Announcement

**pm530** · 10-21-2009, 09:02 PM

Daily Sports Roundup

Thursday, October 22

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Rangers host the Devils, North Carolina gets a visit from Florida State, and the fifth game of the ALCS takes place in L.A.

Colliding on the gridiron . . .

The lone college football game on the Thursday schedule has Florida State at North Carolina. The Seminoles (2-4 SU, 1-4 ATS) are coming off a 49-44 loss to Georgia Tech in their last contest; Christian Ponder threw for 359 yards and five touchdowns in that defeat for Florida State. The Tar Heels (4-2 SU, 1-3 ATS) knocked off Georgia Southern 42-12 last time out. Oddsmakers have North Carolina listed as the 2.5-point home favorite for their Thursday night matchup.

Meeting up on the diamond . . .

The American League Championship Series heads to Game 5 on Thursday night, with the Angels once again hosting the Yankees. New York will send A.J. Burnett to the mound on Thursday; righthander Burnett started Game 2 of the ALCS, picking up a no-decision after allowing two earned runs on three hits over 6 1-3 innings of work. Los Angeles counters with righthander John Lackey, who took the loss in the ALCS opener after giving up four runs over his 5 2-3 innings.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

Finally, there are nine games on tap around the National Hockey League on Thursday, including Detroit at Phoenix. The 3-3-1 Red Wings fell 4-3 in a shootout to the Avalanche last time out; Justin Abdelkader, Todd Bertuzzi, and Valtteri Filppula had the Detroit goals, while Chris Osgood made 26 saves in the loss. The 5-2-0 Coyotes continued their surprising start with a 4-1 win over the Bruins last game. Ilya Bryzgalov stopped 22 of the 23 Boston shots in the victory.

Also on the ice on Thursday: the Islanders at Montreal, Boston at Philadelphia, Washington at Atlanta, Nashville at Ottawa, San Jose at Tampa Bay, Columbus at Edmonton, Dallas at Los Angeles, and New Jersey at the Rangers. The Rangers fell to 7-2-0 on the season with a 7-3 loss to the Sharks on Monday night. Chris Drury, Michael Del Zotto, and Enver Lisin provided the goals for New York in the defeat, while Stephen Valiquette was lit up for five goals on 18 shots.

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

**pm530** · 10-21-2009, 09:03 PM

Bettor's best friend: Today's helpful tips

Thursday, October 22

ALCS Nemeses

Current members of the Los Angeles Angels have a .258 average with seven homers and 29 RBI in 217 at-bats against New York Yankees starter A.J. Burnett. Bobby Abreu is hitting .313 (20-for-64) with 11 RBI but Vladimir Guerrero is batting just .214 (9-for-42) with two homers.

Current Yankees have a .289 average with 11 homers and 43 RBI in 357 at-bats vs. Angels starter John Lackey. Mark Teixeira is hitting .388 (19-of-49) with 11 RBI and Alex Rodriguez has four homers, although his average against the righthander is just .176 with 23 strikeouts in 51 at-bats.

The Angels are -118 with a total of 8.5.

So happy it's Thursday

The Florida State-North Carolina game marks the first time the Tar Heels have hosted a Thursday night game on ESPN. The Seminoles are 4-4 all-time on the road in ESPN Thursday night games and have played one each of the last three years, going 1-2 straight up and 0-3 against the spread. FSU is getting 2.5 points, the first time it has been the underdog in an ACC game vs. North Carolina.

Ready to return

Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk, out since Oct. 13 with an upper body injury, likely will return when the team opens a five-game road trip in Phoenix, TSN of Canada reported. Datsyuk, who as scored at least 28 goals in each of his last five seasons, had two assists in the first five games. The Red Wings went 1-1 and played to the over twice without him. Detroit is -130 with a total of 5.5.

A bold statement

Arizona Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin told the Arizona Republic that he will be a "game-time decision" for Sunday's game vs. the New York Giants. Boldin has a high ankle sprain. If Boldin does not play, Steve Breaston will start and Jerheme Urban becomes the third receiver. The Cardinals are getting seven points from the Giants with a total of 46.

Capital punishment

Washington Capitals left wing Alexander Semin is questionable Thursday at Atlanta due to an illness that forced him to miss Wednesday's practice, the Washington Post reported. Semin has been held without a point in three of his last four games but is third on the team with 10 points, including six goals. Semin was part of recent line changes that had spurred consecutive wins. Washinton is -130 at Atlanta with a total of 6.0.

Second time, shame on me

An SEC officiating crew has been suspended after messing up a call at a key moment for the second time in a month. The crew led by referee Mark Curles called a personal foul on Arkansas defensive lineman Malcolm Sheppard in the fourth quarter of Florida's 23-20 win, even though the SEC said there was no video evidence to back up the call.

Curles' crew also worked the LSU-Georgia game in which the Bulldogs were penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct after scoring the go-ahead TD in the fourth quarter. The penalty helped put the Tigers in good field position for the winning score in a 20-13 victory. The crew will not work until at least Nov. 14 and may not receive a bowl assignment.

Gonchar gone

This is one way to slow down the Pittsburgh Penguins: Defenseman Sergei Gonchar, who pilots the power play, is out up to six weeks with a broken wrist. Tied with Sidney Crosby for second on the team in scoring with eight points, Gonchar played the point on Pittsburgh's power play, which ranks just 18th in the NHL at 20.5 percent (8-for-39). The Penguins take a six-game winning streak into Friday's home match vs. Florida (no line), which ranks 25th in killing penalties.

Notable Quotable

"I'll get killed for saying this ... but I'm not so against steroids if they're administered under proper supervision and there is no long-term damage."

-- Dallas Mavericks outspoken owner Mark Cuban, speaking at a University of Pittsburgh forum about the possible use of steroids to help athletes recuperate from injuries more quickly.

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

**pm530** · 10-21-2009, 09:04 PM

Six-pack for Thursday

-- Big win for Mike Price's UTEP squad Wednesday; they upset Tulsa 27-24 in the Sun Bowl, after blowing an early 13-0 lead.

-- SEC suspended the officials who worked LSU-Georgia and Florida-Arkansas games the last two weeks; those nitwits deserve it.

-- If Angels lose Thursday night, no baseball this weekend, which will be just great for World Series TV ratings.

-- Washington Huskies can't have full basketball practices yet, because seven of their 12 players have the flu.

-- As if Redskin situation couldn't get stranger, rumors have it that Jim Zorn almost quit as head coach but didn't; he's likely to be fired soon.

-- Cincinnati QB Pike had surgery, his status is unknown; Oklahoma's Bradford is apparently headed towards season-ending surgery.

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

Thursday's List of 13: Wrapping up my trip to Las Vegas

13) This was my first trip to Vegas since March of '99; they're always building new buildings on the Strip. The place I stayed in ten years ago doesn't even exist anymore.

12) Lot of walking on the strip-- important to have comfortable shoes.

11) You can smoke in casinos there, which is weird to me, because you can't smoke indoors in public places here in New York.

10) Why is smoking legal anywhere? Who would be against making it against the law, other than the tobacco companies?

9) $5 a hand blackjack at O'Shea's casino is highly recommended.

8) So are the sandwiches at the Carnegie Deli at the Mirage. Huge.

7) Great to see a ballgame at Thomas & Mack Arena, home of so much basketball history. Didn't realize the Lakers were so popular there.

6) I try to keep my watch on eastern time when I'm there, to keep track of when everything starts. Don't want to miss out on a game starting.

5) Non-stop Albany-Vegas flight on Southwest is tremendous. Read a book cover to cover on way back. Strange book, too (I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell) funny as hell at times, but mostly kind of disturbing. They made a movie out of it that's coming out soon.

4) Everyone should go to Las Vegas once, just for the experience. There is something for everyone, whether gambling, shows, good weather.......

3) One of the great parts of being here is meeting people from all over the country-- talked to people from Georgia, Iowa, California, Pittsburgh Minnesota and Connecticut. Sports is a great way to meet people and learn about how other people think.

2) Most of the people I asked about living there were lukewarm on the idea; the economy in Vegas has been hit hard-- this is the first time in a long time they had negative growth in Nevada over a full year.

1) Besides reading the book, I did the next best thing to do on the way home from Vegas--started planning my next trip there.

From: Armadillo
----------------------------------------------------------------------

**pm530** · 10-21-2009, 09:06 PM

MLB
This Day in Baseball

On October 22 in Baseball History...

1910 - After three straight defeats and trailing the Philadelphia 3-2 in the ninth, the Chicago Cubs tied the score, then won 4-3 in 10 innings for their only victory as the A's won the World Series in five games.

1967 - Joe DiMaggio is hired by Charlie Finley as executive vice president of the newly-transplanted Oakland Athletics.

1972 - The Oakland A's won their first World Series with a 3-2 triumph over the Cincinnati Reds in Game 7. It was the first championship since 1930 for the franchise, then located in Philadelphia.

1975 - A ninth-inning RBI single by Joe Morgan gave the Cincinnati Reds a 4-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox and the World Series title in seven games. It was the first championship for the Reds in 35 years.

1985 - Bret Saberhagen gives Kansas City their first-ever World Series victory in Game Three with a complete game 6-1 decision.

1986 - Gary Carter's two home runs at Fenway Park gave New York a 6-2 victory and pulled the Mets even with Boston Red Sox in the World Series after four games.

1987 - The St. Louis Cardinals won their third straight home game, 4-2 against the Minnesota Twins, and took a 3-2 lead in the World Series.

1991 - It takes 12 innings, but the first-ever World Series game in Atlanta goes to the Braves. Mark Lemke singles in David Justice for the 5-4 win.

1992 - Plans for a victory parade in Toronto don't pan out. Lonnie Smith's grand slam and a solid outing by John Smoltz in Game Five ensure that the Series will return to Atlanta.

1995 - The Braves take a 2-0 World Series lead behind the pitching of Tom Glavine. His batterymate, Javier Lopez, decides the game with his bat. The Atlanta catcher's two-run home run in the sixth inning off Dennis Martinez is the deciding blow in a 4-3 victory over Cleveland.

1996 - The Yankees continue to be kings of the road. Jimmy Key holds the Braves at bay and Bernie Williams drives in three runs in a 5-2 win in Game Three in Atlanta.

1997 - The snow flurries and 38-degree game time temperature in Cleveland make it the coldest World Series in history, while home runs by Manny Ramirez and Matt Williams make it a long night for the Marlins. Jaret Wright out distances Tony Saunders 10-3 in Game Four in a battle of rookies.

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

**pm530** · 10-21-2009, 09:38 PM

MLB

Thursday, October 22

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

7:57 PM
NY YANKEES vs. LA ANGELS
NY Yankees are 7-18 SU in their last 25 games when playing on the road against LA Angels
The total has gone OVER in 15 of NY Yankees's last 21 games when playing on the road against LA Angels
LA Angels are 11-4 SU in their last 15 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of LA Angels's last 10 games

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

**pm530** · 10-21-2009, 09:39 PM

MLB

Thursday, October 22

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hot lines: Today’s best MLB bets
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New York Yankees at Los Angeles Angels (-120, 8.5)

Pitching matchup

A.J. Burnett (New York Yankees) vs. John Lackey (Los Angeles Angels)

A.J. Burnett (13-9, 4.04 ERA)

Burnett has been a stud in his first postseason with the Yankees but doesn’t have a playoff win to show for it. After allowing only three runs in just over six innings of work this October, the right-hander has two no-decisions but a sparkling 2.19 ERA.

In his most recent outing Burnett went 6 1-3 innings, giving up two earned runs on three hits while throwing 75 of his 114 total pitches for strikes. He recorded 11 strikeouts in his most recent trip to Los Angeles, pitching just under six innings and allowing two runs on seven hits for a 3-2 win against the Angles September 23.

John Lackey (11-8, 3.83 ERA)

Lackey had a nice effort spoiled by costly fielding errors in Game 1 of the ALCS. The righty lasted 5 2-3 innings, giving up just two earned runs on nine hits and was responsible for one of the two unearned runs with a failed pick-off attempt. He struckout three and walked three in that appearance.

That loss dropped Lackey’s 2009 playoff mark to 1-1. He threw a four-hit shutout over 7 1-3 innings against the Red Sox in Game 1 of the ALDS. At home this year, Lackey is 7-5 with a 3.56 ERA. However, he has struggled pitching at night, posting a 7-7 record with a 4.36 ERA in the evening.

At the plate

The way Alex Rodriguez has pulled up his socks this postseason, it seems a spot in the Fall Classic is just in the cards for the Yankees. After putting in dismal October performances in the past, A-Rod is hitting .407 with five home runs and 11 RBIs in the playoffs. And against the Angels, the third baseman is batting .375 with three of those dingers coming off Halos pitchers including a fifth-inning shot Tuesday which helped put the Bronx Bombers just one win away from the World Series.

Los Angeles is still waiting for its big bats to answer the call. Vlad Guerrero is the lone standout in the middle of the order. He’s hitting .267 with one home run, two RBIs and eight total bases against the Yankees. The Angels are hitting .201 as a team against the Yankees and have only stole two bases while getting caught stealing once. For the 2009 postseason, L.A. is batting .241 with runners in scoring and despite totaling 12 extra-base hits this series, it has only scored 2.5 runs per game.

Final analysis

The Angels have to be deflated after a 10-1 loss at home. And it just isn’t the lights on the scoreboard that have the Halos down.

Los Angeles was on the wrong side of two of the three botched calls by the umpire crew in Game 4. Having to face baseball’s most talented team is hard enough for the Halos without having to tangle with the officials as well. Putting this one behind them will be tougher than expected, even with elimination staring them in the face.

Pick: Yankees +112

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

**pm530** · 10-21-2009, 11:54 PM

MLB
Dunkel Index

NY Yankees at LA Angels
The Angels look to stay alive and build on their 5-0 record in John Lackey's last 5 starts at home with the total set between 7 and 8 1/2 runs. LA is the pick (-120) according to Dunkel, which has the Angels favored by 1/2 a run. Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (-120). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22

Game 905-906: NY Yankees at LA Angels
Dunkel Ratings: NY Yankees (Burnett) 16.407; LA Angels (Lackey) 17.035
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-120); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (-120); Over

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

**Udog** · 10-22-2009, 02:40 AM

MLB
Long Sheet

Thursday, October 22

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

NY YANKEES (109 - 60) at LA ANGELS (101 - 68) - 7:55 PM
A.J. BURNETT (R) vs. JOHN LACKEY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BURNETT is 21-37 (-17.7 Units) against the money line in road games after a win since 1997. (Team's Record)
LA ANGELS are 81-50 (+24.7 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 51-41 (+8.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
LA ANGELS are 46-23 (+16.6 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 101-68 (+23.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA ANGELS are 26-15 (+9.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
LA ANGELS are 23-9 (+13.3 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 94-60 (+23.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA ANGELS are 62-49 (+7.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
NY YANKEES are 71-36 (+13.6 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
NY YANKEES are 60-33 (+14.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
NY YANKEES are 37-17 (+13.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
NY YANKEES are 109-60 (+16.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
NY YANKEES are 73-36 (+22.8 Units) against the money line in night games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA ANGELS is 6-8 (-0.7 Units) against NY YANKEES this season
8 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.5 Units)

A.J. BURNETT vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
BURNETT is 2-2 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 4.21 and a WHIP of 1.255.
His team's record is 4-3 (+0.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-2. (+2.7 units)

JOHN LACKEY vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
LACKEY is 5-8 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 4.45 and a WHIP of 1.559.
His team's record is 9-10 (+0.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 11-8. (+2.0 units)

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

**Udog** · 10-22-2009, 02:49 AM

MLB
Short Sheet

Thursday, October 22nd

American League Championship Series
Best of Seven
Game Five
Yankees Lead, 3-1
TV: FOX
NY Yankees at LA Angels, 7:55 ET
AJ Burnett (R) vs. John Lackey (R)

Burnett:
16-5 Under off team win
NYY 44-17 after allowing 1 run or less

Lackey:
11-0 Under in playoff starts
29-13 Under at home working on 5 or 6 days rest

**Udog** · 10-22-2009, 04:18 AM

MLB

Thursday, October 22

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tips and Trends
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New York Yankees at Los Angeles Angels [FOX | 7:57 PM ET]

Yankees: The Yankees are one win away from their first trip to the World Series since 2003. New York has won 13 of the past 18 times it has been an underdog. Overall, the Yankees are 47-18 in their last 65 games. Derek Jeter tied Lou Gehrig and Ryan Howard as the only player to drive in a run in eight straight playoff games. Alex Rodriguez has homered in three straight games. A.J. Burnett pitched well in Game 2 against Los Angeles, giving up two runs in 6 1/3 innings. Burnett pitched once in Angel Stadium this season. He struck out 11 batters in that game, but lasted just 5 2/3 innings giving up two runs on seven hits. The Yankees have won the past five times Burnett has started. New York is 46-18 in its last 64 games versus a team with a winning record.

The Under is 20-8-2 in Burnett’s past 30 starts.
The Yankees are 10-4 in their last 14 games as a road underdog.

Key Injuries - None.

PROJECTED SCORE: 4

Angels (-$1.20, O/U 8.5): The Angels face an uphill climb since teams that have fallen behind 3-1 in a best-of-seven series have come back to win only 11 times in 69 chances. John Lackey lasted 5 2/3 innings in the opening game of this series. He allowed four runs, two of which were earned, on nine hits and three walks. Lackey was hurt by several defensive miscues, including his own errant pickoff attempt. Lackey was much sharper when he beat Boston in Game 1 of the Angels’ opening post-season game. Lackey shut out the Red Sox for 7 1/3 innings at home. He yielded four hits and one walk with four strikeouts. Lackey was 7-4 with a 3.05 ERA following the All-Star break. Lackey is 5-7 in 16 career regular-season starts versus the Yankees with a 4.66 ERA. The Angels are 6-14 in Lackey’s last 20 starts when facing a team with a winning record.

The Angels are 10-1 the past 11 times they’ve been favored.
The Under is 35-16 in Lackey’s last 51 home starts against a team with a winning record.

Key Injuries - None.

PROJECTED SCORE: 5 (Side of the Day)

Total of the Day is in college football today.

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

**Udog** · 10-22-2009, 04:21 AM

NHL
Dunkel

Boston at Philadelphia
The Flyers look to take advantage of a Boston team that is 2-5 in its last 7 games when playing with 0 days of rest. Philadelphia is the pick (-160) according to Dunkel, which has the Flyers favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-160). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22

Game 51-52: NY Islanders at Montreal
Dunkel Ratings: NY Islanders 11.141; Montreal 10.989
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Islanders by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Montreal (-175); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Islanders (+165); Over

Game 53-54: New Jersey at NY Rangers
Dunkel Ratings: New Jersey 11.332; NY Rangers 12.539
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Rangers by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: NY Rangers (-145); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Rangers (-145); Under

Game 55-56: Boston at Philadelphia
Dunkel Ratings: Boston 11.216; Philadelphia 12.026
Dunkel Line & Total: Philadelphia by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Philadelphia (-160); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-160); Over

Game 57-58: Washington at Atlanta
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 12.626; Atlanta 12.184
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Washington (-120); 6
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-120); Over

Game 59-60: Nashville at Ottawa
Dunkel Ratings: Nashville 10.851; Ottawa 11.734
Dunkel Line & Total: Ottawa by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Ottawa (-185); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Ottawa (-185); Over

Game 61-62: San Jose at Tampa Bay
Dunkel Ratings: San Jose 12.764; Tampa Bay 11.107
Dunkel Line & Total: San Jose by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: San Jose (-140); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Jose (-140); Over

Game 63-64: Columbus at Edmonton
Dunkel Ratings: Columbus 12.090; Edmonton 12.200
Dunkel Line & Total: Edmonton by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 65-66: Detroit at Phoenix
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 12.976; Phoenix 12.351
Dunkel Line & Total: Detroit by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Detroit (-135); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-135); Over

Game 67-68: Dallas at Los Angeles
Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 11.787; Los Angeles 11.840
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

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

NHL
Long Sheet

Thursday, October 22

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

NY ISLANDERS (1-4-0-2, 4 pts.) at MONTREAL (3-5-0-0, 6 pts.) - 10/22/2009, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MONTREAL is 44-50 ATS (+109.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 14-17 ATS (-8.2 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 22-24 ATS (-12.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
MONTREAL is 8-12 ATS (-14.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record in the first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 6-2 (+1.1 Units) against the spread versus NY ISLANDERS over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 6-2-0 straight up against NY ISLANDERS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.9 Units)

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

NEW JERSEY (4-3-0-0, 8 pts.) at NY RANGERS (7-2-0-0, 14 pts.) - 10/22/2009, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW JERSEY is 27-36 ATS (-19.0 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 20-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 76-83 ATS (-51.7 Units) in home games vs. division opponents since 1996.
NY RANGERS are 7-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY RANGERS is 15-5 (+9.9 Units) against the spread versus NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
NY RANGERS is 15-5-0 straight up against NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
9 of 18 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.5 Units, Under=-0.9 Units)

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

BOSTON (4-4-0-0, 8 pts.) at PHILADELPHIA (3-2-0-1, 7 pts.) - 10/22/2009, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 40-28 ATS (+70.1 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 32-13 ATS (+17.3 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 5-3 (+1.2 Units) against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 5-3-0 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.8 Units)

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

WASHINGTON (4-3-0-1, 9 pts.) at ATLANTA (4-1-0-1, 9 pts.) - 10/22/2009, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 50-35 ATS (+13.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 20-13 ATS (+35.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 8-6 (+0.2 Units) against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 8-6-0 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-1.0 Units, Under=-0.5 Units)

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

NASHVILLE (2-5-0-1, 5 pts.) at OTTAWA (5-2-0-0, 10 pts.) - 10/22/2009, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OTTAWA is 84-91 ATS (+189.2 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
OTTAWA is 39-43 ATS (-23.6 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NASHVILLE is 1-1 (+0.4 Units) against the spread versus OTTAWA over the last 3 seasons
OTTAWA is 1-1-0 straight up against NASHVILLE over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.0 Units)

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

SAN JOSE (5-3-0-1, 11 pts.) at TAMPA BAY (2-3-0-2, 6 pts.) - 10/22/2009, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN JOSE is 129-107 ATS (+20.4 Units) in road games first half of the season since 1996.
TAMPA BAY is 26-61 ATS (-88.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 12-29 ATS (-18.7 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 3-16 ATS (+19.6 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest over the last 3 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 10-29 ATS (+50.0 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 16-43 ATS (+70.9 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 3-17 ATS (+28.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN JOSE is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against the spread versus TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
SAN JOSE is 2-0-0 straight up against TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.0 Units)

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

COLUMBUS (5-2-0-0, 10 pts.) at EDMONTON (5-2-0-1, 11 pts.) - 10/22/2009, 9:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
EDMONTON is 5-3 (+2.4 Units) against the spread versus COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
EDMONTON is 5-3-0 straight up against COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.8 Units)

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

DETROIT (3-3-0-1, 7 pts.) at PHOENIX (5-2-0-0, 10 pts.) - 10/22/2009, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 7-1 ATS (+8.3 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 7-1 (+5.0 Units) against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 7-1-0 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.0 Units)

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

DALLAS (4-2-0-3, 11 pts.) at LOS ANGELES (5-4-0-0, 10 pts.) - 10/22/2009, 10:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 9-6 (+5.4 Units) against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 9-6-0 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
9 of 15 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.5 Units)

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

NHL
Short Sheet

Thursday, 10/22/2009

NY ISLANDERS at MONTREAL, 7:00 PM ET
NY ISLANDERS: 17-18 SU when playing on back-to-back days
MONTREAL: 6-15 SU at home after 4+ consecutive unders

NEW JERSEY at NY RANGERS, 7:00 PM ET
NEW JERSEY: 5-0 SU when playing 3 or less games in 10 days
NY RANGERS: 1-11 SU after allowing 5+ goals

BOSTON at PHILADELPHIA, 7:00 PM ET
BOSTON: 32-13 SU first half of the season
PHILADELPHIA: 3-6 SU when playing 3 or less games in 10 days

WASHINGTON at ATLANTA, 7:00 PM ET
WASHINGTON: 17-8 SU AWAY after playing 2 consecutive home games
ATLANTA: 14-29 SU after playing a road game

NASHVILLE at OTTAWA, 7:30 PM ET
NASHVILLE: 11-3 SU after having lost 6 or 7 of their last 8
OTTAWA: 4-12 SU when playing 5 or less games in 14 days

SAN JOSE at TAMPA BAY, 7:30 PM ET
SAN JOSE: 7-0 SU AWAY off 2+ consecutive road wins
TAMPA BAY: 4-17 SU as a home underdog of +100 to +200

COLUMBUS at EDMONTON, 9:30 PM ET
COLUMBUS: N/A
EDMONTON: N/A

DETROIT at PHOENIX, 10:00 PM ET
DETROIT: 31-29 SU in a road game when the total is 5.5
PHOENIX: 7-1 SU when playing with 3+ days rest

DALLAS at LOS ANGELES, 10:30 PM ET
DALLAS: N/A
LOS ANGELES: N/A

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

NHL
Write-Up

Thursday, October 22

Hot Teams
-- Devils won four of their last five games. Rangers won six of their last seven games.
-- Thrashers won four of their first six games.
-- Washington won its last two games, allowing three goals.
-- Senators won five of their last six games.
-- Sharks won their last two games, scoring 11 goals.
-- Blue Jackets won three of their last four games. Oilers won four of their last five games.
-- Coyotes won three in row, five of first seven games.
-- Dallas Stars won three of their last four road games.

Cold Teams
-- Canadiens lost five of their last six games. Islanders got their first win in seven games last night; they're 0-3 on the road.
-- Bruins are 0-3 this season in game following a win. Flyers lost three games in a row, scoring eight goals.
-- Predators lost their last six games, outscored 22-6.
-- Islanders are 0-6 with three OT losses- they scored five goals in last three games.
-- Lightning lost five of their first seven games.
-- Red Wings are 0-3 outside the Motor City.
-- Kings lost three of last four games, but are home for the first time in two weeks.

Series Records
-- Montreal won seven of last nine games against the Islanders.
-- Devils won three of last four games against the Rangers.
-- Bruins won six of their last seven trips to Philadelphia.
-- Washington won six of last eight games vs Atlanta.
-- Predators won two of last three games against Ottawa.
-- Oilers won seven of last ten games vs Columbus.
-- Red Wings won 11 of last 12 games against the Coyotes.
-- Underdog won eight of last ten Dallas-Los Angeles games.

Totals
-- Last four Montreal games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 3-0-1 in last four New Jersey games.
-- Last three Boston games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 3-0-1 in last four Washington games.
-- Six of eight Nashville games stayed under the total.
-- Three of last four San Jose games stayed under the total.
-- Six of eight Edmonton games went over the total.
-- Last six Phoenix games stayed under total; five of seven Detroit games went over the total.
-- Six of eight Dallas games went over the total.

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

**Udog** · 10-22-2009, 04:21 AM

NHL
Additional

Thursday, October 22

Refer to post #1 for Matchup Links to more trends/stats *

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

7:00 PM
BOSTON vs. PHILADELPHIA
Boston is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston's last 7 games when playing Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Boston
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 7 games when playing at home against Boston

7:00 PM
NEW JERSEY vs. NY RANGERS
New Jersey is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New Jersey's last 6 games
NY Rangers are 7-2 SU in their last 9 games when playing at home against New Jersey
NY Rangers are 15-5 SU in their last 20 games when playing New Jersey

7:00 PM
NY ISLANDERS vs. MONTREAL
NY Islanders are 4-11 SU in their last 15 games when playing on the road against Montreal
NY Islanders are 2-7 SU in their last 9 games when playing Montreal
Montreal is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Montreal's last 5 games

7:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. ATLANTA
Washington is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games
Atlanta is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Atlanta's last 10 games when playing at home against Washington

7:30 PM
NASHVILLE vs. OTTAWA
Nashville is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Nashville is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Ottawa is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Nashville
Ottawa is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

7:30 PM
SAN JOSE vs. TAMPA BAY
San Jose is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
San Jose is 4-0-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is 0-4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing San Jose
Tampa Bay is 3-10 SU in its last 13 games at home

9:30 PM
COLUMBUS vs. EDMONTON
Columbus is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Edmonton
Columbus is 6-16-3 SU in its last 25 games when playing Edmonton
Edmonton is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Edmonton's last 8 games

10:00 PM
DETROIT vs. PHOENIX
Detroit is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Detroit's last 7 games
Phoenix is 1-7-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Phoenix's last 7 games when playing at home against Detroit

10:30 PM
DALLAS vs. LOS ANGELES
Dallas is 7-15 SU in its last 22 games
Dallas is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Los Angeles's last 6 games when playing at home against Dallas

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ice picks: Today's best NHL bets
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New Jersey Devils at New York Rangers (-145, 5.5)

New Jersey is 4-1 over its last five games but that didn’t stop coach Jacques Lemaire from breaking up his top line of Zach Parise, Travis Zajac and Jamie Langenbrunner.

Lemaire is looking for a more balanced scoring attack, something that’s proving difficult with star winger Patrik Elias out.

“When I got in I was a little surprised,” Parise said of the shakeup to the Newark Star-Ledger. “But it wasn’t as if we were scoring four of five goals a game. It’s tough when you have a player like Patrik Elias out.”

The Devils are among the lowest scoring clubs in the league. The under is 4-2-1 in Jersey’s games this season and 3-0 the last three times these two rivals have played each other.

Pick: Under

Detroit Red Wings at Phoenix Coyotes (+110, 5.5)

What’s the deal with the Red Wings? The club has been among the NHL’s elite for the last 15 years but there’s been a noticeable decline this season.

Observers say Detroit isn’t playing with as much chemistry as it has in past years. The Wings are sporting three rookies and two late call-ups from last season in their lineup.

“It’s definitely the biggest turnover we’ve had in a long time,” mainstay Kris Draper told the Detroit News. “Every year coming back we’ve always taken it for granted that guys knew the system, knew exactly how we’re supposed to play and how [coach Mike Babcock] wanted us to play. This year, it’s a little different.”

Things won’t get any easier for the Wings Thursday night in Phoenix. The Coyotes are turning heads across the league thanks to their 5-2 start.

Pick: Phoenix

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

**Udog** · 10-22-2009, 04:37 AM

Len's Top 5

Happy Thursday everyone, here's my Top 5 for October 22, 2009 from Len Berman Sports.

1. Quick Hits

The champion Philadelphia Phillies are heading back to the World Series after beating the Dodgers in 5 games, 10-4 the final last night. Street celebrations aren't as rowdy as last year.
The Yankees can capture their 40th pennant with a win tonight in Anaheim. 7:57pm ET FOX
Former Mets General Manager Steve Phillips, 46, takes leave of absence from ESPN in the wake of an affair with a 22-year old production assistant. Phillips' wife has filed for divorce.
The Olympic flame is lit in Olympia Greece. It'll arrive in Canada next week for a very long torch relay to Vancouver for the start of the Winter Olympics February 12th.

2. Calling R2-D2

The head of the baseball umpires union is opposed to instant replay. He says it would turn umpires into "robots." I'd rather have robots than World Series farces. (Again, I'm in favor of limited replay.)
After a controversial call in the 1975 World Series, Carl Yastrzemski of the Red Sox said to me, "the best players are in the World Series, why not the best umpires?" How sad is it that 34 years later we're still asking the same question?

3. The More Things Change

Ho hum. Knicks Center Eddy Curry is out of shape, and during the critical moments of the Phillies/Dodgers game the other night, Manny Ramirez was taking a shower. Shades of Rickey Henderson of the Mets playing cards during a playoff game. Don't you wonder what these athletes are thinking? Other than "me, myself and I?"

4. Obstacle Course

During the Des Moines Marathon last weekend, the runners had to stop for a passing train. It enabled the second place guy to catch up to the lead, but he ultimately finished second anyway. This opens up all sorts of possibilities. Most big Marathons take a couple of hours to see which African guy wins. Lets make it more interesting. Passing trains, open drawbridges, running through alligator infested moats. How about crawling through windmills? We could combine the very best that marathon racing and miniature golf have to offer.

5. Blackout

I got a warning message yesterday that some of my emails were blocked for "inappropriate content." The offensive word was "Whitey."
Next year when I mention Whitey Ford's birthday, I must remember to call him Edward Charles Ford to keep it clean.
(I just realized I'll get another warning message today. Oy.)

Happy Birthday: Yankee second baseman Robinson Cano, don't you know. 27.
Bonus Birthday: Actress Catherine Deneuve. 66.

Today in Sports: Remember when L.A. had an NFL team? Remember when the Rams could win a game? The L.A. Rams beat the Baltimore Colts 70-27. 1950.
Bonus Event: Thank God, now Bill Bradley has a school to play basketball for. Princeton University receives its charter. 1746.

Announcement

Thursday Trends and Indexes 10/22 (MLB, NHL, Misc.)

Thursday Trends and Indexes 10/22 (MLB, NHL, Misc.)

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment