Betting news, trends, odds and predictions for from various handicappers and websites for Wednesday 10/17/18
St. Louis Blues vs. Montreal Canadiens Preview and Predictions 10-17-2018 in NHL
NHL Previews 16th October 2018 by Gracenote
Blues vs. Canadiens Preview and Predictions
by Gracenote on 10/16/2018
The Montreal Canadiens are off to a fast start due in large part to an offense that was supposed to be a question mark this season. With a pair of wins over Pittsburgh and a season-high outburst versus Detroit, the Canadiens aim to record their fourth victory in five outings Wednesday when they conclude their four-game homestand versus the St. Louis Blues.
"I think you have to sprint out of the gates to start the year to position yourself well, and then the marathon starts right after that," Montreal coach Claude Julien told reporters. "If you don't start out with a sprint, it's tough to catch up." Tomas Tatar hit the ground running by recording his second straight three-point performance against his former team in Monday's 7-3 triumph over the reeling Red Wings. St. Louis isn't doing much better than Detroit with losses in four of five outings heading into the opener of a three-game road trip versus Montreal, against which it has won five in a row and recorded at least a point in 12 of the last 15 encounters. Alex Steen, who scored in the Blues' 3-1 victory over the Canadiens on Jan. 30, extended his point streak to three games with a goal in Sunday's 3-2 setback against Anaheim.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Midwest (St. Louis), Sportsnet 1, RDS (Montreal)
ABOUT THE BLUES (1-2-2): Captain Alex Pietrangelo isn't taking his team's slow start lightly, especially after seeing third-period leads go by the boards in three of the past four outings. "I'm the one that leads this group and we've won one game," the 28-year-old Pietrangelo said. "It starts with me. I know I need to be better ... it's still on me. If we're not winning hockey games, that starts with me." Tyler Bozak, who tallied against the Ducks on Sunday, is expected to play his 600th career game Wednesday.
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (3-1-1): After mustering only five shots on goal during his first three games without registering a point, Jonathan Drouin matched that total and scored twice in Montreal's dismantling of Detroit. Fellow forward Brendan Gallagher has goals in back-to-back outings and three in his last four to pull even with Paul Byron and Tatar for the team lead. All three, however, failed to score a goal in last season's series against St. Louis.
OVERTIME
1. St. Louis G Jake Allen has won his last three starts versus Montreal, posting a 2.33 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage.
2. The Canadiens required 11 games last season (3-7-1) to notch their third win.
3. St. Louis LW Jaden Schwartz admitted to feeling better in practice Tuesday and hopes to draw back into the lineup after missing two games with a lower-body injury.
PREDICTION: Blues 3, Canadiens 2
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New York Rangers vs. Washington Capitals Preview and Predictions 10-17-2018 in NHL
NHL Previews 16th October 2018 by Gracenote
Rangers vs. Capitals Preview and Predictions
by Gracenote on 10/16/2018
The Washington Capitals' high-powered offense has stalled of late, producing a total of two goals in back-to-back losses after churning out 18 over their first three contests. Washington hopes to get back in the groove when it continues its three-game homestand Wednesday against the New York Rangers.
Evgeny Kuznetsov tops the Capitals with nine points and shares the team lead in goals after scoring his fourth - all on the power play - in Saturday's 4-2 home setback against Toronto. The 26-year-old Russian, who is 10 assists away from 200 for his career, has recorded three multi-point performances in his first five games this season. New York visits the nation's capital for its lone road contest in a span of 17 days after completing a 2-1-0 homestand with a 3-2 shootout victory over Colorado on Tuesday. Mats Zuccarello and defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk each notched two assists before scoring in the bonus format, with the latter's tally being the decisive one.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, TVA
ABOUT THE RANGERS (2-4-0): Chris Kreider took over the team lead in goals by scoring his third of the season against the Avalanche and Zuccarello grabbed the top spot in points (five) but has yet to tally this campaign. The 27-year-old Kreider had his string of consecutive 20-goal seasons snapped in 2017-18 as he scored only 16 while being limited to 58 contests due to injury. Kevin Hayes, who recorded a career-high 25 tallies last campaign, ended his season-opening drought at five games in Tuesday's victory.
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (2-2-1): Captain Alex Ovechkin notched a pair of assists against the Maple Leafs for his third multi-point effort of 2018-19. The 33-year-old Russian has been held without a goal in back-to-back contests after netting eight tallies during a six-game streak that dated back to last regular season. Kuznetsov needs just three more power-play goals to match the career high of seven he set in 79 games last campaign.
OVERTIME
1. Capitals C Nicklas Backstrom has collected six assists in the first five contests and is four shy of 600 for his career.
2. New York has yet to provide David Quinn with his first regulation victory as an NHL coach, recording one win in overtime and one in a shootout.
3. Washington LW Jakub Vrana's next game will be his 100th in the NHL.
PREDICTION: Capitals 5, Rangers 2
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Boston Bruins vs. Calgary Flames Preview and Predictions 10-17-2018 in NHL
NHL Previews 16th October 2018 by Gracenote
Bruins vs. Flames Preview and Predictions
by Gracenote on 10/16/2018
The Boston Bruins haven't been shy about lighting up the scoreboard since failing to locate their offense in the season opener. With 22 goals highlighting their four-game winning streak, the Bruins bid to keep their good fortune going Wednesday when they begin a four-game Canadian road trip against the Calgary Flames.
Patrice Bergeron (five goals, 11 points) continued his sizzling start to the season with three assists in Boston's 8-2 romp over Detroit on Saturday to cap a stretch that ultimately led him to being named the NHL's First Star of the Week. "It's going to be important that we rely on what we've been doing well here in Boston. We just need to bring that with us," the four-time Selke Trophy recipient said of the upcoming road trip. Former Boston College star Johnny Gaudreau scored in overtime of a 3-2 victory at Colorado on Saturday to increase his point total to a team-leading eight (two goals) and give Calgary its third win in four outings. The 25-year-old Gaudreau has gashed the Bruins for five goals and three assists in seven career encounters, including one of each in last season's two-game series.
TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, Sportsnet 360 (Calgary)
ABOUT THE BRUINS (4-1-0): The top line of David Pastrnak (six goals, two assists), Bergeron (four goals, five assists) and Brad Marchand (one goal, five assists) have scorched the competition over the last three games, although all three deflected the praise in favor of the others. Tuukka Rask has answered getting pulled in the season opener with strong outings versus Ottawa and Detroit at TD Garden, however the former Vezina Trophy winner has his guard up as Boston prepares to hit the road. "Going a long way from home is always challenging, battling time difference and what not, especially the first day or two," the 31-year-old Finn said. "But I think what we're trying to accomplish in my mind is to play the same kind of game on the road as we play at home."
ABOUT THE FLAMES (3-2-0): Alternate captain Matthew Tkachuk warned his teammates that a slow start would be their undoing against a talented Boston squad. "The Bruins are one of the top teams in the league with one of the best group of forwards around," the 20-year-old Tkachuk said Tuesday. "We just need to establish good habits and make sure our pace matches or even exceeds theirs." Centers Sean Monahan and Mikael Backlund are expected to face the Bruins after returning to practice Tuesday following their respective one-day maintenance breaks.
OVERTIME
1. Offseason acquisition C Elias Lindholm continues to pay dividends for Calgary as he scored against the Avalanche to increase his point streak to four games (four goals, two assists).
2. The Bruins' special teams are running at both ends of the spectrum, with their power play clicking (5-for-12) and their penalty kill (11-of-16) struggling.
3. Flames D Noah Hanifin was raised in Norwood, Mass., and spent a year at Boston College.
PREDICTION: Bruins 4, Flames 2
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New York Islanders vs. Anaheim Ducks Preview and Predictions 10-17-2018 in NHL
NHL Previews 16th October 2018 by Gracenote
Islanders vs. Ducks Preview and Predictions
by Gracenote on 10/16/2018
The New York Islanders saw their run of recent dominance over the Anaheim Ducks come to an end in 2017-18, with the latter avenging consecutive season sweeps by recording one of their own. After falling short in the opener of their four-game road trip, the Islanders begin a stretch of three contests versus the California contingent in four days with Wednesday's meeting against the Ducks.
Signed to a one-year, $4.25 million contract in the offseason, Brock Nelson began paying dividends on Saturday by scoring his 100th career goal in New York's 5-2 setback in Nashville. The 27-year-old has found his offensive touch versus Anaheim, against which he tallied twice in a 3-2 loss on Oct. 11, 2017, and five times in 10 career outings. The Ducks have overcome key injuries to record at least a point in five of six matches, highlighted by rallying with a pair of third-period goals in Sunday's 3-2 victory over St. Louis. Jakob Silfverberg upped his team-leading totals in goals (three) and points (seven) with a tally in the first period before exiting with an upper-body injury.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, MSG Plus (New York), FS West (Anaheim)
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (2-2-0): Mathew Barzal has continued his success from his Calder Trophy-winning campaign, setting up a goal Saturday to extend his assist streak to eight games dating back to last season. Captain Anders Lee also had an assist against the Predators to push his point streak to three games heading into the tilt versus the Ducks, against whom he has yet to score a goal in eight career encounters. Thomas Greiss is expected to get the nod in net and bid for his 100th career win on Wednesday.
ABOUT THE DUCKS (4-1-1): Defenseman Hampus Lindholm is enjoying one of the best offensive runs of his career, as he matched a personal best by extending his point streak to four games (one goal, five assists) with two assists against the Blues. The 24-year-old Swede likely relishes the last time he met the Islanders, as he capped his first career hat trick by scoring 4:03 into overtime of a 5-4 win on Dec. 21. Andrew Cogliano, who collected a goal and two assists against the Islanders last season, scored with 5:16 left to cap the comeback versus St. Louis.
OVERTIME
1. Anaheim G John Gibson has turned aside 84 of 90 shots to post a 1-0-1 mark in three career appearances versus New York.
2. Despite being swept in 2017-18, the Islanders own a 5-2-1 mark in their last eight regular-season matchups with the Ducks.
3. Anaheim RW Ben Street has answered 38 scoreless games in his career with two goals in his last three.
PREDICTION: Islanders 4, Ducks 2
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CALGARY, Alberta -- The Boston Bruins, led by one of the NHL's hottest lines, will kick off a four-game road trip when they take on the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Wednesday.
After losing their first game of the season 7-0 on the road to the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals on Oct. 3, the Bruins bounced back with four straight wins.
Boston Bruins vs. Calgary Flames Game Center
"We needed to take care of business at home this week after our start and I think we did a good job with that," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. "We got progressively better away from the puck, which led us to be a lot better with the puck. We're finishing well obviously. The top line's scoring. Our power play's contributing. Now you take it on the road. Calgary's played well."
Boston's top line of Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand has been tough to contain during their four-game winning streak. After being the named the NHL's First Star of the Week on Monday, Bergeron was quick to pass along credit to Pastrnak and Marchand as well.
"Playing with some pretty amazing linemates helps a lot," said Bergeron, who is off to a great start to the season with five goals and six assists in his team's first five outings. "When it happens like that you just kind of go with it. You just ride the wave, I guess. We had some chemistry as soon as we started skating together. It doesn't happen often, but it's some pretty special chemistry we have going on."
Calgary coach Bill Peters said the Flames will definitely have to be wary of the talented trio every time they're on the ice for the Bruins.
"It's a really good line -- arguably one of the best lines in the league -- and they've got a lot of different things that compliment it," Peters said. "Bergeron's one of the best 200-foot players in the history of the game and then obviously Pastrnak's a young guy coming into his own offensively and Marchand's relentless and has way more skill than people think, so it's a real good line.
"We've got to make sure they spend some time in their own zone, too. It's not always about just defending against good lines. You've got to make them play in their own zone."
Forward Sean Monahan agreed with Peters that he and his teammates need to keep close tabs on the likes of Bergeron, Pastrnak and Marchand.
"Especially that top line, we've got to be aware of them," Monahan said. "We've got to stick to our game plan and worry about ourselves. I think we've got a good team, a lot of skill, and can put the puck in the net. I think we've just got to play smart and work hard."
After blocking a shot during Calgary's 3-2 overtime victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Denver on Saturday night, Monahan took a well-deserved day off Monday before returning to practice with the Flames at the Saddledome on Tuesday.
"It was nice to get a little rest," said Monahan, who set up linemate Johnny Gaudreau's overtime goal Saturday. "We obviously have three days in between games and that's big. I felt good and it was nice to get back out there.
"I just got it on the side of my foot," added Monahan in regard to his injury. "It was an uncomfortable spot. It feels good now and I'm happy to be back out there with the guys."