PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* NHL PLAY OF THE DAY >> *HOT* 10-3 Run on the Ice!
(NHL) Dallas vs. Carolina,
Money Line: -120.00 Carolina (Home)
Result: Win
Money Line: -120.00 Carolina (Home)
Result: Win
The set-up: The 9-7-0 Dallas Stars are coming off a 5-0 victory over the New York Islanders on Friday, giving them four wins in their last six. They will visit Carolina tonight in the opener of a three-game road trip, then continue with road games in Miami and Tampa Bay. The 6-5-4 Hurricanes have earned points in each of their last four games (2-0-2) but could not feel happy with their point on Saturday, as Chicago rallied from a two-goal deficit in the third period before pulling out a 4-3 overtime triumph. .
Dallas: Defensemen John Klingberg has registered seven points in his last three games to lead the team, and all NHL blue-liners with 18 points. Jason Spezza snapped his career-high 16-game goal-scoring drought, which started late last season, on Friday. He told reporters "Obviously, it's been a long time. Hopefully, it's something I can build off of." Captain Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin (two goals, three assists in the last five contests) are tied for second on the team with 16 points while Alexander Radulov is next with 14 as he carries a seven-game point streak into the contest against Carolina.
Carolina: "You've got to be able to close those out," Carolina forward Derek Ryan told reporters after the loss to Chicago. "I thought they got a couple bounces but, at the same time, we have to make sure we're locking it up defensively, and we didn't do that." The team's power play has been awful. Carolina's 12.2 percent ranks 30th (of 31 teams) and is 0-for-14 over the last five games. "We've got to find a way to turn that around," left wing Jeff Skinner, who scored his team-leading eighth goal on Saturday, told reporters. "It's costing us in some situations where we need a bit of a jump, and we're not getting it." Veteran forward Justin Williams notched an assist against the Blackhawks and leads the team with 13 points, including eight over his last seven games.
The pick: A lot points to Dallas in this one. The Stars have won the last six meetings between the two teams plus Ben Bishop is expected to get the start tonight in goal (he's 8-1-1 with a 1.89 goals-against average and .942 save percentage against the Hurricanes!). However, I see this as an excellent spot for Carolina and goaltender Scott Darling. He was a backup for the last few seasons in Chicago (18-5-5 with a 2.38 GGA last season) but is establishing himself as Carolina's No. 1 backstop, going 4-3-4 with a 2.49 GAA so far this season. Make Carolina 10* play.
Dallas: Defensemen John Klingberg has registered seven points in his last three games to lead the team, and all NHL blue-liners with 18 points. Jason Spezza snapped his career-high 16-game goal-scoring drought, which started late last season, on Friday. He told reporters "Obviously, it's been a long time. Hopefully, it's something I can build off of." Captain Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin (two goals, three assists in the last five contests) are tied for second on the team with 16 points while Alexander Radulov is next with 14 as he carries a seven-game point streak into the contest against Carolina.
Carolina: "You've got to be able to close those out," Carolina forward Derek Ryan told reporters after the loss to Chicago. "I thought they got a couple bounces but, at the same time, we have to make sure we're locking it up defensively, and we didn't do that." The team's power play has been awful. Carolina's 12.2 percent ranks 30th (of 31 teams) and is 0-for-14 over the last five games. "We've got to find a way to turn that around," left wing Jeff Skinner, who scored his team-leading eighth goal on Saturday, told reporters. "It's costing us in some situations where we need a bit of a jump, and we're not getting it." Veteran forward Justin Williams notched an assist against the Blackhawks and leads the team with 13 points, including eight over his last seven games.
The pick: A lot points to Dallas in this one. The Stars have won the last six meetings between the two teams plus Ben Bishop is expected to get the start tonight in goal (he's 8-1-1 with a 1.89 goals-against average and .942 save percentage against the Hurricanes!). However, I see this as an excellent spot for Carolina and goaltender Scott Darling. He was a backup for the last few seasons in Chicago (18-5-5 with a 2.38 GGA last season) but is establishing himself as Carolina's No. 1 backstop, going 4-3-4 with a 2.49 GAA so far this season. Make Carolina 10* play.
