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

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Rangers' Carcillo's ban cut to 6 games

June 3, 2014


NEW YORK (AP) - NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has cut Daniel Carcillo's suspension from 10 games to six, meaning the New York Rangers enforcer could play in the Stanley Cup finals should the club elect to return him to the lineup.

The commissioner made the change Tuesday after holding a hearing with Carcillo on Friday.

Carcillo was suspended on May 23 after he appeared to twice elbow linesman Scott Driscoll, who was trying to keep Carcillo away from a fight, during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals. The original ban would have kept him completely out of the Cup finals, even if the series goes the full seven games.

Now Carcillo, who has already served three games, is eligible to play in Game 4.

Carcillo was originally punished under Rule 40.3 for deliberately applying physical force to an official, which carries a suspension of at least 10 games. However, Bettman decided that ''Carcillo's actions were more appropriately deemed a violation of Rule 40.4 for deliberately applying physical force to an official for the sole purpose of getting free of such official during or immediately following an altercation.

''The National Hockey League does not and will not, under any circumstances, tolerate or condone the abuse, physical or otherwise, of our on-ice officials,'' Bettman said in a statement. ''The strict and proper enforcement of Rule 40, therefore, plays a critical role in safeguarding the integrity of the game by maintaining a safe and respectful working environment for our officials.''

The Stanley Cup finals begin Wednesday with the Rangers visiting the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Kings.

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NHL

Dunkel

NY Rangers at Los Angeles
The Kings advanced to the Stanley Cup final with a 6-5 win over the Blackhawks in overtime and face a New York team that is 5-0 in its last 5 games when their opponent scores 5 goals or more in the previous game. New York is the pick (+130) according to Dunkel, which has the Rangers favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: New York (+130). Here are all of today's playoff picks.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4

Game 51-52: NY Rangers at Los Angeles (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Rangers 13.397; Los Angeles 12.489
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Rangers by 1; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles (-150); 5
Dunkel Pick: NY Rangers (+130); Under


NHL
Long Sheet

Wednesday, June 4

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NY RANGERS (57-38-0-7, 121 pts.) at LOS ANGELES (58-35-0-10, 126 pts.) - 6/4/2014, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY RANGERS are 24-15 ATS (+8.6 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5 or less this season.
NY RANGERS are 19-11 ATS (+7.2 Units) in road games second half of the season this season.
NY RANGERS are 12-4 ATS (+7.9 Units) in road games revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
NY RANGERS are 10-3 ATS (+13.4 Units) in road games after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 2-1 (+0.5 Units) against the spread versus NY RANGERS over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 2-1-0 straight up against NY RANGERS over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.0 Units)

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NHL
Short Sheet

Wednesday, June 4

New York Rangers at LA Kings, 8:05 ET
NY Rangers: 15-9 SU as a road underdog of +100 to +200
LA Kings: 20-7 UNDER after allowing 4 goals or more




NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, June 4

This is only second time in LA's last 22 playoff series they've had home ice edge. Kings won Stanley Cup two years ago; Rangers haven't won in 20 years. Teams split two low scoring games early this season, with road team winning both. Rangers split last four meetings here; under is 4-0-1 in their last five visits here. New York hasn't played since Thursday- LA won Game 7 in Chicago Sunday. Rangers are 6-4 on road in playoffs, winning four of last five away games. Kings are 5-4 at home in playoffs- their last six games overall went over total.

Overall in playoffs, over is 47-27-13 this season.




NHL

Wednesday, June 4

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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
NY RANGERS vs. LOS ANGELES
NY Rangers are 7-2 SU in their last 9 games
NY Rangers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games on the road
Los Angeles is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Los Angeles's last 5 games


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NHL

Wednesday, June 4

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Game of the Day: Rangers at Kings
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New York Rangers at Los Angeles Kings (-150, 5)

After upending the defending champion, the Los Angeles Kings vie for their second Stanley Cup title in three years when they host the New York Rangers in Game 1 on Wednesday. The Kings went the distance in each of their previous series, becoming the first team to win three consecutive Game 7s - all on the road - to advance to the Stanley Cup final. Los Angeles ousted Pacific Division rivals San Jose and Anaheim before defenseman Alec Martinez scored 5:47 into overtime to eliminate Chicago in the Western Conference final.

For the Kings to resume their place on the throne, they'll need to solve, well, "The King" Henrik Lundqvist. The Swedish Olympian guided New York to seven-game series victories over Keystone State representatives Philadelphia in Pittsburgh in the first two rounds before bouncing Montreal in six in the Eastern Conference final. Lundqvist has recorded a postseason-best .928 save percentage to go along with a stingy. 2.03 goals-against average - better than Los Angeles counterpart and 2012 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Quick (9.06, 2.86).

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

LINE MOVES: The Kings opened as -150 faves at Pinnacle Sports. The total opened at 5 (-115) and has moved to (-114).

INJURY REPORT: Rangers - G Cam Talbot (Questionable, undisclosed), D John Moore (Out, suspension). Kings - D Robyn Regehr (Out, knee).

ABOUT THE RANGERS: Depth has been the driving force for New York as its looks to win its first Stanley Cup title since ousting Vancouver in seven games in 1994. Martin St. Louis leads the club with 13 points (six goals, seven assists) and hasn't missed a game in the playoffs despite the sudden death of his mother, France. In total, eight different players have recorded double-digit points for the Rangers.

ABOUT THE KINGS: Trade-deadline acquisition Marian Gaborik surpassed his regular-season goal total (11) by scoring a league-best 12 in the playoffs - and he'll look to add to that number when he faces a familiar foe in New York. The 32-year-old Slovak guided the Rangers to the Eastern Conference final in 2012 before being dealt the Columbus the following season. Anze Kopitar has also enjoyed a stellar postseason, collecting a league-best 19 assists and 24 points to garner consideration for the Conn Smythe Trophy as well.

TRENDS:

* Under is 4-0-2 in the last six meetings in Los Angeles.
* Kings are 6-0 in their last six vs. Metropolitan.
* Under is 9-4-2 in Rangers last 15 vs. Western Conference.
* Rangers are 4-1 in their last five road games.

CONSENSUS: Sixty-six percent of wagers on Consensus are on the Kings

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday, June 4

Game Score Status Pick Amount

NY Rangers - 8:00 PM ET Los Angeles -150 500

Los Angeles - Over 5 500

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Recap: Heat 95, Spurs 110

Date: June 05, 2014 9:00 PM EDT


SAN ANTONIO (AP) - 'Beat the Heat!' had a whole new meaning in a sweltering start to the NBA Finals.

The San Antonio Spurs handled the conditions, and the team, and it sure helped when a suffering LeBron James couldn't make it to the finish.

Tim Duncan had 21 points and 10 rebounds, and the Spurs beat the Heat 110-95 on Thursday night in Game 1 at steamy AT&T Center.

With an air conditioning failure making it feel like a sauna and causing James to battle cramps that knocked him out of the decisive stretch, the Spurs pulled away to win the opener of the first finals rematch since 1998.

'After I came out of the game, they kind of took off,' James said. 'And it was frustrating sitting out and not be able to help our team.'

Manu Ginobili had 16 points and 11 assists, Tony Parker added 19 points and eight assists and the Spurs - 6 for 6 in NBA Finals Game 1s - shot 59 percent.

'Just very proud of my team,' Parker said. 'We kept believing, kept pushing. We know it's not easy.'

They host Game 2 on Sunday - likely in cooler conditions.

James finished with 25 points but played only 33 minutes, and Miami was outscored 36-17 in the fourth quarter.

'It sucks not being out there for your team, especially at this point in the season,' James said.

Dwyane Wade had 19 points and Chris Bosh added 18, but the Heat wilted in temperatures that soared to 90 degrees in the second half.

'It was tough on both teams,' Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. 'They were pretty dead. We tried to get guys in and out. ... It was really hot out there.'

James, who had cramping issues two years ago in the finals, had to ask for a break in the fourth quarter and was getting treatment during a 15-4 Spurs run that turned around the game.

James came back in and made a basket that cut it to two points with about 4 minutes left, but couldn't even run back on defense, promptly putting his hand up and lingering at the baseline until help arrived to take him off for good.

'I think it felt like a punch in the gut when you see your leader limping like that back to the bench,' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

Danny Green followed with 3-pointer to trigger what became a 16-3 run to end the game.

'You could see the heat was getting to a lot of guys. If I played as many minutes as he did, I'd probably be cramping up, too,' said Green, who scored 11 of his 13 points in the final quarter.

The crowd chanted 'Beat the Heat! Beat the Heat!' late in the game, which was just what the fans themselves were trying to do.

The Spurs said an electrical failure for the power that runs the air conditioning system had occurred. They apologized for the inconvenience but also seemed to poke fun of it, playing songs with 'hot' in the lyrics over the sound system.

Fans were trying to cool themselves on the hot night, a reminder of what it was like in the old Boston Garden when the Celtics and Lakers got together.

The Heat are the first team since those Celtics of 1984-87 to get to four straight finals. They are well-rested after a relatively easy roll through the Eastern Conference playoffs, a key to keeping Wade healthy entering the finals.

James was the MVP of the series last year when the Heat rallied from five points down in the final half-minute of regulation to win Game 6 in overtime, then won a Game 7 that was close the whole way for their second straight championship.

A rematch was widely anticipated and was close almost throughout. The Heat led 86-79 after Bosh's four-point play with 9:38 remaining in the game, but it was all San Antonio from there, and Wade said there were problems even beyond James' absence.

'Obviously, tonight we would've loved to have him in there to finish the game, but we've got to finish the game better,' Wade said.

The Spurs ended up extending their NBA-record streak to eight straight home playoff wins by 15 or more points. Their roster is filled with international players, such as Parker and Ginobili, who both said they were used to playing without air conditioning overseas.

Bosh, scoreless in Game 7 last year, scored Miami's first five points in the Heat's 7-2 start. But Ginobili came off the bench firing, making consecutive 3-pointers for an 18-13 lead.

Wade and James combined for six straight points before Ginobili made another 3, and Patty Mills added one to close the first-quarter scoring and give the Spurs a 26-20 advantage.

The Spurs committed nine turnovers while managing only 20 points in the third quarter, and Miami led 78-74 heading to the fourth.

Notes: James joined Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant as the only players with 4,000 points and 1,000 assists in the postseason. ... Ray Allen moved past Bryant and Derek Fisher into second place on the career list with 49 3-pointers in the NBA Finals. Robert Horry, a former Spurs forward, is the leader with 56.

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NHL

Dunkel

NY Rangers at Los Angeles
The Rangers look to bounce back from their 3-2 loss in Game 1 and come into Saturday's contest with an 8-3 record in their last 11 games after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game. New York is the pick (+135) according to Dunkel, which has the Rangers favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: New York (+135). Here are all of today's playoff picks.

SATURDAY, JUNE 7

Game 53-54: NY Rangers at Los Angeles (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Rangers 14.131; Los Angeles 12.943
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Rangers by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles (-155); 5
Dunkel Pick: NY Rangers (+135); Over




NHL
Long Sheet

Saturday, June 7

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NY RANGERS (57-38-0-8, 122 pts.) at LOS ANGELES (59-35-0-10, 128 pts.) - 6/7/2014, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
LOS ANGELES is 3-1 (+1.5 Units) against the spread versus NY RANGERS over the last 3 seasons
LOS ANGELES is 3-1-0 straight up against NY RANGERS over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.0 Units)

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NHL

Saturday, June 7

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
NY RANGERS vs. LOS ANGELES
NY Rangers are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
NY Rangers are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing NY Rangers
Los Angeles is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games


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NHL

Saturday, June 7

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Game of the Day: Rangers at Kings
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New York Rangers at Los Angeles Kings (-152, 5)

Kings lead the series 1-0

After squandering an early two-goal lead in series opener, the New York Rangers look to avoid a two-game deficit against the host Los Angeles Kings when the Stanley Cup final resumes on Saturday. Justin Williams took advantage of defenseman Dan Girardi's turnover and scored 4:36 into overtime as Los Angeles skated to a 3-2 victory in Game 1 on Wednesday. The tally allowed the Kings to become the first team since the 1992 Chicago Blackhawks to overcome a two-goal deficit in consecutive games during a conference or Stanley Cup final, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

"I don't know, it's not a perfect situation," Los Angeles forward Marian Gaborik said of the early deficit. "We can't always get away with this, losing 2-0 right from the get-go." New York's speed played a significant role in that as Benoit Pouliot and Carl Hagelin scored 1:42 apart early in the first period. "For us to win, we're going to have to find a way to play to our strengths. Speed is definitely one of them," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said.

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

LINE MOVES: The line opened at Kings -155, but was bet down slightly to -152.

INJURY REPORT: Rangers: G Cam Talbot (Ques-Undiscolsed), LW Daniel Carcillo (Out-Suspension) Kings: D Robyn Regehr (Ques-Knee)

ABOUT THE RANGERS: While Girardi accepted the blame for his costly turnover, Ryan McDonagh was quick to note that he left the zone before his defense partner. "(Girardi's) a guy that has been through so many ups and downs in his career, we know he's going to bounce back and be a huge part of our Game 2 here." McDonagh logged 31:12 of ice time in Game 1, but that number should dip as fellow blue-liner John Moore is expected to return after serving his two-game suspension for an illegal check to the head of Montreal's Dale Weise.

ABOUT THE KINGS: Defenseman Drew Doughty admittedly rode an emotional roller coaster in the series opener, recording a minus-2 after the first period before scoring a highlight-reel goal and setting up another tally to help Los Angeles rally to victory. "When I get angry, I kind of turn it on," said Doughty, who broke his own franchise record for points (17) by a blue-liner set during the Kings' Stanley Cup-winning season in 2012. Williams has traditionally been a pretty mellow fellow, but he has reason to be elated after setting career highs in goals (eight), assists (12) and points (20) in a single postseason year.

TRENDS:

* Kings are 21-7 in their last 28 following a win
* Under is 12-4-4 in Rangers last 20 vs. a team with a winning record
* Under is 4-0-3 in last 7 meetings in Los Angeles
* Home team is 5-2 in last 7 meetings

CONSENSUS: Sixty-one percent of the bettors are taking the Kings -152 with seventy-one percent on the over.

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NHL

Saturday, June 7


Essential line update for Game 2 of Stanley Cup

The Stanley Cup Finals are ready to get back underway Saturday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles with the Kings hosting the New York Rangers in Game 2 and with the extra day off the line has held steady.

The Kings are still favored at -152, while the Rangers are on the board at +140. The Kings opened at -148 Thursday.

According to the Consensus almost 60 percent of people are backing the Kings at this number.

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Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

06/04/14 1-*0-*1 100.00% +*500 Detail
06/01/14 1-*1-*0 50.00% -*220 Detail

Totals 2-*1-*1 66.67% +280


Saturday, June 7

Game Score Status Pick Amount

NY Rangers - 7:00 PM ET Los Angeles -151 500

Los Angeles - Over 5 500

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Game 4 - Kings at Rangers

June 11, 2014


2014 Stanley Cup Finals - L.A. Kings at N.Y. Rangers

Game 4: Los Angeles leads series 3-0
Puck Drops: Wednesday, 8:05 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: New York -130, Los Angeles +110, Total: 5

The Kings are one game away from winning their second Stanley Cup in three years as they go for the sweep of the Rangers in Game 4 on Wednesday night.

The first two games in Los Angeles could have gone either way as New York blew multiple two-goal leads and fell in overtime in both instances. However, that was not the case on Monday night, as the Kings dominated the game, winning 3-0. It was a close first period as the two teams were scoreless for all but 0.7 seconds, when C Jeff Carter scored to give L.A. a lead it would never relinquish. That goal completely changed the momentum of the game, as the Kings went on to score two more goals in the shutout victory.

The Rangers offense did a good job of getting opportunities, as they outshot their opponent 32-15, including 28-10 over the final two periods. However, Jonathan Quick showed why he is one of the best goalies in the NHL with his best performance of these playoffs. New York also did a good job of hitting Los Angeles with a 25-18 edge in the hits department.

After the first two games, the Rangers seemed to be confident knowing they had great opportunities to win on the road. However, they showed signs in the third period of being a defeated team. Earlier in the playoffs, the Kings were down 3-games-to-none to San Jose, but were able to come back for the series victory. With that in mind, look for the Los Angeles to not take this lead for granted and to try and end this series quickly.

The Kings are 8-5 in the postseason on the road this year, showing time and time again the composure to get victories in front of hostile crowds. The goal for Carter was his 10th of the postseason, giving the Kings a reliable go-to scorer. D Jake Muzzin (1 goal on 2 SOG) and C Mike Richards (1 goal on 2 SOG) were able to record the other tallies for the Kings, but Game 3 came down to the performance of Jonathan Quick, who saved all 32 shots he faced.

For much of this postseason, Quick has been good, but not his normal dominating self. On Monday night, that was not the case, as Quick was just terrific from the very beginning of the game. When he is able to play like that, the Kings become nearly impossible to beat.

One thing Los Angeles will need to do though is put more pressure on the Rangers defense. While the club was able to score three goals, it was able to get off only 15 shots. Against a goalie like Henrik Lundqvist, the Kings will need to pepper more shots on net, as there is a very good chance that Lundqvist is going to play a much better game. For the Rangers, they are a dangerous and desperate team, and that can be a very difficult team to deal with.

While the two losses in Los Angeles were big, New York showed it could play with the Kings. However, Game 3 at home was a huge disappointment, as the team could not overcome the goal allowed in the final second of the first period. The Rangers definitely had their chances to score on Monday, but were unable to get anything going against Quick.

In the second period, they outshot their opponent 17-8, but were outscored 2-0. New York was also 0-for-6 on the power play, and is now 1-of-14 with the man advantage this series. But the club's power-play unit did a terrific job of attacking, with Derick Brasard (5 SOG) was the leader of the Rangers offensive attack, but like the rest of his teammates, he was unable to get the puck past Quick.

If New York is able to greatly outshoot the L.A. again in Game 4, then it has a great chance of sending the series back to California for another game. However, the Rangers must get a stellar performance by Henrik Lundqvist to extend their season.

[StarDust Bum]

Adjusted Series Odds

June 10, 2014


Playoff Series Prices Conference Finals - Best of 7 Games (2-2-1-1-1)
(Opening Odds in parentheses)

Eastern Conference

Los Angeles vs. N.Y. Rangers (Kings lead 3-0)

Kings -3000 (-175)

Rangers +1400 (+155)

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Kings look to finish Rangers with sweep

June 11, 2014


NEW YORK (AP) - The Los Angeles Kings know they are heading home after Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals. They don't want to bring the New York Rangers along for the ride.

One day before their first chance at their second Stanley Cup title in three years, the Kings harkened back to a pair of series - one this year when they rallied from a 3-0 hole to eliminate San Jose in the first round, and the 2012 finals when New Jersey won two straight to force Game 6.

Los Angeles took a 3-0 lead over the Rangers with a pair of overtime wins at home and then a 3-0 victory at Madison Square Garden on Monday behind Jonathan Quick's 32-save performance.

''It wasn't easy for us to come back from 3-0 in the first series,'' star defenseman Drew Doughty said. ''We know how it can happen. All it takes is one game, one momentum shift. The team can run with it, the other team can be down in the dumps.

''That's why this next game is so important. We can't let them back into the series.''

Game 4 is Wednesday night in New York. Though Los Angeles has four chances to reclaim the Cup, notching the first finals sweep since 1998 is just how the Kings hope to do it.

''Be as desperate as before Game 3,'' forward Jarret Stoll said of the Kings' mindset. ''We knew we needed to be a desperate team. We want to have a killer instinct and play the right way, play determined.''

The Kings became the fourth NHL team to win a series after trailing 3-0. Only the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs pulled off the feat in the finals.

''They've done it, and we know we can do it,'' Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist said. ''It's not like we've been outplayed here. They've been good, but I think we've been playing pretty good, as well. It comes down to a couple plays here and there. That's been the difference.

''It starts with your belief and it starts with how you approach this game and the games after that. They know it's possible and we know it's possible.''

The Rangers got into this predicament with a significant amount of misfortune. They were ahead 2-0 in each of the first two contests, and they failed to finish the deal in Game 2 when they held three two-goal leads.

In Game 3, two of the Kings' goals bounded into the net off Rangers players. The third was scored after New York made a good defensive play, only to have the puck bounce right back to Mike Richards for a goal.

The Rangers put on a brave face Tuesday as they talked about getting back into this series, but their disappointment couldn't be concealed.

''I didn't expect my players to be cheery and upbeat,'' Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. ''We're in the Stanley Cup finals and we're down 3-0. You don't get a lot of these opportunities. Excuse us if we're not real cheery. But tomorrow I can tell you we're going to show up.''

Here are five things to watch for in Game 4:

CONN SMYTHE CONTENDERS: As the Kings close in on the Stanley Cup, the Conn Smythe Trophy playoff MVP conversation is heating up. Doughty has emerged as a leading candidate. He anchors the blue line while providing plenty of offense. He scored a highlight-reel goal in Game 1 of the finals, and has notched five goals and 12 assists in the playoffs. Doughty logged 41 minutes, 41 seconds of ice time in the Kings' 5-4, double-overtime victory in Game 2.

Teammate Justin Williams is a dark horse contender. He has scored six goals, including the overtime winner in Game 1, and added 16 assists in 24 postseason games. Williams is seeking his third Stanley Cup title, having won with Los Angeles and Carolina in 2006.

''That's an award that a lot of NHLers aspire to have,'' Williams said of the Conn Smythe. ''At the same time, when you're presented with it, I think a lot of guys just want to put it aside and look to the big jug.''

SEEKING A SWEEP: While there hasn't been a sweep in the finals in 16 years, it was quite common before this drought. The last team to capture the Cup in a 4-0 romp was the Detroit Red Wings, who vanquished the Washington Capitals for their second consecutive championship and finished a run of four sweeps in a row. Detroit eliminated Philadelphia in four straight in 1997, the Colorado Avalanche took out the Florida Panthers in 1996, and New Jersey started the spurt one year earlier against Detroit.

''Being up 3-0, we're a confident group,'' Kings forward Jeff Carter said. ''It's about going out, playing our game, executing our game plan, hopefully get the job done.''

ROSTER OPTIONS: Los Angeles defenseman Robyn Regehr is still looking to make his first appearance in the finals. He has missed 16 games since May 3, when he injured his knee in the second-round opener at Anaheim. He is healthy enough to play, but Kings coach Darryl Sutter seems reluctant to shake up a roster that has built a 3-0 finals lead.

The Rangers will have Daniel Carcillo available following the rugged forward's six-game suspension. Carcillo was suspended after he appeared to twice elbow linesman Scott Driscoll, who was trying to keep Carcillo away from a fight, during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals. His original ban of 10 games was reduced by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.

SIMILAR SITUATION: The Kings' run to their first championship is eerily similar to their series with the Rangers. Los Angeles beat New Jersey in overtime in each of the first two finals games in 2012 and then posted a shutout in Game 3. The Devils won the next two before falling 6-1 in Game 6.

HOME-ICE ADVANTAGE? The Kings won the first two games of the finals at home, but both they and the Rangers have found plenty of success on the road. Los Angeles improved to 8-5 with its Game 3 win at New York. The Rangers are 6-6 away from Madison Square Garden after winning a franchise record 25 road games during the regular season.

[StarDust Bum]

Rangers regroup after 0-3 start

June 10, 2014


NEW YORK (AP) - The gravity of the situation was etched on the face of New York Rangers coach Alain Vigneault. One more loss Wednesday night to the Los Angeles Kings and his squad gets the distinction of being swept in the Stanley Cup finals.

No team has been swept in the finals since Detroit did it to Washington in 1998, completing a run of four straight Stanley Cup sweeps. So while the Kings are trying to close out the series, New York's focus is strictly on moving past disappointment and getting back to LA for Game 5.

''We're down 3-0. We're all lacking sleep. This is tough,'' Vigneault said on a day of optional practices. ''I didn't expect my players today to be cheery and upbeat. We're in the Stanley Cup finals and we're down 3-0. You don't get a lot of these opportunities.

''Excuse us if today we're not real cheery, but tomorrow I can tell you we're going to show up.''

The only levity expressed after the Rangers were beaten 3-0 at home by goalie Jonathan Quick and the Kings was when Vigneault was asked what his team could do differently at Madison Square Garden.

''Score,'' he said.

The packed room of reporters laughed. Vigneault didn't.

The present predicament makes it seem long ago that the Rangers led by two goals in the series opener, and then held a trio of two-goal leads in Game 2. Both of those ended with overtime wins by Los Angeles that sparked the Kings and demoralized New York.

Getting blanked in the first Stanley Cup finals game at the Garden since the Rangers last won the Cup in 1994 only made them feel worse.

''I do believe we can turn this around. I do,'' Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist said, ''because we've been that close in every game.''

Even in the shutout loss, the Rangers outshot the Kings 32-15. They haven't been dominated, but they also haven't found a way to win.

The Kings know both sides of a 3-0 series. They trailed by that margin in the opening round of this postseason to San Jose and then became the fourth NHL team to rally and win.

''We've been down a lot this postseason, we've been up, been in some exciting games, some long games,'' Kings forward Jarret Stoll said. ''We just keep playing, trying to find a way to win. We've had some fortunate bounces.''

Two years ago, the Kings went up 3-0 in the finals against New Jersey - the fourth straight series they built such a lead - but allowed the Devils to stay alive until Game 6. Premature celebrations, ticket requests from people close to the players and other distractions took players' focus away from the game and penetrated the Kings' insulated wall, the one no-nonsense coach Darryl Sutter worked hard to create.

''Game 4 was at home. There was a lot of distraction,'' Sutter said of 2012. ''That was a lesson learned, not just for our players but for our whole organization. We were trying to keep our players as a little inner circle, but the circle got a little bit of infringement.''

The Rangers are hoping that kind of history repeats.

New York has never come back to win a series it trailed 3-0, but the Rangers rallied to knock out Pittsburgh in the second round this year after trailing 3-1.

''Today is a tough day,'' forward Brad Richards said. ''Your mind is racing on a thousand different things you could've done. But you have to make the best of it. The series is not over. We all can't wait to get back on the ice. It's just the waiting and the thinking.

''We've just got to get back into the battle and see where it goes.''

Where they hope it goes is back to LA for Game 5. One win can turn the mindset and the perspective on both sides: belief in one room, a sliver of doubt in the other.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL

Dunkel

Los Angeles at NY Rangers
The Kings go for the sweep tonight in New York and come into the contest with a 4-0 record in their last 4 games versus the Rangers. Los Angeles is the pick (+120) according to Dunkel, which has the Kings favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (+120). Here are all of today's playoff picks.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11

Game 57-58: Los Angeles at NY Rangers (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Los Angeles 13.370; NY Rangers 12.410
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: NY Rangers (-140); 5
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (+120); Over




NHL
Short Sheet

Wednesday, June 11

Los Angeles Kings at New York Rangers, 8:05 ET
LA Kings: 8-1 SU in road games after a 4 game unbeaten streak
NY Rangers: 0-5 SU in home games revenging a loss where team got shut out




NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, June 11

Kings can win second Stanley Cup in three years with win here; they were outshot 32-15 in Game 3, but goal with 0:01 left in first period was dagger to Rangers, who are 6-5 at home in playoffs; four of their last seven games went to OT. Kings won eight of their last eleven road games; four of its last six games overall went to OT. Over is 7-1-1 in LA's last nine games. Rangers are 1-14 on power play in series, Kings 2-12. Overall in playoffs, over is 48-28-14 this season. Kings trailed three of last four games by two goals in first period, then won all three in OT, without leading any of them in regulation.




NHL

Wednesday, June 11

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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
LOS ANGELES vs. NY RANGERS
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Los Angeles's last 6 games when playing on the road against NY Rangers
Los Angeles is 5-2 SU in their last 7 games when playing on the road against NY Rangers
NY Rangers are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing Los Angeles
NY Rangers are 2-5 SU in their last 7 games when playing at home against Los Angeles


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NHL

Wednesday, June 11

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Game of the Day: Kings at Rangers
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Los Angeles Kings at New York Rangers (-135, 5)

Kings lead series 3-0.

Although they are on the cusp of their second Stanley Cup title in three years, the Los Angeles Kings know all too well that a 3-0 series lead isn't insurmountable. After all, Los Angeles became the fourth team in NHL history to overcome that very deficit to stun San Jose in the first round. The Kings look to end any thought of the New York Rangers becoming the fifth - and first in the Stanley Cup final since the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs - when the teams play Game 4 at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.

"I'm just extremely disappointed that we're in this hole," Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist said. "We have to regroup; it's not over." History might suggest otherwise as nine teams have lost the first three games of the Stanley Cup final since 1982 - and only New Jersey extended the series past the fourth, pushing it to six before succumbing to Los Angeles in 2012. "Nothing is done, nothing is finished," said Jonathan Quick, who recorded his ninth career postseason shutout by stopping all 32 shots he faced in the Kings' 3-0 victory on Monday.

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

LINE HISTORY: The Rangers opened as -127 home faves but has moved up to -137 with a total of 5.

INJURY REPORT: Rangers - LW Daniel Carcillo (Eligible June 11, suspension).

ABOUT THE KINGS: Justin Williams continued his torrid postseason stretch by setting up Jeff Carter's goal with under one second remaining in the first period in Game 3. Williams has scored two goals and set up seven others during his five-game point streak and has 24 points (eight goals, 16 assists) in as many playoff contests. Carter has also averaged a point per game, albeit by scoring 10 goals and setting up 14 others.

ABOUT THE RANGERS: New York's punchless power play failed on all six opportunities on Monday and is a dismal 1-for-14 in the first three games of the final. Rick Nash saw some rare time with the man advantage, but was held off the scoresheet for the third consecutive contest and sixth in seven games. "I can't be satisfied when we're losing," Nash told ESPNNewYork.com. "Right now, chances aren't good enough. They've got to be going in, we've got to be helping the team win."

TRENDS:
* Over is 7-1-1 In Kings last nine games.
* Home team is 7-2 in the last nine meetings.
* Kings are 9-0 in their last nine vs. Metropolitan.
* Kings are 8-3 in their last 11 road games.

CONSENSUS: 61.68 percent of Consensus bets are on the Rangers.

[StarDust Bum]

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

06/07/14 2-*0-*0 100.00% +*1000 Detail
06/04/14 1-*0-*1 100.00% +*500 Detail
06/01/14 1-*1-*0 50.00% -*220 Detail

Totals 4-*1-*1 80.00% +1280



Wednesday, June 11

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Los Angeles - 8:00 PM ET NY Rangers -137 500 *****

NY Rangers - Over 5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

[StarDust Bum]

Kings eager to raise Cup in Game 5

June 12, 2014


LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Los Angeles Kings already know there's no place like home ice for a coronation.

They've got the chance to lift the Stanley Cup at Staples Center again when they host the New York Rangers in Game 5 of the finals on Friday night, giving the ultimate celebration to their long-suffering fans for the second time in three years.

Yet the Kings' memories of that night in June 2012 weren't a popular subject Thursday as they prepared for the chance to finish another draining, two-month postseason with one big party.

''It doesn't matter where you win the fourth,'' Jarret Stoll said at the Kings' training complex. ''This time of year, it's all about the result.''

With the weary poise of a team that has already been through three seven-game series this spring, the Kings insisted they're not bothered by their inability to finish a sweep in New York. Mike Richards and the Kings calmly flew home, grabbed a few hours of sleep and focused on a good start to Game 5, figuring it will lead to the big finish.

''It's not going to be easy, but confidence is there,'' Richards said. ''If we play well, we think that we can have success. You don't make it to this point of the season without having confidence in your team.''

Stoll is tired of the Kings' weak starts, however. The Rangers have taken 2-0 leads in three of the series' four games, forcing Los Angeles to play catch-up hockey - something the Kings do extraordinarily well, but would prefer to skip Friday.

''We know we can do more, especially at the start of games,'' Stoll said.

Henrik Lundqvist gave the Rangers hope with his 40-save performance in Game 4, earning another cross-country trip for the Eastern Conference champions. The goalie's unflappable poise - and one or two puck-slowing mounds of snow - helped keep the Rangers in the series with a 2-1 win in Game 4.

And now that they're off the canvas, the Rangers realize they have ample reason to be comfortable at Staples Center, where they never trailed in their two series-opening overtime losses. The Rangers still mixed it up in their return to the visitors' dressing room for practice Thursday: except for their two goalies, every player took a new locker.

''I know if we win (Game 5), they're definitely going to feel the pressure,'' Lundqvist said. ''We were in that spot playing Montreal. The closer you are to your final goal, obviously you tend to think more. That's just the way you work. It's hard not to.''

Lundqvist is the Rangers' best hope, and the Swedish star is at his best with the season on the line. He is 11-2 in the Rangers' last 13 elimination games with a 1.30 goals-against average and a .959 save percentage.

''It comes down to how much you want to battle, how much you want it,'' Lundqvist said. ''Not only for me, but for the group. ... Sometimes when everything is on the line, that's actually easier sometimes to focus in on the important thing and not so much on consequences.''

Lundqvist's dominance in the Kings' 10th loss of this postseason was frustrating but not discouraging to a team that has repeatedly surmounted all difficulties over the past three years.

Two seasons ago, the Kings had lost just two games in the entire playoffs when they had their first chance to clinch their franchise's first championship. The Devils beat Los Angeles 3-1 at Staples Center in Game 4 and then won again in New Jersey in Game 5, making the eighth-seeded Kings uncomfortable for the first time in their charmed run.

The Kings returned home and won Game 6 in a rout. Most of the Kings' current roster was on that team, and the players remember the innumerable distractions: ticket requests, media pressures and a wellspring of natural excitement.

''I think everyone is more equipped now, or more ready for it, more aware of what the distractions are and how they can present themselves, and what you need to do to push them away,'' Richards said.

Game 5 is Los Angeles' NHL-record 64th playoff game in the last three seasons, and the Kings will tie the single-season record with their 26th postseason game of this season. The game will be the 93rd of the entire postseason, making it the longest playoff in league history.

But if the Kings are exhausted at the brink of their 10th series victory in the most grueling three-year stretch in hockey history, they haven't shown it. The Kings dominated the Rangers for much of Game 4, outshooting them 15-1 in the third period, but failing to get anything past Lundqvist.

The Kings uniformly scoff at the notion of fatigue playing any role with hockey's ultimate prize just a game away.

''This is why you play the game,'' Stoll said. ''It doesn't matter how many games you play. You've got energy. You've got jump. You should, (if) you realize what you're playing for. Yeah, it's a lot of games, but it's why we play.''

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rangers (45-31) at Kings (46-28)

Date: June 13, 2014 8:00 PM EDT


LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Los Angeles Kings already know there's no place like home ice for a coronation.

They've got the chance to lift the Stanley Cup at Staples Center again when they host the New York Rangers in Game 5 of the finals on Friday night, giving the ultimate celebration to their long-suffering fans for the second time in three years.

Yet the Kings' memories of that night in June 2012 weren't a popular subject Thursday as they prepared for the chance to finish another draining, two-month postseason with one big party.

'It doesn't matter where you win the fourth,' Jarret Stoll said at the Kings' training complex. 'This time of year, it's all about the result.'

With the weary poise of a team that has already been through three seven-game series this spring, the Kings insisted they're not bothered by their inability to finish a sweep in New York. Mike Richards and the Kings calmly flew home, grabbed a few hours of sleep and focused on a good start to Game 5, figuring it will lead to the big finish.

'It's not going to be easy, but confidence is there,' Richards said. 'If we play well, we think that we can have success. You don't make it to this point of the season without having confidence in your team.'

Stoll is tired of the Kings' weak starts, however. The Rangers have taken 2-0 leads in three of the series' four games, forcing Los Angeles to play catch-up hockey - something the Kings do extraordinarily well, but would prefer to skip Friday.

'We know we can do more, especially at the start of games,' Stoll said.

Henrik Lundqvist gave the Rangers hope with his 40-save performance in Game 4, earning another cross-country trip for the Eastern Conference champions. The goalie's unflappable poise - and one or two puck-slowing mounds of snow - helped keep the Rangers in the series with a 2-1 win in Game 4.

And now that they're off the canvas, the Rangers realize they have ample reason to be comfortable at Staples Center, where they never trailed in their two series-opening overtime losses. The Rangers still mixed it up in their return to the visitors' dressing room for practice Thursday: except for their two goalies, every player took a new locker.

'I know if we win (Game 5), they're definitely going to feel the pressure,' Lundqvist said. 'We were in that spot playing Montreal. The closer you are to your final goal, obviously you tend to think more. That's just the way you work. It's hard not to.'

Lundqvist is the Rangers' best hope, and the Swedish star is at his best with the season on the line. He is 11-2 in the Rangers' last 13 elimination games with a 1.30 goals-against average and a .959 save percentage.

'It comes down to how much you want to battle, how much you want it,' Lundqvist said. 'Not only for me, but for the group. ... Sometimes when everything is on the line, that's actually easier sometimes to focus in on the important thing and not so much on consequences.'

Lundqvist's dominance in the Kings' 10th loss of this postseason was frustrating but not discouraging to a team that has repeatedly surmounted all difficulties over the past three years.

Two seasons ago, the Kings had lost just two games in the entire playoffs when they had their first chance to clinch their franchise's first championship. The Devils beat Los Angeles 3-1 at Staples Center in Game 4 and then won again in New Jersey in Game 5, making the eighth-seeded Kings uncomfortable for the first time in their charmed run.

The Kings returned home and won Game 6 in a rout. Most of the Kings' current roster was on that team, and the players remember the innumerable distractions: ticket requests, media pressures and a wellspring of natural excitement.

'I think everyone is more equipped now, or more ready for it, more aware of what the distractions are and how they can present themselves, and what you need to do to push them away,' Richards said.

Game 5 is Los Angeles' NHL-record 64th playoff game in the last three seasons, and the Kings will tie the single-season record with their 26th postseason game of this season. The game will be the 93rd of the entire postseason, making it the longest playoff in league history.

But if the Kings are exhausted at the brink of their 10th series victory in the most grueling three-year stretch in hockey history, they haven't shown it. The Kings dominated the Rangers for much of Game 4, outshooting them 15-1 in the third period, but failing to get anything past Lundqvist.

The Kings uniformly scoff at the notion of fatigue playing any role with hockey's ultimate prize just a game away.

'This is why you play the game,' Stoll said. 'It doesn't matter how many games you play. You've got energy. You've got jump. You should, (if) you realize what you're playing for. Yeah, it's a lot of games, but it's why we play.'