The Bum's NHL Regular and Stanley Cup Playoff's Best Bets !

[StarDust Bum]

Thursday, May 23

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Boston - 7:00 PM ET NY Rangers -110 500
NY Rangers - Under 5 500

Chicago - 8:00 PM ET Detroit +115 500 POD # 2
Detroit - Over 5 500

San Jose - 10:30 PM ET San Jose +133 500 POD # 1
Los Angeles - Over 5 500

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Dunkel

Ottawa at Pittsburgh
The Penguins look to follow up their 7-3 win in Game 4 and build on their 7-2 record in their last 9 games after scoring 5 goals or more in the previous game. Pittsburgh is the pick (-220) according to Dunkel, which has the Penguins favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-220). Here are all of today's picks.

FRIDAY, MAY 24

Game 51-52: Ottawa at Pittsburgh (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Ottawa 12.012; Pittsburgh 13.660
Dunkel Line & Total: Pittsburgh by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Pittsburgh (-220); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-220); Under




NHL
Short Sheet

Friday, May 24

Conference Semifinals, Game Five (Pittsburgh Leads, 3-1)
Ottawa at Pittsburgh, 7:35 ET NBCSN
Ottawa: 3-8 SU revenging a home loss
Pittsburgh: 6-1 SU after scoring 6+ goals




NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, May 24

Home teams are now 14-3 in this round of playoffs, under 9-5-3. Pittsburgh had a power play and 1-0 lead in last minute of only game they've lost in series- they're 6-1 against the Senators this year, winning 2-1/4-2/3-1/4-1/4-3/7-3. Penguins won five of last six games overall, with only 12 goals allowed since the switch to Vokoun in goal. Senators lost six of last seven visits here, losing last three, 4-2/4-1/4-3. Eight of last twelve series games went over total. Penguins are 3-10 on power play in two home games in series, 5-21 overall. Senators are 1-14 on power play in series. Penguins would like to win here, then hope the Rangers and Boston beat the hell out of each other for three more games.




NHL

Friday, May 24

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Trend Report
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7:30 PM
OTTAWA vs. PITTSBURGH
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Ottawa's last 5 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
Ottawa is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Pittsburgh's last 18 games at home
Pittsburgh is 19-3 SU in its last 22 games at home


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NHL

Friday, May 24

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Friday's NHL playoff action: What bettors need to know
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Ottawa Senators at Pittsburgh Penguins (-209, 5.5)

Pittsburgh leads best-of-seven series 3-1.

After coming under fire with his words, Daniel Alfredsson will look to ignite the Ottawa Senators with his actions Friday as they attempt to stave off elimination against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference second-round series. The captain recorded a goal and an assist Wednesday to reach the 100-point plateau of his postseason career, but top-seeded Pittsburgh breezed to a 7-3 triumph to seize a 3-1 advantage in the series. Alfredsson answered honestly when asked if it was feasible to believe that the seventh-seeded Senators can defeat the Penguins in three consecutive contests. "Probably not," the 40-year-old said. "I mean, with their depth and power play right now, you know, it doesn't look too good."

James Neal and Jarome Iginla scored two goals apiece and Norris Trophy finalist Kris Letang notched four assists in the Game 4 onslaught. Pittsburgh's high-octane offense is averaging 4.1 goals per game in the postseason - and is showing no signs of slowing down. With one more victory, the Penguins will advance to the conference finals for the first time since 2009.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports, CBC, RDS

ABOUT THE SENATORS: Coach Paul MacLean was pretty direct with his assessment of Game 4 - and he needed just 13 seconds to get his point across. "Everything's right here," MacLean said as he held up the game sheet. "It's 7-3. We're going to Pittsburgh and we're coming to play. Good night." Anderson expects to be back between the pipes in Game 5. When asked if there would be a goaltending change, Anderson was confident in his response. "I don't think so. I don't know why there would be," said Anderson, who has been pulled twice in the series.

ABOUT THE PENGUINS: Home hasn't been a safe haven during Dan Bylsma's reign as coach of the Penguins. Pittsburgh is winless in six attempts when it has a chance to clinch a playoff series on home ice. "I don't think there's a reason for it, it's probably just coincidence," pesky Matt Cooke said. "The fourth win in a series is always the hardest to get. Their backs are against the wall and (that's when teams) are the most desperate and emotional." Pittsburgh last clinched a series at home in Game 5 of the 2008 Eastern Conference finals versus Keystone State rival Philadelphia.

TRENDS:

* Senators are 4-0 in their last 4 games playing on 1 days rest.
* Under is 13-5 in Penguins last 18 home games.
* Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Pittsburgh.
* Senators are 1-6 in the last 7 meetings in Pittsburgh.

OVERTIME:

1. The Penguins held a 3-1 series against the Senators during their playoff series in 2010. Ottawa won Game 5 in Pittsburgh before the Penguins finished off the Senators in Game 6.

2. After scoring six power-play goals in their first-round series, the Senators have tallied just twice with the man advantage versus the Penguins.

3. Should a Game 6 be necessary, it will be played at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Long Sheet


Friday, May 24

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OTTAWA (30-21-0-6, 66 pts.) at PITTSBURGH (43-14-0-1, 87 pts.) - 5/24/2013, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 43-15 ATS (+59.3 Units) in all games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 43-15 ATS (+14.3 Units) second half of the season this season.
PITTSBURGH is 20-6 ATS (+9.6 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more this season.
PITTSBURGH is 16-3 ATS (+10.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
PITTSBURGH is 26-8 ATS (+15.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 10-5 (+2.6 Units) against the spread versus OTTAWA over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 10-5-0 straight up against OTTAWA over the last 3 seasons
9 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.5 Units)

[StarDust Bum]

Friday, May 24

Game Score Status Pick Amount



Ottawa - 7:30 PM ET Pittsburgh -209 500 pod # !



Pittsburgh - Under 5.5 500 pod # 2

[StarDust Bum]

Quest for the Cup: Does Ottawa have any fight left?

May 24, 2013 10:51 am ET



First star game of the day

Game 5 (PIT 3-1), Ottawa at Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN):

After the demoralizing 7-3 loss on home ice in Game 4, the Ottawa Senators sure seemed cooked. Pittsburgh took a commanding 3-1 series lead and pushed the Sens to the brink of elimination.

In head coach Paul MacLean's now infamous 13-second press conference he said, “We are coming to Pittsburgh and we are coming to play.”

MacLean drew heat for his brevity, but quite simply, there's not much else to say in the situation the Senators are in. If Ottawa wants to survive, they better come to play with their best effort Friday night.

The Penguins made an emphatic statement in Game 4 in Ottawa, reminding everyone of just what they're capable of. It was the most lopsided game of the playoffs, but the Senators were just days removed from pulling off a huge overtime win and had hung with the Penguins closely enough to compete throughout the series.

That didn't prevent even Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson from admitting that his club probably couldn't come back in the series after the game. He has since backed off those comments, saying they were taken out of context, but it was a telling show of frustration from the team's leader.

The Senators may not only be playing for their lives Friday night, but to also try and extend Alfredsson's career at least a few more games. Speculation is increasing that the Ottawa captain will retire at year's end.

Beating the Penguins in three straight very well could be impossible, but the games still have to be played. The only question is, will the Senators “come to play” in them? If they don't Friday night, it could all be over quickly.

Snap shots

- Rob Rossi sat down with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and covered a lot of ground including the latest on the Olympics, the upcoming outdoor games and Pittsburgh's growth as a hockey market. (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

- The “Pesky Sens” face their biggest adversity yet in the playoffs. (National Post)

- Chris Kreider's OT winner in Game 4 is reminded Rangers fans of the surprising show he put on last postseason. (New York Times)

- The London Knights will meet the Portland Winterhawks in the semifinals at the 2013 Memorial Cup Friday night. The winner takes on the Halifax Mooseheads in the championship game. As many as nine first-round candidates for this year's NHL Draft -- including the consensus top three in Seth Jones, Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin -- remain in the tournament. (NHL.com)

- Jimmy Howard has been incredible for the Red Wings in their series against Chicago. He got a special congratulatory handshake after Thursday night's shutout from the one and only Gordie Howe. Just like his old playing days, Mr. Hockey elbowed his way right through that media scrum. Great stuff. (NHL.com)

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Dunkel

Detroit at Chicago
The Red Wings are coming off a 2-0 win over Chicago in Game 4 and look to build on their 5-0 record in their last 5 games after scoring 2 goals or less in the previous game. Detroit is the pick (+170) according to Dunkel, which has the Red Wings favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+170). Here are all of today's picks.

SATURDAY, MAY 25

Game 53-54: NY Rangers at Boston (5:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Rangers 11.918; Boston 12.956
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 1; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Boston (-155); 5
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-155); Under

Game 55-56: Detroit at Chicago (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 12.707; Chicago 11.212
Dunkel Line & Total: Detroit by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago (-200); 5
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+170); Over




NHL
Long Sheet

Saturday, May 25

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NY RANGERS (31-21-0-7, 69 pts.) at BOSTON (35-17-0-7, 77 pts.) - 5/25/2013, 5:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY RANGERS are 11-19 ATS (-9.9 Units) in road games second half of the season this season.
NY RANGERS are 3-9 ATS (-7.8 Units) in road games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.
NY RANGERS are 4-12 ATS (+16.7 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
NY RANGERS are 8-16 ATS (-9.4 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5 or less this season.
BOSTON is 214-195 ATS (-91.7 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.
BOSTON is 29-36 ATS (-26.7 Units) on Saturday games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY RANGERS is 9-6 (+3.6 Units) against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
NY RANGERS is 9-6-0 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.4 Units)

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DETROIT (31-19-0-9, 71 pts.) at CHICAGO (41-10-0-6, 88 pts.) - 5/25/2013, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 6-13 ATS (-8.7 Units) in road games after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 91-96 ATS (-41.1 Units) in road games after a 3 game unbeaten streak since 1996.
CHICAGO is 41-16 ATS (+59.3 Units) in all games this season.
CHICAGO is 328-343 ATS (+788.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
CHICAGO is 41-16 ATS (+9.9 Units) second half of the season this season.
CHICAGO is 17-5 ATS (+10.7 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
CHICAGO is 11-1 ATS (+9.2 Units) in home games after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 8-18 ATS (-17.0 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 13-7 (+3.1 Units) against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 13-7-0 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
14 of 17 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+11.3 Units)

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NHL

Saturday, May 25

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Trend Report
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5:30 PM
NY RANGERS vs. BOSTON
The total has gone OVER in 4 of the NY Rangers last 6 games when playing Boston
NY Rangers are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Boston's last 6 games when playing NY Rangers
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

8:00 PM
DETROIT vs. CHICAGO
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Detroit's last 14 games when playing Chicago
Detroit is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games when playing Chicago
Chicago is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
Chicago is 14-7 SU in its last 21 games


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NHL

Saturday, May 25

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Saturday's NHL playoff action: What bettors need to know
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New York Rangers at Boston Bruins (-145, 5)

Bruins lead best-of-seven series 3-1.

Tuukka Rask tripped over his own skates in Game 4, opening the door for the New York Rangers in their Eastern Conference second-round series. Rask would like to end the threat and lift the fourth-seeded Boston Bruins into the conference finals when the teams reconvene at TD Garden on Saturday. Rask's gaffe gave sixth-seeded New York a lift before former Boston College star Chris Kreider scored 7:03 into overtime as the Rangers skated to a 4-3 triumph on Thursday.

While Rask didn't have much of a chance on the final tally, he did his best to keep the first one in perspective. "You can either cry about it - or laugh about it," Rask said on Friday. "I choose to have a sense of humor." With a 1-5 mark away from Madison Square Garden, New York is hardly laughing about its road record in the playoffs.

TV: 5:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports, TSN, RDS

ABOUT THE RANGERS: Brian Boyle scored the team's first power-play goal of the series and third of the postseason midway through the third period of Game 4. Defenseman Ryan McDonagh helped set up the tally and logged over 3 1/2 minutes of ice time with the man advantage. "I think he helped us (in Game 4) on the power play," New York coach John Tortorella said of McDonagh. "It's me. I (messed) that up not using him early enough and I should have." Veteran Brad Richards, who was a healthy scratch in Game 4, was missing from practice on Friday and will likely miss his second straight contest.

ABOUT THE BRUINS: Defenseman Torey Krug has provided a jolt to Boston's ailing power play. The defenseman has scored two of his team's three goals with the man advantage during the series while also scoring in three of the last four games overall. "I think that we're just not passing up those good opportunities," Krug said of the team's improving performance on the power play. "You'd see sometimes in the past we'd be passing the puck and we'd want to make that extra pass. But this time, we're shooting pucks, we're getting pucks to the net, and guys are taking away Henrik's (Lundqvist) ice."

TRENDS:

* Rangers are 1-5 in their last six road games.
* Bruins are 0-7 in their last seven Saturday games.
* Over is 4-1-1 in the last six meetings.

OVERTIME

1. Boston Ds Dennis Seidenberg and Wade Redden skated with the team during Friday's practice. Seidenberg is dealing with a lower-body injury while Redden has been sidelined with an undisclosed ailment.

2. The Rangers are 6-1 in their last seven elimination games - including 3-0 in 2013.

3. Should New York emerge victorious, Game 6 will be at Madison Square Garden on Monday.



Detroit Red Wings at Chicago Blackhawks (-197, 5)

Red Wings lead best-of-seven series 3-1.

The top-seeded Chicago Blackhawks had a glorious start to the lockout-shortened season, recording an NHL-record 24-game point streak. They look to avoid a disastrous ending to the campaign as they host the seventh-seeded Detroit Red Wings on Saturday in an attempt to stave off elimination from the their Western Conference second-round series. Chicago cruised to the second Presidents' Trophy in club history and made easy work of the eighth-seeded Minnesota Wild in the first round before opening the matchup against its Original Six rival with a 4-1 victory thanks to a three-goal third period.

Things have since taken a turn for the worse, as the Blackhawks enter Game 5 in the midst of their first three-game slide of 2013. Chicago has scored a total of two goals in the three losses, with Patrick Kane recording both. Detroit pushed its Central Division rival to the brink of elimination Thursday, when Jimmy Howard made 28 saves for his second career playoff shutout and defenseman Jakub Kindl scored the first power-play goal allowed by the Blackhawks this postseason to snap a scoreless tie in the second period.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC, CBC, RDS

ABOUT THE RED WINGS: After waiting until the final day of the regular season to qualify for the playoffs, Detroit is one victory away from advancing to the conference final for the first time since 2009, when it went on to lose to Pittsburgh in the second straight Stanley Cup final matchup between the clubs. Captain Henrik Zetterberg is not surprised the team is in such a position, even though it finished seventh in the West. "We don't really look at where we finished in the regular season," he told the Detroit Free Press. "It's a new season. You can't really care what you did in the regular season." While Chicago has been strong on the penalty kill, Detroit has been no slouch in that department as the Blackhawks are just 1-for-12 with the man advantage. "We've gotten better," said defenseman Jonathan Ericsson, whose team allowed seven power-play goals in its first-round series against Anaheim. "They're not getting as much and the puck seems to stay on the boards and doesn't come into (Howard) as much."

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS: With the exception of Kane, Chicago's top players need to raise their game in order to keep the season alive. Topping the list is captain Jonathan Toews, who has yet to score a goal this postseason and let that frustration get the better of him in Game 4. Toews, who committed only 11 minor penalties during the regular season, was called for three in a span of just over 5 1/2 minutes in the middle period, with the second infraction leading to Kindl's power-play goal. "It's in the heat of the moment," said Toews, who was called for two high-sticking penalties and one for hooking. "I've got to be careful of my stick. That doesn't help my team." Defenseman Brent Seabrook refused to put any blame on Toews for the dire situation the team is in. "I think we all take the burden," Seabrook said. "We all win as a group, we lose as a group. Just because one guy's not scoring doesn't mean he's going to win the game or lose the game for us."

TRENDS:

* Red Wings are 1-4 in the last five meetings in Chicago.
* Home team is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Under is 8-2-6 in Red Wings’ last 16 road games.

OVERTIME

1. After allowing five goals in the first two games of the series, Howard has stopped 86-of-88 shots over the last three contests.

2. Chicago's Joel Quenneville is one loss away from falling to 0-6 as a coach in playoff series against Detroit.

3. The Blackhawks were a perfect 30-for-30 on the penalty kill before Kindl's goal.

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday, May 25

Game Score Status Pick Amount

NY Rangers - 5:30 PM ET Boston -156 500
Boston - Under 5 500

Detroit - 8:00 PM ET Detroit +179 500 POD # 1
Chicago - Under 5 500

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday, May 26

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Los Angeles - 8:00 PM ET San Jose -125 500 POD #1


San Jose - Under 5 500 POD # 2

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Long Sheet

Sunday, May 26

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LOS ANGELES (34-18-0-7, 75 pts.) at SAN JOSE (31-19-0-7, 69 pts.) - 5/26/2013, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOS ANGELES is 6-20 ATS (-14.9 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5 or less this season.
LOS ANGELES is 9-20 ATS (-12.3 Units) in road games second half of the season this season.
LOS ANGELES is 2-9 ATS (-8.1 Units) in road games vs. division opponents this season.
LOS ANGELES is 1-8 ATS (-8.2 Units) in road games after a division game this season.
LOS ANGELES is 12-31 ATS (+49.4 Units) in road games after shutting out their opponent in their previous game since 1996.
LOS ANGELES is 4-12 ATS (+16.5 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
SAN JOSE is 21-7 ATS (+10.0 Units) in home games second half of the season this season.
SAN JOSE is 10-1 ATS (+8.5 Units) in home games after a division game this season.
SAN JOSE is 14-2 ATS (+11.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
SAN JOSE is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
LOS ANGELES is 33-18 ATS (+13.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 5-14 ATS (-13.8 Units) on Sunday games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 71-74 ATS (-55.2 Units) in home games when playing with 2 days rest since 1996.
SAN JOSE is 31-37 ATS (+71.5 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN JOSE is 15-12 (+0.0 Units) against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
SAN JOSE is 15-12-0 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
12 of 23 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-1.2 Units, Under=-1.0 Units)

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NHL
Short Sheet

Sunday, May 26

Conference Semifinals, Game Six (Los Angeles Leads, 3-2)
Los Angeles at San Jose, 8:05 ET NBCSN
Los Angeles: 2-9 SU away vs. division opponents
San Jose: 8-1 SU off 3+ division games




NHL

Sunday, May 26

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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
LOS ANGELES vs. SAN JOSE
Los Angeles is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against San Jose
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Los Angeles's last 5 games when playing San Jose
San Jose is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Jose's last 5 games


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NHL

Sunday, May 26

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Kings at Sharks: What bettors need to know
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Los Angeles Kings at San Jose Sharks (-128, 4.5)

Kings lead best-of-seven series 3-2.

The sixth-seeded San Jose Sharks return to the safe haven of HP Pavilion with hopes of stretching their Western Conference second-round series to the limit as they host the Pacific Division-rival Los Angeles Kings in Game 6 on Sunday. San Jose has yet to lose at home this postseason, winning all four contests - including two in this matchup. It will have to continue that trend as it trails 3-2 after being shut out for the second time in the series on Thursday.

The Sharks dropped the first two games of the series and were a goal away from falling into a 3-0 hole, but Logan Couture scored a power-play goal in overtime for a 2-1 victory in Game 3. Another 2-1 home triumph on Tuesday evened the series, but the reigning Stanley Cup champions dominated the first two periods of Game 5 and Jonathan Quick was impenetrable en route to his league-leading third shutout of the playoffs. The victory extended Los Angeles' home winning streak to 13 games - including all six in the postseason. The Kings will need to find a way to win on the road in order to avoid a decisive seventh game at Staples Center on Tuesday, as they are just 1-4 away from home.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TSN, RDS

ABOUT THE KINGS: Quick is making a bid to repeat as the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as, in addition to shutouts, he leads the league in goals-against average (1.50) and save percentage (.948) and shares the top spot in victories with seven. "He's awesome," center Trevor Lewis said. "He's our MVP. He's our best player. He probably makes it look easy out there, but he does a lot for us." Anze Kopitar's goal in Game 5, which opened the scoring and proved to be the winner, was just his second in his last 27 contests dating back to March 25, when he tallied against Chicago. The Slovenian admitted the drought was getting to him. "It's a little bit on my mind," Kopitar said. "If I get on the board, it's a little more relieving for me. Now it's a matter of doing it over and over again." Jarret Stoll, who suffered a head injury in Game 1 on a hit that earned San Jose's Raffi Torres a suspension, skated briefly on Friday but is nowhere near returning.

ABOUT THE SHARKS: Coach Todd McLellan downplayed Quick's performance in Game 5, instead criticizing the effort by his own team. "I didn't think we tested (Quick) a lot," McLellan said. "There are a number of goalies in the league that could have performed that way. Maybe his best save was his last one, but other than that, he didn't have to work hard." Couture agreed that San Jose did not put forth its best effort. "Myself included, we were bad," he said. "That's why we lost. We're not going to win if our best players are not our best players. We need to step up." Right wing Adam Burish could return to the lineup for Game 6 as he reportedly skated on the fourth line during Saturday's practice. "He is very close and he may be an option," McLellan told the San Jose Mercury News. Burish has been sidelined since suffering a hand injury in Game 4 of the first-round series against Vancouver.

TRENDS:

* Kings are 1-10 in their last 11 road games.
* Under is 6-0-2 in Kings’ last eight road games.
* Under is 4-1 in Sharks’ last five overall.

OVERTIME

1. The Kings were dominant on the road last postseason, winning their first 10 away from home before dropping Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final in New Jersey.

2. Quick became Los Angeles' all-time playoff wins leader Thursday with 27, surpassing Kelly Hrudey.

3. The Sharks are 1-8 in Game 6 when down 3-2 in a series, with the only victory coming in 1995 against Calgary.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Dunkel

Los Angeles at San Jose
The Kings look to follow up their 3-0 win in Game 5 and build on their 5-1 record in their last 6 games following a victory. Los Angeles is the pick (+110) according to Dunkel, which has the Kings favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (+110). Here are all of today's picks.

SUNDAY, MAY 26

Game 59-60: Los Angeles at San Jose (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Los Angeles 11.925; San Jose 11.722
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: San Jose (-130); 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (+110); Over

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Blackhawks (0-0) at Red Wings (0-0)

Date: May 27, 2013 8:00 PM EDT


DETROIT (AP) - The Detroit Red Wings hope the next time they board a plane, it is headed for California.

Even though the Red Wings have already won a Game 7 on the road this postseason, they would rather eliminate the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 6 on Monday night to avoid making another trip in the second-round series.

``We'd like to take care of business,' Detroit forward Justin Abdelkader said Sunday. ``We've just got to play desperate.'

Seventh-seeded Detroit leads the series 3-2, putting the Red Wings a win away from advancing to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2009 to face the winner of the Los Angeles Kings-San Jose Sharks matchup.

The NHL's top-seeded Blackhawks are counting on staving off elimination in Joe Louis Arena and making Game 7 necessary on Wednesday night in the Windy City. With a 4-1 win Saturday night, the Blackhawks extended the series by at least another game.

``"It was the biggest game of the year,' Chicago's Bryan Bickell said before the team boarded a flight for Detroit. ``We're just going to take Game 6 the same way.'

Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews ended his 10-game drought without scoring in the playoffs, dating to last year, with a second-period goal that gave Chicago a two-goal lead after it lost the previous three games by a combined score of 9-2.

``For sure, I put more pressure on myself,' he acknowledged. ``Considering we only scored two goals in three games, you feel like in big-time situations you need to find a way to do something.'

Red Wings coach Mike Babcock lamented that his team did nothing well in Game 5, saying the coaching staff and players wasted their first chance to advance against a talented and determined team.

``You got to put teams away, they're not going away,' Babcock said. ``It's not like they got a holiday booked somewhere they got to get to. They're competing to stay in it. I thought that was evident and it was a real good message for our team.

``We got to play harder, more desperate, more organized, more detail-oriented. We weren't a very good hockey team.'

Chicago was the league's best team from start to finish in the lockout-shortened regular season, beginning with an NHL-record, 24-game point streak and closing with at least five more points than any other team in the league.

The Blackhawks opened the playoffs by easily getting past Minnesota in five games and beat Detroit 4-1 in Game 1 to make it look like only a matter of time before they would be in the conference finals for the first time since their 2010 championship season.

The young and rebuilding Red Wings, who won at Anaheim in Game 7 in the first round, bounced back with three straight wins - including two games at home - to take control against Chicago.

Just when some started to write off the Blackhawks, they dominated Detroit in Game 5 and shifted some stress according to their 21-year-old forward Andrew Shaw.

``The pressure is on them to eliminate us,' Shaw said. ``They kind of have our backs against the wall and we're pushing back and that makes us a dangerous team.'

Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said his team has seized momentum in the series.

``Now, we just want to try to sustain it,' he said.

Babcock said he's sticking with his same lineup for Game 6, insisting there's ``no chance' he'll insert a previously scratched player onto the ice. He might, though, juggle his lines by playing Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk together more than he has in the series.

The Red Wings will have the benefit of making the last change because they're at home and they'll have fans cheering for them, but Babcock said both of those facts are advantages only if the team is having success.

``When you play well in front of your home crowd, they got something to cheer about and they can help you along,' he said. ``When you don't play well, there's not much they can do for you.'

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Red Wings at Blackhawks
Wed, May 15 Final 1 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Red Wings at Blackhawks
Sat, May 18 Final 4 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Blackhawks at Red Wings
Mon, May 20 Final 1 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 4
Blackhawks at Red Wings
Thu, May 23 Final 0 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 5
Red Wings at Blackhawks
Sat, May 25 Final 1 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 6
Blackhawks at Red Wings
Mon, May 27 - 8:00PM EDT

GAME 7
Red Wings at Blackhawks
Wed, May 29 - 8:00PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Dunkel

Chicago at Detroit
The Red Wings look to bounce back from their 4-1 loss in Game 5 and build on their 5-1 record in their last 6 games after scoring 2 goals or less in the previous game. Detroit is the pick (+110) according to Dunkel, which has the Red Wings favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+110). Here are all of today's picks.

MONDAY, MAY 27

Game 63-64: Chicago at Detroit (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 12.029; Detroit 12.890
Dunkel Line & Total: Detroit by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago (-130); 5
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+110); Over




NHL

Monday, May 27

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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. DETROIT
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chicago's last 7 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Chicago is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Detroit is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
Detroit is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games when playing Chicago


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NHL

Monday, May 27

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Blackhawks at Red Wings: What bettors need to know
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Chicago Blackhawks at Detroit Red Wings (+116, 5)

Detroit leads series 3-2.

The top-seeded Chicago Blackhawks took the first step toward making a comeback from a 3-1 deficit in their Western Conference second-round matchup with the seventh-seeded Detroit Red Wings. The Presidents' Trophy winners attempt to continue their climb and even the series when the Original Six rivals meet at Joe Louis Arena for Game 6 on Monday. Chicago posted a 4-1 victory in Game 1 before its offense went silent, scoring a total of two goals in three consecutive losses.

Detroit squandered a chance to advance to the conference final and gain some much-needed rest as it suffered its second 4-1 loss of the series in Game 5 on Saturday. Andrew Shaw scored a pair of goals and captain Jonathan Toews netted his first of the playoffs for the Blackhawks, who entered the third period leading by two but didn't let up as they outshot the Red Wings 17-4 in the session. The good news for the Red Wings is that defenseman Niklas Kronwall is expected to play after sitting out the second half of the third period on Saturday following a crushing check by Chicago's Bryan Bickell.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, RDS

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS: Toews feels as if a weight has been lifted off his shoulders now that he has that first playoff goal under his belt. The center had seven tallies in each of his first two postseasons but has scored only four times in 23 games over the last three playoff years. "It's just nice to see one go in," Toews said. "You work so hard for so many games, not only for yourself but your linemates, the guys that are out there with you. It builds your confidence." Although Chicago entered the playoffs as the favorite in the West to reach the Stanley Cup final, Shaw believes the Blackhawks now are playing with house money. "The pressure's on (the Red Wings) to eliminate us; they have our backs against the wall," he said. "Everyone thinks that Detroit's going to take the series. The pressure's off us." Bickell scored the first goal of the game on Saturday, firing the puck into the net so hard, it broke the goal cam. "Hopefully, I don't get billed for it," he joked.

ABOUT THE RED WINGS: Kronwall sacrificed his own body to save teammate Henrik Zetterberg, who would have been targeted by Bickell had the defenseman passed the puck to the captain a few seconds earlier. "I saw (Bickell) coming. I just tried to hold on to the puck as long as I could before I gave it to Hank, so that guy couldn't jump Hank," Kronwall told the Detroit News. Despite allowing four goals, Jimmy Howard was Detroit's best player in Game 5 as he turned aside 41 shots. Howard knows his team needs to put forth a better effort in order to avoid a seventh game in Chicago. "They were better than us (Saturday)," Howard told the News. "(Game 6) is in our building, we better be fired up to play." Dan Cleary, who scored the lone goal for the Red Wings, agreed. "We have to be ready to go Monday night as if our backs are against the wall," he said. "Which I like to think they are."

TRENDS:

* Home team is 5-1 in the last six meetings.
* Under is 19-5-4 in the last 28 meetings.
* Under is 15-5-1 in the last 21 meetings in Detroit.
* Blackhawks are 9-3 in the last 12 meetings in Detroit.
* Blackhawks are 9-3 in the last 12 meetings.

OVERTIME:

1. Chicago was 4-for-4 on the penalty kill Saturday and is 35-for-36 overall this postseason.

2. The Red Wings have won eight consecutive home playoff games against the Blackhawks.

3. Detroit has outscored Chicago 11-10 through five contests despite being outshot 175-134.


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NHL

Monday, May 27

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NHL Eastern Conference Final preview: Penguins vs. Bruins
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The Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins only needed five games to take care of their respective second-round opponents and will now square off in the Eastern Conference Final that everyone wanted to see at the beginning of the lockout-shortened campaign.

Here’s a quick breakdown of their upcoming series:

No. 1 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. No. 4 Boston Bruins

Season series: Penguins won 3-0 SU, 0-3 over/under

Series prices: Penguins -200, Bruins +160

Why bet the Penguins: The Penguins have taken the past six regular-season meetings between the two teams and have won six straight games in Boston. Pittsburgh is only allowing only 2.5 goals per game and has been even stingier since Tomas Vokoun took the starting job from Marc-Andre Fleury in Round 1. The veteran netminder is 6-1 with a 1.85 GAA and .941 save percentage since seizing control in between the pipes. The Pens have been absolutely deadly on the power play, scoring 13 goals with the man advantage in 11 games while leading the playoffs in power-play efficiency (28.3 percent). Pittsburgh is 7-4 over/under in the playoffs to date – the best over bet of the remaining teams.

Why bet the Bruins: The Bruins have looked like a well-oiled machine since their thrilling Game 7 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in the opening round. Forward David Krejci leads all scorers with 17 points in the postseason, but what has really been surprising in Boston is the performance of three rookies on the back end. Torey Krug, Matt Bartkowski and Dougie Hamilton filled in admirably for injured regulars on the blue line and helped the Bruins take four of five from the New York Rangers. Boston has allowed only 28 goals in a dozen playoff outings, and Tuukka Rask boasts a stellar .928 save percentage.

[StarDust Bum]

Playoff Results - Second Round

May 25, 2013

Series Results

Boston (-125) over N.Y. Rangers (4-1)
Pittsburgh (-290) over Ottawa (4-1)

Overall Game Results

-- Home teams are 17-3
-- Favorites are 15-5
-- Favorites that won are 8-7 on the puck-line
-- The 'Under' is 11-5-4

Away Home Score ATS Result Total Result

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Ottawa Pittsburgh (-185) 4-1 Favorite Under (5.5)

San Jose Los Angeles (-155) 2-0 Favorite Under (5.5)


Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Detroit Chicago (-200) 4-1 Favorite Push (5)


Thursday, May 16, 2013

NY Rangers Boston (-115) 3-2 (OT) Favorite Push (5)

San Jose Los Angeles (-150) 4-3 Favorite Over (4.5)


Friday, May 17, 2013

Ottawa Pittsburgh (-200) 4-3 Favorite Over (5.5)


Saturday, May 18, 2013

Detroit (+180) Chicago 4-1 Underdog Push (5)

Los Angeles San Jose (-140) 2-1 Favorite Under (4.5)


Sunday, May 19, 2013

NY Rangers Boston (-125) 5-2 Favorite Over (5)

Pittsburgh Ottawa (+115) 2-1 (2OT) Underdog Under (5.5)


Monday, May 20, 2013

Chicago Detroit (+120) 3-1 Underdog Under (5)


Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Boston (+120) NY Rangers 2-1 Underdog Under (5)

Los Angeles San Jose (-140) 2-1 Favorite Under (4.5)


Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Pittsburgh (-135) Ottawa 7-3 Favorite Over (5.5)


Thursday, May 23, 2013

Boston NY Rangers (-125) 4-3 (OT) Favorite Over (4.5)

Chicago Detroit (+115) 2-0 Underdog Under (5)

San Jose Los Angeles (-155) 3-0 Favorite Under (4.5)


Friday, May 24, 2013

Ottawa Pittsburgh (-235) 6-2 Favorite Over (5.5)


Saturday, May 25, 2013

NY Rangers Boston (-160) 3-1 Favorite Under (5)

Detroit Chicago (-180) 4-1 Favorite Push (5)


Sunday, May 26, 2013

Los Angeles San Jose (-130) 2-1 Favorite Under (4.5)


Monday, May 27, 2013
Chicago Detroit - - -

Tuesday, May 28, 2013
San Jose Los Angeles - - -

Wednesday, May 29, 2013
*Detroit Chicago - - -

*If Neccessary

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Long Sheet

Monday, May 27

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CHICAGO (42-10-0-6, 90 pts.) at DETROIT (31-20-0-9, 71 pts.) - 5/27/2013, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 11-3 ATS (+7.9 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game this season.
CHICAGO is 42-16 ATS (+16.6 Units) in all games this season.
CHICAGO is 42-16 ATS (+16.6 Units) second half of the season this season.
CHICAGO is 18-5 ATS (+10.0 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
CHICAGO is 16-4 ATS (+9.4 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.
CHICAGO is 329-343 ATS (+722.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
DETROIT is 23-29 ATS (-15.4 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 14-7 (+4.1 Units) against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 14-7-0 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
14 of 17 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+11.3 Units)

[StarDust Bum]

Monday, May 27

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Chicago - 8:00 PM ET Detroit +113 500 POD # 1


Detroit - Under 5 500