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ACCESS
PICKS FOR TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018 |
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NBA |
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3/27/2018 |
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FOUND
8
GAMES |
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FINAL |
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3/27/2018 7:08 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-130
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-2 (-110)
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Over 202 (-110)
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+110
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+2 (-110)
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Under 202 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Mar 26, 2018 WASHINGTON -- The San Antonio Spurs travel to Washington on Tuesday night looking to bounce back after their six-game winning streak was snapped Sunday.Meanwhile, the Wizards -- losers of three straight -- would love to see their streak end.Washington (40-33) has lost eight of 12 and its latest lackluster effort resulted in a 101-97 home loss to the New York Knicks on Sunday, leaving the sixth-place Wizards one game ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks and 1 1/2 games ahead of the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference."We acted like we didn't give a damn, honestly," Wizards guard Bradley Beal said. "We thought that we could just show up and play because they don't have anything to play for. We just thought it was going to be a cakewalk and they just smacked us in the mouth." Beal led the Wizards with 14 points but went 5 of 17 from the field. As a team, the Wizards were just 37 of 87 from the floor, including 6 of 19 from 3-point range.Plagued by slow starts of late, Washington held New York to 21 first-quarter points but scored only 19. The Wizards managed 32 points in the second quarter but allowed an astounding 42."This just can't happen," Wizards guard Tomas Satoransky said. "The second quarter basically gave them the push, gave them the confidence to just battle until the end." Washington point guard John Wall missed his 25th game after left knee surgery, and the team has gone 14-11 in his absence. He practiced again Monday and his return could be close."To be honest, I have no idea," Wall told reporters of his return date after Monday's practice. "I don't know how many practices I have to go through with contact, so whenever I'll be able to talk to the doctors and the trainers again and if this is the last one or I have to do one more then it will kind of sum up when I'll be able to play." After a 6-0 homestand, the Spurs (43-31) traveled to Milwaukee on Sunday and lost 105-103 to the Bucks.Tied with the Bucks at halftime, the Spurs were outscored 41-28 in the third quarter. The 41 points matched the most San Antonio has given up in a quarter this season.LaMarcus Aldridge had 34 points and Pau Gasol added 22 points and 13 rebounds for San Antonio, which is sixth in the Western Conference but only a few games ahead of ninth-place Denver."There is a sense of urgency," Spurs forward Kyle Anderson told the San Antonio Express-News. "Everyone is going to come after us. These last few games are very similar to playoff games." After playing Washington, San Antonio hosts Oklahoma City and first-place Houston before traveling to Los Angeles to face the Clippers and Lakers.Aldridge was named the Western Conference Player of the Week after averaging 34.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.0 blocks in 34.8 minutes for games played March 19-25. He shot 59.6 percent (56 of 94) from the field and 86.7 percent (26 of 30) from the foul line.Last Wednesday, Aldridge had 27 points and nine rebounds as San Antonio defeated visiting Washington 98-90. Aldridge scored nine points during a 23-9 San Antonio run in the third quarter.Kyle Anderson added 16 points for San Antonio and Dejounte Murray had 10 rebounds.Beal and Kelly Oubre Jr. each had 21 points to lead the Wizards, who will be looking to avenge last week's loss."Every game is huge from here on," Gasol told the Express-News. "We have to be prepared for Washington."
 Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Mar 27, 2018 WASHINGTON Markieff Morris shot 7 of 7 from the floor for 15 points, Otto Porter Jr. added 14 and the Washington Wizards beat the San Antonio Spurs 116-106 on Tuesday night to snap a three-game losing streak in the middle of a tight Eastern Conference playoff race.San Antonio lost for just the second time in eight games but may have been dealt a more serious blow with a left knee injury to star LaMarcus Aldridge, who was the game's leading scorer with 13 points before he limped off late in the second quarter. Aldridge is the biggest reason the Spurs have stayed afloat without Kawhi Leonard most of this season.Washington lit up the NBA's top scoring defense to improve to 15-11 in 26 consecutive games without five-time All-Star guard John Wall, who is close to returning from left knee surgery. The Wizards had dropped to sixth in the East by losing five of seven and could clinch a playoff spot as early as Thursday.The Spurs are potentially in a more precarious spot, sitting sixth in the West with Utah, Minnesota, Denver and the Los Angeles Clippers all within reach behind them.TIP-INSSpurs: Fell to 2-9 on the road since Feb. 1. ... Shot 18 of 33 (54.5 percent) from the free throw line. Brandon Paul's 0 for 2 in the fourth quarter earned all fans in attendance a free fast-food chicken sandwich. ... Are 2-5 this season without Aldridge.Wizards: Made 10 of 24 3-point attempts. ... Morris scored his 15 points in just 17 minutes and didn't attempt a free throw. ... Had seven players in double figures, including Kelly Oubre Jr., who had 12 with nine rebounds.WALL NEARING RETURNWhile Wall insisted he'll be himself when he gets back, coach Scott Brooks is already having discussions about how to manage the 27-year-old's seemingly imminent return because the ramping-up process is going so well.''His knee is responding through everything that we put him through, so it's getting close,'' Brooks said. ''We're pushing him in practice, making sure he can withstand the intensity that it's going to be in a game as much as we can simulate it.'' SPURS TO SUPREME COURTSan Antonio coach Gregg Popovich took his team to the Supreme Court on Tuesday, where they met Chief Justice John Roberts and heard from Justice Sonia Sotomayor about her life and experiences. Popovich wanted players to continue learning about things outside basketball, which seemed to work.''I thought it was dope,'' Paul said. ''I took a business law class in high school. ... I'm a big fan of the law. My mom jokes with me and says that I should try and go to law school and stuff like that. I thought it was cool to meet the different people that came to talk to us.'' UP NEXTSpurs: Return home to face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday.Wizards: Visit the Detroit Pistons on Thursday.---More NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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3/27/2018 7:38 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+303
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+8 (-115)
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Over 223 (-110)
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-380
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-8 (-105)
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Under 223 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Mar 26, 2018 TORONTO -- The Denver Nuggets will likely be without leading scorer Gary Harris for a sixth consecutive game because of a right knee strain when they play the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night.Nuggets coach Michael Malone said it was likely that the guard will miss the game at the Air Canada Centre and listed him as a "maybe" for the game on Friday at Oklahoma City.Without Harris, the Nuggets lost 123-104 to the 76ers on Monday night in Philadelphia."It's very unfortunate because it's killing Gary," Malone said. "Gary lives for these moments. ... it's a big player to be without." The Nuggets (40-34) are trying to overtake the Utah Jazz for eighth place and a playoff spot in the Western Conference. They dropped two games behind the Jazz after the loss on Monday.Harris is averaging 17.7 points per game while shooting 48.6 percent from the field and 39.9 percent from 3-point range. He was injured when he landed awkwardly on his right leg after being fouled on a dunk in the fourth quarter of a win over the Detroit Pistons on March 15.The Eastern Conference-leading Raptors, meanwhile, have lost two of their past three games and three of their past five.The Raptors' drive to equal their club record of 56 wins in a season was stalled Sunday night when they lost to the Los Angeles Clippers after a strong first quarter."But I like our energy, the way we started the game; we've got to sustain it," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. "Now it's the first time in a long time our second unit did not play well, and you know, like I said, we have got to be a consistent team collectively, not one guy, not the first or the second unit."For us to be successful, everybody, we all have to click." The Raptors (54-20) remain two games short of matching their franchise-best win total established in 2015-16. They own the second-best home record in the NBA at 30-7."It's that time of the season, everybody's playing for something," said Raptors reserve guard Fred VanVleet, who scored 11 points Sunday. "And there's going to be tough wins, and I mean you don't want to lose the games but need that adversity."We've kind of been rolling a little bit, so it's not nice to have tough games, I want to win them all by 100, but at the same time you have to take the lessons in between and try to improve without practicing but improve within the game. We just didn't do enough (Sunday) to get it done, but if we feel sorry for ourselves too long, it carries over and we can't allow that." In the only meeting between the teams this season, the Nuggets defeated the Raptors 129-111 on Nov. 1 at Denver.The Nuggets are 2-3 on their season-long seven-game trip covering 15 days with five time-zone changes.Nuggets forward Paul Millsap played through flu symptoms in a win over the Wizards in Washington. He said he felt considerably better entering the game Monday at Philadelphia."I'm hitting my bounce-back," Millsap said. "It was tough (against Washington). I basically just wanted to be out there defensively and try to make a difference. Offensively, I couldn't really see the basket." Millsap had 16 points and nine rebounds in 32 minutes on Monday in his 14th game back from wrist surgery.Denver is Toronto's last game on the schedule against a Western Conference opponent. The Raptors have already set a season franchise-record with 18 victories against the West, topping 17 the past two seasons.Toronto has lost only three season series this year, all against Western Conference opponents (Golden State Warriors, LA Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder).
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Mar 27, 2018 TORONTO DeMar DeRozan, Jonas Valanciunas, and Fred VanVleet each scored 15 points and the Toronto Raptors beat the Denver Nuggets 114-110 on Tuesday night.Jakob Poeltl scored all of his 12 points in the fourth quarter, including eight straight for Toronto at one stretch.Serge Ibaka had 13 points, Pascal Siakam 12 and Kyle Lowry 11 as the Raptors improved to 31-7 at home.Toronto, which lost to the Clippers on Sunday, avoided what would have been its fifth two-game losing streak. The Eastern Conference-leading Raptors have yet to lose three consecutive games this season.Nikola Jokic had 29 points and 16 rebounds, and Paul Millsap scored 20 points for the Nuggets, who lost their second straight and fourth in six games.Jamal Murray scored 15 points and fellow Canadian Trey Lyles had 13 for the Nuggets.Up 85-82 through three quarters, Denver reeled off five straight points in the first minute of the fourth to open an eight-point advantage. Toronto answered with a 13-2 spurt over the next four minutes. Denver called timeout after VanVleet's driving layup gave the Raptors a 95-92 lead with 6:55 to play.Toronto led 111-101 after Poeltl capped his outburst with a layup with just over a minute left. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Murray and Wilson Chandler cut it to 111-107 with 18 seconds remaining. After VanVleet made a pair of free throws, Jokic banked home a 3 to make it 113-110 with 10 seconds to go, but Denver couldn't get any closer.Lowry scored nine points in the first and Wright banked home a half-court heave at the buzzer to give Toronto a 25-23 lead after one. Denver shot 1 for 8 from 3-point range in the first, but went 8 for 8 at the free throw line.A 3 by Lyles gave Denver a 47-39 lead with 5:43 left in the second but Valanciunas scored eight points and Ibaka had six as the Raptors rallied to tie it at 58 at halftime.Millsap scored 12 points in the third.TIP-INSNuggets: Leading scorer Gary Harris (right knee) missed his sixth straight game. ... Jokic had eight assists. ... Denver shot 14 for 21 in the second.Raptors: Toronto is 19-11 against Western Conference opponents. ... Lowry and DeRozan each had eight assists.UP NEXTNuggets: Conclude a seven-game road trip at Oklahoma City on Friday.Raptors: Visit Boston on Saturday. The Raptors and Celtics meet twice in Toronto's next three games.---More NBA basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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3/27/2018 8:08 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-130
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-2 (-110)
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Over 220.5 (-110)
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+110
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+2 (-110)
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Under 220.5 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Mar 26, 2018 NEW ORLEANS -- After completing a brutal schedule with six games in eight nights (four wins), the New Orleans Pelicans took advantage of a rare commodity on Monday -- sleep.The Pelicans (43-31) will host the Portland Trail Blazers (45-28) on Tuesday night at the Smoothie King Center, and they will be doing it on two days' rest, something that coach Alvin Gentry said he appreciates after negotiating the scheduling gauntlet of the previous week.New Orleans imploded Saturday night while looking exhausted and losing 114-91 at Houston, but that likely was the result of fatigue and low energy. Both losses in the six-game stretch were to the surging Rockets.More pressing against Portland will be the health of point guard Rajon Rondo and forward Nikola Mirotic, who are listed as questionable.Rondo, who sat out against Houston, has a sprained right wrist. Mirotic is dealing with a strained right hip flexor.Gentry said he did not think either injury would be serious enough to cause an extended absence, but it's clear the Pelicans need Rondo's deft passing and floor generalship to get their offense back on track."He'll be fine," Gentry said. "We just have to kind of wait and see what it's going to be -- one game, maybe a couple games. Who knows?"Mirotic also did not play against Houston, and he has had a history of success against Portland. He scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while playing against the Trail Blazers as a member of the Chicago Bulls. He sat out the game against Houston for "precautionary" reasons.The Pelicans are in a wild playoff mix in the Western Conference, where a victory or loss by several teams can shuffle the playoff positions for the third through eighth seeds. After New Orleans' loss to Houston on Saturday, Gentry admitted that he was tired and so he realized how much his players needed to rest for the final eight games of the regular season.The Pelicans have won four of the last five games against the Trail Blazers, including the last two -- a 123-116 win on Dec. 2 at Portland and a 119-113 victory on Jan. 12 in New Orleans.New Orleans has a realistic shot to secure home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, but much will rest on how they play against Portland, at Cleveland on Friday and back home against Oklahoma City on Easter Sunday.The Pelicans have not had home court for a playoff series in 10 years, when the then-Hornets were a No. 2 seed. Since then, the Pelicans have never been higher than a No. 7 seed.Behind guard C. J. McCollum's 34 points, Portland snapped a two-game losing streak with a contentious 108-105 victory over Oklahoma City on Sunday night. McCollum had 14 fourth-quarter points to key the victory, and the Trail Blazers won despite making just 9 of 34 from 3-point range.Damian Lillard did not shoot well from outside but made all 11 free throws, and the Blazers' starting five supplied 100 of the team's 108 points.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
TSX Mar 26, 2018 NEW ORLEANS -- After completing a brutal schedule with six games in eight nights (four wins), the New Orleans Pelicans took advantage of a rare commodity on Monday -- sleep.The Pelicans (43-31) will host the Portland Trail Blazers (45-28) on Tuesday night at the Smoothie King Center, and they will be doing it on two days' rest, something that coach Alvin Gentry said he appreciates after negotiating the scheduling gauntlet of the previous week.New Orleans imploded Saturday night while looking exhausted and losing 114-91 at Houston, but that likely was the result of fatigue and low energy. Both losses in the six-game stretch were to the surging Rockets.More pressing against Portland will be the health of point guard Rajon Rondo and forward Nikola Mirotic, who are listed as questionable.Rondo, who sat out against Houston, has a sprained right wrist. Mirotic is dealing with a strained right hip flexor.Gentry said he did not think either injury would be serious enough to cause an extended absence, but it's clear the Pelicans need Rondo's deft passing and floor generalship to get their offense back on track."He'll be fine," Gentry said. "We just have to kind of wait and see what it's going to be -- one game, maybe a couple games. Who knows?"Mirotic also did not play against Houston, and he has had a history of success against Portland. He scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while playing against the Trail Blazers as a member of the Chicago Bulls. He sat out the game against Houston for "precautionary" reasons.The Pelicans are in a wild playoff mix in the Western Conference, where a victory or loss by several teams can shuffle the playoff positions for the third through eighth seeds. After New Orleans' loss to Houston on Saturday, Gentry admitted that he was tired and so he realized how much his players needed to rest for the final eight games of the regular season.The Pelicans have won four of the last five games against the Trail Blazers, including the last two -- a 123-116 win on Dec. 2 at Portland and a 119-113 victory on Jan. 12 in New Orleans.New Orleans has a realistic shot to secure home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, but much will rest on how they play against Portland, at Cleveland on Friday and back home against Oklahoma City on Easter Sunday.The Pelicans have not had home court for a playoff series in 10 years, when the then-Hornets were a No. 2 seed. Since then, the Pelicans have never been higher than a No. 7 seed.Behind guard C. J. McCollum's 34 points, Portland snapped a two-game losing streak with a contentious 108-105 victory over Oklahoma City on Sunday night. McCollum had 14 fourth-quarter points to key the victory, and the Trail Blazers won despite making just 9 of 34 from 3-point range.Damian Lillard did not shoot well from outside but made all 11 free throws, and the Blazers' starting five supplied 100 of the team's 108 points.
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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3/27/2018 8:08 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+980
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+13.5 (-110)
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Over 213 (-110)
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OFF
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-13.5 (-110)
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Under 213 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Mar 26, 2018 HOUSTON -- One of the misconceptions attached to the Houston Rockets is that their high-efficiency, fast-paced offense will be hamstrung in the postseason when there's a premium on possessions.The Rockets (60-14), set to host the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night at Toyota Center, lead the NBA in offensive rating at 113.1 points per 100 possessions but are just 25th in pace since the All-Star break at 98.4 possessions per 48 minutes. They are 16-1 since the season resumed.Houston operates in contrast to the idea that high-scoring offenses require a hastened pace to post those elevated outputs. The Rockets have relied on the isolation brilliance of James Harden and Chris Paul, plus their volume 3-point shooting, to overwhelm opposing defenses.That the Rockets continue to score with breathtaking efficiency without mashing the throttle is a testament to their talent and execution, although they can hurry when the need arises."That's where stats go into a ditch," Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said. "They only measure what it measures and I think we run at opportunities. I think when there's time we do it."I think we're really good at (scoring), so it's not the pace that has to produce a great shot. We have the iso guys and we get mismatches and they can manipulate the offense to where they get a great shot."So that's why stats, you can't go by that. I know everybody does because then you'd have to take an hour to explain it (otherwise). Just to have pace for pace sake doesn't make any sense." Even when the offense isn't clicking on all cylinders, the Rockets have more than enough weaponry to outpace the opposition.Harden, the league leader by a wide margin with 249 3-pointers, is shooting just 25.7 percent from behind the arc in eight games since he returned from a one-game injury hiatus on March 11 in Dallas. The Rockets, riding a nine-game win streak, own a 110.7 offensive rating during that stretch, good enough for 10th in the league.When the Rockets need to hurry, they can afford to do so judiciously. When their MVP candidate labors with his perimeter shooting, the Rockets can get by when he opts to facilitate."Get guys confidence and get guys going," Harden said of his 15 assists on Sunday in a 118-99 win over the Atlanta Hawks. "(Got) a lot of guys easy baskets. I didn't shoot the ball well, but who cares?"The Bulls (24-49) have lost five consecutive games and are 4-12 since the All-Star break. Like the Hawks and the Phoenix Suns, the Rockets' opponent on Friday, Chicago doesn't have much incentive to win games down the stretch given its position in the Eastern Conference standings and the possibility of landing an impact prospect high in the lottery of the upcoming draft.Relatedly, the Bulls will be without a handful of regulars on Tuesday, with Zach LaVine (knee), Kris Dunn (toe), Antonio Blakeney (wrist) and Paul Zipser (undisclosed) expected to be unavailable.Rookie forward Lauri Markkanen (back) and guard Denzel Valentine (knee) will be game-time decisions, although Valentine did not practice Monday and so he's likely to sit as well.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Mar 27, 2018 HOUSTON Eric Gordon scored 31 points and tied a career high with eight 3-pointers on a night James Harden sat out to rest, and the Houston Rockets got their 10th straight win with a 118-86 rout of the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night.Trevor Ariza added 21 points and Chris Paul had 13 points and 10 assists in his return after missing the last three games with a sore hamstring.The NBA-leading Rockets became the first team since San Antonio in the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season to have three winning streaks of at least 10 games in a season. They won 14 in a row from Nov. 16-Dec. 18 and 17 straight from Jan. 28-March 7.Lauri Markkanen returned after missing Saturday's game with lower back spasms and had 22 points for the Bulls, who dropped their sixth straight.The Rockets had a 21-point lead at halftime, paced by 24 points from Gordon, and opened the third quarter with a 16-2 run to extend it to 76-41 with 7 1/2 minutes left in the quarter. Ariza had eight points, powered by two 3-pointers in that stretch.The Bulls couldn't do anything right in that span, missing four shots and committing five turnovers, including one on a shot clock violation and another when David Nwaba stepped out of bounds.Nwaba made Chicago's first basket in more than 3 1/2 minutes, but the Rockets scored the next seven points to make it a 40-point lead with just more than five minutes left in the quarter.After never trailing in their blowout wins over New Orleans and Atlanta, the Rockets spent 13 seconds behind on Tuesday night after Cameron Payne put Chicago up 2-0 with a basket early in the first.Gordon's first 3-pointer came next to put Houston up for good. It was the first of a 14-3 run that put the Rockets ahead 14-5 with about 8 1/2 minutes left in the quarter.Markkanen had the next seven points to get Chicago within two, but an 11-2 spurt by Houston followed to extend the lead to 25-14.Chicago cut the lead to eight on a 3-pointer by Denzel Valentine about nine minutes before halftime before the Rockets used a 13-2 run to extend it to 51-32 five minutes later. Nene had four points in that stretch and Gordon added five, including a 3-pointer to cap it.The Rockets were up by 16 late in the second when Gordon scored all of Houston's points in an 8-4 run to wrap up the first half and make it 60-39.TIP-INSBulls: Sean Kilpatrick, who signed a three-year deal on Tuesday, had 12 points and two rebounds. ... Noah Vonleh had 10 points and 12 rebounds. ... Chicago had 18 turnovers.Rockets: Luc Mbah a Moute missed his third straight game with a sore left knee. ... Houston made 18 3-pointers to give them at least 15 in six of the last seven games. ... Tuesday was the third straight game where Houston held its opponent to less than 50 points in the first half.UP NEXTBulls: Visit Miami on Thursday.Rockets: Host Phoenix on Friday.
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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3/27/2018 8:08 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-120
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-1.5 (-110)
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Over 220 (-110)
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+100
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+1.5 (-110)
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Under 220 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Mar 26, 2018 MIAMI -- The Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers, who meet Tuesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena, were without their head coaches this weekend.The Heat were without Erik Spoelstra, who missed the first game of his NBA career. Spoelstra, 47, and his wife, Nikki, gave birth to a son, their first child.Heat assistant Dan Craig took Spoelstra's place on Sunday as Miami lost 113-107 at the Indiana Pacers in overtime. Indiana scored 11 straight points in overtime, including two crucial 3-pointers by Darren Collison."To start the game, there was a little bit of an adjustment," Craig said of his role. "But once I got into it, I felt comfortable. The assistants did a great job helping me coach the game, and the players, too, in the huddles, staying together on the court." Spoelstra is expected to return Tuesday, but the Cavaliers are still without coach Tyronn Lue, who took a leave of absence on March 19, citing chest pain.Even so, the Cavaliers have won four straight games, including Sunday's 121-114 victory over the host Brooklyn Nets. LeBron James led the Cavs with 37 points."LeBron was once again spectacular," Cavs interim coach Larry Drew told the media.The Cavs are trying to mesh quickly with a new coach and new players acquired just before last month's trade deadline, including Rodney Hood, Jordan Clarkson, George Hill and Larry Nance Jr.In addition, power forward Kevin Love has played just four games since missing six weeks with an injury.On Sunday, Hill, who starts at point guard, had 17 points and five assists. Clarkson came off the bench to score 18 points. Hood contributed 16 points in a reserve role. Love, a starter, had 20 points and 15 rebounds. And Nance, who also started, had a quiet game with two points.James mentioned several teammates in his postgame comments."Rodney, Jordan and Larry -- they all bring something different," James told the New York Post. "It works well for our team. When they get more comfortable with what we want to accomplish, we'll become better and better." The Cavs (44-29) are in third place in the Eastern Conference, and what they are trying to accomplish is to get back to the NBA Finals for the fourth straight year. They have won one NBA title during that span, in 2016.Meanwhile, James' former team has lost two straight games and sits at 39-35, good for eighth place in the East. With eight games left in the regular season, the Heat are in good shape as far as making the playoffs.But they are also facing a first-round matchup against the Toronto Raptors ... or possibly the Boston Celtics or the Cavs. The Heat would be heavy underdogs in any of those series.As the lower seed, the Heat would have to win at least one road game to advance, and that might be difficult for Miami to accomplish. Of the Heat's past 12 road games, they have dropped 11.At home, where they will host the Cavs on Tuesday, things have gone more smoothly as the Heat are 22-13 this season.Miami will be a bit short-handed without center Hassan Whiteside, the team's primary rim protector and rebounder. He hasn't played since March 8 because of a hip strain.The Cavaliers have several question marks on their roster with forward Jeff Green and 3-point specialist Kyle Korver.Green missed the game against the Nets with the flu. Korver was away from the team because he missed the game because of a death in the family.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Mar 27, 2018 MIAMI Kelly Olynyk scored 19 points, Dwyane Wade blocked a pair of shots by LeBron James as part of a stifling defensive effort by Miami, and the Heat had little trouble on the way to beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-79 on Tuesday night.Josh Richardson and James Johnson each scored 15 points for Miami, which led 54-34 at halftime and has won 10 of its last 11 home games. Wade finished with 12 against the team he spent part of this season with before getting traded back to Miami.Goran Dragic added 10 for the Heat, who could clinch an Eastern Conference playoff spot by week's end.James finished with 18 points for the Cavaliers, whose previous season low for points was 88. The Cavs are 1-13 this season when held under 100; they're 43-17 when scoring more than 100.It was the 865th consecutive regular-season game in which James scored at least 10 points, putting him one shy of tying Michael Jordan for the longest such streak in NBA history. James can tie the mark in Charlotte - against the Jordan-owned Hornets - on Wednesday.Rodney Hood added 15 for Cleveland, which lost Kevin Love at halftime to a loose tooth. He finished with only one point in seven minutes.It was Miami's 14th consecutive home win over the Cavaliers, including a 4-0 mark when James plays in Miami since leaving the Heat after the 2014 NBA Finals.Wade blocked his close friend once in the second quarter, once more in the fourth, both times from behind - and finished with four of Miami's nine blocks in the game.Cleveland came in averaging 31 points per quarter over its last five games, then managed only 34 in the first half against the Heat.They shot 30 percent in the half, just 9 percent - 1 for 11 - from the 3-point line and were an awful 9 for 22 inside the paint. James had 13 points, four assists and three rebounds by the break; the other four Cavs starters combined for seven points, two assists and four rebounds.It was great for Miami, ghastly for Cleveland.Love got hurt while committing a foul 1:22 into the game, taking an elbow from Heat center Jordan Mickey and getting a loose tooth in the process. Love returned to start the second quarter, then was ruled out after being evaluated again at halftime.Cleveland showed life in the third, getting within 13 late in the quarter and then having three shots to cut even more off Miami's lead. But Miami was still up 75-59 going into the fourth, after Wade - moments after checking in for the first time in about an hour of real time - connected on a step-back jumper with 17 seconds left in the third.TIP-INSCavaliers: James has played in all 74 Cavs games, matching his total from last season. It was his first time playing at Miami since March 19, 2016. ... Cleveland changed its starting lineup, with Jeff Green in for Larry Nance Jr. ... Kyle Korver remained away from the team, one day after the funeral for his brother. Interim coach Larry Drew said Korver is expected back soon, though the team has not revealed if an exact comeback date has been determined.Heat: Coach Erik Spoelstra was back with the team, two days after he and his wife Nikki's first child - Santiago Ray Spoelstra - was born. ... Miami was down two centers - Hassan Whiteside (left hip) remains out, and Bam Adebayo missed the game with a sprained ankle that the Heat think will be better in a few days.LONG BENCHIn three games against Miami this season, the Cavaliers used a total of 20 players. The only Cavs to play in all three meetings were James, J. R. Smith and Tristan Thompson.GO TIMEMiami's next five games are all against teams well out of the playoff picture, with the next three of those games - against Chicago, Brooklyn and Atlanta - all at home. After road games at Atlanta and New York, the Heat then finish at home against Oklahoma City and Toronto.UP NEXTCavaliers: Visit Charlotte on Wednesday.Heat: Host Chicago on Thursday.---More NBA basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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3/27/2018 10:08 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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|
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+120
|
+2.5 (-105)
|
Over 204.5 (-110)
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-140
|
-2.5 (-115)
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Under 204.5 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Mar 27, 2018 SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The Sacramento Kings, winding down their 12th straight losing season, will host the Dallas Mavericks at the Golden 1 Center on Thursday.The contest will mark the third one in Sacramento since the police shooting death in the city that has sparked protests. They're 1-1, but the chief headlines have gone beyond the final score.In a 104-93 loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday, the Kings (24-50) garnered attention for wearing black warm-up T- shirts bearing the name of shooting victim Stephon Clark and the words "Accountability: We are One" on the front and "#StephonClark" on the back. They have not said whether they will do so again."It's out of love and concern, and what they're feeling," Kings coach Dave Joerger told the Sacramento Bee. "I'm always going to support the players, even if I agree or disagree in any different things. I think that's one, and two, that we do it together." The Kings have three games remaining in a six-game homestand that matched their longest of the season and only four more home games total. They've not won more than two in a row at home all season and have only 13 wins there all season, the second-fewest in basketball.None of those wins have come against Dallas, a team that Sacramento has won two of three against this season overall. The Mavericks (22-51) are one of only two teams in the Western Conference (Golden State is the other) that the Kings sport a winning against.Sacramento also comes in with a 6-7 mark in its past 13 contests, its best 13-game run all season."No matter you win, you lose, nothing changes. You're out of the playoffs," Kings rookie guard Bogdan Bogdanovic told the Bee. "It's not like you don't have motivation, but when you win you don't feel that feeling of an important win." The Mavericks are rolling toward the lottery -- they were tied with the Orlando Magic for the fourth-worst mark in the league before Tuesday's games. Dallas has lost five straight, the latest a 102-98 home defeat against the Charlotte Hornets, cemented by a late turnover from rookie guard Dennis Smith Jr."In a season like this, where wins have been hard to come by and we're out of the playoffs, these experiences are extremely valuable," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle told the Dallas Morning News. "Everyone learns from the end of this game. We had some mistakes, and we had some really good plays. We've got to reinforce the good and correct the stuff that needs correcting." Carlisle returned to using Dirk Nowitzki and Dwight Powell in the big-man roles a week ago, according to the Morning-News, and Harrison Barnes has benefitted. Barnes, playing in his usual smaller forward role, has averaged 24.3 points on 48.7 percent shooting in Dallas' past four games.Nowitzki has been bothered by tendinitis in his knee, but Mavs.com reported that he is expected to play against Sacramento. Nowitzki, the NBA's all-time scoring leader among active players (31,139 points), has averaged 21.8 points and 8.0 rebounds in 65 previous games against the Kings.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Mar 28, 2018 SACRAMENTO, Calif. Harrison Barnes had 20 points, six assists and five rebounds, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Sacramento Kings 103-97 on Tuesday night while protesters forced a lockdown of Golden1 Center for the second time in six days.Dennis Smith Jr. added 19 points and six assists in his second game back from an ankle injury. Doug McDermott scored seven of his 15 points during a big run in the fourth quarter, and Aaron Harrison and Johnathan Motley had 10 points apiece to help Dallas end a five-game losing streak.Outside the arena, demonstrators gathered to protest the March 18 fatal police shooting of Stephon Clark, an unarmed 22-year-old black man who was in his grandparents' backyard. Most fans were prevented from entering Golden1 Center and the team later released a statement saying refunds would be given.Some fans who arrived early were let in and allowed to move down into the lower bowl of the arena. Although no official attendance was given, the crowd was estimated at around 4,000.That was twice the number of people who were allowed in last Thursday when protestors formed a human chain around the arena and forced the start of the game to be delayed.Dallas led by 18 with 3:44 remaining before Sacramento went on a 17-4 run. Buddy Hield had six points as part of the spurt and Frank Mason made two free throws to pull the Kings to 102-97 with 21.9 seconds left.Kyle Collinsworth made one of two free throws for the Mavericks to seal the win.Skal Labissiere had 19 points and eight rebounds, and Kosta Koufos scored 15 for Sacramento.With center Dwight Powell out because of bursitis in his left knee, the Mavericks struggled to get much going inside. But it hardly mattered on a night when Dallas made 14 3-pointers.TIP-INSMavericks: Dirk Nowitzki scored five points on 2-of-9 shooting. He went 1 for 7 on 3s. ... JJ Barea did not make the trip because of personal reasons. Nerlens Noel and Dorian Finney-Smith were also held out.Kings: Koufos took advantage of Powell's absence and scored 15 of Sacramento's first 29 points. Koufos went into the day averaging 6.6 points per game. . Garrett Temple (sprained left anke) missed his third straight game.UP NEXTMavericks: Play at the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday.Kings: Host the Indiana Pacers on Thursday.---More NBA basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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3/27/2018 10:38 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+130
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+3 (-115)
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Over 226 (-110)
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-150
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-3 (-106)
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Under 226 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Mar 26, 2018 LOS ANGELES -- Almost a week after a much-needed victory in Milwaukee against the Bucks, the Los Angeles Clippers will play host to the rematch Tuesday at Staples Center.With both teams in a battle to reach the playoffs, Tuesday's matchup might not be against two of the top teams in the league, but it still promises to be spirited.The Clippers are happy to be home after battling through a brutal stretch of the schedule where they faced many of the best teams the NBA has to offer. A run that had them play seven of eight games on the road came to a positive conclusion when Los Angeles pulled off a victory Sunday at Toronto. The Clippers went 2-0 against the Raptors this season.But the Clippers have still dropped five of their last seven games and are now 2 1/2 games out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, with the ninth-place Denver Nuggets still a game ahead of them. Six of L. A.'s last nine games will be played at Staples Center, including the last three.The Bucks are in a more desirable spot when it comes to playoff eligibility, sitting in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, a half-game ahead of eighth place Miami and a full six games ahead of ninth-place Detroit.Like the Clippers, the Bucks are coming off a quality victory having downed the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday afternoon.Giannis Antetokounmpo, who sprained his right ankle in last week's defeat to the Clippers, returned to action Sunday and scored 25 points with 10 rebounds."(I'm) not 100 percent, but I felt like I was in a spot that I could help my teammates and that's what I did tonight," Antetokounmpo said, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "Hopefully moving forward, I can feel a lot better." The Clippers know the feeling. In a trying season that has been beset by injuries, Los Angeles never did have a stretch when everybody was healthy. Eventually, forward Blake Griffin was traded in late January, but somehow a shot at the playoffs remains a possibility.Through the challenges, Clippers players have grown closer, and it showed Sunday at Toronto with plenty of hugs, high-fives and chest bumps. Expect the Clippers to once again be all touchy-feely Tuesday against the Bucks."We've had so much adversity, I think it's brought us closer," Clippers guard Lou Williams said of the willingness to embrace, according to the Los Angeles Times. "I think that's just the personalities that we have. We congratulate each other when we do special things. We don't have any disconnects when it comes to relationships. So when we accomplish things, I think it's important for everybody to be on the same accord." The Clippers could see the return of forward Danilo Gallinari (hand) on Tuesday. He has missed much of the season with various injuries, but his hand issue dates back to Feb. 22. While Antetokounmpo did return to action Sunday, guard Matthew Dellavedova (ankle) is day-to-day, while guard Malcom Brogdon (quadriceps) remains out indefinitely.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Mar 28, 2018 LOS ANGELES The Clippers came out attacking, moving the ball and hitting 3-pointers to start the game. Then they got stagnant.It nearly cost them.They blew a 16-point, first-half lead and rallied from five down on a slew of 3s in the fourth to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 105-98 on Tuesday night and boost their playoff hopes.Tobias Harris scored 19 points, DeAndre Jordan had 12 points and 16 rebounds, and Lou Williams added 16 points off the bench.The Clippers hit six 3-pointers in the fourth, when they launched a 13-0 run to go back in front 96-88.They made 3-pointers on four straight possessions - by four different players - for a 105-96 lead.''Those really hurt,'' Bucks coach Joe Prunty said.Los Angeles trails Minnesota by 1 1/2 games for the eighth and final Western Conference berth with eight games to play.''We're focused right now as much as I've ever seen,'' said Austin Rivers, who scored 10 of his 13 points in the fourth. ''We look at each game like it's the last game. We don't have too much room for error.'' Milos Teodosic got their 3-point run going in the first quarter, when he made four of the Clippers' seven 3-pointers. He left the game just before halftime after tweaking his left foot, which has been bothered by plantar fasciitis this season.''I know he was kicking (expletive),'' Jordan said.Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 26 points and Khris Middleton added 22 for the Bucks, who opened a four-game Western Conference swing by having their two-game winning streak snapped.The Clippers came out strongly to start the second quarter, extending their lead to 16 on a dunk by Williams.But Middleton and the Bucks chipped away, outscoring the Clippers 26-15 in the third and getting stops on defense. Antetokounmpo had 10 points to help send Milwaukee into the fourth leading 82-78.''We just played defense,'' he said. ''When we are able to do that we're really good.'' The Bucks ended the third on a 9-0 run, including back-to-back baskets by Tyler Zeller that gave them their first lead since the initial basket of the game.TIP-INBucks: Backup C Thon Maker sat out with a right groin strain. ... Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers attended.Clippers: They have won five of seven against the Bucks, including 127-120 last week. ... F Danilo Gallinari (right hand contusion, non-displaced fracture) could return Friday at Portland or Sunday against Indiana. He's missed 17 games with the latest in a string of injuries this season.THE GREEK FREAKAntetokounmpo was the subject of a segment on ''60 Minutes'' on Sunday. Interviewer Steve Kroft traveled to Greece to visit the gym where Antetokounmpo and his brother honed their basketball skills and explained how his parents emigrated from Nigeria.''I loved it. It talked about me, talked about my family,'' Antetokounmpo said. ''It talked about where I came from and the most important thing, it talked about how someone's got to work to succeed in life.'' HE SAID IT''When you have a nickname and Freak is at the end of it, you're probably pretty good.'' - Doc Rivers on Antetokounmpo.UP NEXTBucks: Visit Golden State on Thursday. They lost to the Warriors 108-94 at home on Jan. 12.Clippers: Visit Phoenix on Wednesday in the second game of a back-to-back, their last one of the season. They are 3-7 on the road in the second game.---More NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
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FINAL |
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3/27/2018 10:38 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
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-400
|
-8 (-105)
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Over 200 (-111)
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+317
|
+8 (-115)
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Under 200 (-109)
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GAME PREVIEW
Mar 26, 2018 OAKLAND, Calif. -- Two teams that will have a hard time recognizing one another renew acquaintances Tuesday night when the Indiana Pacers take on the Golden State Warriors.The Pacers and Warriors are the only NBA teams that haven't met this season. It has been 477 days since Golden State thumped visiting Indiana 142-106 on Dec. 5, 2016, completing a two-game sweep early last season.Since then, the Warriors have won a second NBA championship and the Pacers have parted with longtime standout Paul George in a deal that has helped them move up the Eastern Conference standings this season.The Pacers have won two in a row, the most recent a 113-107 overtime victory on Sunday over the Miami Heat that allowed Indiana to clinch its seventh postseason appearance in the last eight years.Indiana (43-31) enters the final eight games of the regular season in a six-team logjam for the final six playoff spots in the East. The Pacers won't face any of their five rivals down the stretch thanks to an unusual schedule that finds them closing with five of eight against Western Conference clubs, including a home-and-home series with Golden State.That latter late-season rarity isn't as bad as it sounds. The Warriors are limping toward the playoffs, having played at home Sunday night against the Utah Jazz in a 110-91 blowout loss without their four All-Stars -- Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green.The Warriors expect to get Green back for Tuesday's game. Then again, they thought they'd have him Sunday, only to have him call in sick with flu-like symptoms.Golden State (54-19) is one win -- or one Portland loss -- from clinching no worse than the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.Warriors coach Steve Kerr is less concerned about playoff seeding than he is the health of Curry, who suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee Friday against Atlanta."There's no way he's playing in the first round. There's no way," Kerr predicted Sunday. "We have to be ready to play without him." Kerr said Curry is scheduled to be re-evaluated three weeks from the injury -- April 13 -- which is one day before the start of the playoffs.The club has stumbled upon a more-than-adequate replacement for Curry in Quinn Cook, a two-way player who is not yet eligible to be on the postseason roster.The Duke product has made seven starts in Curry's place this month and scored in double figures five times, including a career-best 25 points against Sacramento that he bettered by three the next night at Phoenix.The Pacers, meanwhile, had plenty to celebrate on their flight after Sunday's playoff-clinching win. Not much was expected after George was dealt to Oklahoma City in July."Congratulations to this group, I'm proud of what they've done," Pacers coach Nate McMillan gushed after Sunday's win. "I love the fact that we earned the right to be there. We didn't have to depend or have help from another team in getting there. Tonight, they just showed they wanted it." Indiana also will face Sacramento, the Los Angeles Clippers and Denver on its eight-day trip before returning home for the rematch with Golden State next Thursday.The Warriors hope to have Thompson (fractured left thumb) and Kevin Durant (fractured rib cartilage) back by then.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Mar 28, 2018 OAKLAND, Calif. Klay Thompson and the rest of Golden State's injured All-Stars are eagerly awaiting their chance to get back on the court. For now, they appreciate how hard the backups are playing to try to keep things going - even on nights when overmatched.The banged-up Warriors again lacked the firepower to finish off an opponent, and Victor Oladipo scored 24 points in the Indiana Pacers' 92-81 victory over the defending champions Tuesday night.Nick Young scored 12 points as Golden State, playing without its four All-Stars for a second straight game, lost back-to-back contests for only the ninth time during coach Steve Kerr's four seasons.''It's a 48-minute game and we just stayed with it and found a way to get this game,'' said Pacers coach Nate McMillan, whose team held the Warriors to 11 points in the fourth quarter.Draymond Green had been set to return for Golden State but was still feeling ill, while NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant had hoped to play Tuesday but is likely to be back from a rib injury Thursday against Milwaukee.Stephen Curry could be out through the first round of the playoffs with a left knee injury, while Splash Brother Thompson is recovering from a fractured right thumb.''I'll be back soon. One or two more games,'' Thompson said. ''Their defense was great tonight, just their effort. They play with great effort, and that's all we ask for.'' Rookie Jordan Bell sprained his right ankle in the third, had it re-taped and returned.Thaddeus Young and Bojan Bogdanovic scored 17 points apiece for playoff-bound Indiana, which won its third straight and fourth in five.''We finally got our legs under us, finally started making shots, getting stops,'' Oladipo said. ''That was effective for us. I thought we picked it up defensively, that was huge for us. Just got to build on it.'' Pacers reserve forward Trevor Booker headed to the locker room with 33.5 seconds remaining in the opening quarter with a sprained right ankle and didn't return.Kevon Looney grabbed a career-best 11 boards off the bench as the Warriors outrebounded Indiana 51-38, but Golden State only managed to shoot nine free throws.The teams played for the first time, marking the latest the Warriors ever faced an opponent for the first time in a season - their 74th game.TIP-INSPacers: Indiana overcame a slow start in which it began 6 for 20, missing five of its first six 3s, and got outrebounded 17-8 in the first quarter to fall behind 27-18. ... This was the Pacers' first win in four games on Golden State's home floor since a 102-94 victory on Jan. 20, 2014.Warriors: Andre Iguodala reached 500 career regular-season blocks and 2,000 steals. ... The Warriors used their 24th different starting lineup - most under Kerr - after just 14 last season. During the record-setting 73-win season of 2015-16, Golden State used 12 starting lineups and only eight the previous season on the way to capturing its first championship in 40 years. ... Golden State dropped to 16-3 following a loss this season. ... When Golden State last played Indiana, Thompson scored 60 points in 29 minutes on Dec. 5, 2016.MISSING IN ACTIONBefore the past two games, the only time Golden State played without its four All-Stars was a 107-85 loss on March 11, 2017, at San Antonio. Durant was the only injured player in the group with a left knee injury, while the other three rested.REINFORCEMENTS COMINGKerr said Green still wasn't feeling well after sweating through shootaround.Durant, who has fractured rib cartilage, had hoped to play Tuesday.''He's doing great, he wanted to play tonight, but we didn't let him. We'll probably let him play Thursday,'' Kerr said. ''Draymond was scheduled to play tonight, but still wasn't feeling well. He came to shootaround this morning and got a good sweat in, but still was reporting a lot of discomfort. He hasn't been healthy in terms of keeping food down, so the illness is still lingering. It made no sense for him to play. He wanted to play, but we didn't let him either. We're not very nice.'' ONE MOREThe Warriors need one victory to reach 55 wins for a fourth straight season - marking the 15th time in NBA history a team has done so. The Spurs were the last, for five seasons from 2012-17.UP NEXTPacers: At Sacramento on Thursday.Warriors: Host the Bucks on Thursday trying for a fifth straight victory in the series.---More NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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NCAAB |
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3/27/2018 |
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FOUND
2
GAMES |
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FINAL |
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3/27/2018 7:00 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
-144
|
-2 (-111)
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Over 140.5 (-107)
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+124
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+2 (-109)
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Under 140.5 (-113)
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GAME RECAP
Mar 27, 2018 NEW YORK Justin Bibbins scored 19 points and Utah beat Western Kentucky 69-64 on Tuesday night in the semifinals of the National Invitation Tournament at Madison Square Garden.Sedrick Barefield added 14 points for the Utes (23-11), who advanced to the NIT championship game for the third time. They will play Thursday night against the winner of the second semifinal between Penn State and Mississippi State.David Collette added 13 points and seven rebounds for Utah. Tyler Rawson scored 12, including a 3-pointer that put the Utes ahead to stay with 38.1 seconds left.Justin Johnson had 24 points for Western Kentucky (27-11). Lamonte Bearden added 12 and Dwight Coleby scored 10.Back and forth throughout, the game wasn't decided until the final seconds. Utah took a 66-64 lead when Rawson hit a 3 from the right side to snap an 0-for-7 shooting slump for the Utes, who went 8:23 without a field goal.On the ensuing possession, Bibbins drew a charge against Bearden and knocked down two free throws.Bibbins made all 12 free throws he attempted. He finished 3 for 8 from the field.Utah reached the NIT title game for the first time since losing to Purdue in 1974.
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
|
FINAL |
|
3/27/2018 9:33 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
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|
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+135
|
+2.5 (-110)
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Over 136 (-107)
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-155
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-2.5 (-110)
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Under 136 (-113)
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GAME RECAP
Mar 28, 2018 NEW YORK Tony Carr scored 21 points, Shep Garner added 18 while breaking a school record for career 3-pointers and Penn State routed Mississippi State 75-60 in the National Invitation Tournament semifinals Tuesday night.The fourth-seeded Nittany Lions (25-13) will play No. 2 seed Utah for the championship Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.After the score was tied 9-all, Penn State ended the first quarter on a 9-2 run. From there, the Nittany Lions opened the second with a 19-0 spurt capped by Garner's 3 off an assist from Carr to make it 37-11.Penn State was up 42-23 at halftime and led by as many as 27.Mississippi State (25-12) wasn't able to get within 20 until there was 7:56 left in the game. Abdul Ado's dunk made it 65-47, but that was the closest the fourth-seeded Bulldogs got before the waning moments.Mississippi State was led by Tyson Carter's 19 points off the bench. Ado had 13 points and seven rebounds.Lamar Stevens scored 17 points for Penn State. Carr had six assists and five rebounds.BIG PICTUREPenn State: While the Nittany Lions would have preferred to play in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011, they made the NIT for the first time under seventh-year coach Pat Chambers. Penn State is back in the NIT title game for the first time since 2009, which it beat Baylor for the crown. The school's only other appearance in the final was a loss to Minnesota in 1998.Mississippi State: With just one senior on the roster, the Bulldogs will return most of their team and have something positive to build off as they try to move up the rankings in the rugged SEC next season.UP NEXTPenn State: Will try to win the second NIT championship in school history. Utah (23-11) beat Western Kentucky 69-64 in the first semifinal.Mississippi State: Starts preparing for a promising 2018-19 season.---More college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/-Top25
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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MLB |
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3/27/2018 |
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FOUND
11
GAMES |
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FINAL |
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3/27/2018 12:35 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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|
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+155
|
+1.5 (-135)
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Over 7.5 (-106)
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-180
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-1.5 (+115)
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Under 7.5 (-114)
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FINAL |
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3/27/2018 1:05 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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|
|
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-115
|
+1.5 (-177)
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Over 9 (-110)
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-105
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-1.5 (+151)
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Under 9 (-110)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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FINAL |
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3/27/2018 1:05 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+105
|
+1.5 (-170)
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Over 8.5 (-104)
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|
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-125
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-1.5 (+145)
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Under 8.5 (-116)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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POSTPONED |
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3/27/2018 2:05 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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|
|
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+115
|
+1.5 (-180)
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Over 9 (-114)
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|
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-135
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-1.5 (+155)
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Under 9 (-106)
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NO PICKS AVAILABLE |
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FINAL |
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3/27/2018 2:10 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+180
|
+1.5 (-110)
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Over 10 (+100)
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-215
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-1.5 (-110)
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Under 10 (-120)
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NO PICKS AVAILABLE |
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FINAL |
|
3/27/2018 3:10 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+125
|
+1.5 (-136)
|
Over 10.5 (-107)
|
|
|
-145
|
-1.5 (+116)
|
Under 10.5 (-114)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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FINAL |
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3/27/2018 3:40 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
-129
|
-1.5 (+135)
|
Over 8.5 (-120)
|
|
|
+109
|
+1.5 (-155)
|
Under 8.5 (+100)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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FINAL |
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3/27/2018 4:05 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+130
|
+1.5 (-165)
|
Over 7.5 (-113)
|
|
|
-150
|
-1.5 (+140)
|
Under 7.5 (-107)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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FINAL |
|
3/27/2018 7:07 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
-108
|
+1.5 (-210)
|
Over 7.5 (-122)
|
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|
-112
|
-1.5 (+178)
|
Under 7.5 (+101)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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FINAL |
|
3/27/2018 9:05 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+104
|
+1.5 (-170)
|
Over 7.5 (-132)
|
|
|
-124
|
-1.5 (+147)
|
Under 7.5 (+109)
|
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NO PICKS AVAILABLE |
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|
FINAL |
|
3/27/2018 10:10 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+170
|
+1.5 (-106)
|
Over 7.5 (-118)
|
|
|
-200
|
-1.5 (-114)
|
Under 7.5 (-104)
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NO PICKS AVAILABLE |
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NHL |
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3/27/2018 |
|
FOUND
9
GAMES |
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|
FINAL |
|
3/27/2018 7:08 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+175
|
+1.5 (-163)
|
Over 6 (-104)
|
|
|
-205
|
-1.5 (+145)
|
Under 6 (-116)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 7:00 PM EDT Venue: Prudential Center, Newark, N. J., 07102 / Coming off victories against a pair of the league's best teams in their last two games, the New Jersey Devils can ill afford a letdown Tuesday night when they host the Carolina Hurricanes at the Prudential Center. However, those wins against the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning only guaranteed that the Devils (39-28-8) remain in the Eastern Conference's second wild-card spot, barely holding off the red-hot Florida Panthers, who sit just one point behind New Jersey." We've certainly held tough with some of the best teams and the hardest buildings to play in," Devils forward Blake Coleman told northjersey.com. "If that doesn't give you confidence going into these last eight games, or whatever it is, nothing will. Now, we need to keep carrying it forward." New Jersey surrendered only four goals in beating the Penguins and Lightning, two of the NHL's top-scoring clubs. A committed effort from "a group of self-starters", as Devils coach John Hynes called his players, combined with solid play from goaltender Keith Kinkaid paved the way for the two victories, as well as the recent run in which New Jersey has five victories in seven games. Kinkaid, who started the season as the backup to Cory Schneider, has helped keep the Devils' playoff hopes alive while Schneider missed extensive time due to injury and then struggled when healthy. Kinkaid has a career-high 21 wins this season, while Schneider is without a victory since Dec. 27, losing his last 11 decisions." Keith has been a difference maker," Hynes said of Kinkaid, who will start for the seventh time in the last eight games on Tuesday. "He's really come in and played well. He's been a really important factor in us remaining competitive in the playoff race." Kinkaid and his teammates must sustain their recent high level of play against the Hurricanes (34-31-11), who are barely breathing in the playoff race, seven points behind the Devils with only six games to play. However, the Hurricanes carry some momentum of their own into Tuesday's clash in Newark, winning three straight games and four of their last five. Carolina finished off a home-and-home sweep of the Ottawa Senators Monday night with a 4-1 home-ice victory which followed Saturday's 5-2 win north of the border. The Hurricanes drew inspiration from a pair of rookies recently-recalled from the minor leagues in their most recent victory. Warren Foegele made his NHL debut on Monday and notched his first career goal and assist, while recording five hits. Valentin Zykov netted his third goal -- and fifth point -- in his fourth game for Carolina in the win, as well." I thought I'd do a tight turn and just shoot it on net. ... It was fortunate enough to go in," Foegele said of his goal. "I heard the crowd make the noise, and I looked in the back of the net. A pretty surreal moment for myself. Something I'll remember forever." Like Foegele, Zykov scored a goal in his NHL debut on March 9, 2017, one of two games he played last year. This season, he was held scoreless after his recall on March 20, but followed up with a two-goal game, a two-assist game and another goal on Monday." It's exciting. You're happy for them. They've worked hard all their life, and all of a sudden they realize the dream," Carolina coach Bill Peters told reporters. "The dream is to make the National Hockey League, and then they score. They gave us good energy (Monday) night." Tuesday marks the fourth and final meeting between these Metropolitan Division rivals this season. The Devils won the first two games, 5-2 on Feb. 15 and 3-2 in overtime three days later. Carolina rebounded in the last get together for a 3-1 victory of its own.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
/ NEWARK, N. J. Stefan Noesen scored on a rebound with 1:33 to play and the New Jersey Devils continued their playoff push with a 4-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night. Kyle Palmieri had two goals and an assist and Taylor Hall had three assists for the Devils, who have won three straight and six of eight. Pavel Zacha also scored and Keith Kinkaid, who has supplanted Cory Schneider as the No. 1 goaltender, made 31 saves. New Jersey extended its lead to three points ahead of idle Florida for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference, with the Panthers having played two fewer games. Carolina is nine points back. Phil Di Giuseppe, Warren Foegele and Noah Hanifin also scored as the Hurricanes had a three-game winning streak snapped despite taking a 3-2 lead early in the third period. Scott Darling was outstanding making 41 saves, but Carolina's slim playoff hopes faded a little more. Noesen's game winner and 12th goal of the season came after Darling gave up a rebound in front off a shot from the boards by defenseman Andy Greene. Palmieri tied the game twice with power-play goals, with both being setup by great passes by Hall. The second tied the game 3-all with 8:54 left in regulation as a penalty against Valentin Zykov about to expire. Hall sent a pass between the circle and Palmieri deflected it with an open blade into the top of the net. Hanifin had given the Hurricanes at 3-2 lead 3:39 into the period with a shot from the left circle into a relatively open net after Jeff Skinner won the puck behind the net. Kinkaid was the difference in the second period when he stopped breakaways by Skinner and Brock McGinn with the Hurricanes leading 2-1. The save on Skinner in the opening minute of the period was spectacular. The 23-goal scorer made a move to his forehand to get Kinkaid out of position but the goaltender reached back at the last second and just the butt of his stick to keep the puck out of the net. Hall then made a great cross-ice pass to find Palmieri low in the right circle for a quick power-play shot that beat Darling to tie the game 2-all with 5:53 left in the period. New Jersey dominated the opening 10 minutes and took the early lead when Zacha put the rebound of a Palmieri shot into an open net at 5:47. Darling kept the Hurricanes in the game, stopping a short-handed breakaway by Blake Coleman at 12:01. Di Giuseppe tied the game a couple of minutes late with a shot from the left circle after Skinner won a battle along the boards. Elias Lindholm found Di Giuseppe. Foegele, who scored in his NHL debut on Monday, got his second in two games with a wraparound goal at with 3:07 left in the period. NOTES: Hurricanes hope to get D Justin Falk back before the season ends. He has missed the last three games with an upper-body injury. ... Devils F Miles Wood returned to the lineup after missing three games a similar injury. ... Hall now has 52 assists, one shy of his career high with Edmonton in 2013-14. ... Palmieri has three goals in the last two games. ... Di Giuseppe has three goals in four games after scoring two in his first 40. UP NEXTHurricanes: at Washington on Friday nightDevils: Host Pittsburgh on Thursday night in third straight home game.--More NHL hockey: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
|
FINAL |
|
3/27/2018 7:38 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+120
|
+1.5 (-235)
|
Over 6.5 (-115)
|
|
|
-140
|
-1.5 (+195)
|
Under 6.5 (-105)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 7:30 PM EDT Venue: Canadian Tire Centre, Kanata, ON, Canada, K2V 1AS / OTTAWA -- Two teams sliding toward the regular-season finish line and early tee times will meet up on short rest at Canadian Tire Centre on Tuesday night. The Ottawa Senators (26-38-11) will be the hosts 24 hours after having their losing streak extended to five games with a 4-1 road beating by the Carolina Hurricanes. The Senators, who are still very much in contention for the dubious distinction of owning best draft lottery odds, have now been outscored 22-7 in their last four games. Supplying the opposition will be a New York Islanders (31-35-10) team still had a shot at qualifying for the postseason tournament the last time they won two in a row. Unfortunately, that was Feb. 15-16. Since then, the Islanders are 2-10-4 and -- after being shut out 3-0 at home by the Florida Panthers on Monday -- have now dropped three straight. The loss officially eliminated the Islanders from the playoffs for the second spring in row." We got off to a pretty good start this season (but) the second half of the season really hasn't been very good," captain John Tavares told reporters after the game. "We put ourselves in this position." The future of Tavares comes under even closer scrutiny now that the Islanders final six games have no significance. The rest of the NHL will be watching closely for signs of whether they'll be able to sign their first overall pick of the 2009 entry draft or if he hits the free agent market on July 1. In nine seasons with the Islanders, Tavares has played 663 games and scored 615 points. Asked about his plans on Monday, Tavares was brief with his response." I'm just focused on playing," he said. The Senators were without their own captain, Erik Karlsson, when they travelled to Carolina. That meant they had three rookies on their blue line -- Thomas Chabot, Ben Harpur and Christian Wolanin. Playing his first NHL game was center Ben Sexton, whose father Randy was one of the franchise's founding fathers as well the team's second GM. Senators coach Guy Boucher compared having so many fresh faces in the lineup to "throwing lions into the den." "They've got to learn somehow, right," said goalie Craig Anderson, who made 26 saves in Carolina. "Right now, it's a good time. You see some guys stepping into roles they're not used to playing and doing quite well with it." The Senators and Islanders have met twice this season, with the Islanders scoring a 2-1 win Nov. 25 at Canadian Tire Centre and Ottawa taking a 6-5 victory out of Barclays Center one week later. With Christopher Gibson playing Monday, the Islanders are expected to go with Jaroslav Halak in Ottawa. He has a 7-7-3 career record against the Senators. Mike Condon is expected to play the second of Ottawa's back-to-backs. He has a 3-1-0 all-time mark versus the Islanders. The only player to score for either team on Monday was Senators winger Bobby Ryan, who now has two goals in two games and 10 on the season.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
/ OTTAWA, Ontario Andrew Ladd scored the tiebreaking goal late in the third period to lift the New York Islanders to a 4-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night. Anders Lee, Anthony Beauvillier and Brock Nelson also scored for the Islanders, who won for just the third time in 17 games (3-10-4). Jaroslav Halak stopped 33 shots. Matt Duchene, Erik Karlsson and Bobby Ryan scored for Ottawa, which has lost six straight for the second time this season. Mike Condon finished with 27 shots. Ryan tied the score 3-3 for Ottawa with 4:34 left after he sent a shot on goal and New York's Brandon Davidson deflected it into his own net. Ladd regained the lead for the Islanders with 2:03 remaining as he tipped Thomas Hickey's shot past Condon. Trailing 2-1, the Islanders tied it in the game 1:23 into the second as Beauvillier beat Condon with Jordan Eberle in front to screen. The Senators had a number of chances to regain the lead as they outshot New York 13-7 in the middle period, but Halak made several big saves. Nelson gave the Islanders a 3-2 lead with 1:18 to go in the period as he fired a wrist shot past Condon for his 18th of the season. The Islanders opened the scoring on the power play 6:15 into the game as Lee, with his team-high 39th, backhanded John Tavares' rebound past Condon. The Senators then scored twice to take the lead. Jean-Gabriel Pageau's shot went in off Duchene with 7:06 left in the first, and then Karlsson's ninth of the season put Ottawa in front less than two minutes later. Ottawa native Ben Sexton, who was recalled Sunday, played his second NHL game and first on home ice. His father, Randy, was the Senators' general manager from 1993-95. NOTES: Ottawa D Ben Harpur was a healthy scratch. ... Senators RW Mark Stone missed his ninth straight game with a leg injury, while Marian Gaborik missed his third straight game with an undisclosed injury. ... Davidson knocked a puck into his own goal for the second straight game. On Monday night in a 3-0 loss at home against Florida, the Panthers' Evgenii Dadonov sent a pass from the left side boards toward the net for a streaking Nick Bjugstad, but the puck deflected off Davidson's skate and past goalie Christopher Gibson. UP NEXTIslanders: Host Florida on Thursday night. Senators: Host Toronto on Friday night.
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
|
FINAL |
|
3/27/2018 7:38 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
-263
|
-1.5 (+105)
|
Over 6 (+104)
|
|
|
+213
|
+1.5 (-125)
|
Under 6 (-124)
|
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 7:30 PM EDT Venue: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI, 48201 / The Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings both beat the Philadelphia Flyers in overtime in the past week. Other than that, these two teams share little in common. The Penguins (43-27-6) are second in the Metropolitan Division and getting ready to go after their third straight Stanley Cup, something that hasn't been achieved since the New York Islanders won four in a row from 1980-83. The Red Wings (27-38-11), 4-2 losers to the Montreal Canadiens on Monday, are out of the playoffs for the second straight season, the first time that's happened to the franchise since 1981-82 and 1982-83. The Wings are 1-12-1 in their last 14 games." We play hard, but it's just the same thing every night," Detroit goaltender Jimmy Howard told detroitredwings.com. "It's like Groundhog Day for us right now." The Wings have dropped 24 one-goal games, tied for the NHL lead. They've lost 12 straight games when they score less than three times." I think overall we are playing good but we don't score enough goals," Detroit right winger Martin Frk assessed. "We are right there and they just score on us. It's usually like five, six minutes left in the game and now we have to come back. It's a little bit tough." It would be different if we could score a couple of goals ahead and have a better feeling going into the third period, instead of going in all these tight games." On the flip side, the Wings are 1-3-1 in the last five games when they score three or more goals." Blame it on the bounces, but it's out of my mind how many times we've lost because of little things that we don't get on our side," Wings defenseman Jonathan Ericsson said. The Penguins are afflicted by no such maladies. They've gone 24-9-3 in 2018, after sitting at one game above .500 (19-18-3) on Jan. 1 following a 4-1 loss at Detroit on New Year's Eve. The Pens have scored five or more goals 16 times in 36 games. In 30 of the 36 games, the Pens have scored at least three times. Not surprisingly, leading the way are captain Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Crosby recently joined Joe Thornton and Henrik Sedin as the only active NHLers with 700 career assists. He reached the 25-goal mark for the 10th time in his NHL career, and the 80-point plateau for the ninth time. In Penguins history, only Mario Lemieux has tallied 80 points more often (11 times). Lemieux (12 times) and Jaromir Jagr (11 times) are the only Pens to score 25 goals more often. Malkin scored his 42nd goal of the season, three off the NHL lead, in Sunday's win over the Flyers. He now has at least one point in nine of 12 games, and multiple points six times in 12 games. Malkin leads all NHLers in both goals (28) and points (56) during 2018 and has picked up at least one point in 27 of 36 games and at least two points in 19 of 36 contests." These are some of the best players of their generation," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan told nhl.com. "There are nights where I drive home after games and replay the game in my mind, and I marvel at some of the things that these guys do."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
/ DETROIT Luke Glendening scored twice, Darren Helm matched his career high with three points and the Detroit Red Wings beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 on Tuesday night. Helm had a goal and two assists, and Frans Nielsen and Niklas Kronwall also scored for Detroit. Jimmy Howard made 22 saves to help the Red Wings win in regulation for the first time since a 3-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Feb. 24. Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang scored for the Penguins. Matt Murray stopped 21 shots. It took Pittsburgh 38 seconds to gain the lead. Crosby took Jake Guentzel's cross-ice feed and snapped a shot before Howard could get across. The Red Wings pulled even 17:43 into opening period. Helm found Kronwall pinching down from the point, and Kronwall whipped a quick shot past Murray. Detroit grabbed the lead on the power play at 14:28 of the second period. Martin Frk faked a shot, then zipped the puck across the ice to Nielsen, whose high shot eluded the sprawling Murray. Just 41 seconds later, Detroit made it 3-1 when Glendening deflected Nick Jensen's point shot. The Red Wings added another goal 6:21 into the third period when Helm converted Dylan Larkin's feed for his 10th. Letang's point shot found its way through traffic and behind Howard with 3:16 left in regulation. Glendening finished the scoring into an empty net with 1:28 to play. NOTES: Red Wings GM Ken Holland would not confirm reports that he and coach Jeff Blashill would return next season, saying only that the question would be answered by the end of the season. ... The Penguins are the first visiting team to lose twice at Little Caesars Arena. They also fell 4-1 in Detroit on Dec. 31. ... Kronwall's goal was his 400th point and 80th goal, the latter tying him with Hall of Famer Marcel Pronovost for fourth on the Red Wings' career list among defensemen. ... Red Wings D Joe Hicketts had two assists for his first NHL points in his second game. UP NEXTPenguins: At New Jersey on Thursday night. Red Wings: At Buffalo on Thursday night.---More hockey: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
|
FINAL |
|
3/27/2018 8:08 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+124
|
+1.5 (-240)
|
Over 5.5 (-120)
|
|
|
-145
|
-1.5 (+200)
|
Under 5.5 (+100)
|
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
|
GAME PREVIEW
Time: 8:00 PM EDT Venue: Bell MTS Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, R3C 5S5 / WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- The Winnipeg Jets nailed down a playoff spot for just the second time since relocating from Atlanta in 2011, but their work isn't done. Next up on the agenda is locking up home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs and possibly the second. They can take a big step toward that by extending their five-game winning streak. Standing in their way is none other than the third-best team in the NHL -- the Boston Bruins. The Jets are virtually assured of finishing second in the Central Division, but after their exhilarating 5-4 shootout victory over Nashville on Sunday, they've got a franchise-high 102 points and are just five points behind the suddenly struggling Predators. Nashville has lost three straight games on the heels of an impressive 10-game winning streak." You have no idea (how satisfying it is making the playoffs)," captain Blake Wheeler told The Winnipeg Free Press. "The worst part of (past years) has been having to watch these games that mean a lot, both coming down the stretch and into the playoffs. That stung and, unfortunately, we have watched a lot of it. (We've) just been biding our time for our opportunity." Wheeler, who scored his 20th goal of the season against Nashville, giving the Jets five players to have reached that milestone, is the NHL's assists co-leader with 65. Many prognosticators believe the Jets and Predators will meet in the second round of the playoffs. If their regular-season games are any indication, it could be a memorable battle. The Predators won three of five contests and the two teams combined for 41 goals. While Patrik Laine has cooled off the last few games after blocking a slapshot off his skate against Los Angeles last week -- he's still second in the race for the Rocket Richard trophy with 43 goals -- rookie winger Kyle Connor has picked up the slack. After scoring four goals -- including back-to-back overtime winners -- and two assists in three games, he was named the NHL's third star of the week. The Bruins come to town after defeating Minnesota 2-1 in overtime on Sunday and sit in second place in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Division with 104 points, trailing just the Tampa Bay Lightning with 106, but with a game in hand. Super pest Brad Marchand sniped the winning goal just 28 seconds into the extra period for his 33rd of the season. Defenseman Torey Krug said he saw that Marchand had a step on his man, so he bounced a pass off the boards and let him go to work." He wants to be the guy," Krug told The Boston Globe. "He's got that edge to him. (He) wins a lot of 50-50 pucks, and when you are three-on-three on the ice and he is winning those battles, it is going to lead to a chance for your team." Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba, who has been out for a week since suffering a concussion against Dallas, has been cleared to resume practicing with a no-contact jersey.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
/ WINNIPEG, Manitoba Patrik Laine scored the deciding goal in the shootout and Brandon Tanev had his first career hat trick as the Winnipeg Jets beat the Boston Bruins 5-4 on Tuesday night to cap a perfect six-game homestand. Laine deked and his shot in the fourth round trickled under goalie Anton Khudobin. Mark Scheifele also scored in the tiebreker for Winnipeg and Bruins rookie Ryan Donato put one by past the Jets' Connor Hellebuyck. Defenseman Joe Morrow had his first goal for Winnipeg since being acquired from Montreal last month, and sixth of the season. Adam Lowry had two assists. Donato, Danton Heinen, David Pastrnak and Torey Krug had goals for the Bruins, who scored three power-play goals. Krug added one assist and Brad Marchand had two. Hellebuyck made 28 saves to pick up his 40th win for the Jets. It was also their seventh straight victory at home. Khudobin also stopped 28 shots as Boston ended a four-game road trip 2-0-2. The teams were tied 1-1 after the first period and Winnipeg scored twice to take a 3-1 lead into the third. The second period ended with Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey being handed a major for boarding the Bruins' Matt Grzelcyk. Boston scored two power-play goals by the 3:36 mark of the third, but Tanev scored his third of the game with an unassisted short-handed goal at 4:29 to take a 4-3 lead. Krug then tied the game 4-4 at 8:06 with another power-play goal through traffic after Scheifele was sent to the penalty box for cross-checking Krug. Winnipeg outshot Boston 4-3 in overtime, with Hellebuyck getting a piece of Marchand's breakaway shot in the waning seconds. Tanev began the game's scoring when he banged at the puck from the side of the net until it went across the goal line at 5:33 of the first period. A Boston challenge was unsuccessful. Scheifele put a big, clean check on Pastrnak that knocked him into the boards and down on to the ice during a Boston power play, setting a feisty tone to the game. Scheifele's turnover in the defensive zone led to Donato putting a backhand shot past Hellebuyck with 53 seconds left in the first. The unassisted goal was Donato's third score and fifth point in his fifth NHL game. Winnipeg scored two straight in the second, with Tanev firing a low shot by Khudobin just 16 seconds into the period. Scheifele then set up Morrow's 3-1 goal at 6:25 for the 3-1 lead. The Jets challenged Heinen's goal at 1:45 of the third for offside, but it stood. Winnipeg was then dinged for delay of game for the challenge and Pastrnak scored at 3:36. NOTES: Winnipeg's Blake Wheeler had an assist, giving him 600 career points. It extended the captain's point streak to seven games, with two goals and eight assists. UP NEXTBruins: Host Tampa Bay, which leads Boston by one point for first place in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference, on Thursday night. Jets: At Chicago on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game trip.
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
|
FINAL |
|
3/27/2018 8:08 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+136
|
+1.5 (-230)
|
Over 5.5 (+103)
|
|
|
-156
|
-1.5 (+190)
|
Under 5.5 (-124)
|
|
|
|
|
|
VIEW ALL PICKS |
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 8:00 PM EDT Venue: Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO, 63103 / ST. LOUIS -- A month ago, St. Louis Blues goalie Jake Allen was saddled to the bench. Now he's the league's second star. Allen went 3-0-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average and .961 save percentage in wins over Boston, Vancouver and Columbus last week. The Blues' 2-1 win on Saturday ended the Blue Jackets' 10-game winning streak." We've got a good thing going right now," Allen told NHL.com. "I just happened to get the honor. It's not a huge deal. Right now, we're headed in the right direction. Seven games left, a big one tomorrow and looking forward to it." Allen earned the second star behind Edmonton's Connor McDavid and ahead of Winnipeg's Kyle Connor. Allen went 2-13-0 from Dec. 14-Feb. 25. During that span, Carter Hutton went 11-5-0 and earned the majority of the playing time before being sidelined due to an injury. With Hutton shelved, Allen found his game again." Both have had really good years for us and obviously there was a time where with Jake, maybe it wasn't going as well," Blues coach Mike Yeo told NHL.com. "We could point to the goal scoring, we could point to a number of things, but I think by his standards, I think by our standards, we knew that there was another level there and certainly we're seeing it right now with Jake." But Carter's play during that time, that was real important for the group. You need two goalies in the NHL right now. The days of a guy being in the net for 70 games a year and being problem-free for the whole season, it's too difficult not. It's too much parity, it's too much with all the schedules, too demanding. The importance of two goaltenders probably has never been more important." Hutton returned to practice on Monday and likely will get a start over the weekend when the Blues have back-to-back road games in Vegas and Arizona. Allen figures to get the nod as the Blues host the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night. St. Louis had won five straight and entered Monday holding the second wild card in the Western Conference. The Blues are 0-2-0 against the Sharks this season, including a 2-0 loss in San Jose on March 8. The Sharks won their eighth straight, edging the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 in a shootout on Monday. It is tied for the third-longest winning streak in Sharks history and is their longest since winning nine straight from Nov. 13-Dec. 4, 2008. Kevin Labanc scored the game-winner in the fifth round of the shootout and Martin Jones made 28 saves." It wasn't pretty for a lot of it," Jones told NHL.com. "But we found a way to win, and we've been doing that a lot lately, so that's a good sign." Sharks forward Joe Pavelski said the team cannot get complacent." Our game's still in a good spot, but it has to go back up a level instead of trending down," Pavelski told NHL.com. "We understand where we're at, what time of the season it is, what needs to be done."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
/ ST. LOUIS Vladimir Tarasenko scored his second goal of the game in overtime to lift the St. Louis Blues over the San Jose Sharks 3-2 on Tuesday night. Tarasenko got a pass from Vladimir Sobotka and tipped in the winner at 2:33. It was Tarasenko's 31st goal, and he has 30 or more in four consecutive seasons. St. Louis has won a season-best six straight games. San Jose had won eight straight. Oskar Sundqvist also scored for St. Louis, and Jake Allen made 22 saves. Evander Kane and Joe Pavelski scored for San Jose. Aaron Dell stopped 29 shots. Kane drew first blood for the Sharks with his 29th goal. Melker Karlsson fed Kane, who put a wrist shot off Allen's glove at 6:26. Kane has nine goals and five assists in 14 games since he was acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres on Feb. 26. Brent Burns got the second assist, giving him 50. He became the first Sharks defenseman to record 50 assists in a season. St. Louis tied it when Sundqvist threw the puck on net and it sneaked in at 17:43. Ivan Barbashev was parked in front of the crease and helped screen Dell, who got a piece of the puck. It was Sundqvist's second goal in 65 career games, including 37 with the Blues. Sundqvist's only other goal came April 2, 2016, when he was with Pittsburgh. The teams traded power-play goals in the second period. The Sharks took a 2-1 lead on one by Pavelski. Standing beside the net, Pavelski got a pass from Burns and tapped it in for his 20th. Tarasenko tied for St. Louis. He got a perfect leading pass from Brayden Schenn in the left circle, then snapped a quick wrist shot to tie it. Tarasenko five goals and six assists in his last 11 games against San Jose. The Blues missed a chance to take the lead about two minutes into the third period when Barbashev skated in and had Dell beat but hit the post with his shot. NOTES: Blues D Alex Pietrangelo had an assist on Tarasenko's goal. That gave him 52 points for the season, a career high. ... Allen made his 10th straight start for the Blues. ... Dell got his first start in five games after San Jose played at the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday and won in a shootout. ... Blues backup goalie Carter Hutton returned after being out with a neck injury since March 8. UP NEXT:Sharks: At Nashville on Thursday night. Blues: At Vegas on Friday night.---More NHL hockey: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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3/27/2018 8:08 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+155
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+1.5 (-174)
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Over 5.5 (+100)
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-175
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-1.5 (+155)
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Under 5.5 (-120)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 8:00 PM EDT Venue: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN, 37203 / After winning 14 of 15 games and opening a 10-point lead in the Central Division, the Nashville Predators were due for a fall. Three games in four days against Toronto, Minnesota and Winnipeg -- the last two on the road -- provided the proper setup for a slump. Three losses later, including Sunday night's 5-4 shootout setback to Winnipeg, Nashville's lead has been cut in half. That sets the stage for a little more drama in the regular season's final two weeks as the Predators now lead hard-charging Jets by just five points with seven games left. The schedule-maker provided Nashville with a providential three-game homestand, starting Tuesday night with Minnesota's final visit of the regular season. At 48-16-11, the Predators have 107 points, good for a one-point lead on Tampa Bay in the battle for the Presidents' Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. To hold onto that, Nashville will look to end its brief skid against Minnesota. Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis said the team should be encouraged by their performance in Winnipeg, where it managed a point on the second half of a back-to-back and came within a post -- Kyle Turris beat Connor Hellebuyck but not the iron right before overtime ended -- of two points." It's not about Xs and Os so much," Ellis said. "It's about being on the puck first, hitting guys first and initiating stuff like that. Tonight, in a back-to-back versus that team, it was a good game for both sides." It was definitely a good game for Nashville's backup goalie, Juuse Saros, who stopped 43 of 47 shots and gave his team a chance to leave Canada with two points. The rested Jets put 25 shots on Saros in the second period alone, and he made three clutch saves in overtime. Pekka Rinne (40-11-4, 2.27 goals-against average, .928 save percentage), coming off consecutive losses for the first time since mid-December, should get the start in net against Minnesota. The Wild have beaten him all three times they've faced him this season, including a 4-1 verdict Saturday night that featured the ejection of Predators coach Peter Laviolette late in the third period. Minnesota (42-24-9) had a chance to cap its weekend with a stirring come-from-behind win over Boston on Sunday night but ceded a Brad Marchand goal 28 seconds into overtime and fell 2-1 despite 26 saves from backup goalie Alex Stalock." We hit a couple of posts and we had a goal called back," Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said. "We got three of four points this weekend against two of the best teams in the league, so we're holding our own. This was a big point." Minnesota enters with 93 points, three more than Colorado, and stands third in the Central. The Wild are 3-0-2 in their last five games but play five of their last seven on the road. Devan Dubnyk (32-14-6, 2.60, .916), who owns three wins against Nashville this season, should get the call in net. Minnesota will get a fresh face in the lineup with the signing of Boston University standout Jordan Greenway, who had 13 goals and 22 assists this season for the Terriers. He's expected to make his NHL debut in Nashville.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
/ NASHVILLE, Tenn. Kyle Turris scored the only goal in the shootout to lift the Nashville Predators over the Minnesota Wild 2-1 Tuesday night to snap a three-game skid. The win clinched the Predators home-ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs. They also moved three points ahead of Tampa Bay in the chase for the Presidents' Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. Roman Josi scored for Nashville, and Pekka Rinne made 22 saves. Rinne turned away Nino Niederreiter in the shootout. Zach Parise's attempt went wide left, and Rinne stopped Mikko Koivu to clinch it. Eric Staal tied it for Minnesota with 3:15 left on his 40th goal this season. Devan Dubnyk made 28 saves as Minnesota snapped a five-game point streak. The Wild still won the season series against Nashville, 3-2. The Predators thought they had scored 40 seconds into overtime on a slap shot by Ryan Ellis. Minnesota challenged for offside, and the goal was overturned on review because Turris' right skate was a few inches ahead of the puck past the blue line. Rinne stopped Staal twice in overtime, and Mikael Granlund hit the far post with 1:07 left. Turris shot first for Nashville in the shootout and beat Dubnyk. Nashville returned home for three games mired in a skid that matched its longest this season. Playing in front of the 99th consecutive sold-out crowd didn't hurt as the Predators improved to 26-8-4 in the place known as Smashville. The Predators came out throwing pucks at Dubnyk, and Josi put Nashville up 1-0 with a slap shot from the point off the faceoff that went under Dubnyk's glove 2:51 into the game. Jordan Greenway made his NHL debut after finishing his college career at Boston University and signing a three-year entry level deal with Minnesota. Greenway was welcomed by a big check from veteran Scott Hartnell midway through the first period. Nashville missed plenty of chances to pad its lead, going scoreless on four man advantages through the first two periods. Staal tied it by beating Rinne's left skate inside the post. NOTES: Staal joined Gordie Howe as the only players to go at least nine years between 40-goal seasons, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Howe went 12 seasons between his 44 goals in 1956-57 and 44 goals in 1968-69. Staal scored 40 in 2008-09. ... Veteran center Matt Cullen is Minnesota's nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. UP NEXTWild: Host Dallas on Thursday night. Predators: Host Sharks on Thursday night.---More NHL: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey---Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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3/27/2018 8:38 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+115
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+1.5 (-240)
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Over 5.5 (-126)
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-135
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-1.5 (+200)
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Under 5.5 (+106)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 8:30 PM EDT Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX, 75219 / DALLAS -- When the Philadelphia Flyers meet the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night at American Airlines Center, one team will be looking to inch closer to clinching a playoff spot and the other is simply dying for a win to end a historically long losing streak. The Flyers (38-25-13), who occupy the first wild-card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and look to return to the postseason after a one-year absence, clearly fit well within the first category. Philadelphia is 19-12-7 on the road after losing 5-4 in overtime at Pittsburgh on Sunday, a game where the Flyers got a goal and two assists from Jordan Weal and two assists from Shayne Gostisbehere." I thought we played a good hockey game," Philadelphia coach Dave Hakstol said after the OT loss. "We got another point. I think that's our last five or six games getting points. We just got to keep pushing forward, keep playing well. Now we got to turn the page and go into Dallas." The Flyers are 13-11-4 against the Western Conference and 5-5-2 against the Central Division. One of those five victories against the Central came against Dallas in Philadelphia on Dec. 16, when the Flyers edged the Stars 2-1 in overtime. Philadelphia continues to be led by captain Claude Giroux with 65 assists and 91 points, the second time in his career he has eclipsed 90 points. Giroux had a career-best 93 points in 77 games for the Flyers in 2011-12 and could be poised for the first 100-point season of his career. He also has had success against Dallas in a limited sample size with nine assists and 12 points in 14 career games. Dallas (38-30-8, 84 points) dropped its eighth straight game with a 4-1 loss to Vancouver on Sunday. The Stars are now 24-12-3 at home but haven't won since March 9, when they defeated the Anaheim Ducks 2-1. In March, Dallas is 2-7-4, has been outscored 45-27 (-18 goal differential) and has scored three or more goals only three times." We have to pick our heels up and get back at it and see if we can piece some good part of our game," Stars coach Ken Hitchcock said after Sunday's loss to Vancouver. "I don't think there is one part of our game right now that is exceptional. We have to find a way to regroup here." The skid is Dallas' longest since the franchise relocated from Minnesota in 1993, an ironic fact considering the Stars have been commemorating their 25th season in the Lone Star State. With six games to play, including just two more at home, Dallas sits five points behind St. Louis for the second and final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Sunday's loss dropped the Stars' playoff chances to 3.2 percent, but Dallas defenseman John Klingberg, who is second among NHL defenseman with 61 points, isn't quite ready to give up the fight." We have six more games," Klingberg said. "If we play perfect, then maybe we have a chance, it will be tough, but we have to stay professional and try to do it." After Sunday's loss, Hitchcock said he wasn't looking at giving backup goaltender Mike McKenna, a 34-year-old journeyman with 22 games of NHL experience, a start in favor of Kari Lehtonen, who has struggled since starter Ben Bishop went down with a knee injury during Dallas' recent winless six-game road trip. However, any other changes are on the table per the Dallas coach." I think we have to look at everything and I think we have to look at the energy. We have to look at everything," Hitchcock said. Neither team practiced Monday.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
/ DALLAS Alexander Radulov scored 40 seconds into overtime as the Dallas Stars beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Tuesday night to end an eight-game winless streak. Tyler Seguin passed from the right side across to Radulov, who beat Philadelphia goalie Petr Mrazek for the game winner. The Stars were 0-6-2 during their longest stretch without a win since moving to Dallas in 1993. With five games left, the Stars moved four points behind Colorado for the Western Conference's final playoff berth. Philadelphia extended its points streak to six games (3-0-3) and remained two points ahead of New Jersey for the Eastern Conference's top wild card. Radek Faksa had the game's first goal just past midway into the first period for Dallas and Brett Ritchie tied it 2-2 on the power play midway through the second. In between, Travis Konecny and Ivan Provorov scored for Philadelphia, with Shayne Gostisbehere assisting on both goals. Seguin had two assists to reach 500 career points for the Stars, and Radulov also had a an assist. Kari Lehtonen stopped 31 shots. Mrazek made 20 saves for the Flyers. Faksa scored with 9:10 remaining in the first. Antoine Roussel's shot from above the left faceoff circle went wide left, bouncing off the boards and out to Faksa at the right of the net. He put in a backhand off Mrazek's left skate as the goalie scrambled to get back to that side. Konecny tied it with 3:09 left in the opening period with a wrist shot from just inside the right circle that went under the crossbar. Dallas had seven of the first eight shots on goal, but Philadelphia outshot the Stars 10-3 for the remainder of the first period. The Flyers took the lead just 2:03 into the second. Wayne Simmonds passed to Provorov in the slot. Before he fell to the ice, Provorov put a wrist shot inside the left goalpost. It took the Stars just 19 seconds into their first power play of the second to tie it. Standing just to the left of the net, Ritchie tipped in Radulov's shot from the right circle. NOTES: Konecny has 17 of his 23 goals in the last 31 games. ... Claude Giroux's assist on Konecny's goal was his eighth in the last four games and 66th of the season. ... Radulov reached 40 assists for the first time in his career. ... Before Ritchie's goal, Philadelphia had killed 12 of 13 penalties over six-plus games. UP NEXTFlyers: Finish a three-game trip on Wednesday at Colorado. Stars: Visit Minnesota on Thursday before returning for the home finale on Saturday vs. the Wild.
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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3/27/2018 9:08 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-130
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-1.5 (+205)
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Over 5.5 (-109)
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+110
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+1.5 (-245)
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Under 5.5 (-109)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 9:00 PM EDT Venue: Rogers Place, Edmonton, Canada / With just a handful of games remaining for the Columbus Blue Jackets, coach John Tortorella believes the team is in a good place even as its late push to secure a playoff spot has gotten tougher. With Nick Foligno out of the lineup, the Blue Jackets open a three-game swing across western Canada on Tuesday night against NHL scoring leader Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers. Columbus (42-29-5) is in third place in the Metropolitan Division, three points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Blue Jackets are also tied in points with the Philadelphia Flyers for the first wild card, and Columbus has a three-point edge on the New Jersey Devils for the second wild card." We have six left and we've got some nicks along the way here ... you just go play. We don't talk about it. We just do it. That's part of our job," Tortorella said Monday. The Blue Jackets surged into contention thanks to 10-game winning streak that ended with a 2-1 loss to St. Louis Blues on Saturday. Foligno, who has collected 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) in the last 30 games, suffered a lower-body injury and will be sidelined from two to four weeks. But for Tortorella, it's business as usual." I just don't want us to lose our swagger," he said. "I think we're in a good spot. I think the guys are feeling good about themselves. You get banged up; you just go about your business. Nick has been very good for us, so we have to fill that hole." Brandon Dubinsky (15 points in 56 games) is expected to fill in for Foligno. Columbus also still has Artemi Panarin, who leads the club in scoring (25 goals, 44 assists), and needs one point to reach 70 for the third straight season. The Russian winger has six goals and three assists in a four-game points streak on the road. The Blue Jackets have won four straight away from home and seek their third victory in four games in Edmonton. Columbus is also looking for a split of the season series after a 7-2 loss on Dec. 12 in Ohio's capital city. To no one's surprise, McDavid was the driving force in that rout, collecting a goal and three assists. The Oilers captain solidified his hold as the league's top scorer after collecting a goal and two assists in Sunday's 5-4 overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks that eliminated Edmonton (34-36-6) from postseason consideration. With six games to play, McDavid has 99 points -- two from a career high, and three in front of Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning. McDavid, who is looking to be the first player to win consecutive Art Ross trophies since Jaromir Jagr won four straight from 1998 to 2001 with the Pittsburgh Penguins, was named the league's First Star of the Week after collecting five goals and five assists in four games last week. The biggest difference in No. 97 this season compared with last season?"I see him around the net a bit more. He wanted to do that this year. His sense of timing, arriving on rebounds, having the ability to tap things in," Oilers coach Todd McLellan said recently. Most likely, McDavid will try to pad his total against Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. Since losing three straight starts in early February, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner is 12-4-1 with a 2.01 goals-against average and one shutout. Bobrovsky would also be looking for his fourth straight road win during that span. Backup Joonas Korpisalo has won three straight starts, allowing a total of nine goals. He is 2-5-0 with a 4.15 GAA on the road in 2017-18. Edmonton's Cam Talbot needs one win to reach 30 for the second straight season. He has surrendered 14 goals in his last five games, posting a 4-0-1 record. Al Montoya (2-2-2, 3.24 GAA with the Oilers) missed Sunday's game with an undisclosed injury. If Montoya can't go, Laurent Brossoit (3-7-1, 3.22 GAA) would back up Talbot.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
/ EDMONTON, Alberta Thomas Vanek had three goals and an assist to lift the Columbus Blue Jackets over the Edmonton Oilers 7-3 on Tuesday night. Artemi Panarin, Boone Jenner, Cam Atkinson and Markus Nutivaara also scored for the Blue Jackets, who have won 11 of 12. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 22 shots. Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Drake Caggiula also scored for the Oilers, who have lost two straight. Cam Talbot stopped 13 of 18 shots before being replaced by Laurent Brossoit. Edmonton got on the board 3:37 into the first period when a mix-up behind the net between Bobrovsky and Nutivaara allowed McDavid to steal the puck and send it out front to Nugent-Hopkins for his 22nd of the season. McDavid picked up his 100th point, tying his league-leading total from last year. Linesman Steve Barton was stretchered off following a collision with McDavid in the first period. Columbus' Zach Werenski ran into McDavid and sent him flying into Barton, who hit his head hard on the ice. Sportsnet reported that Barton was taken to a hospital, where he was able to speak with doctors and move all extremities. McDavid scored a short-handed goal later in the period, his career-high 40th of the season. He's the first Oilers player to hit the mark since Petr Klima did it in 1991. Edmonton made it 3-0 on the power play midway through the first when Caggiula blasted a puck top corner past Bobrovsky. Columbus came roaring back with a pair of goals within a minute, as Vanek's shot caromed off a defender and past Talbot, and then Panarin scored his 26th on a rebound. Vanek tipped in his 23rd of the season off a shot by David Savard with 3:20 left. Jenner put Columbus ahead with a goal 1:38 into the second, and Atkinson and Vanek followed to make it a blowout. Nutivaara piled on with a goal in the third. UP NEXTBlue Jackets: Play at Calgary on Thursday night. Oilers: Play at Vancouver on Thursday night.---More hockey: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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3/27/2018 10:08 PM EST (112 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-260
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-1.5 (+100)
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Over 5.5 (+115)
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+210
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+1.5 (-120)
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Under 5.5 (-135)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 10:00 PM EDT Venue: Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6B 6G1 / VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- If any game ever fit the description of a trap game, this one does. The Anaheim Ducks (39-24-13) will try to make their Pacific Division playoff hopes more secure Tuesday night as they visit the future-focused Vancouver Canucks (27-40-9). In other words, the Ducks will be trying to ensure that they do not become lackadaisical and allow the Canucks to play a part in spoiling their postseason aspirations. In theory, the Ducks should not be overly worried. They have won five of their past six games." We're sticking with it," Ducks forward Adam Henrique told The Orange County Register in reference to the team's work ethic. "It's not always pretty but good teams find ways to get points and get wins. Right now, that's all that really matters." He hopes the Ducks defense will continue its trend of providing offense. In their last game, defenseman Hampus Lindholm scored 1:21 into overtime to help the Ducks erase two third-period deficits to beat the Oilers 5-4 in Edmonton." As soon as our D start moving pucks, we help our forwards out a lot and I think that creates a lot of offense for us and that's something we have to keep doing more," Henrique told reporters. The Ducks will also likely lean heavily on their strong goaltending. Starter John Gibson has posted five wins in his last six games and reached the 30-victory plateau Sunday. In case coach Randy Carlyle wants to give Gibson a rest, he will be comfortable with former Canuck Ryan Miller between the pipes. The Ducks hope to end a strong road trip with a win over the woeful Canucks, who earned only their second win in the past 10 games when they beat the Stars by a convincing 4-1 count in Dallas on Sunday. But the Canucks and their fans will likely be thinking more about the future and their fans after highly touted prospect Adam Gaudette signed a three-year National Hockey League entry contract with the club Monday following the completion of his college season with the Northeastern Huskies." Adam has had a remarkable season and college career playing at Northeastern," said Canucks general manager Jim Benning in a release. "He's a very talented player and has shown an ability to score, make plays and contribute in all situations at the collegiate level. We're excited to have him join our team and continue his development as a professional." It remains to be seen whether Gaudette, a 21-year-old Braintree, Mass., native will play Tuesday or later in the week. Gaudette was originally drafted by Vancouver in the fifth round, 149th overall in 2015. Despite the late selection, he led the NCAA in scoring with 60 points (30-30-60) in 38 games with the Northeastern and is a finalist for the Hoby Baker award. He ranked first in the NCAA in goals (30), points per game (1.58) and power-play points (27). In addition, the 6-foot-1 and 184-pound center was named the 2018 Hockey East Player of the Year, the Beanpot tournament MVP and garnered several other monthly and weekly accolades. In 116 career games for Northeastern from 2015 to 2018, Gaudette registered 142 points (68-74-142) -- numbers that greatly appeal to the offensively challenged Canucks. The question now is whether he can produce at the NHL level. But former Northeastern linemate Dylan Sikura, a Chicago Blackhawks prospect, thinks he can." He's a good team guy -- every night you know what you're getting from him," Sikura told Postmedia. "It's his passion for the game. He's pretty uncanny, and I don't think there are a lot of guys in the NCAA who like putting the puck in the back of the net like he does." Every night he brings the heat. He leads by example in the way he plays -- a full 200-foot game, and he'll block shots and do the little things to help the team out." Gaudette will be measured against injured Canucks rookie Brock Boeser, who exceled in nine games with Vancouver after signing out of college last spring and encroached 60 points this season before he was sidelined for the season with a back injury." (Gaudette) is an exciting young prospect for us," Canucks coach Travis Green told Postmedia. "He plays with energy. He's a guy we're really excited to have." Green believes Boeser gained from playing with the Canucks late last season and thinks Gaudette can do likewise with the rebuilding squad late in this campaign." If you look at Brock, it's an example of how any time you come to a new league, it's an eye opener," Green said. "Not only that, from our standpoint to get to see (Gaudette) would be a benefit."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
/ VANCOUVER, British Columbia Brandon Sutter had two goals and an assist to lift the Vancouver Canucks over the Anaheim Ducks 4-1 on Tuesday night. Alex Biega got his first goal in over three years, and Sam Gagner also scored for Vancouver, which has won three of four since losing seven straight. Jacob Markstrom stopped 23 shots. Andrew Cogliano scored for the Ducks, who wrapped a four-game trip and are on a 5-1-1 stretch. The loss dropped Anaheim into a tie with the Los Angeles Kings for third in the Pacific Division, though the Kings have a game in hand. The teams play Friday night. Anaheim's John Gibson made 26 saves. He has been dominant against Vancouver, coming into the game 6-1-1 with a 1.37 goals-against average and three shutouts against the Canucks. Vancouver got to him at 9:53 in the opening period. Daniel Sedin's shot from the faceoff circle bounced off Gibson and right to Gagner, who batted in the rebound. Markstrom made two big saves in the second period. The first off a 3-on-2 with Ryan Getzlaf setting up Andrew Cogliano and the second on Corey Perry shooting from inside the slot. Markstrom later made a gaffe that lead to the Ducks' tying goal. The puck took an odd bounce off the stanchion during a dump-in, and Markstrom was caught stranded as Cogliano whipped the errant puck in. In the third, Biega put Vancouver ahead 2-1 with slap shot from the blue line that cleared traffic and found the corner of the net. That was Biega's first goal in 132 games. Sutter made it a two-goal lead when he burst out to a breakaway, hit the side of the net, then collected the puck and flipped it in over an out-of-position Gibson. Sutter added his second of the night into an empty net with 16 seconds left. NOTES: U. S. Olympian Troy Terry made his NHL debut for the Ducks. He played on a line with Ondrej Kase and Adam Henrique. ... Newly signed Canucks C Adam Gaudette did not dress and is expected to make his NHL debut Thursday against Edmonton. UP NEXTDucks: Host Los Angeles on Friday night. Canucks: Host Edmonton on Thursday night.---More hockey: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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TENNIS |
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| 3/27/2018 |
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FOUND 5 PICKS |
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OTHER |
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| 3/27/2018 |
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FOUND 7 PICKS |
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