The Bum's Best Bets For Monday June 15th - MLB - NBA -NHL !

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Red Sox's funk deepens

Jun 14, 2015

BOSTON -- Last season, the Red Sox swept their four-game, home-and-home series with the Atlanta Braves, one of the few bright spots in a last-place season.

On Monday night, the 2015 Red Sox, losers of six straight and stuck in last place in the American League East, open their four-game set with the Braves, the first two games at Fenway Park.

"We're not in a good place right now as a team, but it's not because we're not giving effort," said manager John Farrell, who may or may not be in danger of losing his job months after getting an extension through 2017. "We're not executing completely."

The Red Sox captured a dramatic comeback victory over the Oakland A's on June 7, but they have followed that with six losses in a row. They allowed 31 runs while getting swept at home by the sizzling Toronto Blue Jays during a three-game weekend series. They were booed lustily after the latest defeat, which featured a series of sloppy plays.

They also saw the recent savior, rookie left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, give up nine runs in 4 2/3 innings as his ERA jumped from 0.44 to 3.55.

"It goes back to everyone focusing on the job they have at hand," Farrell said when asked about breaking out of the funk.

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MLB betting cheat sheet: Twins call up Buxton in hopes of ending slump

Jun 15, 2015

Here's a comprehensive look at betting notes for this week’s major-league schedule:

Buxton to the rescue?

The Minnesota Twins had lost five games in a row before beating the Texas Rangers 4-3 on Sunday. That coincided with the major-league debut of center fielder Byron Buxton, who went 0-for-4 but score the eventual winning run in the ninth inning. Buxton, the second overall pick in 2012, replaced Aaron Hicks on the roster. Hicks is on the 15-day disabled list with an elbow injury.

The ‘pen is not mightier

To say the Atlanta Braves’ bullpen is bad would be an overly generous statement. The truth is it is downright terrible. Atlanta is tied for first in the majors with 13 blown saves and its bullpen ERA is 4.64, highest in the National League and second highest overall (better than only the Oakland Athletics). The Braves are 4-8 in their last 12 overall and the over is 12-2-1 in their last 15.

Do the cha-cha for Chi Chi

Since being called up the majors, Chi Chi Gonzalez has astounded for the Texas Rangers. The 23-year-old right-hander is 2-1 with a 0.42 ERA with one complete game (June 5 at the Kansas City Royals). Gonzalez will hope to continue his run on Tuesday when Texas hosts the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Pitching Notes

* What in the name of Carlos Martinez is going on out here?!?! Since giving up seven runs in consecutive starts at the beginning of May, the St. Louis Cardinals’ righty has suddenly caught fire. His ERA has shrunk from 4.89 to 2.93 in the span of six outings. He has allowed a mere three runs in his last 33.2 innings. Martinez will take the mound again on Tuesday against visiting Minnesota. The Cardinals are 5-0 in his last five starts and the under is 4-0 in his last four.

* The Detroit Tigers’ pitching staff appears to be in good hands at the moment. Justin Verlander returned with a solid start this past Saturday and David Price has regained his form after a relative rough stretch from late April through mid May. Price (6-2, 2.44 ERA) has tossed two straight complete games and has given up only three earned runs in his last 32.2 innings. The southpaw will be back in action at the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday.

Hitting Notes

* Miami Marlins’ slugger Giancarlo Stanton extended his hitting streak to seven games on Sunday. Stanton (.261, 23 HR, 59 RBI) homered five times and drove in 12 runs this past week. He has hit safely in 12 of 13 games this month and his June batting average stands at .391.

* The Royals watched four of their regulars hit .136 or worse last week. Second baseman Omar Infante and right fielder Alex Rios both went 1-for-19, designated hitter Kendrys Morales batted .125, and shortstop Alcides Escobar compiled a .136 average. Kansas City is on a two-game skid and the under is 10-1-1 in the team’s last 12 outings.

Totals Streak

New York Mets (34-25-5 O/U): A stellar over play throughout the season so far, the Mets have really picked it up of late. They are 5-0 O/U in their last five overall after coming back to win a 10-8 slugfest against Atlanta on Sunday. New York has crossed the plate 28 times in its last five games and has allowed 33 runs in its last six.

Injury Notes

* The Boston Red Sox are dealing with a whole host of physical problems (actually, they are struggling with a myriad of problems). Center fielder Mookie Betts was sidelined by a back injury on Saturday and Sunday. Third baseman Pablo Sandoval is dealing with quad tightness but played on Sunday against the Toronto Blue Jays. Hanley Ramirez is less than 100 percent because of knee and hamstring issues. At 10 games under .500, Boston—which has lost six in a row—is the only AL East team with a losing record.

* San Francisco Giants’ right fielder Hunter Pence has been placed on the 15-day disabled list—retroactive to June 3—because of wrist tendinitis. Pence (.282, 2 HR, 13 RBI) has not played since June 2, when he sustained an initial injury diving for a fly ball. The Giants have lost four in row and the under is 3-0 in their last three games.

Weather Notes

* Forecasts are calling for a 51 percent chance of rain in Boston when the Red Sox host the Atlanta Braves Monday evening.

* Conditions could be windy at Wrigley Field Tuesday evening when the Cubs host the Indians. Wind is expected to blow in from left-center field at around 11 miles per hour during the game.

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Monday's Tip Sheet

June 15, 2015


Atlanta Braves at Boston Red Sox | 7:10 p.m. ET (ESPN)

If ever there was a must-win series in the middle of June, this might be that rare scenario, at least as it pertains to the slumping Red Sox, who desperately need to stop their current bleeding. Entering this Interleague series with the Braves, Boston is on a six-game losing streak, after getting swept in consecutive series by the division-rival Orioles and Blue Jays. Being in the AL East cellar eight games back of first place, it's not too late, however, to make a run similar to the 2013 Dodgers, who were in last place in their division at the end of June.

The Red Sox will turn to Rick Porcello (4-6, 5.26 ERA) in the first game, trying to help flip the year-long trend that has been disastrous starting pitching. Porcello has been one of the main culprits, but has also shown flashes of the excellent pitcher he was last season, providing hope that he can help contribute steady pitching in the long run. Braves rookie right-hander Williams Perez (2-0, 2.70 ERA) toes the Fenway Park rubber for the Braves, looking pretty impressive in his first season. The Man With Two Last Names has surrendered one run or less in four of his five starts, albeit while averaging an unhealthy 4.59 BB/9. Despite their aforementioned losing streak, the Red Sox are -150 favorites in tonight's matchup.

Toronto Blue Jays at New York Mets | 7:10 p.m. ET

The hottest team in baseball, the Toronto Blue Jays, enters the third week of June with not only the longest active winning streak in baseball at 11 games, but a newfound sense of confidence, suddenly being only one game out of first place in the AL East. Their notable surge is mostly due to the fact that they lead baseball in runs scored. At one point this season, the Mets were just as red hot, also owning an 11-game winning streak in 2015, and while they’re currently still in first place in their division, they’ve been inconsistent since that strong run, being only four games over.500. Tonight, the two clubs begin a rare Interleague series at Citi Field.

The ageless Mark Buehrle (7-4, 4.25 ERA) will try to keep it going for Toronto, currently contributing his best pitching of the season. In fact, he’s brought his ERA down by two-and-a-half full runs since his outing on May 1, and has recorded six straight starts going six innings or more, while yielding three runs or less in four of them. He’ll be opposed by Mets rookie Noah Syndergaard (2-4, 4.15 ERA), who has struggled a bit in his past couple of starts in allowing 11 runs, after surrendering a combined five runs in his first four assignments. In any case, Syndergaard has been good for under bets to begin his very promising career, posting a 4-1-1 record in that department, although the Mets are 2-4 in games he’s started. The over/under is currently 7.5, with both teams having -110 moneyline odds.

Colorado Rockies at Houston Astros | 8:10 p.m. ET

Who has been more consistent than Astros ace Dallas Keuchel (7-2, 1.90 ERA) this season? You’d be hard-pressed to find someone that successfully answers that question, considering the fourth-year southpaw has gone at least six innings in all 13 of his starts this season. In the process, he’s remarkably allowed two earned runs or less in ten of them, and has not yet had an outing where he submitted more than four. Simply put, Keuchel has been enjoying an All Star-caliber campaign and will certainly find himself on the American League squad when that juncture comes. In the meantime, the 27-year-old will try to keep up his impressive 6-1 unders record at home, and he’s cashed five straight unders overall entering this one.

Meanwhile, Chad Bettis (2-1, 3.05 ERA) hasn't been as successful towards such bets, going 4-2 for overs, but that hasn't been his fault, considering the superb pitching he's contributed since being inserted into the rotation on May 14. Of his six starts, the 26-year-old right-hander has registered a quality outing in four of them, including a near no-hitter a few weeks ago in Philadelphia. Bettis also has a solid 33/11 K/BB ratio in his 38 innings of work, and is getting relatively good value as a +175 road 'dog. It also helps that the Rockies are second in baseball in team batting average against southpaws, which should aid their cause versus Keuchel.

Minnesota Twins at St. Louis Cardinals | 8:15 p.m. ET

At 41-21, the Cardinals are the best team in the big leagues and have a fine opportunity to add to that sparkling record during their upcoming Interleague hookup with the Twins, who are suddenly reeling. After their own stretch being baseball's hottest team, Minnesota has cooled off considerably and enters this series having lost seven of their past nine to fall out of first place in the AL Central.

St. Louis will go with ol' reliable John Lackey (4-4, 3.74 ERA) in the opener. The veteran right-hander has been mostly consistent this year, as he seemingly always is, surrendering three runs or less in nine of his 12 starts. He's coming off his worst outing of the year, though, after getting pounded by the Rockies at Coors Field, but usually is a fine bet to bounce back. He takes on Twins youngster Trevor May (4-4, 4.16 ERA) in this series-opening clash, and the 25-year-old right-hander has been performing his best work of his still-young Major League career, bringing his ERA down more than a full run over the past month. In fact, he’s gone at least six innings or more in five straight starts, a career-high, while allowing three runs or less in four of them. May is 7-4 towards over bets this year but has helped cash the under in three of his past four assignments. The line for tonight’s affair is currently 7.

Oakland Athletics at San Diego Padres | 10:10 p.m. ET

It won't get much hype, considering neither of these teams is currently over .500, but this is the return of Jesse Hahn (3-5, 3.84 ERA) to San Diego, after spending his rookie campaign with the Padres a season ago. Hahn was very solid as a freshman, going 7-4 with a 3.07 ERA, including owning a 2.95 ERA in seven games (six starts) at Petco Park. The 25-year-old endured his shortest outing of the season his last time out but had logged five consecutive quality starts prior to his most recent assignment.

Opposing the former Friar will be former teammate Tyson Ross (3-6, 3.81 ERA), who is arguably the most underrated pitcher in the entire National League. Ross has once again exhibited his usual trademark extreme consistency in 2015, having yielded exactly two or three runs in all but one of his 13 starts, while going five innings or more in every single one. Ross has also continued to be one of the better strikeout artists this season, racking up 83 punch-outs in his 75.2 innings of work. Predictably, the linesmakers have given this pitching matchup an over/under line of 7 in San Diego, but it may not stay that high leading up to first pitch.

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Interleague Results

The 2015 MLB regular season will usually feature at least one Interleague game every day. All teams will play exactly 20 Interleague games broken down into eight series, four at home and four on the road.

AMERICAN LEAGUE RESULTS (2013-2015)

Team 2013 2014 2015 (Home-Away)

Baltimore Orioles 11-9 12-8 (0-0, 1-4)

Boston Red Sox 14-6 9-11 (2-1, 2-1)

Chicago White Sox 8-12 11-9 (2-1, 2-1)

Cleveland Indians 11-9 10-10 (4-2, 0-0)

Detroit Tigers 12-8 12-8 (2-3, 4-2)

Houston Astros 8-12 5-15 (1-1, 3-0)

Kansas City Royals 9-11 15-5 (4-1, 1-3)

Los Angeles Angels 10-10 12-8 (3-2, 0-3)

Minnesota Twins 8-12 9-11 (1-2, 2-0)

New York Yankees 9-11 13-7 (3-2, 0-2)

Oakland Athletics 13-7 13-7 (0-0, 0-0)

Seattle Mariners 8-12 9-11 (1-1, 0-3)

Tampa Bay Rays 12-8 10-10 (0-0, 3-2)

Texas Rangers 10-10 10-10 (0-0, 1-1)

Toronto Blue Jays 11-9 13-7 (4-2, 2-1)

AL Totals 164-146 163-137 (27-18, 21-23)


NATIONAL LEAGUE RESULTS (2013-2015)

Team 2013 2014 2015 (Home-Away)

Arizona Diamondbacks 11-9 7-13 (1-1, 0-0)

Atlanta Braves 11-9 7-13 (1-1, 2-1)

Chicago Cubs 13-7 9-11 (1-1, 1-1)

Cincinnati Reds 11-9 6-14 (0-0, 1-7)

Colorado Rockies 5-15 7-13 (0-0, 0-2)

Los Angeles Dodgers 12-8 11-9 (3-0, 0-0)

Miami Marlins 9-11 13-7 (3-3, 0-3)

Milwaukee Brewers 6-14 11-9 (1-2, 4-2)

New York Mets 11-9 11-9 (2-0, 1-2)

Philadelphia Phillies 7-13 7-13 (1-2, 0-0)

Pittsburgh Pirates 15-5 11-9 (1-4, 0-0)

St. Louis Cardinals 10-10 8-12 (3-2, 3-3)

San Diego Padres 8-12 9-11 (0-3, 3-2)

San Francisco Giants 6-14 10-10 (3-0, 1-1)

Washington Nationals 11-9 10-10 (3-2, 2-3)

NL Totals 146-164 137-163 (23-21, 18-27)

Updated - Sun June 14, 2015, 8:00 PM ET

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'Hawks nip Lightning, take 3-2 series lead

June 13, 2015

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Antoine Vermette converted a rebound two minutes into the third period to secure the Chicago Blackhawks' 2-1 win and a 3-2 series lead against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday night.

Patrick Sharp also scored for the Blackhawks, who are one win from their sixth championship in franchise history, and third in six years. Corey Crawford stopped 31 shots, including all 15 he faced in the third period.

Game 6 is at Chicago on Monday.

Valtteri Filppula scored for the Lightning, who have lost consecutive games following a 2-1 loss at Chicago on Wednesday.

Lightning goalie Ben Bishop stopped 27 shots, and showed few signs of an undisclosed injury that forced him to miss Game 4.

Kris Versteeg set up the decisive goal by driving up the right wing. Though he couldn't get a shot off, Versteeg slipped a pass into the crease, where Bishop kicked the puck into the slot. It went directly to Vermette, who snapped it in.

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Timonen, Coburn vying for Cup

June 15, 2015

CHICAGO (AP) - Kimmo Timonen and Braydon Coburn played together for years in Philadelphia. Now the defensemen are competing against each other for the Stanley Cup title they were unable to win with the Flyers.

Timonen's Chicago Blackhawks lead Coburn's Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 heading into Game 6 on Monday night. A victory would put Timonen's name on the Stanley Cup for the first time in the final season of a solid 16-year NHL career.

''I can't lie to you that I'm not dreaming about it,'' Timonen said Thursday, before the Blackhawks beat the Lightning 2-1 on Saturday night for the series lead. ''But you still have to focus on a daily basis and make sure you practice hard, just focus on task in hand.''

Timonen was traded by Nashville to Philadelphia in 2007 and played for the Flyers for seven seasons before he was shipped to Chicago in February. Coburn also was acquired by Philadelphia in a 2007 trade with the Atlanta Thrashers, and played for the Flyers for parts of nine years before he was traded to Tampa Bay on March 2.

Timonen, 40, and Coburn, 30, became friends while they were in Philly.

''I talked to him just a little bit before the final started,'' Timonen said, ''and you know obviously it's kind of weird to see him in the other side of the rink, but it's hockey. It happens.''

Timonen and Coburn each have dealt with health problems this year.

Timonen missed most of the season while recovering from blood clots in his leg and lungs. Coburn played just four games with the Lightning before he was sidelined with a broken foot that kept him out until the start of the playoffs.

''All he's done is he's just gotten progressively better with us,'' Lightning coach Jon Cooper said Friday. ''The kid can skate. So that really fits the way we play. He defends. He does everything we were hoping he would.''

Here are a few more things to watch in Game 6 on Monday night:

AILING TRIPLETS: Nikita Kucherov was injured in Game 5 when he crashed into the Chicago net in the first period, breaking up Tampa Bay's successful ''Triplets'' line. Center Tyler Johnson hasn't taken a faceoff since Game 2, raising questions about his health as well.

Kucherov, who turns 22 on Wednesday, flew with the team to Chicago, and Cooper said he was ''in considerably better shape today than he was last night.''

''We'll have an optional skate tomorrow, so don't read anything into it if he's not on the ice,'' Cooper said.

''To be honest, I thought there was a chance he was coming back last night,'' Cooper added. ''But it didn't work out. These two days will give him the rest he needs.''

HOME SWEET HOME: The Blackhawks are going for their third Stanley Cup in the last six seasons, but they haven't clinched the championship at home since 1938. Chicago has won 27 of its last 33 playoff games at the United Center.

''Obviously there's a lot of buzz, a lot of excitement, a lot of things going on around the entire event,'' captain Jonathan Toews said. ''I think we're just going to do our best as individuals to focus on our job as players and focus on the game and nothing more.''

OH SO CLOSE: It is only the second Stanley Cup Final to open with five consecutive one-goal games, joining Toronto's 4-1 win over Montreal in the 1951 series. It is the first final in which neither team has enjoyed a two-goal lead through the first five games.

The Blackhawks have scored 11 of the 21 goals, and each team has 136 shots. The team with the most shots on goal has lost each game.

''That's why this has been such a fun series to watch, because you never know what's going to happen,'' Cooper said.

MISSING STAMKOS: Tampa Bay star Steven Stamkos, who had a team-high 43 goals during the regular season, has just one assist in the series. He hasn't scored since Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals against the New York Rangers.

The Lightning are 5-2 when Stamkos scores in the playoffs.

''We've struggled to score, obviously myself personally, as a team the last couple games,'' he said. ''We'll find a way. There's really no choice that we have. For me, definitely want to go out there and have my best game. I feel like the chances are there. You just got to keep working hard.''

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Vermette is Blackhawks' unlikely hero

June 14, 2015

CHICAGO (AP) - Antoine Vermette paid little attention when he was labeled a bust of a late-season acquisition for the Chicago Blackhawks. He didn't get discouraged when he was scratched three times earlier in the NHL postseason.

With two game-winning goals in the Stanley Cup Final, Vermette has answered every question about what the Blackhawks were getting when they paid a steep price to pick up the veteran forward from Arizona at the trade deadline.

And with a Stanley Cup title just one victory away for the Blackhawks in Game 6 on Monday night, Vermette insists he isn't changing that narrow focus - not thinking beyond his next shift to the moment when he could raise the silver trophy for the first time.

''I'm not focused as much on (big goals) as just trying to focus on the process and to have fun while I'm at it,'' Vermette said. ''Just trying to help the team in different facets in which I can. Just keeping it simple - but obviously it's nice to contribute that way.''

Vermette has contributed to heartbreak for the Tampa Bay Lightning in two of this series' three games in Florida, scoring the eventual winning goals in the third period. He banged home a rebound two minutes into the final frame of Chicago's 2-1 victory in Game 5 on Saturday night, putting the Blackhawks in position to clinch their third Cup in six seasons - and the first title of his 11-year NHL career.

''I read it somewhere that their coach in Phoenix said in big games, he comes up big,'' Chicago defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson said. ''And it's definitely what he's been doing for us here.''

Indeed, Vermette has been the closest thing to a hero while giving the closest thing to a breakthrough performance in this tight, tense Final otherwise devoid of individual superlatives - no surprise, since the cumulative score through five straight one-goal games is 11-10 to the Blackhawks.

He also scored the game-winner in the series opener at Amalie Arena, but goal-scoring is a secondary pursuit for Vermette, He went from being the Coyotes' top-line center to a two-way role player in Chicago - but only after scaling a steep learning curve.

''I think in the beginning, he tried to understand the system,'' forward Marian Hossa said. ''I think after some time, he got the role, and he grew in that role unbelievably. He's a great centerman, and he's scoring right now big goals.''

Vermette claims he never felt extra pressure to produce for the Blackhawks after they gave up their first-round pick in this month's draft and defenseman prospect Klas Dahlbeck to Arizona in the deadline trade for a player who will be an unrestricted free agent next month.

But then Vermette promptly didn't score a goal in 19 regular-season games for the Blackhawks, managing just three assists. His new role as a depth forward was more of an adjustment than he realized at first.

''The rhythm of the game is not the same compared to when you're used to playing 19 minutes a game,'' Vermette said. ''But when I got here I also recognized what a great opportunity it was to play for this team. I just wanted to have fun and contribute in whatever way I could.''

The 32-year-old Vermette has reached the point in a hockey career where wins matter more than accolades. He appeared in the 2007 Stanley Cup Final with the Ottawa Senators, but his career then wound through Columbus to Phoenix, where the Coyotes' surprising run to the 2012 Western Conference finals was his only deep postseason experience in the past seven years.

Vermette had just one game-winning goal in his first 68 career playoff games. He has three more game-winners in the Blackhawks' last nine games, including a double-overtime score in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals to keep Chicago in its series against the Ducks.

The game-winning goals against Tampa Bay aren't anything special to Vermette, who sees them as a byproduct of playing the Blackhawks' disciplined two-way game. He's one game away from the ultimate reward for that sacrifice.

''Right off the get-go, this was a great opportunity for me,'' Vermette said. ''I want to make the best out of it. This is a good group, obviously a special team. I'm glad I'm here.'

[StarDust Bum]

'Hawks home, just one win from title

June 14, 2015

CHICAGO (AP) - Kris Versteeg could have sulked or pouted when he was pulled out of the lineup for the Chicago Blackhawks. Instead, the veteran forward proved he belonged on the ice.

While Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane have struggled to find any room in the Stanley Cup Final against Tampa Bay, the Blackhawks have used their depth to move within one victory of their third NHL title in six seasons. Playing alongside two other players who have been a healthy scratch this postseason, Versteeg assisted on Antoine Vermette's winning goal in Chicago's 2-1 victory on Saturday night.

''I think it's always about staying ready,'' Versteeg said Sunday. ''I guess that starts in practice. Whether it be myself or (Bryan Bickell) or Vermy or whoever is not in the lineup on any given night, we all feel we're good players, we all feel we're players that can contribute. I don't think that confidence is lost in us.''

The Blackhawks' third and fourth lines are a big reason why they can clinch the Stanley Cup at home for the first time since 1938 with a victory in Game 6 on Monday night. But the Lightning won Game 3 in Chicago and are confident they can do it again.

''We'll find a way,'' captain Steven Stamkos said. ''There's really no choice that we have.''

Stamkos and Kane are still looking for their first goal of the series, and Toews has contributed one goal and two assists. But Vermette has two game-winning goals in the final, Teuvo Teravainen scored in each of the first two games, and Andrew Shaw has a goal and two assists.

In an incredibly tight battle for the Stanley Cup - only the second final to begin with five one-goal games - the contributions from Chicago's role players are making a difference.

''We know that one of our strengths as a team and organization is our depth,'' coach Joel Quenneville said. ''Sometimes you use it.''

Tampa Bay's depth was tested Saturday night when second-leading scorer Nikita Kucherov crashed into the Chicago net in the first period, leading to a bigger role for speedy rookie Jonathan Drouin and breaking up the Lightning's successful ''Triplets'' line.

Kucherov, who turns 22 on Wednesday, flew with the team to Chicago, and coach Jon Cooper said he was ''in considerably better shape today than he was last night.''

''We'll have an optional skate tomorrow, so don't read anything into it if he's not on the ice,'' Cooper said.

''To be honest, I thought there was a chance he was coming back last night,'' Cooper added. ''But it didn't work out. These two days will give him the rest he needs.''

Cooper also said goaltender Ben Bishop was feeling much better. Bishop missed Game 4 with an undisclosed injury and then had a big collision with defenseman Victor Hedman in the first period Saturday night that handed a goal to Patrick Sharp.

''I thought he played an exceptional game,'' Cooper said of Bishop, who had 27 saves. ''We're sitting here giving up two goals or less a game. You can't ask for much more than that from your goaltenders.''

Versteeg, who has appeared in just 11 of Chicago's 22 playoff games, played in each of the first two games against the Lightning, and then was replaced by Bickell for Game 3. After Bickell struggled, Quenneville turned to Versteeg again, and it looks as if he is growing stronger as the final goes along.

''I loved his response, in this series particularly,'' Quenneville said.

Quenneville's smart use of his roster is one reason Chicago is 42-14 in Games 4-7 of playoff series since the former NHL defenseman took over in October 2008. The Blackhawks also have won 15 of their last 19 potential series clinching games, according to STATS, setting the stage for what will be a raucous atmosphere at the United Center on Monday night.

''Obviously there's a lot of buzz, a lot of excitement, a lot of things going on around the entire event,'' Toews said. ''I think we're just going to do our best as individuals to focus on our job as players and focus on the game and nothing more.

''None of that stuff is really going to help us achieve what we want to achieve. That's where our heads are at right now.''

[StarDust Bum]

Bishop plays well, but big blunder costs TB

June 13, 2015

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Ben Bishop felt healthy enough to play, and the Tampa Bay Lightning will live with the result.

The goaltender played through pain in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday night, stopping 27 shots in a 2-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks that put the Eastern Conference champions in a 3-2 deficit in the best-of-seven series.

Game 6 is Monday night in Chicago. It is unclear if Bishop or rookie Andrei Vasilevskiy will have the task of trying to stop the Blackhawks from clinching their third NHL title in six seasons.

Bishop said he was feeling better and improving daily, and coach Jon Cooper insisted he had no regrets about starting the goaltender in Game 5.

''Absolutely not. We're not here without Bish,'' Cooper said.

''He gave us every chance to win that game,'' the coach added, ''We've got to score more than one.''

Bishop was solid for the most part after sitting out Wednesday night's 2-1 road loss. He made several tough saves after Antoine Vermette's second goal of the series gave Chicago the lead for good two minutes into the third period, but a huge mistake by the 6-foot-7 goalie in the first loomed large at the very end.

Patrick Sharp scored Chicago's first goal 6:11 into the game when Bishop left the net to try to make a play on a loose puck and collided with defenseman Victor Hedman before falling to the ice.

The puck scooted through the goalie's legs, leaving Sharp with a clear path to the net for a 1-0 lead.

Bishop called the blunder ''unfortunate,'' adding he saw the puck come off the boards and was hoping to get it to Steven Stamkos and take advantage of Chicago making a shift change.

''Heddy was coming for it, I was coming for it,'' Bishop said. ''You can't really hear anything in the building when it's that loud. Obviously, you saw the result.''

''It's the first time that's happened,'' the goaltender added. ''Bad time to have happen. ... Hindsight? Yeah, i should have stayed in.''

Bishop's return energized a sellout crowd of 19,204 through pregame warmups and the introduction of the starting lineups.

The Lightning were outshot 14-5 in the opening period, but tied the game in the second on Valtteri Filppula's fourth goal of the playoffs, a shot from the right circle off a cross-zone pass from Jason Garrison.

The Blackhawks, meanwhile, continued to do a good job of containing Lightning captain Steven Stamkos, who was limited to one shot and still hasn't scored in the series. The three-time All-Star was at a loss to explain his offensive struggles.

''If I knew the answer, I'd have a couple,'' Stamkos said. ''All this stuff means nothing now. We've got one game. It's going to come down to how much we want to extend our season and what we're willing to do. This group has come too far to not leave it all out on the ice next game.''

There's reason to be hopeful, although Nikita Kucherov - part of the high-scoring ''Triplets'' line that also includes Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat - sat out most of the game after getting tripped up and sliding into the post in the first period.

The Lightning are 8-4 on the road in the playoffs, compared to 6-7 at home. They've already won once in Chicago, and they'll try to draw on the experience of overcoming a 3-2 deficit to defeat Detroit in seven games in the first round.

''The series is not over,'' said defenseman Anton Stralman, who had an assist on Tampa Bay's only goal.

''I've probably overused this line during the playoffs, but I guess we've gone from an inexperienced playoff team to an experienced playoff team, and we've been in this position before just a month and a half ago in the Detroit series,'' Cooper said, adding he didn't have an update on Kucherov, who has 10 playoff goals.

''This team has found a way, and that's why we are where we're at right now ... and people can't sit here and say, well, the inexperienced Lightning. I think we're the gamer Lightning. These guys have gamed out these playoffs, and I expect nothing less in Game 6 in Chicago.''

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Smallest margins put Blackhawks on brink of Cup in Game 6

June 14, 2015

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Tampa Bay goalie Ben Bishop and his Chicago counterpart, Corey Crawford, both made atrocious mistakes less than a minute apart in Game 5 of this impossibly close Stanley Cup Final on Saturday night.

Bishop's blunder ended up in his net when he collided with defenseman Victor Hedman and sent the puck to Patrick Sharp, who scored the Blackhawks' first goal in a 2-1 victory.

Crawford gave the puck away to Nikita Kucherov moments earlier, but his blunder didn't cost him - and Kucherov even got injured on the play.

The differences between the Blackhawks and the Lightning are so minuscule in this historically close Final that one mistake, one false stride, one flicker of fate has decided things. Chicago took advantage of one fewer mistake and took a 3-2 series lead on a 90-degree night in Tampa.

The Blackhawks won more than a game: If they get one more stroke of fate on their side, they'll get to raise the Stanley Cup on their home ice Monday night.

''I think everyone is pretty excited about it,'' Crawford said. ''But we can't get ahead of ourselves. There's a lot of work to do here, and it's going to be an even harder battle.''

Here are some things to contemplate while the series shifts to the United Center:

HAWKS AT HOME:

Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and the incumbent core of the Blackhawks' last two championship teams raised the Stanley Cup on road ice in 2010 and again in 2013. They've got the chance to do it at home this time in front of the famously boisterous Chicago fans. A home clincher is particularly wonderful when that silvery trophy is involved, but only the Los Angeles Kings have experienced it since 2007.

ONE-GOAL GAMES:

The first five games in the Final have been decided by one goal, the first time that's happened in the NHL's final series since 1951, when Montreal and Toronto did it. Neither team has led by more than one goal at any point in the series' 300 minutes. The tension of those stakes has translated into heavy playing time for the Blackhawks' top defensemen. Tampa Bay has spread out its minutes more equitably, but Victor Hedman still played 23:38 in Game 5. Keith has been tireless for most of the past two rounds, but he appears to be slowing ever so slightly.

CONFIDENT LIGHTNING:

Much has been made of Tampa Bay's inexperience on hockey's biggest platform, but coach Jon Cooper and his players are confident they can force a seventh game, which would be their third of these playoffs. In addition to being 8-4 on the road, compared to 6-7 at home, the Lightning wiped out a 3-2 deficit to eliminate Detroit in the first round and also won Game 7 at Madison Square Garden against the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference finals.

''I've probably overused this line during the playoffs, but I guess we've gone from an inexperienced playoff team to an experienced playoff team, and we've been in this position before just a month and a half ago,'' Cooper said.

Four of the past seven times the Stanley Cup has been tied 2-2, the team losing Game 5 has rebounded to win the championship, including the 2004 Lightning.

STARS STILL STRUGGLING:

Kane still doesn't have a goal in the Stanley Cup Final. Toews still has just one goal. Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos has no goals in seven games. Playoff scoring leader Tyler Johnson has one goal in nine games. There's still time for the best offensive players on either team to seize a game for themselves, but that time is running short.

KUCHEROV'S STATUS:

If Kucherov, part of the high-scoring ''Triplets'' line that also features Johnson and Ondrej Palat, can't play in Game 6, someone will need to step up to fill the void. Rookie Jonathan Drouin filled in for long stretches Saturday night, and Cooper even tried pairing Stamkos with Johnson and Palat for a while.

Kucherov has 10 goals and 22 points in 25 playoff games.

''It's always tough. He's a big part of our team and a big part of that one line we have there,'' defensman Anton Stralman said. ''But, it shouldn't hurt us too much. ... We have a deep team. We have guys that can step in and make plays.''

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Star players hope to provide edge in Stanley Cup Final

June 13, 2015

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - The tightest Stanley Cup Final in 47 years is coming down to the wire.
The Chicago Blackhawks and Tampa Bay Lightning both feel confident about their ability to win two of a possible three games remaining in the best-of-7 matchup that resumes Saturday night.

The series is tied 2-2 following four consecutive one-goal games, and there's no reason to believe one team or the other is poised to run away from the other.

''It's one of the hardest things to do in pro sports, finish off a series and beat another team to win a Stanley Cup, especially a team that's been there a couple times and knows what it takes,'' Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos said. ''We have our work cut out for us, but this group has belief in each other.''

The Blackhawks have won two of the past five NHL championships, and they have stars Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane to lean on in situations like this.

Tampa Bay is on the league's biggest stage for the first since 2004, when the Lightning won its only Stanley Cup title.

Experience would seem to favor the Blackhawks, however Tampa Bay's youthful roster has been extremely resilient, too, in getting to this point.

Looking for a difference-maker?

The Blackhawks usually can count on Toews or Kane, who's both struggled to score in this series, to lead the way.

The Lightning expect direction from Stamkos, who also had difficulty hitting the back of the net, although Tyler Johnson, Nikita Kucherov and Alex Killorn also have been crucial to the team's strong playoff run.

''I think for either team to win, it comes down to your best players being at their best and making the difference.

So myself as an individual, I expect that out of myself,'' Toews said.

''I'm not the only one in that room that thinks that way, or thinks as an individual or a player, you need to raise your game to make a difference,'' the Chicago captain added. ''We all think that way. I think that's a huge reason why we've made it this far.''

The Lightning appeared loose in practice Friday, which coach Jon Cooper said reflects the personality on his team.

''You have to embrace where we are. It's the middle of June and we're still playing hockey. The Stanley Cup is up for grabs in the best two-out-of-three. I don't think we should be afraid of that. I don't think we should walk around being tense and looking at the magnitude of where we are, being afraid of the moment,'' Cooper said.

''It's two teams left playing in June. If we're not having fun doing this, then why are we doing this? It's been such a phenomenal experience to go through this,'' Cooper added. ''I remember on the plane ride home (Thursday) thinking, in six days, it's going to be over. How much fun, how we've grown together, you just don't want the experience to end.''

Some things watch for in Game 5:

TRUTH IS:

Cooper said Friday he didn't know if goalie Ben Bishop will return Saturday night after missing Game 4 with an undisclosed injury. He said Bishop is improving each day, and that the decision to not play him Wednesday night in Chicago was made, in part, to give the injured goaltender three days off before determining his availability for Game 5.

When Cooper was told that Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr admitted that he didn't tell truth about a lineup change he intended to make against the Cleveland Cavaliers before his team evened the NBA Finals 2-2, Cooper replied: ''Are you asking if I've lied? Is my nose growing?'' before cracking a smile.

''Okay, I'll be truthful in this scenario. This is regarding Ben Bishop or all injuries. I don't know sitting here today if Ben Bishop is playing on Saturday. I hope he plays. I don't know if he's going to,'' the coach said.

''I'm a pretty truthful guy. I kind of call it how it is,'' Cooper added. ''I don't feel like I've lied to anybody. I've maybe not, I don't know, said a lot of things, or I've kept them inside. ... But what's the point of lying? Truth is going to come out anyway, so you might as well tell it when you can.''

If Bishop doesn't play, rookie Andrei Vasilevskiy will make his second career playoff start.

KEEPIN' IT CLOSE:

The Cup Final is tied 2-2 for the fifth time in seven years. The first four games have been decided by one goal for the first time since 1968, when the Montreal Canadiens swept the St. Louis Blues.

POWER SHORTAGE:

Neither team's power-play has been productive in the series, with the Blackhawks 2 for 11 in man-advantage situations and the Lightning just 1 for 11. Of course, the flip side of that is both penalty-killing units are getting the job done.

TOEWS FACTOR:

The Chicago captain, who scored his first goal of the series in Game 4, has a reputation for putting the Blackhawks on his back and willing the team to victory in close series.

Coach Joel Quenneville knows Toews' history, but isn't predicting anything.

''Well, I don't forecast advantages. I know we're fortunate to have him. He's a special player. He's a great leader. He's got tremendous character,'' Quenneville said. ''We always talk about the bigger the setting, the bigger the stage, he rises to that challenge. Our team rises to big games and big settings as well.''

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Holy $hit betting stat of the day: Six is the magic number for Quenneville's Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks own a 9-0 record in Game 6 with a chance to clinch a postseason series under head coach Joel Quenneville.

Quenneville has been at the helm in Chicago since the 2008-09 season and will look for the club's third Stanley Cup in the previous six seasons. Each time the Hawks have won the Cup under Quenneville, the Cup-clinching victory came with a 3-2 series lead in Game 6 (2010 at Flyers, 2013 at Bruins).

In their current quest for the Cup, the Blackhawks have already dispatched of the Nashville Predators in a Game 6 situation with a 3-2 series lead. They swept the Minnesota Wild in the following round and were down 3-2 to the Anaheim Ducks before battling back to win the Western Conference Finals in seven.

The Blackhawks will attempt to improve that record to 10-0 in Game 6 at the United Center Monday evening.

Here is a look at the teams the Blackhawks have eliminated in each postseason under Quenneville:

2014-15: Nashville Predators

2013-14: St. Louis Blues, Minnesota Wild

2012-13: Boston Bruins

2011-12: N/A

2010-11: N/A

2009-10: Predators, Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers

2008-09: Calgary Flames, Canucks

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Hawks haven't been able to win Cup at home

On Monday, Chicago Blackhawks fans will be hoping to witness something they haven't seen in 77 years: watching their team win a Stanley Cup on home ice.

The Hawks, up 3-2 in the Stanley Cup Final after dispatching Tampa Bay 2-1 Saturday, are in the -166 ballpark at sportsbooks.

Jonathan Toews and company are no strangers to Lord Stanley's holy grail, however, after raising it in Philadelphia in 2010 and Boston in 2013.

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Blackhawks are extremely clutch once again

The Chicago Blackhawks came through once again for their bettors in a big game situation during Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final Saturday night.

Chicago topped the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Florida to take a 3-2 series lead, which is something we've become accustomed to seeing. With Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane in the fold, the Hawks are now 17-1 in games when the series is tied 2-2.

The Blackhawks are 8-0 in those series, and they'll have an opportunity to make it nine straight and hoist the Stanley Cup in front of their hometown fans Monday evening. Oddsmakers have set the Hawks as -166 moneyline faves for Game 6.

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Game 6 ticket prices soar as Blackhawks go for Cup

Jun 14, 2015

The Chicago Blackhawks are now one home win away from their third Stanley Cup championship in six years.

Fans without tickets and wanting to watch history at the United Center in Chicago better be prepared for sticker shock.

Prices for Monday night's Game 6 between the Blackhawks and Tampa Bay Lightning are ranging from $1,000 for a standing room-only ticket on StubHub, with the cheapest real seat going for nearly $2,000 each.

The demand is because fans potentially could be watching the Blackhawks win their first Stanley Cup on home ice since 1938.

The Blackhawks are trying win three Stanley Cups within a six-year period since the Detroit Red Wings accomplished that feat from 1997-2002.

Chicago scored early in the third period and held on for a 2-1 win over Tampa Bay in Game 5 on Saturday night, taking a 3-2 series lead back to their home ice for Monday night.

Less than an hour after the game, the resale prices on StubHub soared.

Standing room-only seats have a face value of $140. Upper goal section seats, that have a single-game face value of $285, are listed on StubHub for $2,445 each. Club level center tickets that have a face value of $650 are listed for $4,816 each, and the cheapest tickets right up against the glass, with a face value of $1,200, are listed at more than $10,000 apiece, according to ESPN.com.

"Aside from when the Bears were in the Super Bowl against the Colts, these are numbers that are reminiscent of the Michael Jordan days," Max Waisvisz, partner in Chicago-based brokerage Gold Coast Tickets, told ESPN.

Waisvisz recalled selling lower-level seats in between the baskets for the 1997 NBA Finals, the last title the Bulls clinched in Chicago.

"There are people calling who have never spent a dollar on hockey in Chicago and they just want to be there," Waisvisz said. "That's what really drives the price up."

The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in Detroit in 1961, in Philadelphia in 2010 and in Boston in 2013.