Monday Game Notes

[Terryray]

Boston at Dallas. Boston on a 5 game winning streak, best in 2 years. All cylinders are firing, team brimming with confidence. Dallas has dropped last two, only 3 wins in last 13 at home! Boston arrived yesterday in fine new Dallas facility, very nice place for visiting teams (part of reason they win), and Boston practiced sunday to take full advantage of this. Samsonov "expected to return" tonight say Boston papers. Dallas 2-7-2-1 vs Eastern opponents.
BUT Dallas has not lost to Bruins since Jan 4, 1997 (5-0-2 since then). Modano needs one goal to reach 400 milestone and New Year's Eve would be the time. He and team know it, and publicly talking it over. Dec 31 has quite a winning history in Dallas, including a 6-1 clobbering of Boston in '98. Turco starting in net, he's 5-0 last 5. Played against Boston only once, last season, and shut them out. Boston's leading scorer Rolston wasn't at practice yesterday, no reason given for it, or even if there's any problem.

MN at Detroit. MN 3-3-0 there. They skated to 3-3 tie Wed, to avenge earlier 8-3 blowout in MN. Now MN has dropped two one-goal decisions on road since then, to Edmonton and Calgary. 2-7-2-1 in Dec. Gonna play 3rd game in 4th night on road against a Detroit team ticked from that tie and pissed from surprising loss in last outing. Also ticked that Captain Yzerman out for a few weeks due to shot from MN's Kuba in that 3-3 tie wed. Det 16-4-2 at home.

NYR at Phx. Burke 11-10-2 vs NYR, 2.82 gga, .915 pct
Richter 8-3-2 vs Phx, 1.76 gga, .941 pct.
Phx 12-5-2 at home, 0-2-2 on 0 days rest.

Leafs at TB. Cujo and Leafs have defeated TB twice this season by one goal. Cujo and Leafs now in first losing streak of season. Cujo 17-3-2 vs TB, with 2 shutouts.
A preview tonight of Russia and Canada Olympic Team goalies who sure might battle each other in Salt Lake City.

 

[Terryray]

O/U is 6 for AT-FL game 3pm EST.

Combines score for Home/Away games 5.79
Combined score last 5 6.4

Over hit 3-1 last four FL at home.
Over 9-1 AT's last 10 on road.
Over 6-2-1 last nine meetings. Two of those were set at 6--one pushed, one went under. Rest were at 5.5.

Lunongo letting a lot get passed, but still winning as FL goal production has picked up. Bure wasn't hot in last AT game five days ago, but had four goals and an assist in Feb game.

FL hit the road for 4 games in 6 days out west after tonight. They want a win against AT to start the momentum, they are very confident after Sat's 4-2 defeat of Leafs.

 

[the mugs]

Hey Terryray...I have a Sammy & Rolston updates for ya...

As expected, left wing Sergei Samsonov, who missed the last two games because of the flu, practiced and plans to play tonight. What's remarkable about the Bruins' wins over Florida and Tampa is that they scored 12 goals without Samsonov in the lineup. Center Joe Thornton joked that they played better without ''the deadwood'' on their line. But both Thornton and Ftorek said Samsonov's talents were sorely missed ...

Center Brian Rolston was given yesterday off to rest some bumps and bruises.

 

[Terryray]

Thanks for Boston info mugs!

Flyers at Canucks. Over is 7-2-1 last 10 meetings. Over 2-0 last two Van home games.
Phila is 3-0-2 vs Canucks on New Years's Eve--it's a bit of a tradition to play it.
Phila 12-6-1 ATS on one day's rest.
Phila is 8-2 ATS last 10 meetings, but lost the last at Phila, so some revenge pointed out by Starving Artist.
Phila 6-1-1 last 8 on road