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

[StarDust Bum]

NHL PLAYOFF RECORD:

3 - 1 .................+ 2.00

3 - 0 .................+ 6.30

1 - 0 ................ + 3.00


Friday, April 18

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Montreal - 7:00 PM ET Montreal +100 500 *****
Tampa Bay - Over 5 500 *****

Detroit - 7:30 PM ET Boston -185 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Boston - Over 5 500

Dallas - 10:00 PM ET Anaheim -176 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Anaheim - Over 5.5 500

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday's NHL playoffs betting news and notes


Chicago Blackhawks at St. Louis Blues (-103, 5)

In the minds of many, the St. Louis Blues went from the penthouse to the outhouse in record time as they concluded the regular season mired in a six-game losing streak. After winning a triple-overtime marathon in the first-round series opener, the Blues look to elevate their standing once again when they host Game 2 against the reigning Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday afternoon. Alex Steen scored 26 seconds into the third extra session as St. Louis skated to a 4-3 triumph on Thursday in the longest game in franchise history.

Patrick Kane and captain Jonathan Toews made triumphant returns for Chicago, as the former scored on a breakaway late in the first period after being set up by latter. The reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Kane overcame a left knee injury to play in his first game since March 19, while Toews competed in his initial contest since being leveled by Pittsburgh's Brooks Orpik. Chicago D Duncan Keith logged 40:59 of ice time on Thursday, the second-longest total of his career. He set a career high of 48:40 against Boston in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final last season.

TRENDS:

* Blackhawks are 2-5 in the last seven meetings.
* Under is 5-1 in Blues last six home games.
* Blackhawks are 1-8 in their last nine road games.


Columbus Blue Jackets at Pittsburgh Penguins (-185, 5.5)

Although putting a scare into their opposition, the Columbus Blue Jackets still haven't proven they can defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins this season. "I have to be better. Four goals is a lot, but it's already past me," said reigning Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky, who owns an 0-3 career mark in postseason play with a gaudy 4.04 goals-against average. The Blue Jackets have lost all five of their postseason games in franchise history.

Kris Letang struggled mightily in Game 1 as the defenseman's turnover led to Derek MacKenzie's short-handed goal while a retaliatory slash gave Columbus a power play. Coach Dan Bylsma was not pleased and limited Letang's ice time accordingly (3:55 in the third period). "I think he got a message," Bylsma said. "Whether it was a voice or not playing or a nice talk, he got a message. And that's something he’s got to be better at and that’s something we've got to be better at as a group."

TRENDS:

* Blue Jackets are 0-7 in the last seven meetings.
* Penguins are 4-1 in their last five Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Over is 18-7-2 in Penguins last 27 Conference Quarterfinals games.


Minnesota Wild at Colorado Avalanche (-139, 5)

Zach Parise recorded his 12th career multi-point playoff performance with a pair of assists on Thursday. The veteran has collected 46 points in 67 career postseason games. Haula practiced with Matt Cooke and Nino Niederreiter on the third line Friday while Brodziak was moved to the fourth line with Stephane Veilleux and Cody McCormick.

Paul Stastny made history in the series opener, becoming the first player in NHL playoff history to score the tying goal in the last 15 seconds of regulation and the winner in overtime. Colorado entered the third period in a 4-2 hole but began to climb out when Jamie McGinn scored at 7:13. Stastny took over from there, knotting the contest with 13.4 seconds remaining before completing the comeback 7:27 into the extra session.

TRENDS:

* Wild are 1-5 in the last six meetings.
* Wild are 1-8 in their last nine Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Under is 8-3 in Avalanche last 11 overall.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Dunkel

Minnesota at Colorado
The Wild look to even up the series after dropping Game 1 on Thursday night and come into today's contest with a 5-0 record in their last 5 games when playing on 1 days rest. Minnesota is the pick (+125) according to Dunkel, which has the Wild favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+125). Here are all of today's playoff picks.

SATURDAY, APRIL 19

Game 71-72: Chicago at St. Louis (3:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 12.764; St. Louis 11.802
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 1; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago (-115); 5
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-115); Under

Game 73-74: Columbus at Pittsburgh (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Columbus 12.361; Pittsburgh 11.942
Dunkel Line & Total: Columbus by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Pittsburgh (-200); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Columbus (+170); Over

Game 75-76: Minnesota at Colorado (9:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 12.337; Colorado 11.425
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 1; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Colorado (-145); 5
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+125); Under




NHL
Long Sheet

Saturday, April 19

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

CHICAGO (46-21-0-16, 108 pts.) at ST LOUIS (53-23-0-7, 113 pts.) - 4/19/2014, 3:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 9-7 (+1.0 Units) against the spread versus ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 9-7-0 straight up against ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
8 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.5 Units, Under=-0.9 Units)

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

COLUMBUS (43-33-0-7, 93 pts.) at PITTSBURGH (52-24-0-7, 111 pts.) - 4/19/2014, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
COLUMBUS is 24-66 ATS (+120.4 Units) in road games when playing with 2 days rest since 1996.
PITTSBURGH is 169-125 ATS (+23.4 Units) when playing with 2 days rest since 1996.
COLUMBUS is 43-40 ATS (+2.9 Units) in all games this season.
COLUMBUS is 26-17 ATS (+7.4 Units) second half of the season this season.
COLUMBUS is 14-8 ATS (+5.9 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more this season.
PITTSBURGH is 15-18 ATS (+15.0 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 7-0 (+7.0 Units) against the spread versus COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 7-0-0 straight up against COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.2 Units)

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

MINNESOTA (43-27-0-13, 99 pts.) at COLORADO (53-22-0-8, 114 pts.) - 4/19/2014, 9:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 9-7 (+1.1 Units) against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
COLORADO is 9-7-0 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
9 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.3 Units)

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

Sunday, April 20

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

PHILADELPHIA (42-31-0-10, 94 pts.) at NY RANGERS (46-31-0-6, 98 pts.) - 4/20/2014, 12:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY RANGERS is 12-3 (+8.8 Units) against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
NY RANGERS is 12-3-0 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.4 Units)

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

DETROIT (39-28-0-15, 93 pts.) at BOSTON (54-19-0-9, 117 pts.) - 4/20/2014, 3:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 4-1 (+4.0 Units) against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 4-1-0 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.9 Units)

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

TAMPA BAY (46-27-0-10, 102 pts.) at MONTREAL (47-28-0-8, 102 pts.) - 4/20/2014, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 6-5-0 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)

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

LOS ANGELES (46-29-0-8, 100 pts.) at SAN JOSE (52-22-0-9, 113 pts.) - 4/20/2014, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN JOSE is 11-10-0 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
10 of 18 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.4 Units)

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




NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, April 19

Columbus has still never won a playoff game, losing 4-3 at Pittsburgh in Game 1, after 4-0 sweep by Detroit in '09, its only other playoff trip; Blue Jackets won four of last six games overall, with seven of their last ten staying under total. Columbus lost last seven games with Pittsburgh- they allowed two goals in 0:45 span of second period. Penguins are 4-4 in last eight games but are 30-12 at home this season- four of last five games went to OT or SO.

Quick turnaround after Blues scored 0:26 into third OT to snap 6-game losing skid- they had 52-42 edge in shots, but needed goal with 1:45 left to send game to OT. Chicago lost five of last seven games with Blues; seven of last 11 series games stayed under total. Chicago lost eight of last nine road games; nine of their last 13 road games stayed under, as did six of last nine St Louis games. St Louis won one playoff series in last eight years; winning Game 1 in triple OT is good start to winning another one.

Colorado was down 4-2 in third period, tied game with 0:14 left, then won game 7:27 into OT to break Minnesota's heart. Avalanche was 0-4 on power play, lost faceoffs 42-35, but still won for fifth time in six games with Minnesota this year. Colorado is 29-13 at home this season. Minnesota won four of its last six games overall, with last four going over total. Eight of last eleven Colorado games stayed under total. Wild is 20-22 on the road this year. Over is 6-2-2 in playoff games so far this week.




NHL

Saturday, April 19

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

3:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. ST. LOUIS
Chicago is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
Chicago is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of St. Louis's last 6 games at home
St. Louis is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Chicago

7:00 PM
COLUMBUS vs. PITTSBURGH
Columbus is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Columbus's last 18 games when playing Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Pittsburgh's last 18 games when playing Columbus

9:30 PM
MINNESOTA vs. COLORADO
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Minnesota's last 12 games when playing Colorado
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games
Colorado is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Minnesota
Colorado is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games


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




NHL

Saturday, April 19

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday's NHL playoffs betting news and notes
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chicago Blackhawks at St. Louis Blues (-103, 5)

In the minds of many, the St. Louis Blues went from the penthouse to the outhouse in record time as they concluded the regular season mired in a six-game losing streak. After winning a triple-overtime marathon in the first-round series opener, the Blues look to elevate their standing once again when they host Game 2 against the reigning Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday afternoon. Alex Steen scored 26 seconds into the third extra session as St. Louis skated to a 4-3 triumph on Thursday in the longest game in franchise history.

Patrick Kane and captain Jonathan Toews made triumphant returns for Chicago, as the former scored on a breakaway late in the first period after being set up by latter. The reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Kane overcame a left knee injury to play in his first game since March 19, while Toews competed in his initial contest since being leveled by Pittsburgh's Brooks Orpik. Chicago D Duncan Keith logged 40:59 of ice time on Thursday, the second-longest total of his career. He set a career high of 48:40 against Boston in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final last season.

TRENDS:

* Blackhawks are 2-5 in the last seven meetings.
* Under is 5-1 in Blues last six home games.
* Blackhawks are 1-8 in their last nine road games.


Columbus Blue Jackets at Pittsburgh Penguins (-185, 5.5)

Although putting a scare into their opposition, the Columbus Blue Jackets still haven't proven they can defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins this season. "I have to be better. Four goals is a lot, but it's already past me," said reigning Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky, who owns an 0-3 career mark in postseason play with a gaudy 4.04 goals-against average. The Blue Jackets have lost all five of their postseason games in franchise history.

Kris Letang struggled mightily in Game 1 as the defenseman's turnover led to Derek MacKenzie's short-handed goal while a retaliatory slash gave Columbus a power play. Coach Dan Bylsma was not pleased and limited Letang's ice time accordingly (3:55 in the third period). "I think he got a message," Bylsma said. "Whether it was a voice or not playing or a nice talk, he got a message. And that's something he’s got to be better at and that’s something we've got to be better at as a group."

TRENDS:

* Blue Jackets are 0-7 in the last seven meetings.
* Penguins are 4-1 in their last five Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Over is 18-7-2 in Penguins last 27 Conference Quarterfinals games.


Minnesota Wild at Colorado Avalanche (-139, 5)

Zach Parise recorded his 12th career multi-point playoff performance with a pair of assists on Thursday. The veteran has collected 46 points in 67 career postseason games. Haula practiced with Matt Cooke and Nino Niederreiter on the third line Friday while Brodziak was moved to the fourth line with Stephane Veilleux and Cody McCormick.

Paul Stastny made history in the series opener, becoming the first player in NHL playoff history to score the tying goal in the last 15 seconds of regulation and the winner in overtime. Colorado entered the third period in a 4-2 hole but began to climb out when Jamie McGinn scored at 7:13. Stastny took over from there, knotting the contest with 13.4 seconds remaining before completing the comeback 7:27 into the extra session.

TRENDS:

* Wild are 1-5 in the last six meetings.
* Wild are 1-8 in their last nine Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Under is 8-3 in Avalanche last 11 overall.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL PLAYOFF RECORD:

4 - 2 .................+ 1.90

4 - 1 .................+ 6.10

1 - 0 ................ + 3.00


Saturday, April 19

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Chicago - 3:00 PM ET Chicago -110 500 *****

St. Louis - Over 5 500 *****

[StarDust Bum]

EVENING SELECTIONS:

Saturday, April 19

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Columbus - 7:00 PM ET Columbus +169 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Pittsburgh - Over 5.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY


Minnesota - 9:30 PM ET Minnesota +128 500 *****

Colorado - Over 5 500 *****

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday's NHL playoffs betting news and notes


Philadelphia Flyers at New York Rangers (-161, 5)

With Steve Mason still clearing the cobwebs, Ray Emery has been confirmed to start his second contest of the series. The veteran goaltender finished with 32 saves in Game 1, but was left out to dry after rookie Jason Akeson put Philadelphia in a bind with a four-minute high-sticking penalty. Captain Claude Giroux was held without a shot in Game 1 and has combined with linemates Scott Hartnell and Jakub Voracek to record just one tally in the last five meetings with the Rangers. The Flyers boast a 3-0-0 mark at Madison Square Garden when Giroux scores a goal. They have lost 13 of 14 games when he does not.

While the Flyers were monitoring their goaltending situation, New York didn't seem too concerned with its opponent's worries. "Our game plan isn't going to change," Richards said. "Whoever is in net, we've got to get pucks to the net." Productive special teams play set the tone as New York scored on two of its six power-play opportunities while killing off Philadelphia's lone chance with the man advantage. New York D Ryan McDonagh admitted he had difficulty getting "a good grip on the puck, couldn't feel my skates" in his return from a five-game absence due to an injured shoulder.

TRENDS:

* Flyers are 3-13 in the last 16 meetings in New York.
* Flyers are 1-8 in their last nine vs. a team with a winning record.
* Rangers are 5-1 in their last six Conference Quarterfinals games.


Detroit Red Wings at Boston Bruins (-220, 5)

Jimmy Howard was named to the U.S. Olympic team but it seemed to be a selection based more on reputation than results after he endured a stretch in which he won only once in 12 decisions. Howard did not win three starts in a row until March 18-22, but he finished the regular season by going 4-1-0 and carried the strong play into Game 1, making 25 saves for his third postseason shutout. Pavel Datsyuk's Game 1 tally was his sixth game-winner and 37th overall in the postseason.

Boston played without four regulars in Game 1 but hopes to have defensemen Matt Bartkowski and Kevan Miller back in the lineup - both were dealing with a stomach bug that has been going through the team's locker room. The Bruins have had issues dealing with Detroit's speed throughout the season but they are more preoccupied on ratcheting up an offense that ranked third in the league in goals scored this season. Bruins F Milan Lucic was fined $5,000 for spearing Detroit D Danny DeKeyser in the opener.

TRENDS:

* Red Wings are 4-1 in the last five meetings in Boston.
* Bruins are 1-4 in their last five vs. Atlantic.
* Over is 20-5-7 in Bruins last 32 vs. Eastern Conference.


Tampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens (-154, 5)

Tampa Bay has shown little resemblance to the team that edged Montreal for second place in the Atlantic Division, allowing four goals in regulation in each contest after permitting a total of four in four regular-season matchups. While rookie Ondrej Palat, the team's leading scorer, remains a game-time decision after missing Friday's loss with an upper-body injury, the bigger question mark is whether coach Jon Cooper will make a switch in goal. Anders Lindback has made five consecutive starts since an injury to No. 1 netminder Ben Bishop but he has not looked sharp in the series - although his teammates have not provided much support in front of him.

The third-seeded Canadiens won both games in Tampa Bay and can push the second-seeded Lightning to the brink of elimination in the best-of-seven series with a win on their home ice. "We are playing as a unit right now," said Canadiens goaltender Carey Price, who came within 1:59 of a shutout in Game 2. "We are living in the moment." After a sub-par performance in the series opener, Price played markedly better in Game 2, flashing the form that led Team Canada to the gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Sochi. Montreal scored only three goals in the final three games of the regular season, but concerns about the offense have been allayed in the first two playoffs games.

TRENDS:

* Under is 5-1 in the last six meetings in Montreal.
* Lightning are 4-10 in their last 14 Sunday games.
* Canadiens are 11-1 in their last 12 vs. Atlantic.


Los Angeles Kings at San Jose Sharks (-137, 5)

Jonathan Quick certainly did not display the form that earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2012, badly losing track of the puck on San Jose's first tally and yielding a pair of goals from long range. Captain Dustin Brown was not ready to place any blame on this season's William Jennings Trophy winner. "He made a lot of huge saves for us," Brown said. "It just happened they had too many grade-A scoring chances." Defenseman Drew Doughty returned to the lineup after missing the final four regular-season games with an upper-body injury suffered against the Sharks on April 3 and recorded five shots on goal while blocking four.

Raffi Torres hasn't played much for San Jose this season due to knee troubles, but he's been effective on the rare occasions he's been in the lineup. The 32-year-old agitator has landed on the scoresheet in five of the six games he's appeared - including the series opener, collecting four goals and two assists. In addition to scoring a goal Thursday, Torres continued his usual style of play by registering a team-high seven hits. "That's Raffi," Hertl said. "All the guys are happy that Raffi is again playing. Raffi is very, very important for our team."

TRENDS:

* Home team is 21-5 in the last 26 meetings.
* Kings are 4-1 in their last 5 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Under is 5-1-1 in Kings last seven games playing on two days rest.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Sunday's six-pack

-- Its worth price of Extra Innings package just to watch Giancarlo Stanton take his hacks at the plate, but if Miami doesn't put a decent hitter behind him, he's going to wind up walking 150 times. Or more.

-- St Louis Blues scored with 0:06 left, beat Chicago in OT for second game in a row, as NHL playoffs prove once again to be a tremendous show.

-- Five defensemen scored in that game, first time that happened in a playoff game since May 3, 1994.

-- Greedy bastard update: they raised price to $3.89 a gallon at the Mobil station closest to my house, $3.87 at one a mile away. Oil company execs are thieves.

-- Cole Hamels is coming off DL to make his first start of the year Wednesday in Los Angeles. Struggling Phillies can use him.

-- Miami Marlins have 588 bobbleheads in their Bobblehead Museum, which has to be great fun to walk through and look at.

*****

Armadillo: Sunday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports Saturday.......

13) One of the weird effects instant replay is having on baseball is that fielders are now keeping tags on sliding players at all times, in the hope that the runner will briefly slide off the base and be declared out after a replay review.

You'll probably wind up seeing an increased emphasis on sliding in spring training next year; anything that improves fundamentals is good.

12) Masai Ujiri is the GM of the Toronto Raptors; he's good at his job, having done very good work for the Nuggets until moving to Toronto last summer, but he put his foot in his mouth when he shouted "(Eff) Brooklyn!!!" during a pregame rally Saturday. People carry recording devices everywhere now. Whoops.

Apparently the Raptors took offense to Brooklyn tanking games so they could play the Raptors instead of the Chicago Bulls. Now everyone is offended-- great!!!!

11) In Yu Darvish's first three starts this season, the scores after the fifth inning have been 0-0/0-0/0-2-- the Rangers haven't scored for him in the first five innings.

10) If you're a college football fan watching these spring scrimmages, do you want your team's offense to score a lot of points? After all, the defense knows what the plays are; if they can't stop them, how good can they be?

9) Red Sox closer Koji Uehara went 42.2 innings in between walks. Wow.

8) San Francisco Giants have 13 pitchers, 12 batters on their roster right now, so manager Bruce Bochy doesn't have lot of moves to make, considering the backup catcher usually doesn't get into games, so that makes it three position player subs, and they pinch-hit for pitchers in NL games.

7) Marshall transfer Kareem Canty, who scored 16.3 ppg as a freshman LY, will be playing for Auburn in two years, as Bruce Pearl acts quickly to shore up Tigers' talent base. Think of how well Iowa State did with DeAndre Kane this past year, another Marshall transfer.

6) This is how far BJ Upton's career has slipped; I'm in a 16-team keeper fantasy league with 25 guys on a team, 26 if you have someone on the DL; its a pretty deep league, but no one has Upton. There are guys in the freakin' Southern League that are on teams in our league, but no BJ, he's been that bad.

5) NBA salary cap is going up $5M next year; I'm not kidding when I say the NBA is way more popular around the world than it is here- they're making a killing all over the world, they just can't get people in Atlanta or Detroit to come to games.

4) Brooklyn Nets are an old team, so the hideously drawn out playoff schedule has to help them a lot; if the series goes seven games, Game 7 will be fifteen days after Game 1. Lot of days to rest in between games.

3) Miami Marlins are 5-1 vs lefty pitchers, 3-9 vs righties.

2) Washington manager Matt Williams yanked Bryce Harper for jogging to first after he bounced back to the pitcher Saturday. Harper is supposedly nursing a leg injury, so there has to be more to it than just that. Williams is a rookie manager who was a very good player-- this will be interesting to watch moving forward.

1) So the Orioles-Red Sox play on ESPN Sunday night, then at 11am Monday, in the annual Patriot Day game? What genius thought this was a good idea? They did move the Sunday night game up an hour to 7:00, but still.....

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Dunkel

Los Angeles at San Jose
The Kings look to bounce back from their 6-3 loss to the Sharks in Game 1 and come into tonight's contest with a 17-8 record in their last 22 games following a defeat by 3 or more goals. Los Angeles is the pick (+125) according to Dunkel, which has the Kings favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (+125). Here are all of today's playoff picks.

SUNDAY, APRIL 20

Game 77-78: Philadelphia at NY Rangers (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 11.843; NY Rangers 10.754
Dunkel Line & Total: Philadelphia by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: NY Rangers (-170); 5
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (+150); Over

Game 79-80: Detroit at Boston (3:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 11.599; Boston 12.978
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 1 1/2; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Boston (-240); 5
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-240); Under

Game 81-82: Tampa Bay at Montreal (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay 10.661; Montreal 12.122
Dunkel Line & Total: Montreal by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Montreal (-160); 5
Dunkel Pick: Montreal (-160); Over

Game 83-84: Los Angeles at San Jose (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Los Angeles 12.339; San Jose 11.266
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 1; 4
Vegas Line & Total: San Jose (-145); 5
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (+125); Under




NHL
Long Sheet

Sunday, April 20

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

PHILADELPHIA (42-31-0-10, 94 pts.) at NY RANGERS (46-31-0-6, 98 pts.) - 4/20/2014, 12:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY RANGERS are 15-17 ATS (-7.3 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5 or less this season.
NY RANGERS are 187-188 ATS (-105.1 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.
NY RANGERS are 105-109 ATS (-66.6 Units) in home games vs. division opponents since 1996.
NY RANGERS are 111-115 ATS (-62.0 Units) in home games after a division game since 1996.
NY RANGERS are 0-7 ATS (-9.2 Units) when leading in a playoff series over the last 3 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 92-97 ATS (-34.5 Units) in home games after a win by 2 goals or more since 1996.
NY RANGERS are 100-106 ATS (-72.8 Units) in home games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game since 1996.
NY RANGERS are 13-21 ATS (-19.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY RANGERS is 12-3 (+8.8 Units) against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
NY RANGERS is 12-3-0 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.4 Units)

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

DETROIT (40-28-0-15, 95 pts.) at BOSTON (54-20-0-9, 117 pts.) - 4/20/2014, 3:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 68-37 ATS (+106.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 2-6 ATS (-9.6 Units) in April games this season.
BOSTON is 168-142 ATS (-46.5 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
BOSTON is 78-73 ATS (-61.6 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 5-1 (+5.8 Units) against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 5-1-0 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)

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

TAMPA BAY (46-28-0-10, 102 pts.) at MONTREAL (48-28-0-8, 104 pts.) - 4/20/2014, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MONTREAL is 48-36 ATS (+11.0 Units) in all games this season.
MONTREAL is 21-15 ATS (-0.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
TAMPA BAY is 10-5 ATS (+17.5 Units) in road games in the first round of the playoffs since 1996.
TAMPA BAY is 10-1 ATS (+11.3 Units) in road games when trailing in a playoff series since 1996.
MONTREAL is 5-18 ATS (-19.2 Units) in home games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 7-5 (+0.7 Units) against the spread versus TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 7-5-0 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)

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

LOS ANGELES (46-29-0-8, 100 pts.) at SAN JOSE (52-22-0-9, 113 pts.) - 4/20/2014, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOS ANGELES is 13-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) after a division game this season.
SAN JOSE is 14-2 ATS (+10.9 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5 or less over the last 2 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 106-67 ATS (-9.1 Units) in April games since 1996.
SAN JOSE is 31-14 ATS (+7.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
SAN JOSE is 15-4 ATS (+9.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
LOS ANGELES is 60-50 ATS (+119.8 Units) in road games when playing with 2 days rest since 1996.
SAN JOSE is 75-74 ATS (-50.4 Units) in home games when playing with 2 days rest since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN JOSE is 11-10-0 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
10 of 18 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.4 Units)

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




NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, April 20

Home side won all five Ranger-Flyer games this season; Philly lost last nine visits to MSG. Rangers won five of last six home games; they scored twice in 0:47 span of third period in Gamne 1, when they were 2-6 on power play, Flyers just 0-1. Under is 5-0-2 in New York's last seven games. Flyers lost three of last four and eight of last 12 games- they were outshot 13-1 in third period of Game 1, 36-15 for game. Over is 6-0-1 in Philly's last seven games.

Detroit is 23-19 on road this season after 1-0 win in Game 1, when they scored with 3:01 to play, in game with only three penalties, 44 faceoffs (average thru Friday's games was 72.0); they've won four of five with Boston this season, winning last four games after Bruins won first meeting 4-1. Top-seed Boston is 31-11 at home- they lost six of their last eight games. Obviously, pressure on Bruins to win and avoid going to Motor City down 2-0.

Montreal won first two series games in St Pete, despite going 0-6 on power play and being -10 on faceoffs; they scored nine goals in first two games, after Lightning had given up four in winning last four regular season games. Montreal won nine of last twelve games overall; they've won five of last seven at home, are 26-15 at home this season. Tampa Bay gave up pair of third period goals in each game so far, but they've won four of last six road games.

San Jose is 31-11 at home this season, but they split six games with Los Angeles this year; Kings lost 11 of last 12 visits to this building. Sharks won four of last five home games- they coasted in Game 1, taking 5-0 lead into third period. Kings lost five of last six games, scoring total of 14 goals- they've lost four of last five away games. Five of LA's last seven games went over the total. League-wide, over is 9-2-2 in playoff games so far this week.




NHL

Saturday, April 19

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

12:00 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. NY RANGERS
Philadelphia is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Philadelphia is 4-14 SU in their last 18 games when playing NY Rangers
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of the NY Rangers last 19 games at home
NY Rangers are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games at home

3:00 PM
DETROIT vs. BOSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Detroit's last 10 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Detroit's last 17 games when playing Boston
Boston is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Boston's last 10 games when playing at home against Detroit

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

10:00 PM
LOS ANGELES vs. SAN JOSE
Los Angeles is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Los Angeles's last 7 games when playing on the road against San Jose
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Jose's last 7 games when playing at home against Los Angeles
San Jose is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games


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




NHL

Sunday, April 20

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday's NHL playoffs betting news and notes
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Philadelphia Flyers at New York Rangers (-161, 5)

With Steve Mason still clearing the cobwebs, Ray Emery has been confirmed to start his second contest of the series. The veteran goaltender finished with 32 saves in Game 1, but was left out to dry after rookie Jason Akeson put Philadelphia in a bind with a four-minute high-sticking penalty. Captain Claude Giroux was held without a shot in Game 1 and has combined with linemates Scott Hartnell and Jakub Voracek to record just one tally in the last five meetings with the Rangers. The Flyers boast a 3-0-0 mark at Madison Square Garden when Giroux scores a goal. They have lost 13 of 14 games when he does not.

While the Flyers were monitoring their goaltending situation, New York didn't seem too concerned with its opponent's worries. "Our game plan isn't going to change," Richards said. "Whoever is in net, we've got to get pucks to the net." Productive special teams play set the tone as New York scored on two of its six power-play opportunities while killing off Philadelphia's lone chance with the man advantage. New York D Ryan McDonagh admitted he had difficulty getting "a good grip on the puck, couldn't feel my skates" in his return from a five-game absence due to an injured shoulder.

TRENDS:

* Flyers are 3-13 in the last 16 meetings in New York.
* Flyers are 1-8 in their last nine vs. a team with a winning record.
* Rangers are 5-1 in their last six Conference Quarterfinals games.


Detroit Red Wings at Boston Bruins (-220, 5)

Jimmy Howard was named to the U.S. Olympic team but it seemed to be a selection based more on reputation than results after he endured a stretch in which he won only once in 12 decisions. Howard did not win three starts in a row until March 18-22, but he finished the regular season by going 4-1-0 and carried the strong play into Game 1, making 25 saves for his third postseason shutout. Pavel Datsyuk's Game 1 tally was his sixth game-winner and 37th overall in the postseason.

Boston played without four regulars in Game 1 but hopes to have defensemen Matt Bartkowski and Kevan Miller back in the lineup - both were dealing with a stomach bug that has been going through the team's locker room. The Bruins have had issues dealing with Detroit's speed throughout the season but they are more preoccupied on ratcheting up an offense that ranked third in the league in goals scored this season. Bruins F Milan Lucic was fined $5,000 for spearing Detroit D Danny DeKeyser in the opener.

TRENDS:

* Red Wings are 4-1 in the last five meetings in Boston.
* Bruins are 1-4 in their last five vs. Atlantic.
* Over is 20-5-7 in Bruins last 32 vs. Eastern Conference.


Tampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens (-154, 5)

Tampa Bay has shown little resemblance to the team that edged Montreal for second place in the Atlantic Division, allowing four goals in regulation in each contest after permitting a total of four in four regular-season matchups. While rookie Ondrej Palat, the team's leading scorer, remains a game-time decision after missing Friday's loss with an upper-body injury, the bigger question mark is whether coach Jon Cooper will make a switch in goal. Anders Lindback has made five consecutive starts since an injury to No. 1 netminder Ben Bishop but he has not looked sharp in the series - although his teammates have not provided much support in front of him.

The third-seeded Canadiens won both games in Tampa Bay and can push the second-seeded Lightning to the brink of elimination in the best-of-seven series with a win on their home ice. "We are playing as a unit right now," said Canadiens goaltender Carey Price, who came within 1:59 of a shutout in Game 2. "We are living in the moment." After a sub-par performance in the series opener, Price played markedly better in Game 2, flashing the form that led Team Canada to the gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Sochi. Montreal scored only three goals in the final three games of the regular season, but concerns about the offense have been allayed in the first two playoffs games.

TRENDS:

* Under is 5-1 in the last six meetings in Montreal.
* Lightning are 4-10 in their last 14 Sunday games.
* Canadiens are 11-1 in their last 12 vs. Atlantic.


Los Angeles Kings at San Jose Sharks (-137, 5)

Jonathan Quick certainly did not display the form that earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2012, badly losing track of the puck on San Jose's first tally and yielding a pair of goals from long range. Captain Dustin Brown was not ready to place any blame on this season's William Jennings Trophy winner. "He made a lot of huge saves for us," Brown said. "It just happened they had too many grade-A scoring chances." Defenseman Drew Doughty returned to the lineup after missing the final four regular-season games with an upper-body injury suffered against the Sharks on April 3 and recorded five shots on goal while blocking four.

Raffi Torres hasn't played much for San Jose this season due to knee troubles, but he's been effective on the rare occasions he's been in the lineup. The 32-year-old agitator has landed on the scoresheet in five of the six games he's appeared - including the series opener, collecting four goals and two assists. In addition to scoring a goal Thursday, Torres continued his usual style of play by registering a team-high seven hits. "That's Raffi," Hertl said. "All the guys are happy that Raffi is again playing. Raffi is very, very important for our team."

TRENDS:

* Home team is 21-5 in the last 26 meetings.
* Kings are 4-1 in their last 5 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Under is 5-1-1 in Kings last seven games playing on two days rest.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL

Sunday, April 20

Steve Mason, Philadelphia - Out Sun

Mason missed the last game of the regular season as well as Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals with an upper-body injury. He will not play Game 2 against the Rangers on Sunday.


Mason out, Emery gets the nod in Game 2

Much to the chagrin of Flyers fans, No. 1 goaltender Steve Mason will not be suiting up for Game 2 against the Rangers. Instead, the Philly faithful will rely on Ray Emery in nets again and that's not too promising.

Emery has not recorded a win for the Flyers in regulation since Feb. 8, which was a mere one goal win over the lowly Calgary Flames. In Emery's two starts against the Rangers this year, including Game 1, he has an 0-2 record allowing eight goals and a feeble .887 goals against average.

The Flyers have only averaged 1.8 goals against the Rangers and Henrik Lundqvist this season and have only once topped two goals in a game.

Philly are +143 dogs to split the series and take Game 2 against the Rangers (-155) Sunday.


Over has been hot at start of NHL playoffs

The Stanley Cup playoffs are in high gear with teams lighting up the lamp at a steady pace, making the over a solid play as we hit the first Sunday of the NHL's second season.

The over is 9-2-2 in 13 playoffs games so far, a success rate of almost 70 percent.

There are four games of playoff action Sunday, with Philadelphia at New York, Detroit at Boston, Tampa Bay at Montreal and Los Angeles at San Jose.


Red Wings big underdogs despite dominance of Bruins

The Detroit Red Wings may be the No. 8 seed, but that does not mean that the Bruins are going to coast. With the Red Wings taking Game 1 in the series, they have now taken four straight against the Bruins.

During the four game stretch for Detroit, they've outscored the Bruins 13-5 with an even offensive output. Of those 13 goals, only Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar are the only players to have scored multiple goals.

The Red Wings are huge +201 dogs against the No.1-ranked Bruins (-220).

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Short Sheet

Sunday, April 20

Philadelphia at NY Rangers, 12:05 ET
Philadelphia: 80-62 SU in road games off a road loss
NY Rangers: 0-7 SU when leading in a playoff series

Detroit at Boston, 3:05 ET
Detroit: 20-15 SU as an underdog
Boston: 35-52 SU in home games revenging 2 consecutive losses to opponent as a favorite

Tampa Bay at Montreal, 7:05 ET
Tampa Bay: 8-3 SU in road games when trailing in a playoff serie
Montreal: 31-35 SU as a home favorite

LA Kings at San Jose, 10:05 ET
LA Kings: 6-12 SU off a road loss
San Jose: 13-2 SU off an home win scoring 4 or more goals

[StarDust Bum]

NHL PLAYOFF RECORD:

6 - 4 .................+ 1.80

6 - 1 .................+ 11.48

1 - 0 ................ + 3.00


Sunday, April 20

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Philadelphia 0 0th Philadelphia +146 500 *****
NY Rangers 0 Over 5 500

Detroit - 3:00 PM ET Boston -208 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Boston - Under 5 500

Tampa Bay - 7:00 PM ET Tampa Bay +142 500 *****
Montreal - Over 5 500

Los Angeles - 10:00 PM ET San Jose -137 500 DOUBLE PLAY
San Jose - Under 5 500

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Monday's six-pack

-- LaMarcus Aldridge scored 46 points, grabbed 18 reobunds in Portland's OT win at Houston. Blazers got only seven points from its bench in the win.

-- Wizards outscored Bulls 30-18 in 4th quarter, Wiz wins 102-93 in Chicago.

-- Road teams won five of the eight Game 1's in NBA's first round.

-- Matt Kuchar chipped in on 18 to win PGA event on Hilton Head; he had shot a combined +10 in his last five Sunday rounds-- he was -7 Sunday.

-- Miami beat Seattle 3-2; Marlins are 9-4 at home, 0-6 on road.

-- Orioles led 5-0 in sixth inning at Fenway, lost 6-5 on 9th inning throwing error-- in first three weeks of season, there has been some horrendous defensive play.

*****

Armadillo: Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports weekend......

13) Can you remember a team falling apart as badly within a season as the Indiana Pacers are right now? Not many top seeds have lost in the first round of the NBA playoffs, but who has a lot of confidence that these Pacers will advance?

12) Charlotte Bobcats went back home after losing Game 1 in Miami, with Game 2 not scheduled until Wednesday; Michael Jordan doesn't want his guys hanging around South Beach with time on their hands.

11) Clippers/Warriors looks like it'll be a fun series to watch; over last 37 years, these franchises combined to win only seven playoff series.

10) Tampa Bay Rays scored 27 runs Friday/Saturday, after scoring total of 16 runs in their previous 10 games, then they scored one run Sunday. Feast or famine.

9) If they ever make a movie about Ike Davis' life, Ben Affleck has to play Davis; they look an awful lot alike, even talk a little bit the same.

8) Every time I see Evan Gattis play for the Braves, I can't help but think of the old wrestler Ivan Putski. Short, very powerful arms.

7) Speaking of the Braves, Mike Minor is supposed to get back in their rotation this coming weekend; he threw 80 pitches in a rehab start this past weekend.

6) Cleveland Indians are only big league team that hasn't scored in first inning of a home game (0-9); Houston Astros are only team that hasn't scored in first inning on the road (0-9).

5) Minnesota Twins claimed OF Sam Fuld on waivers from the A's; he's not the best hitter but he's a terrific fielder, can run, an outstanding 4th outfielder.

4) Ivan Nova is on the DL with a UCL tear, could be headed under the knife for Tommy John surgery. Lot of those this spring.

3) Orlando Antigua is the new hoop coach at South Florida; he recruited for John Calipari, so its not a surprise we're seeing USF listed on recruits' short lists.

We talked yesterday about point guard Kareem Canty transferring from Marshall to Auburn; turns out that may not happen, with USF now suddenly in the picture. If Antigua turns out to be a bigtime recruiter as a head coach, USF is going to become a force in the AAC, especially with Louisville now out of the league.

2) Cincinnati Bengals brought one QB to their facility to work out this spring; not Manziel, not Bortles, Bridgewater or Carr. Pitt QB Tom Savage; go figure.

1) NHL playoffs provide great drama; how about St Louis Blues winning first two games of their playoff series in OT, after tying both games in last 2:00 of regulation? Blues have only won one playoff series the last eight years- they're playing NHL's defending champ Chicago Blackhawks, who won two of last four Stanley Cups.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Long Sheet

Monday, April 21

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

PITTSBURGH (52-24-0-8, 112 pts.) at COLUMBUS (44-33-0-7, 95 pts.) - 4/21/2014, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 7-1 (+5.1 Units) against the spread versus COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 7-1-0 straight up against COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.4 Units)

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

COLORADO (54-22-0-8, 116 pts.) at MINNESOTA (43-28-0-13, 99 pts.) - 4/21/2014, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 10-7 (+2.1 Units) against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
COLORADO is 10-7-0 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
10 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+4.3 Units)

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

ST LOUIS (54-23-0-7, 115 pts.) at CHICAGO (46-21-0-17, 109 pts.) - 4/21/2014, 8:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 9-8-0 straight up against ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
9 of 17 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.5 Units)

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

ANAHEIM (56-20-0-8, 120 pts.) at DALLAS (40-33-0-11, 91 pts.) - 4/21/2014, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ANAHEIM is 56-28 ATS (+15.7 Units) in all games this season.
ANAHEIM is 187-191 ATS (+413.9 Units) in road games second half of the season since 1996.
ANAHEIM is 21-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) after a 3 game unbeaten streak this season.
ANAHEIM is 30-10 ATS (+12.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 9-7 (+3.6 Units) against the spread versus ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 9-7-0 straight up against ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
9 of 16 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.8 Units)

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




NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, April 21

Columbus got first-ever playoff win in second OT at Igloo Saturday; Blue Jackets are 5-2 in last seven games overall, with seven of their last eleven staying under total. Columbus lost seven of its last eight games with Pittsburgh, losing last four vs Pens at home by combined score of 17-6. Penguins are 4-5 in last nine games, 26-15 on road this season- five of last six games went to OT or SO. Columbus is 24-17 at home this season, 0-3 against the Penguins.

Blues won first two games of series in OT, tying both games in last 2:00 of regulation- they scored goals in last 0:10 of both 1st/3rd periods in Game 2. St Louis had lost their last six in regular season, but they outshot Chicago in both games, scoring pair of first period goals both games. Chicago lost six of last eight games with Blues; they're 29-12 at home this year, 7-1 in last eight at home. Over is 11-2-4 in playoff games so far this month.

Colorado has won six of seven vs Minnesota this year, winning 3-1/4-2 in two visits to this building; Avalanche is 28-13 on road this season- they won first two games of this series in spite of going just 1-7 on power play- they tied Game 1 with 0:14 left, won in OT, had lot easier time in Game 2. Last five Minnesota games went over total; eight of last 12 Colorado games stayed under. Wild hasn't won a playoff series since '03, its third year in NHL.

Ducks won last six games after allowing total of five goals in pair of home wins to open this series; nine of their last twelve games overall went over total. Ducks won five of last six vs Dallas- seven of last eleven series games stayed under. Anaheim was outshot 25-9 in last two periods of Game 2, but held on for win. Dallas is just 6-6 in last twelve games, with seven of last nine games staying under total; Stars 2-11 on power play in series.




NHL

Monday, April 21

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

7:00 PM
COLORADO vs. MINNESOTA
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Colorado's last 5 games
Colorado is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota's last 5 games

7:00 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. COLUMBUS
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Pittsburgh's last 9 games when playing on the road against Columbus
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games
Columbus is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Columbus is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing Pittsburgh

8:30 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. CHICAGO
St. Louis is 2-10 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Chicago
St. Louis is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
Chicago is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against St. Louis
Chicago is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

9:30 PM
ANAHEIM vs. DALLAS
Anaheim is 17-6 SU in its last 23 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Anaheim's last 6 games when playing on the road against Dallas
Dallas is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Dallas is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing Anaheim


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




NHL

Monday, April 21

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday's NHL playoffs betting news and notes
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (+111, 5.5)

Penguins' Brian Gibbons scored two goals 54 seconds apart early in the first period on Saturday before exiting with an undisclosed injury. Coach Dan Bylsma said the rookie is considered day-to-day but would not elaborate. Fellow forward Marcel Goc skated on Sunday as he attempts to work his way back from a nine-game absence due to a foot injury.

Fedor Tyutin suffered an undisclosed injury during Saturday's tilt, but fellow defenseman Jack Johnson picked up the slack by scoring a power-play goal with 6:01 remaining in the third period to tie the game at 3-3. Johnson logged a team-best 38:21 of ice time as Columbus played with five blue-liners. Coach Todd Richards remained tight-lipped on Tyutin's status, although defensemen Dalton Prout and Nick Schultz took part in Sunday's optional practice.

TRENDS:

* Penguins are 5-0 in the last five meetings in Columbus.
* Penguins are 7-1 in the last eight meetings.
* Over is 7-2 in the last nine meetings in Columbus.


Colorado Avalanche vs. Minnesota Wild (-125, 5)

There was some debate as to whether Colorado should select defenseman Seth Jones or MacKinnon with the top overall pick in last year's draft. No more. MacKinnon matched Stastny by scoring a highlight-reel goal and collecting three assists in Game 2 to give him seven points in the series, tying a record set by Montreal's Odie Cleghorn in 1919 and matched by Boston's Barry Pederson in 1982 for the highest point total by a player in his first two career playoff games. MacKinnon became the first 18-year-old to collect six assists in a postseason series.

Trade-deadline acquisition Ilya Bryzgalov was thrust into an unexpected starting role due to injury and responded by going 7-0-3 in his first 10 starts to seize the No. 1 netminder's job entering the playoffs. But after Bryzgalov surrendered eight goals in the first two games, there is a widespread feeling that rookie Darcy Kuemper will be between the pipes for Game 3 after stopping all 14 shots he faced in a relief role Saturday. Kuemper missed the final seven games of the regular season with a concussion but said he is up to the challenge of starting.

TRENDS:

* Over is 4-0 in the last four meetings.
* Avalanche are 4-0 in the last four meetings.
* Avalanche are 5-3 in the last seven meetings in Minnesota.


St. Louis Blues vs. Chicago Blackhawks (-156, 5)

After complimenting Corey Crawford for his play in Game 1, coach Joel Quenneville agreed with his goaltender's assessment that he needs to be better if Chicago is going to rally in this series. "He said he needs to be better, and he needs to be better," Quenneville told reporters on Sunday. Making the Blackhawks' bid to repeat all the more challenging is the loss of defenseman Brent Seabrook, who was suspended three games by the NHL for his hit to the head of St. Louis captain David Backes on Saturday afternoon.

Coach Ken Hitchcock wasn't too forthcoming with information on Backes (upper body), saying on Sunday that "he's upright and that's about it right now." Patrik Berglund, who has missed the last three games with an upper-body injury, could return to the lineup should Backes be unable to compete. "I told the boys (Saturday) I can't take this anymore," Berglund said. "Hopefully, I will heal fast and be able to help them out on the ice. It's easier that way."

TRENDS:

* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Blues are 6-2 in the last eight meetings.
* Home team is 37-18 in the last 55 meetings.


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

Check back later for an in depth preview.

TRENDS:

* Under is 5-1 in the last six meetings in Dallas.
* Home team is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Ducks are 16-35-2 in the last 53 meetings in Dallas.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Dunkel

Pittsburgh at Columbus
The Penguins look to bounce back from their Game 2 loss as the series shifts to Columbus where Pittsburgh is 5-0 in its last 5 games against the Blue Jackets. Pittsburgh is the pick (-135) according to Dunkel, which has the Penguins favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-135). Here are all of today's playoff picks.

MONDAY, APRIL 21

Game 1-2: Pittsburgh at Columbus (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 12.492; Columbus 10.738
Dunkel Line & Total: Pittsburgh by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Pittsburgh (-135); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-135); Under

Game 3-4: Colorado at Minnesota (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado 11.615; Minnesota 10.722
Dunkel Line & Total: Colorado by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota (-130); 5
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (+110); Over

Game 5-6: St. Louis at Chicago (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis 11.170; Chicago 12.690
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 1 1/2; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago (-165); 5
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-165); Under

Game 7-8: Anaheim at Dallas (9:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Anaheim 12.395; Dallas 11.208
Dunkel Line & Total: Anaheim by 1; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Dallas (-120); 5 1
Dunkel Pick: Anaheim (+100); Over

[StarDust Bum]

NHL

Monday, April 21


Chicago's Seabrook suspended three games for hit on Backes

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook received a three-game suspension for his hit to the head of St. Louis Blues center David Backes in Game 2 of the Western conference playoff series.

Seabrook hit Backes in the head, sending him into the boards late in the third period of the Blues' 4-3 overtime win Saturday night. Backes appeared dazed after the hit. He then left the game and did not return.

Seabrook is not eligible to return to the lineup until Game 6, if the series gets that far. The Blues are up two games to none, with Game 3 Monday in Chicago. The Blackhawks are early -165 favorites.


18-year-old MacKinnon, fueling Avs' offense

Nathan MacKinnon led the Colorado Avalanche to a 4-2 victory in Game 2 of their opening round playoff series, becoming just the third player in NHL history to record a four-point night in a playoff game at the age of 18.

MacKinnon now has seven points in his first two playoff games, which ties an NHL playoff record for the most points to start a playoff career.

Game 3 of the Avalanche's playoff series with the Wild will take place Monday in Minnesota, with Colorado currently listed as +115 road dogs.