Tues Game Notes

[Terryray]

Pitt at Carolina...............................

Pitt is four points behind NJ for final postseason berth. They played poorly in their last game, they aim to bounce back for this one. And avenge 0-7 loss Dec 16 at Carolina.

Pitt 6-4 last 10.
Canes 2-3-5 last 10. The wins were against TB and MN.

Pitt papers say Lang "hopes to play" and is fitted with protective mouthpiece. Johnsson "probably won't play", and Richer "could play". Coach undecided about which goalie to use, as Aubin was good against Phila last week.

Pitt 0-6 on 3+ days. Indeed, the papers reported Penguins "not crisp" at practice yesterday. Carolina 4-3 on 3+ days.

Pitt plays in Montreal thurs, takes on NJ at home sat. Canes start 3 game pre-olympic road trip at LA wed, Anaheim thurs.

Under hits 14-7 with Pitt away. 18-11 with Carolina at home. Pitt under 5.5 has hit 5-1 away this season, 6-5 Carolina at home.



MN at Toronto..............................

MN 1-7-1-1 last 10 on road.
Leafs 3-5-2 last 10, but seemed to have pulled out of slump with big wins over SJ and AT just before break.

MN's Brown, Bombardir and Mitchell all practised yesterday. will be decided at morning skate if taken off injured list. Paper sez Brown and Bombardir closer to returning than Mitchell.

Toronto takes on NYI thur in NY, MN has to travel and play against WA wed.



Edmonton at Atlanta.............................

AT 5-5-1 last 11. Coming off embarassing 0-6 loss to Leafs before break. Nothing new, really, but they are playing better of late, so embarassing loss means more.?

Edmonton 2-6-3 last 11, 0-5-3 last 8 on road. But coming off good back to back ties--with Detroit and Vancouver, no less. So they are more confident now.

And Edmonton needs wins, as there is only a four point difference between them in 6th place, and 10th place Phoenix.

AT plays in NJ thurs. Edmonton has STL thurs, Dallas friday. (Edmonton has lost last 12 straight in Dallas, going back to 1997! And it was just announced that Belfour is #3 goalie at Olympics)

 

[Terryray]

Buffalo at Boston

Buffalo at Boston

Boston 5-5 last 10. But a big 4-0 last four.
Buffalo similar 5-4-1 last 10, 2-0-1 last 3. Beat TB at home, WA win and Carolina tie on road. One more win and Buff will tie their best unbeaten streak of season.

Boston just hammered Columbus monday night 8-0.
Boston 1-4-2 on 0 days rest.
Boston 0-2 at first home game after successful road trip.
Boston 2-2 in next game after win greater than four goals.

Dafoe should be in net (Grahme started monday). He's 9-8-3 vs Buffalo, 2.41 gaa, .909 pct.

Biron 1-4-1 vs Boston, 2.10 gaa, .926 pct.

Teams have met twice this season, both times also in Boston. Boston won both (3-1, 4-2).

Sabres are 6 points from playoff position. Have a very difficult schedual, especially after the olympic break. They need every point they can get.

 

[Terryray]

Toronto's leading scorer Mogilny is out for a while.

Toronto coach sez Schwab might get start or two in next four games before break. Cujo needs the rest before Olympics. I'm guessing Schwab starts AT next monday.

Salo has the flu, can't take drugs to ease it 'cause they are all banned by Olympic people. So he is still listed as questionable tonight.

Pitt papers say Hedberg is the probable goalie. Lang "will play tonight", Richer sez he's available, but not 100%, and Jonsson "is out indefinitely". They recalled 6 foot 6 Mike Wilson from the baby Penguins.

Irbe will start. Barrasso is along, only as a backup.

That new Boston lineup of Guerin with Thornton really pays off! And Boston wasn't on top form last night. Grahme was terrific.

Sabres' Rasmussen said "the playoffs are right now" and Biron said "we gotta go all out". Sabres
went 7-5-1 in Jan, their first winning month. But paper sez none of wins came against a team any higher than 8th in their conference.

 

[Terryray]

AT paper sez Nurminen will get his NHL start tonight. "He's in because he looks sharp" sez coach. He stopped 25 of 28 shots in NHL debut last wed against Leafs. And had fine game in minors since.

With Markkanen likely in goal for Oilers, could be an over. I believe both are on Finnish Olympic team.

 

[Sports Junkie]

With Markkanen likely in goal for Oilers, could be an over

Is this the guy that gave up all those goals to MTL in that wild 8-7 game?

 

[Terryray]

Yes, he gave up 4 on only 7 shots on goal in that game. His next one, at STL, he gave up 3 in losing 3-2 effort. Only 16 sog in that game.

When he starts, Edmonton plays tight defense. Hence, his starts usually go under or push.

He's 3-1-0 this season with 2.13 gaa. His season start, in Nov, was a shutout. Which reminds me that many goalies making NHL start debut are frequently very sharp, 'cause of all the emotion and adrenaline. But Nurimen has already played, so might not be so true there. So over is still a "maybe".

 

[Allwrong]

Terryray
All the work you and wigs do is awesome.

I'm not sure what do do with the rest of my day now that you've done all my homework.

I think EDM and ATL looks under. If I knew Salo was a start I'd be tempted on the over but EDM needs this win badly with the Nucks surging up behind them. I see this one starting out slow for the first period or two. If one team gets up by two by the third, things will get tense on an under play as both sides can open up big time.

I like EDM here also but not crazy about that much chalk on my wheaties.

Over in TOR tonight is my hunch.


Thanks again and good luck tonight.

 

[Terryray]

STL at NYI

STL at NYI

thanks Allwrong! I haven't contributed much lately, and got the time and drive now. Need some wins!

Blues will tie Chi for second place in Central Division with win tonight. Then they can chase Detroit, which is the goal. Det has bunch of old guys playing in Olympics and facing very tough schedual afterwards.

STL has won 6 of last 7 on road.
NYI are 5-4-1 ATS last 10

NYI 7-4 ATS on 0 days rest
STL is 1-2-3 ATS on 3+ days

NYI 1-1 in home game after road game previous night.
NYI 3-2 in 2nd game of back to back tilts if first one loss or tied.

AP sez Blues' Al MacInnis is probable.
No clue on goalies for either team. NYI used both last night in sloppy and embarrasing performance.

Blues 1-2-3-1 last 7 at NYI

NYI 0-2-2-1 vs Central Division this season
STL 24-9-2-4 against E. Div last two seasons.

 

[Terryray]

Montreal at NJ

Montreal at NJ

MTL is 0-12-3 at Meadowlands since 1993

Brodeur is 20-8-4 vs his hometown team. His dad is a photographer for Habs and Expos.

NJ is one point in front of MTL for 8th and final playoff spot. A win tonight will put them in 7th.

MTL is 9-15-4 ATS on road this season.
NJ 14-10-3 ATS at home

All four meetings in 2001 went under. Two this season.
Montreal's last three road games went Over.

Habs 5-2-3-1 last 11 games, in only 3 of those did they allow more than 3 goals.

under is 4-0-1 last 5 NJ games. They are disciplined and defensive of late..

Under 5 line has won 20-14 for NJ this season.
NJ power kill has climbed to 89.5 in last 5 games.

 

[Terryray]

Ooops! forgot to note that Theodore is a fine
0-8-0 vs NJ, 3.29 gga, .898 save pct.

I'm gonna parlay NJ ml with Leafs at -1/2 for a big one.