Announcement

**Udog** · 05-07-2018, 07:47 AM

Armadillo: Monday's six-pack

— Jason Day birdied two of last three holes to win the Wells Fargo PGA event.

— In his last 10 games, Twins’ Eddie Rosario is 17-43 with 11 runs, 14 RBI.

— New York 7, Cleveland 4— Game was scoreless after seven innings.

— Rockies 3, Mets 2— Mets have their first 0-6 homestand since 2012.

— Greg Maddux’s son Chase Maddux is a pitcher at UNLV.

— Hall of Famer George Brett is a 4-handicap at golf; he won his club championship last year, despite having a torn rotator cuff and torn labrum in his shoulder.

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Armadillo: Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports weekend…..

13) If you’re coaching the Toronto Raptors Saturday night, don’t you have to double Lebron James and make him pass the ball? Understood that Lebron would find an open teammate, but no way that teammate wants to take the last shot- they want Lebron taking the last shot.

12) A 64-year old guy from Wisconsin recently had his 30,000th Big Mac (he counts them); the guy doesn’t look like he is overweight, he is 64 and still alive, but doubtful that having 30,000 Big Macs is real good for you.

Myself, I’ve haven’t had a Big Mac since I was a kid; prefer the fish sandwich or the sausage biscuit with egg at McDonald’s.

By the way, this guy from Wisconsin used to also save the styrofoam containers the Big Macs came in, but in June 1990, he lost 7,000 of them in a tornado.

11) NHL’s Las Vegas Golden Knights have already sold out their entire home schedule for next season.

10) Rough day for some baseball stars:
— Cardinals’ C Yadier Molina had groin surgery, is out at least a month.
— Dodgers’ P Clayton Kershaw (bicep tendonitis) goes on the DL.
— Mets’ Of Yoenis Cespedes (hip tightness) left after the 1st inning Sunday
— Mets’ P Jacob deGrom (elbow) goes on 10-day DL, could return next Sunday.

9) Random observation; new umpires call more marginal strikes than older umpires.

8) Tuesday night is the 50th anniversary of Catfish Hunter’s perfect game, when he also knocked in three runs in the A’s 4-0 win over Minnesota.

Only one Oakland employee from that night still works for the A’s; equipment manager Steve Vucinich, who was a 15-year ball boy that night, working down the left field line.

7) Stumbled onto a movie I’ve never seen the other night; Lucky You, a poker movie with Drew Barrymore, Robert Duvall and a bunch of pro poker players from the ESPN days.

Movie centers around the World Series of Poker; star of the movie is a guy I’ve never heard of, but in the movie he is the son of a legendary gambler (Duvall) who is trying to win the WSOP while also trying to win the heart of his girlfriend (Barrymore).

Not a bad movie; lot of poker in it.

6) Brice Garnett, who won a PGA tournament at Corales Puntacana in March, shot an 88 Sunday – the highest score recorded by anyone this season on Tour. He’s the only player this decade with a win and a round of 88 or worse in same Tour season.

5) Favorites won the last six Kentucky Derbies, which is a new record.

4) CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats will be an interesting team this year; not only will Johnny Manziel be one of their QB’s, but 76-year old Jerry Glanville, the old Oilers/Falcons head coach, will be their defensive coordinator. June Jones III is the Ti-Cats’ head coach.

When Glanville was coaching the Oilers, Jones was one of his assistants, as was a young coach named Nick Saban.

3) Royals, Tigers both lost a fly ball in the bright sun in Kansas City Sunday; neither player had sunglasses on. WTF? Shouldn’t the manager send someone out to give them sunglasses?

2) Bryant Bulldogs of the NEC got a commitment from Murray State graduate transfer G Byron Hawkins; he was the sixth man on the Racers’ OVC championship team- before that, he averaged 14 ppg as a sophomore at Towson.

In other words, this young man will be playing for his third team in three years. He scored 14 ppg in the CAA so he is talented, but why has he bolted schools two years in a row?

1— A lawyer in Monterrey, Mexico named Mario Gracia played in the Gulf Coast League with Clayton Kershaw and Kenley Jansen in 2006; his friends didn’t believe his stories until this weekend, when the Dodgers played the Padres in Monterrey. Now he has proof.

**Udog** · 05-07-2018, 08:33 AM

Monday's NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs betting preview and odds

Last year's two Stanley Cup finalists, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Nashville Predators, both face elimination games Monday night at the hands of the Washington Capitals and the Winnipeg Jets, respectively.

Washington Capitals at Pittsburgh Penguins (-200, 6)

Capitals lead series 3-2.

The Washington Capitals previously have seen the Pittsburgh Penguins up against the ropes only to fall victim to a spirited barrage and find themselves on the canvas. The Capitals aim to prevent that scene from repeating itself on Monday as they bid to land the knockout blow in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series at PPG Paints Arena.

Two-time reigning Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh is no stranger to trailing 3-2 in a series, having done so against Tampa Bay in the 2016 Eastern Conference final while avoiding elimination on two separate occasions in 2017 with a 2-0 win over Washington in Game 7 of the conference semis before posting a 3-2 double-overtime victory versus Ottawa in the following round. "Everybody understands the situation," Penguins superstar captain Sidney Crosby said. "It brings out everyone's best. You don't have anything to save it for, so you go out there with one focus, and that's win a hockey game and get to a Game 7. That's our mindset here." Washington goaltender Braden Holtby was quite clear with what his team's mindset needs to be if it wishes to build off Saturday's 6-3 win in Game 5 and put itself in position to advance to the Eastern Conference final for the first time since 1998. "Where it's at right now doesn't matter at all. All that matters is the next game," the former Vezina Trophy winner said. "That's got to be our mindset if we want to have success and take a mature approach to it."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, Sportsnet, TVAS

SERIES PRICE (PER LV SUPERBOOK):

LINE MOVES AND BETTING ACTION: The Penguins opened as -200 favorites and as of Sunday night that number has not moved. The total hit betting boards at 5.5 and has been bumped up to 6.

INJURY REPORT:

Capitals - C Nicklas Backstrom (Questionable, Upper Body), RW Tom Wilson (Elig Wednesday, Suspension), LW Andre Burakovsky (Out Indefinitely, Upper Body).

Penguins - C Zach Aston-Reese (Out Indefinitely, Jaw).

GOALIE SHOWDOWN:
W L OTL GAA Save % SO
Braden Holtby 34 16 4 2.99 .907 0
Matt Murray 27 16 3 2.92 .907 1

ABOUT THE CAPITALS (56-28-8-1, 52-39 O/U): Nicklas Backstrom is expected to play in Game 6 despite sitting out Sunday's practice, one day removed from using his hand to block a shot with his team short-handed during the first period. The 30-year-old Swedish Olympian's 10 assists are tops on the team while his 13 points trail only captain Alex Ovechkin, who rebounded from failing to muster a shot on goal in Game 4 by joining Evgeny Kuznetsov in setting up Jakub Vrana's go-ahead tally with 4:38 remaining in the third period. Ironically, the Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Vrana grouping was Washington's top line at the onset of the season as Tom Wilson served a four-game suspension from the league.

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (53-34-4-2, 51-37 O/U): Crosby reached the 20-point plateau (nine goals, 11 assists) in the playoffs for the franchise-best fourth time in his career and pushed his overall point total to 184 with his second-period power-play goal in Game 5. The two-time reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner would pull even with Hall of Famer Steve Yzerman for 10th place all-time with another point on Monday. Linemate Jake Guentzel (team-leading 21 points) saw his eight-game point streak end on Saturday, a postseason stretch that was the NHL's longest since Los Angeles' Anze Kopitar's 10-game run in 2014.

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

* Capitals are 9-1 in their last 10 road games.
* Penguins are 98-35 in their last 133 home games.
* Over is 18-8-2 in Capitals' last 28 games following a win.
* Over is 9-2 in Penguins' last 11 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Under is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings.

Nashville Predators at Winnipeg Jets (-155, 6)

Jets lead series 3-2.

The Winnipeg Jets stand one victory away from the Western Conference finals and have two shots to knock out the Nashville Predators, starting with Monday’s Game 6 at home after yet another offensive explosion in Saturday’s 6-2 road triumph. The Jets, who were stymied in a frustrating Game 4 loss on home ice, broke loose to take a 3-2 series lead as the top line of Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor combined for three goals and eight points.

Wheeler told reporters Sunday after the Jets returned to Winnipeg that knocking out the Predators – who took Pittsburgh to Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals last June – will not be easy, adding, “What we’re focused on is what’s given us success all year long, that’s just finding a way to win one hockey game.” Nashville got the start it wanted in Game 5, dominating play for most of the first period, but could not score in the opening frame before the Jets netted four goals in the middle period. The loss dropped the Predators to 1-2 on home ice in the series, but Nashville coach Peter Laviolette’s team already has won one game in Winnipeg this series and must do so again to extend its season. “This group’s been built for a game like the one that’s coming up,” Laviolette told reporters after Saturday’s loss. “I’ve got a tremendous amount of confidence. I believe in them.”

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, CBC, TVA Sports

SERIES PRICE (PER LV SUPERBOOK):

LINE MOVES AND BETTING ACTION: The Jets opened as -145 moneyline favorites and as of Sunday night that number has been pushed up to -155, despite P.K. Subban's guarantee of victory. The total hit betting boards at 5.5 and has been bumped up to 6.

INJURY REPORT:

Predators - C Calle Jarnkrok (Questionable, Undisclosed).

Jets - D Dmitry Kulikov (Out Indefinitely, Back).

GOALIE SHOWDOWN:
W L OTL GAA Save % SO
Pekka Rinne 42 13 4 2.31 .927 8
Connor Hellebuyck 44 11 9 2.36 .924 6

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (59-23-4-7, 47-45 O/U): Nashville will look to repeat the recipe that led to a 2-1 victory in Winnipeg in Game 4: get an early lead then dominate the neutral zone. Goaltender Pekka Rinne served up another subpar performance, allowing three goals in a 4:31 span of the second period to turn a 1-1 game into a 4-1 deficit, and after two goals early in the third was pulled again for Juuse Saros. Some of Nashville’s key players struggled in Game 5, including Victor Arvidsson and Austin Watson, who both finished minus-3.

ABOUT THE JETS (59-22-9-2, 45-45 O/U): Connor set a franchise record for most points in a playoff game by a rookie, scoring his first two goals of the playoffs in the pivotal second-period stretch and assisted on Scheifele’s goal 28 seconds into the third period. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 38 saves on the night, and a determined defense which blocked 16 shots survived a 20-shot onslaught by Nashville in the third period. Forward Mathieu Perreault, who had missed the past eight games with an injury, scored a goal in his return and gave the Jets a much-needed boost.

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

* Predators are 14-5 in their last 19 road games.
* Jets are 42-10 in their last 52 home games.
* Under is 11-1-1 in Predators last 13 after allowing 5 goals or more in their previous game.
* Under is 6-1 in Jets last 7 home games.
* Over is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings.

**Udog** · 05-07-2018, 09:35 AM

NHL
Dunkel

Monday, May 7

Washington @ Pittsburgh

Game 1-2
May 7, 2018 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
13.004
Pittsburgh
11.514
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 1 1/2
5
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Pittsburgh
-200
6
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(+170); Under

Nashville @ Winnipeg

Game 3-4
May 7, 2018 @ 9:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Nashville
15.269
Winnipeg
11.683
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Nashville
by 3 1/2
5
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Winnipeg
-160
6
Dunkel Pick:
Nashville
(+140); Under

NHL
Long Sheet

Monday, May 7

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WASHINGTON (56-28-0-9, 121 pts.) at PITTSBURGH (53-34-0-6, 112 pts.) - 5/7/2018, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 121-71 ATS (-5.9 Units) second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 79-43 ATS (+15.4 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 29-10 ATS (+14.7 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more this season.
PITTSBURGH is 17-3 ATS (+12.3 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game this season.
PITTSBURGH is 38-15 ATS (+11.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 40-15 ATS (+16.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 57-37 ATS (+10.3 Units) in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 19-10 ATS (+29.0 Units) in road games second half of the season this season.
WASHINGTON is 34-19 ATS (+11.8 Units) in road games after a division game over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 33-19 ATS (+11.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
WASHINGTON is 18-11 ATS (+6.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 17-14 (+4.0 Units) against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 17-14-0 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
13 of 27 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-2.1 Units, Under=-0.9 Units)

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NASHVILLE (59-23-0-11, 129 pts.) at WINNIPEG (59-23-0-10, 128 pts.) - 5/7/2018, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WINNIPEG is 59-34 ATS (+6.3 Units) in all games this season.
WINNIPEG is 36-17 ATS (+7.4 Units) second half of the season this season.
WINNIPEG is 41-24 ATS (+13.8 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
WINNIPEG is 32-20 ATS (+6.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
WINNIPEG is 22-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
NASHVILLE is 59-35 ATS (+7.5 Units) in all games this season.
NASHVILLE is 12-4 ATS (+7.2 Units) in a road game where where the total is 6 or more this season.
NASHVILLE is 25-12 ATS (+8.2 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
NASHVILLE is 37-19 ATS (+10.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
NASHVILLE is 50-28 ATS (+16.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NASHVILLE is 10-9-0 straight up against WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
12 of 18 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+5.9 Units)

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NHL

Monday, May 7

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Trend Report
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Washington Capitals
Washington is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Washington is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games
Washington is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
Washington is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games on the road
Washington is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Pittsburgh
Washington is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Washington's last 10 games when playing Pittsburgh
Washington is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games at home
Pittsburgh is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Washington
Pittsburgh is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Pittsburgh's last 10 games when playing Washington
Pittsburgh is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Washington

Nashville Predators
Nashville is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Nashville is 14-5 SU in its last 19 games on the road
Nashville is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Winnipeg
Nashville is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Winnipeg
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Nashville's last 10 games when playing Winnipeg
Nashville is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Winnipeg
Nashville is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Winnipeg
Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Winnipeg is 18-4 SU in its last 22 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Winnipeg's last 12 games
Winnipeg is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Winnipeg is 13-1 SU in its last 14 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Winnipeg's last 7 games at home
Winnipeg is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Nashville
Winnipeg is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Nashville
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Winnipeg's last 10 games when playing Nashville
Winnipeg is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Nashville
Winnipeg is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Nashville

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Announcement

Monday's NHL Trends and Indexes - 5/7

Monday's NHL Trends and Indexes - 5/7

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