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  • NHL

    Thursday, May 12

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs betting preview: Predators at Sharks
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Pekka Rinne and the Predators will have to do something they have never done if they want to advance to the conference finals - win at San Jose in the postseason.

    Nashville Predators at San Jose Sharks (A: +163, H: -181, O/U: 5)

    Series tied 3-3

    The Nashville Predators had to overcome a 3-2 series deficit versus Anaheim and win Game 7 on the road to advance out of the first round of the playoffs. The Predators will attempt to duplicate that script and secure a trip to their first Western Conference finals when they visit the San Jose Sharks in Thursday night's decisive Game 7.

    Nashville has refused to buckle against the Sharks, staving off elimination with a dramatic 4-3 overtime victory in Game 6, and must face another daunting obstacle: It is 0-7 all-time in San Jose in the postseason. "We've been down in games throughout this whole playoffs," Predators forward Mike Fisher said. "We've found a way when chips are down to get wins and to get goals in big moments." The Sharks have outscored Nashville 13-5 in the three meetings at home, but they squandered an early two-goal edge and a late one-goal advantage in Monday's loss. "Based on how the series has been played, it should come down to one game in a Game 7," San Jose coach Peter DeBoer said. "We worked all year for home-ice advantage in this situation and we intend to take advantage of it."

    TV: 9 p.m. ET; NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVAS

    PROBABLE GOALIES:

    Predators - Pekka Rinne (W/L: 7-6, GAA: 2.41, SAVE %: .913)

    Sharks - Martin Jones (W/L: 7-4, GAA: 2.35, SAVE %: .913)

    ABOUT THE PREDATORS: The unit of Fisher, James Neal and Colin Wilson, which was put together prior to Game 3, has been the best line for either team in the series, combining for 15 points over the past four games. Wilson, who set a franchise mark last season with five goals in one playoff series, continued his postseason heroics with the game-tying tally Monday to stretch his point streak to a club-record seven games and further bury the memory of his woeful six-goal campaign during the regular season. Goaltender Pekka Rinne had his share of shaky moments in Monday's victory, but he made a huge stop in overtime and had his best performance of the playoffs in the Game 7 win at Anaheim.

    ABOUT THE SHARKS: Injuries limited forward Logan Couture to just five contests prior to the Christmas break, but he has been the most dynamic player for San Jose against the Predators, scoring five goals and adding three assists to give him 14 points in 11 postseason games. “In this league you win as a team," said Couture, who stood to be the hero in Game 6 after putting the Sharks ahead with a third-period power-play tally before Wilson responded with the equalizer. "You need everyone going to win hockey games. We've got to be hungrier than they are." The Sharks have been dominant with the man advantage, cashing in on their only opportunity in Game 6 to improve to 11-for-39 in the playoffs.

    TRENDS:

    * Predators are 1-4 in their last five road games.
    * Sharks are 4-0 in their last four home games.
    * Over is 4-0-2 in Predators last six overall.
    * Over is 5-0-3 in Sharks last eight overall.

    CONSENSUS: The public is strongly behind the Sharks and their home-ice advantage in this Game 7, with 74 percent of wagers on them. When it comes to the total 68 percent of wagers are on the over.
    Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

    Comment


    • NHL
      Long Sheet

      Thursday, May 12

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

      NASHVILLE (48-33-0-14, 110 pts.) at SAN JOSE (53-32-0-8, 114 pts.) - 5/12/2016, 9:05 PM
      Top Trends for this game.
      NASHVILLE is 48-47 ATS (-14.0 Units) in all games this season.
      NASHVILLE is 39-78 ATS (+129.7 Units) in road games when playing with 2 days rest since 1996.
      NASHVILLE is 10-16 ATS (-8.7 Units) after 3 or more consecutive overs over the last 2 seasons.
      NASHVILLE is 19-31 ATS (-17.6 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
      NASHVILLE is 24-37 ATS (+62.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
      SAN JOSE is 30-14 ATS (+5.5 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
      SAN JOSE is 22-10 ATS (+8.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
      SAN JOSE is 17-4 ATS (+12.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
      SAN JOSE is 11-16 ATS (-11.0 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5 or less this season.
      SAN JOSE is 26-28 ATS (-23.7 Units) in home games second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
      SAN JOSE is 84-82 ATS (-55.5 Units) in home games when playing with 2 days rest since 1996.
      SAN JOSE is 3-7 ATS (-6.6 Units) in home games after 3 or more consecutive overs this season.

      Head-to-Head Series History
      NASHVILLE is 9-6 (+4.7 Units) against the spread versus SAN JOSE over the last 3 seasons
      NASHVILLE is 9-6-0 straight up against SAN JOSE over the last 3 seasons
      6 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.8 Units, Under=-0.6 Units)

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




      NHL
      Short Sheet

      Thursday, May 12

      Nashville at San Jose, 9:05 PM ET
      Nashville: 2-10 SU after 4 or more consecutive overs
      San Jose: 22-9 SU revenging a loss where opponent scored 4 or more goals




      NHL
      Armadillo's Write-Up

      Thursday, May 12

      Nashville-San Jose (3-3)
      Home side won all six series games; Predators lost last three visits here, outscored 13-5. Nashville's last two series wins both came in OT- they scored at 2:03 of OT of Game 6 to force this deciding game. Preds outshot San Jose 27-10 over last 42:03 of Game 6. Sharks won eight of last 12 games overall; over is 5-0-2 in their last seven games. Predators are 5-6 in last 11 games, losing four of last five on the road; they've won last six times they scored 3+ goals; they're 1-6 in last seven games scoring two or less goals. San Jose is 6-18 on power play in series, Nashville is 3-19. Over is 4-0-2 in this series. San Jose is 5-4 in Game 7's in their franchise history. Nashville won its first Game 7 in last series; they're 21st team in NHL to play two Game 7's in same season.

      Playoffs tally: 1st round-- Home: 23-24, Over: 16-17-14
      2nd round-- Home: 15-9, Over: 11-5-8




      NHL

      Thursday, May 12

      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Trend Report
      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      9:00 PM
      NASHVILLE vs. SAN JOSE
      Nashville is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
      The total has gone OVER in 4 of Nashville's last 6 games
      San Jose is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games
      The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Jose's last 7 games
      Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

      Comment


      • NHL
        Dunkel

        Thursday, May 12


        Nashville @ San Jose

        Game 83-84
        May 12, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

        Dunkel Rating:
        Nashville
        13.083
        San Jose
        12.217
        Dunkel Team:
        Dunkel Line:
        Dunkel Total:
        Nashville
        by 1
        7
        Vegas Team:
        Vegas Line:
        Vegas Total:
        San Jose
        -185
        5
        Dunkel Pick:
        Nashville
        (+160); Over
        Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

        Comment


        • Game 7 - Predators at Sharks
          May 11, 2016

          2016 Playoff Results

          The Predators and Sharks will meet in a decisive Game 7 on Thursday from SAP Center in northern California. Nashville picked up its second overtime victory in the series on Monday by edging San Jose in Game 6 by a 4-3 count, cashing as a plus-105 underdog.

          Including that result, the home team has won each of the first six games in this best-of-seven matchup.

          Oddsmakers opened San Jose as a minus-175 favorite while Nashville is a plus-155 underdog. The total on this game is sitting at 5 and shaded to the ‘over’ (-115).

          Road teams have gone 35-35 in this year’s NHL playoffs and visitors have fared very well historically in the Stanley Cup postseason.

          There have been 164 all-time Game 7’s in the NHL Playoffs and the home squad owns a 95-69 (57.9%) record, which includes a 1-2 record in this year’s postseason.

          Recent Game 7 History

          Nashville
          2016 Conference Quarterfinals - Beat Ducks on road 2-1

          San Jose
          2014 Conference Quarterfinals - Lost to Kings at home 5-1


          The winning team in five of the last eight Game 7's scored just two goals, as five of those games finished under the total.

          NHL Game 7 Playoff History (2012-2016)

          2016
          St. Louis Blues 6 at Dallas Stars 1
          Nashville Predators 2 at Anaheim Ducks 1
          Chicago Blackhawks 2 at St. Louis Blues 3

          2015
          Tampa Bay Lightning 2 at New York Rangers 0
          Chicago Blackhawks 5 at Anaheim Ducks 3
          New York Rangers 2 at Washington Capitals 1
          Tampa Bay Lightning 2 at Detroit Red Wings 0
          Washington Capitals 2 at New York Islanders 1

          2014
          Los Angeles Kings 5 at Chicago Blackhawks 4 (OT)
          Los Angeles Kings 6 at Anaheim Ducks 2
          Montreal Canadiens 3 at Boston Bruins 1
          New York Rangers 2 at Pittsburgh Penguins 1
          Philadelphia Flyers 3 at New York Rangers 4
          Minnesota Wild 5 at Colorado Avalanche 4
          Los Angeles Kings 5 at San Jose Sharks 1

          2013
          New York Rangers 5 at Washington Capitals 0
          Toronto Maple Leafs 4 at Boston Bruins 5 (OT)
          Detroit Red Wings 3 at Anaheim Ducks 2
          Detroit Red Wings 1 at Chicago Blackhawks 2 (OT)
          San Jose Sharks 1 at Los Angeles Kings 2

          2012
          Ottawa Senators 1 at New York Rangers 2
          Washington Capitals 2 at Boston Bruins 1 (OT)
          New Jersey Devils 3 at Florida Panthers 2 (2OT)
          Washington Capitals 1 at New York Rangers 2
          Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

          Comment


          • Sharks hope home ice is crucial in Game 7
            May 11, 2016

            SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) All season long the San Jose Sharks faced questions about why they could be so dominant on the road but struggle to win at home.

            In the biggest game yet of their season, the Sharks hope their playoff home success carries over to Game 7 of their second-round series against Nashville on Thursday night (9 p.m. EDT, NBCSN) when a spot in the Western Conference final is on the line.

            ''I love our game at home. I really do,'' center Joe Thornton said. ''I know it was a big part of the story going into the postseason how our home record was. But I've loved our home game and I love the energy the crowd has been giving us. It's been great.''

            The Sharks led the NHL with 28 road wins this season but had a losing record at home, where their 18 wins in 41 games were the fewest of any playoff team. But after losing their first home game of the postseason to Los Angeles, the Sharks have rolled off four straight home wins as the Shark Tank has once again become an imposing building for opposing teams.

            The Sharks find themselves in a must-win Game 7 because they were unable to win any games in Nashville this series. The Predators took all three home games, including a triple-overtime thriller in Game 4 and an overtime win in Game 6 on Monday night.

            That was San Jose's ninth loss in its past 12 games with a chance to eliminate an opponent.

            ''Past experiences or not, it's about what's in this room right now and about us,'' captain Joe Pavelski said. ''We kind of said that early. This is a different team.''

            The Game 6 win sent Nashville on its ninth flight between California and Tennessee this postseason after winning the first round in seven games in Anaheim. Like they did before that seventh game, the Predators packed extra clothes in hopes they would win and head to either Dallas or St. Louis for their first conference final appearance in franchise history instead of home for the summer.

            ''Everyone knows what's at stake, and we're going to be ready to go,'' captain Shea Weber said. ''Big point in a lot of guys' careers. It's time guys step up.''

            Here are some other things to watch in Game 7:

            TOP LINE: San Jose's top line of Thornton, Pavelski and Tomas Hertl have led the way all season and for much of the playoffs. But those three were completely outplayed, generating just three shots on goal and being on the ice for Nashville's first goal. With a last chance at home, the Sharks may be able to get that top line more ice time when Nashville's top defensive pair of Weber and Roman Josi aren't on the ice.

            ''This is bigger than one line or on one or two guys,'' coach Peter DeBoer said. ''We've talked all year about depth and I think it's on everybody to bring their AA-plus game tomorrow.''

            WHERE'S FORSBERG?:
            Nashville F Filip Forsberg tied the franchise record scoring 33 goals during the regular season, but he has been held to only one goal in this series and two through 13 games of the postseason. Forsberg wasn't the only one struggling to score in this series. Nashville defenseman Roman Josi had taken 38 shots before scoring his first postseason goal in Game 6, the most of any player in these playoffs who has yet to score.

            POTENT POWER PLAY:
            The Sharks have one of the game's top power plays led by a top unit that features Thornton's playmaking, Brent Burns' big shot from the point and Pavelski's goal-scoring. That power play has been a barometer for San Jose's success this postseason with the team converting 9 of 24 chances in seven playoff wins and just 2 of 15 in four losses.

            PLAYOFF COLIN WILSON: The Predators left wing now is only a goal away from matching the six goals he scored in 64 games during the regular season. He's already set a franchise-record with a seven-game points streak. Wilson has scored a goal in three of the past four games, three of those Nashville victories.

            NIETO'S HEALTH: Sharks F Matt Nieto left Game 6 in the first period after crashing into the net and did not return. Nieto did not practice Wednesday and his status for Game 7 is in doubt. If he can't play, the Sharks will miss his speed but will put Tommy Wingels back in the lineup after scratching him the past two games.
            Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

            Comment


            • SERIES AT A GLANCE

              GAME 1
              Predators at Sharks
              Fri, Apr 29 Final 2 to 5
              Recaps

              GAME 2
              Predators at Sharks
              Sun, May 1 Final 2 to 3
              Recaps

              GAME 3
              Sharks at Predators
              Tue, May 3 Final 1 to 4
              Recaps

              GAME 4
              Sharks at Predators
              Thu, May 5 Final 3 to 4
              Recaps

              GAME 5
              Predators at Sharks
              Sat, May 7 Final 1 to 5
              Recaps

              GAME 6
              Sharks at Predators
              Mon, May 9 Final 3 to 4
              Recaps

              GAME 7
              Predators at Sharks
              Thu, May 12 - 9:00PM EDT
              Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

              Comment


              • NHL MONEYLINE

                NHL > (83) NASHVILLE@ (84) SAN JOSE | 2016-05-12 21:05:00 - 2016-05-12 21:05:00
                Play ON SAN JOSE using money line in All games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season
                The record is 17 Wins and 4 Losses for the this season (+12.85 units)

                NHL > (83) NASHVILLE@ (84) SAN JOSE | 2016-05-12 21:05:00 - 2016-05-12 21:05:00
                Play AGAINST SAN JOSE using money line in All games in a home game where where the total is 5 or less
                The record is 19 Wins and 29 Losses for the last two seasons (-30.1 units)

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

                NHL PUCKLINE

                NHL > (83) NASHVILLE@ (84) SAN JOSE | 2016-05-12 21:05:00 - 2016-05-12 21:05:00
                Play ON SAN JOSE in All games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season
                The record is 17 Wins and 4 Losses for the this season (+12.85 units)

                NHL > (83) NASHVILLE@ (84) SAN JOSE | 2016-05-12 21:05:00 - 2016-05-12 21:05:00
                Play AGAINST SAN JOSE in All games in a home game where where the total is 5 or less
                The record is 19 Wins and 29 Losses for the last two seasons (-30.1 units)

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

                NHL TOTALS

                NHL > (83) NASHVILLE@ (84) SAN JOSE | 2016-05-12 21:05:00 - 2016-05-12 21:05:00
                Play OVER SAN JOSE on the totalin Home games revenging a loss versus opponent
                The record is 13 Overs and 3 Unders for the this season (+10.15 units)
                Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                Comment


                • 5/11 - YESTERDAY'S RESULTS: 1 - 0 + 1.00
                  OVERALL : + 9.18


                  THURSDAY, MAY 12

                  GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

                  NAS at SJ 09:00 PM

                  SJ -180

                  O 5.0
                  Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                  Comment


                  • Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

                    -- From Katie Sharp, pitch counts for the five 20-strikeout games: Clemens (1996) 151, Clemens (1986) 138, Randy Johnson 124, Kerry Wood 122, Scherzer 119

                    -- In those five games, pitchers struck out 100, didn't walk one batter.

                    -- Scherzer/Johnson are only pitchers with a 20-strikeout game and a no-hitter.

                    -- Nine of Scherzer's 20 Ks came on 3-pitch at-bats.

                    -- Only 20.7% of big league strikeouts come on 3-pitch at-bats.

                    -- Victor Martinez was 3-4 against his former teammate with no strikeouts.

                    **********

                    Armadillo: Friday's List of 13: Random stuff with weekend here.......

                    13) Its not that I'm old, its just that I'm not young anymore.

                    I'm watching TV the other night and a commercial for some reality dating show comes on; the host says to the contestant: "I need your swag level up to the tril!!!"

                    WTF does that even mean? When did I stop understanding English?

                    12) Kansas City Royals put two starting pitchers (Young/Medlen) on DL, as they continue to flounder, having lost 11 of their last 16 games.

                    11) Scott Skiles abruptly quit as coach of the Orlando Magic after only one season, during which the Magic improved 10 games from over last season.

                    10) Braves-Marlins are playing a game at Fort Bragg, NC on July 3 to honor our troops; they're putting up a new ballpark for the occasion.

                    9) UNLV added a couple of recruits from Chicago this week and now 6-11 Canadian Jordy Tshimanga will visit UNLV with his 7-1 brother Link Kabadyundi, a JC transfer who played a year at TCU. Rebels are up to nine players as they rebuild under Marvin Menzies, who had several Canadian players at New Mexico State.

                    8) Speaking of Las Vegas, WCC wisely decided to keep its postseason tourney at Orleans Arena thru 2019. Nice arena, good size for that league's tournament.

                    7) NBA Combine stuff is on TV this week on ESPN2 during the day; interesting to see the kids fightning hard as they try to impress NBA teams. Kids who are really good players in HS/college have to be shocked at how hard it is to make an NBA roster.

                    6) Nashville Predators are 21st NHL team to play two Game 7's in same season.

                    5) Noah Sydergaard homered twice in LA Wednesday night, first pitcher to do that since Micah Owings in 2007, first Met pitcher since Walt Terrell in '83.

                    4) Fernando Rodney saved two games Wednesday as Padres swept a twinbill; only other time a Padre reliever did that was Rollie Fingers at Candlestick in 1977.

                    3) Max Scherzer and John Lackey are only two active pitchers who've beaten all 30 major league teams.

                    2) It is odd that the Cowboys look like they're going into training camp with only two backup QBs, Kellen Moore and rookie Dak Prescott. Tony Romo is 36; he played in four games LY. Would be nice to have a competent backup QB.

                    1) RIP Dayton C Steve McAlvene, 20, who collapsed and died at his Indiana home this week. Very tragic to pass away so young.
                    Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                    Comment


                    • NHL
                      Long Sheet

                      Friday, May 13

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

                      TAMPA BAY (54-33-0-5, 113 pts.) at PITTSBURGH (56-28-0-9, 121 pts.) - 5/13/2016, 8:05 PM
                      Top Trends for this game.
                      TAMPA BAY is 12-22 ATS (-13.8 Units) in road games after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
                      TAMPA BAY is 16-26 ATS (-12.9 Units) in road games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
                      PITTSBURGH is 56-37 ATS (+7.8 Units) in all games this season.
                      PITTSBURGH is 23-9 ATS (+11.1 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5 or less this season.
                      PITTSBURGH is 38-18 ATS (+9.1 Units) second half of the season this season.
                      PITTSBURGH is 12-3 ATS (+8.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
                      TAMPA BAY is 36-18 ATS (+9.7 Units) second half of the season this season.
                      TAMPA BAY is 200-209 ATS (+444.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1996.
                      PITTSBURGH is 45-53 ATS (-30.2 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.

                      Head-to-Head Series History
                      PITTSBURGH is 5-4 (+1.0 Units) against the spread versus TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
                      PITTSBURGH is 5-4-0 straight up against TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
                      8 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+7.1 Units)

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




                      NHL
                      Short Sheet

                      Friday, May 13

                      Tampa Bay at Pittsburgh, 8:05 PM ET
                      Tampa Bay: 2-10 SU as an underdog
                      Pittsburgh: 13-4 SU after 3 consecutive division games




                      NHL
                      Armadillo's Write-Up

                      Friday, May 13

                      Tampa Bay-Pittsburgh (0-0)
                      Lightning won first two series in five games each; they're 3-1 on road in playoffs. Pittsburgh won first round in five games, last round in six; they're 5-1 at home in playoffs. Tampa Bay won four of its last five games with Penguins, but losing three of last four played in Igloo. Last seven series games got over total (over 9-1 in last 10). Under is 4-2-2 in last eight Tampa Bay games, over is 3-0-2 in last five games played in Pittsburgh. Lightning last played on Sunday; Penguins last played on Tuesday.

                      Playoffs tally: 1st round-- Home: 23-24, Over: 16-17-14
                      2nd round-- Home: 16-9, Over: 11-5-9




                      NHL

                      Friday, May 13

                      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      Trend Report
                      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      8:00 PM
                      TAMPA BAY vs. PITTSBURGH
                      Tampa Bay is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
                      The total has gone OVER in 5 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh
                      The total has gone OVER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games when playing Tampa Bay
                      Pittsburgh is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay
                      Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                      Comment


                      • NHL

                        Friday, May 13

                        ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        NHL Conference Finals betting preview: Lightning at Penguins
                        ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                        Rookie goalie Matt Murray’s solid play has kept veteran Marc-Andre Fleury on the bench following his recovery from a concussion.

                        Tampa Bay Lightning at Pittsburgh Penguins (A: +155, H: -175, O/U: 5)

                        Series tied 0-0

                        The Pittsburgh Penguins have been the hottest team in the NHL over the past two months and hope to pass another test when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. The Penguins went 14-2-0 to end the regular season before knocking off the New York Rangers and the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Washington Capitals in the postseason.

                        “I think if you look at us, we kept improving as the year went on,” Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang told reporters. “I think we have to look at what we were capable of doing in the last few weeks and keep building on that.” The Penguins have made the conference final for the first time since 2013 with balanced scoring, improved defense and rookie goalie Matt Murray’s solid play that has kept veteran Marc-Andre Fleury on the bench. Pittsburgh must find a way to contain a lethal Tampa Bay offense that is led by Nikita Kucherov (nine goals, 12 points) and Tyler Johnson (13 points) while the Lightning’s top-pair defenseman Anton Stralman (broken fibula) and captain Steven Stamkos (blood clot) could return at some point in the series. Tampa Bay beat the Penguins three straight in the regular season, but were outshot 109-74 combined and Lightning coach Jon Cooper told reporters, “the way they were playing then to where they’re playing now is completely different.”

                        TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, CBC, TVAS

                        PROBABLE GOALIES:

                        Lightning - Ben Bishop (W/L: 8-2, GAA: 1.89, SAVE %: .928)

                        Penguins - Matthew Murray (W/L: 7-2, GAA: 2.05, SAVE %: .932)

                        ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (54-33-5, 37-43 O/U): Stralman has gone through full practice the last few days, but told reporters the leg “is not perfect,” and versatile forward J.T. Brown (upper body) could be back in the lineup after missing almost a month. While Kucherov, Johnson, Alex Killorn (nine points) and the emergence of Jonathan Drouin (eight assists) have played a big part, 6-foot-6 defenseman Victor Hedman was the key figure in the second-round series victory over the New York Islanders – holding captain John Tavares without a point the last four games and recording eight. “When the big boy’s rolling, we feed off that,” Cooper told reporters.

                        ABOUT THE PENGUINS (56-28-9, 41-35 O/U): It will be difficult for Cooper to pick which line Hedman will go up against the most because Pittsburgh’s four forward units have all produced in the postseason with three of them represented among the top four scorers. Sidney Crosby (10 points) and Evgeni Malkin (nine) each center a line while the trio of Phil Kessel (five goals, 12 points), Nick Bonino (eight assists) and Carl Hagelin may be their best in the playoffs thus far. “We really like how that line has come together,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan told reporters of Bonino’s unit. “It allows us to kind of spread out talent a bit and create more balance.”

                        TRENDS:

                        * Lightning are 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.
                        * Penguins are 17-4 in their last 21 vs. a team with a winning record.
                        * Under is 9-2-1 in Lightning last 12 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
                        * Over is 10-1 in the last 11 meetings in Pittsburgh.
                        * Lightning are 1-7 in the last 8 meetings in Pittsburgh.

                        CONSENSUS: The public is hammering the Pittsburgh Penguins at a rate of 71 percent and the over is picking up a very sturdy 79 percent of the wagers.
                        Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                        Comment


                        • NHL
                          Dunkel

                          Friday, May 13


                          Tampa Bay @ Pittsburgh

                          Game 1-2
                          May 13, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

                          Dunkel Rating:
                          Tampa Bay
                          13.692
                          Pittsburgh
                          12.549
                          Dunkel Team:
                          Dunkel Line:
                          Dunkel Total:
                          Tampa Bay
                          by 1
                          7
                          Vegas Team:
                          Vegas Line:
                          Vegas Total:
                          Pittsburgh
                          -175
                          5
                          Dunkel Pick:
                          Tampa Bay
                          (+155); Over
                          Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                          Comment


                          • Preview: Lightning (46-31) at Penguins (48-26)
                            Date: May 13, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

                            PITTSBURGH (AP) On the calendar, the gap between the last time the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning met and Friday night's Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals is less than three months.

                            Within the lifespan of a season, it seems a lot longer.

                            When the Lightning blew past the Penguins 4-2 on Feb. 20 - a victory that earned Tampa Bay a sweep of its three-game season series with Pittsburgh - Steven Stamkos was still scoring goals, Matt Murray was still the Penguins' third option in net and the Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan's midseason overhaul remained very much a work in progress.

                            Not anymore. Stamkos remains out indefinitely while dealing with a blood clot while Murray has become a revelation in near lockstep with the Penguins' evolution from enigmatic underachiever to Stanley Cup favorite. No wonder the Penguins couldn't help but laugh when asked if they could remember what happened on that sloppy Saturday in mid-winter when the Lightning built a quick three-goal lead and cruised.

                            'I couldn't even tell you,' Pittsburgh forward Phil Kessel said. 'I don't even remember when we played them last.'

                            Probably best to just block it out and press forward anyway at a time of year where short-term memory loss is an asset.

                            The Penguins wrapped up a 12-day highwire act against rival Washington on Tuesday night when Nick Bonino fired home the winner in overtime of Game 6. The cathartic celebration sent Pittsburgh to the conference finals for the fourth time since 2008. Less than 72 hours later, they face the only team that's been more dominant in the postseason.

                            The Lightning raced through the first two rounds of the playoffs, dropping one game each to Detroit and the New York Islanders. Remarkable, considering they've been without Stamkos and defenseman Anton Stralman, still recovering from a fractured left leg.

                            Stamkos is practicing but the five-time All Star hasn't been cleared for contact. Stralman appears to be on the verge of returning, though coach Jon Cooper is in no hurry to announce his lineup, saying Thursday 'it's just pointless to talk about whether they're going to play or not.'

                            Stralman scored four times against Pittsburgh during the regular season, though he's not exactly ready to proclaim himself the missing ingredient as Tampa Bay tries to reach its second consecutive Stanley Cup final.

                            'I don't think I ever scored a goal against the Penguins until this year, so I don't know what that tells you,' Stralman said. 'Stuff like that happens, just a fluke.'

                            Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay meeting with a spot to play for the Cup, however, is not. Shortly after fizzling against the Lightning in February, the Penguins put together a 14-2 surge to end the regular season they have carried into May. Tampa Bay's speed and comfort in close games - the Lightning are 5-0 in one-goal contests in the playoffs - are a sign their long postseason run a year ago wasn't just puck luck.

                            Some things to look for heading into what could be a wide-open two weeks (if necessary, of course):

                            WELL RESTED:
                            Tampa Bay played 26 playoff games last spring, with the heavy workload eventually taking its toll in the Stanley Cup final, where the Lightning lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games. They've been well-rested this time around. They had six days off before taking on the Islanders and earned a four-day break before facing the Penguins. Veteran center Brian Boyle welcomed the break but said it's difficult to predict how it'll how it'll impact this series. 'It remains to be seen. Hopefully we're rested and focused,' Boyle said. Tampa Bay lost Game 1 against the Islanders, then won four straight to advance.

                            BIG GOALIES: Sullivan has yet to name a Game 1 starter in net, though the 21-year-old Murray has made a compelling case to stay on the job even with Marc-Andre Fleury back from a concussion. The 6-foot-4 Murray outplayed Vezina Trophy finalist Braden Holtby in the last round, now he'll see 6-7 Ben Bishop at the other end of the rink. Bishop is 8-2 with a 1.89 goals against so far.

                            'He takes up a lot of the net,' Kessel said. 'We've got to make him handle a lot of shots and get second opportunities on him.'

                            NOT SO DYNAMIC DUO: It's a testament to the depth the Penguins have built around Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin that they handled the Capitals without much help (on the scoresheet at least) from their two franchise cornerstones. The former MVPs combined for just four points against Washington while the Penguins relied heavily on the trio of Carl Hagelin, Nick Bonino and Kessel to provide the punch that sent the Capitals home for the eighth time in nine playoff meetings with Pittsburgh.

                            Pittsburgh general manager Jim Rutherford is hardly concerned about who puts the puck in the net, so long as it gets there.

                            'I don't care if Matt Murray gets the goals,' Rutherford said.
                            Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                            Comment


                            • SERIES AT A GLANCE

                              GAME 1
                              Lightning at Penguins
                              Fri, May 13 - 8:00PM EDT

                              GAME 2
                              Lightning at Penguins
                              Mon, May 16 - 8:00PM EDT

                              GAME 3
                              Penguins at Lightning
                              Wed, May 18 - 8:00PM EDT

                              GAME 4
                              Penguins at Lightning
                              Fri, May 20 - 8:00PM EDT

                              GAME 5
                              Lightning at Penguins
                              Sun, May 22 - 8:00PM EDT

                              GAME 6
                              Penguins at Lightning
                              Tue, May 24 - 8:00PM EDT

                              GAME 7
                              Lightning at Penguins
                              Thu, May 26 - 8:00PM EDT
                              Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                              Comment


                              • Eastern Conference Finals
                                May 12, 2016


                                Western Conference Finals


                                Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

                                Head-to-Head Meetings (2013-2016)


                                Feb. 20, 2016 - Tampa Bay 4 at Pittsburgh 2 (Lightning -105, Over 5)
                                Feb. 5, 2016 - Pittsburgh 3 at Tampa Bay 6 (Lightning -115, Over 5)
                                Jan. 15, 2016 - Pittsburgh 4 at Tampa Bay 5 (Lightning -130, Over 5)
                                Jan. 2, 2015 - Tampa Bay 3 at Pittsburgh 6 (Penguins -120, Over 5.5)
                                Dec. 23, 2014 - Pittsburgh 3 at Tampa Bay 4 (Lightning -130, Over 5.5)
                                Dec. 15, 2014 - Tampa Bay 2 at Pittsburgh 4 (Penguins -120, Over 5.5)
                                Mar. 22, 2014 - Tampa Bay 3 at Pittsburgh 4 (Penguins -165, Over 5.5)
                                Nov. 29, 2013 - Pittsburgh 3 at Tampa Bay 0 (Penguins -135, Under 5.5)
                                Oct. 12, 2013 - Pittsburgh 5 at Tampa Bay 4 (Penguins -115, Over 5.5)
                                Apr. 11, 2013 - Pittsburgh 6 at Tampa Bay 3 (Penguins -120, Over 5.5)

                                Tampa Bay Recent Trends

                                -- 6-7 SU Last 13 Road Games

                                -- 8-2 SU Last 10 Games as a Favorite

                                -- 6-1 SU Last 7 Home Games

                                -- Team has held opponents to 2 goals or fewer in 9 of last 12 games

                                -- Penalty Kill Unit: 38/45 (88.4%) this postseason (#1 among remaining teams)

                                Starting Goalie

                                -- Ben Bishop: 14-4 SU Last 18 Starts Overall

                                -- Lifetime Record vs Pitt: 2-2, 3.97 G.A.A; .884 Sv% in 7 GP

                                Pittsburgh Recent Trends

                                -- 22-7 SU Last 29 Games Overall

                                -- 8-1 SU Last 9 Home Games

                                -- 6-1 SU Last 7 Games as a Favorite

                                -- 5-3-3 O/U Last 11 Games Overall

                                -- Power Play Unit: 11/40 (27.5%) this postseason (#1 among remaining teams)

                                Starting Goalie

                                -- Matt Murray: 16-5 SU in 21 GS (Season & Playoffs combined)

                                -- Lifetime Record vs TB: First-ever meeting

                                Series Odds

                                Lightning +185
                                Penguins -220

                                Exact Game Props
                                5 Games Penguins Win 5/2
                                7 Games Penguins Win 3/1
                                6 Games Penguins Win 7/2
                                6 Games Lightning Win 6/1
                                4 Games Penguins Win 7/1
                                7 Games Lightning Win 7/1
                                5 Games Lightning Win 8/1
                                4 Games Lightning Win 18/1

                                Odds Subject to Change
                                Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

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