Preview Roundups
April 03, 2014
Columbus at Philadelphia 7:00 PM ET
Sergei Bobrovsky will make his long-awaited return to Philadelphia on Thursday as his Columbus Blue Jackets look to remain in control of their playoff destiny with a showdown against the host Flyers. Bobrovsky, who was acquired from the Flyers in June 2012, sat out the previous meeting in Philadelphia with a groin injury. Columbus sure could have used him, as the Blue Jackets went on to squander a 3-0 third-period lead in a 5-4 loss.
Dallas at Carolina 7:00 PM ET
The Dallas Stars are attempting to maintain their tenuous hold on the final postseason slot in the Western Conference but they will have to get past a team desperately trying to stay in the playoff chase when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night. The Stars have won three in a row and kicked off their five-game road trip with impressive victories at St. Louis and Washington. Dallas is deadlocked with Phoenix for the second wild card but has two games in hand on the Coyotes.
Boston at Toronto 7:30 PM ET
Coming off a season-saving victory, the Toronto Maple Leafs remain in must-win mode when they host the Boston Bruins on Thursday night. Toronto snapped an eight-game losing streak and kept its fleeting postseason hopes alive with a 3-2 victory over Calgary on Tuesday, though coach Randy Carlyle was quick to point out it wasn't a masterpiece. “We didn’t paint a Mona Lisa here tonight,” Carlyle said after the Maple Leafs pulled within a point of Columbus for the second wild card in the East.
Calgary at Tampa Bay 7:30 PM ET
With a playoff berth already clinched, the Tampa Bay Lightning set their sights on home-ice advantage in the first round when they host the Calgary Flames on Thursday. The Lightning are 8-1-4 in their last 13 games and can move ahead of Montreal for second place in the Atlantic Division by notching at least a point against the Flames - with five games to go afterward. Ben Bishop shut out Calgary 2-0 on Jan. 3.
Minnesota at Chicago 8:00 PM ET
Mired in a three-game losing streak, the Chicago Blackhawks suffered another significant setback upon learning that Jonathan Toews will miss for the remainder of the regular season. The reigning Stanley Cup champions look to get back on a positive run without their injured captain when they host the Minnesota Wild on Thursday.
Buffalo at St. Louis 8:00 PM ET
Ryan Miller gets a chance to see what he's not missing when his new team, the St. Louis Blues, host the league-worst Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night. Coming off his first shutout in more than two years, Miller will be a spectator against his former team as Brian Elliott gets the start for the Blues, who trail Boston by one point in the race for the Presidents' Trophy. St. Louis also must keep its eye on the rear-view mirror, leading Anaheim by one point for the top seed in the West.
Pittsburgh at Winnipeg 8:00 PM ET
The Pittsburgh Penguins embark on their final road trip of the regular season with a visit to the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday. The Jets are playing their first home game since March 22 and have just one regulation victory in Manitoba since January (3-4-2). The Penguins will clinch the Metropolitan Division if they earn a point against the Jets or if Keystone State-rival Philadelphia fails to win out.
NY Rangers at Colorado 9:00 PM ET
The New York Rangers have won a franchise-best 25 games on the road to make themselves at home away from Madison Square Garden. The Rangers look to add to that total when they visit the surging Colorado Avalanche on Thursday. New York posted a 3-1 triumph over Vancouver on Tuesday for its seventh win in eight games, although the victory came at a price as top defenseman Ryan McDonagh exited the contest with his left arm in a sling.
Los Angeles at San Jose 10:30 PM ET
Two teams on a collision course for a first-round playoff matchup face off Thursday as the San Jose Sharks host the Pacific Division-rival Los Angeles Kings in the finale of the five-game season series. San Jose is second in the division but still has a chance to catch first-place Anaheim, which owns a three-point lead with one game in hand. The Sharks continue their three-game homestand that began with a 5-4 comeback victory over Edmonton on Tuesday.
© 2002-2017 Atlantic Lottery Corporation
General information and statistics are provided by a third party supplier (SportsDirect) and do not represent the opinions of the Atlantic Lottery Corporation. The information and statistics are not meant to be advice or recommendations in relation to how to place bets or wager and ALC makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy or reliability of any content or postings on ProlineStadium.com and ALC is not responsible or liable for any losses or damages using any information or statistics on ProlineStadium.com. ALC expressly disclaims any warranty of fitness for a particular purpose of content or ProlineStadium.com. See Terms and Conditions for complete details.
