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(NHL) Anaheim vs. Chicago,
Money Line: -173.00 Chicago (Home)
Result: Loss
Money Line: -173.00 Chicago (Home)
Result: Loss
The set-up: The 34-22-10 Anaheim Ducks have 78 points (tied with Edmonton) and sit seven points back of the Sharks in the Pacific Division. However, the Ducks are "treading water," having alternated wins and losses over their last 12 contests as they visit the 42-18-5 Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night. Chicago is fresh off a five-day break and will look to extend its current winning streak to eight in a row, tonight.
Anaheim: Captain Ryan Getzlaf (team-best 40 assists, 52 points) hd a goal and two assists in Tuesday's 4-3 victory over Nashville, giving him 13 points (four goals & nine assists) in the past 10 games. However, Anaheim remains without veteran center Antoine Vermette (8 goals & 14 assists), who serves the ninth contest of a 10-game suspension for slashing a linesman on Feb. 14. Vermette will be eligible to return Sunday against Washington. Jonathan Bernier likely will start in net for Anaheim as fellow goaltender John Gibson continues to recover from a lower-body injury. Bernier is 11-7-2 with a .904 save percentage and 2.85 goals-against average.
Chicago: The white-hot Blackhawks have been led recently by Patrick Kane (team-leading 29 goals, 41 assists, 70 points), who has 14 goals and seven assists (21 points) in his last 13 games. Two-time Norris Trophy winner Duncan Keith is riding a four-game assist streak and defensive partner Brent Seabrook has set up five goals in his last five contests. Nearly everything has gone right in recent weeks for Chicago, which won 12 of its past 13 games. Now, the Blackhawks return to full strength as they reunite their old defensive pairing of Niklas Hjalmarsson and Johnny Oduya for the first time in almost two years.
The pick: The Ducks haven't won back-to-back games since Jan. 17-19 and just why should Randy Carlyle's team finally break its win-loss pattern, here? Chicago goalie Corey Crawford improved his career mark to 12-4-2 with a 1.85 goals-against average versus Anaheim after turning aside 34 shots when the teams met in Chicago (a 3-2 Blackhawks win) back on Nov. 25. Chicago is 22-8-4 on home ice, while Anaheim is a sub-.500 team on the road (13-14-7), getting outscored by an average of 2.91-to-2.41 GPG. Chicago is a 10* play.
Anaheim: Captain Ryan Getzlaf (team-best 40 assists, 52 points) hd a goal and two assists in Tuesday's 4-3 victory over Nashville, giving him 13 points (four goals & nine assists) in the past 10 games. However, Anaheim remains without veteran center Antoine Vermette (8 goals & 14 assists), who serves the ninth contest of a 10-game suspension for slashing a linesman on Feb. 14. Vermette will be eligible to return Sunday against Washington. Jonathan Bernier likely will start in net for Anaheim as fellow goaltender John Gibson continues to recover from a lower-body injury. Bernier is 11-7-2 with a .904 save percentage and 2.85 goals-against average.
Chicago: The white-hot Blackhawks have been led recently by Patrick Kane (team-leading 29 goals, 41 assists, 70 points), who has 14 goals and seven assists (21 points) in his last 13 games. Two-time Norris Trophy winner Duncan Keith is riding a four-game assist streak and defensive partner Brent Seabrook has set up five goals in his last five contests. Nearly everything has gone right in recent weeks for Chicago, which won 12 of its past 13 games. Now, the Blackhawks return to full strength as they reunite their old defensive pairing of Niklas Hjalmarsson and Johnny Oduya for the first time in almost two years.
The pick: The Ducks haven't won back-to-back games since Jan. 17-19 and just why should Randy Carlyle's team finally break its win-loss pattern, here? Chicago goalie Corey Crawford improved his career mark to 12-4-2 with a 1.85 goals-against average versus Anaheim after turning aside 34 shots when the teams met in Chicago (a 3-2 Blackhawks win) back on Nov. 25. Chicago is 22-8-4 on home ice, while Anaheim is a sub-.500 team on the road (13-14-7), getting outscored by an average of 2.91-to-2.41 GPG. Chicago is a 10* play.
