Friday Trends and Indexes 01/26

[Udog]

NHL
Additional


Calgary Flames at Minnesota Wild (8 PM ET)
Since posting a club-record eighth straight win on January 2nd by beating Atlanta 5-1, Minnesota has lost four consecutive games at the Xcel Energy Center. That skid has matched the team record, set during its inaugural 2000-01 season. EDGE: FLAMES
Calgary has won two straight and seven of nine to move atop the Pacific division. The Flames are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games against Minnesota. BIG EDGE: FLAMES

The favorite is 9-1 in the last 10 meetings.
The home team is 5-0 in the last five meetings.





New Jersey Devils at Tampa Bay Lightning (8 PM ET)
The Devils led the Atlantic Division by a single point over the Rangers on December 25th but have gone 10-1-2 since. EDGE: DEVILS
Tampa Bay has won seven of its last eight winning each of those contests by one goal. EDGE: LIGHTNING
The Devils are opening a four-game road trip and goaltender Martin Brodeur has been outstanding away from home. The nine-time All-Star has won his last four road starts, posting a 0.74 GAA and two shutouts as New Jersey outscored its opponents 10-3 in that stretch. BIG EDGE: DEVILS & UNDER

Tampa Bay is 5-0 in its last five games as an underdog.





San Jose Sharks at Edmonton Oilers (9 PM ET)
The Sharks have scored 37 goals in their last nine games, winning three straight and seven of their last nine away from home. San Jose has 15 road wins this season, which is the second-best total in the West. EDGE: SHARKS
Edmonton is 2-0 against San Jose this season and beat the Sharks in six games in the second round of the playoffs last season. The Oilers have won six straight and 10 of the last 13 meetings. BIG EDGE: OILERS

The Oilers are 0-5 in their last five games playing on three or more days of rest.






Los Angeles Kings at Vancouver Canucks (10 PM ET)
Vancouver won 10 of their last 12 games entering the All-Star break and have won 12 of their past 14 at GM Place. BIG EDGE: CANUCKS
Los Angeles has a dismal 5-16 record on the road this season. After playing an NHL-high 29 home games before the All-Star break, the Kings will play eight of their next nine away from home. EDGE: CANUCKS

The OVER is 7-1-1 in the Canucks' last nine home games following a road trip of seven or more days.

[Udog]

Six-Pack for Friday


Nets lost by a point for third time this week, losing on last second shot for second night in row. Bad week.

Saint Louis Billikens start four left-handed players.

Of all the All-Star games, isn't hockey's the least like their sport's regular season games? I mean, a 12-9 hockey game?

Why would anyone send a get-well card to a horse?

Don Nelson is ninth different guy to coach the Warriors since last time Golden State made playoffs-- Nelson was in his first stint as Warriors' coach back then.

Did you see the dudes doing backflips on snowmobiles at Winter X Games? Who decided this was a good thing?

[Udog]

Friday's List of 13:

Nobody asked me, but............


13. Clemson scored five points in final 0:06 to miraculously tie Duke 66-all, but when refs re-set clock to 0:04.4 left, you had a sick feeling Duke would score, and they did, getting layup to win. I'm thinking 4.4 seconds was little bit generous, but......

12. ......you can't give up layup in that scenario. That said, if you give me $100 to bet on a neutral site Clemson-Duke game I'd take the Tigers. Clemson has great set of athletes.

11. Thought Duke's big men fought harder than Clemson's at various parts of game, until things got dire for Tigers in last 10:00 of game. Clemson has lost 20 in a row vs Duke, so part of it has to be mental, too.

10. Oregon has better team than Washington, but playing a road game without Aaron Brooks isn't good; Ducks lost at Washington, but get Brooks back for trip to Pullman for their next game Saturday, against Cinderella Washington State.

9. Middle Tennessee finally lost Sun Belt road game, falling at North Texas, after Blue Raiders won five in row on road.

8. Cal-Irvine avenged last year's loss to Long Beach State in Big West semifinals, but not before 49ers rallied from its huge deficit to cut lead to 86-84 in final five seconds, deja vu all over again for Anteaters, who struggle vs Long Beach press.

7. Some guy named Snedeker shot 61 at Torrey Pines in first round of Buick Open; some guy named Woods shot 66, in his first round of season.

6. Briefly glimpsed at NFL Network's rerun of Giant-Buffalo Super Bowl, with Michaels-Dierdorf-Gifford on the call. I had forgotten that Buffalo led 12-3 right before the half, before Stephen Baker scored on TD pass in final 0:30 of half. .

5. Had Bills won that game, their first shot at a Super Bowl, they might have won two or three more.

4. One of the goalies was miked at the NHL All-Star Game; he was talking to announcers as play went on, as he played. No wonder the freakin' game ended 12-9.

3. Watching an NHL game, you forget they're on ice skates, the players are so skilled and such agile skaters. By the way, no defenseman has ever scored a hat trick in All-Star Game.

2. Charles Barkley made good point after Clippers beat Nets on last-second 3-pointer; why leave your man to shoot open 3-pointer, when that shot beats you, but the 2-pointer you're helping to prevent simply ties the game? Valid point.

1. Watched George Karl's son play for Boise State little while Thursday night; the kid has big-time shooting range; Boise is a pretty good team, probably an NIT team.

[Udog]

NHL
Dunkel


Detroit at St. Louis
The Blues entered the All-Star break on a 6-0-1 streak to run their record to 12-4-4 since Andy Murray replaced Mike Kitchen as coach on December 11. St. Louis capped a solid week with a 1-0 win over San Jose on Saturday. Detroit lost its final two games before the break, including a 3-1 setback against Colorado on Saturday. It was also the second straight game the Red Wings' offense was limited to just a goal. The Blues look like a good underdog pick in this one according to Dunkel, which has St. Louis favored straight up by 1. Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (+1 1/2). Here are all of today's games.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 26
Time Posted: 11:30 a.m. EST

Game 1-2: Washington at Carolina
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 11.850; Carolina 12.273
Dunkel Line & Total: Carolina by 1/2; 7
Vegas Line & Total: Carolina by 1 1/2; 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+1 1/2); Over

Game 3-4: Buffalo at Columbus
Dunkel Ratings: Buffalo 12.473; Columbus 11.675
Dunkel Line & Total: Buffalo by 1; 5 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Buffalo by 1 1/2; 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Columbus (+1 1/2); Under

Game 5-6: NY Islanders at Atlanta
Dunkel Ratings: NY Islanders 11.554; Atlanta 12.214
Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 1 1/2; 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Islanders (+1 1/2); Over

Game 7-8: Detroit at St. Louis
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 12.891; St. Louis 13.702
Dunkel Line & Total: St. Louis by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Detroit by 1 1/2; 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (+1 1/2); Under

Game 9-10: New Jersey at Tampa Bay
Dunkel Ratings: New Jersey 12.978; Tampa Bay 12.672
Dunkel Line & Total: New Jersey by 1/2; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Tampa Bay by 1 1/2; 5
Dunkel Pick: New Jersey (+1 1/2); Under

Game 11-12: Calgary at Minnesota
Dunkel Ratings: Calgary 13.221; Minnesota 12.930
Dunkel Line & Total: Calgary by 1/2; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota by 1 1/2; 5
Dunkel Pick: Calgary (+1 1/2); Under

Game 13-14: Nashville at Chicago
Dunkel Ratings: Nashville 14.161; Chicago 10.743
Dunkel Line & Total: Nashville by 3 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Nashville by 1 1/2; 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Nashville (-1 1/2); Under

Game 15-16: Pittsburgh at Dallas
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 12.984; Dallas 12.480
Dunkel Line & Total: Pittsburgh by 1/2; 7
Vegas Line & Total: Dallas by 1 1/2; 6
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (+1 1/2); Over

Game 17-18: San Jose at Edmonton
Dunkel Ratings: San Jose 13.856; Edmonton 12.490
Dunkel Line & Total: San Jose by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: San Jose by 1 1/2; 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Neutral; Over

Game 19-20: Phoenix at Colorado
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 12.088; Colorado 13.073
Dunkel Line & Total: Colorado by 1; 7
Vegas Line & Total: Colorado by 1 1/2; 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+1 1/2); Over

Game 21-22: Los Angeles at Vancouver
Dunkel Ratings: Los Angeles 10.618; Vancouver 13.632
Dunkel Line & Total: Vancouver by 3; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Vancouver by 1 1/2; 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Vancouver (-1 1/2); Over

[Udog]

NBA
Dunkel


Washington at Detroit
The Wizards met their offensive match against the Suns on Tuesday in a 127-105 loss, but prior to that had won four straight, including a 21-point win at Orlando (114-93). Detroit has been playing better since the return over Chauncey Billups, but have dropped five of their last seven at home with the only wins coming against lower-rated Sacramento and Boston. The Wiz look like a good underdog pick (+5 1/2) in this one according to Dunkel, which has Washington favored straight up by 2 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Washington (+5 1/2). Here are all of today's games.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 26
Time Posted: 10:30 a.m. EST

Game 501-502: Boston at Toronto
Dunkel Ratings: Boston 111.586; Toronto 122.522
Dunkel Line & Total: Toronto by 11; 184
Vegas Line & Total: Toronto by 9; 187
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-9); Under

Game 503-504: Cleveland at Philadelphia
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland 113.835; Philadelphia 118.497
Dunkel Line & Total: Philadelphia by 4 1/2; 190
Vegas Line & Total: Cleveland by 4 1/2; 185 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (+4 1/2); Over

Game 505-506: Atlanta at Orlando
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 110.655; Orlando 119.026
Dunkel Line & Total: Orlando by 8 1/2; 180
Vegas Line & Total: Orlando by 9; 179
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (+9); Over

Game 507-508: Miami at New York
Dunkel Ratings: Miami 118.984; New York 115.461
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 3 1/2; 204 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 509-510: Memphis at San Antonio
Dunkel Ratings: Memphis 112.287; San Antonio 124.835
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 12 1/2; 209
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 13 1/2; 212 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Memphis (+13 1/2); Under

Game 511-512: Sacramento at New Orleans
Dunkel Ratings: Sacramento 117.083; New Orleans 113.474
Dunkel Line & Total: Sacramento by 3 1/2; 189
Vegas Line & Total: New Orleans by 1 1/2; 191
Dunkel Pick: Sacramento (+1 1/2); Under

Game 513-514: Washington at Detroit
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 121.734; Detroit 119.264
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 2 1/2; 202
Vegas Line & Total: Detroit by 5 1/2; 205
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+5 1/2); Under

Game 515-516: Portland at Houston
Dunkel Ratings: Portland 113.018; Houston 123.403
Dunkel Line & Total: Houston by 10 1/2; 188
Vegas Line & Total: Houston by 10; 179
Dunkel Pick: Houston (-10); Over

Game 517-518: Phoenix at Milwaukee
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 131.498; Milwaukee 114.876
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 16 1/2; 225 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 10 1/2; 219
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (-10 1/2); Over

Game 519-520: Denver at Utah
Dunkel Ratings: Denver 122.387; Utah 118.760
Dunkel Line & Total: Denver by 3 1/2; 218 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Utah by 3 1/2; 215 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Denver (+3 1/2); Over

Game 521-522: Charlotte at LA Lakers
Dunkel Ratings: Charlotte 116.707; LA Lakers 120.398
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Lakers by 3 1/2; 215 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: LA Lakers by 11; 205
Dunkel Pick: Charlotte (+11); Over

Game 523-524: Minnesota at Seattle
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 119.111; Seattle 117.129
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 2; 202 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Seattle by 2; 198
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+2); Over