Live Stream Columbus Blue Jackets vs New York Islanders Watch NHL Review
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Online Watch Columbus Blue Jackets vs New York Islanders Live Stream Columbus Blue Jackets vs New York Islanders NHL Youtube video Hockey After ending a franchise record for futility, the Columbus Blue Jackets hope a visit to the punchless New York Islanders can help them avoid setting another.
The Blue Jackets will try to snap an 11-game road losing streak Tuesday night when they visit the last-place Islanders.
Columbus (14-18-7) ended a team-record nine-game losing streak Monday when Fredrik Modin scored off a rebound of his own shot 3:12 into overtime to clinch a 1-0 win over Detroit, splitting a home-and-home set after falling 2-1 at home on Saturday. The victory was just the Blue Jackets' third in 20 games (3-12-5), and first since a 3-0 win against Florida on Dec. 9.
"It feels good to get a win, finally," Modin said. "It's been a struggle. We've been trying to find our game here for a long period of time. This is definitely a step in the right direction."
The Blue Jackets will now try to carry some of that momentum into Nassau Coliseum, in an effort to halt a franchise record-tying 11-game road losing streak. They last endured a slide that long as visitors when they dropped the last eight of the 2001-02 season and the first three of 2002-03.
Columbus' current struggles have a lot to do with a lack of scoring. The team has scored one goal in each of the last three games, while failing to net more than three for 13 in a row, losing 12.
It hasn't done much better preventing goals, allowing a Western Conference-high 136.
Rick Nash, the team leader with 19 goals and 36 points, is having a tough time finding the net, scoring five goals in the last 20 games while managing just one shot on goal Monday. The All-Star left wing hasn't scored in three games against New York (15-18-7).
The Blue Jackets, though, have enjoyed great success against the Islanders, holding a 7-1-1 advantage with a tie in the all-time series. However, both losses have come at New York, including a 4-3 overtime defeat in their last visit on Nov. 3, 2008.
The Islanders are having their own offensive problems, ranking last in the NHL with 2.4 goals per game. They've been outscored 40-21 while going 4-8-0 over the last 12 contests, getting shut out twice.
New York struggled offensively again Sunday, falling 2-1 at home to Philadelphia. The defeat was the 13th in a row to the Flyers, as the Islanders fell a point back of them into last place in the Atlantic Division.
"You try to just focus on doing what makes your team successful," right wing Trent Hunter told the team's official Web site. "You can't worry about rivalries and records. You just have to worry about the next game and worry about getting the two points."
Rookie John Tavares -- the team leader with 16 goals and 28 points -- has struggled lately, scoring one goal in his last nine games for his only point in that span.
Dwayne Roloson will likely be back in net after being rested in favor of Martin Biron, who made 28 saves to lose his sixth consecutive start.
Biron is 2-11-2 with a 3.22 goals-against average and a shutout in 17 games -- 15 starts.
Roloson, though, has emerged as the Islanders' No. 1 goaltender, winning his last two starts while stopping 62 of 65 shots.
He's 13-7-5 with a 2.83 GAA in 25 games, but has dropped three of his last five games against Columbus, while posting a 2.82 GAA.
The Blue Jackets will try to snap an 11-game road losing streak Tuesday night when they visit the last-place Islanders.
Columbus (14-18-7) ended a team-record nine-game losing streak Monday when Fredrik Modin scored off a rebound of his own shot 3:12 into overtime to clinch a 1-0 win over Detroit, splitting a home-and-home set after falling 2-1 at home on Saturday. The victory was just the Blue Jackets' third in 20 games (3-12-5), and first since a 3-0 win against Florida on Dec. 9.
"It feels good to get a win, finally," Modin said. "It's been a struggle. We've been trying to find our game here for a long period of time. This is definitely a step in the right direction."
The Blue Jackets will now try to carry some of that momentum into Nassau Coliseum, in an effort to halt a franchise record-tying 11-game road losing streak. They last endured a slide that long as visitors when they dropped the last eight of the 2001-02 season and the first three of 2002-03.
Columbus' current struggles have a lot to do with a lack of scoring. The team has scored one goal in each of the last three games, while failing to net more than three for 13 in a row, losing 12.
It hasn't done much better preventing goals, allowing a Western Conference-high 136.
Rick Nash, the team leader with 19 goals and 36 points, is having a tough time finding the net, scoring five goals in the last 20 games while managing just one shot on goal Monday. The All-Star left wing hasn't scored in three games against New York (15-18-7).
The Blue Jackets, though, have enjoyed great success against the Islanders, holding a 7-1-1 advantage with a tie in the all-time series. However, both losses have come at New York, including a 4-3 overtime defeat in their last visit on Nov. 3, 2008.
The Islanders are having their own offensive problems, ranking last in the NHL with 2.4 goals per game. They've been outscored 40-21 while going 4-8-0 over the last 12 contests, getting shut out twice.
New York struggled offensively again Sunday, falling 2-1 at home to Philadelphia. The defeat was the 13th in a row to the Flyers, as the Islanders fell a point back of them into last place in the Atlantic Division.
"You try to just focus on doing what makes your team successful," right wing Trent Hunter told the team's official Web site. "You can't worry about rivalries and records. You just have to worry about the next game and worry about getting the two points."
Rookie John Tavares -- the team leader with 16 goals and 28 points -- has struggled lately, scoring one goal in his last nine games for his only point in that span.
Dwayne Roloson will likely be back in net after being rested in favor of Martin Biron, who made 28 saves to lose his sixth consecutive start.
Biron is 2-11-2 with a 3.22 goals-against average and a shutout in 17 games -- 15 starts.
Roloson, though, has emerged as the Islanders' No. 1 goaltender, winning his last two starts while stopping 62 of 65 shots.
He's 13-7-5 with a 2.83 GAA in 25 games, but has dropped three of his last five games against Columbus, while posting a 2.82 GAA.
Online Watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs Washington Wizards Live Stream Oklahoma City Thunder vs Washington Wizards NBA Youtube video Basketball The Oklahoma City Thunder won eight times on the road all of last season. They have a chance to surpass that total before the New Year.
The Thunder seek their fourth straight victory overall and third in a row over the Washington Wizards when they conclude a quick two-game road trip Tuesday night.
After relocating from Seattle, the Thunder went 8-33 on the road last season en route to a 23-59 overall finish.
Sparked by Kevin Durant's season high-tying 40 points and 19 from former Nets center Nenad Krstic, Oklahoma City (16-14) improved to 8-7 away from home with Monday's 105-89 victory over New Jersey. It also gave the Thunder their first three-game winning streak of 2009-10.
The Oklahoma City franchise has not won four in a row since the Seattle SuperSonics did it April 2-9, 2006.
"I was so pleased with the how we played in the fourth quarter," Durant said after the Thunder held the Nets to 13 points in the final 12 minutes. "No matter if I got 40 or not, we played so hard in the fourth and limited their touches, limited them to one shot and out and we got some easy baskets. That was a great effort in the fourth."
Oklahoma CIty improved to 13-2 when holding the opponent to fewer than 100 points.
"That's what we are," said Thunder coach Scott Brooks, whose club may face a challenge by a Wizards team averaging 106.2 points in five home games this month. "When we defend it gives us a chance to win, and Kevin was really good."
Durant, averaging 28.2 points, scored 35 and Russell Westbrook added 26 with seven assists in a 127-108 victory over the visiting Wizards on Nov. 20 -- an effort that remains the highest scoring output for the Thunder since the franchise moved.
While Oklahoma City needs one victory in its next two games to ensure a winning record through December for the first time since 2004-05, Washington (10-19) keeps falling further below .500.
The Wizards dropped the final two games of their just-completed three-game trip. They rallied from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit but fell 116-111 in overtime to Memphis on Monday night.
Gilbert Arenas had 30 points and tied a season high with five 3-pointers, and Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler added 24 points apiece, but the Wizards fell nine games below .500 to match their low-water mark of the season.
"We just couldn't get a break," said Arenas, who committed 18 turnovers on the road trip. "We are just not getting the breaks that we need. They are all going against us."
After missing both games against Oklahoma City last season due to injury, Arenas had 23 points and eight assists in last month's loss.
Jamison scored 29 points while teammate Andray Blatche had 19 and a career-high 15 rebounds in the Thunder's last visit to the Verizon Center, a 104-95 Wizards victory Dec. 27 last season.
Westbrook is averaging 19.0 points, 7.7 assists and 5.0 boards during the Thunder's current winning streak.
Oklahoma City has won eight straight games versus teams with sub-.500 records.
The Thunder seek their fourth straight victory overall and third in a row over the Washington Wizards when they conclude a quick two-game road trip Tuesday night.
After relocating from Seattle, the Thunder went 8-33 on the road last season en route to a 23-59 overall finish.
Sparked by Kevin Durant's season high-tying 40 points and 19 from former Nets center Nenad Krstic, Oklahoma City (16-14) improved to 8-7 away from home with Monday's 105-89 victory over New Jersey. It also gave the Thunder their first three-game winning streak of 2009-10.
The Oklahoma City franchise has not won four in a row since the Seattle SuperSonics did it April 2-9, 2006.
"I was so pleased with the how we played in the fourth quarter," Durant said after the Thunder held the Nets to 13 points in the final 12 minutes. "No matter if I got 40 or not, we played so hard in the fourth and limited their touches, limited them to one shot and out and we got some easy baskets. That was a great effort in the fourth."
Oklahoma CIty improved to 13-2 when holding the opponent to fewer than 100 points.
"That's what we are," said Thunder coach Scott Brooks, whose club may face a challenge by a Wizards team averaging 106.2 points in five home games this month. "When we defend it gives us a chance to win, and Kevin was really good."
Durant, averaging 28.2 points, scored 35 and Russell Westbrook added 26 with seven assists in a 127-108 victory over the visiting Wizards on Nov. 20 -- an effort that remains the highest scoring output for the Thunder since the franchise moved.
While Oklahoma City needs one victory in its next two games to ensure a winning record through December for the first time since 2004-05, Washington (10-19) keeps falling further below .500.
The Wizards dropped the final two games of their just-completed three-game trip. They rallied from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit but fell 116-111 in overtime to Memphis on Monday night.
Gilbert Arenas had 30 points and tied a season high with five 3-pointers, and Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler added 24 points apiece, but the Wizards fell nine games below .500 to match their low-water mark of the season.
"We just couldn't get a break," said Arenas, who committed 18 turnovers on the road trip. "We are just not getting the breaks that we need. They are all going against us."
After missing both games against Oklahoma City last season due to injury, Arenas had 23 points and eight assists in last month's loss.
Jamison scored 29 points while teammate Andray Blatche had 19 and a career-high 15 rebounds in the Thunder's last visit to the Verizon Center, a 104-95 Wizards victory Dec. 27 last season.
Westbrook is averaging 19.0 points, 7.7 assists and 5.0 boards during the Thunder's current winning streak.
Oklahoma City has won eight straight games versus teams with sub-.500 records.
Online Watch Cleveland Cavaliers vs Atlanta Hawks Live Stream Cleveland Cavaliers vs Atlanta Hawks NBA Youtube video Basketball highlights Review A perfect four-game stretch against Western Conference opponents has let LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers serve notice that defense is still their top priority.
The Atlanta Hawks don't need a reminder.
Suffocating defense keyed the Cavaliers' playoff sweep of Atlanta last spring, and they'll look to continue that dominance Tuesday night to win their seventh straight over the Hawks as the teams open a home-and-home series at Philips Arena.
Cleveland (24-8) allowed a league-low 91.4 points per game last season and held opponents to 43.1 percent shooting en route to a 66-16 record.
The Cavaliers have yielded an average of 93.9 points while lowering their opponents' field-goal percentage (43.0) this season, but they've taken their defense up a notch over the past week. Cleveland closed a four-game western road trip with a 102-87 win over the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas, then returned home Sunday with a 108-83 victory over Houston.
The Rockets shot 32.9 percent -- the lowest of any Cavaliers opponent this season -- after the Lakers were limited to 36.5 percent against them. The four-game win streak started in Phoenix with Cleveland holding the league's highest-scoring team to 91 points, then the Cavs held Sacramento scoreless in overtime two nights later.
They've outscored their past four opponents by an average of 17.7 points while limiting them to 40.4 percent shooting.
"(Defense) is our staple. That's something I've been stressing for the last few weeks," said James, averaging 29.5 points during the past four wins. "We'll make our mark with the defensive end, then the offense will take care of itself because we have enough scorers."
Atlanta (21-8) has seen enough of what the Cavaliers can do defensively. After averaging 94.0 points in losing three of four to Cleveland in the 2008-09 regular season, the Hawks were held to 78.3 points and 38.5 percent shooting in the Eastern Conference semifinals and lost four straight to the Cavs by an average of 18.0 points.
Cleveland has won three in a row at Philips Arena -- including two playoff victories -- but Atlanta is 12-2 there this season and has won its last four at home by 21.0 points per game.
The Hawks have been far less consistent away from home, but they capped a 2-2 road trip with a 110-98 victory at Indiana on Saturday. Four Hawks scored at least 19 points, led by 25 from Al Horford, who also had 19 rebounds and five blocks.
"I'm not saying we're an elite team, but we're a team I know that if we come committed to play, for 48 minutes, we can beat anyone in this league," coach Mike Woodson said. "We've got to go home now and handle our business. We've got Cleveland coming in and they're playing pretty well and this is a good win for us to go back home again."
Horford, who has averaged just 7.7 points and 8.4 rebounds in 10 games versus Cleveland, was held to 10 points in three playoff games against the Cavaliers while nursing a sprained ankle.
James, meanwhile, averaged 33.8 points during the series, but perhaps Mo Williams should concern Atlanta nearly as much.
Williams scored at least 20 points in each of Cleveland's regular-season meetings with Atlanta last season, just as he's done during the Cavaliers' four-game winning streak.
Cleveland is 21-3 when Williams scores at least 13 points, and 14-1 when he hits three 3-pointers.
The Atlanta Hawks don't need a reminder.
Suffocating defense keyed the Cavaliers' playoff sweep of Atlanta last spring, and they'll look to continue that dominance Tuesday night to win their seventh straight over the Hawks as the teams open a home-and-home series at Philips Arena.
Cleveland (24-8) allowed a league-low 91.4 points per game last season and held opponents to 43.1 percent shooting en route to a 66-16 record.
The Cavaliers have yielded an average of 93.9 points while lowering their opponents' field-goal percentage (43.0) this season, but they've taken their defense up a notch over the past week. Cleveland closed a four-game western road trip with a 102-87 win over the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas, then returned home Sunday with a 108-83 victory over Houston.
The Rockets shot 32.9 percent -- the lowest of any Cavaliers opponent this season -- after the Lakers were limited to 36.5 percent against them. The four-game win streak started in Phoenix with Cleveland holding the league's highest-scoring team to 91 points, then the Cavs held Sacramento scoreless in overtime two nights later.
They've outscored their past four opponents by an average of 17.7 points while limiting them to 40.4 percent shooting.
"(Defense) is our staple. That's something I've been stressing for the last few weeks," said James, averaging 29.5 points during the past four wins. "We'll make our mark with the defensive end, then the offense will take care of itself because we have enough scorers."
Atlanta (21-8) has seen enough of what the Cavaliers can do defensively. After averaging 94.0 points in losing three of four to Cleveland in the 2008-09 regular season, the Hawks were held to 78.3 points and 38.5 percent shooting in the Eastern Conference semifinals and lost four straight to the Cavs by an average of 18.0 points.
Cleveland has won three in a row at Philips Arena -- including two playoff victories -- but Atlanta is 12-2 there this season and has won its last four at home by 21.0 points per game.
The Hawks have been far less consistent away from home, but they capped a 2-2 road trip with a 110-98 victory at Indiana on Saturday. Four Hawks scored at least 19 points, led by 25 from Al Horford, who also had 19 rebounds and five blocks.
"I'm not saying we're an elite team, but we're a team I know that if we come committed to play, for 48 minutes, we can beat anyone in this league," coach Mike Woodson said. "We've got to go home now and handle our business. We've got Cleveland coming in and they're playing pretty well and this is a good win for us to go back home again."
Horford, who has averaged just 7.7 points and 8.4 rebounds in 10 games versus Cleveland, was held to 10 points in three playoff games against the Cavaliers while nursing a sprained ankle.
James, meanwhile, averaged 33.8 points during the series, but perhaps Mo Williams should concern Atlanta nearly as much.
Williams scored at least 20 points in each of Cleveland's regular-season meetings with Atlanta last season, just as he's done during the Cavaliers' four-game winning streak.
Cleveland is 21-3 when Williams scores at least 13 points, and 14-1 when he hits three 3-pointers.
Online Watch Cercle Brugge vs Standard de Liege Live Stream Cercle Brugge vs Standard de Liege Belgian Jupiler League Youtube video Soccer A sold out Jules Ottenstadion will see its second big game in a week as the champions Standard Liege travel to Gent to face their title-winning coach Michel Preud’homme.
Both sides go into this game on the back of important league wins before the international break, Gent in Charleroi, and Standard in the table-topping clash against Club Brugge.
Gent will be looking to consolidate their place in the top six, whilst Les Rouches in third spot aim to keep up the pressure on Anderlecht and Club Brugge.
The major doubts for the Buffaloes are left-back Kenny Thompson, attacker Stijn de Smet and Adekambi Olufade. Christophe Lepoint is fit.
Though Standard have been somewhat decimated through injury, coach, Boloni Laszlo will not risk star striker Igor De Camargo, who was unable to turn out for Belgium due to a persistent toe problem. Though central defender Mohamed Sarr also misses out, Wilfried Dalmat faces a late fitness test to determine his participation.
The man to watch will be Milan Jovanovic, the league’s top scorer with nine goals. His whose crucial brace put Club Brugge to the sword in Sclessin in Round 14.
Prediction: Gent looked good against Charleroi, with runners from midfield and movement among the strikers, but the reigning title holders should have too much for the home side. 1-2
Anderlecht v Roeselare
This match brings together the top and bottom sides in the league, with Paars-Wit looking to make sure they don’t relinquish first place.
Les Mauves recorded a routine 2-0 win in Genk and sit two points clear of Brugge and seven ahead of Standard.
Although 22 points separate these two teams, Roeselare will go in to the game with some confidence from their surprising 2-0 win against in-form Zulte Waregem.
RSCA again have doubts over the fitness of Hungarian centre-back Juhasz Roland, who was the victim of a hard tackle in training from Arnold Kruiswijk, but star player Mbark Boussoufa managed to shake off a knock to his knee.
All eyes will be on Romelu Lukaku after his non-call up to the national side. Don’t bet against a goal from the young sensation.
For Roeselare, Samir El Gaaouiri and Arne Vanneste are doubts but should play. Damir Mirvic has returned from international duty fully fit.
Prediction: Roeselare to give a spirited account of themselves, but RSCA to coast home in the end. 3-0
Westerlo v Lokeren
Twelfth placed Westerlo will be looking to channel their last-minute heartbreak against Cercle Brugge into three points at home to fellow strugglers Lokeren, whose scoreless draw with Kortrijk was most certainly not one for the footballing purist.
The away side are sitting second bottom, just two points off the basement and need to improve on their away record this season, which has seen them win just one from six, with five defeats.
Westerlo will be thankful that their loanee from Anderlecht, Oleksandr Yakovenko, has recovered from a hamstring injury and will line up alongside Adnan Mravac, who was in the Bosnian squad for the World Cup play-offs. Rachid Farssi is doubtful with a groin strain.
Lokeren have concerns over Tiko and Mario Carevic, who are in light training, but goalkeeper Copa should take his place in goal. Dieter Dekelver is the top scorer from either side with five goals this term and he’s the man to watch.
Prediction: The creative presence of Yakovenko allied to Lokeren’s miserable away record leads me to predict a home win. 2-0.
Both sides go into this game on the back of important league wins before the international break, Gent in Charleroi, and Standard in the table-topping clash against Club Brugge.
Gent will be looking to consolidate their place in the top six, whilst Les Rouches in third spot aim to keep up the pressure on Anderlecht and Club Brugge.
The major doubts for the Buffaloes are left-back Kenny Thompson, attacker Stijn de Smet and Adekambi Olufade. Christophe Lepoint is fit.
Though Standard have been somewhat decimated through injury, coach, Boloni Laszlo will not risk star striker Igor De Camargo, who was unable to turn out for Belgium due to a persistent toe problem. Though central defender Mohamed Sarr also misses out, Wilfried Dalmat faces a late fitness test to determine his participation.
The man to watch will be Milan Jovanovic, the league’s top scorer with nine goals. His whose crucial brace put Club Brugge to the sword in Sclessin in Round 14.
Prediction: Gent looked good against Charleroi, with runners from midfield and movement among the strikers, but the reigning title holders should have too much for the home side. 1-2
Anderlecht v Roeselare
This match brings together the top and bottom sides in the league, with Paars-Wit looking to make sure they don’t relinquish first place.
Les Mauves recorded a routine 2-0 win in Genk and sit two points clear of Brugge and seven ahead of Standard.
Although 22 points separate these two teams, Roeselare will go in to the game with some confidence from their surprising 2-0 win against in-form Zulte Waregem.
RSCA again have doubts over the fitness of Hungarian centre-back Juhasz Roland, who was the victim of a hard tackle in training from Arnold Kruiswijk, but star player Mbark Boussoufa managed to shake off a knock to his knee.
All eyes will be on Romelu Lukaku after his non-call up to the national side. Don’t bet against a goal from the young sensation.
For Roeselare, Samir El Gaaouiri and Arne Vanneste are doubts but should play. Damir Mirvic has returned from international duty fully fit.
Prediction: Roeselare to give a spirited account of themselves, but RSCA to coast home in the end. 3-0
Westerlo v Lokeren
Twelfth placed Westerlo will be looking to channel their last-minute heartbreak against Cercle Brugge into three points at home to fellow strugglers Lokeren, whose scoreless draw with Kortrijk was most certainly not one for the footballing purist.
The away side are sitting second bottom, just two points off the basement and need to improve on their away record this season, which has seen them win just one from six, with five defeats.
Westerlo will be thankful that their loanee from Anderlecht, Oleksandr Yakovenko, has recovered from a hamstring injury and will line up alongside Adnan Mravac, who was in the Bosnian squad for the World Cup play-offs. Rachid Farssi is doubtful with a groin strain.
Lokeren have concerns over Tiko and Mario Carevic, who are in light training, but goalkeeper Copa should take his place in goal. Dieter Dekelver is the top scorer from either side with five goals this term and he’s the man to watch.
Prediction: The creative presence of Yakovenko allied to Lokeren’s miserable away record leads me to predict a home win. 2-0.
Online Watch Bolton v Hull Live Stream Bolton v Hull EPL Youtube video Soccer highlights Review Schedule result Game Barclays Premier League Venue: Reebok Stadium Date: Tuesday, 29 December Kick-off: 2000 GMT Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live, local radio & full match commentary on 5 Live sports extra Bolton are boosted by the return of Fabrice Muamba after he missed the draw with Burnley through suspension.
However, fellow midfielder Gavin McCann is again likely to miss out as he continues to recover from the ankle injury he sustained earlier this month. Seyi Olofinjana is available for Hull, having been allowed to delay his departure to the Africa Cup of Nations.
Geovanni and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink are doubtful with knee and shoulder injuries respectively.
MATCH PREVIEW
Bolton manager Gary Megson has been encouraged by his side's efforts in recent weeks, having quietly put together a three-match unbeaten run. Even though they remain in the relegation zone, he is convinced that they have turned the corner. Megson acknowledged the Boxing Day draw at Burnley could prove to be a point gained come the end of the season, despite throwing away a 1-0 lead. With games coming thick and fast at this time of year, he has also praised the fighting qualities of his small squad, which has had 25 hours more recovery time than Hull for this game.
Bolton will always be a home from home for Hull boss Phil Brown. He spent the best part of 15 years with the club as a player, coach and assistant manager, and was part of the staff when the club moved from Burnden Park to the Reebok Stadium in 1997.
It was Hull's point at Bolton in the penultimate game of last season that effectively secured the Tigers' Premier League survival. That 1-1 draw at the Reebok Stadium proved to be the difference between Hull and Newcastle, as both lost their final league game.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head• Hull are looking for their first Premier League double of the season, having beaten Bolton 1-0 at the KC Stadium in August when Kamil Ghilas scored the only goal of the game.
• Hull's last win at Bolton was a 2-1 success in March 1935. They are winless in 17 trips since that day.
Bolton
• Bolton are the only side not to have kept a clean sheet in the Premier League this season. It is now 19 games since another top-flight side failed to score against them, when Sunderland drew 0-0 in May.
• The Trotters have conceded four goals in the opening five minutes of Premier League matches this season.
• Gary Megson's side have picked up only one point from eight games in which they have conceded the opening goal.
Hull
• Hull are winless in five matches, earning just two points. They have failed to score from open play in that time.
• They are yet to win away this season but have gained draws at both Manchester City and Wolves.
• Hull have the most porous defence in the division, conceding 40 goals in 19 matches.
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Phil Dowd Assistant referees: Shaun Procter-Green & David Coote
Fourth official: Howard Webb..
Online Watch Aston Villa v Liverpool Live Stream Aston Villa v Liverpool EPL Youtube video Soccer highlights Review Schedule result Game Barclays Premier League Venue: Villa Park Date: Tuesday, 29 December 2009 Kick-off: 1945 GMT Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live, local radio & Sky Sports 1 Aston Villa winger Ashley Young will miss his first league game of the season as he serves a one-match ban for picking up five bookings.
Emile Heskey is doubtful with a groin problem, so John Carew might start. Dirk Kuyt can expect a return to Liverpool's starting line-up, having been rested for the Boxing Day home win over Wolves.
Javier Mascherano is still suspended, so Alberto Aquilani could play for the second time in three days.
MATCH PREVIEW
Aston Villa's heavy defeat at Arsenal on Sunday was a rude awakening for a side that dares to dream of Champions League qualification. It ensured there would be no grand slam of victories for Villa over the established Big Four in the first half of the season. Nonetheless, they would surely settle for completing the league double over Liverpool, having won 3-1 at Anfield in August.
Liverpool can ill afford a repeat result, as it would leave them eight points adrift of Villa and struggling to deliver on their manager's extraordinary promise of a top-four finish.
The visitors boast an excellent record at Villa Park, where they are unbeaten since 1998. In fact, since that year, Villa have not won at home to Liverpool, Arsenal or Manchester United in the league.
Martin O'Neill's side have broken down several barriers in 2009, but ending their poor home record against the best sides could be key to them becoming one themselves.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head• Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 11 league visits to Villa (W6, D5) since a 2-1 defeat in February 1998. Villa only scored in four of those fixtures.
• Villa are vying to achieve the league double over Liverpool for the first time since the inaugural Premier League season in 1992/93.
Aston Villa
• Villa suffered their first league defeat in eight games at Arsenal on Sunday.
• That 3-0 loss at The Emirates was Villa's first defeat against a top-half side this season (W6, D2, L1).
• They have the second best defensive record in the top flight, conceding 17 goals compared to 15 by leaders Chelsea.
• Nigel Reo-Coker could make his 250th league appearance.
Liverpool
• Liverpool have already dropped 27 points this season, compared to 28 in the whole of last season.
• The Reds have won three of their last nine league games (W3, D3, L3) and mustered five victories out of 18 matches in all competitions, losing nine.
• They have lost four of their last six away games in the league, winning just once and scoring in only two of those games.
• Fernando Torres has scored 49 goals in 71 Premier League games and will become the fastest player ever to reach 50 league goals for Liverpool if he scores.
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Peter Walton Assistant referees: Nigel Bannister & Stuart Burt
Fourth official: Mike Jones
Online Watch Phoenix Coyotes vs San Jose Sharks Live Stream Phoenix Coyotes vs San Jose Sharks NHL Youtube video Hockey highlights Review The Phoenix Coyotes are one of the biggest reasons the San Jose Sharks haven't been able to pull away in the Pacific Division.
The surprising Coyotes get another chance to tighten the division race Monday night when they visit the Sharks.
Phoenix (24-13-2) might be the biggest surprise in the NHL after failing to reach the playoffs for six seasons in a row. The team is second in the Pacific, three points back of first-place San Jose (23-8-7), which won the division by 26 points and claimed its first Presidents' Trophy last season.
The Coyotes' revival has been aided by a nine-game home winning streak that includes Saturday's 3-2 victory over Los Angeles. The surge matches a franchise record set in 1992-93, when the team was the Winnipeg Jets.
Phoenix, however, is 9-8-2 on the road, winning four of the last 12 (4-6-2).
"We feel that if we play the way we're capable of playing we can beat anybody and that's a great feeling to have," captain Shane Doan said. "We feel that it doesn't matter what building we go in to, where we're playing or who we're playing. If we play our best game we can win."
The Coyotes have taken both meetings with the Sharks behind superb performances from Ilya Bryzgalov, who will likely be in net Monday.
He stopped 37 shots in a 2-1 home win Dec. 12 after making 26 saves in 1-0 shootout victory at San Jose on Oct. 12. That remains the only game in which the Sharks have been shut out this season.
Bryzgalov, who made 23 saves Saturday, is among the league leaders in wins (22), goals-against average (2.02), shutouts (five) and save percentage (.926). He has a 1.44 GAA in nine career games at San Jose.
The Sharks, who lead the Western Conference with 127 goals, will try to solve Bryzgalov and win their fifth straight after beating Anaheim 5-2 on Saturday behind two goals from Patrick Marleau.
They were the 300th and 301st career goals for Marleau, who has five goals and two assists in the last four games.
"He's playing great," San Jose center Joe Thornton said. "Three hundred goals is quite an accomplishment."
Marleau is among the league leaders with 25 goals and teammate Dany Heatley is not far behind with 23. Heatley has seven points in his last five games overall and has netted four goals in his last five games against Phoenix. Marleau, on the other hand, has been held to one goal in his past 18 games versus the Coyotes.
Evgeni Nabokov should get the start in net Monday. He's started each game of the winning streak, posting a 1.75 GAA and a .949 save percentage after making 30 saves Saturday.
One of his two shutouts this season came in a 30-save performance against Phoenix on Oct. 12, but he took the loss after giving up goals on two of three shootout attempts.
Backup Thomas Greiss started the Dec. 12 meeting, making 33 stops.
The surprising Coyotes get another chance to tighten the division race Monday night when they visit the Sharks.
Phoenix (24-13-2) might be the biggest surprise in the NHL after failing to reach the playoffs for six seasons in a row. The team is second in the Pacific, three points back of first-place San Jose (23-8-7), which won the division by 26 points and claimed its first Presidents' Trophy last season.
The Coyotes' revival has been aided by a nine-game home winning streak that includes Saturday's 3-2 victory over Los Angeles. The surge matches a franchise record set in 1992-93, when the team was the Winnipeg Jets.
Phoenix, however, is 9-8-2 on the road, winning four of the last 12 (4-6-2).
"We feel that if we play the way we're capable of playing we can beat anybody and that's a great feeling to have," captain Shane Doan said. "We feel that it doesn't matter what building we go in to, where we're playing or who we're playing. If we play our best game we can win."
The Coyotes have taken both meetings with the Sharks behind superb performances from Ilya Bryzgalov, who will likely be in net Monday.
He stopped 37 shots in a 2-1 home win Dec. 12 after making 26 saves in 1-0 shootout victory at San Jose on Oct. 12. That remains the only game in which the Sharks have been shut out this season.
Bryzgalov, who made 23 saves Saturday, is among the league leaders in wins (22), goals-against average (2.02), shutouts (five) and save percentage (.926). He has a 1.44 GAA in nine career games at San Jose.
The Sharks, who lead the Western Conference with 127 goals, will try to solve Bryzgalov and win their fifth straight after beating Anaheim 5-2 on Saturday behind two goals from Patrick Marleau.
They were the 300th and 301st career goals for Marleau, who has five goals and two assists in the last four games.
"He's playing great," San Jose center Joe Thornton said. "Three hundred goals is quite an accomplishment."
Marleau is among the league leaders with 25 goals and teammate Dany Heatley is not far behind with 23. Heatley has seven points in his last five games overall and has netted four goals in his last five games against Phoenix. Marleau, on the other hand, has been held to one goal in his past 18 games versus the Coyotes.
Evgeni Nabokov should get the start in net Monday. He's started each game of the winning streak, posting a 1.75 GAA and a .949 save percentage after making 30 saves Saturday.
One of his two shutouts this season came in a 30-save performance against Phoenix on Oct. 12, but he took the loss after giving up goals on two of three shootout attempts.
Backup Thomas Greiss started the Dec. 12 meeting, making 33 stops.
Online Watch Minnesota Wild vs Los Angeles Kings Live Stream Minnesota Wild vs Los Angeles Kings NHL Youtube video Hockey highlights Review Just when the Los Angeles Kings started getting healthy again, the injury bug came back to bite them once more.
On Monday night, they'll try to withstand the loss of Justin Williams and continue their success against the Minnesota Wild.
The Kings (22-13-3) welcomed back forwards Ryan Smyth and Wayne Simmonds, but fell 3-2 at Phoenix on Saturday following an eight-day break to conclude a 1-3-0 road trip.
Los Angeles may have suffered an even bigger blow when Williams broke his right leg early in the first period. The Coyotes' Ed Jovanovski spun off a check from center Anze Kopitar to hit Williams and both players fell on him.
Williams -- one of six players on the club with at least 24 points -- fell backward with his leg trapped underneath his torso.
"When he was coming in front of the bench, on the stretcher, pulling his hair, he was hurting," coach Terry Murray told the Kings' official Web site of Williams. "He was hurting a lot."
Williams has twice torn knee ligaments, torn an Achilles tendon and has broken his hand and wrist in an injury-filled nine-year career.
Now, the Kings are going to need more from Kopitar, their top scorer with 16 goals and 39 points. Though he's had just two goals in the last 20 games, Kopitar has posted nine assists over that stretch, including one Saturday.
Kopitar has been a big part of Los Angeles' five-game winning streak against Minnesota (19-16-3), getting four goals and two assists. He had three points in a 6-3 win at Staples Center on Oct. 8.
The Kings have taken the last three home meetings with the Wild and are 10-4-2 in Los Angeles, winning five of the last six (5-0-1).
Minnesota is getting strong play from left wing Guillaume Latendresse, who has four goals in his last four games after scoring two in Saturday's 4-3 victory over St. Louis.
Acquired Nov. 23 from Montreal for Benoit Pouliot, Latendresse has six goals in 13 games for the Wild, who are 11-2-0 with the 22-year-old in the lineup.
He scored 46 goals in his first three seasons in Montreal, but found the net only twice in 23 games before the deal.
"I didn't have a lot of ice time. I was a third-line or fourth-line player playing maybe 10 minutes a game. I was averaging 15 goals a year," Latendresse said. "Here I get the opportunity to play with some great players. I get a lot of ice time, so I'm happy to have the opportunity to produce."
Niklas Backstrom will likely be in net after making 18 saves against the Blues to win for the sixth time in eight games, while posting a 1.87 goals-against average and a shutout.
He's 0-2-1 with a 3.10 GAA in his last four meetings with the Kings, getting pulled midway through the second period after allowing three goals on 13 shots in a 4-3 loss at Los Angeles on March 7.
Backup Josh Harding wasn't much better in the matchup earlier this season, surrendering six goals on 23 shots.
On Monday night, they'll try to withstand the loss of Justin Williams and continue their success against the Minnesota Wild.
The Kings (22-13-3) welcomed back forwards Ryan Smyth and Wayne Simmonds, but fell 3-2 at Phoenix on Saturday following an eight-day break to conclude a 1-3-0 road trip.
Los Angeles may have suffered an even bigger blow when Williams broke his right leg early in the first period. The Coyotes' Ed Jovanovski spun off a check from center Anze Kopitar to hit Williams and both players fell on him.
Williams -- one of six players on the club with at least 24 points -- fell backward with his leg trapped underneath his torso.
"When he was coming in front of the bench, on the stretcher, pulling his hair, he was hurting," coach Terry Murray told the Kings' official Web site of Williams. "He was hurting a lot."
Williams has twice torn knee ligaments, torn an Achilles tendon and has broken his hand and wrist in an injury-filled nine-year career.
Now, the Kings are going to need more from Kopitar, their top scorer with 16 goals and 39 points. Though he's had just two goals in the last 20 games, Kopitar has posted nine assists over that stretch, including one Saturday.
Kopitar has been a big part of Los Angeles' five-game winning streak against Minnesota (19-16-3), getting four goals and two assists. He had three points in a 6-3 win at Staples Center on Oct. 8.
The Kings have taken the last three home meetings with the Wild and are 10-4-2 in Los Angeles, winning five of the last six (5-0-1).
Minnesota is getting strong play from left wing Guillaume Latendresse, who has four goals in his last four games after scoring two in Saturday's 4-3 victory over St. Louis.
Acquired Nov. 23 from Montreal for Benoit Pouliot, Latendresse has six goals in 13 games for the Wild, who are 11-2-0 with the 22-year-old in the lineup.
He scored 46 goals in his first three seasons in Montreal, but found the net only twice in 23 games before the deal.
"I didn't have a lot of ice time. I was a third-line or fourth-line player playing maybe 10 minutes a game. I was averaging 15 goals a year," Latendresse said. "Here I get the opportunity to play with some great players. I get a lot of ice time, so I'm happy to have the opportunity to produce."
Niklas Backstrom will likely be in net after making 18 saves against the Blues to win for the sixth time in eight games, while posting a 1.87 goals-against average and a shutout.
He's 0-2-1 with a 3.10 GAA in his last four meetings with the Kings, getting pulled midway through the second period after allowing three goals on 13 shots in a 4-3 loss at Los Angeles on March 7.
Backup Josh Harding wasn't much better in the matchup earlier this season, surrendering six goals on 23 shots.
Online Watch Calgary Flames vs Edmonton Oilers Live Stream Calgary Flames vs Edmonton Oilers NHL Youtube video Hockey highlights Review Schedule The latest edition of the "Battle of Alberta" will feature two struggling teams.
The Calgary Flames will try to avoid a fourth straight loss Monday night when they visit the Edmonton Oilers, who are mired in a six-game skid and have a Western Conference-low 34 points.
Calgary (20-12-5) and Edmonton (15-19-4) are both playing poorly, with the Flames 1-4-2 in their last seven games and the Oilers losing every contest in regulation since Dec. 11.
The Flames have scored 13 goals in their last seven games, while the Oilers have totaled 11 during their six-game slide.
Calgary has won all three meetings with its provincial rival in 2009-10, with Miikka Kiprusoff in net for each of them. Kiprusoff is 7-3-0 with a 2.10 GAA in his last 10 road starts against the Oilers.
Kiprusoff, though, was pulled after allowing four goals on 13 shots in the first period of Sunday's 5-1 home loss to Vancouver. Curtis McElhinney made 15 saves in the final two periods.
It was an inauspicious beginning to a stretch of four games in five nights for Calgary. Asked to identify his biggest areas of concern, coach Brent Sutter fired back with a stern, "none of your business."
"I have a few concerns that are certainly very noticeable and you can't hide it," Sutter said. "It's got absolutely nothing to do with systems, absolutely nothing. It's other things that we have to deal with and we're going to. Whether it's liked or not, it's going to be dealt with."
Jarome Iginla scored his team-high 20th goal Sunday, but has gone five straight road games without a goal and may be hard-pressed to end that drought in this contest. Iginla has one goal in his last nine games at Edmonton, and has not scored in the last five meetings with the Oilers regardless of the venue.
Poor special teams play is plaguing the Oilers, who have allowed seven power-play goals while scoring none over their last three losses. Edmonton fell 4-1 to Vancouver on Saturday, allowing power-play goals 18 seconds apart in the second period when the Canucks had a 5-on-3 advantage.
"We've played well most games and our special teams has been the problem," captain Ethan Moreau said. "But I guess that's fixable, you can work on those things. But you can't work on energy and preparation, which we've done a very good job on."
Edmonton spent most of Sunday's practice working on fixing the special teams woes. The Oilers have three goals in their last 35 power-play chances.
"It's hard to make mistakes when you're in the rut we are," said center Ryan Potulny, whose seventh goal was the only Edmonton offense Saturday. "It seems like every mistake we make somehow gets in the back of the net or we make too many mistakes."
The Oilers haven't fared well against the Flames' power play this season, allowing four goals in 10 opportunities. Flames winger David Moss has three goals in the season series -- two on the man advantage.
Edmonton has not lost seven straight since a nine-game skid Feb. 25-March 15, 2007.
The Calgary Flames will try to avoid a fourth straight loss Monday night when they visit the Edmonton Oilers, who are mired in a six-game skid and have a Western Conference-low 34 points.
Calgary (20-12-5) and Edmonton (15-19-4) are both playing poorly, with the Flames 1-4-2 in their last seven games and the Oilers losing every contest in regulation since Dec. 11.
The Flames have scored 13 goals in their last seven games, while the Oilers have totaled 11 during their six-game slide.
Calgary has won all three meetings with its provincial rival in 2009-10, with Miikka Kiprusoff in net for each of them. Kiprusoff is 7-3-0 with a 2.10 GAA in his last 10 road starts against the Oilers.
Kiprusoff, though, was pulled after allowing four goals on 13 shots in the first period of Sunday's 5-1 home loss to Vancouver. Curtis McElhinney made 15 saves in the final two periods.
It was an inauspicious beginning to a stretch of four games in five nights for Calgary. Asked to identify his biggest areas of concern, coach Brent Sutter fired back with a stern, "none of your business."
"I have a few concerns that are certainly very noticeable and you can't hide it," Sutter said. "It's got absolutely nothing to do with systems, absolutely nothing. It's other things that we have to deal with and we're going to. Whether it's liked or not, it's going to be dealt with."
Jarome Iginla scored his team-high 20th goal Sunday, but has gone five straight road games without a goal and may be hard-pressed to end that drought in this contest. Iginla has one goal in his last nine games at Edmonton, and has not scored in the last five meetings with the Oilers regardless of the venue.
Poor special teams play is plaguing the Oilers, who have allowed seven power-play goals while scoring none over their last three losses. Edmonton fell 4-1 to Vancouver on Saturday, allowing power-play goals 18 seconds apart in the second period when the Canucks had a 5-on-3 advantage.
"We've played well most games and our special teams has been the problem," captain Ethan Moreau said. "But I guess that's fixable, you can work on those things. But you can't work on energy and preparation, which we've done a very good job on."
Edmonton spent most of Sunday's practice working on fixing the special teams woes. The Oilers have three goals in their last 35 power-play chances.
"It's hard to make mistakes when you're in the rut we are," said center Ryan Potulny, whose seventh goal was the only Edmonton offense Saturday. "It seems like every mistake we make somehow gets in the back of the net or we make too many mistakes."
The Oilers haven't fared well against the Flames' power play this season, allowing four goals in 10 opportunities. Flames winger David Moss has three goals in the season series -- two on the man advantage.
Edmonton has not lost seven straight since a nine-game skid Feb. 25-March 15, 2007.
Online Watch Montreal Canadiens vs Ottawa Senators Live Stream Montreal Canadiens vs Ottawa Senators NHL Youtube video Hockey highlights Review The Ottawa Senators are still getting used to life without any of the three forwards who had led their offense for several seasons.
Now, they'll likely have to find a way to score on perhaps the NHL's hottest goalie.
Thanks to the stellar goaltending of Jaroslav Halak, the Montreal Canadiens will be seeking their season-high fifth straight victory Monday night at Ottawa as they continue a seven-game road trip.
Dany Heatley, Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza had been Ottawa's three leading scorers each season since the 2004-05 NHL lockout. The Senators traded Heatley to San Jose in the offseason, Spezza injured his right knee earlier this month and could miss eight weeks, and Ottawa played without Alfredsson for the first time Saturday after he began what is likely to be a month-long recovery from a separated shoulder.
Ottawa (19-15-4) still won 3-2 in a shootout at Buffalo, avoiding a third straight defeat thanks to goals from unlikely sources. After Chris Neil's fifth goal of the season, Ryan Shannon scored his first. Former Canadiens forward Alex Kovalev and Mike Fisher found the back of the net in the tiebreaker.
"It was a different day today," said goalie Pascal Leclaire, who was playing his second game since missing a month due to a fractured cheekbone. "With our key guys missing, we obviously have to step up a little bit. Everybody goes through it, but it's up to the guys that are playing to raise our game a little bit."
Halak has certainly played at a higher level lately, taking Montreal's starting job from Carey Price thanks to some stellar play on this trip. He has faced an average of 46.5 shots in four consecutive victories, stopping 180 of 186 for a 1.48 goals-against average.
Halak made 47 saves to propel the Canadiens to a 3-2 overtime win over Toronto on Saturday night.
"I think he's probably at his best so far this year," Montreal coach Jacques Martin said. "He seems to be in a zone and has made a lot of excellent saves."
The Canadiens are on the cusp of their first five-game winning streak since Oct. 11-20, 2008. They haven't won five straight road games since a run that spanned New Year's Day 1998.
They'll help their cause if they can take some of the pressure off Halak. Montreal is allowing 32.6 shots on goal per game this season, third-most in the league. The Canadiens were outshot 33-13 in the final two periods of regulation Saturday.
"I think we stopped skating," center Tomas Plekanec said. "We didn't skate at all, we were just watching. We've got to be better. It's great we got two points, we found a way to win in the overtime, but we can't be satisfied with how we played in the second and third period."
The Canadiens used a similar formula to win 4-1 in Ottawa on Dec. 8. The Senators outshot Montreal 46-27 in that game but Halak made 45 saves.
"He was the reason we won the game ... for sure," Montreal left wing Mike Cammalleri said after that victory, which was just one of two losses for the Senators in their last 10 home games.
Ottawa is 13-5-3 at Scotiabank Place.
Now, they'll likely have to find a way to score on perhaps the NHL's hottest goalie.
Thanks to the stellar goaltending of Jaroslav Halak, the Montreal Canadiens will be seeking their season-high fifth straight victory Monday night at Ottawa as they continue a seven-game road trip.
Dany Heatley, Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza had been Ottawa's three leading scorers each season since the 2004-05 NHL lockout. The Senators traded Heatley to San Jose in the offseason, Spezza injured his right knee earlier this month and could miss eight weeks, and Ottawa played without Alfredsson for the first time Saturday after he began what is likely to be a month-long recovery from a separated shoulder.
Ottawa (19-15-4) still won 3-2 in a shootout at Buffalo, avoiding a third straight defeat thanks to goals from unlikely sources. After Chris Neil's fifth goal of the season, Ryan Shannon scored his first. Former Canadiens forward Alex Kovalev and Mike Fisher found the back of the net in the tiebreaker.
"It was a different day today," said goalie Pascal Leclaire, who was playing his second game since missing a month due to a fractured cheekbone. "With our key guys missing, we obviously have to step up a little bit. Everybody goes through it, but it's up to the guys that are playing to raise our game a little bit."
Halak has certainly played at a higher level lately, taking Montreal's starting job from Carey Price thanks to some stellar play on this trip. He has faced an average of 46.5 shots in four consecutive victories, stopping 180 of 186 for a 1.48 goals-against average.
Halak made 47 saves to propel the Canadiens to a 3-2 overtime win over Toronto on Saturday night.
"I think he's probably at his best so far this year," Montreal coach Jacques Martin said. "He seems to be in a zone and has made a lot of excellent saves."
The Canadiens are on the cusp of their first five-game winning streak since Oct. 11-20, 2008. They haven't won five straight road games since a run that spanned New Year's Day 1998.
They'll help their cause if they can take some of the pressure off Halak. Montreal is allowing 32.6 shots on goal per game this season, third-most in the league. The Canadiens were outshot 33-13 in the final two periods of regulation Saturday.
"I think we stopped skating," center Tomas Plekanec said. "We didn't skate at all, we were just watching. We've got to be better. It's great we got two points, we found a way to win in the overtime, but we can't be satisfied with how we played in the second and third period."
The Canadiens used a similar formula to win 4-1 in Ottawa on Dec. 8. The Senators outshot Montreal 46-27 in that game but Halak made 45 saves.
"He was the reason we won the game ... for sure," Montreal left wing Mike Cammalleri said after that victory, which was just one of two losses for the Senators in their last 10 home games.
Ottawa is 13-5-3 at Scotiabank Place.
Online Watch Boston Bruins vs Tampa Bay Lightning Live Stream Boston Bruins vs Tampa Bay Lightning NHL Youtube video Hockey highlights Review Lengthy winning streaks were a hallmark of the Boston Bruins' success last season, but they've been mostly lacking throughout the team's inconsistent start.
The Bruins hope to change that with their current run, which would extend to four and match their longest of the season with a road victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night.
Boston won at least five straight four different times during its ascent to the top of the Eastern Conference in 2008-09, including a 10-game winning streak in late December one year ago.
A lack of scoring has been the primary factor preventing the Bruins (19-11-7) from similar results, but they went 3 of 5 on the power play during a 6-4 win over Atlanta on Wednesday.
They came out of the Christmas break with a more defensive-minded effort in a 2-1 win at Florida on Sunday as Tim Thomas stopped 25 shots while making his third straight start.
Boston has won all three of those games, pulling into fifth place in the East. It continues to play some of the league's best defense, allowing 2.3 goals per game to rank fifth.
"It was just a matter of time. Our team is starting to gel a little bit," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "We've had some new faces in our line-up, but I think we're starting to understand the concept of what we're looking for and just try to keep getting better."
The Bruins have also dealt with injuries, but defenseman Derek Morris returned against the Panthers after missing three games with an undisclosed injury, and standout left wing Milan Lucic could play for the first time since before Thanksgiving in Friday's Winter Classic at Fenway Park.
First, they'll try for a repeat of their last game against the Lightning, who lost 4-1 in Boston on Dec. 2. Marco Sturm, who had the game-winner Sunday at Florida, scored twice against Tampa Bay.
That defeat was part of a woeful 1-8-2 stretch for the Lightning (14-15-9), but they have since won three of four, beating the Thrashers 4-3 on Saturday. Vincent Lecavalier had three assists, giving him a total of one goal and six assists in the last four games.
"Vinny's the backbone of this team, and he's the captain, and everyone looks up to him," Tampa Bay goalie Mike Smith said. "When he's going, everyone follows. When Vinny brings his game, everyone jumps on board and he's driving the bus."
Smith made 24 saves as teammate Antero Niittymaki missed the game due to the birth of his daughter. It's unclear which player will start in net against Boston.
This will be the first game at Tampa Bay for 41-year-old Bruins right wing Mark Recchi since the Lightning traded him to Boston on March 4. Recchi, who had 45 points in 62 games with Tampa Bay last season, had three assists against his former team earlier this month.
With Boston playing for the second time in as many nights, it's possible goalie Tuukka Rask may start in place of Thomas. Rask leads the NHL with a 1.97 goals-against average and is 6-1-1 in his last eight starts.
The Bruins hope to change that with their current run, which would extend to four and match their longest of the season with a road victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night.
Boston won at least five straight four different times during its ascent to the top of the Eastern Conference in 2008-09, including a 10-game winning streak in late December one year ago.
A lack of scoring has been the primary factor preventing the Bruins (19-11-7) from similar results, but they went 3 of 5 on the power play during a 6-4 win over Atlanta on Wednesday.
They came out of the Christmas break with a more defensive-minded effort in a 2-1 win at Florida on Sunday as Tim Thomas stopped 25 shots while making his third straight start.
Boston has won all three of those games, pulling into fifth place in the East. It continues to play some of the league's best defense, allowing 2.3 goals per game to rank fifth.
"It was just a matter of time. Our team is starting to gel a little bit," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "We've had some new faces in our line-up, but I think we're starting to understand the concept of what we're looking for and just try to keep getting better."
The Bruins have also dealt with injuries, but defenseman Derek Morris returned against the Panthers after missing three games with an undisclosed injury, and standout left wing Milan Lucic could play for the first time since before Thanksgiving in Friday's Winter Classic at Fenway Park.
First, they'll try for a repeat of their last game against the Lightning, who lost 4-1 in Boston on Dec. 2. Marco Sturm, who had the game-winner Sunday at Florida, scored twice against Tampa Bay.
That defeat was part of a woeful 1-8-2 stretch for the Lightning (14-15-9), but they have since won three of four, beating the Thrashers 4-3 on Saturday. Vincent Lecavalier had three assists, giving him a total of one goal and six assists in the last four games.
"Vinny's the backbone of this team, and he's the captain, and everyone looks up to him," Tampa Bay goalie Mike Smith said. "When he's going, everyone follows. When Vinny brings his game, everyone jumps on board and he's driving the bus."
Smith made 24 saves as teammate Antero Niittymaki missed the game due to the birth of his daughter. It's unclear which player will start in net against Boston.
This will be the first game at Tampa Bay for 41-year-old Bruins right wing Mark Recchi since the Lightning traded him to Boston on March 4. Recchi, who had 45 points in 62 games with Tampa Bay last season, had three assists against his former team earlier this month.
With Boston playing for the second time in as many nights, it's possible goalie Tuukka Rask may start in place of Thomas. Rask leads the NHL with a 1.97 goals-against average and is 6-1-1 in his last eight starts.
Online Watch Detroit Red Wings vs Columbus Blue Jackets Live Stream Detroit Red Wings vs Columbus Blue Jackets NHL Youtube video Hockey highlights Despite Saturday's victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets, the injury-riddled Detroit Red Wings are still struggling to find the back of the net.
Returning to Columbus, where last month they scored their most goals in one game in three seasons, the Red Wings look to get their struggling offense back on track Monday night.
Coming off back-to-back 3-0 losses to Central Division-leading Chicago, Detroit (19-14-5) defeated the visiting Blue Jackets 2-1 on Saturday to snap a three-game slide and hand Columbus its franchise-worst ninth straight loss.
Todd Bertuzzi scored both Red Wings goals, including a power-play tally in the second that snapped Detroit's scoreless streak at 167 minutes, 38 seconds. He's scored eight of his 12 goals this season since Dec. 11.
The Red Wings, who have scored three or fewer goals in 12 straight games, are averaging 2.6 goals this season. They led the NHL with 3.5 per game in 2008-09.
In its only visit to Nationwide Arena this season, Detroit handed the Blue Jackets their worst-ever home loss with a 9-1 rout on Nov. 11. It was the Red Wings' biggest offensive output since a 9-2 win over Phoenix on Oct. 11, 2006.
Justin Abdelkader and Niklas Kronwall each scored twice as reigning Calder Trophy winner Steve Mason surrendered a career-high eight goals.
Kronwall (knee), though, is one of several Red Wings regulars that are out, a list that includes Johan Franzen (knee), Danny Cleary (shoulder) and Jonathan Ericsson (knee).
"Everyone knows where we're at and this team isn't very familiar with the position we are in," Bertuzzi said of Detroit, which is third in the Central after winning the division each of the last eight seasons. "There are only so many excuses. It's up to us in here to get the job done and get on that playoff ladder and then wait for reinforcements to come."
One of those key players is team scoring leader Henrik Zetterberg (shoulder), who's missed the last four games but is expected to be sidelined for about another week. Center Valtteri Filppula returned Saturday after missing 26 games with a broken wrist and defenseman Brian Rafalski picked up an assist after missing Wednesday's loss to the Blackhawks with the flu.
While Detroit looks for another big night in Columbus, the Blue Jackets (14-18-7) are trying to win their first game since a 3-0 victory over Florida on Dec. 9.
"Obviously, it's a struggle for us right now," Fredrik Modin said of Columbus' 2-12-5 slide since Nov. 19. "We're trying for anything positive to build on here."
While the Blue Jackets have scored two or fewer goals in six straight games, they have allowed a Western Conference-high 136 goals.
Mathieu Garon, who made 25 saves Saturday, is 2-0-1 with a 1.54 GAA in three home starts this season. The Red Wings' Jimmy Howard, meanwhile, is 2-0-0 with a 1.00 GAA against Columbus this season.
Including last season's four-game sweep in the West quarterfinals, Detroit has won seven straight over Columbus since an 8-2 loss on March 7.
Both clubs will be heavily represented for Sweden at the upcoming Olympics after the roster was announced on Sunday.
Kronwall, Zetterberg and Red Wings teammates Tomas Holmstrom and Nicklas Lidstrom will join Modin and Blue Jackets center Samuel Pahlsson as Sweden tries to win back-to-back gold medals.
Returning to Columbus, where last month they scored their most goals in one game in three seasons, the Red Wings look to get their struggling offense back on track Monday night.
Coming off back-to-back 3-0 losses to Central Division-leading Chicago, Detroit (19-14-5) defeated the visiting Blue Jackets 2-1 on Saturday to snap a three-game slide and hand Columbus its franchise-worst ninth straight loss.
Todd Bertuzzi scored both Red Wings goals, including a power-play tally in the second that snapped Detroit's scoreless streak at 167 minutes, 38 seconds. He's scored eight of his 12 goals this season since Dec. 11.
The Red Wings, who have scored three or fewer goals in 12 straight games, are averaging 2.6 goals this season. They led the NHL with 3.5 per game in 2008-09.
In its only visit to Nationwide Arena this season, Detroit handed the Blue Jackets their worst-ever home loss with a 9-1 rout on Nov. 11. It was the Red Wings' biggest offensive output since a 9-2 win over Phoenix on Oct. 11, 2006.
Justin Abdelkader and Niklas Kronwall each scored twice as reigning Calder Trophy winner Steve Mason surrendered a career-high eight goals.
Kronwall (knee), though, is one of several Red Wings regulars that are out, a list that includes Johan Franzen (knee), Danny Cleary (shoulder) and Jonathan Ericsson (knee).
"Everyone knows where we're at and this team isn't very familiar with the position we are in," Bertuzzi said of Detroit, which is third in the Central after winning the division each of the last eight seasons. "There are only so many excuses. It's up to us in here to get the job done and get on that playoff ladder and then wait for reinforcements to come."
One of those key players is team scoring leader Henrik Zetterberg (shoulder), who's missed the last four games but is expected to be sidelined for about another week. Center Valtteri Filppula returned Saturday after missing 26 games with a broken wrist and defenseman Brian Rafalski picked up an assist after missing Wednesday's loss to the Blackhawks with the flu.
While Detroit looks for another big night in Columbus, the Blue Jackets (14-18-7) are trying to win their first game since a 3-0 victory over Florida on Dec. 9.
"Obviously, it's a struggle for us right now," Fredrik Modin said of Columbus' 2-12-5 slide since Nov. 19. "We're trying for anything positive to build on here."
While the Blue Jackets have scored two or fewer goals in six straight games, they have allowed a Western Conference-high 136 goals.
Mathieu Garon, who made 25 saves Saturday, is 2-0-1 with a 1.54 GAA in three home starts this season. The Red Wings' Jimmy Howard, meanwhile, is 2-0-0 with a 1.00 GAA against Columbus this season.
Including last season's four-game sweep in the West quarterfinals, Detroit has won seven straight over Columbus since an 8-2 loss on March 7.
Both clubs will be heavily represented for Sweden at the upcoming Olympics after the roster was announced on Sunday.
Kronwall, Zetterberg and Red Wings teammates Tomas Holmstrom and Nicklas Lidstrom will join Modin and Blue Jackets center Samuel Pahlsson as Sweden tries to win back-to-back gold medals.
Online Watch Carolina Hurricanes vs Washington Capitals Live Stream Carolina Hurricanes vs Washington Capitals NHL Youtube video Hockey highlights Alex Ovechkin says no one can stop the Washington Capitals' top line. The Carolina Hurricanes have put up a fight, but have nothing to show for it.
Led by Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin, the Capitals on Tuesday night seek their third straight win over the Hurricanes in a matchup of the top and bottom teams in the Southeast Division.
Washington, which is looking for its fourth straight victory overall and is 11-3-0 since Nov. 25, leads the league with 139 goals scored thanks to the reigning two-time Hart Trophy winner and a pair of gifted playmakers.
"We understand each other a lot, and you can see how we control the puck in the offensive zone and we feel pretty good and nobody can stop us," Ovechkin said as he tries to become the first player with four straight three-point games since St. Louis' Keith Tkachuk and San Jose's Patrick Marleau in December 2005.
Washington (24-8-6) has needed all it can get from the trio when facing the Hurricanes.
The Capitals got two goals and an assist from Backstrom, but lost Ovechkin following a knee-to-knee collision with Carolina's Tim Gleason on Nov. 30 in a 3-2 win. Ovechkin was suspended two games for the incident before returning with two goals in a 3-0 victory over Tampa Bay on Dec. 7.
Facing the Hurricanes (9-22-7) again on Dec. 11, Semin scored twice and Ovechkin and Backstrom each had two assists -- including on Mike Green's goal 1:16 into overtime of a 4-3 win.
The line continued to play prominent roles Saturday, combining for seven points in a 4-1 victory over New Jersey. Ovechkin and Backstrom each had a goal and two assists, and Semin also drew an assist before agreeing to a one-year contract extension that will keep him with the club through next season.
Ovechkin leads Washington with 25 goals and 47 points while Backstrom has a team-high 30 assists and is second with 45 points. Semin, who's missed nine games with a wrist injury and an undisclosed illness, is averaging better than a point per contest.
Not surprisingly, all three all are headed to the Olympics. Ovechkin and Semin will play for Russia while the 22-year-old Backstrom will be the youngest player on Sweden's roster.
Carolina is coming off a 4-3 shootout loss to Philadelphia on Saturday, dropping the final three games of a four-game stretch at home.
Jussi Jokinen sandwiched second-period goals around one by Brandon Sutter as the Hurricanes rallied from a 3-0 deficit. Carolina, though, was unable to get anything past former teammate Michael Leighton in the tiebreaker.
"If you're down three and you're not playing very well, it's very difficult to believe in the game that you can come back," Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice said. "But we'd left enough sitting on their goal line to know that if we got one, we could get three."
Cam Ward stopped 33 shots through overtime, but is 2-4-2 with a 3.58 goals-against average after missing more than a month with a leg laceration. He's 0-7-3 on the road this season, meaning Manny Legace will probably be the one to try and stop the Caps' high-powered offense.
Legace, signed when Ward was injured, is 2-0-0 with a 1.77 GAA in three career games versus Washington.
Eric Staal (3) and Tom Kostopoulos (2) are the only Carolina players with more than one point against the Capitals this season. Staal has a three-game goal-scoring streak at the Verzion Center.
Led by Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin, the Capitals on Tuesday night seek their third straight win over the Hurricanes in a matchup of the top and bottom teams in the Southeast Division.
Washington, which is looking for its fourth straight victory overall and is 11-3-0 since Nov. 25, leads the league with 139 goals scored thanks to the reigning two-time Hart Trophy winner and a pair of gifted playmakers.
"We understand each other a lot, and you can see how we control the puck in the offensive zone and we feel pretty good and nobody can stop us," Ovechkin said as he tries to become the first player with four straight three-point games since St. Louis' Keith Tkachuk and San Jose's Patrick Marleau in December 2005.
Washington (24-8-6) has needed all it can get from the trio when facing the Hurricanes.
The Capitals got two goals and an assist from Backstrom, but lost Ovechkin following a knee-to-knee collision with Carolina's Tim Gleason on Nov. 30 in a 3-2 win. Ovechkin was suspended two games for the incident before returning with two goals in a 3-0 victory over Tampa Bay on Dec. 7.
Facing the Hurricanes (9-22-7) again on Dec. 11, Semin scored twice and Ovechkin and Backstrom each had two assists -- including on Mike Green's goal 1:16 into overtime of a 4-3 win.
The line continued to play prominent roles Saturday, combining for seven points in a 4-1 victory over New Jersey. Ovechkin and Backstrom each had a goal and two assists, and Semin also drew an assist before agreeing to a one-year contract extension that will keep him with the club through next season.
Ovechkin leads Washington with 25 goals and 47 points while Backstrom has a team-high 30 assists and is second with 45 points. Semin, who's missed nine games with a wrist injury and an undisclosed illness, is averaging better than a point per contest.
Not surprisingly, all three all are headed to the Olympics. Ovechkin and Semin will play for Russia while the 22-year-old Backstrom will be the youngest player on Sweden's roster.
Carolina is coming off a 4-3 shootout loss to Philadelphia on Saturday, dropping the final three games of a four-game stretch at home.
Jussi Jokinen sandwiched second-period goals around one by Brandon Sutter as the Hurricanes rallied from a 3-0 deficit. Carolina, though, was unable to get anything past former teammate Michael Leighton in the tiebreaker.
"If you're down three and you're not playing very well, it's very difficult to believe in the game that you can come back," Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice said. "But we'd left enough sitting on their goal line to know that if we got one, we could get three."
Cam Ward stopped 33 shots through overtime, but is 2-4-2 with a 3.58 goals-against average after missing more than a month with a leg laceration. He's 0-7-3 on the road this season, meaning Manny Legace will probably be the one to try and stop the Caps' high-powered offense.
Legace, signed when Ward was injured, is 2-0-0 with a 1.77 GAA in three career games versus Washington.
Eric Staal (3) and Tom Kostopoulos (2) are the only Carolina players with more than one point against the Capitals this season. Staal has a three-game goal-scoring streak at the Verzion Center.
Online Watch Atlanta Thrashers vs New Jersey Devils Live Stream Atlanta Thrashers vs New Jersey Devils NHL Youtube video Hockey highlights Review A sputtering power play led to the New Jersey Devils' third loss in a month in their last contest, but a meeting with the struggling Atlanta Thrashers on Monday night could be just what they need to rebound.
The Devils (26-9-1) rank near the top of the league with a power-play unit that converts 21.5 percent of its chances. They had been even better during a 9-1-0 run, going 9 for 36, but failed to score on any of four attempts in Saturday's 4-1 loss at Washington.
"You look at how the game went. I feel that our puck control wasn't as it used to be," coach Jacques Lemaire told the team's official Web site. "Special teams, we had so many power plays and I think they got more chances than we did on our power play.
"For me, it determined the whole game. We get a goal on the power play at the start, it's a different game, then we start to believe we're fine."
That loss dropped the Devils out of the overall NHL lead, and they'll host Pittsburgh on Wednesday in a meeting of the top two teams in the Atlantic Division.
First, New Jersey faces Atlanta (18-15-4), which has dropped four in a row and has allowed opponents to go 8 for 15 on the power play over the last five games. The Thrashers haven't dropped five straight since Nov. 26-Dec. 3, 2008.
They lost 4-3 at Tampa Bay on Saturday after opening this season-high six-game road trip with a 6-4 loss at Boston on Wednesday.
"If we're going to play the same way like that, we're going to be out of that (playoff) picture," captain Ilya Kovalchuk said. "We need to wake up and play as a team. It can't be one guy or two guys or three guys."
Kovalchuk, who had a goal and assist against the Lightning, has continued his outstanding play despite Atlanta's 3-7-1 stretch. Named last week to represent Russia at the upcoming Olympics, Kovalchuk has six goals and eight assists on a nine-game points streak.
He ranks among the league leaders with 22 goals and has a team-high 41 points, but has managed just a goal and two assists in his last six meetings with New Jersey.
Kovalchuk needs two points to reach 600 for his career.
The Devils beat the Thrashers 5-4 at Atlanta on Dec. 19, but will need a better performance from Martin Brodeur. The four-time Vezina Trophy winner was pulled after giving up three goals on six shots in the opening period before Yann Danis made 19 saves the rest of the way.
Brodeur, who will likely be back in net after making 36 saves Saturday, wasn't much better in the previous matchup with Atlanta, stopping 15 shots in a 4-2 loss at Prudential Center on Oct. 16.
Danis, though, has won all three games in his career against the Thrashers while posting a 1.88 goals-against average with one shutout. However, he hasn't started since getting chased after surrendering three goals on nine shots in the first period of a 5-3 win at Dallas on Nov. 21.
The Devils (26-9-1) rank near the top of the league with a power-play unit that converts 21.5 percent of its chances. They had been even better during a 9-1-0 run, going 9 for 36, but failed to score on any of four attempts in Saturday's 4-1 loss at Washington.
"You look at how the game went. I feel that our puck control wasn't as it used to be," coach Jacques Lemaire told the team's official Web site. "Special teams, we had so many power plays and I think they got more chances than we did on our power play.
"For me, it determined the whole game. We get a goal on the power play at the start, it's a different game, then we start to believe we're fine."
That loss dropped the Devils out of the overall NHL lead, and they'll host Pittsburgh on Wednesday in a meeting of the top two teams in the Atlantic Division.
First, New Jersey faces Atlanta (18-15-4), which has dropped four in a row and has allowed opponents to go 8 for 15 on the power play over the last five games. The Thrashers haven't dropped five straight since Nov. 26-Dec. 3, 2008.
They lost 4-3 at Tampa Bay on Saturday after opening this season-high six-game road trip with a 6-4 loss at Boston on Wednesday.
"If we're going to play the same way like that, we're going to be out of that (playoff) picture," captain Ilya Kovalchuk said. "We need to wake up and play as a team. It can't be one guy or two guys or three guys."
Kovalchuk, who had a goal and assist against the Lightning, has continued his outstanding play despite Atlanta's 3-7-1 stretch. Named last week to represent Russia at the upcoming Olympics, Kovalchuk has six goals and eight assists on a nine-game points streak.
He ranks among the league leaders with 22 goals and has a team-high 41 points, but has managed just a goal and two assists in his last six meetings with New Jersey.
Kovalchuk needs two points to reach 600 for his career.
The Devils beat the Thrashers 5-4 at Atlanta on Dec. 19, but will need a better performance from Martin Brodeur. The four-time Vezina Trophy winner was pulled after giving up three goals on six shots in the opening period before Yann Danis made 19 saves the rest of the way.
Brodeur, who will likely be back in net after making 36 saves Saturday, wasn't much better in the previous matchup with Atlanta, stopping 15 shots in a 4-2 loss at Prudential Center on Oct. 16.
Danis, though, has won all three games in his career against the Thrashers while posting a 1.88 goals-against average with one shutout. However, he hasn't started since getting chased after surrendering three goals on nine shots in the first period of a 5-3 win at Dallas on Nov. 21.
Online Watch Anaheim Ducks vs San Jose Sharks Live Stream Anaheim Ducks vs San Jose Sharks NHL Youtube video Hockey highlights Review Schedule The San Jose Sharks were upset in the first round of last season's playoffs by the Anaheim Ducks, but they've certainly begun to earn a measure of revenge on their division rivals.
The Sharks can improve to 4-0-0 this season against Anaheim as the last-place Ducks visit San Jose for the second time in 10 days on Saturday night.
After earning the top seed in the Western Conference and the Presidents' Trophy during the 2008-09 season, the Sharks were shocked in six games by eighth-seeded Anaheim.
But San Jose (22-8-7) has returned to the top of the West -- tied with Chicago -- while the Ducks (15-15-7) have encountered some unforeseen struggles, sinking to the bottom of the Pacific Division.
Their head-to-head play has contributed to both teams' statuses. The Sharks won twice in Anaheim earlier in the season, then beat the Ducks 4-1 at home on Dec. 17.
NHL points leader Joe Thornton factored in all of San Jose's scoring in that game with two goals and two assists, helping the Sharks snap a season-worst five-game losing streak.
They've now won three straight after a 3-2 road win over the Blackhawks on Tuesday, but they still feel like there's room for improvement after Chicago outshot the Sharks 47-14.
"We didn't have many chances, so we were lucky to create enough to win the game," San Jose coach Todd McLellan said. "Certainly when you look at it in the big picture, we didn't play near well enough."
Evgeni Nabokov was certainly at his best with 45 saves. The goalie, named Friday to Russia's national team for the upcoming Vancouver Olympics, has allowed a total of five goals in his last three starts, all victories.
Nabokov is 3-0-0 with a 1.34 goals-against average against the Ducks this season.
That may not bode well considering occasional offensive problems have lingered for Anaheim, which managed just 21 shots in a 4-0 loss at Phoenix on Wednesday -- the same total it had last week against San Jose.
But the Ducks' bigger issue in that game may have been in net, as goalie Jonas Hiller was replaced with Jean-Sebastien Giguere during the third period after allowing three goals on 24 shots in the first 40 minutes.
"I thought as poorly as we played it should have been a 1-0 hockey game going into the third period," Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle said. "I'm not dumping on (Jonas Hiller) and saying it's his fault. We didn't have a lot going. But we have to have those saves made in those situations."
Hiller, though, has been mostly reliable lately, winning four straight starts with a 1.76 GAA before Wednesday's loss.
The defeats at San Jose and Phoenix were the Ducks' only regulation losses in their last 10 games, as they've gone 5-2-3 over that span. Rookie Dan Sexton, playing in his first 10 NHL games, has five goals and three assists.
Including postseason, the Ducks are 9-5-0 in their last 14 trips to San Jose -- an impressive record considering that the Sharks are 83-34-19 at home in that stretch.
San Jose, 9-2-5 at HP Pavilion, is opening a three-game homestand and will play 15 of its next 19 in northern California.
The Sharks can improve to 4-0-0 this season against Anaheim as the last-place Ducks visit San Jose for the second time in 10 days on Saturday night.
After earning the top seed in the Western Conference and the Presidents' Trophy during the 2008-09 season, the Sharks were shocked in six games by eighth-seeded Anaheim.
But San Jose (22-8-7) has returned to the top of the West -- tied with Chicago -- while the Ducks (15-15-7) have encountered some unforeseen struggles, sinking to the bottom of the Pacific Division.
Their head-to-head play has contributed to both teams' statuses. The Sharks won twice in Anaheim earlier in the season, then beat the Ducks 4-1 at home on Dec. 17.
NHL points leader Joe Thornton factored in all of San Jose's scoring in that game with two goals and two assists, helping the Sharks snap a season-worst five-game losing streak.
They've now won three straight after a 3-2 road win over the Blackhawks on Tuesday, but they still feel like there's room for improvement after Chicago outshot the Sharks 47-14.
"We didn't have many chances, so we were lucky to create enough to win the game," San Jose coach Todd McLellan said. "Certainly when you look at it in the big picture, we didn't play near well enough."
Evgeni Nabokov was certainly at his best with 45 saves. The goalie, named Friday to Russia's national team for the upcoming Vancouver Olympics, has allowed a total of five goals in his last three starts, all victories.
Nabokov is 3-0-0 with a 1.34 goals-against average against the Ducks this season.
That may not bode well considering occasional offensive problems have lingered for Anaheim, which managed just 21 shots in a 4-0 loss at Phoenix on Wednesday -- the same total it had last week against San Jose.
But the Ducks' bigger issue in that game may have been in net, as goalie Jonas Hiller was replaced with Jean-Sebastien Giguere during the third period after allowing three goals on 24 shots in the first 40 minutes.
"I thought as poorly as we played it should have been a 1-0 hockey game going into the third period," Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle said. "I'm not dumping on (Jonas Hiller) and saying it's his fault. We didn't have a lot going. But we have to have those saves made in those situations."
Hiller, though, has been mostly reliable lately, winning four straight starts with a 1.76 GAA before Wednesday's loss.
The defeats at San Jose and Phoenix were the Ducks' only regulation losses in their last 10 games, as they've gone 5-2-3 over that span. Rookie Dan Sexton, playing in his first 10 NHL games, has five goals and three assists.
Including postseason, the Ducks are 9-5-0 in their last 14 trips to San Jose -- an impressive record considering that the Sharks are 83-34-19 at home in that stretch.
San Jose, 9-2-5 at HP Pavilion, is opening a three-game homestand and will play 15 of its next 19 in northern California.
Online Watch Phoenix Suns vs Golden State Warriors Live Stream Phoenix Suns vs Golden State Warriors NBA Youtube video Basketball highlights Review It's probably more likely that the Phoenix Suns will break their six-game road losing streak than it is the Golden State Warriors will end their seven-game overall slide.
One of those streaks will end Saturday night when the Suns look to take advantage of the NBA's worst defensive team.
Phoenix (19-11) is 0-6 on the road since a 113-94 win at Toronto on Nov. 29. The first three losses were by an average of 21.3 points while the last three have been by a total of 10.
That skid could end Saturday against a Golden State team allowing opponents to average 111.8 points and shoot 49.1 percent. The Warriors (7-21) have been hampered by injuries and used seven players in a 108-102 loss at New Orleans in their last game Wednesday.
"I can't ask for anything more out of this team," coach Don Nelson said. "They gave everything they had on a back-to-back. I'm really proud of them. I thought the game was there for us if we just could have made shots down the stretch."
The Suns have won four straight against the Warriors, including a 123-101 home victory in the teams' first meeting this season Oct. 30. Steve Nash scored 18 points and had an NBA season-high 20 assists as Phoenix shot 53.6 percent.
That high-scoring contest, though, pales in comparison to Phoenix's last visit to Oracle Arena. The Suns ended their four-game losing streak in Oakland with a 154-130 victory March 15.
The 284 combined points were the most in the NBA in 2008-09 and the Suns shot 62.1 percent and scored 56 fast-break points, the most since 1997, when the league began to track the stat. Four Phoenix players scored at least 20 points and Nash wasn't among them, with Jason Richardson leading the way with 31.
The Suns, the league's highest-scoring team with 109.0 points per game, will try to beat the Warriors by using the superior depth they showcased Friday night at home. They had seven players in double figures in a 124-93 victory over the Clippers to salvage the finale of a three-game homestand.
"We just needed to have a good win to try to restore a little bit of our confidence," coach Alvin Gentry said.
Amare Stoudemire scored 26 points and Richardson and Jared Dudley each added 18. Stoudemire was the only Sun to log more than 28 minutes as Phoenix was able to rest in preparation for the trip to Oakland.
"It's good for us to realize it's not about just showing up," forward Grant Hill said, "it's about coming out and playing hard."
One of the players to reach double digits was Leandro Barbosa, who scored 12 points in his return after missing 12 games because of a sprained left ankle.
The uptempo pace both teams prefer should result in another big game from Warriors guard Monta Ellis, who is averaging 30.8 points in his last four games and 25.0 for the season. Ellis scored 35 in Wednesday's loss.
"He's one of the best one-on-one players in the league," Hornets forward David West said about Ellis, who has averaged 23.8 points and shot 55.6 percent in his last six home games against the Suns. "You know he's going to get his shots."
One of those streaks will end Saturday night when the Suns look to take advantage of the NBA's worst defensive team.
Phoenix (19-11) is 0-6 on the road since a 113-94 win at Toronto on Nov. 29. The first three losses were by an average of 21.3 points while the last three have been by a total of 10.
That skid could end Saturday against a Golden State team allowing opponents to average 111.8 points and shoot 49.1 percent. The Warriors (7-21) have been hampered by injuries and used seven players in a 108-102 loss at New Orleans in their last game Wednesday.
"I can't ask for anything more out of this team," coach Don Nelson said. "They gave everything they had on a back-to-back. I'm really proud of them. I thought the game was there for us if we just could have made shots down the stretch."
The Suns have won four straight against the Warriors, including a 123-101 home victory in the teams' first meeting this season Oct. 30. Steve Nash scored 18 points and had an NBA season-high 20 assists as Phoenix shot 53.6 percent.
That high-scoring contest, though, pales in comparison to Phoenix's last visit to Oracle Arena. The Suns ended their four-game losing streak in Oakland with a 154-130 victory March 15.
The 284 combined points were the most in the NBA in 2008-09 and the Suns shot 62.1 percent and scored 56 fast-break points, the most since 1997, when the league began to track the stat. Four Phoenix players scored at least 20 points and Nash wasn't among them, with Jason Richardson leading the way with 31.
The Suns, the league's highest-scoring team with 109.0 points per game, will try to beat the Warriors by using the superior depth they showcased Friday night at home. They had seven players in double figures in a 124-93 victory over the Clippers to salvage the finale of a three-game homestand.
"We just needed to have a good win to try to restore a little bit of our confidence," coach Alvin Gentry said.
Amare Stoudemire scored 26 points and Richardson and Jared Dudley each added 18. Stoudemire was the only Sun to log more than 28 minutes as Phoenix was able to rest in preparation for the trip to Oakland.
"It's good for us to realize it's not about just showing up," forward Grant Hill said, "it's about coming out and playing hard."
One of the players to reach double digits was Leandro Barbosa, who scored 12 points in his return after missing 12 games because of a sprained left ankle.
The uptempo pace both teams prefer should result in another big game from Warriors guard Monta Ellis, who is averaging 30.8 points in his last four games and 25.0 for the season. Ellis scored 35 in Wednesday's loss.
"He's one of the best one-on-one players in the league," Hornets forward David West said about Ellis, who has averaged 23.8 points and shot 55.6 percent in his last six home games against the Suns. "You know he's going to get his shots."
Online Watch Edmonton Oilers vs Vancouver Canucks Live Stream Edmonton Oilers vs Vancouver Canucks NHL Youtube video Hockey highlights Review The Vancouver Canucks' longest homestand of the season has been largely successful. They certainly haven't had any difficulty there when facing the Edmonton Oilers in 2009-10.
The Canucks will try to come away with a third straight win over the struggling Oilers on Saturday night in the finale of an eight-game stretch at GM Place.
Starting with a victory over Atlanta on Dec. 10, Vancouver (21-16-0) has gone 5-2-0 at home to boost its record there to 15-6-0. Only Central Division-leading Chicago has more home wins with 16.
After losing 2-1 at Edmonton on Oct. 19, the Canucks have bounced back with two straight home wins against the Oilers (15-8-4). Roberto Luongo stopped 27 shots in a 2-0 triumph Oct. 25 and seven players found the back of the net for Vancouver in a 7-3 win Nov. 28.
The Canucks went 4 for 5 with the man advantage in that contest, and are 11 for 26 in their last five home games versus the Oilers, winning four. This will be Edmonton's final regular-season visit to Vancouver.
Daniel and Henrik Sedin combined for a goal and three assists in the last matchup against the Northwest Division rivals. The twins continued their scoring surge on the homestand with each recording a goal and two assists in a 4-1 win over Nashville on Tuesday.
Daniel Sedin has had five goals and five assists on the homestand while Henrik has totaled two goals and nine assists.
"The last couple of weeks we've felt good, we're moving the puck well and we know where each other are so it's fun," said Henrik Sedin, who is third in the NHL with 47 points (16 goals, 31 assists).
In the last five home games against Edmonton, Daniel Sedin has three goals and three assists while Henrik has a goal and three assists.
Luongo is 11-5-1 with a 2.08 goals-against average since Nov. 14, and has fared well at home against Edmonton in recent seasons, going 7-1-1 with a 1.77 GAA and two shutouts in nine games.
With Nikolai Khabibulin still sidelined by a sore back, the Oilers have been going with youngsters Jeff Deslauriers and Devan Dubnyk, but neither has played particularly well. Following a 3-1 loss to Minnesota on Wednesday, Deslauriers has lost his last four starts with a 3.81 GAA while Dubnyk, who didn't face the Wild, has surrendered 10 goals in his first two NHL games this season.
In last month's loss to the Canucks, Deslauriers was pulled after allowing four goals in the first 8:25. Dubnyk stopped 21 of 24 shots the rest of the way.
The Oilers rebounded from that rout with a season-high five-game winning streak, but come in looking to avoid a sixth straight loss.
"If we can just get rid of some of those boneheaded soft plays, we'll get there," Edmonton coach Pat Quinn said.
Robert Nilsson scored the against the Wild, giving him four goals and four assists in his last 10 games. The left wing had only one goal and three assists in his first 12 contests.
Fellow left wing Dustin Penner, who leads the Oilers with 19 goals and 19 assists, has been held off the scoresheet in three of his last five games. He had no points in four games against the Canucks before posting a goal and an assist in the teams' last meeting.
The Canucks will try to come away with a third straight win over the struggling Oilers on Saturday night in the finale of an eight-game stretch at GM Place.
Starting with a victory over Atlanta on Dec. 10, Vancouver (21-16-0) has gone 5-2-0 at home to boost its record there to 15-6-0. Only Central Division-leading Chicago has more home wins with 16.
After losing 2-1 at Edmonton on Oct. 19, the Canucks have bounced back with two straight home wins against the Oilers (15-8-4). Roberto Luongo stopped 27 shots in a 2-0 triumph Oct. 25 and seven players found the back of the net for Vancouver in a 7-3 win Nov. 28.
The Canucks went 4 for 5 with the man advantage in that contest, and are 11 for 26 in their last five home games versus the Oilers, winning four. This will be Edmonton's final regular-season visit to Vancouver.
Daniel and Henrik Sedin combined for a goal and three assists in the last matchup against the Northwest Division rivals. The twins continued their scoring surge on the homestand with each recording a goal and two assists in a 4-1 win over Nashville on Tuesday.
Daniel Sedin has had five goals and five assists on the homestand while Henrik has totaled two goals and nine assists.
"The last couple of weeks we've felt good, we're moving the puck well and we know where each other are so it's fun," said Henrik Sedin, who is third in the NHL with 47 points (16 goals, 31 assists).
In the last five home games against Edmonton, Daniel Sedin has three goals and three assists while Henrik has a goal and three assists.
Luongo is 11-5-1 with a 2.08 goals-against average since Nov. 14, and has fared well at home against Edmonton in recent seasons, going 7-1-1 with a 1.77 GAA and two shutouts in nine games.
With Nikolai Khabibulin still sidelined by a sore back, the Oilers have been going with youngsters Jeff Deslauriers and Devan Dubnyk, but neither has played particularly well. Following a 3-1 loss to Minnesota on Wednesday, Deslauriers has lost his last four starts with a 3.81 GAA while Dubnyk, who didn't face the Wild, has surrendered 10 goals in his first two NHL games this season.
In last month's loss to the Canucks, Deslauriers was pulled after allowing four goals in the first 8:25. Dubnyk stopped 21 of 24 shots the rest of the way.
The Oilers rebounded from that rout with a season-high five-game winning streak, but come in looking to avoid a sixth straight loss.
"If we can just get rid of some of those boneheaded soft plays, we'll get there," Edmonton coach Pat Quinn said.
Robert Nilsson scored the against the Wild, giving him four goals and four assists in his last 10 games. The left wing had only one goal and three assists in his first 12 contests.
Fellow left wing Dustin Penner, who leads the Oilers with 19 goals and 19 assists, has been held off the scoresheet in three of his last five games. He had no points in four games against the Canucks before posting a goal and an assist in the teams' last meeting.
Online Watch Los Angeles Lakers vs Sacramento Kings Live Stream Los Angeles Lakers vs Sacramento Kings NBA Youtube video Basketball highlights Los Angeles Lakers fans weren't too happy with the officiating in the team's last game, and the Lakers' performance left plenty to be desired as well.
Fortunately for the Lakers, their next game is in Northern California against a Sacramento Kings team they've handled on the road over the previous three seasons.
The Lakers, though, will be missing Ron Artest as they try to bounce back from one of their worst defeats of the season with their sixth win in seven tries in Sacramento.
Artest tripped over a box and fell down a flight of stairs at his home Christmas night. He was treated at UCLA Medical Center, undergoing a CT scan and receiving stitches in the back of his head and his elbow, and is expected to be examined by a neurologist.
The veteran forward is expected to be examined by a neurologist, possibly shedding some light on how long Artest will be sidelined. He didn't travel with the team to Sacramento.
Artest fouled out Friday in a game which clearly angered many Lakers fans at Staples Center. Los Angeles (23-5) had won 11 in a row at home before falling behind by 20 in the first half against Cleveland. That may have displeased the crowd, but Lamar Odom's ejection with 4:04 left and Kobe Bryant drawing the team's fifth technical foul elicited a more extreme response in the 102-87 defeat.
After each of those calls during the nationally televised game, fans unleashed a shower of foam fingers, which were given away beforehand. A water bottle also hit the floor following Bryant's technical.
"I've never seen an L.A. crowd react like this before," coach Phil Jackson said. "I like their enthusiasm. I don't like their demonstrative manner. ... It wasn't a well-refereed game. It wasn't a very well-played game, so I think it was a reaction to that."
Despite a still-bandaged right index finger, Bryant scored 35 points -- his fourth time reaching that mark since suffering his injury on Dec. 11 -- and added nine rebounds and eight assists.
However, Artest and Pau Gasol were the only others to reach double figures as the Lakers shot 36.5 percent. They also allowed the Cavaliers to connect at a 54.3 percent clip for their worst defensive performance of the season.
If the last 12 meetings with the Kings are any indication, the Lakers have a good shot to bounce back Saturday. They've averaged 117.0 points while posting a 9-3 mark since Jan. 4, 2007.
Los Angeles has also averaged 117.2 points in earning five victories in its past six trips to Arco Arena.
However, the differences for Sacramento heading into its first meeting with Los Angeles this season are an improved offense led by rookie scoring leader Tyreke Evans and a 10-4 record at home.
The Kings (13-15) rank fifth in the league with 103.9 points per game and Evans, the fourth pick in June's draft, accounts for 20.4 per game.
Evans is coming off one of his best performances of the season, scoring 28 on Wednesday night against Cleveland. Despite Evans' third consecutive 20-point game, the Kings were denied a third straight win in a 117-104 overtime loss.
"We took these guys right down to where we had the last shot in regulation," coach Paul Westphal said. "If things had gone a little differently we would have big smiles on our faces. I won't act like there wasn't a lot of great things that happened."
Westphal's team will likely have to slow down the Lakers' top two scorers, Bryant and Gasol, on Saturday. Bryant has scored at least 20 points in 15 of the last 16 matchups and eight straight in Sacramento. Gasol has reached 20 in his past four contests at Arco Arena.
These teams meet again New Year's Day in Los Angeles.
Fortunately for the Lakers, their next game is in Northern California against a Sacramento Kings team they've handled on the road over the previous three seasons.
The Lakers, though, will be missing Ron Artest as they try to bounce back from one of their worst defeats of the season with their sixth win in seven tries in Sacramento.
Artest tripped over a box and fell down a flight of stairs at his home Christmas night. He was treated at UCLA Medical Center, undergoing a CT scan and receiving stitches in the back of his head and his elbow, and is expected to be examined by a neurologist.
The veteran forward is expected to be examined by a neurologist, possibly shedding some light on how long Artest will be sidelined. He didn't travel with the team to Sacramento.
Artest fouled out Friday in a game which clearly angered many Lakers fans at Staples Center. Los Angeles (23-5) had won 11 in a row at home before falling behind by 20 in the first half against Cleveland. That may have displeased the crowd, but Lamar Odom's ejection with 4:04 left and Kobe Bryant drawing the team's fifth technical foul elicited a more extreme response in the 102-87 defeat.
After each of those calls during the nationally televised game, fans unleashed a shower of foam fingers, which were given away beforehand. A water bottle also hit the floor following Bryant's technical.
"I've never seen an L.A. crowd react like this before," coach Phil Jackson said. "I like their enthusiasm. I don't like their demonstrative manner. ... It wasn't a well-refereed game. It wasn't a very well-played game, so I think it was a reaction to that."
Despite a still-bandaged right index finger, Bryant scored 35 points -- his fourth time reaching that mark since suffering his injury on Dec. 11 -- and added nine rebounds and eight assists.
However, Artest and Pau Gasol were the only others to reach double figures as the Lakers shot 36.5 percent. They also allowed the Cavaliers to connect at a 54.3 percent clip for their worst defensive performance of the season.
If the last 12 meetings with the Kings are any indication, the Lakers have a good shot to bounce back Saturday. They've averaged 117.0 points while posting a 9-3 mark since Jan. 4, 2007.
Los Angeles has also averaged 117.2 points in earning five victories in its past six trips to Arco Arena.
However, the differences for Sacramento heading into its first meeting with Los Angeles this season are an improved offense led by rookie scoring leader Tyreke Evans and a 10-4 record at home.
The Kings (13-15) rank fifth in the league with 103.9 points per game and Evans, the fourth pick in June's draft, accounts for 20.4 per game.
Evans is coming off one of his best performances of the season, scoring 28 on Wednesday night against Cleveland. Despite Evans' third consecutive 20-point game, the Kings were denied a third straight win in a 117-104 overtime loss.
"We took these guys right down to where we had the last shot in regulation," coach Paul Westphal said. "If things had gone a little differently we would have big smiles on our faces. I won't act like there wasn't a lot of great things that happened."
Westphal's team will likely have to slow down the Lakers' top two scorers, Bryant and Gasol, on Saturday. Bryant has scored at least 20 points in 15 of the last 16 matchups and eight straight in Sacramento. Gasol has reached 20 in his past four contests at Arco Arena.
These teams meet again New Year's Day in Los Angeles.
Online Watch Los Angeles Kings vs Phoenix Coyotes Live Stream Los Angeles Kings vs Phoenix Coyotes NHL Youtube video Hockey highlights Review To continue an impressive stretch at home following the holiday break, the Phoenix Coyotes must beat a well-rested opponent welcoming back some key players.
It's also the only visiting team to win twice in Phoenix this season.
Looking to match the longest home winning streak in franchise history, the Coyotes will try to snap a three-game skid against Los Angeles on Saturday night as the Kings welcome back Jack Johnson and Ryan Smyth.
The Coyotes (23-13-2) posted their eighth consecutive home win Wednesday, defeating Anaheim 4-0. Scottie Upshall scored his team-leading 13th goal and Ilya Bryzgalov turned aside 21 shots for his league-high fifth shutout.
"We executed well and paid attention to the little things because in the big picture it's the little things in hockey," Bryzgalov said.
That attention to detail has helped the Coyotes post their longest home win streak since the 2001-02 season -- the last time they made the playoffs. The Winnipeg Jets won a franchise-best nine straight at home from Dec. 27, 1992-Jan. 23, 1993.
Though the NHL recently reached an agreement with an investment group pledging to keep the team in Arizona, uncertainty heading into this season over the club's future has resulted in small crowds at Jobing.com Arena. Only 10,030 saw the win over the Ducks, and the Coyotes are last with an average home attendance of just over 9,800 despite a 14-5-0 record.
Two of those defeats came to the Kings -- by 5-3 scores on Oct. 24 and Nov. 2. Phoenix also lost the most recent meeting, 3-2 in Los Angeles on Dec. 10 as Justin Williams beat Bryzgalov in the eighth round of a shootout.
Bryzgalov, though, has played a key role in Phoenix going 10-2-1 in its last 13 overall to move into fourth place in the Western Conference.
"There's a lot of work to be done here yet," first-year coach Dave Tippett told the Coyotes' official Web site. "I like the way this group has come along and I give the players a ton of credit. ... But there's no awards for half the season. The second half gets tougher and gets more meaningful."
Having Bryzgalov continue his emergence as a legitimate Vezina Trophy contender could make things a little easier. He's tied with Buffalo's Ryan Miller for third in the league with 21 wins and ranks third with a 2.02 goals-against average.
However, Bryzgalov is 1-1-1 with a 2.93 GAA in three starts against Los Angeles this season.
The Kings haven't played since a 2-1 loss at Calgary on Dec. 17, so coach Terry Murray put them through long practices this week before a league-mandated two-day Christmas break.
"You try to recreate a lot of the game scenarios, within the practice," he told the Kings' official Web site. "Do things hard, do them fast, with intensity, but bottom line, it's very hard to create that game scenario. That's where we have to be very focused when we get back at it on the 26th."
The return of Johnson, a top defenseman, and the high-scoring Smyth could be a big help to the Kings (22-12-3), who trail Phoenix by one point in the West. Johnson hasn't played since Dec. 15 due to an ankle injury, while Smyth has missed 15 games with an upper-body injury.
A four-time 30-goal scorer in his first season with Los Angeles, Smyth has two goals and five assists in three games versus the Coyotes.
It's also the only visiting team to win twice in Phoenix this season.
Looking to match the longest home winning streak in franchise history, the Coyotes will try to snap a three-game skid against Los Angeles on Saturday night as the Kings welcome back Jack Johnson and Ryan Smyth.
The Coyotes (23-13-2) posted their eighth consecutive home win Wednesday, defeating Anaheim 4-0. Scottie Upshall scored his team-leading 13th goal and Ilya Bryzgalov turned aside 21 shots for his league-high fifth shutout.
"We executed well and paid attention to the little things because in the big picture it's the little things in hockey," Bryzgalov said.
That attention to detail has helped the Coyotes post their longest home win streak since the 2001-02 season -- the last time they made the playoffs. The Winnipeg Jets won a franchise-best nine straight at home from Dec. 27, 1992-Jan. 23, 1993.
Though the NHL recently reached an agreement with an investment group pledging to keep the team in Arizona, uncertainty heading into this season over the club's future has resulted in small crowds at Jobing.com Arena. Only 10,030 saw the win over the Ducks, and the Coyotes are last with an average home attendance of just over 9,800 despite a 14-5-0 record.
Two of those defeats came to the Kings -- by 5-3 scores on Oct. 24 and Nov. 2. Phoenix also lost the most recent meeting, 3-2 in Los Angeles on Dec. 10 as Justin Williams beat Bryzgalov in the eighth round of a shootout.
Bryzgalov, though, has played a key role in Phoenix going 10-2-1 in its last 13 overall to move into fourth place in the Western Conference.
"There's a lot of work to be done here yet," first-year coach Dave Tippett told the Coyotes' official Web site. "I like the way this group has come along and I give the players a ton of credit. ... But there's no awards for half the season. The second half gets tougher and gets more meaningful."
Having Bryzgalov continue his emergence as a legitimate Vezina Trophy contender could make things a little easier. He's tied with Buffalo's Ryan Miller for third in the league with 21 wins and ranks third with a 2.02 goals-against average.
However, Bryzgalov is 1-1-1 with a 2.93 GAA in three starts against Los Angeles this season.
The Kings haven't played since a 2-1 loss at Calgary on Dec. 17, so coach Terry Murray put them through long practices this week before a league-mandated two-day Christmas break.
"You try to recreate a lot of the game scenarios, within the practice," he told the Kings' official Web site. "Do things hard, do them fast, with intensity, but bottom line, it's very hard to create that game scenario. That's where we have to be very focused when we get back at it on the 26th."
The return of Johnson, a top defenseman, and the high-scoring Smyth could be a big help to the Kings (22-12-3), who trail Phoenix by one point in the West. Johnson hasn't played since Dec. 15 due to an ankle injury, while Smyth has missed 15 games with an upper-body injury.
A four-time 30-goal scorer in his first season with Los Angeles, Smyth has two goals and five assists in three games versus the Coyotes.
Online Watch Dallas Stars vs Colorado Avalanche Live Stream Dallas Stars vs Colorado Avalanche NHL Youtube video Hockey highlights Review Schedule The Dallas Stars' trio of James Neal, Brad Richards and Loui Eriksson did plenty of damage on a three-game homestand.
They'll try to carry that production over on Saturday night when the Stars look to end a three-game road slide in their first meeting this season against the Colorado Avalanche, who enter off a dispiriting loss.
Each member of the Stars' top line had five points over the last three games. They combined for two goals, four assists and eight shots Wednesday as Dallas (16-10-11) beat Columbus 3-1 to take two of three on the homestand.
Neal scored two goals for the second time in three games, and has seven in his last 10 contests. His 18 goals are six shy of his total as a rookie in 2008-09.
"He's got real good hands and he gets to pucks around the net," coach Marc Crawford said. "He showed his physical nature. That's his game."
Neal has been helped by the stellar work of his linemates. Richards has five assists in three games to bring his total to 32 -- the fourth-highest in the NHL.
Eriksson has three goals and nine assists in a career-best eight-game point streak for the Stars, who are 1-3-3 in their last seven road games.
Still, that potent attack should present a challenge for the Avalanche's Craig Anderson, who is 2-2-0 with a 3.55 goals-against average in his last four games. Anderson went 10-1-2 with a 1.97 GAA in his first 13 starts, but has gone 8-8-3 with a 3.15 GAA in his last 19.
He made 39 saves Tuesday as Colorado (21-12-6) blew a two-goal lead with eight minutes left in a 4-2 home loss to Anaheim. The Avalanche fell to 16-3-3 when leading after two periods.
"We held on, Andy played so well again, we deserved better than that," defenseman Kyle Quincey said. "It's a tough loss and we'll learn from it."
Brandon Yip scored his first NHL goal for Colorado in his third career game after being recalled from Lake Erie of the AHL on Dec. 18.
The Avalanche's top two scorers -- Paul Stastny (38 points) and Wojtek Wolski (37) -- combined for only six assists last season against the Stars. Colorado won two meetings by one goal and lost the other two in shootouts.
It's unclear if Marty Turco will start for Dallas after Alex Auld stopped 33 shots against the Blue Jackets.
"Even though they had a few more shots than we did, I thought the guys limited their chances," said Auld who made 24 saves over the final 40 minutes after letting in a first-period goal. "We did a good job keeping the shots on the outside and letting me see the puck."
Turco has posted a 3.06 GAA in losing his last three starts at the Pepsi Center. He's 3-4-4 with a 3.19 GAA in his last 11 appearances.
Auld, meanwhile, is 2-2-1 with a 3.76 GAA in his last five starts against the Avalanche.
They'll try to carry that production over on Saturday night when the Stars look to end a three-game road slide in their first meeting this season against the Colorado Avalanche, who enter off a dispiriting loss.
Each member of the Stars' top line had five points over the last three games. They combined for two goals, four assists and eight shots Wednesday as Dallas (16-10-11) beat Columbus 3-1 to take two of three on the homestand.
Neal scored two goals for the second time in three games, and has seven in his last 10 contests. His 18 goals are six shy of his total as a rookie in 2008-09.
"He's got real good hands and he gets to pucks around the net," coach Marc Crawford said. "He showed his physical nature. That's his game."
Neal has been helped by the stellar work of his linemates. Richards has five assists in three games to bring his total to 32 -- the fourth-highest in the NHL.
Eriksson has three goals and nine assists in a career-best eight-game point streak for the Stars, who are 1-3-3 in their last seven road games.
Still, that potent attack should present a challenge for the Avalanche's Craig Anderson, who is 2-2-0 with a 3.55 goals-against average in his last four games. Anderson went 10-1-2 with a 1.97 GAA in his first 13 starts, but has gone 8-8-3 with a 3.15 GAA in his last 19.
He made 39 saves Tuesday as Colorado (21-12-6) blew a two-goal lead with eight minutes left in a 4-2 home loss to Anaheim. The Avalanche fell to 16-3-3 when leading after two periods.
"We held on, Andy played so well again, we deserved better than that," defenseman Kyle Quincey said. "It's a tough loss and we'll learn from it."
Brandon Yip scored his first NHL goal for Colorado in his third career game after being recalled from Lake Erie of the AHL on Dec. 18.
The Avalanche's top two scorers -- Paul Stastny (38 points) and Wojtek Wolski (37) -- combined for only six assists last season against the Stars. Colorado won two meetings by one goal and lost the other two in shootouts.
It's unclear if Marty Turco will start for Dallas after Alex Auld stopped 33 shots against the Blue Jackets.
"Even though they had a few more shots than we did, I thought the guys limited their chances," said Auld who made 24 saves over the final 40 minutes after letting in a first-period goal. "We did a good job keeping the shots on the outside and letting me see the puck."
Turco has posted a 3.06 GAA in losing his last three starts at the Pepsi Center. He's 3-4-4 with a 3.19 GAA in his last 11 appearances.
Auld, meanwhile, is 2-2-1 with a 3.76 GAA in his last five starts against the Avalanche.
Online Watch Philadelphia 76ers vs Utah Jazz Live Stream Philadelphia 76ers vs Utah Jazz NBA Youtube video Basketball highlights Review Schedule Deron Williams had his worst game of the season during a disappointing week on the road for Utah. The Jazz, though, easily defeated the Philadelphia 76ers last month without the star point guard.
Williams is expected to play this time and may not have to face Allen Iverson as the Jazz try to continue their home dominance of the 76ers on Saturday night.
Utah (16-13) is coming off a 2/3 road trip, losing the finale 80-70 to Miami on Wednesday night. The Jazz set season marks for fewest points allowed and fewest points scored even though Williams had 18, the same total he scored in a loss at Orlando two nights earlier.
Williams, however, was held to a season-low two points on 1-of-8 shooting in the second game of the trip, a 96-83 loss to Atlanta on Dec. 18. He's averaging 30.3 points and 13.0 assists in his last three games at EnergySolutions Arena, where Utah is 11-4.
"It's something more mental than physical -- ready to go home," Williams said. "But you've got to try to win before you get home."
The Jazz fared just fine with Williams out due to personal reasons in a matchup at Philadelphia on Nov. 13, winning 112-90 for their fifth consecutive victory in the series.
Utah has won 18 of its last 20 home games against the 76ers, holding them to 93.5 points per game.
Philadelphia is 3-11 on the road this season, though it's been outscored in those contests by an average of 3.4 points.
The Sixers (7-21) are playing their first game since a 105-98 loss at Washington on Tuesday night, but Iverson (knee, shoulder) still might not be healthy enough to play. Iverson, averaging 15.6 points in five contests with Philadelphia after a month away from the NBA, has missed three straight games and is listed as day to day.
The Sixers have started 19-year-old point guard Jrue Holiday in Iverson's place, but he had five points versus the Wizards after being held scoreless in a 112-107 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers last Saturday.
Defense, though, has been Philadelphia's biggest concern. The Sixers forced a season-low nine turnovers Tuesday and gave up more than 100 points for the fourth time in five games.
"If we're going to not box out, not rebound, not play 'D,' then you shouldn't be out there," forward Elton Brand said. "We need games right now. We need to be hungry."
Brand led Philadelphia with 18 points and 12 rebounds against Washington. He's shooting 59.6 percent (31 for 52) over his last five games.
Brand could at times be matched up with Utah's Paul Millsap, who left in the third quarter against the Heat after getting hurt trying to defend center Joel Anthony. Millsap suffered a mild concussion and needed 10 stitches in his mouth after fouling Anthony, who inadvertently struck him with an elbow.
Millsap, averaging 10.7 points and 5.2 rebounds, isn't listed on the Jazz's injury report. He had 15 points in this season's first matchup with Philadelphia and was among seven Utah players to score in double figures.
Jazz forward Carlos Boozer led all players with 24 points and 12 rebounds. He's averaged 23.0 points on 63.9 percent shooting in his last eight games versus the Sixers.
Williams is expected to play this time and may not have to face Allen Iverson as the Jazz try to continue their home dominance of the 76ers on Saturday night.
Utah (16-13) is coming off a 2/3 road trip, losing the finale 80-70 to Miami on Wednesday night. The Jazz set season marks for fewest points allowed and fewest points scored even though Williams had 18, the same total he scored in a loss at Orlando two nights earlier.
Williams, however, was held to a season-low two points on 1-of-8 shooting in the second game of the trip, a 96-83 loss to Atlanta on Dec. 18. He's averaging 30.3 points and 13.0 assists in his last three games at EnergySolutions Arena, where Utah is 11-4.
"It's something more mental than physical -- ready to go home," Williams said. "But you've got to try to win before you get home."
The Jazz fared just fine with Williams out due to personal reasons in a matchup at Philadelphia on Nov. 13, winning 112-90 for their fifth consecutive victory in the series.
Utah has won 18 of its last 20 home games against the 76ers, holding them to 93.5 points per game.
Philadelphia is 3-11 on the road this season, though it's been outscored in those contests by an average of 3.4 points.
The Sixers (7-21) are playing their first game since a 105-98 loss at Washington on Tuesday night, but Iverson (knee, shoulder) still might not be healthy enough to play. Iverson, averaging 15.6 points in five contests with Philadelphia after a month away from the NBA, has missed three straight games and is listed as day to day.
The Sixers have started 19-year-old point guard Jrue Holiday in Iverson's place, but he had five points versus the Wizards after being held scoreless in a 112-107 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers last Saturday.
Defense, though, has been Philadelphia's biggest concern. The Sixers forced a season-low nine turnovers Tuesday and gave up more than 100 points for the fourth time in five games.
"If we're going to not box out, not rebound, not play 'D,' then you shouldn't be out there," forward Elton Brand said. "We need games right now. We need to be hungry."
Brand led Philadelphia with 18 points and 12 rebounds against Washington. He's shooting 59.6 percent (31 for 52) over his last five games.
Brand could at times be matched up with Utah's Paul Millsap, who left in the third quarter against the Heat after getting hurt trying to defend center Joel Anthony. Millsap suffered a mild concussion and needed 10 stitches in his mouth after fouling Anthony, who inadvertently struck him with an elbow.
Millsap, averaging 10.7 points and 5.2 rebounds, isn't listed on the Jazz's injury report. He had 15 points in this season's first matchup with Philadelphia and was among seven Utah players to score in double figures.
Jazz forward Carlos Boozer led all players with 24 points and 12 rebounds. He's averaged 23.0 points on 63.9 percent shooting in his last eight games versus the Sixers.
Online Watch San Antonio Spurs vs Milwaukee Bucks Live Stream San Antonio Spurs vs Milwaukee Bucks NBA Youtube video Basketball highlights Review A two-game trip against Eastern Conference teams with poor records could help the San Antonio Spurs get back on the winning track.
It begins with Richard Jefferson returning to the Bradley Center on Saturday night when the Spurs try to complete a season sweep of the Milwaukee Bucks.
San Antonio (15-11) is 2-10 against teams that are .500 or better, but has won 13 straight against teams which currently own losing records since a 92-85 loss at Chicago on Oct. 29. The Spurs lost for the second time in eight games Wednesday with a 98-94 home defeat to Portland.
"I don't pay too much attention to that," guard Roger Mason said. "A lot of times it's not so much who we are playing but how we are handling our assessments and our assignments and doing the things we are supposed to do."
The Spurs will visit New York on Sunday after Jefferson makes his return to Milwaukee (12-15). Jefferson averaged a team-high 19.6 points in 2008-09 in his only season with Milwaukee with an injured Michael Redd limited to 33 games.
San Antonio acquired Jefferson from Milwaukee in the offseason for three players, with only Kurt Thomas remaining on the Bucks roster. Jefferson, though, is scoring 13.4 points per game for his lowest average since his 2001-02 rookie season with New Jersey.
Jefferson wasn't much of a factor with 11 points in a 112-98 home victory over Milwaukee on Nov. 23. Tim Duncan had 24 points and 12 rebounds as the Spurs led by as many as 21 points.
A 12-point effort in that loss marked the start of the decline for Milwaukee rookie Brandon Jennings, who averaged 25.3 points in the Bucks' 8-3 start prior to that contest. Milwaukee has since lost 12 of 16, with the point guard averaging 15.8 points on 34.6 percent shooting.
Jennings had the worst game of his career after getting into early foul trouble Wednesday in a 109-97 home loss to Washington. He went 3 of 9 from the field for a season-worst seven points and committed three turnovers in a season-low 16 minutes.
"He looked out of sorts from the very beginning and looked tentative and then got fouls," coach Scott Skiles said. "This hasn't happened to him very much where he's had to deal with foul trouble in a game."
Redd made his first start at home since Oct. 31 and scored a season-high 32 points.
While the Bucks are trying to figure out how to get Jennings going again, the Spurs are looking for answers to their uneven play. San Antonio had its streak of scoring at least 100 points in eight straight games end Wednesday as it trailed the entire fourth quarter.
"It was a real tough loss," coach Gregg Popovich said. "I thought that down the stretch in the fourth quarter we started to play with more aggressiveness and more urgency -- which we didn't have in early parts of the game."
Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, who missed the first meeting with Milwaukee with a groin strain, is averaging 8.4 points over his last five games on 30.6 percent shooting.
It begins with Richard Jefferson returning to the Bradley Center on Saturday night when the Spurs try to complete a season sweep of the Milwaukee Bucks.
San Antonio (15-11) is 2-10 against teams that are .500 or better, but has won 13 straight against teams which currently own losing records since a 92-85 loss at Chicago on Oct. 29. The Spurs lost for the second time in eight games Wednesday with a 98-94 home defeat to Portland.
"I don't pay too much attention to that," guard Roger Mason said. "A lot of times it's not so much who we are playing but how we are handling our assessments and our assignments and doing the things we are supposed to do."
The Spurs will visit New York on Sunday after Jefferson makes his return to Milwaukee (12-15). Jefferson averaged a team-high 19.6 points in 2008-09 in his only season with Milwaukee with an injured Michael Redd limited to 33 games.
San Antonio acquired Jefferson from Milwaukee in the offseason for three players, with only Kurt Thomas remaining on the Bucks roster. Jefferson, though, is scoring 13.4 points per game for his lowest average since his 2001-02 rookie season with New Jersey.
Jefferson wasn't much of a factor with 11 points in a 112-98 home victory over Milwaukee on Nov. 23. Tim Duncan had 24 points and 12 rebounds as the Spurs led by as many as 21 points.
A 12-point effort in that loss marked the start of the decline for Milwaukee rookie Brandon Jennings, who averaged 25.3 points in the Bucks' 8-3 start prior to that contest. Milwaukee has since lost 12 of 16, with the point guard averaging 15.8 points on 34.6 percent shooting.
Jennings had the worst game of his career after getting into early foul trouble Wednesday in a 109-97 home loss to Washington. He went 3 of 9 from the field for a season-worst seven points and committed three turnovers in a season-low 16 minutes.
"He looked out of sorts from the very beginning and looked tentative and then got fouls," coach Scott Skiles said. "This hasn't happened to him very much where he's had to deal with foul trouble in a game."
Redd made his first start at home since Oct. 31 and scored a season-high 32 points.
While the Bucks are trying to figure out how to get Jennings going again, the Spurs are looking for answers to their uneven play. San Antonio had its streak of scoring at least 100 points in eight straight games end Wednesday as it trailed the entire fourth quarter.
"It was a real tough loss," coach Gregg Popovich said. "I thought that down the stretch in the fourth quarter we started to play with more aggressiveness and more urgency -- which we didn't have in early parts of the game."
Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, who missed the first meeting with Milwaukee with a groin strain, is averaging 8.4 points over his last five games on 30.6 percent shooting.
Online Watch St. Louis Blues vs Minnesota Wild Live Stream St. Louis Blues vs Minnesota Wild NHL Youtube video Hockey highlights Review Schedule It seems all the St. Louis Blues needed to do to climb out of last place in the Western Conference was hit the road.
The Blues look to sweep a four-game road trip for the first time in franchise history Saturday night against the Minnesota Wild.
St. Louis (17-14-5) has had no home-ice advantage this season, posting an NHL-worst 6-11-2 record. Following a 6-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Dec. 18, the Blues knew they would have to get things turned around on the road, where they have the league's second-best mark at 11-3-3.
"We've been playing bad at home and we said to each other, 'We have to do something, this is not good enough." center Patrik Berglund said. "So, we went on this road trip with a whole new attitude."
After opening with a 3-1 win at Vancouver on Sunday, the Blues ripped Edmonton 7-2 on Monday followed by a 2-1 shootout victory over Calgary on Wednesday to complete the Western Canada sweep.
Berglund scored in regulation against the Flames, while Chris Mason made 23 saves and turned aside two shootout attempts.
St. Louis began this trip with a West-worst 33 points, but enters this contest tied with Minnesota for 11th in the conference.
"In these last few games, when we put our mind to it and play the way we're supposed to play, we've seen how we're successful," Mason said. "These three games in a row have probably been three of our best games of the season."
Mason and backup Ty Conklin have keyed the club's road dominance. Mason has posted a 2.21 goals-against average in winning his last three road starts, while Conklin is 4-1-0 with a 1.75 GAA and one shutout in his last five away from St. Louis.
Mason was in net for the Blues' only game of the season against Minnesota (16-16-3), stopping 20 shots in a 3-1 win on Oct. 23. David Perron, who leads St. Louis with 10 goals, scored and added an assist.
The Blues have won three straight over the Wild in St. Louis, but lost eight of the last 10 meetings in Minnesota.
Looking for their sixth win in seven games at the Xcel Energy Center, the Wild are coming off a 3-1 win over the Oilers on Wednesday.
Andrew Brunette ended an eight-game drought with his team-high 11th goal and Owen Nolan and Guillaume Latendresse also scored for Minnesota, which is 10-4-0 overall since Nov. 27.
Niklas Backstrom had another solid game between the pipes, stopping 30 shots to improve to 5-2-0 with a 1.71 GAA and one shutout in his last seven starts.
"He made some big saves at key times," Minnesota rookie coach Todd Richards said.
Backstrom made 23 saves against St. Louis in October, and has been in goal for each game of the Wild's losing streak in the series, recording a 3.41 GAA. He has fared much better at home versus the Blues, going 4-1-0 with a 1.20 GAA and one shutout lifetime.
The Blues look to sweep a four-game road trip for the first time in franchise history Saturday night against the Minnesota Wild.
St. Louis (17-14-5) has had no home-ice advantage this season, posting an NHL-worst 6-11-2 record. Following a 6-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Dec. 18, the Blues knew they would have to get things turned around on the road, where they have the league's second-best mark at 11-3-3.
"We've been playing bad at home and we said to each other, 'We have to do something, this is not good enough." center Patrik Berglund said. "So, we went on this road trip with a whole new attitude."
After opening with a 3-1 win at Vancouver on Sunday, the Blues ripped Edmonton 7-2 on Monday followed by a 2-1 shootout victory over Calgary on Wednesday to complete the Western Canada sweep.
Berglund scored in regulation against the Flames, while Chris Mason made 23 saves and turned aside two shootout attempts.
St. Louis began this trip with a West-worst 33 points, but enters this contest tied with Minnesota for 11th in the conference.
"In these last few games, when we put our mind to it and play the way we're supposed to play, we've seen how we're successful," Mason said. "These three games in a row have probably been three of our best games of the season."
Mason and backup Ty Conklin have keyed the club's road dominance. Mason has posted a 2.21 goals-against average in winning his last three road starts, while Conklin is 4-1-0 with a 1.75 GAA and one shutout in his last five away from St. Louis.
Mason was in net for the Blues' only game of the season against Minnesota (16-16-3), stopping 20 shots in a 3-1 win on Oct. 23. David Perron, who leads St. Louis with 10 goals, scored and added an assist.
The Blues have won three straight over the Wild in St. Louis, but lost eight of the last 10 meetings in Minnesota.
Looking for their sixth win in seven games at the Xcel Energy Center, the Wild are coming off a 3-1 win over the Oilers on Wednesday.
Andrew Brunette ended an eight-game drought with his team-high 11th goal and Owen Nolan and Guillaume Latendresse also scored for Minnesota, which is 10-4-0 overall since Nov. 27.
Niklas Backstrom had another solid game between the pipes, stopping 30 shots to improve to 5-2-0 with a 1.71 GAA and one shutout in his last seven starts.
"He made some big saves at key times," Minnesota rookie coach Todd Richards said.
Backstrom made 23 saves against St. Louis in October, and has been in goal for each game of the Wild's losing streak in the series, recording a 3.41 GAA. He has fared much better at home versus the Blues, going 4-1-0 with a 1.20 GAA and one shutout lifetime.
Online Watch Chicago Blackhawks vs Nashville Predators Live Stream Chicago Blackhawks vs Nashville Predators NHL Youtube video Hockey highlights When the Chicago Blackhawks let Nikolai Khabibulin leave via free agency in July after helping the club end a seven-year playoff drought, questions were raised about the state of the club's goaltending.
Cristobal Huet and Antti Niemi have resoundingly answered all of them.
Chicago goes for its fifth shutout of the month Saturday night when it visits Nashville to take on the Predators in the start of a home-and-home series between the Central Division's top two teams.
Last season with Khabibulin and Huet sharing time, Chicago made the playoffs for the first time since 2002, but lost to Detroit in the Western Conference finals. When Khabibulin joined Edmonton, Huet was elevated to starter and Niemi later made the club despite only three games of NHL experience.
Thanks to them, the Blackhawks (24-9-3) has allowed a league-low 74 goals and few pucks have gotten past either one lately.
Niemi blanked Tampa Bay on Dec. 13 and Huet answered three nights later by shutting out St. Louis. Huet continued his scoreless string with a 3-0 victory over the Red Wings on Sunday before Niemi duplicated the feat with 33 saves in a win by the same score Wednesday in Detroit.
Huet, named the NHL's first star of the week Monday, has already equaled last season's total of three shutouts, including a 2-0 win over Nashville on Oct. 24. Niemi has notched four shutouts while going 8-1-1 with a 1.59 goals-against average -- a number that drops to 0.98 while winning his last five starts.
"We know whether it's Antti or Huey, we're going to get great goaltending," said Patrick Sharp, who scored along with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews on Wednesday.
No team has had five shutouts in a calendar month since new career leader Martin Brodeur had four and Corey Schwab one for New Jersey in December 2003.
With 51 points, Chicago is tied with San Jose for the West lead but Nashville (22-12-3), which finished at the bottom of the Central last season, is only four points behind those clubs. A key to that surprising turnaround is balance as J.P. Dumont and Martin Erat lead the club with 24 points while three others have at least 22.
However, after scoring 23 goals during a four-game winning streak, the Predators fell 4-1 at Vancouver on Tuesday. Patric Hornqvist's goal with 5:24 to play helped Nashville avoid being blanked for the sixth time this season.
"There were too many areas where they had a higher compete level," coach Barry Trotz said. "More urgency. Harder on the puck. More determined."
Hornqvist has scored five of his 11 goals over the last five games and was named the league's third star Monday. The right wing managed two goals in 28 games as a rookie last season.
Trotz will likely go with Pekka Rinne in goal following a lengthy layoff. Though he was lifted after giving up two goals in the first 5:01 of a 6-3 loss to Edmonton on Dec. 17, Rinne is 14-6-2 with a 2.75 GAA this season, and beat the Blackhawks 2-0 on Oct. 29 in Nashville.
The teams will meet Sunday in Chicago for the final time in the regular season.
Cristobal Huet and Antti Niemi have resoundingly answered all of them.
Chicago goes for its fifth shutout of the month Saturday night when it visits Nashville to take on the Predators in the start of a home-and-home series between the Central Division's top two teams.
Last season with Khabibulin and Huet sharing time, Chicago made the playoffs for the first time since 2002, but lost to Detroit in the Western Conference finals. When Khabibulin joined Edmonton, Huet was elevated to starter and Niemi later made the club despite only three games of NHL experience.
Thanks to them, the Blackhawks (24-9-3) has allowed a league-low 74 goals and few pucks have gotten past either one lately.
Niemi blanked Tampa Bay on Dec. 13 and Huet answered three nights later by shutting out St. Louis. Huet continued his scoreless string with a 3-0 victory over the Red Wings on Sunday before Niemi duplicated the feat with 33 saves in a win by the same score Wednesday in Detroit.
Huet, named the NHL's first star of the week Monday, has already equaled last season's total of three shutouts, including a 2-0 win over Nashville on Oct. 24. Niemi has notched four shutouts while going 8-1-1 with a 1.59 goals-against average -- a number that drops to 0.98 while winning his last five starts.
"We know whether it's Antti or Huey, we're going to get great goaltending," said Patrick Sharp, who scored along with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews on Wednesday.
No team has had five shutouts in a calendar month since new career leader Martin Brodeur had four and Corey Schwab one for New Jersey in December 2003.
With 51 points, Chicago is tied with San Jose for the West lead but Nashville (22-12-3), which finished at the bottom of the Central last season, is only four points behind those clubs. A key to that surprising turnaround is balance as J.P. Dumont and Martin Erat lead the club with 24 points while three others have at least 22.
However, after scoring 23 goals during a four-game winning streak, the Predators fell 4-1 at Vancouver on Tuesday. Patric Hornqvist's goal with 5:24 to play helped Nashville avoid being blanked for the sixth time this season.
"There were too many areas where they had a higher compete level," coach Barry Trotz said. "More urgency. Harder on the puck. More determined."
Hornqvist has scored five of his 11 goals over the last five games and was named the league's third star Monday. The right wing managed two goals in 28 games as a rookie last season.
Trotz will likely go with Pekka Rinne in goal following a lengthy layoff. Though he was lifted after giving up two goals in the first 5:01 of a 6-3 loss to Edmonton on Dec. 17, Rinne is 14-6-2 with a 2.75 GAA this season, and beat the Blackhawks 2-0 on Oct. 29 in Nashville.
The teams will meet Sunday in Chicago for the final time in the regular season.
Online Watch Washington Wizards vs Minnesota Timberwolves Live Stream Washington Wizards vs Minnesota Timberwolves NBA Youtube video Gilbert Arenas could be a little sore after leaving the Washington Wizards' last game with an injury. That might not be the least of his worries.
Two days after admitting he stored firearms in his locker, Arenas will try to help the Wizards win three straight games for the first time in more than 20 months Saturday night when they visit the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Arenas said in a published report Thursday that he took his guns to the Verizon Center after his daughter, Hamiley Penny, was born this month. About a week later, the three-time All-Star said he handed them over to team security to give to police.
The NBA's collective bargaining agreement allows players to legally possess firearms, but prohibits them at league facilities or when traveling on any league-related business. The Wizards (10-17) issued a statement Thursday night saying there was no ammunition in the locked container used to store the firearms, and Arenas and the team have notified authorities and the league.
After being limited to 15 games during the past two seasons following three operations on his left knee, Arenas could be facing either a fine or suspension in the near future. He was suspended for Washington's season opener in 2004 because he failed to maintain proper registration of a handgun while living in California in 2003.
Averaging a team-high 22.2 points, Arenas was on his way to another strong performance in Wednesday's 109-97 win over Milwaukee, but left in the fourth quarter after taking a knee to his left leg.
"I thought, 'This hurts way more than it should," said Arenas, who finished with 18 points in 32 minutes. "There was no point in putting me back in."
With Arenas out, Earl Boykins stepped up and scored 12 of his 15 points in the fourth to help put the Wizards in position for their first three-game winning streak since April 4-9, 2008.
Washington has won four consecutive games over the Timberwolves since a 98-94 loss on Feb. 25, 2007, and this will be their first meeting of the season.
Antawn Jamison was instrumental to the Wizards' success against Minnesota last season, averaging 27.5 points in two games. Jamison had 25 and 10 rebounds against the Bucks, and will likely be counted on to shoulder more of the offense if Arenas is still ailing.
The Timberwolves (6-24) are coming off a 103-99 win over New Jersey on Wednesday for their third victory in six games. Minnesota, which had won just three times in its first 24 contests, also caught a big break.
Clinging to a 99-97 lead with 26 seconds to play, officials used a videotape review to award the Wolves the ball for an inbounds play after originally calling it in favor of the Nets. Corey Brewer, who had 17 points, was immediately fouled on the ensuing inbounds play and made two free throws to extend the lead.
Although Minnesota got a little lucky, a solid performance from Al Jefferson also helped.
Jefferson scored a season-high 27 points while showing some glimpses of the assertiveness he had prior to tearing his right ACL and missing the final 32 games last season -- including both matchups with Washington.
"That's the Al I want to see," Minnesota first-year coach Kurt Rambis said. "He made outside shots and was aggressive going to the basket. He was forcing their defense to change direction and then was quick getting his shot off. When he does that, he's tough to defend."
Jefferson looks to build off that performance against a Washington defense that has allowed an average of 109.8 points in its last four road games.
Two days after admitting he stored firearms in his locker, Arenas will try to help the Wizards win three straight games for the first time in more than 20 months Saturday night when they visit the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Arenas said in a published report Thursday that he took his guns to the Verizon Center after his daughter, Hamiley Penny, was born this month. About a week later, the three-time All-Star said he handed them over to team security to give to police.
The NBA's collective bargaining agreement allows players to legally possess firearms, but prohibits them at league facilities or when traveling on any league-related business. The Wizards (10-17) issued a statement Thursday night saying there was no ammunition in the locked container used to store the firearms, and Arenas and the team have notified authorities and the league.
After being limited to 15 games during the past two seasons following three operations on his left knee, Arenas could be facing either a fine or suspension in the near future. He was suspended for Washington's season opener in 2004 because he failed to maintain proper registration of a handgun while living in California in 2003.
Averaging a team-high 22.2 points, Arenas was on his way to another strong performance in Wednesday's 109-97 win over Milwaukee, but left in the fourth quarter after taking a knee to his left leg.
"I thought, 'This hurts way more than it should," said Arenas, who finished with 18 points in 32 minutes. "There was no point in putting me back in."
With Arenas out, Earl Boykins stepped up and scored 12 of his 15 points in the fourth to help put the Wizards in position for their first three-game winning streak since April 4-9, 2008.
Washington has won four consecutive games over the Timberwolves since a 98-94 loss on Feb. 25, 2007, and this will be their first meeting of the season.
Antawn Jamison was instrumental to the Wizards' success against Minnesota last season, averaging 27.5 points in two games. Jamison had 25 and 10 rebounds against the Bucks, and will likely be counted on to shoulder more of the offense if Arenas is still ailing.
The Timberwolves (6-24) are coming off a 103-99 win over New Jersey on Wednesday for their third victory in six games. Minnesota, which had won just three times in its first 24 contests, also caught a big break.
Clinging to a 99-97 lead with 26 seconds to play, officials used a videotape review to award the Wolves the ball for an inbounds play after originally calling it in favor of the Nets. Corey Brewer, who had 17 points, was immediately fouled on the ensuing inbounds play and made two free throws to extend the lead.
Although Minnesota got a little lucky, a solid performance from Al Jefferson also helped.
Jefferson scored a season-high 27 points while showing some glimpses of the assertiveness he had prior to tearing his right ACL and missing the final 32 games last season -- including both matchups with Washington.
"That's the Al I want to see," Minnesota first-year coach Kurt Rambis said. "He made outside shots and was aggressive going to the basket. He was forcing their defense to change direction and then was quick getting his shot off. When he does that, he's tough to defend."
Jefferson looks to build off that performance against a Washington defense that has allowed an average of 109.8 points in its last four road games.
Online Watch New Orleans Hornets vs Chicago Bulls Live Stream New Orleans Hornets vs Chicago Bulls NBA Youtube video Basketball highlights Review Vinny Del Negro held on to his job through Christmas Eve, something two other Chicago Bulls coaches couldn't pull off this decade.
Del Negro's time could run out, however, if the Bulls don't begin winning more regularly, and they'll try to start Saturday night against the visiting New Orleans Hornets.
The Bulls forced Tim Floyd to resign on Dec. 24, 2001, and fired Scott Skiles on that same day six years later. They're sticking with Del Negro for now despite a 5-16 mark since Nov. 10.
"I have to get better. The team has to get better," Del Negro said. "There's no question, but that's the challenge. To me, life is about challenges."
The start to his second season as Bulls coach has included a number of blowout defeats and the NBA's worst collapse in 13 seasons earlier this week.
The Bulls (10-17) set a dubious team record by blowing a 35-point lead in Monday night's 102-98 home loss to the Kings. The next evening, their comeback fell short in an 88-81 defeat in New York.
The Bulls closed a 22-point deficit to one with less than two minutes remaining, but couldn't get past the Knicks despite Derrick Rose scoring 22 of his 26 points in the second half.
"We can't play just a half of basketball," Del Negro said. "We're not that good of a team to do that."
Luol Deng added 23 points for his fifth straight 20-point performance, but Chicago remains one of the league's worst offensive teams with 90.9 points per game.
The Bulls will try to take advantage of a team that's had more than a few bad nights away from home this season.
The Hornets (13-14) are a Western Conference-worst 2-11 on the road and are only a half-game ahead of last-place Memphis in the Southwest Division.
New Orleans has won three of four overall, but each victory came at home, including Wednesday night's 108-102 defeat of Golden State.
Chris Paul is hoping to lead the Hornets to a road win Saturday that would get them back to .500 for the first time since October.
"Not only do we get that chance, but it's on the road again," Paul told the Hornets' official Web site. "(We) get a chance to prove ourselves."
Paul averaged 26.1 points during his first nine games of the season, but is averaging 17.2 in nine games since returning from a sprained left ankle. However, he's handed out 12.7 assists per game since coming back and the Hornets have gone 6-3.
The All-Star point guard has thrived in seven career meetings against the Bulls, averaging 24.3 points on 56.9 percent shooting and 10.7 assists. However, his team-leading 29 points in New Orleans' previous trip to the United Center on March 14 didn't help the Hornets avoid a season sweep.
No teammate scored more than 10 points in that 97-79 loss in Chicago, and Paul missed a 107-93 home defeat to the Bulls on Feb. 4 with a strained groin.
Chicago's Tyrus Thomas could play for the first time since fracturing his left forearm in early November.
Del Negro's time could run out, however, if the Bulls don't begin winning more regularly, and they'll try to start Saturday night against the visiting New Orleans Hornets.
The Bulls forced Tim Floyd to resign on Dec. 24, 2001, and fired Scott Skiles on that same day six years later. They're sticking with Del Negro for now despite a 5-16 mark since Nov. 10.
"I have to get better. The team has to get better," Del Negro said. "There's no question, but that's the challenge. To me, life is about challenges."
The start to his second season as Bulls coach has included a number of blowout defeats and the NBA's worst collapse in 13 seasons earlier this week.
The Bulls (10-17) set a dubious team record by blowing a 35-point lead in Monday night's 102-98 home loss to the Kings. The next evening, their comeback fell short in an 88-81 defeat in New York.
The Bulls closed a 22-point deficit to one with less than two minutes remaining, but couldn't get past the Knicks despite Derrick Rose scoring 22 of his 26 points in the second half.
"We can't play just a half of basketball," Del Negro said. "We're not that good of a team to do that."
Luol Deng added 23 points for his fifth straight 20-point performance, but Chicago remains one of the league's worst offensive teams with 90.9 points per game.
The Bulls will try to take advantage of a team that's had more than a few bad nights away from home this season.
The Hornets (13-14) are a Western Conference-worst 2-11 on the road and are only a half-game ahead of last-place Memphis in the Southwest Division.
New Orleans has won three of four overall, but each victory came at home, including Wednesday night's 108-102 defeat of Golden State.
Chris Paul is hoping to lead the Hornets to a road win Saturday that would get them back to .500 for the first time since October.
"Not only do we get that chance, but it's on the road again," Paul told the Hornets' official Web site. "(We) get a chance to prove ourselves."
Paul averaged 26.1 points during his first nine games of the season, but is averaging 17.2 in nine games since returning from a sprained left ankle. However, he's handed out 12.7 assists per game since coming back and the Hornets have gone 6-3.
The All-Star point guard has thrived in seven career meetings against the Bulls, averaging 24.3 points on 56.9 percent shooting and 10.7 assists. However, his team-leading 29 points in New Orleans' previous trip to the United Center on March 14 didn't help the Hornets avoid a season sweep.
No teammate scored more than 10 points in that 97-79 loss in Chicago, and Paul missed a 107-93 home defeat to the Bulls on Feb. 4 with a strained groin.
Chicago's Tyrus Thomas could play for the first time since fracturing his left forearm in early November.
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