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

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Long Sheet

Sunday, June 2

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

LOS ANGELES (35-20-0-7, 77 pts.) at CHICAGO (45-10-0-6, 96 pts.) - 6/2/2013, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 8-4 (+2.9 Units) against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 8-4-0 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.9 Units)

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




NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, June 2

Chicago outshot Kings 17-2 in first period yesterday, but trailed 1-0; they scored twice in second period to win 2-1, win 4th game in row and take 1-0 series lead. LA is now 1-6 on foreign ice in playoffs; Blackhawks have killed 42 of 43 power plays in playoffs- they're 6-41 with man advantage, Kings are 7-37. Chicago is 3-1 vs LA this year. Under is 6-3-4 in Chicago's playoff games, 11-2-1 in Kings'-- last six LA games all had exactly three goals scored in them. Not sure why teams are playing back/back days, but Kings are 5-3 this season when playing second night in row, 3-1 if it is second night in row on road. Chicago won 10 of its 11 games this season if they played night before.




NHL

Sunday, June 2

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

8:00 PM
LOS ANGELES vs. CHICAGO
Los Angeles is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Los Angeles's last 17 games when playing Chicago
Chicago is 13-5 SU in its last 18 games when playing Los Angeles
Chicago is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Los Angeles


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




NHL

Sunday, June 2

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kings at Blackhawks: What bettors need to know
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Los Angeles Kings at Chicago Blackhawks (-160, 4.5)

Blackhawks lead best-of-seven series 1-0.

The Los Angeles Kings faced little resistance on the road during last season's impressive run to the Stanley Cup. This year's path has been paved with pitfalls, however, as the fifth-seeded Kings will look to overcome their troubles away from Staples Center and level their Western Conference final series at one game apiece on Sunday when they visit the top-seeded Chicago Blackhawks. Patrick Sharp scored his NHL-leading eighth goal and Marian Hossa tallied nearly four minutes later in the second period as the Blackhawks skated to a 2-1 triumph in Game 1 on Saturday.

The final score is a certainly familiar one for Los Angeles, which has lost all six of its postseason contests by that same result. The setback dropped the Kings to 1-6 away from home - a stark contrast to their 10-1 mark during last season's playoffs. Corey Crawford turned aside 21 shots as Presidents' Trophy-winning Chicago improved to 7-1 at the United Center.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports, TSN, RDS

ABOUT THE KINGS: Jonathan Quick deserved a better fate after stopping all 17 shots in the first period and 34 overall. The reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner allowed goals following a rebound and a deflection in the second period before closing the door. Justin Williams followed up his magnificent Game 7 performance versus San Jose with his third goal in two contests - although he technically didn't even shoot the puck on his first-period goal on Saturday. Chicago's Dave Bolland attempted to clear the puck from the slot, but it bounced off Williams' stick and inside the right post.

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS: While Bolland's brutal hit on Los Angeles' Mike Richards late in the third period brought the United Center fans to their feet, it may also receive some attention from the league. Richards was behind the net when he elected to change course in an attempt to tuck the puck inside the near post. Bolland appeared to leave his feet when delivering the hit to the chin of Richards, who had trouble regaining his faculties as he skated to the bench. "I just came in and hit him," Bolland said matter-of-factly. "It's a quick game. It's a hard-hitting game. It's just the way it is."

TRENDS:

* Kings are 1-12 in their last 13 road games.
* Under is 8-0-2 in Kings’ last 10 road games.
* Blackhawks are 9-2 in their last 11 Sunday games.

OVERTIME

1. After killing off both of Los Angeles' power plays, Chicago has yet to yield a goal in 23 short-handed situations at home in the playoffs. In total, the Blackhawks are 42-for-43 on the penalty kill.

2. D Duncan Keith led Chicago in ice time (23:55) and matched LW Bryan Bickell for the team lead with five shots.

3. The reason for the quick turnaround between games stems from a Rolling Stones concert, which is scheduled for Monday at the United Center.

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday, June 2

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Los Angeles - 8:00 PM ET Chicago -160 500 POD # 2


Chicago - Under 5 500 POD # 1

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Dunkel

Boston at Pittsburgh
The Penguins look to bounce back from their Game 1 loss and build on their 6-1 record in their last 7 games against the Bruins. Pittsburgh is the pick (-185) according to Dunkel, which has the Penguins favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-185). Here are all of today's picks.

MONDAY, JUNE 3

Game 7-8: Boston at Pittsburgh (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston 12.250; Pittsburgh 13.401
Dunkel Line & Total: Pittsburgh by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Pittsburgh (-185); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-185); Under




NHL
Long Sheet

Monday, June 3

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

BOSTON (37-17-0-7, 81 pts.) at PITTSBURGH (44-15-0-1, 89 pts.) - 6/3/2013, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 8-4 (+3.8 Units) against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 8-4-0 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
8 of 12 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.5 Units)

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




NHL
Short Sheet

Monday, June 3

Conference Finals, Game Two (Boston Leads, 1-0)
Boston at Pittsburgh, 8:05 ET NBCSN
Boston: 3-9 SU away off a combined score of 3 goals or less
Pittsburgh: 23-6 SU off an Under




NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, June 3

Bruins' Game 1 win ended six-game losing streak vs Pittsburgh; Boston won 32 of the 48 faceoffs in opener, their first win in last four visits here. Penguins are 5-2 at home so far in playoffs, with all three wins over Boston (3-1) this season by one goal. Both teams were 0-4 on power play in Game 1; Penguins are now 13-50, Bruins have killed 34 of 41 when a man down. Boston is 4-2 on road in the playoffs; they've won six of last seven games, streak that started with Game 7 win over Leafs, when they trailed 4-1 with 11:00 left. Over is 7-5 in Pitt's playoff games, 6-5-2 in Boston's. Penguins scored four of more goals in all eight of their playoff wins, 3-4-1-0 in their losses.




NHL

Monday, June 3

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

8:30 PM
INDIANA vs. MIAMI
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Indiana's last 5 games when playing on the road against Miami
Indiana is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Miami
Miami is 22-3 SU in its last 25 games at home
Miami is 19-4 SU in its last 23 games


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




NHL

Monday, June 3

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bruins at Penguins: What bettors need to know
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Boston Bruins at Pittsburgh Penguins (-180, 5.5)

Bruins lead best-of-seven series 1-0.

After losing their composure in the opener of the Eastern Conference final, Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins will look to keep their emotions in check on Monday as they attempt to even the series against the visiting Boston Bruins. Crosby openly questioned the officiating and reigning Hart Trophy winner Evgeni Malkin even dropped the gloves as the top-seeded Penguins suffered a 3-0 setback to the fourth-seeded Bruins on Saturday. "It's tough," said Crosby, who was penalized twice in Game 1. "They're letting a lot go out there, and the more it gets like that, the more it's going to escalate. You can only control and channel that stuff so much."

Tuukka Rask didn't have any trouble channeling his emotions as he turned aside all 29 shots he faced to record his first playoff shutout. David Krejci scored twice to increase his league-leading point total to 19 while Nathan Horton collected a goal and two assists in Saturday's triumph to improve to an NHL-best plus-17.

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

ABOUT THE BRUINS: Defenseman Andrew Ference didn't wait long to make a statement following a seven-game absence with a lower-body injury. Ference took an aggressive role by skating into the offensive zone before setting up Krejci's first goal at 8:23 of the first period. "Obviously it's nice, and it was very difficult to watch," Ference said of being a bystander. "It's a lot easier when you win and watch but you want to contribute, you want to be a part of it." Boston's defensemen have recorded 31 of the team's 110 points in the playoffs.

ABOUT THE PENGUINS: Tomas Vokoun didn't walk away with a victory in Game 1, but he did nothing the lose his spot as the team's starting goaltender in the eyes of coach Dan Bylsma. "We don't get this win, (but) the win and the loss isn't necessarily an indicator of what we're going to do with the goaltending situation," Bylsma said. Vokoun has posted a 6-2 mark with a 1.98 goals-against average and .937 save percentage since replacing Stanley Cup-winning netminder Marc-Andre Fleury prior to Game 6 of the first-round series versus the New York Islanders.

TRENDS:

*Under is 4-0 in the last four meetings.
*Bruins are 23-3 in their last 26 Monday games.
*Penguins are 1-6 in their last seven games following a home loss of three or more goals.

OVERTIME

1. Pittsburgh LW Matt Cooke was not subjected to additional punishment from the league following his hit on Boston D Adam McQuaid. Cooke received a five-minute major and a game misconduct after drilling McQuaid from behind at 1:32 of the second period.

2. Krejci is tied with Crosby and Penguins LW Pascal Dupuis with seven goals - one shy of Chicago C Patrick Sharp for the league lead.

3. Both teams went 0-for-4 on the power play in Game 1.

[StarDust Bum]

Monday, June 3

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Boston - 8:00 PM ET Pittsburgh -175 500


Pittsburgh - Over 5.5 500 POD # 1

[StarDust Bum]

Blackhawks at Kings: What bettors need to know


Chicago Blackhawks at Los Angeles Kings (-129, 4.5)

Blackhawks lead best-of-seven series 2-0.

The Los Angeles Kings have feasted on home cooking at Staples Center, winning their last 14 consecutive contests - including all seven in the postseason. The fifth-seeded Kings will need that trend to continue in Tuesday's Game 3 of the Western Conference final if they wish to avoid being pushed to the brink of elimination by the top-seeded Chicago Blackhawks. Los Angeles was able to overcome an 0-2 deficit in its first-round series by winning four straight versus fourth-seeded St. Louis.

For the Kings to continue their quest to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, they'll need their offense to make an appearance. Los Angeles has mustered just 29 goals in 15 playoff games - and the waters have been rough against Corey Crawford, who has stopped 50 of 53 shots to win both Games 1 and 2. Kings coach Darryl Sutter didn't mince words when noting the struggles of the line consisting of captain Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams. "They've struggled offensively, for sure," Sutter said. "That's not me jumping out making a statement. That is a fact. That is a statistical fact."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBC Sports, TSN, RDS

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS: Pushed to the brink of elimination by Original Six rival Detroit in the second round, Chicago has looked every bit the part of the team that clinched its second Presidents' Trophy in franchise history. The Blackhawks have won five in a row - with more than just captain Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane providing the offense. "When we're rolling four lines, keeping (shifts) short and rolling hard, I think we can have a great hockey team and a great pace in our game," said Bryan Bickell, who netted his sixth goal of the playoffs on Sunday.

ABOUT THE KINGS: Jonathan Quick found himself in an unfamiliar place Sunday - on the bench. The reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner yielded four goals versus the Blackhawks to earn himself an early exit in a postseason game for the first time since April 23, 2010. Rather than reflect, Quick did his best to look ahead. "We just haven't been finding a way," the Connecticut native said. "We have to find a way. They did their job, now we have to go home and do our job."

TRENDS:

*Blackhawks are 6-0 in their last six Tuesday games.
*Kings are 0-4 in their last four in the third game of a 3-in-4 situation.
*Under is 4-1 in Kings' last five home games.
*Blackhawks are 5-1 in the last 6 meetings in Los Angeles.

OVERTIME

1. Chicago C Michal Handzus has collected two goals and three assists on his five-game point streak. He has one of each in the first two contests of this series.

2. Los Angeles C Mike Richards sat out Sunday's tilt with an upper-body injury - and is expected to be a game-time decision on Tuesday.

3. Blackhawks D Brent Seabrook has scored goals in two of his last three games.

[StarDust Bum]

Bruins seize 2-0 series lead over Penguins
Monday, June 3, 2013

PITTSBURGH — The Bruins entered the Eastern Conference finals as heavy underdogs to the Pittsburgh Penguins, but they weren’t buying into that role.

And now we can all see why.

The B’s are two wins away from their second Stanley Cup final appearance in three years after a stunningly easy 6-1 victory at Consol Energy Center had them heading home with a 2-0 series lead.

After they won Game 1 by the score of 3-0, the Bruins said that they needed to be better in Game 2 — and were they ever. Brad Marchand scored two goals, and David Krejci and Nathan Horton also tallied, in a four-goal first period, and the B’s frustrated the Penguins all over the ice for the rest of the night.

The B’s have held a team that came into the series averaging 4.27 goals a game in the playoffs to just one goal in two games. Tuukka Rask made 26 saves in Game 2 and has stopped 55-of-56 shots in the series.

The B’s jumped out to a 4-1 first period lead, the second was quiet and Patrice Bergeron and defenseman Johnny Boychuk scored in the third as the visitors cruised to the win.

With Games 3 and 4 at the Garden Wednesday night and Friday, the Bruins have created a great opportunity to shock the hockey world.

“It’s going to be a challenge,” coach Claude Julien said of Game 2 after the morning skate. “They’re going to be a better team tonight. And we’re going to need to be a better team.”

Julien was only partly correct in his pregame assessment. While his own team was indeed even better than it was in the Game 1 shutout, Pittsburgh failed to answer the bell for Round 2. Things could not have gone much better for the Bruins in the first period. The B’s scored the first three goals and answered a late Penguins goal with another one of their own.

Just 28 seconds into the game, Marchand gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead on a breakaway goal. Sidney Crosby was at the blue line in the B’s zone and attempted a pass across to defenseman Matt Niskanen, but he fanned on it. Marchand was there to take the gift and sprint the distance, beating Tomas Vokoun with a wrist shot over the goalie’s glove.

The B’s got the only power play of the first and, while they didn’t capitalize on it, they scored just seconds after the advantage was up.

Brooks Orpik was serving an elbowing minor for a hit on Krejci and, when the Penguins defenseman came out of the penalty box, he headed straight for Torey Krug at the right point. The rookie defenseman hung in there long enough to get a good shot on net before being belted by Orpik. And just as the Pittsburgh crowd was whooping it up over the big hit, Horton chipped the rebound of Krug’s shot over Vokoun for the 2-0 lead at 14:37.

The lead grew to 3-0 on a beautiful play from the Krejci line at 16:31. The B’s turned the puck back up the ice after a Rask save on James Neal. Milan Lucic took a feed from Horton in the slot and then dropped the puck behind him between his legs. Horton tapped the puck over to Krejci, who blasted his third goal in two games and eighth of the playoffs behind Vokoun.

That was enough for Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma, who yanked Vokoun for Marc-Andre Fleury.

Rask entered the game with a shutout streak of 110 minutes, 39 seconds that dated to Game 5 of the conference semifinals against the New York Rangers, but it was snapped with 33.2 seconds left in the first period when Brandon Sutter scored on a wrist shot from the top of the right circle.

Before the Penguins could feel good about themselves in the intermission, they gave the goal right back. Marchand’s second goal came with 8.1 seconds left in the period.

Orpik made the mistake of trying to keep the puck in the Bruins end, and Jaromir Jagr knocked both the Penguins defenseman and the puck out of the zone. Jagr then moved the puck to Bergeron. Marchand appeared to be exchanging pleasantries with Matt Cooke at the blue line, but, once he saw what was happening, he left Cooke in the dust.



Bergeron connected with Marchand, and Fleury was beaten over the glove arm on the first shot on net since he entered the game.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Blackhawks (0-0) at Kings (0-0)
Date: June 04, 2013 9:00 PM EDT


EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) - The Los Angeles Kings have been in all types of jams during the past two postseasons. Just a few weeks ago, they even escaped the same 0-2 deficit they're now facing in the Western Conference finals.

``We've been here, what, three weeks ago?' forward Justin Williams asked, referring to the Kings' great escape in the first round against St. Louis. ``Obviously it's not do-or-die (in Game 3), but it is.'

Yet the defending Stanley Cup champions aren't sure they've tangled with an opponent that could match the depth and versatility of the Chicago Blackhawks, who might even be the team to end Los Angeles' 2 1/2 months of perfection at home.

After back-to-back losses in Chicago, the Kings are hoping they can stay perfect at Staples Center in a crucial Game 3 on Tuesday night. The Kings have won 14 straight at home since March, and they've won seven straight home playoff games dating to last season's Stanley Cup clincher.

The Kings have no idea why they've been unbeatable at Staples Center, but they realize their repeat hopes depend on it.

``Home ice is something we've been able to rely on, and have in our back pocket,' Williams said Monday after the Kings' team meeting at their training complex. ``I'm (also) not sure why we went 10-1 on the road last year (in the playoffs). Certainly our confidence is high for us coming back home. There's been a lot of success there. We've won every which way there, and it's going to have to continue.'

Even two solid efforts in Chicago by coach Darryl Sutter's estimation weren't enough to turn back the Presidents' Trophy winners, who have won five straight postseason games after falling into a 1-3 hole against Detroit in the second round. The Blackhawks won both games of the conference finals in persuasive fashion, overcoming the Kings' greatest strengths along the way.

Chicago even chased Jonathan Quick out of Game 2 by scoring four goals against the Conn Smythe Trophy-winning goalie - something nobody had done in 34 straight playoff games over the past three years. Sutter acknowledged he pulled Quick partly to give him a brief rest for the remaining playoff grind.

The Blackhawks were reminded of the tenuous nature of any playoff lead in the second round, so they weren't brimming with overconfidence when they arrived on the West Coast.

``You look back at the St. Louis series, (and) they were up 2-0 coming to L.A.,' Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook said Monday. ``We've got to continue to focus on the game (Tuesday) night. They're a great team, L.A. Quick is a great goaltender. We understand he's going to come back with a better game than he did last night. We have to continue to get pucks to him and make it tough on him.'

The Kings have lost at home in regulation just four times in this entire lockout-shortened season, but the Blackhawks were responsible for arguably the biggest defeat of them all. Chicago ruined the Kings' Stanley Cup banner-raising ceremony in the season opener in January, and the Blackhawks' 5-2 victory catapulted them to the start that led them to the NHL's best regular-season record.

``It's been a long time since we played here, and it was a special day when we began the season here for them,' Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. ``There's some buildings in this league that can get real loud, get the crowd into it, and the team feeds off of that. I think there's more success this year on the home team's side in the playoffs. Hopefully we can get off to a great start and quiet it as best you can. It's tough on visiting teams trying to do that this year.'

After the long flight Monday, the Blackhawks arrived at their Beverly Hills hotel for a night of relaxation before their attempt to break through at Staples Center. As usual, the Blackhawks set up a large players' lounge at their hotel, filling it with an eye-catching buffet and multiple televisions and video game consoles - all to promote team bonding.

``The Hawks do a good job of making it easy on us,' forward Patrick Sharp said. ``It's a fun atmosphere to go down there and hang around with your teammates. You don't see enough of each other in Chicago with the families, people doing their own thing. It's always been fun to be on the road, be together, thinking hockey all the time.'

Although Quick blames himself for the Kings' road struggles, he isn't the real problem for the Kings, who have won a series after trailing 0-2 just twice in franchise history. Williams realizes the Kings aren't sustaining any offensive pressure on the Blackhawks, whose forechecking has kept the Kings pinned in their end for long stretches.

Los Angeles' scoring struggles are getting ugly, with just 29 goals in 15 playoff games - easily the lowest scoring average for any team that won a playoff round. It's not nearly enough to hang with the Blackhawks, whose talented lineup generates goals from all four lines and its defense.

The Kings have never been an offensive dynamo on the level of Chicago or Pittsburgh, but they didn't founder like this in the regular season. Their top scorers in last season's playoffs also are struggling mightily this year: Star center Anze Kopitar has just two goals in 15 games after enduring a lengthy goal-scoring slump to end the regular season, while captain Dustin Brown has a mere four points in the playoffs.

``It's pretty fair to say as a line, we're collectively in a slump,' Brown said of his partnership with Kopitar and Williams. ``We know what we need to do better. Getting into their offensive zone, our spacing is pretty significant. It's hard to play (without it), especially against a team like Chicago. When you don't have the spacing right, one guy eliminates the other guy.'

Center Mike Richards missed Game 2 with symptoms from an apparent head injury, and the Kings won't say whether he'll play in Game 3. Richards, who hadn't missed a game all season, is Los Angeles' leading postseason scorer with 10 points.

At least Tyler Toffoli is an intriguing addition to the lineup in Richards' absence. The big rookie picked up a goal in Game 2 while playing alongside top goal-scorer Jeff Carter, who moved over to center without Richards alongside him.

``Going back six games in the season, we've had trouble scoring,' Sutter said. ``It's not a home-road disparity at all. You know what? We're a good hockey club. We're not surprising anybody. There's no upsets now. We're trying to surprise the team that finished first overall.'

The Kings' championship poise might be their greatest asset in the next two games. With the confidence of last season's 16-4 run through the playoffs still fresh in most players' minds, Sutter's club doesn't really get rattled - even after winning just twice in its last seven playoff games.

``You can draw on the fact we've been in this situation before,' Brown said. ``The series is long from over in our mindset.'

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

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Kings at Blackhawks
Sat, Jun 1 Final 1 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Kings at Blackhawks
Sun, Jun 2 Final 2 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Blackhawks at Kings
Tue, Jun 4 - 9:00PM EDT

GAME 4
Blackhawks at Kings
Thu, Jun 6 - 9:00PM EDT

GAME 5
Kings at Blackhawks
Sat, Jun 8 - 8:00PM EDT

GAME 6
Blackhawks at Kings
Mon, Jun 10 - 9:00PM EDT

GAME 7
Kings at Blackhawks
Wed, Jun 12 - 12:00AM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Dunkel

Chicago at Los Angeles
The Kings look to build on their 7-1 record in their last 8 home games against a team with a road winning percentage greater than .600. Los Angeles is the pick (-135) according to Dunkel, which has the Kings favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-135). Here are all of today's picks.

TUESDAY, JUNE 4

Game 9-10: Chicago at Los Angeles (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 11.472; Los Angeles 12.679
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 1; 3
Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles (-135); 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-135); Under




NHL
Long Sheet

Tuesday, June 4

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

CHICAGO (46-10-0-6, 98 pts.) at LOS ANGELES (35-21-0-7, 77 pts.) - 6/4/2013, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOS ANGELES is 26-5 ATS (+19.3 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5 or less this season.
LOS ANGELES is 12-0 ATS (+12.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
LOS ANGELES is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 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 26-5 ATS (+17.6 Units) in home games second half of the season this season.
LOS ANGELES is 13-2 ATS (+10.2 Units) in home games revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
CHICAGO is 46-16 ATS (+20.4 Units) in all games this season.
CHICAGO is 333-343 ATS (+724.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
CHICAGO is 46-16 ATS (+20.4 Units) second half of the season this season.
CHICAGO is 18-4 ATS (+11.3 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 9-4 (+3.9 Units) against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 9-4-0 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.9 Units)

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




NHL
Short Sheet

Tuesday, June 4

Conference Finals, Game Three (Chicago Leads, 2-0)
Chicago at Los Angeles, 9:05 ET NBCSN
Chicago: 18-7 Under off BB home wins
Los Angeles: 13-2 SU at home playing with same-season revenge




NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, June 4

Kings were down 2-0 in first round vs St Louis, rallied to win next four games, including their only road win of playoffs; LA is 7-0 at home in playoffs, allowing eight goals in the seven games. Chicago is 5-2 in its last seven visits to Staples Center; they're 2-3 on road in playoffs, but won last five games overall, allowing eight goals, since being down 3-1 in Detroit series. Eight of last ten LA games stayed under the total; Under is 4-2-1 in last seven Chicago games. Bruins/Chicago are following similar paths; looked dead, but didn't die and now both appear to be on collision course to meet in Cup finals. Blackhawks are 4-1 against LA this season, winning 5-2 in only game played here.




NHL

Tuesday, June 4

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

9:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. LOS ANGELES
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chicago's last 7 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
Chicago is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Los Angeles's last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Los Angeles's last 7 games when playing at home against Chicago


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




NHL

Tuesday, June 4

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blackhawks at Kings: What bettors need to know
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chicago Blackhawks at Los Angeles Kings (-129, 4.5)

Blackhawks lead best-of-seven series 2-0.

The Los Angeles Kings have feasted on home cooking at Staples Center, winning their last 14 consecutive contests - including all seven in the postseason. The fifth-seeded Kings will need that trend to continue in Tuesday's Game 3 of the Western Conference final if they wish to avoid being pushed to the brink of elimination by the top-seeded Chicago Blackhawks. Los Angeles was able to overcome an 0-2 deficit in its first-round series by winning four straight versus fourth-seeded St. Louis.

For the Kings to continue their quest to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, they'll need their offense to make an appearance. Los Angeles has mustered just 29 goals in 15 playoff games - and the waters have been rough against Corey Crawford, who has stopped 50 of 53 shots to win both Games 1 and 2. Kings coach Darryl Sutter didn't mince words when noting the struggles of the line consisting of captain Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams. "They've struggled offensively, for sure," Sutter said. "That's not me jumping out making a statement. That is a fact. That is a statistical fact."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBC Sports, TSN, RDS

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS: Pushed to the brink of elimination by Original Six rival Detroit in the second round, Chicago has looked every bit the part of the team that clinched its second Presidents' Trophy in franchise history. The Blackhawks have won five in a row - with more than just captain Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane providing the offense. "When we're rolling four lines, keeping (shifts) short and rolling hard, I think we can have a great hockey team and a great pace in our game," said Bryan Bickell, who netted his sixth goal of the playoffs on Sunday.

ABOUT THE KINGS: Jonathan Quick found himself in an unfamiliar place Sunday - on the bench. The reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner yielded four goals versus the Blackhawks to earn himself an early exit in a postseason game for the first time since April 23, 2010. Rather than reflect, Quick did his best to look ahead. "We just haven't been finding a way," the Connecticut native said. "We have to find a way. They did their job, now we have to go home and do our job."

TRENDS:

*Blackhawks are 6-0 in their last six Tuesday games.
*Kings are 0-4 in their last four in the third game of a 3-in-4 situation.
*Under is 4-1 in Kings' last five home games.
*Blackhawks are 5-1 in the last 6 meetings in Los Angeles.

OVERTIME

1. Chicago C Michal Handzus has collected two goals and three assists on his five-game point streak. He has one of each in the first two contests of this series.

2. Los Angeles C Mike Richards sat out Sunday's tilt with an upper-body injury - and is expected to be a game-time decision on Tuesday.

3. Blackhawks D Brent Seabrook has scored goals in two of his last three games.

[StarDust Bum]

Mike Richards ruled out for Kings in Game 3

Before Game 2, Kings coach Darryl Sutter said center Mike Richards was "fine" after taking a hit at the end of Game 1, but Richards was a surprise scratch when the official lineups were turned in.

There will be no such drama for Game 3 on Tuesday night in LA against the Blackhawks. Richards will not play. Sutter made the announcement on Tuesday morning.

"If it's [up to] Mike Richards, Mike Richards plays tonight," Sutter said. "You've got guys that don't want to play, and you've got guys that do want to play. Mike Richards is a guy that wants to play."

Clearly it's not up to Richards, and the team doesn't think he should play. So no matter if he wants to or not, he won't.

While the Kings haven't said as much, it sure seems as though Richards is suffering from a concussion. There has been talk about "symptoms" acting up before Game 2 as Richards was preparing to play. It stems from a hit from Dave Bolland at the end of Game 1, when it appeared the back of Bolland hit Richards on the jaw, leaving him shaken up as he headed back to the bench.

For a team that has been struggling to score, losing Richards is a blow for Los Angeles. He has been the team's leading scorer this postseason with 10 points. It might not sound like a lot, but given that the Kings only have 29 goals in 15 games, you can see that they will be missing a good chunk of their offense.

Without Richards in Game 2, the Kings slotted Jeff Carter into the center position and filled Carter's spot on the wing with rookie Tyler Toffoli. It was LA's best line of the game, so you shouldn't expect any changes from that in Game 3, a game that the Kings really need to win.

[StarDust Bum]

Tuesday, June 4

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Chicago - 9:00 PM ET Chicago +104 500 POD 1



Los Angeles - Over 5 500 POD 2

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Penguins (0-0) at Bruins (0-0)
Date: June 05, 2013 8:00 PM EDT


BOSTON (AP) - Sidney Crosby and the potent Penguins have been punchless.

Pittsburgh led the NHL in scoring in the regular season. It averaged 4.27 goals per game in the first two rounds of the playoffs. And it poured in 13 goals in the last two games of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Since then?

No addition necessary.

The Penguins have just one goal in two losses on their home ice to the Boston Bruins. To play there again this season, they must win Wednesday or Friday and avoid what seemed so improbable just a few days ago - being swept in the best-of-seven conference finals.

``Right now, we're not liking the picture, down 0-2. They're in control,' Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said. ``I don't think we're frustrated by the fact that we haven't scored as much as (the fact that) they're getting up leads, especially in Game 2.'

The Bruins won the opener 3-0 but led just 1-0 after two periods. The second game was much different. They rolled to a 4-1 lead after one period and remained aggressive in finishing off their 6-1 rout. The Penguins' effort waned as the game went on.

``I didn't do anything, didn't change anything. It felt like every time we had a puck that was bouncing, we ended up giving it away,' Crosby said. ``We gave them the game. We didn't really do anything to give ourselves a chance to win.'

Combine that with the Bruins' high level of play - disciplined on defense, organized on offense - and the pre-series chatter about the Penguins being favorites seems like so much nonsense.

But any talk that Boston will have an easy path to the Stanley Cup finals is just as premature.

``We're going to have to play even better than we did because they're going to be desperate,' Boston's David Krejci said.

With a day off to ponder their problems and work at eliminating them, the Penguins' offense could resurface.

``It's about what we do in the next game,' Boston defenseman Andrew Ference said, ``not about patting ourselves on the back for what's already happened.'

Winning the first two games is a good start but doesn't always lead to a good finish. Both teams have overcome 2-0 deficits and gone on to win Stanley Cups.

In 2009, the Penguins dropped two games at Detroit by a combined score of 6-2 then took four out of five to clinch their first championship since 1992.

In 2011, the Bruins lost two games of the opening round at home against Montreal, then won the next two on the road and captured the series on an overtime goal in Game 7. In the finals, they got off to the same poor start, losing two in Vancouver, but then won their first title since 1972 with a 4-0 road win in Game 7.

But in the previous season, the Bruins won the first three games of the Eastern semifinals over Philadelphia then lost the next four.

``We have a large group of guys that have gone through this and been in that situation on both sides of the coin,' Ference said. ``You can really lean on your past experience and not just talk about what could happen, because we've done it all. I think with this team, whether it's coming back or having teams come back on us, we've all seen it together and we all know certain lessons that we've learned.'

They've also seen how powerful Pittsburgh's offense can be. James Neal, Chris Kunitz, Pascal Dupuis and Crosby were among the NHL's top 17 in goals per game this season. Crosby was the leader in assists per game. And Crosby and Kris Letang were the top two in points per game.

``You don't have a choice but to respect that team that you're playing against, because they are a pretty potent team. Things can change pretty quickly in this game,' Boston coach Claude Julien said. ``I don't think there's any comfort level in our team right now.'

The Bruins have stymied the Penguins' offense with pressure the length of the ice. A puck carrier gets past one forward then must contend with another, then a defenseman and, finally, Boston goaltender Tuukka Rask.

``I think it's pretty obvious that we have layers,' Julien said. ``Our guys are committed to come back and just making sure that there's layer after layer that make it hard for them to get to our net.'

It's been relatively easy for the Bruins to get to the Penguins' goal, whether Tomas Vokoun or Marc-Andre Fleury is trying to protect it. Fleury replaced Vokoun after Krejci, the NHL postseason leading scorer, gave Boston a 3-0 lead at 16:31 of the first Monday night.

``We gave up the first goal both games and, from there, everyone is trying to do it on their own,' Vokoun said, ``it's just not going to work.'

Bylsma hasn't said who will start Wednesday.

``I think there's going to be some changes to our lineup,' he said, ``and some of our combinations, our lines.'

No need for the Bruins to change anything.

All four lines have been productive. The defensive pairings have been strong. And Rask has been outstanding, stopping 55 of 56 shots in the series.

Overall, the Bruins have won seven of their last eight games with a 30-15 scoring advantage.

``Our team's playing probably its best hockey this year right now,' Julien said, ``but so is Tuukka. I think he's been unbelievable so far in this series.'

The Penguins also have been unbelievable - the other way. Who would have expected an offense with Crosby, Letang and Evgeni Malkin to be so awful?

``We know that we're looked upon to score and produce,' Crosby said. ``We have to find ways to create chances and put the puck in the net. I'm not going to sit here and say it's Rask or anything they're doing. We have to get better.

``That's the way it is.'

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

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Bruins at Penguins
Sat, Jun 1 Final 3 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Bruins at Penguins
Mon, Jun 3 Final 6 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Penguins at Bruins
Wed, Jun 5 - 8:00PM EDT

GAME 4
Penguins at Bruins
Fri, Jun 7 - 8:00PM EDT

GAME 5
Bruins at Penguins
Sun, Jun 9 - 8:00PM EDT

GAME 6
Penguins at Bruins
Tue, Jun 11 - 12:00AM EDT

GAME 7
Bruins at Penguins
Wed, Jun 12 - 12:00AM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Dunkel

Pittsburgh at Boston
The Penguins look to rebound from their 6-1 loss in Game 2 and build on their 8-0 record in their last 8 games when their opponent scores 5 goals or more in the previous game. Pittsburgh is the pick (+100) according to Dunkel, which has the Penguins favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (+100). Here are all of today's picks.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5

Game 11-12: Pittsburgh at Boston (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 12.808; Boston 11.843
Dunkel Line & Total: Pittsburgh by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Boston (-120); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (+100); Over




NHL
Short Sheet

Wednesday, June 5

Conference Finals, Game Three (Boston Leads, 2-0)
Pittsburgh at Boston, 8:05 ET NBCSN
Pittsburgh: 3-12 SU off a home loss by 2+ goals
Boston: 14-3 SU off BB wins by 2+ goals




NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, June 5

Bruins' road wins in Games 1-2 ended six-game losing streak vs Pittsburgh; they've won seven of last eight games since coming back from dead in Game 7 vs Toronto. Penguins are 0-6 on power play in series; would expect big easrly effort from team that is 3-2 away from home in playoffs, with two of three wins in OT. Over is 8-5 in Pitt's playoff games, 7-5-2 in Boston's. Penguins scored 4+ goals in all their playoff wins, 3-4-1-0-1 in losses. Boston is 5-2 at home in playoffs, winning last four. Penguins have actually won last six visits to Beantown, winning 3-2 in only visit here this season on April 20, but scoring one goal in first two games in this series has been big surprise.




NHL

Wednesday, June 5

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

8:00 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. BOSTON
Pittsburgh is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh
Boston is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games


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




NHL

Wednesday, June 5

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Penguins at Bruins: What bettors need to know
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pittsburgh Penguins at Boston Bruins (-111, 5.5)

Bruins lead best-of-seven series 2-0.

After scoring 13 goals in their last two games of the second round, the high-octane Pittsburgh Penguins have mustered a total of one in the first two contests of the Eastern Conference final. The top-seeded Penguins will need to flip the switch Wednesday at TD Garden or risk being pushed to the brink of elimination by the fourth-seeded Boston Bruins. Boston painted quite the picture in the Steel City, outscoring its foe by a 9-1 margin to claim a 2-0 advantage in the series.

"Right now, we're not liking the picture, down 0-2. They're in control," Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma said. "I don't think we're frustrated by the fact that we haven't scored as much as they're getting leads, especially in Game 2." Brad Marchand needed all of 28 seconds to give Boston the advantage in Monday's 6-1 triumph. Marchand tallied again to a cap the Bruins' four-goal first period and never looked back.

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

ABOUT THE PENGUINS: Pittsburgh's offense wasn't the only thing missing in Game 2 - as its goaltending followed suit. Tomas Vokoun, who had won six of his previous eight games since replacing Stanley Cup-winning goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, yielded three quick goals to earn a seat on the bench. Given an opportunity for the first time since May 7, Fleury fell flat on his face as well - allowing a goal on the first shot he saw. Bylsma didn't divulge the identity of which man will be behind the mask in goal for Game 3.

ABOUT THE BRUINS: David Krejci would be well within his rights to pat himself on the back. After all, he is the league's postseason points leader and has three goals in two games in this series. Krejci, however, knows it's too early to start celebrating. "We know we played some good hockey in the regular season, but it wasn't even close to the way we're playing right now," Krejci said. "But we've still got a long way ahead of us, so we've got to keep it going."

TRENDS:

*Bruins are 7-1 in their last 8 overall.
*Over is 4-1 in Penguins last 5 road games.
*Under is 5-2 in Bruins last 7 vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
*Penguins are 6-0 in the last 6 meetings in Boston.

OVERTIME:

1. Captain Sidney Crosby and reigning Hart Trophy winner Evgeni Malkin have yet to record a point and are both a minus-3 in this series for the Penguins.

2. Boston G Tuukka Rask has stopped 55 of 56 shots versus Pittsburgh.

3. The Penguins have overcome 0-2 deficits to win a series on five occasions since 1991.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Long Sheet

Wednesday, June 5

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

PITTSBURGH (44-16-0-1, 89 pts.) at BOSTON (38-17-0-7, 83 pts.) - 6/5/2013, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 15-5 ATS (+8.4 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more this season.
PITTSBURGH is 44-17 ATS (+16.1 Units) in all games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 17-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
PITTSBURGH is 27-10 ATS (+14.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 44-17 ATS (+16.1 Units) second half of the season this season.
PITTSBURGH is 11-1 ATS (+9.6 Units) in road games revenging a loss versus opponent this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 8-5 (+2.0 Units) against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 8-5-0 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
8 of 13 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.3 Units)

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday, June 5

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Pittsburgh - 8:00 PM ET Boston -110 500
Boston - Under 5.5 500 POD # 1

[StarDust Bum]

The Chicago Blackhawks will be without one of their top players for Game 4 of the Western Conference finals on Thursday.

The NHL announced Wednesday that defenseman Duncan Keith has been suspended one game for his slash on Los Angeles Kings forward Jeff Carter during the Blackhawks' Game 3 loss Tuesday.

When announcing the suspension (as seen in the video above) Brendan Shanahan said it was more serious than a player having to simply be responsible for his stick and that it was not accidental or a defensive high stick to an opponent -- it was retaliation.

Shortly before the high-sticking incident, Carter took a swing with his stick at Keith's hand after his glove had fallen off. Keith said he didn't intend to hit Carter in the face, but did admit to swinging his stick at him.

Carter needed more than 20 stitches and had damage done to several teeth as a result of the hit.