NHL: Dallas Stars at New York Rangers

The New York Rangers (36-16-3) are one of the best teams in the NHL this season, and they will have a real test Tuesday evening when they welcome the Dallas Stars (34-14-8) to Madison Square Garden. Both the Rangers and Stars are top-3 teams when it comes to total points in their respective conferences, although both squads are trending in different directions heading into Wednesday’s showdown. The Rangers are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games and are in the midst of a seven-game win-streak with no signs of slowing down. Dallas has dropped two straight but has still managed to win seven of its last 10 games.

In recent memory, the Stars have been sensational at finding the back of the net, having scored 26 goals over the course of their previous six games, including a nine-goal effort in a victory against the Nashville Predators on the road last week. Dallas leads the NHL in goals per game at 3.73, and points with 568, speaking to their depth and ability to beat teams in a number of ways. Wednesday’s game will be a tall task for New York, as the Stars not only have a potent offense but are an impressive 17-6-5 away from their home ice this season.

Naturally, the Rangers must find a way to slow down the Dallas offense. Roope Hintz and Matt Duchene lead the team in goals this season; however, Duchene has already been ruled out for this matchup. Not having Duchene could limit the Stars’ offense, which could bode well for this surging Rangers team. The Rangers can score the puck themselves, with Artemi Panarin’s 32 goals leading the way, followed by Chris Kreider, who has added 28 of his own this season. Panarin’s 74 points also rank 5th across the entire NHL landscape. Furthermore, the Rangers have been solid in net this season, tied for the 8th-best goals allowed per game at 2.80. Dallas is a few spots behind them with an average of 3.02. The Stars’ last two losses have come in overtime and a shootout, respectively, but this is a tough spot for them in the midst of a four-game road trip.

Norm LaChatlier’s Pick: Rangers ML (-135)

While both of these teams have played excellent hockey throughout this season, it’s hard to bet against this red-hot Rangers squad on its home ice. Yes, the Stars have a potent offense. Yes, the Stars have shown an ability to win on the road. Yes, the Stars are at the top of the Central division. All that said, this is an incredibly tough situational spot for Dallas against a team that has shown no signs of slowing down in the Rangers. Both Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick have been sharp in net as of late, and not having Duchene is sure to impact the Stars in this matchup. The Rangers are the healthier and hotter team right now, so let’s look for New York to keep things rolling and skate by the Stars in this matchup. Get this bet in early as the price is sure to go up as the day rolls along.

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NCAAMB: No. 11 Baylor at No. 25 BYU

If there are two more evenly matched teams in the Big 12 than Baylor and BYU, we’re not sure who they’d be. Baylor enters the game with 19 wins, while BYU is just one behind with 18. Baylor scores at a clip of 83 points per game, while BYU comes in at 83.4. On defense, the Bears allow 70.7 and the Cougars a just slightly stingier giving up just 68.6. Both teams are within 2 percent of each other when it comes to shooting percentage. They both have 13 wins at home. 

Perhaps most notably is the fact that both squads are in the same boat – trying to stay amongst the top dogs of the vaunted Big 12 and anxiously awaiting that 20^th win. Baylor could hit that critical milestone with a win, whereas BYU has a chance to make a strong case to the selection committee with a win over Baylor, who won the first matchup between the two. Considering BYU’s sub-.500 record in the Big 12 and its most recent 10-point loss to Oklahoma State, reaching win number 19 would be huge.

This, in essence, is what we love about late season college basketball.

In their first meeting, the Bears shot 43.5 percent from the perimeter and attempted 28 free throws; they were by far the more physical team, forcing the issue on both offense and defense. The Cougars play a different brand of basketball – high-paced and letting it fly. In fact, they shoot more than half of their shots from beyond the arc.

This sets up as a revenge game for the Cougars, which could spell trouble for Baylor.

Hoops Harlan’s Pick: BYU -3.5 (-110)

It’s quite possible that Baylor is the better of the two teams, just as its Big 12 record compared to BYU’s might indicate. But on a late-season Tuesday night in Provo, visiting teams don’t generally fair well. Look for BYU to simply outrun and outshoot a Baylor team that could possibly be missing Langston Love, a key weapon who shoots at clip of 49.3 percent from three-point land.

And Keep an Eye On…

NCAAMB: No. 22 Colorado State at New Mexico (Wednesday 10 p.m. ET)

Both Colorado State and New Mexico come into Wednesday’s matchup with 20-6 records, and both can likely make a run at a tournament berth. But much like the Big 12, SEC and Pac-12, the Mountain West feels top heavy. In other words, somebody with a darn good season isn’t going to make it. Following a tough loss to Wyoming, CSU has won five of its last six, with the only loss coming on the road against No. 19 San Diego State. This game is sure to have March Madness implications.  

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NCAAMB: No. 24 Florida at No. 13 Alabama (Wednesday 7 p.m. ET)

Two SEC heavyweights will go toe-to-toe on Wednesday night, as the Gators try to show the country that they’re on par with the Crimson Tide. Interestingly enough, both teams enter the game with records of 18-7, but Alabama sits atop the conference standings with a 10-2 record in conference play. This game should serve as a preview of sorts, as these two teams will meet again on March 5^th with potentially even more on the line. Alabama’s senior guard Mark Sears is one of the most electric scorers in the country, averaging 20.6 points per game and leading the Southeastern Conference.

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NBA: Clippers @ Thunder (Thursday, 8:00 p.m. ET)

The NBA returns with a bang, as the Clippers and Thunder go at it in Oklahoma City – or, in other words, No. 2 plays host No. 3 in the oh-so-tight Western Conference. This matchup immediately following the All-Star break is exactly what basketball fans needed after watching what might have been the worst NBA All-Star Game in history. Fear not, this one offers star power on both sides of the court. And this time they’ll be playing like they mean it.