Announcement

**Udog** · 03-24-2012, 07:08 AM

Saturday's betting tips: Rose likely out

Who’s hot

NCAAB: Florida is 9-3 ATS in its past 12 games against the Big East.

NCAAB: The over is 9-1 in Ohio State’s past 10 games.

NBA: The over is 9-3 in the Rockets’ past 12 games.

NBA: The Bucks are 8-1 ATS in their past nine games.

NHL: The Coyotes are 6-1 in their past seven against the Pacific Division.

NHL: The over is 8-2 in the Hurricanes’ past 10 road games.

Who’s not

NCAAB: The under is 10-1 in Louisville’s past 11 games.

NCAAB: Syracuse is 2-8 ATS in its past 10 games.

NBA: The Clippers are 1-8 ATS in their past nine home games.

NBA: The Nets are 2-8 ATS in their past 10 Eastern Conference games.

NHL: The Flames are 1-4 in their past five road games.

NHL: The Wild are 4-18 in their past 22 road games.

Key stat

9 – Wins this month for Philadelphia Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov. The Russian’s 9-1-1 record in March sets a personal best for wins in any month as he has given up two or fewer goals in 10 straight starts. He also has posted four shutouts and a .956 save percentage during March.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose ran in a pool and did some light shooting on Friday as he attempts to return from a groin injury for Saturday’s game against the Toronto Raptors. Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau described Rose as “day-to-day” and it is likely the MVP will miss his sixth straight game.

Game of the day

No. 2 seed Ohio State Buckeyes vs. No. 1 seed Syracuse Orange (+3, 136)

Notable quotable

"As soon as it left my foot, I was like, 'goal.’ I just hit that clean, as clean as you can hit it. I would say it was definitely one of the best goals I've personally scored."— U.S. Men’s U-23 team captain Freddy Adu on his goal from 25-yards out in a 6-0 win over Cuba in Thursday’s Olympic qualifier.

Notes and tips

New Orleans forward Jason Smith was suspended two games by the NBA on Friday for a hard foul on Clippers forward Blake Griffin this week. Smith is averaging 8.7 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. "I think it looked a lot worse than what it was, but that's still not a play that you ever want to do to another player like that," Smith told reporters. "I apologize to Blake Griffin. I didn't want to hurt him at all. I just wanted to try and cut off his lane to the basket."

Canucks forward Daniel Sedin returned to Vancouver for further medical tests after taking an elbow to the head on a hit by Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith. Sedin has a team-high 30 goals but his status going forward is unclear. "He has symptoms, a little bit of a headache, which comes with a hit like that," his brother, Henrik Sedin told reporters.

The NCAA made Minnesota one of the earlier favorites to win a Big Ten basketball crown next year when it granted forward Trevor Mbakwe a sixth year of eligibility on Friday. Mbakwe averaged a team-high 14.1 points and 9.1 rebounds per game before tearing his right ACL seven games into the season. The Golden Gophers now will have their top five scorers returning next season: Mbakwe, Rodney Williams, Julian Welch and Austin Hollins and Andre Hollins.

It took only four games for newly acquired Lakers guard Ramon Sessions to crack coach Mike Brown’s starting lineup. Sessions, who is averaging 12 points, 6.0 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game since coming to Los Angeles, has shown up on days off to run through scripted plays and learn the team’s offense. "I think it just divvies up the minutes a little bit better with him starting and being on the floor as much as he needs to be," Brown told reporters.

**Udog** · 03-24-2012, 07:08 AM

Armadillo: Saturday's six-pack

-- North Carolina survived 73-65 in OT against Ohio, with frosh guard White getting six assists, no turnovers in 32 minutes. Bobcats had a legit chance to win, but couldn't finish the deal.

-- Kevin Love had 51 points, 14 rebounds for Minneosta in its 149-140 double OT loss at Oklahoma City. Must have been a super game.

-- Nick Collison was +22 in 30 minutes, meaning that Thunder was -17 in the 28 minutes he was off the floor.

-- Nebraska hired Colorado State coach Tim Miles, giving him $1.4M a year to leave Fort Collins. Hope he recruits Big Dozen-caliber athletes.

-- Indiana was the second team in the tournament to score 90+ points; sadly for them, Kentucky was first, about ten minutes ahead of them, as Wildcats made 35-37 from the line and beat Indiana 102-90.

-- Bad news for NHL fans; Donald Fehr runs the Players' Association, so more labor issues may be in the league's near future.

***************

Armadillo: Saturday's List of 13: Nobody asked me, but........

13) Its obvious that Bobby Valentine is going to be like a wrestling manager up in Boston, constantly tweaking the Bronx Bombers and keeping his team and more importantly his name in the news, even if its for annoying reasons like Thursday, when he complained because the Bombers begged out of playing the 10th inning of an exhibition game because they only had minor league pitchers left. Before the summer is over, Valentine might throw some ceremonial salt into ARod’s eyes before he bats, the way the Grand Wizard of Wrestling used to do.

12) Speaking of the Bombers, Joba Chamberlain tore up his ankle playing on a trampoline with his son; its an injury similar to Buster Posey’s last year, which means he is done for the year.

11) Given whats gone on this week, don’t the Saints have to give Drew Brees whatever he’s asking for?

10) Wagner offered their coaching job to Bobby Hurley, but the former Duke star is headed to Rhode Island with his brother Danny; word is that Danny Hurley’s wife doesn’t want to leave the northeast, so his future job mobility could be limited, unless he were wind up with the UConn job when Jim Calhoun retires.

9) Only three brackets out of 6.45M were perfect thru the first weekend of the NCAA tournament, but it wasn’t because of the East bracket; 25.1% of entrants had Syracuse-Ohio State in the regional final. Probably not many Ohio U entries into the Sweet 16, though.

8) Good to see Kendrys Morales on the field for the Angels, almost two years after he broke his ankle while celebrating a walk-off homer on May 29, 2010. Tough way to get hurt.

7) Billy Donovan is 18-2 in his last 20 NCAA tournament games, but he is also 0-6 against mentor Rick Pitino as a head coach. No #7 seed has made the Final Four since the tournament went to 64 teams; they’re 0-6 in regional finals.

6) San Francisco Dons lost six transfers this week; that’s half their returning players, including two starters. Has to be an interesting story behind all that, especially since USF played really well in February.

5) We’ve talked couple times this week about Duquesne losing three hoop transfers, now we hear that the school fired coach Ron Everhart, who’s a pretty good coach. Question begs to be asked, did the transfers know he was getting fired, or was firing the result of the aftermath of the transfers, especially star point guard McConnell leaving?

Duquesne had winning records the last five years; the 12 years before they hired Everhart, they had zero winning seasons.

4) Austin Rivers leaves Duke after one year; kid doesn’t need the money, since his dad makes a few mill a year. This one-and-done stuff is a joke and should end. If kids want to go from high school to the NBA, let them go, and then if they don’t make a roster, let them to come back to college, with stipulation that they can’t go back to the NBA for three years. Would that be unfair?

3) Central Michigan canned coach Ernie Zeigler, which puts the next coach in a tough spot, since the Chippewas’ best player, by far, was Zeigler’s son. Am guessing young Zeigler may test the NBA Draft waters.

2) Minnesota got tremendous news when injured star Trevor Mbakwe was granted a sixth year of eligibility; Gophers could be very good next year, if all the expected returnees do indeed return.

1) Contrast of good/bad franchises; David Carr quietly re-signed as Giants’ backup QB, an easy job, since Eli Manning never gets hurt. Carr gets paid to run the scout team and buy Manning donuts.

Meanwhile, across the parking lot, Jets’ #3 QB Drew Stanton (who??) got himself traded to Indianapolis because of Tebowgate. Been a dismal winter for the Jets; even nobodies demanded to be traded.

**Udog** · 03-24-2012, 07:11 AM

MLB Top 4: Baseball's best road bets

Taking care of business in your own ballpark is priority No. 1 for MLB clubs. But when it comes to baseball betting, winning on the road is where you make your real money.

Finding teams that thrive in the role of visitor is a smart way to boost your bankroll, with the away side usually getting a discount on the moneyline.

Even big-name clubs like the Phillies and Tigers can earn a small fortune when they hit the highway, but these four clubs could put your kids through college if you bet them when they traveled last year.

New York Mets (43-38 on the road, 17.63 units)

According to recent financial reports, Citi Field could be the biggest money pit in the majors – especially if you were betting the Mets at home last season. New York was a brutal -18.66 units as a host but nearly made up for that with 17.63 units won as a guest. New York scored more than 54 percent of its total runs away from Citi Field.

The Mets finished five games over .500 on the road despite a 4.51 away ERA. Second-year righty Dillon Gee was a diamond in the rough, going 7-3 on the road but posting a chunky 5.74 road ERA. Gee could quickly become a under-the-radar starter to back this year. He's ironed out his mechanics and has looked sharp in spring training action.

Arizona Diamondback (43-38 on the road, 13.83 units)

The Diamondbacks posted an identical record on the road as the Mets but were actually a solid team, so their moneyline values weren’t bordering on +200 every time out. Arizona, which won even more money at home going 51-30 for 14.37 units, boasted a 3.73 ERA in enemy territory (compared to 3.86 at home).

That was enough to get over the offensive brownout away from home. The D-backs mustered only 331 runs outside of Chase Field, where they scored 400 runs – nearly five per game – in 2011. Righthander Ian Kennedy was responsible for the majority of those units, going 10-3 when toeing the opposing rubber.

Chicago White Sox (43-38 on the road, 10.32 units)

Maybe 43-38 is the magic number when it comes to betting road teams? The White Sox matched the Diamondbacks and Mets away from the South Side and made loyal Chitown backers a pretty penny in the process. Chicago was a horrific 36-45 at home and went more than 20 units in the hole.

The White Sox posted an identical batting average (.252) and ERA (4.10) at home and away, showing how a few favorable bounces - and moneylines - can make the difference for bettors. Mark Buehrle, along with some key bats, are gone but it was low-profile guys like Phillip Humber and Gavin Floyd who got the job done on the highway. Floyd is currently trade bait while Humber is nursing a nasty gash on his right thumb.

Tampa Bay Rays (44-37 on the road, 8.66 units)

The Rays would still be the most consistent value bet in baseball if they were playing on the moon. As long as Tampa Bay tangles with the Yankees and Red Sox every two weeks, bettors will find solid value in a playoff team and World Series contender. The Rays proved to be the better play away from the Sunshine State last season, posting 8.66 units as guests compared to just four 4.0 units as hosts.

The Rays went 7-2 in Fenway, priced as favorites only twice, and finished 12-6 versus Boston overall. They were just 3-6 in Yankee Stadium but split the season series with New York 9-9. Starter Jeff Niemann was the breadwinner for Tampa Bay last year, raking in 6.58 units thanks in part to an 8-2 record on the road. Niemann is currently battling Wade Davis for the fifth spot in the rotation.

**Udog** · 03-24-2012, 08:31 AM

NCAAB
Dunkel

Saturday, March 24

Florida vs. Louisville
The Gators look to build on their 14-3 ATS record in their last 17 NCAA Tournament games as a favorite. Florida is the pick (-1) according to Dunkel, which has the Gators favored by 3. Dunkel Pick: Florida (-1). Here are all of today's picks.

SATURDAY, MARCH 24

Game 519-520: Ohio State vs. Syracuse (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Ohio State 74.058; Syracuse 72.455
Dunkel Line: Ohio State by 1 1/2; 131
Vegas Line: Ohio State by 3; 136 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Syracuse (+3); Under

Game 521-522: Florida vs. Louisville (4:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Florida 73.966; Louisville 70.830
Dunkel Line: Florida by 3; 138
Vegas Line: Florida by 1; 131
Dunkel Pick: Florida (-1); Over

Game 523-524: Mercer at Fairfield (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Mercer 57.551; Fairfield 64.971
Dunkel Line: Fairfield by 7 1/2; 122
Vegas Line: Fairfield by 5 1/2; 126
Dunkel Pick: Fairfield (-5 1/2); Under

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Saturday, March 24

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OHIO ST (30 - 7) vs. SYRACUSE (34 - 2) - 3/24/2012, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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FLORIDA (26 - 10) vs. LOUISVILLE (29 - 9) - 3/24/2012, 4:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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MERCER (25 - 11) at FAIRFIELD (22 - 14) - 3/24/2012, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MERCER is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
MERCER is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
FAIRFIELD is 16-30 ATS (-17.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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NCAAB
Short Sheet

Saturday, March 24

OHIO ST vs. SYRACUSE, 7:05 PM - NCAA Tournament - East Regional Final - TD Garden - Boston, MA
OHIO ST: 11-3 ATS playing w/ one or less days rest
SYRACUSE: 0-6 ATS on neutral court if total is 135 to 139.5

FLORIDA vs. LOUISVILLE, 4:30 PM - NCAA Tournament - West Regional Final - US Airways Ctr - Phoenix, AZ
FLORIDA: 1-5 ATS if dog last game
LOUISVILLE: 7-0 ATS on neutral court

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, March 24

Donovan is 18-2 in last 20 NCAA games, but 0-6 as head coach against his mentor, Pitino; no #7 seed has ever made Final Four- they're 0-6 in regional finals, with West Virginia in '05 last #7 seed to get this far- they lost 93-85, to Louisville. Since 1998, in regional finals without either a #1/#2 seed, underdogs are 8-2 against the spread. Louisville held its first three opponents in this tournament to 35-39-29% from floor, 14-63 on arc; Cardinals won last seven games, holding last four opponents to 51.2 ppg. Florida has three double digit wins in tournament- they lost four of last five games coming into the NCAAs.

Syracuse is an underdog for first time this season; they're first #1 seed to be underdog in regional final since St Joe's in '04 (lost 64-62, +3.5). Since 2004, #1 seeds are 9-10 SU in regional finals, but just 3-6 when facing a #2 seed; over the last nine years, underdogs are 25-11 against spread in regional finals. Since '87, #1 seeds are 1-5 SU in regional finals when an underdog, 2-4 vs spread. Ohio State won seven of last eight games, with wins over Gonzaga/Cincinnati in last two; Sullinger will exploit Syracuse 2-3 defense that is lacking without Melo. Since 2007, Big East teams are 5-3 in regional finals; Big Dozen teams are 5-1 since '05.

NCAAB

Saturday, March 24

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Trend Report
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4:30 PM
FLORIDA vs. LOUISVILLE
No trends available
Louisville is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Louisville's last 5 games

7:00 PM
MERCER vs. FAIRFIELD
No trends available
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Fairfield's last 7 games at home
Fairfield is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:05 PM
OHIO STATE vs. SYRACUSE
No trends available
Syracuse is 14-1 SU in its last 15 games
Syracuse is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games

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NCAAB

Saturday, March 24

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NCAA previews & picks: Florida vs. Louisville
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No. 7 Florida Gators vs. No. 4 Louisville Cardinals (+1.5, 131)

THE STORY: Both Louisville and Florida pulled off minor upsets in the West Region semifinals on Thursday night, and now the two tournament-savvy schools will meet with a Final Four berth on the line. The fourth-seeded Cardinals are in the Elite Eight for the fourth time under coach Rick Pitino, while the seventh-seeded Gators are looking for their fourth Final Four appearance since 2000 under coach Billy Donovan. Donovan played for Pitino at Providence and coached under him at Kentucky, but he’s 0-6 all-time against his mentor.

TV: 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS.

FLORIDA (26-10): This is the team everyone expected to see all season. The Gators’ three tournament victories have come by a combined 70 points, most recently a 68-58 upset of No. 3 seed Marquette. Florida led the nation with nearly 10 3-pointers made per game during the regular season, but the Gators are just 21-of-78 (26.9 percent) from deep in the three wins. They can thank a defense that’s surrendering only 51 points per game for the success, but the shooting will have to improve if they hope to knock off Louisville — a very strong defensive team.

LOUISVILLE (29-9): Speaking of good defense, the Cardinals are putting on quite the show on that end of the court. Led by Gorgui Dieng’s seven blocks, Louisville held top-seeded Michigan State to 28 percent shooting in a 57-44 upset that left the West Region up for grabs. Louisville’s matchup zone and high-pressure defense is giving opponents’ fits, which Florida will have to counter with some accurate long-range shooting. Opponents are just 14-of-63 (22.2 percent) on 3-pointers against the Cardinals in three tournament games.

TRENDS:

* Gators are 14-3 in their past 17 games as a favorite in the NCAA tournament.
* Cardinals are 7-0 ATS in their past 7 neutral site games.
* Under is 10-1 in the Cardinals' past 11 games.
* Over is 15-4 in the Gators' past 19 non-conference games.

TIP-INS:

1. Donovan and Pitino have never faced each other in the NCAA tournament.

2. Pitino is now 10-0 all-time in the Sweet 16, but he’s 5-4 in the Elite Eight.

3. Florida is 32-12 all-time in the NCAA tournament, including a 28-9 mark under Donovan.

Pick: Florida

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NCAAB

Saturday, March 24

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NCAA previews & picks: Syracuse vs. Ohio State
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No. 1 Syracuse Orange vs. No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (-3, 136)

THE STORY: Top-seeded Syracuse defeated No. 4 seed Wisconsin 64-63 Thursday and earned its first NCAA tournament victory against a Big Ten opponent in seven tries. Now, the Orange will play another Big Ten foe, No. 2 seed Ohio State, with a trip to the Final Four at stake. The Buckeyes, who advanced to the regional final with an 81-66 victory over No. 6 Cincinnati, have made just one Final Four in Thad Matta’s eight seasons, back in 2007. That year, they lost to Florida in the national championship game. Syracuse, meanwhile, hasn’t made the Final Four since 2003 - the year Carmelo Anthony led them to an improbable title. The last NCAA tournament meeting came in 1983, a 79-74 Ohio State victory.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, CBS.

SYRACUSE (34-2): Jim Boeheim’s vaunted 2-3 zone struggled against the Badgers, who converted 14 of 27 3-point attempts - including six straight late in the second half. Ohio State figures to be a more difficult defensive assignment, as the Buckeyes have capable inside scorers and a handful of players who can knock down outside shots. Syracuse, which is without sophomore center Fab Melo after the NCAA declared him ineligible last week, will have its depth tested, particularly on the front line. Forwards Rakeem Christmas and James Southerland will be asked to play productive minutes and the Orange could use a big effort from C.J. Fair, who played 37 minutes and scored 15 points against the Badgers.

OHIO STATE (30-7): Against Cincinnati, the Buckeyes turned in a performance that has become very familiar over the last several months, ever since they dropped their first game against Kansas in early December. Ohio State started strong, taking a 37-25 halftime lead, and then fell asleep as the Bearcats surged into a four-point lead midway through the second half. Eventually, the Buckeyes’ overwhelming talent won out, but they can’t afford to play prolonged inconsistent stretches against the Orange - one of the more complete teams in the field. Jared Sullinger has 53 points and 26 rebounds in three tournament games for the Buckeyes, who have won each game by seven or more and by a combined 41 points.

TRENDS:

* Buckeyes are 5-2 ATS in their last seven vs. Big East.
* Orange are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games overall.
* Under is 11-3 in Buckeyes' last 14 vs. Big East.
* Over is 5-2 in Orange's last seven non-conference games.

TIP-INS:

1. Syracuse is 5-0 against top 25 opponents, while the Buckeyes are just 7-6 against ranked teams.

2. Ohio State won the most recent meeting 79-65 on a neutral court in 2007.

3. If the Orange win, it will mark the fourth straight year that a Big East team advanced to the Final Four.

Pick: Ohio State

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NCAAB

Saturday, March 24

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Elite Eight action report: Lower seeded teams favored
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Don’t confuse lower-seeded Florida or Ohio State with Cinderellas and definitely don’t confuse them with underdogs. In fact, bother lower-seeded squads are actually favored in their matchups with a trip to the Final Four in New Orleans on the line.

“When Friday night happened last week, that kind of threw things out of whack,” Bert Osborne, sportsbook director at South Point, said. “Since Lehigh knocked off Duke, there isn't the same faith in the favorites.”

Florida Gators vs. Louisville Cardinals Open: +1 Move: +1.5

The Big East Tournament champion Cardinals used their ugly, grinding style to cruise to a 57-44 win over top-seeded Michigan State but there are few sharps biting on a half-court affair occurring on Saturday as the total has stayed around 132 with most books.

Louisville, meantime, is garnering most of the action despite the line moving a half-point in their favor with most services.

“There is an easy correlation for someone who casually follows this type of thing,” Jimmy Vaccaro, an oddsmaker with Lucky's Sportsbook, said. “A Big East team, Connecticut, won the conference tournament and then made an unlikely tournament run last year and here we are, same conference, same situation.”

Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Syracuse Orange Open: +2.5 Move: +3

The Orange, however, are being squeezed by the public. Syracuse is just 2-8 ATS its past 10 games and the top-seeded Big East squad has looked terrible in three straight tournament wins. Still, wins are wins.

“There will be money showing on up on Syracuse,” Vaccaro said. “It’s still a very good team, it’s still very well coached and more important you are getting points. It will be a battle of who is more strong willed.”

The Buckeyes, meantime, looked sharp through three rounds and most people were in bed on Thursday night by the time Ohio State pulled away for an 81-66 win over Cincinnati.

“The betting public only sees one game ahead,” Osborne said. “Thursday night, when the popular dog goes down they are going to switch to the favorite that knocked their team out.”

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**Udog** · 03-24-2012, 08:36 AM

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, March 24

Hot teams
-- Dallas won six of its last eight home games.
-- Sabres won last three games, outscoring opponents 14-4.
-- Flyers won six of their last seven home games.
-- Hurricanes won four of their last five games.
-- Penguins won 13 of their last 14 games.
-- Islanders won their last two games, 3-2so/5-2.
-- Kings won their last six games, allowing ten goals.
-- Colorado won its last four home games, allowing six goals.
-- Sharks won three of their last four home games.

Cold teams
-- Flames lost their last four games, scoring five goals.
-- Minnesota lost seven of its last nine road games.
-- Canadiens lost three of their last four games.
-- Red Wings lost six in row, eight of their last nine games.
-- Nashville lost four of its last five games. Jets lost three of last four on road.
-- Toronto lost its last eight home games. Rangers lost last four road games, outscored 16-8.
-- Senators lost five of their last six games.
-- Lightning lost three of its last four games.
-- Bruins lost last four road games, scoring total of six goals.
-- Canucks lost four of their last five games.
-- Coyotes lost four of their last six road games.

Totals
-- Under is 3-0-1 in last four Calgary games.
-- Over is 3-0-1 in Minnesota's last four road games.
-- Last eleven Philly games all stayed under the total.
-- Five of last six Carolina road games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Winnipeg games went over the total.
-- Last three Toronto games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Penguin games went over the total.
-- Over is 4-1-1 in Islanders' last six road games.
-- Five of last seven Boston games went over the total.
-- Under is 5-0-1 in Vancouver's last six away games.
-- Under is 7-3-1 in last eleven Phoenix road games.

Series records
-- Dallas beat Flames twice this season, both games 3-2 in OT.
-- Sabres won 3-2 in OT at Minnesota in LY's meeting.
-- Flyers won 11 of their last 15 games against Montreal.
-- Home side won three of last four Carolina-Detroit games.
-- Jets won two of their last three visits to Nashville.
-- Rangers won four of their last five visits to Toronto.
-- Penguins are 4-3 in their last seven visits to Ottawa.
-- Islanders won six of last eight games against Tampa Bay.
-- Kings won five of their last six games against Boston.
-- Canucks won their last five games against Colorado.
-- Coyotes won last three games vs San Jose, outscoring Sharks 11-3.

Back-to-Back
-- Sabres are 1-7 at home if they played the night before.
-- Montreal is 2-4 on road if it won the night before.
-- Carolina is 4-10 on road if it played the night before.
-- Winnipeg is 0-9 on road if it played the night before.
-- Rangers are 3-2 if they lost the night before. Toronto is 5-11 if it played the night before, 1-4 at home.
-- Senators are 3-4 at home if they played the night before.

**Udog** · 03-24-2012, 08:40 AM

NHL

Saturday, March 24

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Trend Report
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2:00 PM
CALGARY vs. DALLAS
Calgary is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Dallas
Calgary is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Dallas is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Calgary
Dallas is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games

7:00 PM
CAROLINA vs. DETROIT
Carolina is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Carolina's last 6 games on the road
Detroit13-1-1 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Carolina
Detroit is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games

7:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. BUFFALO
Minnesota is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Buffalo
Minnesota is 4-18 SU in its last 22 games on the road
Buffalo is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Buffalo is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home

7:00 PM
MONTREAL vs. PHILADELPHIA
Montreal is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Montreal's last 5 games when playing Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Montreal
Philadelphia is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home

7:00 PM
NY ISLANDERS vs. TAMPA BAY
NY Islanders are 3-7 SU in their last 10 games on the road
NY Islanders are 2-5 SU in their last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Tampa Bay's last 10 games when playing NY Islanders
Tampa Bay is 10-4 SU in their last 14 games when playing at home against NY Islanders

7:00 PM
NY RANGERS vs. TORONTO
NY Rangers are 1-6 SU in their last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the NY Rangers last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games at home
Toronto is 5-17 SU in its last 22 games

7:00 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. OTTAWA
Pittsburgh is 13-1 SU in its last 14 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games
Ottawa is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games when playing Pittsburgh
Ottawa is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home

7:00 PM
WINNIPEG vs. NASHVILLE
Winnipeg is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Nashville
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Winnipeg's last 6 games when playing Nashville
Nashville is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Winnipeg
Nashville is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games at home

9:00 PM
BOSTON vs. LOS ANGELES
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
Boston is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Los Angeles's last 5 games

10:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. SAN JOSE
Phoenix is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games
Phoenix is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of San Jose's last 8 games at home
San Jose is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games at home

10:00 PM
VANCOUVER vs. COLORADO
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Vancouver's last 7 games
Vancouver is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Colorado is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Vancouver
Colorado is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Vancouver

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**Udog** · 03-24-2012, 08:43 AM

NHL

Saturday, March 24

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Hockey Night In Canada: NHL betting preview
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New York Rangers at Toronto Maple Leafs (+140, 5.5)

Reduced to playing spoiler in front of the nation, Toronto has an opportunity to make the Rangers sweat a little more. New York, coasting most of the season in the No. 1 spot of the East, now has prolific Pittsburgh hot on its tail and any slipup down the stretch may cost the Rangers.

Back in the fold

Rangers center Artem Anisimov returned to the lineup in a 2-1 overtime victory against the Detroit Red Wings at Madison Square Garden Wednesday, and do not underrate his presence.

He missed two games because of a shoulder injury and was eased back slowly, but the important thing is he's back. He took 15 shifts, had 12:14 time on the ice and finished with one shot and one block.

Anisimov, entering Friday's game against Buffalo, had 14 goals and 33 points, and he's also a favorite of coach John Tortorella, who doesn't have many of them. Maybe a plus-14 rating from a 23-year-old Russian, who is still learning his way in the NHL, has something to do with that affinity?

Either way, the Rangers are glad to have him back.

New players, new life

Think of them as those September call-ups in baseball, when the season is technically over and you can get a look at your future. And with banged-up bodies up and down the roster, these Toronto prospects should get a good look.

The Maple Leafs called up forwards Nazem Kadri and Ryan Hamilton from the AHL on an emergency basis Thursday. Hamilton, 26, is the captain of the Toronto Marlies and had 46 points with the team. Kadri, 21, had 13 goals and 32 points for the Marlies and has already had a stint with the big club this season.

The pair was slated to suit up for the Maple Leafs against the New Jersey Devils Friday.

Concerns up front

Maybe it's just a sign of the new NHL, and a disappointing one at that for over players, but it's hard to believe the season is almost over and the East's top team does not have a 70-point producer yet.

The Rangers are balanced, certainly. They have great goaltending and adequate defense. But offensively they still leave a little to be desired.

Marian Gaborik has had a terrific year. But entering Friday, he had just 66 points, highlighted by 35 goals, and hadn't scored since March 15. Brad Richards, the marquee offseason signing, has had a similar year. He's done enough to not draw complaints but had just 57 points headed into the Sabres game.

It is true, at this point in the year, it’s the quality and value of goals that matter more than the quantity, especially when you have Henrik Lundqvist between the pipes. But if the Rangers can't come up with enough tallies when it counts, it does leave open the possibility of an early playoff ouster.

History

Think New York. The Rangers have won four of the last five meetings between these two at the Air Canada Centre, and the road team has won six of the last seven in this Original Six rivalry. Also, Toronto has dropped eight straight at home.

Vancouver Canucks at Colorado Avalanche (+105, 5)

Having pretty much settled into the No. 2 seed in the West, Vancouver is fine-tuning its game carefully down the stretch, trying to get everyone healthy. It’s a different deal for Colorado, stuck in a tooth-and-nail fight for the final playoff spot in the conference. These two points certainly mean more to the home team Saturday.

Short on defense

They've played two more games than Dallas and that might end up being the fall of the Avalanche from the postseason mix. But for now, they must keep battling and do so while fighting injury.

In a critical 3-2 loss to Phoenix Thursday, defenseman Erik Johnson missed his second straight game because of a back injury. Johnson, who just turned 24 Wednesday, is a valued member of the backline and should be monitored. He has four goals and 24 points, and though he plays an aggressive game, he has just 24 minutes in penalties. He has 16 shots on net and 11 blocks this month.

Taking the cautious approach

While the Canucks prepare to play out the string, clearly the biggest concern is Daniel Sedin. Sedin sustained an elbow to the head from Chicago's Duncan Keith during the first period of the Blackhawks' 2-1 overtime win Wednesday. He has had headaches since and missed Thursday's 2-1 win over Dallas.

Sedin has 30 goals this season to go along with 67 points and a plus-14 rating. Clearly, he will be an obvious key cog to any lengthy postseason run and is valued on and off the ice. The team can’t be too cautious with this injury. He is out indefinitely.

Make-or-break March

The loss to the Coyotes was costly, but the Avalanche have been on a nice run and if they can sneak one out against the Canucks, and take advantage of a team that has more concerns off the ice than on, they can give themselves a boost. Colorado does have points in five of the last six games and the Avalanche won four of those contests.

Included in that run is an impressive 3-1 victory over the Rangers last Saturday that proved the Avalanche mean business. They have seven wins in March and are riding rookie Gabriel Landeskog as far as they can. He has 21 goals and 47 points.

History

The Canucks have won six of the last seven meetings of this rivalry in Colorado and the under has hit in four of the last five installments there. But the Avalanche have won four consecutive on home ice.

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**Udog** · 03-24-2012, 08:45 AM

NHL

Saturday, March 24

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Ice picks: Saturday's best NHL bets
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Winnipeg Jets at Nashville Predators (-200, 5.5)

Two words: Alexander Radulov.

The Russian forward left for the KHL in 2008 but returned this week to help bolster the Predator’s push for playoff positioning in the Western Conference. Radulov, who is still dealing with jet lag from his flight from Russia, has had limited practice time with the club but debuted on Thursday night with nearly 16 minutes of ice time as he scored his team’s only goal in a 5-1 loss to Pittsburgh.

"He's more mature in everything in terms of he's bigger. He's smarter. He's more hockey savvy with more poise," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "So yeah he's an improved version which is great because he was a good version when he was here."

And Radulov couldn’t have returned at a better time.

Nashville hasn’t scored more than three goals in nearly two weeks and not surprisingly is just 1-4 over that span.

"He's a superstar," defenseman Ryan Suter told reporters. "He plays hard and has got a great shot, and it's fun to be out there with him."

Pick: Predators

Phoenix Coyotes at San Jose Sharks (-138, 5)

No Shane Doan, no problem for the Phoenix Coyotes.

The team stayed in the thick of the playoff hunt this week with a 3-2 win over Colorado as their captain watched from high above, serving the first of a three-game suspension that will sideline him again on Saturday. Doan, who has 21 goals and 26 assists, was minus-11 through 74 games, however, and the team appears to be tightening its belt as it hits the stretch run.

"Guys knew they had to step it up," Phoenix coach Dave Tippett said after the win over the Avalanche. "As a team, we were stronger earlier in the game but didn't make enough plays in the third. We hung on, picked up the two points and now move forward."

Phoenix has seen the under go 35-29-11 this season and bettors have regularly cashed tickets playing the under when the Coyotes tangle with their Pacific Division rivals. Phoenix-San Jose matchups have seen the under go 11-5-2 in the past 16 meetings.

Meantime, San Jose also is getting stingier as the stakes increase. The Sharks have seen the under go 8-3-2 in their past 13 overall.

Pick: Under

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**Udog** · 03-24-2012, 08:48 AM

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, March 24

Hot Teams
-- Hawks won four of their last five games.
-- Knicks won five of their last six games.
-- Houston won/covered its last three home games.
-- Spurs won/covered five of last six games but they're 3-6 as road fave.
-- Bulls won six of last seven games, are 4-7-2 as double digit home fave.
-- Bucks won/covered seven of their last eight games.

Cold Teams
-- Clippers lost six of last nine games (1-8 vs spread). Memphis lost four of its last five games.
-- Washington is 3-10 vs spread at home if number is 6 or less points.
-- Detroit lost seven of last eight road games (4-12-1 as road underdog of 6+ points).
-- Bobcats covered twice in their last seven road games. Nets lost their last five games (0-5 vs spread).
-- Mavericks lost eight of last nine road games (2-7 vs spread).
-- Hornets lost five of their last six home games.
-- Toronto lost three of last four games but is 6-2 as a double digit dog.
-- Pacers lost four of their last five road games.
-- Kings lost nine of last ten on road, but covered five of last six. Golden State lost five of its last six games.

Wear-and-Tear
-- Grizzlies: 3rd game/5 nites. Clippers: 10th game/14 nites.
-- Hawks: 5th game/7 nites. Wizards: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Pistons: 3rd game/4 nites. Knicks: 4th game/5 nites.
-- Bobcats: 2nd nite in row, after three off. Nets: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Mavericks: 3rd game/4 nites. Rockets: 3rd game/5 nites.
-- Spurs: 3rd game/4 nites. Hornets: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Raptors: 4th game/5 nites. Bulls: Had last two nites off.
-- Pacers: 3rd nite in row, 8th/12 days. Bucks: 3rd nite in row.
-- Kings: 3rd game/5 nites.Warriors: 3rd game/4 nites.

Totals
-- Last six Clipper home games stayed under the total.
-- Last five Washington games stayed under the total.
-- Four of last five Detroit road games went over the total.
-- Last five Charlotte games went over the total.
-- Seven of last eight Dallas games went over the total.
-- Seven of last eight San Antonio games went over total.
-- Five of last seven Toronto games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last six Indiana games went over the total.
-- Nine of last ten Sacramento games went over the total.

Back-to-Back
-- Hawks are 4-1-1 vs spread on road if they played night before.
-- Pistons are 6-5-1 vs spread if they lost night before. Knicks are 3-4 vs spread if they lost the night before.
-- Bobcats are 3-6 vs spread on road if they played night before. Nets are 2-7-1 vs spread at home if they played the night before.
-- Mavericks are 3-5 vs spread on road if they played night before.
-- Spurs are 2-5 vs spread if they won the night before.
-- Raptors are 2-3 vs spread if they won the night before.
-- Pacers are 3-5 vs spread on road if they played night before. Bucks are 2-10-1 vs spread if they played night before, 1-5 at home.

**Udog** · 03-24-2012, 08:52 AM

NBA

Saturday, March 24

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Trend Report
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3:00 PM
MEMPHIS vs. LA CLIPPERS
Memphis is 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Memphis's last 5 games when playing LA Clippers
LA Clippers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games
LA Clippers are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games at home

7:00 PM
ATLANTA vs. WASHINGTON
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta's last 6 games when playing Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 6 games when playing Atlanta
Washington is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Atlanta

7:30 PM
DETROIT vs. NEW YORK
Detroit is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against New York
Detroit is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New York's last 5 games at home
New York is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

7:30 PM
CHARLOTTE vs. NEW JERSEY
Charlotte is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Charlotte's last 7 games when playing New Jersey
New Jersey is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New Jersey's last 6 games

8:00 PM
DALLAS vs. HOUSTON
Dallas is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Dallas is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Houston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Houston is 2-6-1 ATS in its last 9 games when playing at home against Dallas

8:00 PM
TORONTO vs. CHICAGO
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toronto's last 7 games
Toronto is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games on the road
Chicago is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games

8:00 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. NEW ORLEANS
San Antonio is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games when playing New Orleans
San Antonio is 4-8 ATS in its last 12 games when playing on the road against New Orleans
New Orleans is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games when playing San Antonio
New Orleans is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing San Antonio

8:30 PM
INDIANA vs. MILWAUKEE
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Indiana's last 6 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Indiana's last 6 games
Milwaukee is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Indiana
Milwaukee is 2-2-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Indiana

10:30 PM
SACRAMENTO vs. GOLDEN STATE
Sacramento is 7-14 SU in its last 21 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Sacramento's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Golden State's last 6 games at home
Golden State is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home

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**Udog** · 03-24-2012, 08:54 AM

NBA

Saturday, March 24

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Pick 'n' roll: Saturday's best NBA bets
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Sacramento Kings at Golden State Warriors (-2.5, 207)

It’s hard to find a bigger fan of the recent Golden State trades than guard Klay Thompson.

The Warriors rookie guard has blown up in the six games since the team shipped out Monta Ellis and opened a starting spot for him in the backcourt. Over that span, the first-year player from Washington State is averaging 20 points in 37 minutes as he is shooting 40.9 percent from the field. Not the highest percentage, but not bad for a player of his pedigree learning how to score in a variety of ways every night. In a 101-92 win over New Orleans this week, Thompson exploded for a career-high 27 points. Overall, he is averaging 9.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.

"He came into the league being able to get open off screens and get shots," Warriors coach Mark Jackson told reporters. "The thing that he's gotten better with doing from Day 1 is putting the ball on the floor. He was not able to do that the first time he stepped on an NBA court. Right now he's comfortable doing it, and he's going to continue to get better."

The Warriors are 5-0 ATS their past five against the Pacific Division.

Pick: Warriors

Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Clippers (-3.5, 190.5)

It looks like Vinny Del Negro might want to start checking the real estate market.

"Vinny has lost the team," one source told ESPN.com. "They don't want to play hard for him."

Reports leaked late this week the Clippers coach was losing the locker room and the team was starting to revolt. Well, going 4-6 SU and 2-8 ATS the past 10 games certainly can’t help. Another big issue is the coach’s inability to establish a consistent rotation with a talented squad. Guard Eric Bledsoe has seen his minutes go from double-digits to a seat on the bench some nights and starter and team-favorite Randy Foye has gone from key cog to the pine after the team acquired streak-shooter Nick Young.

Del Negro also reportedly has refused to critize stars Blake Griffin and Chris Paul while trashing the team’s reserves.

"That's a big problem," one player told ESPN.com. "The best coaches jump on whoever deserves it, no matter who it is."

And even with the team’s struggles, Del Negro refuses to admit he is an anchor brining down the team.

"When you're losing games, everyone jumps on you. If you can't take the heat, you shouldn't do the job," Del Negro told the Los Angeles Times. "That's part of it. You have to win games. That's what you're measured on and we haven't played as well as I would like or anybody."

Did we mention the Clippers are 2-8 ATS the past 10 games?

Pick: Grizzlies

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**Udog** · 03-24-2012, 08:55 AM

NASCAR betting: Auto Club 400 preview and picks

NASCAR continues its zigzag course across America, heading back out west to the Auto Club Speedway near Los Angeles for Sunday’s Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 400.

While the series has covered the far reaches of the country, it has also raced on a different sized track each week. Sunday will mark the first trip of the season to a 2-mile oval and is shaping up to be a battle between two California natives: Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick.

Johnson has won two of the last four races at the Auto Club Speedway and is the series' active leader with five wins overall in California. He’s also coming off two Top-5 finishes in the last four races. After the team won their appeal for penalties during Daytona this week, Johnson had 25 points added back and vaulted 12 spots to 11th in the standings.

He was second at the Auto Club Speedway last season, losing to Harvick by 0.144 seconds – the closest NSCS finish in the track’s history. The No. 48 has the history and the motivation to go all the way this weekend.

“We got our first Sprint Cup career win there in 2002, so it’s a special track to me,” Johnson said. “I remember last year, we were very close to Victory Lane, about three-quarters of a mile away from the trophy, but Kevin Harvick found a way around the outside. So, I know we’ll go there and be very competitive.”

Just like he did last season, Harvick is looking to spoil Johnson’s homecoming with a party of his own. As the defending winner of this race, and with three Top 10s and a Top 5 finish at California in the four races prior to that, Harvick has a good shot at making it back-to-back victories in the Golden State.

"The last two years, the race has pretty much come down to us and the No. 48 team (Jimmie Johnson),” Harvick said, pointing out that he nearly won in 2010. “The year before I ran into the wall and last year we won. That was good to come back and rebound from the mistake from 2010 and being able to race with Jimmie was a lot of fun. Especially at the California race track. That's been a great race track for us over the last several years and I’m looking forward to going back.”

While Johnson and Harvick have traded spring race victories, it’s important to remember that Tony Stewart scored a win in between their trips to Victory Lane. The defending Sprint Cup champion - a winner at Phoenix earlier this month - captured the Auto Club Speedway’s final 500-mile fall race in 2010 and could spoil the Sunday for the California kids.

Head-to-head

Carl Edwards vs. Matt Kenseth: You can’t dismiss the Roush-Fenway Fords at California. While they may not be favorites Sunday, both Edwards and Kenseth have won here before. Edwards is looking to rebound from a disastrous outing at Bristol last week while Kenseth has been strong to start 2012. This week’s primetime matchup should be a good one, but look for Edwards to finish ahead of Kenseth.

Martin Truex Jr. vs. Mark Martin: This battle among teammates at Michael Waltrip Racing should be another good matchup. The MWR team surprised many by having all three cars finish in the Top 5 at Bristol last week. Truex looked strong last Sunday and seems to be coming alive. Martin is running a part-time schedule and returns this week with the same team Brian Vickers led laps and finished fifth with last Sunday. Martin has the best record at Auto Club Speedway - a win in 1998 among six top-five finishes - so look for him to finish with Truex in his rear view.

Bottom line

Eleven of the 22 races at Auto Club Speedway were won from starting positions outside the top 10. Only one has been won from the pole (Jimmie Johnson in 2008). The most productive two starting positions are third and 24th, with three victories each. Matt Kenseth won the 2006 spring race from the 31st starting position - the deepest in the field that a race winner has started.

Picks

Jimmie Johnson (+700)
Kevin Harvick (+1,000)
Tony Stewart (+800)

**Udog** · 03-24-2012, 09:23 AM

NHL
Dunkel

Boston at Los Angeles
The Kings look to build on their 6-0 record in their last 6 games as a favorite of -110 to -150. Los Angeles is the pick (-125) according to Dunkel, which has the Kings favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-125). Here are all of today's picks.

SATURDAY, MARCH 24

Game 1-2: Calgary at Dallas (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Calgary 11.560; Dallas 10.064
Dunkel Line & Total: Calgary by 1 1/2; 5 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Dallas (-150); 5
Dunkel Pick: Calgary (+130); Over

Game 3-4: Minnesota at Buffalo (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 10.631; Buffalo 12.431
Dunkel Line & Total: Buffalo by 2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Buffalo (-220); 5
Dunkel Pick: Buffalo (-220); Under

Game 5-6: Montreal at Philadelphia (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Montreal 11.635; Philadelphia 12.804
Dunkel Line & Total: Philadelphia by 1; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Philadelphia (-235); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-235); Under

Game 7-8: Carolina at Detroit (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Carolina 11.228; Detroit 10.182
Dunkel Line & Total: Carolina by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 9-10: Winnipeg at Nashville (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Winnipeg 11.450; Nashville 10.657
Dunkel Line & Total: Winnipeg by 1; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Nashville (-200); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Winnipeg (+170); Under

Game 11-12: NY Rangers at Toronto (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Rangers 11.993; Toronto 10.858
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Rangers by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: NY Rangers (-160); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Rangers (-160); Under

Game 13-14: Pittsburgh at Ottawa (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 13.194; Ottawa 10.261
Dunkel Line & Total: Pittsburgh by 3; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Pittsburgh (-170); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-170); Over

Game 15-16: NY Islanders at Tampa Bay (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Islanders 11.615; Tampa Bay 10.342
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Islanders by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Tampa Bay (-115); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Islanders (-105); Over

Game 17-18: Boston at Los Angeles (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston 10.909; Los Angeles 12.572
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 1 1/2; 5 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles (-125); 5
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-125); Over

Game 19-20: Vancouver at Colorado (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Vancouver 10.976; Colorado 11.413
Dunkel Line & Total: Colorado by 1/2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Vancouver (-120); 5
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (+100); Under

Game 21-22: Phoenix at San Jose (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 11.340; San Jose 10.803
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1/2; 5 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: San Jose (-145); 5
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+125); Over

**Udog** · 03-24-2012, 09:26 AM

NHL
Long Sheet

Saturday, March 24

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CALGARY (34-26-0-15, 83 pts.) at DALLAS (40-29-0-5, 85 pts.) - 3/24/2012, 2:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 40-33 ATS (+3.7 Units) in all games this season.
DALLAS is 10-3 ATS (+13.2 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5 or less this season.
DALLAS is 169-113 ATS (-54.3 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game since 1996.
DALLAS is 23-12 ATS (+36.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
CALGARY is 14-7 ATS (+22.2 Units) in road games on Saturday games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 5-5-0 straight up against CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.1 Units)

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MINNESOTA (31-32-0-10, 72 pts.) at BUFFALO (36-29-0-10, 82 pts.) - 3/24/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 11-21 ATS (+32.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
BUFFALO is 50-39 ATS (-7.3 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 18-10 ATS (+29.4 Units) after playing 3 consecutive home games over the last 3 seasons.
BUFFALO is 1-6 ATS (-8.7 Units) in home games on Saturday games this season.
BUFFALO is 1-7 ATS (-8.0 Units) in home games when playing on back-to-back days this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 1-1 (+0.2 Units) against the spread versus BUFFALO over the last 3 seasons
BUFFALO is 1-1-0 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.0 Units)

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MONTREAL (29-33-0-13, 71 pts.) at PHILADELPHIA (43-23-0-8, 94 pts.) - 3/24/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MONTREAL is 28-46 ATS (+74.4 Units) in all games this season.
MONTREAL is 16-28 ATS (+44.4 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
MONTREAL is 6-14 ATS (-8.5 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.
MONTREAL is 13-25 ATS (+40.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
MONTREAL is 26-16 ATS (+42.2 Units) on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 38-35 ATS (-10.1 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 17-17 ATS (-10.2 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 24-24 ATS (-16.4 Units) in home games second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 11-5 (+5.0 Units) against the spread versus MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA is 11-5-0 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
8 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.6 Units, Under=-0.9 Units)

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CAROLINA (30-30-0-15, 75 pts.) at DETROIT (44-25-0-5, 93 pts.) - 3/24/2012, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 1-1 (+0.0 Units) against the spread versus CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 1-1-0 straight up against CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.0 Units)

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WINNIPEG (35-31-0-8, 78 pts.) at NASHVILLE (42-24-0-8, 92 pts.) - 3/24/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WINNIPEG is 0-9 ATS (+14.6 Units) in road games when playing on back-to-back days this season.
NASHVILLE is 91-76 ATS (-3.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NASHVILLE is 23-8 ATS (+14.5 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 2 seasons.
NASHVILLE is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game this season.
NASHVILLE is 28-16 ATS (+8.1 Units) on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NASHVILLE is 3-1 (+2.0 Units) against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
NASHVILLE is 3-1-0 straight up against WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.0 Units)

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NY RANGERS (46-21-0-7, 99 pts.) at TORONTO (33-34-0-8, 74 pts.) - 3/24/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY RANGERS are 46-27 ATS (+7.9 Units) in all games this season.
NY RANGERS are 13-4 ATS (+17.6 Units) in road games after allowing 4 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 25-12 ATS (+10.5 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 22-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
NY RANGERS are 8-2 ATS (+6.0 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 this season.
NY RANGERS are 20-10 ATS (+8.6 Units) when playing on back-to-back days over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 28-42 ATS (+74.3 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 16-25 ATS (-13.3 Units) in home games revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 93-115 ATS (-40.1 Units) in home games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game since 1996.
TORONTO is 8-21 ATS (+31.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY RANGERS is 7-4 (+2.2 Units) against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
NY RANGERS is 7-4-0 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.2 Units)

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PITTSBURGH (46-21-0-6, 98 pts.) at OTTAWA (37-28-0-10, 84 pts.) - 3/24/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 97-64 ATS (+1.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 27-14 ATS (+12.3 Units) in road games revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 48-18 ATS (+16.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 25-10 ATS (+9.2 Units) second half of the season this season.
PITTSBURGH is 19-5 ATS (+13.1 Units) in road games on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.
OTTAWA is 4-13 ATS (+17.7 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game this season.
OTTAWA is 1-7 ATS (-8.8 Units) in home games on Saturday games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
OTTAWA is 7-10 (+0.7 Units) against the spread versus PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 10-7-0 straight up against OTTAWA over the last 3 seasons
12 of 17 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+6.4 Units)

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NY ISLANDERS (30-32-0-11, 71 pts.) at TAMPA BAY (33-33-0-7, 73 pts.) - 3/24/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 90-82 ATS (+202.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 68-113 ATS (+195.9 Units) after playing 3 consecutive home games since 1996.
TAMPA BAY is 248-340 ATS (+649.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY ISLANDERS is 6-5 (+2.1 Units) against the spread versus TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
NY ISLANDERS is 6-5-0 straight up against TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.3 Units)

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BOSTON (42-28-0-3, 87 pts.) at LOS ANGELES (37-25-0-12, 86 pts.) - 3/24/2012, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 18-20 ATS (-15.9 Units) second half of the season this season.
BOSTON is 21-27 ATS (-17.4 Units) on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 25-33 ATS (-23.7 Units) in home games revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 35-36 ATS (-20.1 Units) in home games second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 8-13 ATS (-7.6 Units) on Saturday games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 4-1 (+3.4 Units) against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 4-1-0 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.0 Units)

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VANCOUVER (44-21-0-9, 97 pts.) at COLORADO (40-31-0-5, 85 pts.) - 3/24/2012, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 40-36 ATS (-20.8 Units) in all games this season.
COLORADO is 10-6 ATS (+3.2 Units) on Saturday games this season.
VANCOUVER is 63-33 ATS (+18.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
VANCOUVER is 89-87 ATS (+194.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1996.
VANCOUVER is 102-88 ATS (+196.3 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5 or less since 1996.
VANCOUVER is 186-163 ATS (+354.1 Units) in road games second half of the season since 1996.
VANCOUVER is 10-2 ATS (+7.6 Units) in road games in March games over the last 2 seasons.
VANCOUVER is 10-2 ATS (+7.5 Units) in road games on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.
VANCOUVER is 10-2 ATS (+7.6 Units) in road games after 3 or more consecutive unders over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 7-27 ATS (+42.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 15-23 ATS (-12.9 Units) in home games second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 14-31 ATS (+50.1 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
VANCOUVER is 13-3 (+8.6 Units) against the spread versus COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
VANCOUVER is 13-3-0 straight up against COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
8 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.1 Units)

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PHOENIX (37-26-0-12, 86 pts.) at SAN JOSE (37-27-0-10, 84 pts.) - 3/24/2012, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 132-117 ATS (+12.5 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 94-93 ATS (+221.1 Units) in road games vs. division opponents since 1996.
SAN JOSE is 37-37 ATS (+75.1 Units) in all games this season.
SAN JOSE is 13-20 ATS (-21.3 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
SAN JOSE is 5-13 ATS (-16.6 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.
SAN JOSE is 18-22 ATS (-21.2 Units) second half of the season this season.
SAN JOSE is 5-12 ATS (-14.5 Units) after a non-conference game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN JOSE is 10-6 (+1.1 Units) against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
SAN JOSE is 10-6-0 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
9 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.9 Units)

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Announcement

Saturday's Trends and Indexes - 3/24 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

Saturday's Trends and Indexes - 3/24 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

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