They turned that, just barely, into a critical win over the Los Angeles Kings.

Charlie Coyle and Cal Clutterbuck scored 16 seconds apart late in the first period, helping the Wild break their five-game home losing streak and hang on to beat the Kings 2-1 on Tuesday night.

“I really believe that competitors in games like that find a way to go out and be really good,” Wild coach Mike Yeo said. “And that’s what we had.”

Jeff Carter’s slap shot whizzed past Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom with an improbable 0.8 seconds left before the second intermission, pulling the Kings within one. It was Carter’s 26th goal, tied for third in the NHL. Then as the Kings created some late energy, Slava Voynov’s shot from the far edge of the right circle was stopped by a sprawling Backstrom with 11 seconds remaining in the game to preserve the lead.

“You’ve got to play 60 minutes playing a desperate hockey team,” Kings coach Darryl Sutter said, adding: “We turned the puck over too much in the first period. Eventually, when you have that much skill on the other side, they’re going to score.”

With a 3-7-1 record in the last 11 games since this month began and that playoff spot still unsecured, the Wild badly needed a victory. After losing their past two games by a combined 10-2 margin, their hold on seventh place in the Western Conference was tenuous with two games left in the regular season after this.

“The bar has been set, and we’ve got to make sure we’re ready to bring at least that the next game,” Yeo said.

Clutterbuck snapped an 18-game streak without a goal. Relentless on both ends all night with his new linemate Devin Setoguchi, Clutterbuck raised his arms in celebration after his tight-angle shot sneaked between Kings goalie Jonathan Bernier and the left post. He jumped against the boards, with the Wild ahead 2-0.

“This was probably the biggest game I’ve ever played in for this franchise, so I was excited,” Clutterbuck said.

The Kings failed to get a point for only the third time in their last 15 games. Bernier, in the net for the first time in seven games in relief of Jonathan Quick, made 23 saves. The Kings can’t do better than the fourth seed, but they don’t want to fall to fifth or sixth and lose that home-ice advantage for the first round. San Jose and St. Louis have been right behind all month.

“We didn’t play three periods. We didn’t deserve to win the game,” Kings captain Dustin Brown said.

Brown fired up the Wild with a vicious-looking elbow to the jaw of Jason Pominville in the second period that went without penalty and knocked Pominville on his back. He woozily and slowly skated off the ice with a trainer’s guidance and didn’t return to the bench. Yeo said he had no update on Pominville’s condition and declined to comment on the hit. Brown, who had the puck on his stick at the time, said he was trying to brace himself for a hit from Pominville.

“We’ve seen it on the replay, but I’m sure someone will look at it,” Setoguchi said. “The game’s going fast. From our end, it was right in the head on the face.”

The Wild already without one of their top scorers in Dany Heatley for the remainder of the season. Losing Pominville for any stretch would be a significant setback.

“I think we handled it really well, and that’s something to be focusing on,” said Backstrom, who stopped 22 shots. “Grow on that, that nothing rattles us no matter what happens there.”

Game notes

Kings C Anze Kopitar has his goal-less streak reach 14 straight games. … The Wild’s AHL affiliate, moving to Des Moines, Iowa, next season, will be called, naturally, the Iowa Wild. … Josh Harding was on the active roster as Backstrom’s backup for the first time since early February. Harding was placed on injured reserve after developing complications from the multiple sclerosis medication he’s been taking, and he was returned from a conditioning stint with Houston on Monday. … Bernier’s shutout streak against the Wild ended at 89:06. … Fourth-line enforcer Zenon Konopka returned from a foot injury for the Wild.

The post Cal Clutterbuck, Charlie Coyle help Wild stay alive in playoff race appeared first on IdealCapper.

Toronto At Washington
When: 6:00 PM ET, Sunday, March 31, 2013
Where: Verizon Center, Washington, District of Columbia
TV: 6 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One (Toronto), CSN Washington
PREDICTION: Wizards 99, Raptors 95

Oddsmakers currently have the Wizards listed as 3½-point favorites versus the Raptors, while the game’s total is sitting at 192.

The Wizards are coming off consecutive road losses to Oklahoma City and Orlando, but they’re riding their longest home winning streak since a 10-game run in 2006-07. Washington is likely to be short-handed, as rookie guard Bradley Beal (left ankle) and veteran forward Nene (right knee) are listed as questionable. It’s the third meeting this season with the road team having won the first two. The season series concludes Wednesday in Toronto.

Toronto doesn’t have much left to play for and the team is already looking toward the future. “We’ve got a lot of young players and we’re playing for next year,” star forward Rudy Gay told reporters. “These young guys need to know what it feels like to win.” They haven’t experienced much of that lately, as the Raptors haven’t won consecutive games since a five-game streak from Feb. 8-19. Rookie center Jonas Valanciunas has been among the bright spots, scoring in double figures in 10 of the past 11 games.

Last time out for Toronto, they were a 99-82 winner as they battled the Pistons on the road. The Raptors covered in the match as a 1.5-point underdog, while 181 combined points moved the game UNDER for totals bettors.

Team record: 27-45 SU, 34-37-1 ATS

The total has gone OVER in 5 of last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of last 5 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of last 6 games when playing Washington

When playing on Sunday are 5-5
Before playing Detroit are 2-8
After playing Detroit are 3-7
After a win are 4-6

Washington has enjoyed a solid second half of the season, but the Wizards didn’t endear themselves to their coach with their showing in Friday’s 97-92 loss at Orlando. “I don’t think anybody had a good performance,” coach Randy Wittman told reporters. “Over and over again this year we just go through the motions against teams like this and it costs you.” That hasn’t been the case at home, where the Wizards have averaged 105 points and held opponents to 92.2 points per contest during their six-game winning streak.

Washington lost its last outing, a 97-92 result against the Magic on March 29. The Wizards failed to cover in that game as a 4-point favorite, while the 189 combined points took the game UNDER the total.

Team record: 26-46 SU, 42-29-1 ATS
Current streak: lost 2 straight games.

is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of last 5 games at home
is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto

When playing on Sunday are 4-6
Before playing Chicago are 6-4
After playing Orlando are 1-9
After a loss are 6-4

The post Toronto vs. Washington Free Betting Pick & Matchup appeared first on IdealCapper.

These teams will get well acquainted with four meetings over the next five weeks, beginning with Sunday’s matchup in Dallas.

Who: Vacouver Canucks vs. Dallas Stars
When: 3:00 PM ET, February 26, 2012
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
Oddsmakers currently have the Stars listed as 225-moneyline favorites versus the Canucks, while the game’s total is sitting at 5.

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Vancouver (40-16-6) has won six straight over Dallas (32-26-4) heading into the season series opener. The Sedin brothers have combined for 23 points in that span, and Henrik has amassed 19 during a 10-game streak against the Stars while Daniel has 14 in an eight-game run.

The clubs also play three times in March, and more matchups could come in the first round of the playoffs considering they’re at opposite ends of the West playoff picture. Vancouver is in a tight chase with Detroit for the top spot and Dallas is part of a close race for eighth place.

The Canucks are 12-1-3 in their last 16, including 3-1-0 to start this six-game trip. The Stars, meanwhile, are seeking their first four-game win streak since Oct. 29-Nov. 8.

Kari Lehtonen is 1-5-0 with a 4.16 goals-against average in six career starts against Vancouver but has played well lately. He’s allowed one goal over his last two starts and won both, making 28 saves in Friday’s 4-1 home victory over Minnesota.

“We’ve been talking about that for a month now, wanting to get some wins put together and now we’re finally doing it,” said Lehtonen, 3-1-1 with a 1.59 GAA in his past five games. “It’s just an interesting time of the year, with every game so important and we’re having fun, so hopefully, we can keep it going.”

The Stars will play again without All-Star winger Jamie Benn, who has missed the last five games with a leg injury. Loui Eriksson has five points in that span to pass Benn for the team lead with 53.

“It’s always good to have everyone going and I thought every line has been playing really well the last couple of games here, so we just have to keep going,” Eriksson said after scoring his 20th goal Friday.

Vancouver no doubt welcomed Saturday as an off day after grueling wins the previous two nights. After ending Detroit’s NHL-record 23-game home win streak with a 4-3 shootout victory Thursday, the Canucks were outshot 31-16 in Friday’s 2-1 road victory over a New Jersey team which had won nine of 11.

“This was five games in seven nights, and it was not easy to say the least,” coach Alain Vigneault said. “We have nothing left in the tank, and we left it all on the ice.”

Vancouver continues to own one of the league’s best power plays at 21.6 percent, although the unit is 4 for 37 over the last 15 games. The Canucks are 9 for 22 in the six-game streak over the Stars.

Vigneault used Roberto Luongo in goal Thursday and Cory Schneider on Friday.

Luongo has won his last eight starts versus the Stars and is 13-4-2 with a 2.00 GAA lifetime against them. Schneider is 2-1-0 with a 1.35 GAA in three starts versus Dallas.

Luongo is 8-1-3 in his last 12 overall with eight of those games going to shootouts — he’s won five. Schneider has won a career-high seven consecutive starts, including six on the road.

The post Canucks-Stars Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.