Wednesday's NHL Trends and Indexes - 4/15

[Udog]

Trends and Indexes

Wednesday, April 15

Good Luck on day #105 of 2015!

NOTE:
As information becomes available, we will attempt to post the trends and indexes as soon as possible.
Information is posted from what we believe are reliable sources.
Any opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the posting member or BettorsChat.

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[Udog]

NHL
Dunkel

Wednesday, April 15

Ottawa Senators @ Montreal Canadiens

Game 1-2
April 15, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Ottawa Senators
11.361
Montreal Canadien
12.733
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Montreal Canadien
by 1 1/2
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Montreal Canadien
-150
5
Dunkel Pick:
Montreal Canadien
(-150); Under

New York Islanders @ Washington Capitals

Game 3-4
April 15, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New York Islander
12.983
Washington Capita
13.710
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington Capita
by 1
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington Capita
-150
5
Dunkel Pick:
Washington Capita
(-150); Under

Chicago Blackhawks @ Nashville Predators

Game 5-6
April 15, 2015 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago *********
12.688
Nashville Predato
10.185
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago *********
by 2 1/2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Nashville Predato
-120
5
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago *********
(+100); Over

Calgary Flames @ Vancouver Canucks

Game 7-8
April 15, 2015 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Calgary Flames
12.116
Vancouver Canucks
11.287
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Calgary Flames
by 1
5 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Vancouver Canucks
-145
5
Dunkel Pick:
Calgary Flames
(+125); Over


Thursday, April 16


Pittsburgh Penguins @ New York Rangers

Game 9-10
April 16, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Pittsburgh Pengui
10.595
New York Rangers
12.136
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
New York Rangers
by 1 1/2
5 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
New York Rangers
-175
5
Dunkel Pick:
New York Rangers
(-175); Under

Detroit Red Wings @ Tampa Bay Lightning

Game 11-12
April 16, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Detroit Red Wings
12.740
Tampa Bay Lightni
11.821
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Detroit Red Wings
by 1
6 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tampa Bay Lightni
-165
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Detroit Red Wings
(-165); Over

Minnesota Wild @ St. Louis Blues

Game 13-14
April 16, 2015 @ 9:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota Wild
12.607
St. Louis Blues
11.521
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota Wild
by 1
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
St. Louis Blues
-150
5
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota Wild
(+130); Under

Winnipeg Jets @ Anaheim Ducks

Game 15-16
April 16, 2015 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Winnipeg Jets
11.788
Anaheim Ducks
13.185
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Anaheim Ducks
by 1 1/2
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Anaheim Ducks
-160
5
Dunkel Pick:
Anaheim Ducks
(-160); Under

[Udog]

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, April 15

Wednesday's games
Ottawa won its last three games with Montreal; over is 6-1-1 in last series games. Senators won six of last seven games to make playoffs; five of those seven stayed under total. Sens won three of last four on road. Montreal won last three games, allowing seven goals; over is 4-0-2 in their last six games. Ottawa missed playoffs LY; since 2007, they're 1-3 in the 1st round of playoffs. Canadiens are 2-3 in this round of playoffs the last six years.

Islanders are in playoffs for just second time in last eight years; last time they won a playoff series was 1990. New York lost six of last nine games, with four of last six going over total. Washington won five of last seven games with six of last eight going over. Caps weren't in playoffs; they're 3-2 in last five first round series. Home side won last four series games; Isles lost four of last five visits here.

Chicago won Stanley Cup in '10/'13; they lost conference final LY. Blackhawks lost last four games in regular season, scoring five goals-- under is 4-1-1 in their last six. Nashville missed playoffs last two years; in their franchise history, they're 2-5 in first round series. Predators lost last six regular season games, allowing 25 goals. Chicago won three of last four games with Nashville; six of last eight series games stayed under total.

Calgary is in playoffs for first time in six years; they've lost last seven first round series- its last series win was in 1993. Flames won last two games with Vancouver 1-0/3-2 after losing previous eight series games; under is 3-1-1 in last five played here. Canucks won five of last seven games; they missed playoffs LY, haven't won playoff series since '10. Flames also won five of last seven games, with four of last five staying under.




NHL

Wednesday, April 15

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
NY ISLANDERS vs. WASHINGTON
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of the NY Islanders last 15 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of the NY Islanders last 10 games when playing on the road against Washington
Washington is 17-8 SU in their last 25 games when playing NY Islanders
Washington is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games

7:00 PM
OTTAWA vs. MONTREAL
Ottawa is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games when playing Montreal
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Ottawa's last 8 games when playing Montreal
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Montreal's last 5 games when playing at home against Ottawa
Montreal is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games when playing Ottawa

8:30 PM
CHICAGO vs. NASHVILLE
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chicago's last 6 games
Chicago is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games when playing Nashville
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Nashville's last 7 games
Nashville is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games at home

10:00 PM
CALGARY vs. VANCOUVER
Calgary is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Vancouver
Calgary is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Vancouver is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Calgary
Vancouver is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games at home


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NHL

Wednesday, April 15


Canadiens' LW Max Pacioretty, doubtful Wednesday

Pacioretty missed the end of the regular season with an upper-body injury. He is not expected to be ready for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Senators.

[Udog]

NHL Western Conference playoffs: Round 1 preview and picks

No. 1 Vancouver Canucks (-190) vs. No. 8 Los Angeles Kings (+165)

The Canucks have picked the right time to play their best hockey. Vancouver earned its second consecutive President’s Trophy by winning eight of its last 10 games, allowing just 16 goals over that stretch.

The two clubs split the season series, with the Kings out-shooting the Canucks in three of the four games. The Kings’ penalty kill was the fourth best in the league but will be tested by the fourth-most dangerous power play.

Daniel Sedin’s status for this series remains up in the air. There have been reports that Sedin is skating by himself and that he will likely return in the first round. Goaltender Roberto Luongo will start the playoffs for the Canucks but the team won’t hesitate to turn to Cory Schneider, who finished the season with a 1.96 GAA and a .937 save percentage.

Anze Kopitar and Co. have been struggling offensively all season and if that doesn’t change they won’t have a shot at stopping the Canucks.

Season Series: Vancouver (2-1-1), Los Angeles (2-2)

Series prediction: Canucks in six games


No. 2 St. Louis Blues (-150) vs. No. 7 San Jose Sharks (+130)

St. Louis dominated a number of teams this season and the San Jose Sharks were no exceptions. The Blues won all four meetings between the two clubs, shutting them out twice and outscoring the Sharks 11-3.

The Blues are by far the stingiest club in the league allowing just 165 goals which lead to Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott sharing the William Jennings Trophy. But Ken Hitchcock’s club isn’t exactly riding a high heading into the playoffs. The Blues dropped four of their last five games allowing the Canucks to lock up the top spot in the Western Conference.

San Jose swept home-and-home series with both Dallas and Los Angeles to secure seventh place in the West but has been far too inconsistent in 2012. The bottom line in this series is that the Blues are simply too good on home ice (30-6-1-4) for the Sharks to have a legitimate shot of winning four games.

Season Series: St. Louis (4-0), San Jose (0-4)

Series prediction: Blues in five games


No. 3 Phoenix Coyotes (+120) vs. No. 6 Chicago Blackhawks (-130)

You won’t find a goaltender playing better than the Coyotes’ Mike Smith. Smith allowed just two goals in his last five games, powering the Coyotes to their first division title.

"He's embraced the No. 1 goaltender role with our team and he's played excellent," Phoenix head coach Dave Tippett told reporters. "He had a few games there where he was basically willing us into the playoffs. His game is top-notch right now. Hopefully it goes into the playoffs and that continues."

Smith won all three games he started against the Blackhawks this season. Chicago picked up a victory the one time they faced backup Jason Labarbera.

At the other end of the ice, bettors will likely see both Corey Crawford and Ray Emery at some point. Chicago finished 22nd in goals against but relied on a lethal offense to finish sixth in the conference.

Chicago captain Jonathan Toews missed the final 22 games of the regular season with a concussion and, at this point, there are no guarantees he returns for this series.

Season Series: Phoenix (3-1), Chicago (2-2)

Series prediction: Coyotes in six games


No. 4 Nashville Predators (+105) vs. No. 5 Detroit Red Wings (-125)

While it wasn’t confirmed until the Red Wings picked up a point against the Blackhawks Saturday, everyone had been expecting to see this matchup for the past month.

It was critical for the Predators to finish fourth in the West and keep the Red Wings away from home-ice advantage. Detroit has the worst road record (17-21-2-1) of any playoff team. The Predators are a respectable 26-10-2-3 at home.

Shea Weber’s heavy shot anchors the deadliest power-play unit in the league, firing at a 21.6-percent clip. Late-season addition Alexander Radulov has made the power play even more dangerous with seven points in nine games since joining the team.

The Red Wings lead the league in even-strength goals, with a 1.44 for/against ratio. If the two sides stay out of the penalty box, Detroit could have the advantage. It also has much more playoff experience than the Predators.

Much like the rest of this series, the goaltenders are evenly matched. Pekka Rinne had a league-best 43 wins during the regular season but Jimmy Howard’s GAA was significantly better with their save percentages looking nearly identical.

Season Series: Nashville (3-3), Detroit (3-3)

Series prediction: Predators in seven games

[Udog]

NHL

Wednesday, April 15

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Wednesday's NHL Playoffs betting cheat sheet
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Ottawa Senators at Montreal Canadiens (-150,5)

With respect to Devan Dubnyk, Carey Price and Andrew Hammond arguably were the two most discussed goaltenders in the NHL this season. A Vezina Trophy favorite and likely Hart Trophy candidate, Price looks to guide the Atlantic Division-champion Montreal Canadiens past the upstart Ottawa Senators when the teams open their Eastern Conference first-round series at the Bell Centre on Wednesday.

Price led the league with a franchise-best 44 wins while his goals-against average (1.96) and save percentage (.933) were second to none in the NHL. The 27-year-old Price was less than spectacular while splitting his two decisions versus Ottawa while the Senators emerged victorious in the two other meetings. Ottawa, which resided 14 points out of a playoff berth on Feb. 10, posted a 23-4-4 mark to secure the top wild-card position - and Hammond (20-1-2, 1.79 GAA, .941 save percentage) played an integral role in that surge. The first-year sensation won his first start with a 4-2 triumph over Montreal on Feb. 18 and became the first goaltender in the NHL's modern era to earn at least one point in each of his first 12 career road starts, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

TRENDS:

*Over is 5-0-4 in Canadiens last 9 overall.
*Senators are 12-2 in their last 14 vs. a team with a winning record.
*Over is 6-1-1 in the last 8 meetings.
*Home team is 15-6 in the last 21 meetings.


New York Islanders at Washington Capitals (-145,5)

The Washington Capitals claimed home-ice advantage over the New York Islanders on the final day of the regular season, and that edge could prove pivotal as the Metropolitan Division rivals open their Eastern Conference first-round series at the Verizon Center on Wednesday. The home team won each of the four meetings this season, with Washington captain Alex Ovechkin scoring four goals against New York and 53 overall to become the sixth player in league history with at least six 50-goal campaigns.

Ovechkin also added an assist against the Islanders, who ventured into overtime before winning both of their home meetings with the Capitals. Captain John Tavares matched Ovechkin by recording five points (two goals, three assists) - including an overtime tally on Nov. 26 - and his career-high 86 points fell one shy of Dallas' Jamie Benn for league lead in that department. Both goaltenders etched their names into their respective franchise's record books, with Washington's Braden Holtby (41-20-10, 2.22 goals-against average, .921 save percentage) matching Olaf Kolzig in wins and appearances (73) while tying Jim Carey's single-season mark with nine shutouts. New York's Jaroslav Halak (38-17-4, 2.43, .917) set the franchise record in wins and recorded 11 more than his previous career high, which was set with St. Louis in 2010-11.

TRENDS:

*Islanders are 2-8 in their last 10 vs. a team with a winning record.
*Capitals are 8-2 in their last 10 vs. Eastern Conference.
*Home team is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
*Under is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings in Washington.


Chicago Blackhawks at Nashville Predators (-115,5)

The Chicago Blackhawks stumbled to the finish line during the regular season but will head into the playoffs on an upbeat note after learning that All-Star forward Patrick Kane will return to the lineup for Wednesday's playoff opener at the Nashville Predators. Chicago scored only five goals during a season-ending four-game skid to finish in third place in the Central Division - two points behind the Predators, who enter the postseason riding a six-game losing streak.

Kane was tied for the league lead in scoring and was among the front-runners for MVP honors when he suffered a broken collarbone on Feb. 24 - an injury that was expected to sideline him for 12 weeks. "He was having an MVP-type of season," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "Getting him back just makes you have so many more options. His versatility in all areas certainly enhances our team." Nashville owned the league's best record for much of the season and was running away with the Central until dropping 15 of its last 21, a stretch that featured a pair of six-game slides. The Predators have lost nine of 11 (2-6-3) at home in that span, including four in a row.

TRENDS:

*Blackhawks are 4-0 in their last 4 Conference Quarterfinals games.
*Predators are 0-6 in their last 6 overall.
*Under is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings.
*Over is 5-1-3 in Predators last 9 overall


Calgary Flames at Vancouver Canucks (-150,5)

After closing out the regular season with a three-game winning streak that helped them secure second place in the Pacific Division, the Vancouver Canucks attempt to continue their successful ways when they host the Calgary Flames in the opener of their first-round playoff series Wednesday. Vancouver - which ranked second in the league on the penalty kill - wrapped up the campaign with a three-game homestand and made the most of it, defeating Los Angeles, Arizona and Edmonton by a combined 12-6 score.

The Flames finished strong to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2009, winning five of six contests before dropping a 5-1 decision at Winnipeg in the season finale. After falling to Vancouver in the 2014-15 opener, Calgary finished the season series 2-0-1 - coming up short in overtime before posting a pair of one-goal victories. The Canucks and Flames have met six times - all in the first round - in the postseason, with Calgary capturing four series. The Flames won the most recent matchup in 2004, emerging victorious in seven games and advancing all the way to the Stanley Cup final before losing to Tampa Bay.

TRENDS:

*Canucks are 5-0 in their last 5 vs. Pacific.
*Flames are 7-20 in the last 27 meetings in Vancouver.
*Under is 6-0 in Flames last 6 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
*Over is 4-1-2 in Canucks last 7 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.


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[Udog]

NHL

Wednesday, April 15


Canucks may start Lack in goal for Game 1 vs. Flames

It hasn't been made official yet, but all signs are pointing to netminder Eddie Lack getting the start in between the pipes for the Vancouver Canucks in Game 1 of their conference quarterfinal clash with Calgary Wednesday.

Starting goaltender Ryan Miller came back in the team's regular season finale against Edmonton on Saturday - his first start in over seven weeks due to a knee injury - but told reporters Tuesday he's not quite his normal self.

"I'm not 100 percent yet," Miller said. "I still have about 10 or 15 percent to go."

In Miller's absence, Lack went 11-5-1 with a 2.51 GAA and 0.921 save percentage. The 'Nucks are presently -150 home moneyline favorites for the tilt.

[Udog]

NHL

Wednesday, April 15


Kane to return to Hawks' lineup for Game 1 vs. Preds

Chicago sniper Patrick Kane told reporters Tuesday that he will participate in Game 1 of the Blackhawks' first round Stanley Cup Playoffs matchup against Nashville on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old has surgery on Feb. 25 to repair a fractured left clavicle. His initial recovery time was projected to be up to 12 weeks, but the Buffalo native healed much sooner than the club projected.

Kane had 64 points in 61 games this season. Chicago is currently -105 on the moneyline for the postseason matchup.

[Udog]

NHL

Wednesday, April 15


One betting stat you need to know about the Senators

The Ottawa Senators finished the regular season with an 11-0-3 record in their final 14 road contests, the longest such point streak in franchise history.

Ottawa closed the regular season and clinched their playoff birth with two victories away from home - a 3-0 win at the New York Rangers and a 3-1 win at the Philadelphia Flyers on the final day.

The Eastern Conference series against the Montreal Canadiens begins in Montreal Wednesday evening. The Sens are currently priced at +130.


2015 NHL Playoffs referees announced

Here's a look at who will be calling games this postseason (SU and ATS records are home team records):

Francis Charron (47-25-2-2, 27-49 ATS, 35-32 Over/Under)
Gord Dwyer (37-26-8-3, 35-39 ATS, 33-32 O/U)
Eric Furlatt (42-27-5-3, 31-46 ATS, 32-25 O/U)
Jean Hebert (46-25-1-3, 34-41 ATS, 25-39 O/U)
Dave Jackson (35-33-1-7, 26-50 ATS, 30-38 O/U)
Marc Joannette (45-18-7-6, 36-40 ATS, 33-35 O/U)
Steve Kozari (40-30-4-2, 29-47 ATS, 33-39 O/U)
Frederic L’Ecuyer (43-30-7-6, 31-45 ATS, 24-43 O/U)
Chris Lee (35-33-3-5, 24-52 ATS, 32-34 O/U)
Wes McCauley (37-27-3-9, 26-50 ATS, 32-33 O/U)
Brad Meier (41-19-5-9, 36-38 ATS, 35-34 O/U)
Dan O’Halloran (38-30-4-3, 38-37 ATS, 32-37 O/U)
Dan O’Rourke (44-23-1-8, 33-43 ATS, 33-43 O/U)
Brian Pochmara (42-23-6-4, 32-43 ATS, 31-37 O/U)
Kevin Pollock (42-23-4-7, 34-42 ATS, 32-35 O/U)
Chris Rooney (40-30-3-2, 29-46 ATS, 36-32 O/U)
Francois St. Laurent (45-20-5-5, 40-35 ATS, 31-36 O/U)
Justin St. Pierre (38-28-4-7, 33-44 ATS, 34-37 O/U)
Kelly Sutherland (40-20-1-9, 29-41 ATS, 25-37 O/U)
Brad Watson (44-25-4-2, 37-38 ATS, 28-40 O/U)

Standby referees:

Ghislain Hebert (39-27-3-6, 34-41 ATS, 25-39 O/U)
Mike Leggo (38-30-2-5, 32-43 ATS, 24-41 O/U)

[Udog]

Armadillo: Wednesday's six-pack

-- Steph Curry recently made 77 straight 3-pointers at practice. 77. In a row.

-- Mets lost David Wright (hamstring) for a while; Eric Campbell comes up from AAA to take his place on roster, if need be.

-- Happy belated 74th birthday to Pete Rose; hsi birthday was yesterday.

-- Miami Heat are first defending champs to miss NBA playoffs since '05 Lakers.

-- Oakland A's are 4-0 when they score in first inning, 1-4 when they don't.

-- Justise Winslow leaves Duke after one season; he is the 34th undergraduate to enter the NBA Draft- there are only 60 picks in the whole draft.

**********

Armadillo: Wednesday's List of 13: Some mid-week thoughts........

13) On Steph Curry making 77 3-pointers in a row at a Warriors' practice; long time ago, I rebounded for a guy who made 106 foul shots in a row. As student manager of the basketball team in college, rebounding for shooters was part of the job, actually one of the better parts, unless it was a bad shooter, then it was too damn much running for this rebounder, even at age 20.

Anyway, this got boring real fast; all I did was hold my right hand under the basket and flip the ball back to him, 106 times in a row. He was a player who never played a significant minute during games, I wanted to go home (this was right before end of practice), but it was cool to see how someone could shoot the ball so well. Practice makes perfect.

12) Milt Pappas went 209-164 during a 17-year pitching career that ended in 1973; he was on the Cubs' TV broadcast last night, before he sang Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the 7th inning stretch.

Pappas sparked a quick, interesting discussion about whether pitchers get hurt a lot these days because they do too much weightlifting. he seemed adamant that they do, but half-inning ended before they could get too much more into the subject. Too bad, it was a different perspective that deserves to be heard.

11) Kid from Arizona named Markus Howard is going to finish his high school years at Findlay Prep in Las Vegas, to enhance his basketball career. Who do these kids live with when they move to another state for high school? Giving up your senior year in high school at home is a big sacrifice, I would think.

10) Can you imagine the internal discussions in San Diego that apparently are going on about trading Philip Rivers for a draft pick? Peoples' jobs are on the line with a move like this; Rivers doesn't want to move his family to LA if the Chargers move there, which is partially sparking this debate.

9) Wisconsin-Green Bay hired Linc Darner as its new basketball coach; he comes to Green Bay from Northern Florida, where he won the national title in D-II this season. This is the opposite of Bobby Hurley winning the weather lottery, going from Buffalo to Arizona State; Lakeland, FL to Green Bay is one of the worst weather trades you can make. Good luck recruiting, coach.

8) Russell Wilson's agent must get an angina attack every time he sees his client wearing a baseball uniform. Wilson played 93 games over two summers in Class A ball for Colorado farm teams; he hit .229, so he's not a major league prospect, seeing as this was 4-5 years ago. Why he would risk injury before he gets his big payday is a mystery to me.

7) Christian Yelich of the Marlins made a great catch in leftfield Monday night in Atlanta, which the Braves stupidly challenged, even though it was obvious on the replay that Yelich caught the ball. Doesn't every team have an eye in the sky to advise on replay reviews? Atlanta might not have one, for sure and if they do, they need a new one.

6) It is amazing to me how many people are talking SEC football.....in April. On the SEC Network, there is this radio show and the guy talks about football 364 days a year. They discuss Ole Miss special teams or Florida's lack of depth on the offensive line all spring/summer and they know a lot of stuff. It is intense.

5) Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL have training camp in Florida; is it still snowing in Regina? It can't still be snowing there, can it?

4) Dick LeBeau was forced out as defensive coordinator of the Steelers; their defense is going to be a lot younger this season. Five defenders who played 200+ plays LY have already departed Steel City and three of the five retired. As for LeBeau, he has moved on to coach the defense with the Tennessee Titans- he has been in the NFL as a player or coach for the last 56 years.

3) Actor Kevin James is a huge Met fan; he even wore a Mets road jersey to the Hollywood premiere of **** Cop 2. If there is a God in heaven, there will be no **** Cop 3; America can have only so much fun.

2) I watch the A's every night on DirecTV; I'm trying to figure out how Seattle and Arizona fired Bob Melvin as manager. He is really good, very calm and his teams reflect that. Platooning drives me nuts a little but it is what the A's do and it has been mostly very good for them. They're lucky to have Melvin.

1) NHL playoffs start tonight, the best playoffs of any sport. 7-game series are better in hockey than the NBA, with so many more variables in a single game because of the bouncing puck. Takes 16 wins to win the Cup; its a grind.