Da Bum's 2014 NHL Playoff Best Bets- News,Stats-Trends !

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2014 Playoff Results

April 20, 2014


Betting Results

First Round
Wager Results
Favorites-Underdogs 12-5
Home-Away 12-5
Puck-Line Favorites 5-7
Over-Under 11-2-4


Eastern Conference

Key: A (Atlantic) M (Metropolitan) W (Wild Card)

(A1) Boston vs. (W2) Detroit
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Detroit (+180) at Boston 1-0 Underdog Under (5)
2 Detroit at Boston (-200) 4-1 Favorite Push (5)
3 Boston at Detroit - - -
4 Boston at Detroit - - -
5 Detroit at Boston - - -
6 Boston at Detroit - - -
7 Detroit at Boston - - -


(A2) Tampa Bay vs. (A3) Montreal
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Montreal (+100) at Tampa Bay 5-4 (OT) Underdog Over (5)
2 Montreal (+105) at Tampa Bay 4-1 Underdog Push (5)
3 Tampa Bay at Montreal (-155) 3-2 Favorite Push (5)
4 Tampa Bay at Montreal - - -
5 Montreal at Tampa Bay - - -
6 Tampa Bay at Montreal - - -
7 Montreal at Tampa Bay - - -


(M1) Pittsburgh vs. (W1) Columbus
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Columbus at Pittsburgh (-200) 4-3 Favorite Over (5 ½)
2 Columbus (+180) at Pittsburgh 4-3 (2OT) Underdog Over (5 ½)
3 Pittsburgh at Columbus - - -
4 Pittsburgh at Columbus - - -
5 Columbus at Pittsburgh - - -
6 Pittsburgh at Columbus - - -
7 Columbus at Pittsburgh - - -


(M2) N.Y. Rangers vs. vs. (M3) Philadelphia
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Philadelphia at N.Y Rangers (-155) 4-1 Favorite Push (5)
2 Philadelphia (+140) at N.Y. Rangers 4-2 Underdog Over (5)
3 N.Y. Rangers at Philadelphia - - -
4 N.Y. Rangers at Philadelphia - - -
5 Philadelphia at N.Y. Rangers - - -
6 N.Y. Rangers at Philadelphia - - -
7 Philadelphia at N.Y. Rangers - - -



Western Conference

Key: C (Central) P (Pacific) W (Wild Card)

(C1) Colorado vs. (W1) Minnesota
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Minnesota at Colorado (-140) 5-4 (OT) Favorite Over (5)
2 Minnesota at Colorado (-135) 4-2 Favorite Over (5)
3 Colorado at Minnesota - - -
4 Colorado at Minnesota - - -
5 Minnesota at Colorado - - -
6 Colorado at Minnesota - - -
7 Minnesota at Colorado - - -


(C2) St. Louis vs. (C3) Chicago
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Chicago at St. Louis (-115) 4-3 (3OT) Favorite Over (5)
2 Chicago at St. Louis (-110) 4-3 (OT) Favorite Over (5)
3 St. Louis at Chicago - - -
4 St. Louis at Chicago - - -
5 Chicago at St. Louis - - -
6 St. Louis at Chicago - - -
7 Chicago at St. Louis - - -


(P1) Anaheim vs. (W2) Dallas
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Dallas at Anaheim (-170) 4-3 Favorite Over (5 ½)
2 Dallas at Anaheim (-170) 3-2 Favorite Under (5 ½)
3 Anaheim at Dallas - - -
4 Anaheim at Dallas - - -
5 Dallas at Anaheim - - -
6 Anaheim at Dallas - - -
7 Dallas at Anaheim - - -


(P2) San Jose vs. (P3) Los Angeles
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Los Angeles at San Jose (-135) 6-3 Favorite Over (4 ½)
2 Los Angeles at San Jose (-140) 7-2 Favorite Over (5)
3 San Jose at Los Angeles - - -
4 San Jose at Los Angeles - - -
5 Los Angeles at San Jose - - -
6 San Jose at Los Angeles - - -
7 Los Angeles at San Jose - - -

[StarDust Bum]

NHL PLAYOFF RECORD: ( RATED GAMES )

7 - 5 .................+ 2.26

7 - 1 .................+ 13.48

2 - 0 ................ + 6.00


ALL GAMES COMBINED

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

04/20/14 4-*2-*2 66.67% +*1180 Detail
04/19/14 4-*2-*0 66.67% +*1295 Detail
04/18/14 2-*3-*1 40.00% -*1025 Detail
04/17/14 5-*2-*1 71.43% +*1400 Detail
04/16/14 3-*3-*0 50.00% -*25 Detail

[StarDust Bum]

NHL PLAYOFF RECORD: ( RATED GAMES )

7 - 5 .................+ 2.26 *****

7 - 1 .................+ 13.48 DOUBLE PLAY

2 - 0 ................ + 6.00 TRIPLE PLAY


ALL GAMES COMBINED

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

04/20/14 4-*2-*2 66.67% +*1180 Detail
04/19/14 4-*2-*0 66.67% +*1295 Detail
04/18/14 2-*3-*1 40.00% -*1025 Detail
04/17/14 5-*2-*1 71.43% +*1400 Detail
04/16/14 3-*3-*0 50.00% -*25 Detail

[StarDust Bum]

Monday, April 21

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Pittsburgh - 7:00 PM ET Pittsburgh -127 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Columbus - Under 5.5 500


Colorado 0 0th Colorado +110 500 *****

Minnesota 0 Over 5 500


St. Louis - 8:30 PM ET Chicago -143 500 *****

Chicago - Over 5 500

Anaheim - 9:30 PM ET Anaheim +106 500 TRIPE PLAY

Dallas - Under 5.5 500

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Lightning (46-27) at Canadiens (46-28)

Date: April 22, 2014 7:00 PM EDT


MONTREAL (AP) - When Lars Eller and Rene Bourque are outscoring the team's top line, things are going well for the Montreal Canadiens.

But it took until the playoffs for the Canadiens to find the balanced attack they have sought all season.

Getting offensive production from all four forward lines has helped them win the opening three games of their first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

They can sweep the best-of-seven series with a win on Tuesday night at the Bell Centre.

'That's a big strength,' Eller said Monday. 'I can't stress how important it is to have everybody involved, everybody contributing.'

Players who have struggled offensively during the regular season, notably Eller and Bourque, have found new life in the postseason.

It has helped the normally low-scoring Canadiens average four goals per game against the Lightning, who are missing top goaltender Ben Bishop to an injury.

Bourque, a two-time 27-goal scorer who had only nine goals in the regular season, has three in as many games in the playoffs while playing left wing with center Eller and right wing Brian Gionta.

Eller, who had 12 goals in 77 games including stretch of 24 games with only one assist, has two goals and shares the team scoring lead with four points with Brendan Gallagher and defenseman P.K. Subban.

The Eller line has produced five goals, one more than Gallagher's line with Tomas Plekanec and Brandon Prust.

The top line of David Desharnais, Max Pacioretty and Thomas Vanek has scored only twice, but has combined for 29 shots in three games.

The fourth line of Daniel Briere with Michael Bournival and Dale Weise has only one goal, but it was a big one as Weise scored in overtime in Game 1.

'Right now we have momentum and we're riding that wave,' Eller said. 'We knew depth was going to be important and I think a big part of why we're having success is we have all four lines contributing in one way or another.

'I guess the playoffs are just bringing out the best in all of us.'

The Lightning are aware they have dug themselves a deep hole.

Only three teams have ever come back from a three-game deficit to win an NHL playoff series, most recently the Philadelphia Flyers against Boston in the second round in 2010. The Canadiens are 31-0 when holding a 3-0 lead.

Tampa Bay had its best outing in Game 3 on Sunday night, but dropped a 3-2 decision. The Lightning thought they had a 2-1 lead in the second period, but Ryan Callahan's goal was waived off due to Alex Killorn's incidental contact on goalie Carey Price.

'That was obviously a tough one to swallow,' Lightning star Steven Stamkos said. 'A couple of calls didn't go our way.

'We can't dwell on it now. We realize the situation we're in. We just have to win one game. Our backs are against the wall. I'm pretty sure you're going to see a good effort from us. That's our motto right now: Just win one, then let's go back home and see what happens.'

Some wondered if Stamkos would be fit to play after taking an accidental knee to the head from Canadiens defenseman Alexei Emelin late in the second period. He returned for the third, but admitted later he took a major whack to the head.

'I feel pretty good so, yeah, I'm expecting to play,' he said. 'I got tangled up with Prust there and slid in.

'I don't think Emelin saw me and I got a pretty good knee to the head. Now that I saw it, I don't think there was any intention or anything. It was just kind of a play that happens in a game.'

Emelin and his defense partner Andrei Markov were given a day off as the Canadiens held a short practice at their suburban training center at the same time the Lightning skated at the Bell Centre.

After Vanek was acquired at the NHL trade deadline, he, Pacioretty and Desharnais produced 20 goals in the last 18 games of the regular season.

'I'm not surprised,' coach Michel Therrien said. 'We have to play well as a team defensively and that includes our forwards and our defense.

'We have to stick to our structure, stick to the game plan. This is when we're at our best offensively. When we start running around, that's when we get in trouble. But a lot of credit goes to the players. They stick to the game plan and they believe in it. And they have a lot of fun to play in that structure because they get results.'

Montreal's biggest area of concern is special teams. The power play that went 0 for 23 over the final eight regular season games has only one goal in 11 chances in the playoffs. They spent the time leading up to the series working on the power play, but it continues to struggle.

'The only thing we need to improve on is the power play,' Vanek said. 'We got some good chances again, but we've got to start burying our chances. It's something I'm sure we'll address and get better at.'

The Lightning have two goals in six chances against Montreal's penalty killing, which was fourth-best in the league in the regular season.

So far, the Canadiens have done enough at even strength to beat coach Jon Cooper's young Lightning. Now they hope to end it in four games.

As teams have always done in that situation, the Canadiens told each other the fourth win in the hardest to get.

'The first three were pretty tough, too,' Vanek said. 'Cliches are cliches. We enjoyed the win. Everyone felt good about it. Today's a new day. We'll get back to work and hopefully we can close it out.'

Cooper's message was much the same - just win the next one.

'I'm not going to throw out all the cliches and `let's win one for the Gipper' and all those little kinds of things,' he said. 'The reality is you can't win a series in one game.

'I truly believe there's not much more wrong that can go against us. At some point karma's going to come around and we just need it for one night.

'All of a sudden you just gotta win one and you win that one and everybody's back on a plane. Who knows what happens after that?'

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Bruins (54-19) at Red Wings (39-28)

Date: April 22, 2014 7:30 PM EDT


DETROIT (AP) - The Detroit Red Wings have figured out what they need to do to beat the Boston Bruins.

Detroit used its skill to win Game 1 against the Presidents' Trophy-winning Bruins.

Boston evened its first-round series against the eighth-seeded Red Wings by beating them up physically. The Red Wings want to flip the script in Game 3 on Tuesday night when the series shifts to Joe Louis Arena.

Detroit defenseman Brendan Smith said emotions got the best of him when he stood skate to skate and face to chest with Boston's 6-foot-9 defenseman, Zdeno Chara, during Sunday's game. Smith said the Red Wings have to play their fast-paced game and avoid trying to get physical with the bigger, bruising Bruins.

Here are five things to watch when the series resumes in Detroit:

PLAY POOL OR FIGHT?: Detroit does not want to play Boston's game. Red Wings coach Mike Babcock explained why in quite a unique way on Monday, when he was asked what his message was to Smith about challenging Chara. 'You walk into the bar and there's this beautiful young gal standing next to this 6-foot-5 monster, who you know makes his living fighting for a living and you're the best pool player in the bar,' Babcock said. 'Are you going to play pool or are you going to fight?'

LOUI, LOUI!: Bruins forward Loui Eriksson failed to play up to high expectations during the regular season after Boston traded Tyler Seguin - a young, rising star - to the Dallas Stars for him last summer. Eriksson had 10 goals and 37 points in 61 games, a far cry from the 70-plus seasons in each of the three years before the lockout-shortened season, at least in part because of a concussion that kept him out of the lineup. In the playoffs, Eriksson has been healthy and productive. The Swede assisted on the first goal of Sunday's 4-1 win and is one of just six players on his team with a positive plus-minus rating through two games against Detroit. 'Loui has just been good for us ever since he got over those injuries,' Bruins coach Claude Julien said.

ISN'T THAT SPECIAL: Boston evened the best-of-seven series because it took advantage of power plays, and didn't let Detroit score with an extra skater. The Bruins scored on two of four power plays and held Detroit to 0 for 4 when it had a man advantage in Game 2. 'We're in the box for too many penalties and down the road that can hurt you,' Bruins coach Claude Julien said Monday before his team traveled to Detroit. 'So playing within the rules and being physical is part of our strength, so we have to be that team.' The Red Wings have scored only one power-play goal in 19 chances over the last five games overall.

NYQUIST, NILL: Detroit's Gustav Nyquist does not have one goal in the eight games since he skated around Chara and scored the game-winner in a 3-2 victory over Boston on April 2. With that goal, he had scored 23 times in 28 games after having just 63 NHL games of experience. Alex Ovechkin and Pavel Bure were the only other NHL players who had pulled off that feat since the 1989-90 season. 'Suddenly, instead of being a guy nobody ever heard of, like last year in the playoffs, you're a guy they heard of,' Babcock said. 'His space is probably a little harder to come by.

HOLDING SERVE: The Red Wings took home-ice advantage by opening the series with a 1-0 victory on Pavel Datsyuk's dazzling play and sharp shot, and they hope to keep it by winning Game 3 on Tuesday night and Game 4 on Thursday night. After the first two games were split on the road, Smith insisted where games are played do play a factor. 'For sure, it matters,' Smith said. 'I any series, home ice matters. ... I think coming back home is going to help us a lot.'

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rangers (45-31) at Flyers (42-30)

Date: April 22, 2014 8:00 PM EDT


VOORHEES, N.J. (AP) - Calling himself a Band-Aid, Ray Emery has held the Philadelphia Flyers together nicely.

Emery will make his third straight start for an injured Steve Mason when the Flyers host the New York Rangers in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series Tuesday night. The Razor was excellent in Sunday's 4-2 win at Madison Square Garden, making 31 saves to help the Flyers even the best-of-seven series at 1-1.

'The more frequently you play, the more comfortable you are in net,' Emery said Monday. 'I appreciate being in there in consecutive games. I'm kind of a Band-Aid there while Mase gets better.'

Mason said he won't dress for the game and his status for the series remains iffy because of an upper-body injury. He shared practice time with Emery on Monday and is hopeful to return Friday night for Game 4.

Mason hasn't played since he was injured in a collision in the next-to-last game of the regular season on April 12.

'Right now, the way Razor's playing, there's no hurry,' Mason said. 'He's the reason we won yesterday, so I think even if I was ready there's no reason to take him out right now.'

Flyers coach Craig Berube wouldn't speculate about his goalies.

'Ray is playing next game. That's it,' Berube said. 'That's where I'm leaving it. There's nothing really else to talk about. The other guy is not ready, so I'm going to play the guy that is ready. And that's it.'

Mason was 33-18-7 with a 2.50 goals-against average and .917 save percentage this season. He helped the Flyers overcome a 1-7 start and coaching change to make the playoffs.

Emery has more playoff experience, however. He helped lead Ottawa to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2007 and was a backup for the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks last year.

'Any experience definitely helps,' Emery said. 'But seeing a team be successful in the playoffs, seeing the ups and downs a team has to go through to win a championship definitely leads to a positive experience that you can learn from.'

Emery's win Sunday was his first in the postseason anywhere in exactly three years since a 6-3 victory with Anaheim at Nashville on April 20, 2011. It was Philadelphia's first road win against the Rangers since Feb. 20, 2011.

Now the series shifts to the Wells Fargo Center where the Rangers will try to wrestle home-ice advantage back from the Flyers. The Rangers were 0-2 in Philadelphia this season, and have dropped four of five there. But New York set a franchise record this season by winning 25 road games.

'It's going to be a loud building, and they're going to come,' Rangers center Brad Richards said. 'Our regular season road record doesn't really matter unless we can win some road games in this series. That's all we're really looking at. It doesn't matter what we did before. Starting tomorrow we need to go in and try and win a game.

The Flyers must be more disciplined against New York. They got away with six penalties in Game 2, killing off five of them.

'We have to be better. We can't take penalties the way we are,' Berube said. 'You're going to get penalties in a game just because, but you can't take emotional, dumb ones. It's going to hurt you.'

The Rangers, who were twice whistled for diving, struggled on the power play and couldn't get much going after taking an early 2-0 lead Sunday. They were outhustled, and allowed the Flyers to upset their rhythm. Goalie Henrik Lundqvist gave up three goals on 24 shots, excluding the empty-netter at the end.

Eleven skaters took part in New York's optional practice at the Garden, including Richards, Brian Boyle, Derek Dorsett, Dominic Moore, Dan Carcillo, J.T. Miller, Jesper Fast, Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh, Justin Falk and Raphael Diaz, and backup goalie Cam Talbot.

'They come out a little different (at home), and we know they're a pretty good home team, play well in front of their fans,' Boyle said. 'It's going to be a pretty fun atmosphere, and we're a pretty good road team. Should be fun.'

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Sharks (51-22) at Kings (46-28)

Date: April 22, 2014 10:00 PM EDT


EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) - Jonathan Quick and the Los Angeles Kings are home from a two-game playoff humiliation still confident they can compete against the San Jose Sharks.

Just don't ask Quick what the Kings must change to make it happen.

'A lot of things,' Quick snapped at the Kings' training complex Monday. 'I've got things to do this afternoon. I don't want to get into all of them.'

Quick isn't known for his loquaciousness in Los Angeles, but he's known for stopping pucks, particularly in the playoffs. The Conn Smythe Trophy winner didn't do it nearly often enough in the first two games, yielding 12 of the Sharks' 13 goals over just five periods.


Although Los Angeles hasn't appeared capable of keeping up with the speedy, motivated Sharks so far, the Kings plan to rely on their playoff experience and an improved defensive effort when they host Game 3 on Tuesday night at Staples Center.

It takes more than two horrific road games to unnerve a veteran roster packed with Stanley Cup champions, according to leading scorer Anze Kopitar.

'It's not good, but it doesn't really matter if it's 7-2 or you lose 3-2 in triple overtime,' Kopitar said. 'It stinks, and we've got to get better.'

The Kings were in the same jam last year after two road losses in St. Louis to open a playoff run that stretched all the way to their second straight Western Conference finals.

But those were two one-goal defeats in St. Louis last spring. Los Angeles didn't seem as utterly outclassed by the Blues as they did in San Jose, unable to keep pace while making dozens of uncharacteristic mistakes in puck possession, neutral-zone defense and goaltending.

As Quick suggested, the Kings have plenty to fix. They've also got to forget the pickle they're in, according to center Jarret Stoll.

'You've got to park it,' Stoll said. 'You've got to move on. ... You prepare for the game like it's any other, but you can look back and see the situation you're in. We know what we need from the guys. We just haven't got it up to this point.'

At least the Kings are back at Staples Center, where they're 10-0-1 against San Jose in the past three years. Los Angeles won all four home games in the clubs' second-round playoff series last spring.

The Sharks' biggest obstacle appears to be overconfidence after outclassing their heated rivals twice. But after years of playoff failure, San Jose isn't likely to get too happy - particularly given its unimpressive recent history at Staples Center, where the Sharks lost Czech youngster Tomas Hertl to a knee injury on Kings captain Dustin Brown's hit early this season.

'We've stepped up the physicality and our speed in the playoffs here,' Sharks forward Tommy Wingels said. 'I think it's kind of caught them by surprise, and (there's) definitely a level of frustration.'

The Kings won't vocalize that frustration, but it isn't tough to spot.

They allowed fewer goals than any NHL team in the regular season, but they had their two worst defensive games of the season in San Jose. Los Angeles hadn't allowed 13 goals in any two-game span since December 2010, a year before coach Darryl Sutter stepped behind the bench and built a defensive powerhouse.

Los Angeles also just managed four goals of its own. No Kings forward other than Trevor Lewis has even scored a goal in the series, with only two assists apiece from Kopitar and Jeff Carter.

Yet Sutter cast a spotlight Monday on the Kings' depth forwards for their shortcomings at the Shark Tank, breaking with the coach's usual practice of refusing to differentiate stars from supporting players.

'I thought that our third and fourth line and our fifth and sixth defensemen could match up better against their third and fourth line,' said Sutter, a longtime advocate for the grinders and defense-minded players who populate their depth groupings. 'It hasn't happened yet. ... Our role players, if we can show the tenacity that their role players are showing, then we have a chance. Otherwise, we don't.'

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Dunkel

Boston at Detroit
The Bruins head to Detroit tonight for Game 3 and face a Red Wings team that is 2-8 in its last 10 Tuesday games. Boston is the pick (-135) according to Dunkel, which has the Bruins favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Boston (-135). Here are all of today's playoff picks.

TUESDAY, APRIL 22

Game 9-10: Tampa Bay at Montreal (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay 11.690; Montreal 11.137
Dunkel Line & Total: Tampa Bay by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Montreal (-180); 5
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (+60); Over

Game 11-12: Boston at Detroit (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston 12.524; Detroit 11.049
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 1 1/2; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Boston (-135); 5
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-135); Under

Game 13-14: NY Rangers at Philadelphia (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Rangers 11.976; Philadelphia 10.804
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Rangers by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Philadelphia (-120); 5
Dunkel Pick: NY Rangers (+100); Over

Game 15-16: San Jose at Los Angeles (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Jose 11.603; Los Angeles 12.944
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 1 1/2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles (-130); 5
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-130); Under




NHL
Long Sheet

Tuesday, April 22

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TAMPA BAY (46-29-0-10, 102 pts.) at MONTREAL (49-28-0-8, 106 pts.) - 4/22/2014, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MONTREAL is 49-36 ATS (+12.9 Units) in all games this season.
MONTREAL is 22-15 ATS (+0.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
TAMPA BAY is 10-2 ATS (+12.6 Units) in road games when trailing in a playoff series since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 8-5 (+1.7 Units) against the spread versus TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 8-5-0 straight up against TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.6 Units)

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BOSTON (55-20-0-9, 119 pts.) at DETROIT (40-29-0-15, 95 pts.) - 4/22/2014, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 0-5 ATS (-7.1 Units) in road games in April games this season.
BOSTON is 55-29 ATS (+7.8 Units) in all games this season.
BOSTON is 64-53 ATS (+121.7 Units) in road games on Tuesday nights since 1996.
BOSTON is 23-8 ATS (+9.4 Units) after a division game this season.
BOSTON is 114-84 ATS (+29.3 Units) in road games after a win by 2 goals or more since 1996.
DETROIT is 11-18 ATS (-11.2 Units) on Tuesday nights over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 78-89 ATS (-81.9 Units) after playing 3 consecutive road games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 5-2 (+4.8 Units) against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 5-2-0 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.9 Units)

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NY RANGERS (46-32-0-6, 98 pts.) at PHILADELPHIA (43-31-0-10, 96 pts.) - 4/22/2014, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY RANGERS are 13-22 ATS (-11.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
NY RANGERS are 18-11 ATS (+6.3 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5 or less this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 217-219 ATS (-15.7 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY RANGERS is 12-4 (+7.2 Units) against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
NY RANGERS is 12-4-0 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
8 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.4 Units)

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SAN JOSE (53-22-0-9, 115 pts.) at LOS ANGELES (46-30-0-8, 100 pts.) - 4/22/2014, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN JOSE is 13-27 ATS (-17.1 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5 or less over the last 3 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 107-67 ATS (+22.9 Units) in April games since 1996.
SAN JOSE is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in the first round of the playoffs over the last 2 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 32-14 ATS (+11.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
SAN JOSE is 16-4 ATS (+10.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
LOS ANGELES is 13-17 ATS (-10.2 Units) after a division game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN JOSE is 12-10 (+0.9 Units) against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
SAN JOSE is 12-10-0 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
10 of 19 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.0 Units)

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NHL
Short Sheet

Tuesday, April 22

Tampa Bay at Montreal, 7:05 ET
Tampa Bay: 32-25 SU vs. division opponents
Montreal: 5-12 SU in home games off a home win

Boston at Detroit, 7:35 ET
Boston: 51-22 SU as a favorite
Detroit: 6-14 SU after playing 2 consecutive road games

NY Rangers at Philadelphia, 8:05 ET
NY Rangers: 11-3 SU in road games after one or more consecutive overs
Philadelphia: 8-3 SU after 3 consecutive division games

San Jose at Los Angeles, 10:05 ET
San Jose: 6-0 SU in the first round of the playoffs
Los Angeles: 6-13 SU off a road loss




NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, April 22

Flyers' 4-2 win in Game 2 was their first in six games vs Rangers this year; they've lost five of last seven home games to Rangers, but haven't trailed either game in this series after 2nd period, despite being outshot a combined 49-31 in first two periods of each game. Rangers are 3-12 on power play in series, Philly just 2-4. Rangers led 2-0 after 8:22 of Game 2; them losing that game give Flyers huge boost heading to home ice here. Under is 5-1-2 in last eight Ranger games, 0-8-1 in Philly's last nine games.

Bruins evened series with Game 2 win that saw more faceoffs (44 to 62), penalty minutes (6 to 28) than in Game 1, but still less than typical game. Boston lost four of last six games vs Detroit; this is only their 4th visit to Motor City in last eight seasons- their last win here in Detroit was in '06-'07. Bruins are 26-15 on road this season; they've only allowed two goals in series so far, killing off all six penalties. Detroit is 23-18 at home this season; 10 of its 41 home games went to either OT or shootout.

Montreal is going for series sweep here, despite going 0-11 on power play and being -12 on faceoffs in series; they held Lightning to three goals in last two games, with two of those three scoring with Lightning up a man. Montreal won ten of last thirteen games overall; they won six of last eight at home, are 27-15 at home this season. Tampa Bay allowed five third period goals in series so far- they've won four of last seven road games, are 23-19 overall on road this season, but need big effort here to avoid Wednesday morning tee time.

Kings lost six of last seven games, scoring total of 16 goals- they led 2-0 after first period of Game 2, but Sharks then scored last seven goals of game to take 2-0 series lead, with 13 goals scored in two one-sided games. Sharks are 23-18 on road this season, but they were 0-2 here and have lost seven in row overall at Staples Center. League-wide, over is 10-5-2 in playoff games so far this week; three of four road teams got shut out last night. LA is 25-16 on home ice this season, with under 23-13-5 in those games.




NHL

Tuesday, April 22

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. MONTREAL
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Tampa Bay's last 10 games on the road
Tampa Bay is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Montreal
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Montreal's last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Montreal's last 7 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay

7:30 PM
BOSTON vs. DETROIT
Boston is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 17 of Boston's last 25 games on the road
Detroit is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Detroit's last 18 games when playing Boston

8:00 PM
NY RANGERS vs. PHILADELPHIA
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the NY Rangers last 7 games on the road
NY Rangers are 13-6 SU in their last 19 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Philadelphia's last 8 games
Philadelphia is 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against NY Rangers

10:00 PM
SAN JOSE vs. LOS ANGELES
San Jose is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
San Jose is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Los Angeles is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against San Jose
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Los Angeles's last 5 games


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NHL

Tuesday, April 22

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Monday's NHL playoffs betting news and notes
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Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Montreal Canadiens (-175, 5)

Captain Steven Stamkos avoided what appeared to be a serious injury when he took an accidental knee flush to the side of his head moments after Callahan's goal was negated late in the second period, but he returned to start the third period. Stamkos, who already missed more than four months this season due to a broken leg, picked up his second assist of the contest on defenseman Matt Carle's third-period goal and told reporters at Monday's optional skate that he felt good and expects to be in the lineup for Game 4.

P.K. Subban did not finish the regular season on a high note, failing to hit the scoresheet in his final six games, posting a collective minus-5 in that span and having his ice time cut dramatically in half those contests. However, Subban has provided a stark reminder of why he ranks among the league's elite defensemen with a stellar series against Tampa Bay, posting back-to-back games with two assists and playing a leading role during the decisive stretch of Game 3. Subban prevented a tiebreaking tally by swatting a puck out of mid-air seconds before Callahan's goal was waved off and, minutes later, put his team ahead to stay with a brilliant individual rush to set up a goal by Brendan Gallagher.

TRENDS:

* Under is 5-1-2 in the last eight meetings.
* Lightning are 2-5 in the last seven meetings in Montreal.
* Canadiens are 8-3 in the last 11 meetings.


Boston Bruins vs. Detroit Red Wings (+122, 5)

A stomach bug sidelined defenseman Kevan Miller and Matt Bartkowski in the series opener, but the former quickly made his presence felt in Game 2 by rocking Detroit's Drew Miller and Daniel Aldredsson with big hits in the opening minutes. "Millsy, right from the start, I thought he helped set the tone with a couple of big hits, and I think they were within the first five minutes," veteran forward Jarome Iginla said. "He's a very strong competitor and it was great to have him back on the lineup and set that tone early." Somewhat overlooked thus far in the series has been the play of netminder Tuukka Rask, who has allowed one goal in each contest and beat Detroit on Sunday for only the second time in eight career meetings (2-5-1).

One of the enduring images of Game 2 was a stare-down at the end of the first period between Detroit's Smith and Boston's Zdeno Chara - with the towering Bruins captain laughing at Smith and attempting to goad him into a fight. Smith acknowledged it was not a wise idea to confront the 6-9 Chara, a move backed by Red Wings coach Mike Babcock. "I thought he made a really good decision," Babcock said of taking the high road. "You walk into a bar and there's this beautiful young gal, standing next to this 6-foot-5 monster who you know makes his living fighting for a living and you're the best pool player in the bar. Are you going to play pool? Or are you going to fight. Figure it out, seems pretty simple to me."

TRENDS:

* Under is 4-1-2 in the last seven meetings.
* Bruins are 2-8 in the last 10 meetings.
* Bruins are 0-4 in the last four meetings in Detroit.


New York Rangers vs. Philadelphia Flyers (-114, 5)

After struggling to adjust to his new team, Martin St. Louis has hit the ground running in the postseason. The 38-year-old has scored a goal and set up two others in the first two games of the series and has two tallies and eight assists in nine career playoff meetings with the Flyers. St. Louis' three points are tied for the team lead with Brad Richards, who collected a goal and two assists in Game 1.

Philadelphia avenged a series-opening 4-1 setback by rebounding from an early two-goal deficit to post a 4-2 victory on Sunday. Ray Emery will make his third consecutive start in place of the injured Steve Mason, who ruled himself out for Tuesday with an upper-body injury. The Flyers return to the comforts of Wells Fargo Center, where they claimed both regular-season meetings with the Rangers to push their home winning streak in the all-time series to three games.

TRENDS:

* Home team is 6-1 in the last seven meetings.
* Over is 5-2 in the last seven meetings in Philadelphia.
* Rangers are 1-4 in the last five meetings in Philadelphia.


San Jose Sharks at Los Angeles Kings (-125, 5)

Everything is going San Jose's way thus far in the series, as evidenced by its comeback from a 2-0 deficit in Game 2. Known more for their pugilistic skills and questionable hits than their scoring prowess, Mike Brown and Raffi Torres scored less than five minutes apart in the second period to forge a tie and spark the club's run of seven straight tallies. Torres has collected five goals and two assists in seven games this season, including a tally in each of the first two games of the series.

Trevor Lewis is the only Los Angeles forward with a goal in the series. Centers Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter have recorded two assists apiece while right wings Marian Gaborik, Justin Williams and Dustin Brown and centers Mike Richards and Jarret Stoll have yet to notch a point. Richards received a double-minor for spearing Logan Couture late in the third period Sunday but was not suspended by the league. Los Angeles has won eight straight home meetings with San Jose.

TRENDS:

* Sharks are 1-10 in the last 11 meetings in Los Angeles.
* Over is 9-4-2 in the last 15 meetings in Los Angeles.
* Home team is 35-16 in the last 51 meetings.

[StarDust Bum]

2014 Playoff Results

April 20, 2014


Betting Results

First Round
Wager Results
Favorites-Underdogs 16-5
Home-Away 15-6
Puck-Line Favorites 7-9
Over-Under 12-5-4


Eastern Conference

Key: A (Atlantic) M (Metropolitan) W (Wild Card)

(A1) Boston vs. (W2) Detroit
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Detroit (+180) at Boston 1-0 Underdog Under (5)
2 Detroit at Boston (-200) 4-1 Favorite Push (5)
3 Boston at Detroit - - -
4 Boston at Detroit - - -
5 Detroit at Boston - - -
6 Boston at Detroit - - -
7 Detroit at Boston - - -


(A2) Tampa Bay vs. (A3) Montreal
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Montreal (+100) at Tampa Bay 5-4 (OT) Underdog Over (5)
2 Montreal (+105) at Tampa Bay 4-1 Underdog Push (5)
3 Tampa Bay at Montreal (-155) 3-2 Favorite Push (5)
4 Tampa Bay at Montreal - - -
5 Montreal at Tampa Bay - - -
6 Tampa Bay at Montreal - - -
7 Montreal at Tampa Bay - - -


(M1) Pittsburgh vs. (W1) Columbus
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Columbus at Pittsburgh (-200) 4-3 Favorite Over (5 ½)
2 Columbus (+180) at Pittsburgh 4-3 (2OT) Underdog Over (5 ½)
3 Pittsburgh (-130) at Columbus 4-3 Favorite Over (5 ½)
4 Pittsburgh at Columbus - - -
5 Columbus at Pittsburgh - - -
6 Pittsburgh at Columbus - - -
7 Columbus at Pittsburgh - - -


(M2) N.Y. Rangers vs. vs. (M3) Philadelphia
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Philadelphia at N.Y Rangers (-155) 4-1 Favorite Push (5)
2 Philadelphia (+140) at N.Y. Rangers 4-2 Underdog Over (5)
3 N.Y. Rangers at Philadelphia - - -
4 N.Y. Rangers at Philadelphia - - -
5 Philadelphia at N.Y. Rangers - - -
6 N.Y. Rangers at Philadelphia - - -
7 Philadelphia at N.Y. Rangers - - -



Western Conference

Key: C (Central) P (Pacific) W (Wild Card)

(C1) Colorado vs. (W1) Minnesota
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Minnesota at Colorado (-140) 5-4 (OT) Favorite Over (5)
2 Minnesota at Colorado (-135) 4-2 Favorite Over (5)
3 Colorado at Minnesota (-130) 1-0 (OT) Favorite Under (5)
4 Colorado at Minnesota - - -
5 Minnesota at Colorado - - -
6 Colorado at Minnesota - - -
7 Minnesota at Colorado - - -



C2) St. Louis vs. (C3) Chicago
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Chicago at St. Louis (-115) 4-3 (3OT) Favorite Over (5)
2 Chicago at St. Louis (-110) 4-3 (OT) Favorite Over (5)
3 St. Louis at Chicago (-160) 2-0 Favorite Under (5)
4 St. Louis at Chicago - - -
5 Chicago at St. Louis - - -
6 St. Louis at Chicago - - -
7 Chicago at St. Louis - - -


(P1) Anaheim vs. (W2) Dallas
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Dallas at Anaheim (-170) 4-3 Favorite Over (5 ½)
2 Dallas at Anaheim (-170) 3-2 Favorite Under (5 ½)
3 Anaheim at Dallas (-120) 3-0 Favorite Under (5 ½)
4 Anaheim at Dallas - - -
5 Dallas at Anaheim - - -
6 Anaheim at Dallas - - -
7 Dallas at Anaheim - - -


(P2) San Jose vs. (P3) Los Angeles
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Los Angeles at San Jose (-135) 6-3 Favorite Over (4 ½)
2 Los Angeles at San Jose (-140) 7-2 Favorite Over (5)
3 San Jose at Los Angeles - - -
4 San Jose at Los Angeles - - -
5 Los Angeles at San Jose - - -
6 San Jose at Los Angeles - - -
7 Los Angeles at San Jose - - -

[StarDust Bum]

NHL

Tuesday, April 22


NHL playoff favorites go 4-0 Monday, continue to dominate

After going 4-0 Monday, favorites in the NHL playoffs continue to dominate at the betting window. Through the first six days of action, the favorites have a 16-5 record (71.4 percent) going an astounding 9-2 (81.8 percent) from Saturday to Monday.

Of the 16 wins by the favorites, 15 have come on home ice with the lone road fave win being the Pittsburgh Penguins Monday.

There are four games on tap for Tuesday with Montreal, Boston, Philadelphia and Los Angeles favored on the moneyline.


Blues' C David Backes, questionable Wednesday

Backes left Game 2 after taking an illegal hit to the head and did not play in Game 3. He is questionable for Game 4 against the Blackhawks on Wednesday.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL

Tuesday, April 22

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Four big betting trends paying off in the NHL playoffs
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The first five days of Stanley Cup playoff action have been largely action-packed and occasionally controversial - and like every year at this time, some interesting betting trends have emerged.

Here are four developments bettors should pay attention to moving forward:

Overs a-plenty

So much for teams settling into defensive shells come playoff time. Bettors leaning on the Over have been handsomely rewarded through the first 17 games of the postseason calendar, going 11-2-4 as teams pile up the goals at an astounding rate. Of the two games that played to the Under, one - Anaheim's 3-2 triumph over Dallas Friday night - came within a half-goal of the total. Winning teams have scored four or more goals 14 times in the first 17 contests - an unbelievable stretch that should taper off as the playoffs continue.

Rocky road for underdogs

Road teams traditionally don't fare well over the first two games of a best-of-seven series, and this year is no exception. The home team has gone 12-5 through the first five days - slightly better than the 11-7 edge the higher-seeded team had through the same stretch a season ago. Montreal was the exception, winning its first two games in Tampa Bay before taking a 3-0 stranglehold in its first-round series with the Lightning thanks to a 3-2 home victory Sunday night. Home teams have outscored road opponents 62-47 to date.

Special teams explosion

Goals are being scored at an incredible pace on special teams as well as 5-on-5. The 16 Stanley Cup playoff participants have combined to score 26 power-play goals through the first 17 games of the tournament - an average of 1.53 per game. This is well ahead of last year's pace, when 86 playoff games yielded 95 man-advantage tallies for an average of 1.1 per contest. Shorthanded goals are up as well. Teams have already scored six of them in 2014, compare to 14 in the entire 2013 postseason.

First is not always best

This year's playoff teams appear to have mastered the art of the comeback, and that should be music to live bettors' ears. Teams scoring first through the opening five days of Stanley Cup competition are just 9-8 so far - a meager 52.9-percent success rate that pales in comparison to the league-wide regular-season mark of 69.5 percent. And it isn't just one or two teams rallying for the victory. Eight different teams - Anaheim, Colorado, Montreal, San Jose, Columbus, the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia - have won after trailing first.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL PLAYOFF RECORD:

7 - 5 .................+ 1.80

7 - 1 .................+ 13.48

1 - 1 ................ + 0.00


Tuesday, April 22

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Tampa Bay - 7:00 PM ET Tampa Bay +151 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Montreal - Over 5 500

Boston - 7:30 PM ET Detroit +117 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Detroit - Under 5 500 DOUBLE PLAY

NY Rangers - 8:00 PM ET Philadelphia -105 500 *****
Philadelphia - Over 5 500

San Jose - 10:00 PM ET Los Angeles -121 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Los Angeles - Over 5 500 *****

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Dunkel

Anaheim at Dallas
The Ducks look to bounce back from their 3-0 loss in Game 3 as they face a Stars team that is 0-5 in its last 5 games after allowing 2 goals or less in the previous game. Anaheim is the pick (+100) according to Dunkel, which has the Ducks favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Anaheim (+100). Here are all of today's playoff picks.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23

Game 17-18: Pittsburgh at Columbus (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 12.859; Columbus 11.159
Dunkel Line & Total: Pittsburgh by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Pittsburgh (-130); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-130); Under

Game 19-20: Anaheim at Dallas (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Anaheim 11.747; Dallas 10.856
Dunkel Line & Total: Anaheim by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Dallas (-120); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Anaheim (+100); Over

Game 21-22: St. Louis at Chicago (9:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis 11.365; Chicago 12.895
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 1 1/2; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago (-150); 5
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-150); Under




NHL
Long Sheet

Wednesday, April 23

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PITTSBURGH (53-24-0-8, 114 pts.) at COLUMBUS (44-34-0-7, 95 pts.) - 4/23/2014, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 15-19 ATS (-15.3 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.
COLUMBUS is 44-41 ATS (-8.8 Units) in all games this season.
COLUMBUS is 27-18 ATS (+8.6 Units) second half of the season this season.
COLUMBUS is 15-8 ATS (+23.9 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more this season.
PITTSBURGH is 19-8 ATS (+8.0 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 8-1 (+6.1 Units) against the spread versus COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 8-1-0 straight up against COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.6 Units)

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ANAHEIM (56-21-0-8, 120 pts.) at DALLAS (41-33-0-11, 93 pts.) - 4/23/2014, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ANAHEIM is 56-29 ATS (+14.4 Units) in all games this season.
ANAHEIM is 187-192 ATS (+414.9 Units) in road games second half of the season since 1996.
ANAHEIM is 177-133 ATS (+24.5 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent since 1996.
ANAHEIM is 30-11 ATS (+11.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 10-7 (+4.6 Units) against the spread versus ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 10-7-0 straight up against ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
10 of 17 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.8 Units)

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ST LOUIS (54-24-0-7, 115 pts.) at CHICAGO (47-21-0-17, 111 pts.) - 4/23/2014, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 8-23 ATS (-16.3 Units) in road games revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO is 26-7 ATS (+13.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 19-4 ATS (+12.5 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 23-9 ATS (+9.3 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
CHICAGO is 47-38 ATS (-4.0 Units) in all games this season.
CHICAGO is 19-24 ATS (-11.0 Units) second half of the season this season.
CHICAGO is 14-18 ATS (-13.9 Units) vs. division opponents this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 10-8 (+0.8 Units) against the spread versus ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 10-8-0 straight up against ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
9 of 18 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.7 Units, Under=-0.9 Units)

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NHL
Short Sheet

Wednesday, April 23

Tampa Bay at Montreal, 7:05 ET
Tampa Bay: 32-25 SU vs. division opponents
Montreal: 5-12 SU in home games off a home win

Boston at Detroit, 7:35 ET
Boston: 51-22 SU as a favorite
Detroit: 6-14 SU after playing 2 consecutive road games

NY Rangers at Philadelphia, 8:05 ET
NY Rangers: 11-3 SU in road games after one or more consecutive overs
Philadelphia: 8-3 SU after 3 consecutive division games

San Jose at Los Angeles, 10:05 ET
San Jose: 6-0 SU in the first round of the playoffs
Los Angeles: 6-13 SU off a road loss




NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, April 23

Columbus got first-ever playoff win in second OT at Igloo Saturday, then had 3-1 lead in 3rd period Monday, before Penguins scored three goals in 2:13 to take back home ice advantage. Columbus lost eight of its last nine games with Pittsburgh, losing last five vs Pens at home by combined score of 21-9. Penguins are 5-5 in last ten games, 27-15 on road this season- five of last seven games went to OT or SO. Columbus is 24-18 at home, 0-4 vs Penguins.

Blues won first two games of series in OT, tying both games in last 2:00 of regulation, then got blanked here in Game 3, with Crawford stopping 34 shots, 15 in first period. St Louis is 1-16 on power play in series, Chicago 1-14; Blues are 2-7 in last nine games overall. Chicago lost six of their last nine games with Blues; they're 30-12 at home this year, 8-1 in last nine at home. St Louis is now 25-17 on road. Over is 14-6-5 in playoff games so far this month.

Ducks got blanked in Game 3, ending six-game win streak, despite 37-22 edge in shots; they allowed only five goals in first three series games, but home side won all three. Dallas won 44 of of 71 faceoffs after being 68-76 in faceoffs first two games. Ducks are 5-2 in last seven games with Dallas; Stars are 7-6 in last thirteen games overall, with eight of last ten games staying under total; Stars are 2-14 on power play in series. Home side has had edge in shots in only one of nine periods this series.




NHL

Wednesday, April 23

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. COLUMBUS
Pittsburgh is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing Columbus
Pittsburgh is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Columbus is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Columbus's last 10 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh

8:00 PM
ANAHEIM vs. DALLAS
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Anaheim's last 12 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Anaheim's last 7 games when playing on the road against Dallas
Dallas is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Anaheim
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Dallas's last 7 games when playing at home against Anaheim

9:30 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. CHICAGO
St. Louis is 2-11 SU in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 4 of St. Louis's last 6 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 6 games when playing St. Louis
Chicago is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games


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NHL

Wednesday, April 23

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Wednesday's NHL playoffs betting news and notes
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Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (+118, 5.5)

A high-octane offense has pretty much been the norm in the Steel City, although some familiar names have yet to score a goal in the series. Captain Sidney Crosby (team-leading 36 goals), Chris Kunitz (35) and Evgeni Malkin (23) have combined for eight assists, while James Neal (27 goals) has been held off the scoresheet in all three tilts. "Obviously, Sid and Geno (Malkin) and Kuni and James Neal are going to get a lot of the attention, a lot of the tougher matchups," Stempniak said. "It sort of comes down to the secondary scoring and the other players who can make a difference in the series."

Coach Todd Richards admitted that he saw the parallels between Games 1 and 3, from the frenzied atmosphere surrounding the series opener to Columbus' crowd desiring to celebrate its first postseason victory. Richards acknowledged that the Blue Jackets "got away from our game a little bit. Some of that had to do with what Pittsburgh was doing, but some of it had to do with what we were doing, too." Columbus would be wise to crack down on its penalties, as the Penguins have totaled a league-best 17 power-play opportunities.

TRENDS:

* Penguins are 6-0 in the last six meetings in Columbus.
* Penguins are 8-1 in the last nine meetings.
* Over is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings in Columbus.


Anaheim Ducks vs. Dallas Stars (-116, 5.5)

The Ducks lost more than a game Monday as Stephane Robidas suffered a fractured right leg in the opening minute of the second period and is out for the remainder of the postseason. It is the same leg the defenseman broke in November while a member of the Stars. With Robidas on the shelf, Anaheim will turn to either Luca Sbisa or Mark Fistric to fill the void in Game 4. Both have battled injuries this season as Sbisa was limited to 30 games during the regular season while Fistric hasn't played since March 15. The Ducks have gone 0-for-8 on the power play over the last two games after scoring twice on five opportunities in the series opener.

Captain Jamie Benn and Ryan Garbutt each scored his second goal of the series while Kari Lehtonen made 37 saves en route to his first win in five career playoff decisions. Brenden Dillon participated in an optional skate with his teammates Tuesday for the first time since suffering a lower-body injury on the final weekend of the season. Coach Lindy Ruff considers the defenseman "a long shot" to play on Wednesday, however. "Unless he walks in my office and demands it, which I could hope could happen, but I'm not banking on it," Ruff said.

TRENDS:

* Under is 6-1 in the last seven meetings in Dallas.
* Home team is 5-1 in the last six meetings.
* Ducks are 16-36-2 in the last 54 meetings in Dallas.


St. Louis Blues vs. Chicago Blackhawks (-145, 5)

Check back later for more info.

TRENDS:

* Home team is 38-18 in the last 56 meetings.
* Blues are 7-21 in the last 28 meetings in Chicago.
* Under is 8-2 in Blackhawks' last 10 games following a win.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL

Wednesday, April 23


Blues' C David Backes, questionable Wednesday

Backes was on the receiving end of an illegal hit to the head on Sunday and did not play against the Blackhawks in Game 3. He is questionable to return for Game 4 on Wednesday.


Penguins-Jackets cashing in for Over bettors

There is no doubt that the Columbus Blue Jackets have put up a good fight in their playoff series with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but bettors have probably focused in on totals.

Three games into the series and the Over/Under count is 3-0 as each game has resulted in a 4-3 scoreline. One contributing factor is certainly the amount of shots being pelted toward the net. Through three games, the two teams are combining to average 71.33 shots per game.

The O/U for Wednesday's Game 4 is 5.5 (-117).