is 6-4 Last 10 Games
PK Unit: 24 Kills/26 Chances over Last 10 Games

Leading Scorers:
Vladimir Tarasenko (40g, 74pts), Alex Steen (17g, 52pts)
Paul Stastny (10g, 48pts), David Backes (21g, 45pts),
Kevin Shattenkirk (14g, 44pts)

Goaltenders:
Brian Elliott (23-8-6, 2.01 G.A.A; .931 Sv% with 4 Shutouts in 37 GS)
(Career Playoff Record:6-10, 2.55 G.A.A; .898 Sv%)

Jake Allen (26-15-3, 2.35 G.A.A; .920 Sv% with 6 Shutouts in 44 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 2-4, 2.20 G.A.A; .904 Sv%)

Chicago Blackhawks
(Record: 46-27-9; 103 Points)
O/U Record: (11-16-22 at 5 / 12-14 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#2: 22.6%)
Penalty Kill: (#22: 80.3%)
# of OT/SO Games: 20

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 (Beat Nashville in 6,
Beat Minnesota in 4, Beat Anaheim in 7, Beat Tampa Bay in 6)
45-26 SU, 34-27-10 O/U & 36-35 ATS Last 5 Years
3-10 SU in 1st Road Game of a Series since 2010 Cup Final

Current Form: On a 5-3 SU run Last 8 Games Overall
Offense has scored 3+ Goals in 6 of Last 8 Games.
PK Unit: 32 Kills / 35 Chances over the Last 13 Games
7/19 on the Power-Play over the Last 5 Games

Leading Scorers:
Patrick Kane (46g, 106pts - Art Ross Trophy Winner)
Artemi Panarin (30g, 77pts - Leads All Rookies)
Jonathan Toews (28g, 58pts), Brent Seabrook (14g, 49pts)

#1 Goalie: Corey Crawford (35-18-5, 2.34 G.A.A; .924 Sv% in 58 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 45-29, 2.23 G.A.A; .921 Sv% with 5 SO's)

Anaheim Ducks vs. Nashville Predators
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Predators lead 2-1 SU, 2-0-1 O/U
Over is 9-0-1 Last 10 Meetings
Ducks: 7-3 SU Last 10 Meetings
Predators: 7-9 SU Last 16 Playoff Games

One of the biggest comeback stories in this NHL season will be taking part in the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the Anaheim Ducks take on the Nashville Predators in a first round series.

The Ducks got off to a 5-12 SU start to the season and looked like they would be a lottery pick contender, but they were able to muster through the storm and finished the 2nd half of the season with a 25-11 run over the last 3 months to climb all the way back and win the Pacific Division on the very last day of the regular season.

The longtime duo of Corey Perry & Ryan Getzlaf, along with a ton of young core players like Hampus Lindholm & Josh Manson, and the goaltending of Frederik Andersen & John Gibson all contributed to what was a magical run after a disastrous start.

For Nashville, the Predators were looking to expand on what had been a nice 2015-16 campaign, ended abruptly by the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks. The club had a bit of a roller-coaster season and eventually made the playoffs with a late push in, clinching the top Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

Wingers James Neal & Filip Forsberg hold down the offense for the Preds while veteran goalie Pekka Rinne leads a slightly-above average defense. Once considered one of the top goaltenders in the world, the 33-year old starter has logged a lot of ice time and has shown signs of fatigue in the last couple of seasons.

Both of these clubs possess solid Special Teams units, with Anaheim leading the league in both Power-Play & Penalty Kiliing percentage. Nashville's numbers rank within the middle of the league, but this time of year is all about momentum, which is certainly on the side of the Ducks. This will be an interesting series to watch, but I don't expect any shocking finishes here.

Prediction: Ducks in 5

Anaheim Ducks
(Record:47-25-11; 103 Points - Pacific Division Champions)
O/U Record: (21-24-16 at 5 / 11-10 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#1: 23.1%)
Penalty Kill: (#1: 87.2%)
# of OT/SO Games: 18

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015
(Beat Winnipeg in 4, Beat Calgary in 5, Lost to Chicago in 7)
21-15 SU, 17-12-7 O/U & 16-18 ATS Last 6 series

Current Form: On a 5-3 SU Run Last 8 Games
On a 6-4 SU Run Last 10 Games as a Favorite
6-14 SU This Season as an Underdog

Leading Scorers:
Ryan Getzlaf (13g, 63pts), Corey Perry (34g, 62pts)
Ryan Kesler (21g, 53pts), Richard Rakell (20g, 43pts)

Goalies:
John Gibson (21-13-4, 2.07 G.A.A; .920 Sv% w/4 SO in 37 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 2-2, 2.70 G.A.A; .919 Sv% in 4 Starts

Frederik Andersen (21-9-7, 2.36 G.A.A; .917 Sv% w/ 2 SO in 36 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 14-7, 2.54 G.A.A; .913 Sv%)

Nashville Predators
(Record: 41-27-14; 96 Points)
O/U Record: (19-15-18 at 5 / 14-16 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#10: 19.7%)
Penalty Kill: (#16: 81.2%)
# of OT/SO Games: 20

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 (Lost to Chicago in 6)
2-4 SU, 5-1 O/U and 4-2 ATS in 2015 Playoffs

Current Form:
1-6 Last 7 Road Games, 5-2 Last 7 Home Games
5-1 Last 6 as a Favorite, 5-16 Last 21 as an Underdog

Leading Scorers:
Filip Forsberg (33g, 63pts), Roman Josi (14g, 61pts)
James Neal (31g, 57pts), Shea Weber (20g, 51pts)

#1 Goalie: Pekka Rinne (34-21-10, 2.48 G.A.A; .908 Sv% w/4 SO in 66 GS)
(Career Playoff Record:15-19, 2.48 G.A.A; .914 Sv%)

Los Angeles Kings vs. San Jose Sharks
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Sharks lead 3-2 SU, 3-0-2 O/U
Road Team is 7-4 SU Last 11 Meetings
Over is 4-2-1 Last 7 Meetings
Kings: 3rd-Fewest Goals Allowed in NHL (192)
Sharks: Blew 3-0 Lead to Kings in 2014 first round

Two hated Pacific Division rivals clash in this opening round series between the Los Angeles Kings and the San Jose Sharks.

These two squads faced off just 2 postseasons ago, with the Sharks suffering a historic collapse after taking a 3-0 series lead, allowing the Kings to come back and win 4 straight en route to their 2nd Stanley Cup in 3 years. That series loss was the catalyst for San Jose to fire coach Todd McLellan and a shake up of leadership and infusion of youth within the Sharks locker room.

Now this team is hungry again and ready to make another run into the playoffs after a one-year rebuild. The Kings also look primed and ready to make a deep postseason push after missing out on the playoffs last year, becoming the first team since the 2007-08 Carolina Hurricanes to miss the postseason a year after winning the Stanley Cup.

Both of these teams are built in similar fashion, with big, strong forwards up front who have the skills to score but also the toughness to bang bodies along the boards. They each have very dangerous Power-Play attacks and neither club takes a ton of dumb penalties. However, given the nature and history of this rivalry, we will definitely see our fair share of hits, collisions, extra-curriculars after the whistles, and maybe even a fight or two break out. The one glaring edge in this match-up is goaltending.

Jonathan Quick is one of the best goalies in the world when he's hot and with his deep playoff experience, he is always a guy the Kings can rely on to steal a game within a series. He'll either face off against his old back-up in Martin Jones, who has done a stellar job this season for SJ, but doesn't have any postseason experience, or James Reimer, who was acquired from Toronto near the Trade Deadline. The 28-year old backstop has played in one postseason series a few years ago, and has looked good since joining the club with a 6-2 record.

I expect this to be one of the roughest and toughest series of all of the first round match-ups, and with the past events looming in the heads of those veteran Sharks players like Joe Thornton & Patrick Marleau, I expect the San Jose club to see "Red" whenever the Silver & Black hit the ice, and I look for them to get past LA in this opening round.

Prediction: Sharks in 7

Los Angeles Kings
(Record:48-28-6; 102 Points)
O/U Record: (24-27-23 at 5 / 4-5 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#8: 20%)
Penalty Kill: (#15: 81.4%)
# of OT/SO Games: 18

Last Playoff Appearance: 2014
(Beat San Jose in 7, Beat Anaheim in 7, Beat Chicago in 7, Beat NY Rangers in 5)
16-7 SU, 14-8-4 O/U and 15-11 ATS in 2014 Playoffs

Current Form:
On a 4-7 SU Run Last 11 Games Overall
1-5 SU Last 6 Road Games
Allowed 3+ Goals in 8 of Last 11 Games

Leading Scorers:
Anze Kopitar (25g, 73pts), Jeff Carter (24g, 61pts)
Tyler Toffoli (30g, 57pts), Milan Lucic (20g, 54pts)

#1 Goalie: Jonathan Quick (40-23-5, 2.22 G.A.A; .919 Sv% w/ 5 SO in 68 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 45-31, 2.22 G.A.A; .923 Sv% with 9 Shutouts)

San Jose Sharks
(Record: 46-30-6; 98 Points)
O/U Record: (19-18-8 at 5 / 23-14 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#3: 22.5%)
Penalty Kill: (#21: 80.5%)
# of OT/SO Games: 15

Last Playoff Appearance: 2014 (Lost to Los Angeles in 7)
(3-4 SU, 5-1-1 O/U & 3-4 ATS in that series)
58-56 SU in Playoffs from 2004-2014 (10 Appearances)

(Note: 2013 Sharks became the 4th team in Stanley Cup Playoff History to blow a 3-0 Series lead with 1942 Red Wings, 1975 Penguins, 2010 Bruins)

Current Form: On a 5-2 SU Run Last 7 Games overall
10-3 SU Last 13 Road Games
Power-Play has scored at least 1 Goal in 12 of Last 15 Games

Leading Scorers:
Joe Thornton (19g, 82pts), Joe Pavelski (38g, 78pts)
Brent Burns (27g, 75pts), Patrick Marleau (25g, 48pts)

Goalies:
Martin Jones (37-23-4, 2.27 G.A.A; .918 Sv% w/6 SO in 65 GS)
(Only NHL Playoff experience: 56 Minutes of Relief in 2 GP)

James Reimer (6-2, 1.62 G.A.A; .938 Sv% with 3 Shutouts in 8 GS for SJ)
(Career Playoff Record: 3-4, 2.88 G.A.A; .923 Sv%)

Preview: Lightning (46-31) at Red Wings (41-30)

Date: April 19, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Tampa Bay center Brian Boyle skated toward the locker room at the end of Game 3 flapping his arms, indicating Justin Abdelkader was too chicken to fight him. Abdelkader said he gladly would've obliged, only that fighting with a taped hand calls for a game misconduct.

Detroit was, in fact, the aggressor while trimming its deficit to 2-1 in a contentious series that's seen the Lightning's grip become a bit looser. Now the Red Wings have a chance to even it with another victory at Joe Louis Arena on Tuesday night, a turn of events that seemed unlikely after the series' first two games.

What's changed? Detroit's goaltender, for one. Jimmy Howard was in net for Wednesday's 3-2 loss and Friday's 5-2 defeat before coach Jeff Blashill decided to give Petr Mrazek the nod in Game 3. Mrazek faced only 16 shots Sunday, but his contributions helped the Red Wings shut down Tampa's top line.

Tyler Johnson, Nikita Kucherov and Alex Killorn combined for 15 points in the first two games but that line didn't even register a shot on net in a 2-0 loss. The newly formed trio of Abdelkader, Luke Glendening and Riley Sheahan had plenty to do with that.

"It's just one game and it's a big win for our team," Glendening said. "It's a step in the right direction, but it's one game and they're gonna come ready next game, so we have to as well."

And another physical battle likely awaits. Line brawls have broken out after the last two games that have featured plenty of action after the whistle, and the scrap between Boyle and Abdelkader took a humorous turn after Boyle's taunts. Blashill instructed Abdelkader not to throw a punch with his taped hand, and the Detroit forward laughed off Boyle's actions.

"It's kind of funny, but if he wants to do that, that's what he wants to show, whatever," Abdelkader said. "It doesn't affect me at all because I know what type of player I am. I stand up for myself when I'm healthy."

Maybe the Lightning's lack of health is catching up with them. Steven Stamkos had surgery that reportedly included removing a rib to address blood clots, and standout defenseman Anton Stralman still isn't recovered from a fractured left leg.

Coach Jon Cooper isn't panicking after just one defeat, but he wasn't happy with how the tides turned so drastically in Game 3. Tampa combined for 65 shots in the first two games, then had seven over the final two periods Sunday.

The Lightning also could be in a much different position had Detroit converted more with the man advantage. They killed all of the Red Wings' seven power plays in Game 3 and have kept Detroit scoreless on 16 of 17 in the series.

"You're just killing the whole night, and whether you debate the calls here or there, we didn't give ourselves a chance," Cooper said. "If you are going to sit in the penalty box all night it's hard to do anything."

Ben Bishop has been instrumental on the penalty kill and kept Tampa in Game 3 with 28 saves. He's stopped 92 of 98 shots in the series, and another solid effort - along with some adjustments from Cooper - could put the Lightning back in control ahead of Thursday's Game 5 at home.

"I'm not so sure myself, their coach or anyone in this room was picking this to be a sweep," Cooper said. "It went from us pinning them up against the wall to now it's a series."

Preview: Penguins (48-26) at Rangers (46-27)

Date: April 19, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Henrik Lundqvist's return sparked the New York Rangers to level this first-round playoff series with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Ryan McDonagh could provide the latest lift.

With the status of their injured captain unknown, the Rangers look to take the series lead as it shifts to Madison Square Garden for Game 3 on Tuesday night.

New York was dealt a major blow in Game 1 when Lundqvist had to leave after the first period with an eye injury after Marc Staal's stick hit him through his mask. Backup Antti Raanta stopped 16 of 19 shots in the 5-2 loss Wednesday.

Lundqvist was back Saturday for Game 2 and made 29 saves in a vintage performance that included three in the final 35 seconds of the 4-2 win.

"I don't think going down two games to nothing would have been a good idea, so I think that sort of raised the level or urgency and emotion," coach Alain Vigneault said. "Our guys have to understand by now, we're playing against the best team in the league since Christmas and if (coach Mike Sullivan) would've been there sine Day One, they would've challenged Washington.

"There's no doubt that we need to be at our best."

That means having a healthy McDonagh, who has been out since injuring his hand at Columbus on April 4.

McDonagh practiced Monday for the first time since, but Vigneault wouldn't say if he's ready to go, only saying "stranger things have happened."

"It's a good thing that he is skating," Lundqvist said. "That's the best part. We know that he is close. We just don't know what game."

The same could be said of fellow defenseman Dan Girardi, who missed Game 2 and is day to day with an undisclosed injury.

The Rangers' 27-10-4 home record ranked only behind Presidents' Trophy-winning Washington and Dallas, the top seed in the Western Conference. However, New York has lost its last two against Pittsburgh at MSG after taking five of the previous six, including playoff series over the last two seasons - both won by the Rangers.

"Playoff hockey at home in New York is just a great feeling," said Lundqvist, who went 22-6-3 with a 2.31 goals-against average at MSG. "Every time you go out there it's goosebumps. You're excited and nervous and you just want to go out there and win."

The Penguins look to spoil the party and might have an unexpected guest in Matt Murray. The goaltender practiced Monday after hurting his head in a collision during the season finale at Philadelphia on April 9.

"I'm progressing the way I want and it's a day at a time process," Murray told the team's official website. "When I'm healthy and 100 percent then I'll be ready to play in games. Until that point I'm not really thinking too much about it."

With Marc-Andre Fleury (concussion) still out and Murray's status uncertain, third-string Jeff Zatkoff is in line for a third straight start. He's stopped 59 of 65 shots in the series but surrendered three goals in a span of 4:14 of the second period Saturday.

"I think given the situation, my mindset is just that I'm preparing like I'm playing every single game," he said. "You don't know what's going to happen with it and you've just got to make sure you're ready."

Phil Kessel had two goals Saturday after getting one assist on Patric Hornqvist's Game 1 hat trick. The right wing has 12 points over his last 10 meetings with the Rangers, including five in the past three.

Sidney Crosby is looking to get back on the score sheet after failing to do so in Game 2. He had three points Wednesday as part of his 32 during a 23-game stretch.

Crosby has 37 points in 36 overall games at MSG, including four goals and two assists in the past four.

Preview: Blues (49-24) at Blackhawks (47-26)

Date: April 19, 2016 9:30 PM EDT

A mistake from the league's points leader led to a rare late collapse from the Chicago Blackhawks, costing them home-ice advantage.

Now the St. Louis Blues can all but bury the reigning Stanley Cup champions on the road.

With the Blackhawks frustrated following another wild third period - this time not in their favor - the Blues will try to grab a commanding lead in Tuesday night's Game 4 of a Western Conference quarterfinal series that has been tight since the opening faceoff.

St. Louis gained a 2-1 series edge with Sunday's 3-2 win in Chicago, offsetting the Blackhawks' 3-2 victory Friday that briefly swapped home-ice advantage into their favor.

The Blues trailed 2-1 entering the third but rallied with goals from Patrik Berglund and Jaden Schwartz. Schwartz scored on a power play following a costly four-minute penalty from Patrick Kane after he was caught high-sticking defenseman Alex Pietrangelo.

Two days after a pair of coach's challenges went against St. Louis, it rallied to hand Chicago its first regulation loss when leading after two periods since Game 2 of the 2014 West finals against Los Angeles. The Blackhawks were 70-0-4 since the start of last season when leading at the start of the third.

'That was a tough loss,' coach Joel Quenneville said. 'Let's get back into it. But it was a pretty competitive game, kind of comparable to what we saw in the first two.'

The separation between these teams continues to be razor thin as each of the last five games have been decided by one goal, four of them St. Louis wins.

While Corey Crawford was sharp again for Chicago with 33 saves in Game 3, Brian Elliott was yet again the difference with a postseason career-high 44. Elliott has pushed aside 105 of 109 shots in this series and has a .956 save percentage in his last five starts against Chicago.

The Blackhawks fired 24 shots at Elliott in Sunday's second period - Artem Anisimov tallying the only one that reached the back of the net - but that total was sliced in half in the third.

'We've got home ice back again,' Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. 'To me, that's the whole thing. We've got to find a way to keep it now.'

The Blues will still hold it for Thursday's game in St. Louis, but their fifth win in six tries at the United Center would create a massive uphill climb for the Blackhawks. Two of the final three games are in St. Louis as the Blues will go for their first playoff series win since 2012.

St. Louis has won its last six road games and is riding a 14-3-0 stretch away from home. To regain momentum, Chicago will need to win for just the third time in its last nine games at the United Center.

The Blues won Game 1 on David Backes' overtime goal that caromed off Chicago defenseman Trevor Van Riemsdyk's skate, and they tied Sunday's contest when Berglund's shot bounced off defenseman Michal Rozsival's right leg and past Crawford.

Chicago forward Andrew Ladd hit both goal posts on a single shot Sunday.

"I think all three games could have gone each way ... that's how close it's been," Quenneville said. "The margin of error is very limited or very minimal. I just think we've got to keep persevering and find a way to get that momentum back here at home next game and turn it around."

Preview: Ducks (46-25) at Predators (41-27)

Date: April 19, 2016 9:30 PM EDT

The Anaheim Ducks surged to the Pacific Division title by winning 29 of their final 41 games, including 14 of 19 on home ice.

Suffice it to say that nobody expected them to be facing an 0-2 deficit when they boarded the plane for the trip to Music City.

Looking to avoid falling into a seemingly insurmountable hole, Anaheim needs to pick up a crucial win against the Nashville Predators as this Western Conference first-round series shifts to Bridgestone Arena for Game 3 on Tuesday night.

The Ducks were outstanding at home beginning midway through January, outscoring the opposition 62-31 while earning 30 of a possible 38 points, but that dominance seems like a distant memory after the first two of this series.

Nashville got timely scoring and excellent goaltending from Pekka Rinne in a pair of 3-2 victories that gave the club a 2-0 lead in a playoff series for the first time.

"I know this is cliche, but we can only worry about one game at a time," center Nate Thompson told Anaheim's official website. "No one thought we would be in this situation. We're dealt that hand, and we have to deal with it.

"We have to go into their barn and win the next one."

The Ducks had won four in a row at Bridgestone prior to this season before Nashville reversed the trend with a 5-1 victory Oct. 22 and a 3-2 win Nov. 17. Rinne was in net for both and stopped 65 of 68 shots, improving to 10-3-2 with a 2.33 goals-against average at home against Anaheim, including two wins in three playoff starts.

He had 27 saves in each of the first two games of this series, and one more strong performance can help put the Predators on the verge of winning a postseason series for the first time since ousting Detroit in the first round in 2012.

"We're playing one of the better teams in the West, and starting on the road," Rinne said. "So far, we've done a really good job. I know it's boring, but you just try to live in the moment and focus on the next one."

Nashville has responded defensively to Anaheim's aggressive approach and kept its big guns in check, limiting Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler to a goal apiece and Cory Perry to an assist. Those three combined for 178 points in the regular season.

Conversely, it's been the Predators' top two in points who have sparked a crisp and balanced offense. Filip Forsberg has a goal and two assists and Roman Josi has totaled three assists to help Nashville get its goals from six players.

"Everyone in this room believes that we're capable of doing this, and I think we showed we can beat any team," defenseman Mattias Ekholm told the team's official website after scoring in Game 2 on Sunday.

Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said prior to the series that he would stick with one goalie, favoring John Gibson after he played a bulk of the minutes down the stretch because of a concussion Frederik Andersen sustained March 30, but a change may be due. Gibson has allowed all six goals in the series on 60 shots.

Andersen stopped 40 shots in a 4-2 home win over the Ducks on Nov. 1, but he came on in relief of Anton Khudobin late in the second period Nov. 17 and gave up all three goals on seven shots.

"The one thing about this team is our resiliency," Boudreau said. "This team has been through some really tough times this year, so this is no different right now."

NHL Hockey Odds and Picks: Scouting the Week Ahead
by Alan Matthews

In my opinion, the big winner of the first week of the Stanley Cup playoffs was the Western Conference top-seeded Dallas Stars. The big loser? The greater Los Angeles area. I didn't give the Stars a great chance of winning the West because while it's a fabulous offensive team, Dallas wasn't great on defense during the regular season. But with has happened to the two L.A. teams thus far, now I'm rethinking that.

The Stars took a 2-0 series lead against Minnesota into Monday's game in Minneapolis. Kari Lehtonen has been great in goal, although it's against a Wild team missing two of its best forwards due to injury and that's easily the worst club in the postseason. My only worry about Dallas now is the status of star forward Tyler Seguin. He missed the final 10 games of the regular season and first of these playoffs with an Achilles injury. He did play 15:40 in Game 2 but apparently tweaked that injury. NHL teams are notoriously vague about these types of things. Seguin was to miss Game 3 and all Coach Lindy Ruff would say is that what Seguin is dealing with is "not his injury, but it is kind of related."

I don't think the Stars can win the Cup without Seguin at 100 percent, so I'd just sit him the rest of the Wild series to heal up for the conference semifinals. I do think they can win the West without him because now it looks as if Dallas won't have to deal with either the Los Angeles Kings, the Western Conference betting favorites entering the playoffs, or Pacific Division champion Anaheim Ducks in the conference finals.

I'm absolutely shocked that Los Angeles entered Monday's Game 3 of their series at San Jose down 2-0. True, the Sharks led the NHL in road wins during the season and set a franchise record, but I never saw them winning both games in L.A. It was a bad week in L.A. hockey as the Ducks also dropped their first two at home against Nashville, each by the same 3-2 score. John Gibson was in net for both of those, but I think you will see Coach Bruce Boudreau go with Frederik Andersen, who has much more playoff experience, in Game 3 on Tuesday. The Ducks' big guns, Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler, have been held to three total points. Perry is minus-three for the series. The Ducks are also taking too many penalties. They have now lost four straight playoff games, three at home, since leading the Blackhawks 3-2 through five games of last season's Western Conference Finals.

Anaheim is a +100 underdog for Tuesday's game in Nashville, which has a 2-0 playoff series lead for the first time in franchise history. The new odds to win the West are: Stars at +250, Blues (+450), Blackhawks (+500), Sharks (+500), Predators (+600), Ducks (+950), Kings (+1000) and the no-chance Wild at +4000.

Chicago faces a near must-win home game on Tuesday against St. Louis, with the Hawks as -155 favorites. They totally let one get away in Sunday's Game 2, leading 2-1 entering the third but falling 3-2. The Blackhawks had been 70-0-4 since the start of last season when they had the lead at the beginning of the third. The Blackhawks had trouble scoring in 5-on-5 play during the regular season, ranking in the bottom third of the NHL, and that has carried over with just one goal at even strength. The Blues finished second in 5-on-5 goals allowed this season and they have outpaced the Hawks in high-danger scoring chances during 5-on-5 play 35-19. I wouldn't bail on Chicago yet as the Hawks typically play inconsistently early in series and then flip the switch.

My original Western Conference picks to advance were Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles and Anaheim. Not looking great there at the moment.

In the Eastern Conference, Washington is now a huge -105 favorite to reach the Stanley Cup Finals. The Capitals looked to take a commanding 3-0 lead over the Flyers in Philly on Monday night. The Penguins are next at +500 to win the East, followed by the Lightning (+750), Rangers (+750), Islanders (+900), Panthers (+1100), Flyers (+3500) and Red Wings (+3500). I'm sticking with my first-round selections: Washington, the two New York teams and Detroit.

Easily the most interesting series in the East has been Pittsburgh and the New York Rangers, especially in net. Blueshirts star Henrik Lundqvist left Game 1 with an eye injury and New York lost. He was a game-time call for Game 2 on Saturday but was in net and led a 4-2 victory to even the series at one. The Penguins have played both games with third-stringer Jeff Zatkoff in net and he's expected to be in there against Tuesday with Marc-Andre Fleury and Matt Murray still recovering from injuries. It was because of Zatkoff that I liked New York in this series. The Penguins did welcome back star forward Evgeni Malkin in Game 2; he had been out since March 11 and was supposed to be out at least six weeks. Malkin played nearly 20 minutes Saturday and had an assist. The Rangers are actually +101 underdogs for Tuesday. On the series line, the Pens are -165 and Rangers +145. Blueshirts captain Ryan McDonagh hasn't played yet in the series and is doubtful for Tuesday. He did practice Monday for the first time since being hurt two weeks ago.

Playoff Zig-Zag Theory
By Marc Lawrence

In NBA handicapping circles, Zig Zags are trendy applications that have been profitable moneymakers during the playoffs.

The premise is simple: "Play On" a team off a playoff loss in its very next game.

The theory is that in a short series involving imminent elimination, a team in more inclined to bounce back with a good effort off a losing performance than it is to continue its losing ways.

How have these plays held up of late? You might be surprised.

Here are point-spread results of NBA Playoff Zig Zags from 1991 through 2015.

Game On, Dude

Overall: 819-726-38(53.0%)
Game Two: 204-159-13 (56.2%)
Game Three: 201-168-8(54.5%)
Game Four: 167-170-8 (49.6%)
Game Five: 135-124-7(52.1%)
Game Six: 79-70-2 (51.6%)
Game Seven: 30-27-2 (52.5%)

The strength of NBA Zig Zags appears to be in Game Two where they become a better than 56% point-spread play on the blind.

Burn Baby Burn

Like all things that are popular, though, they eventually burn out and revert back to the norm.

A combination of the ‘law of averages’ and an adjustment by the oddsmakers has seen the NBA Zig Zags go up in smoke since 2001.

That’s confirmed by the fact that these plays slipped dramatically the last 15 years (2001-2015), going 508-477-28 – or 51.6% - overall as opposed to a 311-249-10 mark – or 55.5% - in games played from 1991-2000.

That’s a decline of nearly 4 full percentage points. Or in bottom line terms, they have been money burners on the blind the last 15 seasons. Talk about a buzz kill.

Round ‘Em Up

Here is a breakdown of how the Zig Zags have fared during each round of the NBA Playoffs since 1991:

Round One: 393-346-22 (53.2%)
Round Two: 204-159-13 (56.2%)
Round Three: 120-111-6 (51.9%)
Round Four: 60-53-3 (53.1%)

While it appears Round Two holds a discernable edge, it should be noted that home teams off a double-digit loss in Round Two have yielded the largest profits, as they are 83-54-3 (60.6%).

Planting The Seeds

Here is a breakdown of how the Zig Zags have fared by seed during NBA Playoffs:

No. 1 Seeds: 117-106-5 (52.5%)
No. 2 Seeds: 113-92-4 (55.1%)
No. 3 Seeds: 97-85-9 (53.3%)
No. 4 Seeds: 80-76-1(51.3%)
No. 5 Seeds: 75-71-3(51.4%)
No. 6 Seeds: 81-76-2-2(51.6%)
No. 7 Seeds: 44-65-4(40.4%)
No. 8 Seeds: 66-46-5 (59.0%)

Note these results are since the 1996 season, when we first began charting seeds.

Note the disparate results that abound between No. 7 and No. 8 seeds.

Rocky Mountain High

So when is it we can still expect to catch the best possible result when firing up with these with NBA Zig Zags these days, you ask?

Simple. Look to support double-digit underdogs when they are off a SU and ATS loss. They’ve stood the test of time, going 35-19-2 ATS since 1991. That’s a pretty high 64.8% winning percentage when you think about it.

So instead of zigging when you should be zagging, check out the optimum roles outlined above... and enjoy the games.

1st Round Cheat Sheet

SU - Straight Up, ATS - Against the Spread

No. 1 Cleveland (57-25 SU, 37-43-2 ATS vs. No. 8 Detroit (44-38 SU, 42-37-3 ATS)

2015-16 Regular Season (Pistons 3-1)
Nov. 17 Cavaliers at Pistons (+4.5) 104-99 Over (195.5)
Jan. 29 Cavaliers (-4) at Pistons 114-106 Over (207.5)
Feb. 22 Cavaliers vs. Pistons (+9) 96-88 Under (207.5)
Apr. 13 Cavaliers vs. Pistons (+4) 112-110 Over (194)

Home Records (SU/ATS)
Cleveland: 33-8-0, 20-21
Detroit: 26-15, 24-15-2

Away Records (SU/ATS)
Cleveland: 24-17, 17-22-2
Detroit: 18-23, 18-22

Current Form (Record Since All-Star Break)
Cleveland: 19-11 SU, 14-16 ATS, 15-14 O/U
Detroit: 17-11 SU, 15-12-1 ATS, 13-14-1 O/U

No. 2 Toronto (56-26 SU, 44-37-1 ATS) vs. No. 7 Indiana (45-37 SU, 42-40 ATS)

2015-16 Regular Season Raptors (3-1)
Oct. 28 Raptors (-5.5) vs. Pacers 106-99 Over (199.5)
Dec. 14 Raptors at Pacers (-4.5) 106-90 Under (200)
Mar. 17 Raptors (+2) at Pacers 101-94 Under (203.5)
Apr. 8 Raptors (-5) vs. Pacers 111-98 Over (193.5)

Home Records (SU/ATS)
Toronto: 32-9, 23-18
Indiana: 26-15, 21-20

Away Records (SU/ATS)
Toronto: 24-17, 21-19-1
Indiana: 19-22, 21-20

Current Form (Record Since All-Star Break)
Toronto: 21-9 SU, 16-14 ATS, 16-14 O/U
Indiana: 17-12 SU, 15-14 ATS, 11-18 O/U

No. 3 Miami (48-34 SU, 43-38-1 ATS) vs. No. 6 Charlotte (48-34 SU, 42-38-2 ATS)

2015-16 Regular Season (2-2)
Oct. 28 Heat (-6.5) vs. Hornets 104-94 Over (194)
Dec. 9 Heat at Hornets (+1) 99-81 Under (192)
Feb. 5 Heat (+4) at Hornets 98-95 Under (194.5)
Mar. 17 Heat vs. Hornets (+4.5) 109-106 Over (208)

Home Records (SU/ATS)
Miami: 28-13, 20-20-1
Charlotte: 30-11, 21-18-2

Away Records (SU/ATS)
Miami: 20-21, 20-21
Charlotte: 18-23, 21-20

Current Form (Record Since All-Star Break)
Miami: 19-10 SU, 17-12 ATS, 16-13 O/U
Charlotte: 21-8 SU, 16-13 ATS, 16-13 O/U

No. 4 Atlanta (48-34 SU, 41-39-2 ATS) vs. No. 5 Boston (48-34 SU, 41-39-2 ATS)

2015-16 Regular Season Hawks (3-1)
Nov. 13 Hawks at Celtics (+1.5) 106-93 Under (206.5)
Nov. 24 Hawks (-2.5) vs. Celtics 121-97 Over (204.5)
Dec. 18 Hawks (+3.5) at Celtics Won 109-101 Over (206.5)
Apr. 9 Hawks (-5) vs. Celtics Won 118-107 Over (207.5)

Home Records (SU/ATS)
Atlanta: 27-14, 21-19-1
Boston: 28-13, 22-17-2

Away Records (SU/ATS)
Atlanta: 21-20, 20-20-1
Boston: 20-21, 19-22

Current Form (Record Since All-Star Break)
Boston: 16-11 SU, 11-16 ATS, 12-15 O/U
Atlanta: 17-10 SU, 15-12 ATS, 11-15-1 O/U

No. 1 Golden State (73-9 SU, 43-36-3 ATS) vs. No. 8 Houston (41-41 SU, 37-45 ATS)

2015-16 Regular Season (Warriors 3-0)
Oct. 30 Warriors (-1) at Rockets 112-92 Under (216.5)
Dec. 31 Warriors (-3.5) at Rockets 114-110 Over (211)
Feb. 9 Warriors (-14) vs. Rockets 123-110 Over (229.5)

Home Records (SU/ATS)
Golden State: 39-2, 20-19-2
Houston: 23-18, 17-24

Away Records (SU/ATS)
Golden State: 34-7, 23-17-1
Houston: 18-23, 20-21

Current Form (Record Since All-Star Break)
Golden State: 25-5 SU, 14-15-1 ATS, 15-14-1 O/U
Houston: 14-13 SU, 14-13 ATS, 15-12 O/U

No. 2 San Antonio (67-15 SU, 43-38-1 ATS) vs. No. 7 Memphis (42-40 SU, 41-39-2 ATS)

2015-16 Regular Season (Spurs 4-0)
Nov. 21 Spurs (-8) vs. Grizzlies 92-82 Under (190)
Dec. 3 Spurs (-3) at Grizzlies 103-83 Over (183)
Mar. 25 Spurs (-13) vs. Grizzlies 110-104 Over (190.5)
Mar. 28 Spurs (-5.5) at Grizzlies 101-87 Under (193)

Home Records (SU/ATS)
San Antonio: 40-1, 22-18-1
Memphis: 26-15, 22-18-1

Away Records (SU/ATS)
San Antonio: 27-14, 21-20
Memphis: 16-25, 19-21-1

Current Form (Record Since All-Star Break)
San Antonio: 22-7 SU, 10-19 ATS, 10-19 O/U
Memphis: 11-18 SU, 16-13 ATS, 16-13 O/U

No. 3 Oklahoma City (55-27 SU, 37-43-2 ATS) vs. No. 6 Dallas (42-40 SU, 44-37-1 ATS)

2015-16 Regular Season (Thunder 4-0)
Nov. 22 Thunder (-3.5) vs. Mavericks 117-114 Over (208.5)
Jan. 13 Thunder (-12.5) vs. Mavericks 108-89 Under (207)
Jan. 22 Thunder (-6.5) at Mavericks 109-106 Over (208)
Feb. 24 Thunder (-5.5) at Mavericks Won 116-103 Over (215)

Home Records (SU/ATS)
Oklahoma City: 32-9, 21-20
Dallas: 23-18, 22-18-1

Away Records (SU/ATS)
Oklahoma City: 23-18, 16-23-2
Dallas: 19-22, 22-19

Current Form (Record Since All-Star Break)
Oklahoma City: 15-14 SU, 15-12-2 ATS, 15-14 O/U
Dallas: 13-14 SU, 14-12-1 ATS, 14-13 O/U

No. 4 L.A. Clippers (53-29 SU, 40-38-4 ATS) vs. No. 5 Portland (44-38 SU, 44-38 ATS)

2015-16 Regular Season (Clippers 3-1)
Nov. 20 Clippers at Trail Blazers (-4.5) 91-102 Under (210)
Nov. 30 Clippers (-7) vs. Trail Blazers 102-87 Under (206)
Jan. 6 Clippers (-3.5) at Trail Blazers 109-98 Over (205.5)
Mar. 24 Clippers (-5.5) vs. Trail Blazers 96-94 Under (216)

Home Records (SU/ATS)
L.A. Clippers: 29-12, 20-20-1
Portland: 28-13, 21-20

Away Records (SU/ATS)
L.A. Clippers: 24-17, 20-18-3
Portland: 16-25, 23-18

Current Form (Record Since All-Star Break)
L.A. Clippers: 18-12 SU, 14-15 ATS, 10-19 O/U
Portland: 17-11 SU, 14-14 ATS, 15-13 O/U

1st Round Betting Angles
By Marc Lawrence

Opening Round Betting Strategies

With help from our trusted well-oiled database, let’s examine four time-tested proven theories that have lined our pocket during the opening round of playoffs since 1991.

Here’s what the machine has to say.

No. 8 Seeds Are Behind The 8-Ball

For the most part, No. 8 seeds in the NBA playoffs are teams that likely scratched and clawed their way into the post-season. Not good enough to be seriously considered threats against top-seeded opponents but just barely better than the dregs of the league.

Rest assured, their life expectancy is not long at all, as they’ve lost over 70% of time (54-133 straight up) in games against No. 1 seeds since 1996. In fact, only the 1996 New York Knicks, the 2007 Golden State Warriors and the 2012 Philadelphia 76ers were good enough to pull the rug on top seeded foes and advance to the second round of the playoffs.

And you can virtually write them off in games against No. 1 seeds that are off back-to-back SU and ATS wins. These guys scratch like an roaming 8-ball in the side pocket, going 4-25 SU and 9-20 against the spread, including 0-16 SU and 2-14 ATS whenever the 8-ballers are off a spread loss of 4 or more points in their last game.

Upset Losers Are Winners

No, it’s not an oxymoron. Instead, it’s a powerful handicapping edge. It occurs whenever a team was upset as a favorite in an opening round game and is at home in the game immediately thereafter.

That’s confirmed by the fact that they are 90-24 SU and 68-42-4, a rock solid number. And if they are squaring off against a No. 6 or lower seed they improve to 48-6 SU and 38-16-2 ATS – including 15-2-2 ATS when favored by less than 8 points..

Don’t be afraid of these chalkbusters. That’s because they don’t lose their composure. Instead they almost always dig down deep and respond with aplomb in games after being embarrassed.

Double-Digit Dogma

Surprisingly, in the right role, double-digit underdogs do well in opening round contests, especially when playing off a playoff loss. These overweight puppies are 32-17-2 ATS in this role.

And if these same guys are involved in a game with the Over/Under total set at 193 or higher they zoom to 26-7 ATS, including 19-3 ATS when facing a non-division foe.

Granted, these dogs are not exactly pedigree puppies but the fact of the matter is they tend to come up big against disinterested favorites not capable of chopping heavy lumber.

And Down Goes Frazier

The psyche of teams that are not playing well comes immediately to the surface during the opening round of the NBA playoffs. That’s evidenced by the fact that teams riding a three game-exact loss skein are wobbly and oftentimes one punch away from being counted out.

With glass-like jaws, these swirling teams are just 46-63 SU and 44-61-4 ATS away from home this round, including 7-11 SU and 6-12 ATS in lid-lifters.

Worst of all, road dogs of more than six points on a three game exact losing skid are 3-27 SU and 8-22 ATS on their way to the canvas.

Trending

Defending champions (the Golden State Warriors in this case) are 74-33 SU and 59-44-4 ATS in opening round games the next season, including 16-8 SU and 15-8-1 ATS in Game One of Round One. They are, however, just 5-9 ATS as double-digit chalk in this round.

Enjoy the opening round of the 2016 NBA playoffs.

NBA Playoff Opening Round Betting Strategies
By MARC LAWRENCE

With help from our trusted well-oiled database, let’s examine four proven theories that have lined our pockets during the opening round of the NBA playoffs since 1991. Here’s what the machine has to say.

No. 8 Seeds Are Behind The 8-Ball

For the most part, No. 8 seeds in the NBA playoffs are teams that likely scratched and clawed their way into the post-season. Not good enough to be seriously considered threats against top-seeded opponents but just barely better than the dregs of the league.

Rest assured, their life expectancy is not long at all, as they’ve lost over 70% of time (54-133 SU) in games against No. 1 seeds since 1996. In fact, only the 1996 New York Knicks, the 2007 Golden State Warriors and the 2012 Philadelphia 76ers were good enough to pull the rug on top seeded foes and advance to Round Two of the playoffs.

And you can virtually write them off in games against No. 1 seeds that are off back-to-back SU and ATS wins. These guys scratch like an roaming 8-ball in the side pocket, going 4-25 SU and 9-20 ATS, including 0-16 SU and 2-14 ATS whenever the 8-ballers are off a spread loss of four or more points in their last game.


Upset Losers Are Winners

No, it’s not an oxymoron. Instead, it’s a powerful handicapping edge. It occurs whenever a team was upset as a favorite in an opening round game and is at home in the game immediately thereafter.

That’s confirmed by the fact that they are 90-24 SU and 68-42-4, a rock solid number. And if they are squaring off against a No. 6 or lower seed they improve to 48-6 SU and 38-16-2 ATS – including 15-2-2 ATS when favored by less than eight points.

Don’t be afraid of these chalkbusters. They don’t lose their composure, instead they almost always dig down deep and respond with aplomb in games after being embarrassed.


Double-Digit Dogma

Surprisingly, in the right role, double-digit underdogs do well in opening round contests, especially when playing off a playoff loss. These overweight puppies are 32-17-2 ATS in this role.

If these same teams are involved in a game with the Over/Under total set at 193 or higher they zoom to 26-7 ATS, including 19-3 ATS when facing a non-division foe.

Granted, these dogs are not exactly pedigree puppies, but the fact of the matter is they tend to come up big against disinterested favorites not capable of chopping heavy lumber.


And Down Goes Frazier

The psyche of teams that are not playing well comes immediately to the surface during the opening round of the NBA playoffs. That’s evidenced by the fact that teams riding a three game-exact loss skein are wobbly and oftentimes one punch away from being counted out.

With glass-like jaws, these swirling teams are just 46-63 SU and 44-61-4 ATS away from home this round, including 7-11 SU and 6-12 ATS in lid-lifters.

Worst of all, road dogs of more than six points on a three game exact losing skid are 3-27 SU and 8-22 ATS on their way to the canvas.


Trending

Defending champions (the Golden State Warriors in this case) are 74-33 SU and 59-44-4 ATS in opening round games the next season, including 16-8 SU and 15-8-1 ATS in Game One of Round One. They are, however, just 5-9 ATS as double-digit chalk in this round.

Tuesday's NBA playoffs betting preview and odds

A light NBA schedule Tuesday night will features a pair of Game 2's with the Atlanta Hawks hosting the Boston Celtics and the San Antonio Spurs welcoming the Memphis Grizzlies.

Boston Celtics at Atlanta Hawks (-6, 205.5)

Hawks lead series 1-0

The Atlanta Hawks squandered all of a 19-point lead in Game 1 but recovered late in the fourth quarter and managed to pull out a 102-101 victory. The fourth-seeded Hawks will try to make it two in a row on Tuesday over the fifth-seeded and visiting Boston Celtics, who will be without guard Avery Bradley due to a “significant” hamstring injury suffered late Saturday.

Boston completed its comeback and took an 83-80 lead with 6:48 remaining on Saturday but had Bradley go down seven seconds later on the way back up the court. "Avery has a pretty significant strained hamstring,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens told reporters on Sunday. “I would say he would be doubtful for any of the remainder of the series, certainly very unlikely Tuesday night. As of right now, I would say he's out Tuesday night, but obviously he'll continue to get treatment around the clock and go from there. But I would say very unlikely the rest of the series." The absence of Bradley as a lockdown defender could open the floor even more for Atlanta guard Jeff Teague, who collected 23 points and 12 assists in the opener. Teague sealed the Game 1 win at the free-throw line and formed a potent pick-and-roll combination with center Al Horford.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TNT, CSN New England (Boston), FSN Southeast (Atlanta)

LINE HISTORY: The Hawks opened as six-point favorites at most books and that number hasn't moved. The total began at 206.5 and has come down a full point to 205.5. View complete line history here.

ABOUT THE CELTICS (48-35, 43-39-1 ATS, 39-44 O/U): Boston is touting the fact that it doesn’t have a superstar, and the players were leaning on the “next man up” philosophy after learning the significance of Bradley’s injury. "No change with Avery being out," guard Marcus Smart, who figures to move into the starting lineup, told reporters of his role. "Just have to keep doing what I do. It's just going to be (that) I'm going to have more time to make more effort plays and intensity plays and help my team win. Our little slogan is '(We're) one superstar.' It's us as a team. So this isn't anything new. If Avery was here or not, my responsibilities would be the same." The Celtics could also turn to rookie guards Terry Rozier and R.J. Hunter to cover the extra minutes.

ABOUT THE HAWKS (49-34, 42-40-1 ATS, 38-45 O/U): Atlanta held the Celtics to 23.1 percent shooting in the first half of Game 1 and got the stops it needed down the stretch after squandering the lead. The Hawks were the more aggressive team throughout most of the contest and outscored Boston 52-36 in the paint and attempted 16 more free throws. "Another point of emphasis was physicality," Hawks forward Paul Millsap told reporters. "We weren't as physical last year (in the playoffs). (Saturday) was a good night to set that tone. I felt like, especially in the first half, we did that."

TRENDS:

* Celtics are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games playing on 2 days rest.
* Hawks are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
* Under is 9-1 in Celtics last 10 games following a ATS win.
* Under is 4-0 in Hawks last 4 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.


Memphis Grizzlies at San Antonio Spurs (-18.5, 187)

Spurs lead series 1-0

The San Antonio Spurs are supposed to make quick work of Memphis and it sure looked that the way in the series opener as the Grizzlies suffered their largest margin of defeat in franchise postseason history. San Antonio looks to follow up the impressive 106-74 victory with another solid effort when it hosts Memphis in Tuesday's Game 2.

The second-seeded Spurs had 13 steals and nine blocked shots - All-Star small forward Kawhi Leonard had four steals and three blocks - as they pulled away behind their suffocating defense. "Kawhi's a very good defender, and he takes great pride in it," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich told reporters after Game 1. "He did what he usually does for us. It's important. He sets the tone for us defensively, and (Sunday) was a good example of that." The beleaguered seventh-seeded Grizzlies have lost 11 of their last 12 games and their confidence surely took another hit due to the severe beat down. "We're going to forget it," power forward Zach Randolph said afterward. "Put this one in the backwash and get ready for Tuesday."

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT, FSN Southeast (Memphis), FSN Southwest (San Antonio)

LINE HISTORY: The betting line for Tuesday's matchup between the Grizzlies and Spurs opened with San Antonio pegged as 18.5-point favorites and the initial total set at 187. View complete line history here.

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (42-41, 42-40-1 ATS, 45-36-2 O/U): Memphis needs strong performances from Randolph to avoid being swept and that didn't occur in the opener as he scored just six points on 3-of-13 shooting. "I got some good looks. I just have to knock them down," Randolph told reporters. "They bring a bunch of people when I get the ball. I just have to stay positive. We know what we're dealing with. We've got a lot of young guys. We just have to be better, including myself." Veteran swingman Vince Carter was the Grizzlies' top offensive performer in Game 1 with 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting in 19 minutes.

ABOUT THE SPURS (68-15, 45-38 ATS, 35-46-2 O/U): Leonard, who was named Defensive Player of the Year on Monday for the second straight season, also excelled on the offensive end with 20 points in Game 1 and veteran center Tim Duncan was strong on the board with 11 rebounds. "We got it going defensively," Duncan told reporters. "We were solid the whole way through and then some shots started falling. We kind of extended that lead - I think just giving ourselves a quarter or two to get ourselves rolling." The huge lead allowed power forward LaMarcus Aldridge (dislocated right pinky finger) to be rested - he had 17 points and 27 minutes - as San Antonio had 12 players see 10 or more minutes of action.

TRENDS:

* Grizzlies are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Spurs are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games playing on 1 days rest.
* Over is 7-1-1 in Grizzlies last 9 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.
* Under is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings.
* Grizzlies are 1-5 ATS in the last 6 meetings.