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**Udog** · 04-25-2017, 10:55 AM

Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack

— This is an open recruiting period for college hoop; UConn offered three 10th graders this weekend off the same AAU team in Georgia.

— Mets are 8-17 in their last 25 games with Washington- they visit our nation’s capital this weekend.

— Brewers 11, Reds 7- Eric Thames hit two more HR’s, has 10 for the season; he has 7 HR’s in 21 PA’s against Cincinnati.

— Raptors 118, Bucks 93— Toronto won last two games by 11-25 points, have 3-2 series lead.

— Hawks 111, Wizards 101— Home team won all four series games.

— Giants 2, Dodgers 1– Buster Posey picked Justin Turner off 2B to end the game with Adrian Gonzalez at the plate. Oy.

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

13) Get well soon, Steve Kerr; the Warriors’ coach has had severe pain/discomfort since he had surgery on his spine a couple years ago. Fluid leaked from his spine and has created problems so unique that doctors aren’t even sure what the real problem is now.

Kerr seems like a genuinely decent and normal guy; we wish him the best in getting healthy.

12) Oklahoma City lost at home to Houston Sunday; they were +14 in 39:00 Russell Westbrook was on the court, -18 in 9:00 he was on the bench.

Billy Donovan has forgotten more basketball than I will ever know, but if I’m him, I might just leave Westbrook out there the whole 48:00 and see what happens. There are enough TV timeouts to get him a decent amount of rest.

11) Thursday night the Mariners lost a tough game in Oakland; at one point, a ground ball single went thru the legs of CF Leonys Martin, who actually went to one knee to stop the ball, but still whiffed on it. Ball took an odd hop, but not a REAL bad hop.

Sunday, the Mariners designated Martin for assignment, which means they are done with him. I’m guessing that error Thursday night was a part of that decision.

10) Pro wrestler Jon Cena’s grandfather Tony Lupien played in 614 big league games as a first baseman for the Red Sox, Phillies, White Sox. Sunday would’ve been Mr Lupien’s 100th birthday.

By the way, Jon Cena does more stuff for kids in the Make-a-Wish program than any other celebrity. He is incredibly generous with his time and makes a lot of kids smile. Good for him.

9) You think about how much the Rams paid Tennessee last year for their first pick in the draft that turned into Jared Goff and a big part of that was a belief that there is no great QB prospect in this draft, so if LA was going to draft a young QB, it had to be done last year.

Mel Kiper doesn’t give any QB’s first round grades this year; that is telling.

8) Phillies were 1-1 in 8th inning Sunday, then they hit three consecutive homers against the Atlanta bullpen- that doesn’t happen much.

7) Runs batted in by outfielders this season:
Miami 46, Washington 37

Kansas City 11, San Diego/Toronto, 12 each.

6) Houston Astros are 6-2 on the road which obviously is very good but a red flag; Astros haven’t led any of those games (0-5-3) after five innings- their deep lineup beats up on middle relievers.

5) Best records in games decided by 1-2 runs: Orioles 10-1, Rockies 10-2, Astros 6-2, Nationals 9-3……..Worst records? Toronto 2-10, Dodgers 3-6, Minnesota 2-6.

4) Former Cowboys’ executive Gil Brandt points out on Twitter that Texas A&M’s Myles Garrett had 31 career sacks at Texas A&M, but only 14 of them came in SEC games— Aggies’ non-league opponents were mostly Sun Belt/C-USA teams (UTSA, Rice, ULM).

3) From Wikipedia: The Wonderlic Personnel Test is a popular group intelligence test used to assess the aptitude of prospective employees for learning and problem-solving in a range of occupations. It consists of 50 multiple choice questions to be answered in 12 minutes.

How much do Wonderlic scores matter when NFL teams are drafting players this week?

I have to ask around, seeing as this is NFL draft week; I think I remember being told a few years ago that some teams care about the results, some do not.

I’ll get back to you on this.

2) Red Sox threw behind Manny Machado’s head Sunday, causing a ruckus, after his slide into second base Saturday sent Dustin Pedroia to the pines. Hopefully this will all go away, but Machado does have a way of annoying opponents— he got into it with Josh Donaldson in Oakland a few years ago.

1— New York Giants used to have training camp here in Albany; friend of mine’s adult son wanted Eli Manning’s autograph, so he went to camp with a friend of his, who happened to be an exotic dancer. The young lady called for Eli, he came over to them, and my friend’s son asked Eli to sign the Giants’ mini-helmet he had.

He hands Eli the helmet and a silver Sharpie, but Eli wouldn’t sign with the silver pen; he had a black Sharpie he used, and he was insistent that he use it.

“I won’t be able to read your signature” the young man complained.

“You’ll be able to read it just fine” Eli replied, signed the helmet and that was that.

Thats how they tell the difference between the stuff Eli signs for Steiner Sports and those he just signs for free, by the color pen he signs with.

I’ll say this: if you pay extra for “game-used” items, you’re a damn fool, because demand exceeds supply, which means the “game-used” stuff you’re getting probably isn’t.

**Udog** · 04-25-2017, 10:57 AM

If anything pertinent to Round Two comes out today, I'll post it.

**Udog** · 04-25-2017, 11:26 AM

NHL
Long Sheet

Wednesday, April 26

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NASHVILLE (45-29-0-12, 102 pts.) at ST LOUIS (50-30-0-7, 107 pts.) - 4/26/2017, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NASHVILLE is 13-19 ATS (-10.1 Units) after a division game this season.
NASHVILLE is 11-17 ATS (-11.0 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more this season.
NASHVILLE is 11-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.
NASHVILLE is 6-12 ATS (-10.5 Units) after a 3 game unbeaten streak over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 109-80 ATS (+27.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 8-2 ATS (+5.0 Units) in April games this season.
ST LOUIS is 31-19 ATS (+10.9 Units) second half of the season this season.
ST LOUIS is 23-17 ATS (+0.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ST LOUIS is 13-8 ATS (+4.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
NASHVILLE is 236-193 ATS (+27.6 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1996.
NASHVILLE is 25-15 ATS (+9.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
NASHVILLE is 17-8 ATS (+25.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
ST LOUIS is 8-12 ATS (+8.0 Units) in home games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 8-7-0 straight up against NASHVILLE over the last 3 seasons
7 of 12 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.0 Units)

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EDMONTON (51-27-0-10, 112 pts.) at ANAHEIM (50-23-0-13, 113 pts.) - 4/26/2017, 10:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ANAHEIM is 20-7 ATS (+11.1 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5 or less this season.
ANAHEIM is 8-1 ATS (+6.4 Units) in April games this season.
ANAHEIM is 32-16 ATS (+12.5 Units) second half of the season this season.
ANAHEIM is 22-11 ATS (+5.4 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
ANAHEIM is 17-4 ATS (+10.5 Units) in home games after a division game this season.
ANAHEIM is 24-14 ATS (+24.0 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
ANAHEIM is 25-15 ATS (+5.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ANAHEIM is 15-7 ATS (+7.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
EDMONTON is 32-18 ATS (+7.8 Units) second half of the season this season.
EDMONTON is 24-11 ATS (+8.4 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
EDMONTON is 8-3 ATS (+11.5 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
ANAHEIM is 10-4 (+4.8 Units) against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
ANAHEIM is 10-4-0 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.5 Units)

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NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, April 26

There are no NHL playoff games tonight.

Second round NHL series
NY Rangers (-$150) vs Ottawa (+$130)
Pittsburgh (+$110) vs Washington (-$130)
St Louis (+$110) vs Nashville (-$130)
Anaheim (-$135) vs Edmonton (+$115)

NHL First round series:
East
Washington-Toronto
Wash 3-2 OT
Tor 4-3 2OT
Tor 4-3 OT
Wash 5-4
Wash 2-1 OT
Wash 2-1 OT
Capitals win series, 4-2

Pittsburgh-Columbus
Pitt 3-1
Pitt 4-1
Pitt 5-4 OT
CBJ 5-4
Pitt 5-2
Penguins win series, 4-1

Montreal-NY Rangers
NYR 2-0
Mtl 4-3 OT
Mtl 3-1
NYR 2-1
NYR 3-2 OT
NYR 3-1
Rangers win series 4-2

Ottawa-Boston
Bos 2-1
Ott 4-3 OT
Ott 4-3 OT
Ott 1-0
Bos 3-2 OT
Ott 2-1 OT
Senators win series, 4-2

West
Chicago-Nashville
Nash 1-0
Nash 5-0
Nash 3-2 OT
Nash 4-1
Predators win series, 4-0

Minnesota-St Louis
StL 2-1 ot
StL 2-1
StL 3-1
Minn 2-0
StL 4-2 OT
Blues win series, 4-1

Anaheim-Calgary
Ana, 3-2
Ana 3-2
Ana 5-4 OT
Ana 3-1
Ducks win series, 4-0

Edmonton-San Jose
SJ 3-2 ot
Edmonton 2-0
Edmonton 1-0
SJ 7-0
Edmonton 4-3 OT
Edmonton 3-1
Oilers win series, 4-2

Home teams: 20-22
Over: 13-21-8

**Udog** · 04-25-2017, 04:19 PM

NHL
Short Sheet

Wednesday, April 26

Western Conference Semifinals – Best of 7 – Game 1

Nashville at St Louis, 8:00 PM ET
Nashville: 13-30 SU as a road underdog of +100 to +150
St Louis: 26-14 SU after 2 consecutive division games

Western Conference Semifinals – Best of 7 – Game 1

Edmonton at Anaheim, 10:30 PM ET
Edmonton: 19-29 SU in a road game where where the total is 5 or less
Anaheim: 31-12 SU in home games

**Udog** · 04-25-2017, 04:32 PM

NHL playoff betting cheat sheet: Pens and Caps highlight second round
By: Monty Andrews

The opening round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs provided plenty of drama and plenty of surprises. Will the upsets continue in Round 2? Monty Andrews is here to help you handicap all of the second round matchups like a seasoned pro.

Predators Eye Second Sweep

The Nashville Predators came into the Stanley Cup playoffs as the eighth seed in the Western Conference - but bettors are taking them much more seriously after a stunning four-game sweep of the top-seeded Chicago Blackhawks in Round 1. Nashville (-138) is a slight favorite in the second round of the postseason despite opening on the road against the St. Louis Blues (-102), who were also impressive in rolling past the Minnesota Wild in five games. The Predators won three of five meetings between the Central Division rivals in the regular season, with those games going 1-3-1 O/U.

Can Ducks Avoid Oil Spill?

The Anaheim Ducks weren't seriously challenged on the way to a four-game first-round sweep of the Calgary Flames. The Ducks (-135) will look to make it 2-for-2 against Alberta-based teams as they open their second-round series against the visiting Edmonton Oilers (-103) on Wednesday night. The Oilers, who last made the postseason in 2006, are proving they're not just happy to be here, orchestrating a six-game victory over the San Jose Sharks despite not getting a multi-point game from league scoring champion Connor McDavid. Anaheim owned a 2-1-2 edge in the season series, with the teams going 1-2-2 O/U.

Best of the Best

The NHL's playoff structure is full of quirks - and a second-round meeting between the teams with the two best regular-season records in the league is one of them. The Presidents' Trophy-winning Washington Capitals (-121) host the powerhouse Pittsburgh Penguins (-116) in Game 1 on Thursday night after surviving a six-game battle with the Toronto Maple Leafs that included five overtime games. The Penguins had a much easier time of it in their first-round series with Columbus, cruising past the Blue Jackets in five games. The Capitals went 2-0-2 in the season series, with the teams going 3-0-1 O/U.

A Sens-ational Showing

The Ottawa Senators overcame long odds - and a painful injury to their best player - to get past the Boston Bruins in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Now the Senators (+109) look to make it two upset wins in a row as they entertain the New York Rangers (-152) in the series opener Thursday night. Ottawa is coming off a six-game triumph over the Bruins, but learned Monday that defenseman Erik Karlsson is playing with two fractures in his left heel. The Senators won two of three meetings with the Rangers in the regular season, with the teams combining to go 1-2-0 O/U.

Injury News

* The Penguins might be getting some reinforcements up front for their second-round tilt with Washington. Winger Chris Kunitz (lower body) is considered a game-time decision for Game 1, while center Carl Hagelin (lower body) has resumed skating drills and could return sometime in the series.

* The Ducks will have one of their most important players back in the lineup in time for Game 1 of their second-round series with the Oilers. Defenseman Cam Fowler is expected to return Wednesday night after missing Games 3 and 4 of the series against the Flames with a right knee injury.

Player Notes

* The Capitals will need to be wary of the Penguins' firepower after Pittsburgh placed four players in the top 10 in scoring in Round 1. Center Evgeni Malkin leads all scorers in the postseason with 11 points in five games, while linemate Phil Kessel is tied for second with eight points. Sidney Crosby (seven) and Jake Guentzel (six) also had terrific series.

* Don't expect much scoring in the Predators-Blues second-round series - at least, if first-round trends hold up. Predators goalie Pekka Rinne and Blues netminder Jake Allen combined to allow just 11 goals in their nine games played, with Rinne recording a pair of shutouts against the Blackhawks. Game 1 has a total of 5.

Stanley Cup Futures (odds provided by Sports Interaction)

* The Capitals remain the odds-on favorite to win the Stanley Cup at +350, but the Penguins are right on their heels at +400. Whoever survives their second-round series will likely see those odds drop significantly, as both teams will be considered heavy favorites against either the Senators (+1,000) or Rangers (+750).

* They aren't favored to win their second-round series against the Ducks, but the Oilers do have the best odds of winning the Stanley Cup among Western Conference teams (+500). The Ducks are a close second at +550, while both the Predators and Blues are installed at +650 to win the championship.

Over/Under Trends

* It was a tale of two trends in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, during which teams went 13-20-9 O/U. The playoffs opened with an under bonanza, as teams went 1-9-2 O/U over the first three days of competition - but things stabilized considerably after that, as the league combined to go 12-11-7 O/U from the fourth day onward.

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Tuesday's NHL Trends and Indexes - 4/25

Tuesday's NHL Trends and Indexes - 4/25

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