Tonight Joins ST. Against Backstrom

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New York and Phoenix are playing the first of two matchups this season and will meet again Jan. 10 in the Big Apple. The Rangers took last year's meeting by a 4-3 score in a shootout on Dec. 16 at MSG and have won six of the previous eight matchups between the teams.

 

Minnesota was dealt a regulation loss in Winnipeg at the close of a five-game road trip on Tuesday and then dropped a shootout decision the following night against visiting Chicago. Jonathan Toews scored the winner in the shootout as the Blackhawks took a 4-3 win Wednesday in St. Paul.

 

Matt Cullen, Mikko Koivu and Kyle Brodziak all had goals for the Wild, who haven't dropped three in a row since April 2-7 of last season.

 

Niklas Backstrom stopped 28 shots in the loss, while Koivu suffered a leg injury and will miss tonight's game. Koivu -- Minnesota's captain -- has recorded a point in six straight games and is leading the Wild with 28 points on the year. Wild forward Casey Wellman is questionable for tonight after sitting out Wednesday's game with an injured wrist.

 

The Islanders are last in the Eastern Conference with 24 points and enter tonight on a four-game losing streak. New York is also just 3-6-3 as the visiting team this year and is kicking off a three-game road trip tonight.

 

New York's most recent setback came Thursday against visiting Dallas, as Brenden Morrow and Jamie Benn scored early in the third period to help lift the Stars to a 3-2 decision at Nassau Coliseum.

 

New York goaltenders Rick DiPietro and Evgeni Nabokov are currently battling groin injuries so either Poulin or Al Montoya is expected to get the call in net tonight.

 

(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A pair of teams shooting for their fifth consecutive wins will meet tonight in the Music City, as the Nashville Predators host the St. Louis Blues in a Central Division clash at Bridgestone Arena. The Blues have won four in a row for the second time this season and are now 12-2-3 since head coach Ken Hitchcock took over for the fired Davis Payne.

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Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.

Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.

MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .

''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''

Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.

He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.

''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''

Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.

Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.

With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.

Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

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