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**Udog** · 10-20-2015, 08:42 AM

Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack

Six of the more interesting college football games this weekend.....

-- Cal @ UCLA (-3)-- Bruins try to bounce back after Stanford debacle.

-- K-State @ Texas (-3.5)-- Bill Snyder wrote a letter to Kansas State students, apologizing for Oklahoma loss.

-- Texas A&M @ Ole Miss (-6)-- Both teams coming off of big losses.

-- Auburn @ Arkansas (-5.5)-- Fans of losing team in this one won't be happy.

-- Clemson (-7) @ Miami-- This game opened at Clemson, -2.5.

-- Washington State @ Arizona (-7)-- Mike Leach getting points on road.

**********

Armadillo: Tuesday's List of 13: Nobody asked me, but.......

13) In the movie Draft Day, the QB everyone expects to be drafted first becomes a suspect because none of his teammates went to his 21st birthday party. During the Michigan State game Saturday, ABC's Chris Spielman suggested QB Connor Cook will have to explain to NFL teams why he wasn't voted a team captain by teammates.

It is unusual for a senior QB not to be a team captain.

12) Temple Owls are in the college football top 25 for first time since 1979.

11) Stanford's punter is an intern for Condoleeza Rice, who is a faculty member in Palo Alto. Ms Rice is also on the college football selection committee.

10) Sam Rosen called the Panther-Seahawk game on FOX Sunday in Seattle, then was back at his normal job Monday night, calling a Rangers game in Manhattan. Rosen is a pro's pro as an announcer, but hockey is his best sport.

9) Marcus Mariota sprained his MCL Sunday, Michael Vick has a slight tear in his hamstring. Vick's injury probably doesn't matter much, since Landry Jones is better than he is anyway, but if Vick can't play and Big Ben isn't ready, Steelers will have to sign another backup QB for Sunday in Kansas City.

8) 24-hour breakfast at McDonald's; tremendous!!!!

7) Idaho and Troy State are both in the Sun Belt Conference for football; what part of the sun belt is Idaho in? According to Mapquest, Moscow, ID is 2,541 miles away from Troy, AL. what nitwit put these schools in the same league?

6) Guy in Florida was arrested for impersonating a police officer; the genius was snagged after he pulled over a real police officer. Chaos ensued.

5) This is what the Colts' fake punt was supposed to look like; University of Maine pulled off this play to beat James Madison, 25-24.

It is a testament to how well-coached pro football is that when a team screws up as royally as the Colts did with the fake punt, that it becomes a national story.

4) Remember Louisville's basketball star Pervis Ellison? His son is a freshman at St John's and will play for new coach Chris Mullin this winter.

3) 76ers coach Brett Brown actually played college basketball for Rick Pitino at Boston U in the early 80's- that was Pitino's first head coaching job.

2) Blue Jays 11, Royals 8-- Cueto faced 17 batters; eight of them scored. Home side is now 5-0 in this round of the playoffs.

1) Eagles 27, Giants 7-- Giants went 80 yards on eight plays to open game, but for rest of the night, they gained 167 yards on 56 plays. Ugly game with seven turnovers. Primetime underdogs are now 12-6-1 vs spread this year.

**Udog** · 10-20-2015, 08:42 AM

Oddsmakers spill on what goes into the NFL Week 7 opening odds

Dez Bryant could return to action for the Dallas Cowboys versus the New York Giants, who could be between 4.5 and 6-point favorites Sunday.

In Week 1 of the NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys rallied to edge the visiting New York Giants 27-26 on a touchdown in the waning seconds. But Dallas lost superstar wideout Dez Bryant to a broken foot during that game.

And in Week 2, Cowboys QB Tony Romo broke his collarbone in a 20-10 victory at Philadelphia. Dallas (2-3 SU, 1-4 ATS) hasn’t won since, dropping three in a row SU and ATS, including a 30-6 shellacking at home at the hands of the New England Patriots as an 8-point underdog on Oct. 11.

But the Cowboys had their bye last week to recover from the wipeout, and though it’ll still be a few weeks until Romo returns, they might have Bryant back for a key Week 7 road game against the Giants.

New York (3-2 SU and ATS) got out of the gate slow, blowing that opener at Dallas, followed by a home loss to Atlanta. But the Giants then won three in a row, and they’ll wrap up Week 7 in the NFL when they travel to Philadelphia for the Monday night game.

With that game still pending, so is the opening line. But John Lester, senior lines manager for Bookmaker.eu, said all things being equal, the Giants will be a 6-point favorite.

“There are plenty of new working pieces for the Cowboys coming off the bye, and it will be interesting to see if Dez Bryant is able to get back on the field,” Lester said. “The Giants are the best team in this subpar division right now, and if there aren’t any significant injuries Monday night, we will open them around 6-point chalk. This will be a massive handle for us, given the marquee teams and being one of only two late-afternoon games.”

Dallas will have Matt Cassel at quarterback in an effort to end its slide.

“The Cowboys will try someone new behind center this week,” said John Avello, executive director of race and sports for Wynn Las Vegas. Avello thinks the number may start a little lower. “I’ll try to take a stab at making a line on this one and start the bidding at Giants -4.5.”

New York Jets at New England Patriots (-10)

As midseason approaches, the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots look like a good bet to get back to the Super Bowl. In the Sunday night game, New England (5-0 SU, 3-2 ATS) held off Indianapolis 34-27, but fell short as an 8-point road fave.

The Jets (4-1 SU and ATS), under new head coach Todd Bowles, are off to a solid start as well. On Sunday, New York coasted past Washington 34-20 laying 7.5 points at home.

“Can anybody knock off the mighty Pats?” Avello said. “The Jets will give it a shot as they are off to their best start since 2010.”

Again, early-bird bettors had to wait for the line, but Lester expected the Pats to be a healthy favorite. And they are, opening as 10-point home favorites in Week 7.

“If the Patriots play the part and stay healthy Sunday night, then we’ll look to make them at least touchdown favorites,” he said. “This will really be the first defense the Pats have seen that is capable of limiting their offense. It could be a big statement game for Todd Bowles and the surprising Jets. I expect to see a lot of sharp money on New York.”

Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers (+4)

The two-time defending NFC champion Seahawks have been well off their game far this season, but they had similar struggles early last year, then made it all the way back to the Super Bowl before losing to New England. Seattle (2-4 SU, 1-4-1 ATS), laying seven points at home against Carolina Sunday, blew a sizable lead for the second straight week, letting a 20-7 advantage slip away in a 27-23 loss.

San Francisco (2-4 SU, 3-3 ATS) is also having its struggles, looking nothing like the team that reached three straight NFC Championship games from 2011 to 20113 and the Super Bowl in 2012. On Sunday, the Niners regained a little ground, topping Baltimore 25-20 as 2.5-point home underdogs.

“This is a division rivalry that’s lost a lot of luster in less than a year,” Lester said. “Seattle is certainly feeling the pressure, and it’s safe to call this a must-win situation for that squad. Of course, the Niners have showed some life the last couple of weeks, as the play from Colin Kaepernick has been much improved. I expect them to be very motivated as well. Early money came in on the road chalk, but I anticipate equal action for this matchup.

Said Avello, “Seattle finds itself tied with the 49ers in the NFC West cellar. They're 0-3 on the road and not playing much better at home. The 49ers are a mess, but have looked much better the past two weeks. But that's not saying much.”

Baltimore Ravens at Arizona Cardinals (-7)

Baltimore (1-5 SU, 0-5-1 ATS) is having a very un-Ravens type of season, and it won’t get any easier as the Ravens play in the Pacific time zone for the second straight week. On Sunday at San Francisco, Baltimore fell 25-20 as a 2.5-point road chalk.

Arizona (4-2 SU and ATS), which won by double digits while cashing in its first three games, is just 1-2 SU and ATS since then. The Cards couldn’t get their offense going Sunday as a 5.5-point road favorite against Pittsburgh, losing outright 25-13.

“Although all their games have been very close, the Ravens find themselves almost out of contention for any chance of a playoff spot, and we're only in October,” Avello said. “The Cardinals are back home, where they clearly play their best football.”

Lester pulled no punches in describing Baltimore.

“This is the worst Ravens team we’ve seen since John Harbaugh took over nearly a decade ago,” he said. “The offense is severely lacking playmakers, and the line is awful, which makes Joe Flacco look terrible. He’s the only reason they can keep games competitive. Arizona looked flat in a tough spot (at Pittsburgh), but I expect a very good effort here at home under the prime-time lights on Monday night.”

**Udog** · 10-20-2015, 08:42 AM

Don't miss your window to get the best of these NFL Week 7 odds

With the Seattle Seahawks facing three straight losses, expect their odds against the 49ers to move before kickoff Thursday.

Spread to bet now

Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers (+4.5)

The Seahawks have now lost back-to-back games for the second time this season and at 2-4 they really have to start winning division games. They did get off to a similar (3-3) start last season, and had to go belly button to the wall in the late going to win the NFC West.

A division loss on the road this Thursday will make a second straight climb all the more difficult, even in the weak NFC West. Over the last two years, Seattle has seemed to win the vast majority of games that it has absolutely needed (last February’s Super Bowl notwithstanding), and the Seahawks are once again in the same spot. This line will only move in Seattle’s direction, so money now makes sense if you are on the defending NFC champs.

Spread to wait on

Baltimore Ravens at Arizona Cardinals (-7.5)

Early money is down in Arizona on this one as the Ravens’ 0-5-1 record ATS has given Baltimore backers plenty of reason to not put their hands back on that stove. The Ravens have fallen all the way to 25th in the league in overall defense, and the offense has still not completely recovered from that 19-13 loss to Denver in the opener.

Now the Ravens – who lost at San Francisco Sunday – face the prospect of another near-cross country fight to take on a Cardinals team that feels it can win the NFC West and make an elongated playoff run. Not likely the spread moves in this one, but there could be variation from the standard dime line over the course of the week.

Total to watch

Atlanta Falcons at Tennessee Titans (47.5)

So, the Falcons offense comes completely unhinged at New Orleans, held to seven points over three and a half quarters by a Saints team that was dead last in the league in total defense. Were the Falcons overrated? Football bettors should find out for sure Sunday at Tennessee, where the Titans have an excellent defense but hardly anything (1-4 SU) to show for it.

This will be Tennessee’s fourth straight home game (with a bye week, five straight weeks without traveling), and it should be ready to make life hard for Atlanta for the second straight week. It’s hard to see a lot of points on the board in this one as Titans make adjustments following a poor effort against Miami.

**Udog** · 10-20-2015, 08:44 AM

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, October 20

Hot teams
-- Penguins won last two games, allowing one goal. Florida won three of its first five games.
-- Islanders won last three games, scoring 14 goals.
-- Dallas Stars won four of their first five games. Flyers won last two games, 3-0/1-0.
-- Canadiens won first six games, allowing seven goals. Blues won last four games, scoring four goals in each game.
-- Lightning won four of its first six games. Nashville won four of first five.
-- Washington won three of its last four games.

Cold teams
-- Columbus allowed 30 goals in its 0-6 start.
-- Devils lost four of their first five games. Arizona lost last two games, 4-3/5-3.
-- Calgary lost last three games, outscored 12-6.

Series records
-- Penguins are 6-4 in last ten games with Florida.
-- Islanders lost seve of last ten vs Columbus (last two in SO).
-- Coyotes lost three of last four visits to New Jersey.
-- Dallas Stars lost eight of last ten games with Philly.
-- Blues won five of last seven games with Montreal, but lost last two.
-- Nashville won six of last seven games with Tampa Bay.
-- Flames lost four of last six games with Washington.

Totals
-- Five of last six Panther-Penguin games went over total.
-- Last four Columbus-Islander games went over.
-- Last three New Jersey games stayed under the total.
-- Last four Dallas games went over the total.
-- Last four St Louis games went over the total.
-- Under is 2-0-1 in last three Tampa Bay-Nashville games.
-- Over is 5-2 in last seven Washington-Calgary games.

**Udog** · 10-20-2015, 08:46 AM

NHL

Tuesday, October 20

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
ARIZONA vs. NEW JERSEY
Arizona is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games on the road
Arizona is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against New Jersey
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of New Jersey's last 9 games at home
New Jersey is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games at home

7:00 PM
FLORIDA vs. PITTSBURGH
Florida is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games on the road
Florida is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Florida
Pittsburgh is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games at home

7:00 PM
NY ISLANDERS vs. COLUMBUS
The total has gone OVER in 4 of the NY Islanders last 5 games when playing Columbus
NY Islanders are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games on the road
Columbus is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Columbus's last 7 games at home

7:30 PM
DALLAS vs. PHILADELPHIA
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Dallas's last 11 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Dallas's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Philadelphia's last 16 games when playing Dallas
Philadelphia is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing Dallas

7:30 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. MONTREAL
St. Louis is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
St. Louis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Montreal
Montreal is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against St. Louis
Montreal is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing St. Louis

8:00 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. NASHVILLE
Tampa Bay is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Tampa Bay's last 10 games
Nashville is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay
Nashville is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

9:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. CALGARY
Washington is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Calgary
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Washington's last 13 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Calgary's last 5 games at home
Calgary is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games

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**Udog** · 10-20-2015, 09:45 AM

NHL
Dunkel

Tuesday, October 20

NY Islanders @ Columbus

Game 51-52
October 20, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
NY Islanders
13.422
Columbus
10.212
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
NY Islanders
by 3
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
NY Islanders
-135
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
NY Islanders
(-135); Over

Florida @ Pittsburgh

Game 53-54
October 20, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Florida
11.387
Pittsburgh
12.907
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Pittsburgh
by 1 1/2
3 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Pittsburgh
-165
5
Dunkel Pick:
Pittsburgh
(-165); Under

Arizona @ New Jersey

Game 55-56
October 20, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Arizona
10.422
New Jersey
9.298
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Arizona
by 1
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
New Jersey
-135
5
Dunkel Pick:
Arizona
(+115); Under

Dallas @ Philadelphia

Game 57-58
October 20, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Dallas
10.260
Philadelphia
12.945
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Philadelphia
by 2 1/2
6 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Dallas

5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Philadelphia
(-105); Over

St. Louis @ Montreal

Game 59-60
October 20, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
St. Louis
10.315
Montreal
12.945
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Montreal
by 2 1/2
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Montreal
-140
5
Dunkel Pick:
Montreal
(-140); Under

Tampa Bay @ Nashville

Game 61-62
October 20, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Tampa Bay
12.648
Nashville
10.050
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Tampa Bay
by 2 1/2
6 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Nashville
-130
5
Dunkel Pick:
Tampa Bay
(+110); Over

Washington @ Calgary

Game 63-64
October 20, 2015 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
10.315
Calgary
11.813
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Calgary
by 1 1/2
5
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
-130
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Calgary
(+110); Under

**Udog** · 10-20-2015, 09:50 AM

NHL
Long Sheet

Tuesday, October 20

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NY ISLANDERS (3-1-0-1, 7 pts.) at COLUMBUS (0-6-0-0, 0 pts.) - 10/20/2015, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY ISLANDERS are 12-38 ATS (+60.3 Units) in road games after a 3 game unbeaten streak since 1996.
COLUMBUS is 31-25 ATS (+59.4 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
NY ISLANDERS are 28-14 ATS (+42.2 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 0-6 ATS (+0.0 Units) in all games this season.
COLUMBUS is 0-6 ATS (-7.6 Units) first half of the season this season.
COLUMBUS is 4-13 ATS (-11.5 Units) in home games after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 2-11 ATS (-9.8 Units) in home games after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLUMBUS is 5-3 (+2.1 Units) against the spread versus NY ISLANDERS over the last 3 seasons
COLUMBUS is 5-3-0 straight up against NY ISLANDERS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.7 Units)

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FLORIDA (3-2-0-0, 6 pts.) at PITTSBURGH (2-3-0-0, 4 pts.) - 10/20/2015, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA is 88-137 ATS (+231.6 Units) when playing with 2 days rest since 1996.
FLORIDA is 15-8 ATS (+24.8 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 46-46 ATS (+92.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 7-11 ATS (-10.3 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5 or less over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
FLORIDA is 3-3 (+2.1 Units) against the spread versus PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 3-3-0 straight up against FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.8 Units)

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ARIZONA (3-2-0-0, 6 pts.) at NEW JERSEY (1-3-0-1, 3 pts.) - 10/20/2015, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW JERSEY is 5-14 ATS (-11.2 Units) in home games first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 17-42 ATS (+62.4 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ARIZONA is 2-2 (+0.0 Units) against the spread versus NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
NEW JERSEY is 2-2-0 straight up against ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.0 Units)

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DALLAS (4-1-0-0, 8 pts.) at PHILADELPHIA (2-1-0-1, 5 pts.) - 10/20/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 16-8 ATS (+5.6 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 24-14 ATS (+40.9 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 176-141 ATS (+29.9 Units) in road games first half of the season since 1996.
DALLAS is 14-9 ATS (+24.8 Units) in road games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 12-6 ATS (+18.6 Units) in road games in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 37-26 ATS (+65.0 Units) in road games after 3 or more consecutive overs since 1996.
DALLAS is 8-3 ATS (+11.8 Units) in road games after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 14-5 ATS (+20.6 Units) in road games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 225-231 ATS (-148.7 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 2-2 (+0.1 Units) against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA is 2-2-0 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.0 Units)

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ST LOUIS (5-1-0-0, 10 pts.) at MONTREAL (6-0-0-0, 12 pts.) - 10/20/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MONTREAL is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in all games this season.
MONTREAL is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) first half of the season this season.
MONTREAL is 25-11 ATS (+12.2 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 20-7 ATS (+11.5 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 58-42 ATS (+3.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 102-73 ATS (+28.8 Units) in road games in non-conference games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 2-2 (+0.2 Units) against the spread versus ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 2-2-0 straight up against ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.0 Units)

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TAMPA BAY (4-2-0-0, 8 pts.) at NASHVILLE (4-1-0-0, 8 pts.) - 10/20/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NASHVILLE is 28-13 ATS (+9.7 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
NASHVILLE is 6-18 ATS (-16.7 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NASHVILLE is 3-1 (+2.3 Units) against the spread versus TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
NASHVILLE is 3-1-0 straight up against TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.0 Units)

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WASHINGTON (3-1-0-0, 6 pts.) at CALGARY (1-4-0-0, 2 pts.) - 10/20/2015, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 143-192 ATS (-72.3 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
CALGARY is 51-47 ATS (-16.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CALGARY is 25-16 ATS (+42.6 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 2-2 (+0.6 Units) against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 2-2-0 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.1 Units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Udog** · 10-20-2015, 12:44 PM

Dallas Stars' scorers shining bright for NHL bettors

The Stars are off and running, with three straight wins in which they netted a total of 13 goals.

The NHL season is three weeks old and already some trends are showing up in the ice. Scott Rickenbach breaks down the teams hockey bettors should keep an eye on – some good, some bad – for this week’s NHL schedule:

Team to watch: Dallas Stars (4-1-0)

The Stars are off and running, with three straight wins in which they netted a total of 13 goals. Dallas leads the NHL in scoring (3.8 GPG) and is third in shots, averaging 33.6 an outing. The biggest weapon for the Stars has been their power play, which is clicking at a 33.3 percent rate, good for fourth-best in the league. Dallas is getting terrific production from its three top forward lines, with centers Tyler Seguin, Jason Spezza and Cody Eakin combining for 10 goals and nine assists.

The Stars are on the road this week, wrapping a four-game away swing in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Dallas won the opened two games on this slate, knocking off Tampa Bay and Florida. Following those games Tuesday and Thursday, in which Dallas should hold moneyline value on the road, the Stars return to the Lone Star State to host the Panthers Saturday.

Team in trouble: New York Rangers (3-2-1)

The Rangers opened the season with three straight victories before hitting a three-game skid heading into this week. New York’s scoring, which had 12 goals in the opening trio of games, has just two during this losing skid. Part of that is running into some defensive-minded clubs in New Jersey, Montreal, and Winnipeg but that doesn’t excuse the nine goals given up.

The Rangers hoped to reset this week, hosting San Jose Monday in a tough travel spot for the Sharks. The Blue Shirts gave No. 1 goalie Henrik Lundqvist a breather Monday, hoping to recharge his batteries after looking a step slow in the loss to the Devils. The Rangers play a back-loaded schedule this week, hosting Arizona Thursday, then playing at Philadelphia Saturday, and back home in MSG for Calgary Sunday. They'll need Lundqvist for that rough three-in-four span.

Total team: Boston Bruins (5-0 Over/Under)

After giving up goals in bulk in the opening three games of the season, the Bruins decided a better defense was having a great offense. Boston has erupted for 11 goals in back-to-back wins against Arizona and Colorado after giving up 16 total tallies the three games prior. All five of those games have topped the total with four of those contests set with 5-goal totals. The biggest boost for the Bruins has been their power play, which is scoring on 38.9 percent of its opportunities. That’s the best attack with the man-advantage in the NHL.

Boston scored three times on six power-play opportunities against the Coyotes Sunday and take on Philadelphia (Wednesday) and the N.Y. Islanders (Friday) this week, two teams that haven’t exactly been brick walls with a man in the box. Things could get especially interesting for total bettors when they visit Brooklyn to play the Islanders, who score 3.4 goals a night.

Injury to note: Victor Hedman, D Tampa Bay Lightning

Hedman has been sidelined with a head injury since the middle of the month and missed Saturday’s game against Buffalo. The 6-foot-6 blueliner was back at practice this week and hopes to play against Nashville Tuesday. Hedman is not only a bruiser on the ice for the Bolts but has five assists and a plus-5 rating through his first five games of the schedule.

Playbook: Montreal Candiens (6-0-0)

The Montreal Canadiens have leaned heavily on goaltender Carey Price to carry the franchise the past few seasons, but are taking some of the burden off the Heart Trophy winner in the opening stretch of the season. Montreal, which averaged only 2.61 goals a game last year, is scoring a red-hot 3.3 goals a night, which is good enough for fifth in the NHL and takes a lot of pressure of Price to be perfect between the pipes.

The Habs have changed their offensive attack in 2015-16, controlling the puck when they enter the offensive zone rather than dumping and chasing on the forecheck like previous seasons. Montreal has gotten the puck into the middle of the neutral zone when on the rush, forcing defenders to make a choice: play the puck or cover the wingers.

"I agree that we're coming up with control, but we've always wanted that," Brendan Gallagher told reporters. "I just think we're doing a better job of winning neutral-zone battles, coming up with support, understanding where the puck's going to be going."

**Udog** · 10-20-2015, 05:34 PM

NHL
Short Sheet

Tuesday, October 20

NY Islanders at Columbus, 7:05 PM EDT
New York: 28-14 SU first half of the season
Columbus: 0-10 SU after allowing 4 goals or more 3 straight games

Florida at Pittsburgh, 7:05 PM EDT
Florida: 15-8 SU after allowing 4 goals or more
Pittsburgh: 7-11 SU in a home game where where the total is 5 or less

Arizona at New Jersey, 7:05 PM EDT
Arizona: 18-52 SU as an underdog
New Jersey: 92-56 SU after failing to cover 4 of their last 5

Dallas at Philadelphia, 7:35 PM EDT
Dallas: 11-3 SU in road games off a road win
Philadelphia: 34-48 SU after allowing 1 goal or less in 2 straight games

St Louis at Montreal, 7:35 PM EDT
St Louis: 97-71 SU in road games in non-conference games
Montreal: 27-35 SU in home games after 2 straight wins by 2 goals or more

Tampa Bay at Nashville, 8:05 PM EDT
Tampa Bay: 27-10 SU when playing only their 2nd game in 5 days
Nashville: 6-18 SU after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game

Washington at Calgary, 9:05 PM EDT
Washington: 7-16 SU after allowing 2 goals or less in 2 straight games
Calgary: 25-16 SU after a division game

Announcement

Tuesday's NHL Trends and Indexes - 10/20

Tuesday's NHL Trends and Indexes - 10/20

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