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CNOTES
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Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543

NHL
Dunkel

Anaheim at Detroit
The Ducks look to bounce back from their Game 2 loss and take advantage of a Detroit team that is 2-10 in its last 12 home games against a team with a winning road record. Anaheim is the pick (+115) according to Dunkel, which has the Ducks favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Anaheim (+115). Here are all of today's picks.

SATURDAY, MAY 4

Game 79-80: NY Rangers at Washington (12:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Rangers 12.513; Washington 11.406
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Rangers by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Washington (-130); 5
Dunkel Pick: NY Rangers (+110); Over

Game 81-82: Toronto at Boston (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 10.297; Boston 11.336
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 1; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Boston (-185); 5
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-185); Under

Game 83-84: Anaheim at Detroit (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Anaheim 12.568; Detroit 11.631
Dunkel Line & Total: Anaheim by 1; 5 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Detroit (-135); 5
Dunkel Pick: Anaheim (+115); Over

Game 85-86: St. Louis at Los Angeles (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis 11.069; Los Angeles 12.410
Dunkel Line & Total: Los Angeles by 1 1/2; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles (-155); 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Los Angeles (-155); Under




NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, May 4

Capitals won 12 of last 14 games to position themselves as one of favorites in the Eastern Conference; they've won seven of last eight home games. Under is 9-0-5 in last 14 series games, as all five pushes ended 3-2. Capitals scored three goals on just nine second period shots to win Game 1; Caps blocked 25 shots, 10 more than NY. Rangers beat Washington in seven games in LY's playoffs, with last six games all decided by a goal, Rangers winning both games that went OT. New York scored 4+ goals in its last five wins, 1-2-2 in its last three losses.

Bruins gave up power play goal 1:54 into Game 1, but won easily 4-1, just their third win in last ten games overall; Boston outshot Maple Leafs 40-20, as Toronto wound up with 39 PIM. It was only second time in last ten games Bruins scored more than two goals; they're 10-1 in last eleven games vs Toronto, winning 4-2/3-2so/4-1 in three played in this building this year. Maple Leafs lost five of last seven games- they're 4-8 in last twelve road games. Over is 9-3-2 in last fourteen series games. D Kostka was -3 for Toronto, not too good in a 4-1 game.

Red Wings got power play goal 1:21 into OT to win Game 2; they were +15 on faceoffs, +8 in blocked shots, and scored three power play goals on six tries. Home teams are 9-5 so far in playoffs, with under 8-4-2; Detroit got split it wanted out in Anaheim, now returns home, where they've won last three games, outscoring opponents 12-3. Anaheim won four of last six games, with under 8-2-1 in their last 11. Ducks won last three road games, allowing total of two goals. Detroit split its last six visits here- they're 9-4 in last 13 games overall with Ducks. Seven of last nine Detroit games stayed under the total.

Defending champ Kings swept Blues 4-0 in LY's playoffs, but now find themselves in 2-0 hole after losing pair of 2-1 decisions in St Louis; LA won its last seven home games, last five all by a single goal. Kings outshot Blues 23-15 in first two periods in Game 2, but led just 1-0, then St Louis scored twice in third period, getting winner with 0:51 left. Kings are 9-5 in last 14 series games, winning four of last five here, but Blues won last visit here; St Louis won five in row, 14 of its last 17 games; they allowed one goal in each of last five games. Under is 8-1-1 in Blues' last ten games overall, 5-1-1 in last seven series games.




NHL

Saturday, May 4

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

12:30 PM
NY RANGERS vs. WASHINGTON
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the NY Rangers last 6 games when playing Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of the NY Rangers last 21 games when playing on the road against Washington
Washington is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games when playing NY Rangers

7:00 PM
TORONTO vs. BOSTON
Toronto is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Boston
Toronto is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto
Boston is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games

7:30 PM
ANAHEIM vs. DETROIT
Anaheim is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Anaheim is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Detroit is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Detroit's last 9 games

10:00 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. LOS ANGELES
St. Louis is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing Los Angeles
St. Louis is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Los Angeles's last 5 games
Los Angeles is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-04-13 02:28 PM
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CNOTES
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Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

05/03/13 2-_5-_1 28.57% -_2370 Detail
05/02/13 5-_3-_0 62.50% +_935 Detail
05/01/13 3-_2-_1 60.00% +_600 Detail

Totals 10-_10-_2 50.00% -_835



Saturday, May 4

Game Score Status Pick Amount

NY Rangers - 12:30 PM ET Washington -123 500
Washington - Under 5 500

Toronto - 7:00 PM ET Toronto +164 500 POD # 1
Boston - Over 5 500

Anaheim - 7:30 PM ET Detroit -127 500
Detroit - Under 5 500

St. Louis - 10:00 PM ET Los Angeles -140 500
Los Angeles - Under 4.5 500




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-04-13 06:11 PM
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CNOTES
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Posts: 10543

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

05/04/13 2-_0-_0 100.00% +_1000 Detail
05/03/13 2-_5-_1 28.57% -_2370 Detail
05/02/13 5-_3-_0 62.50% +_935 Detail
05/01/13 3-_2-_1 60.00% +_600 Detail

Totals 12-_10-_2 54.55% +165

Saturday, May 4

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Toronto - 7:00 PM ET Toronto +164 500 POD # 1
Boston - Over 5 500

Anaheim - 7:30 PM ET Detroit -127 500
Detroit - Under 5 500

St. Louis - 10:00 PM ET Los Angeles -140 500
Los Angeles - Under 4.5 500




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-05-13 12:16 AM
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Preview: Penguins (0-0) at Islanders (0-0)

Date: May 05, 2013 12:00 PM EDT


UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) - The New York Islanders said all the right things in the days leading up to their first-round playoff matchup against the top-seeded Pittsburgh Penguins.

Yes, they knew the odds of an upset in a No. 1 vs. No. 8 series were stacked heavily against them, and yes they were aware that the Penguins roster reads more like an All-Star game lineup than an everyday club.

Still, the upstart Islanders declared they were ready and up to the daunting challenge ahead of them.

Whether they truly believed will never be known, but make no mistake, their comeback victory in Game 2 in Pittsburgh gave them a jolt of positive energy they hope carries them through their first home playoff game in six years on Sunday.

``We've come in believing in ourselves all season long. Nothing has changed in that standpoint,' star forward John Tavares said Saturday.

New York was run over in a 5-0, series-opening loss on Wednesday and seemed primed to be routed again on Friday night when the Penguins scored twice in the first 3:19 and then grabbed a 3-1 lead just 18 seconds after the Islanders netted their first goal of the series.

Sidney Crosby scored Pittsburgh's second and third goals in his return to the lineup after missing more than a month because of a broken jaw.

However, no one could have predicted that the Penguins would be held off the scoreboard for the final 40 minutes of action.

``I missed two wide-open nets,' Crosby said Saturday after the Penguins practiced at Nassau Coliseum. ``I don't know if we were shut down. I didn't feel like we were shut down, but at the end of the day we didn't put the puck in the net. We've got to find a way to do that if we want to win.'

It is only two games, and the series is tied 1-1, but there is a different feel now. Before the talk was how many games it would take for the Penguins to turn aside the Islanders, now the fight is on.

That was totally clear when New York forward Kyle Okposo had the first fight of his NHL career. After teammate Matt Moulson was hit by Pittsburgh defenseman Matt Niskanen, Okposo came to his defense and bloodied Niskanen during the unexpected bout 4:58 into the second period.

Just 14 seconds later, Colin McDonald scored to bring the Islanders within 3-2. Okposo would then score the winning goal with 7:37 left in the third period of New York's 4-3 victory.

``It was a turning point of the game for me,' Islanders captain Mark Streit said of the fight. ``Moulson got hit, and he stepped in for him. It was his first fight and he did really well and he got everybody really pumped and got everybody going.

``After that we never looked back. He's a great leader on the team. He had a great game, scored the game-winner. It doesn't get any better than that.'

No one on the current Islanders roster played for the team during its last postseason appearance in 2007. So what lies in store will be a mystery to both clubs when the puck drops Sunday at the unusual start time of noon.

``It's been a while and we know the fans are going to be hungry. So are we,' Tavares said. ``We've been waiting to play here. As old as this building is, I'm sure it can get pretty loud and be rocking.'

``Ever since I've gotten here, no one has really given us much of an opportunity or believed we could do a whole lot. We're just used to the situation. We believe in ourselves a lot more than other people do. It's a great opportunity for us.'

Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma was a part of some exciting days in Nassau Coliseum when he was an Islanders assistant during the 2005-06 season.

He was already warning his players on Saturday that they are in for a totally new experience, down to the part where there likely won't be the pockets of Penguins fans present that are usually in the arena for regular-season matchups.

``Our players have not seen this building the way it's going to be,' Bylsma said. ``I got a little taste of it being here for Islanders-Rangers games and seeing the building full. It's going to be loud. It's going to be a pretty crazy building.'

Instead of trying to weather an onslaught, the Islanders will try to keep their emotions and excitement in check.

New York has played seven straight road games, closing the regular season with a five-game trip, during which the Islanders secured their long-awaited playoff berth.

``We've been on the road so much lately, it's nice to get back,' forward Josh Bailey said. ``We believed going in, and (Friday) night helps for the confidence. You certainly don't want to go down 0-2. Getting the split, coming home, being able to play in front of our home fans, we want to take advantage of that.'

The Islanders want their home to match the fired-up building they just left in Pennsylvania

``It was a great atmosphere in Pittsburgh,' Streit said. ``You've got to love the road games in the playoffs. For us, playing at home ... a lot of guys have never been in the playoffs, the fans haven't seen us in the playoffs for a while, so everybody is really excited.'




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-05-13 08:16 AM
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Preview: Blackhawks (0-0) at Wild (0-0)

Date: May 05, 2013 3:00 PM EDT


ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - NHL hockey was absent from Minnesota for seven years, and the upstart Wild stumbled through two rough seasons in their debut.

Then came 2003, when the fervor of a playoff run came roaring back to a state that's as tied to the sport as any other in the nation.

``It was a magical time to be playing here in Minnesota,' said former Wild left wing Andrew Brunette, ``and I think about that group all the time.'

This Wild team, exactly a decade later, would love to be able to do what Brunette's did, reaching the Western Conference finals as the sixth seed that year after winning three elimination games in each of their first two series.

Just as in 2003, the Wild are facing a heavy favorite right away.

The Chicago Blackhawks, who breezed through this condensed season with an NHL-best 36-7-5 record, already have a 2-0 lead in this first-round series over the eighth-seeded Wild. Minnesota is back on home ice for Game 3 on Sunday.

The Xcel Energy Center is sure to be buzzing, though the standard for arena atmosphere was set in 2003. The Wild beat Colorado and Vancouver before losing steam and falling to Anaheim.

With savvy coach Jacques Lemaire leading on the bench, gritty guys like Brunette, Wes Walz and Sergei Zholtok supporting budding star Marian Gaborik up front, and a stingy defense helping Dwayne Roloson and Manny Fernandez thrive in the net, the Wild became the surprise story of the league that spring.

Playing a pesky, conservative, fundamentally sound system under Lemaire was a big reason for their success. So was chemistry. Zholtok reminded Brunette of that when a bunch of teammates gathered the following summer, in 2004, at Darby Hendrickson's cabin. That was the last time Brunette saw Zholtok alive. Zholtok died of a heart problem during a game overseas a few weeks later.

``It was as close-knit of a team as you'll ever play with,' Brunette said.

The bond to each other and the franchise is still apparent. Brunette and Brad Bombardir work in the front office. Hendrickson is an assistant coach. Walz is a television analyst. Pierre-Marc Bouchard is the only player who remains on the roster from 2003.

Colorado dominated Minnesota back then, so winning that first-round series was about as improbable for the Wild as it would be to beat the deep, talented Blackhawks this time.

``It was a matchup that wasn't great for us. We were almost scared to death of them,' Brunette said. ``We had to play a certain way against them to even have a chance, and that speaks to that group. Everybody knew their role, understood their role and played it to the best of their ability.'

Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu and the rest of this year's team will have to mimic that.

``We weren't afraid, and we didn't surrender,' Hendrickson said, recalling 2003. ``And I do believe this group has a lot of that.'

The first line of Parise, Koivu and Charlie Coyle has yet to score in the series. Coyle, a rookie, has one assist. They've had plenty of prime chances, but the puck hasn't gone in much. The Blackhawks, after pulling out a 2-1 overtime victory in the opener, won 5-2 in Game 2 on Friday night.

``We haven't seen our best hockey yet,' Wild coach Mike Yeo said, refusing to rule out the possibility of splitting up Parise and Koivu.

``If we think that's what we need, then that's something that we would be willing to do, for sure,' he said.

Goalie Niklas Backstrom practiced with the team, but after sustaining a lower-body injury in warm-ups in Game 1, he didn't sound ready to regain his place that Josh Harding has been filling.

``It's getting better. It's something that's going to take time, but I work on it every day,' Backstrom said after practice Saturday.

The goalie might not matter, as good as these Blackhawks, the 2010 champions, are. Michael Frolik, Patrick Sharp and Bryan Bickell have two goals apiece. Stars Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane haven't scored yet, and that hasn't made a difference.

``You're not really out of the series until you lose at home, so we hope to put them in that position,' Kane said before the Blackhawks got on their plane to Minnesota on Saturday. ``We're trying not to think too much about it. Just trying to take it a game at a time. I know that's a cliche, but it's the way it is.'




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-05-13 08:18 AM
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Preview: Canadiens (0-0) at Senators (0-0)

Date: May 05, 2013 7:00 PM EDT


OTTAWA (AP) - The Senators know they missed a big opportunity.

They seized home-ice advantage from Montreal in the opener of their first-round series in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Then came a poor effort in Game 2.

Ottawa now looks to rebound when it hosts the Canadiens in Game 3 on Sunday night with the series 1-1.

With Max Pachioretty, Brian Gionta and Lars Eller all injured and out of the lineup for Game 2, the Senators could have come home with a 2-0 series lead. Instead, they lost 3-1.

``We had an opportunity to really take a stranglehold, so we're disappointed, but now we're home and we have to take care of our business. It's not going to be easy but we're in a position that we can control,' Senators coach Paul MacLean said Saturday.

``I thought (the Canadiens) were harder at both nets than we were and they were consistently harder at the puck. They were better in the faceoff circle and they finished checks. So if you're better in those stats I think you're probably the team that played harder. Not that we didn't play hard, but every game in the playoffs gets a little harder and we have to make sure that we raise our level.'

Ottawa, which won the opener 4-2, is home for the next two games. Game 4 is Tuesday.

The Senators were one of the top home teams in the league during the season with a 15-6-3 record. The Canadiens went 15-7-2 on the road, fourth best overall.

Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson says his club took too many penalties in Game 2 and after allowing the Canadiens to go up 3-1 late in the second period.

``Getting one game is better than getting none obviously, and it puts us in the driver's seat at home,' Alfredsson said. ``We want to take advantage of the way we've been playing at home all year and try and take charge of this series.'

Ottawa center Kyle Turris says his team must attack more.

``More play in their end will create less time for them in our end,' said Turris, who has one assist and five shots through the first two games. ``We have to be physical. That's something they took to us a bit in Game 2 and we're going to have to engage in that more.'

The Canadiens, for their part, will be looking for more of the same.

``We've got to stick to what made us successful last game,' defenseman Josh Gorges said before the team departed for Ottawa. ``We've got to be a fast team. We've got to be a team that's first on pucks. We've got to push the pace.

``We're good when we keep putting pucks deep in the offensive zone and we get our cycle game going. We spend a lot of time in the offensive zone. And whether we're at home or whether we're in Ottawa, we have to have that same mentality and that same urgency.'

Senators defenseman Eric Gryba will serve the second of his two-game suspension Sunday for a hit that left Canadiens forward Lars Eller with a concussion, as well as a broken nose some lost teeth.

Gryba, who received a five-minute major penalty for interference and a game misconduct on the play, maintains the hit was clean.

``Obviously disappointed with the league's decision on that, but there's nothing I can do but move on,' Gryba said. ``I still feel as though it was a shoulder-to-shoulder body check and a hockey play.'

The play drew comments from both teams. MacLean was accused of being disrespectful for saying Montreal defenseman Raphael Diaz was to blame for feeding Eller a dangerous pass up the middle, and by referring to Diaz as No. 61 and not by name.

Canadiens enforcer Brandon Prust called MacLean a ``bugged-eyed, fat walrus.' MacLean had some fun with that Saturday.

``Bugged eyed - I've never been called that before. That's a new one. Walrus - that's too easy. But I'll tell you one thing, I'm not fat. I might be husky, but I'm not fat,' MacLean cracked, adding he doesn't even know who on his team is No. 61.

For the record, it's Andre Benoit.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-05-13 08:20 AM
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Preview: Canucks (0-0) at Sharks (0-0)

Date: May 05, 2013 10:00 PM EDT


SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Raffi Torres is making quite a positive impact in his return to the playoffs.

A year after being kicked out of the postseason for his vicious hit against Chicago's Marian Hossa, Torres has played a major role in helping the San Jose Sharks take a 2-0 series lead after winning two straight games in Vancouver.

Torres helped set the tone for the series with his physical play in Game 1 when he delivered six hits against his former team. He then gave the Sharks control in the series with his overtime game-winner in Game 2.

The series shifts to San Jose for Game 3 Sunday where a raucous crowd is expected at HP Pavilion, where the Sharks lost just twice in regulation all season.

``What happened last year is totally behind me,' Torres said Saturday. ``It's not what I think about anymore. But it's nice to be contributing again in the playoffs. It's always fun to play. This is the best time of the season for anybody. It's fun to play in the playoffs.'

It's a very different postseason for Torres than the one he had a year ago in Phoenix when he launched himself into Hossa in Game 3 of the opening round and sent him sprawling to the ice. Hossa had to be taken off on a stretcher and missed the remainder of the series.

Torres was suspended 25 games for the hit, a penalty that was later reduced to 21 games on appeal. But he sat out the final 13 games of Phoenix's run to the Western Conference finals and the first eight games of this year for the Coyotes.

He was dealt to San Jose last month and has been a more under-control player this year with his penalty minutes per game dropping by nearly 60 percent.

But he still brings a needed physical element to San Jose's lineup that was evident with his big early hits on Ryan Kesler and the Sedin twins in Game 1.

``He comes as advertised,' teammate Joe Pavelski said. ``He plays hard. He brings a lot of energy. He's a fast player. He doesn't really mess around with it too much. He plays to his strengths. You do that on a nightly basis, you come to know what to expect from him. He adds that much more experience and grit to our team.'

The Sharks have been on the receiving end of Torres' physical play in past playoffs, most notably when his blindside hit to the head during the 2006 playoffs knocked out Milan Michalek and was considered the turning point of the second-round series won by Edmonton.

Torres also delivered a hard, clean hit that separated Joe Thornton's shoulder during the 2011 Western Conference finals when he was in Vancouver.

``It's nice seeing him hit a different color than your own,' teammate Patrick Marleau said.

The Canucks have much bigger concerns than dealing with Torres. They have lost eight of nine playoff games since taking a 3-2 lead over Boston in the Stanley Cup finals two years ago.

They were knocked out as the top seed in five games in the opening round by eventual champion Los Angeles last season and have fallen into a deep hole against the Sharks after allowing the tying goal to Marleau in the final minute of regulation before losing on Torres' game-winner.

``I think we all should still be (upset) at that game,' coach Alain Vigneault said. ``We were a couple of seconds away from a win. We had an empty net. We had two opportunities to get the puck out. We have to make those plays and we didn't. It's a tough feeling. We're going to take the day here and analyze and adjust a few things. We're going to be ready for tomorrow.'

One change could come in goal where former starter Roberto Luongo has gotten the nod in the first two games in place of injured Cory Schneider.

Schneider did not dress the first two games but made the trip with his teammates and could be ready to play Sunday. Luongo has allowed six goals on 61 shots and has made some spectacular saves to keep the Canucks in the game early in Vancouver.

``It might be a great thing for us,' Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. ``I think Luongo's been tremendous. I really do. I think he's made some great saves in the series. If they want to take that quality of goaltender out of the lineup and go to the other one, we'll take our chances with that as well.'

The bigger problem for Vancouver has come on the offensive end where the Canucks have just three goals against Antti Niemi. Kevin Bieksa got credit for a goal after a wild scramble in Game 1 and Kesler scored twice on Friday night.

The Sedin twins have been held to one assist apiece and no one else has dented the scoresheet in the first two games.

``You have to hit the back of the net,' Henrik Sedin said. ``That's the only answer I can give you. You can create chances, you can do whatever you want. If you don't score, you're not going to win.'

NOTES: Sharks F Scott Gomez skated after missing the first two games with an injury and is hopeful he can return to the lineup in Game 3. ... Sharks D Jason Demers (lower body) is out for Sunday and F Marty Havlat is questionable after taking a stick to the groin from Kesler in Game 1.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-05-13 08:21 AM
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2013 NHL Playoff Results

May 4, 2013

NHL First Round

-- Home teams are 11-7
-- Favorites are 11-7 straight up
-- Favorites that won are 6-5 on the puck-line
-- The Under has gone 11-4-3

Away Home Score ATS Result Total Result

Tuesday, Apr. 30, 2013

Minnesota Chicago (-270) 2-1 (OT) Favorite Under (5)

Los Angeles St. Louis (-125) 2-1 (OT) Favorite Under (5)

Detroit Anaheim (-145) 3-1 Favorite Under (5)


Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Toronto Boston (-180) 4-1 Favorite Push (5)

NY Islanders Pittsburgh (-220) 5-0 Favorite Under (5.5)

San Jose (+120) Vancouver 3-1 Underdog Under (5)


Thursday, May 2, 2013

Ottawa (+125) Montreal 4-2 Underdog Over (5)

NY Rangers Washington (-130) 3-1 Favorite Under (5)

Los Angeles St. Louis (-130) 2-1 Favorite Under (5)

Detroit (+120) Anaheim 5-4 (OT) Underdog Over (5)


Friday, May 3, 2013

NY Islanders (+200) Pittsburgh 4-3 Underdog Over (5.5)

Ottawa Montreal (-135) 3-1 Favorite Under (5)

Minnesota Chicago (-250) 5-2 Favorite Over (5)

San Jose (+115) Vancouver 3-2 (OT) Underdog Push (5)


Saturday, May 4, 2013

NY Rangers Washington (-125) 1-0 (OT) Favorite Under (5)

Toronto (+170) Boston 4-2 Underdog Push (6)

Anaheim (+110) Detroit 4-0 Underdog Under (5)

St. Louis Los Angeles (-145) 1-0 Favorite Under (4.5)

Sunday, May 5, 2013
Pittsburgh NY Islanders - - -
Chicago Minnesota - - -
Montreal Ottawa - - -
Vancouver San Jose - - -

Monday, May 6, 2013
Boston Toronto - - -
Washington NY Rangers - - -
Anaheim Detroit - - -
St. Louis Los Angeles - - -

Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Pittsburgh NY Islanders - - -
Montreal Ottawa - - -
Chicago Minnesota - - -
Vancouver San Jose - - -

Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Boston Toronto - - -
Washington NY Rangers - - -
Los Angeles St. Louis - - -
Detroit Anaheim - - -

Thursday, May 9, 2013
NY Islanders Pittsburgh - - -
Ottawa Montreal - - -
Minnesota Chicago - - -
San Jose Vancouver - - -

Friday, May 10, 2013
Toronto Boston - - -
NY Rangers Washington - - -
Anaheim Detroit - - -
St. Louis Los Angeles - - -

Saturday, May 11, 2013
Pittsburgh NY Islanders - - -
Montreal Ottawa - - -
Chicago Minnesota - - -
Vancouver San Jose - - -

Sunday, May 12, 2013
NY Islanders Pittsburgh - - -
Ottawa Montreal - - -
Washington NY Rangers - - -
Boston Toronto - - -
Minnesota Chicago - - -
Detroit Anaheim - - -

Monday, May 13, 2013
NY Rangers Washington - - -
Toronto Boston - - -
San Jose Vancouver - - -
Los Angeles St. Louis - - -

*If Neccessary




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-05-13 08:24 AM
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CNOTES
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2013 Playoff Overtime Goals

May 4, 2013



April 30 - Chicago 2, Minnesota 1, OT, Bryan Bickell, 16:35.


April 30 - St. Louis 2, Los Angeles 1, OT, Alexander Steen, 13:26.

May 2 - Detroit 5, Anaheim 4, OT, Gustav Nyquist, 1:21.

May 3 - San Jose 3, Vancouver 2, OT, Raffi Torres, 5:31.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-05-13 03:47 PM
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NHL
Dunkel

Montreal at Ottawa
The Senators look to bounce back from their 3-1 loss in Game 2 and take advantage of a Canadiens team that is 1-4 in its last 5 games after allowing 2 goals or less in the previous game. Ottawa is the pick (-135) according to Dunkel, which has the Senators favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Ottawa (-135). Here are all of today's picks.

SUNDAY, MAY 5

Game 1-2: Pittsburgh at NY Islanders (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 11.620; NY Islanders 12.042
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Islanders by 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Pittsburgh (-165); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Islanders (+145); Over

Game 3-4: Chicago at Minnesota (3:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 11.716; Minnesota 10.384
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 1 1/2; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago (-165); 5
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-165); Under

Game 5-6: Montreal at Ottawa (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Montreal 11.917; Ottawa 12.751
Dunkel Line & Total: Ottawa by 1; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Ottawa (-135); 5
Dunkel Pick: Ottawa (-135); Under

Game 7-8: Vancouver at San Jose (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Vancouver 11.135; San Jose 10.522
Dunkel Line & Total: Vancouver by 1/2; 5 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: San Jose (-145); 5
Dunkel Pick: Vancouver (+125); Over




NHL
Short Sheet

Sunday, May 5

Quarterfinals, Game Three (Series Tied, 1-1)
Pittsburgh at NY Islanders, 12:05 ET NBC
Pittsburgh: 9-1 SU away playing with revenge
NY Islanders: 1-9 SU at home off BB divison games

Quarterfinals, Game Three (Chicago Leads, 2-0)
Chicago at Minnesota, 3:05 ET NBC
Chicago: 29-11 SU off a win by 2+ goals
Minnesota: 5-0 Under at home playing with triple-revenge

Quarterfinals, Game Three (Series Tied, 1-1)
Montreal at Ottawa, 7:05 ET NBCSN
Montreal: 7-1 Over away after winning 2 of their last 3 games
Ottawa: 11-4 SU revenging a road loss

Quarterfinals, Game Three (San Jose Leads, 2-0)
Vancouver at San Jose, 10:05 ET NBCSN
Vancouver: 1-6 SU in the first round of the playoffs
San Jose: 9-0 SU at home off 4+ road games




NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, May 5

Penguins scored three goals in first 7:22 to grab 3-1 lead in Game 2, but never scored again and got upset by Islanders, just third loss in last 12 games for Pitt, which also won 27 of its last 36 games vs Isles, who outshot Pittsburgh 42-33 last game, and had only a couple giveaways, compared to 11 for Penguins. Islanders lost four of last five games overall, but won five of last six home games- this is their first home game in 19 days. Penguins won five of last six visits to Long Island, with last four of those going over total. Seven of last ten series games overall went over total.

Minnesota was outscored 21-7 in losing six of its last seven home games; they're 0-6 on power play, allowed a shorthanded goal in Game 2; they're now 4-8 in their last 12 games after getting drilled 5-2 in Game 2, when Chicago outshot them 48-28 (85-55 for series). Blackhawks won 11 of last 13 games overall, eight of last 11 on road; they won last four games with Wild by combined score of 13-6. Over is 5-2-1 in last eight Wild games, 1-5 in last six Chicago games. Minnesota scored total of eleven goals in its last seven games.

Home side won eight of last nine Montreal-Ottawa games; Canadiens lost last three games in this building (2-1ot/5-1/2-1so). Last ten series games went OMOMOMOMOM, so is it Ottawa's turn to win here? Senators are 7-4 in last eleven games overall, with 11 of last 13 staying under the total. Ottawa was outscored 9-3 in losing last three home games in regular season- they're 0-6 on power play in series. All five Montreal goals in this series came in second period; they won last two road games, at Winnipeg/Toronto, after losing five of seven road games before that.

Sharks are underdog in this series, but are 5-0 vs Vancouver this season, allowing total of eight goals in four wins (4-1/3-2so/3-2/3-1/3-2ot). San Jose is now 14-6 in last 20 games overall; they won first round series six of last eight years, are used to success in spring. Canucks are 3-7 in last ten games overall; they're actually 5-3 in last eight visits to Shark Tank. Under is now 6-1-3 in last ten San Jose-Vancouver games. Canucks scored only six goals in last four games overall. San Jose outshot Canucks 25-13 in first period of Games 1-2; Canucks outshot them 28-14 in second period.




NHL

Sunday, May 5

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Trend Report
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12:00 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. NY ISLANDERS
Pittsburgh is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games on the road
NY Islanders are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of the NY Islanders last 7 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh

3:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. MINNESOTA
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chicago's last 6 games when playing Minnesota
Chicago is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
Minnesota is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Minnesota's last 7 games when playing at home against Chicago

7:00 PM
MONTREAL vs. OTTAWA
Montreal is 14-7 SU in its last 21 games on the road
Montreal is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Ottawa
Ottawa is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Ottawa's last 13 games

10:00 PM
VANCOUVER vs. SAN JOSE
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Vancouver's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Vancouver's last 5 games on the road
San Jose is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games at home
San Jose is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Vancouver




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

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NHL

Sunday, May 5

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Sunday's NHL playoff action: What bettors need to know
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Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Islanders (+154, 5.5)

Captain Sidney Crosby wasn't shy about expressing concern in regard to his team's play - even though it enjoyed a two-goal lead at the time. That worry proved well-founded as the top-seeded Pittsburgh Penguins unceremoniously yielded three unanswered goals and suffered a 4-3 setback to the eighth-seeded New York Islanders on Friday. Tied at one game apiece, the Atlantic Division rivals will vie for the advantage in their Eastern Conference first-round series on Sunday afternoon, when they meet for Game 3 in Long Island.

"We want to make sure we bounce back," said Crosby, who scored two goals in his first contest since breaking his jaw on March 30. "We didn't play the game we wanted to. It's just a matter of making sure we're better." New York certainly would like to play better at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The Islanders were the lone playoff team to finish with a sub-.500 mark at home (10-11-3).

TV: 12 p.m. ET, NBC, TSN, RDS

ABOUT THE PENGUINS: Marc-Andre Fleury was perfect in Game 1 - but far from it in Game 2. After pulling into a tie with Tom Barrasso for the franchise lead in postseason shutouts, Fleury fell victim to an unfortunate bounce off the end boards - before inadvertently knocking the puck into the net. "It's not normal for the puck to come off the boards like that at Consol (Energy Center), so I've just got to be ready for it when it does and not put it into my own net," Fleury said on Saturday.

ABOUT THE ISLANDERS: Kyle Okposo picked a fine time to drop the gloves for the first time in his career. Okposo lowered the boom on Matt Niskanen, bloodying the Pittsburgh defenseman while igniting his team in the process. "I didn't really think about it," Okposo said of the fight. "You don't go planning those things, but it gave the team a little spark, and that's it." Former Penguin Colin McDonald scored 14 seconds later and Matt Martin forged a 3-3 tie with a goal nearly 5 1/2 minutes later. Okposo capped the uprising with the game-winning tally 12:23 into the third period.

TRENDS:

* Over is 3-0-1 in the last 4 meetings in New York.
* Penguins are 5-1 in the last 6 meetings in New York.
* Penguins are 35-16 in the last 51 meetings.

OVERTIME:

1. Pittsburgh RW James Neal briefly skated with the team in practice on Saturday before leaving the ice. Neal is nursing a lower-body injury.

2. After being held without a shot in his team's series-opening 5-0 loss, Islanders C John Tavares made his presence felt in Game 2. Tavares unleashed a team-high six shots, picked up an assist and won 15-of-24 faceoffs.

3. Pittsburgh is 5-2 all-time in the third game of series under coach Dan Bylsma.



Chicago Blackhawks vs. Minnesota Wild (+144, 5)

Chicago leads series 2-0.

The Presidents’ Trophy winning Chicago Blackhawks are rounding into form after two games of their Western Conference first round series against the eighth-seeded Minnesota Wild. The Blackhawks will attempt to take a 3-0 stranglehold on the series when they visit Minnesota on Sunday. Chicago looked much more comfortable in its 5-2 victory in Game 2 than it did in Game 1’s 2-1 overtime triumph, firing 48 shots at Wild netminder Josh Harding on Friday after managing 37 on Tuesday. Patrick Sharp scored twice in Game 2 on feeds from Patrick Kane, who leads the Blackhawks with three points - all assists.

Harding made consecutive starts for the first time in over a year when he got the nod on Friday. Harding was dealing with complications related to his multiple sclerosis for most of the season, leaving Niklas Backstrom to carry starting duties for the Wild. After appearing fatigued in April, Backstrom injured his leg while warming up for Game 1 and is considered day-to-day. Harding has performed admirably in his first two career playoff starts for an outmatched Minnesota team that is 0-for-6 on the power play while allowing a short-handed goal in its first two playoff contests since 2008.

TV: 3 p.m. ET, CBC, NBC, RDS

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS: Michael Frolik also scored twice on Friday - the first two-goal playoff game of his career. Bryan Bickell scored an empty-netter in Game 2, giving him the final goal in each of the first two contests after ending Game 1 in overtime. With Ray Emery suffering from a lower-body injury, Corey Crawford has started both games for Chicago and performed well aside from allowing an early goal on Tuesday and two late ones on Friday. Crawford has never won a playoff series, starting every game in both of the Blackhawks’ first-round exits over the last two seasons, while Emery guided the Ottawa Senators to the 2007 Stanley Cup final but has only started five postseason games since. Dave Bolland has missed the first two games of the series with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

ABOUT THE WILD: Defenseman Ryan Suter saw his ice-time drop substantially from the 41:08 he played in Tuesday’s overtime loss, skating 24:36 in Game 2 and finishing minus-2 with two shots, two blocked shots and three hits. Zach Parise led the team with seven shots on Friday but has yet to record a point. Captain Mikko Koivu - also without a point in the first two games - showed his frustration in Game 2, taking three minor penalties and leading the series with eight penalty minutes after recording just 26 in 48 games during the regular season. Defenseman Clayton Stoner missed Friday’s game with an undisclosed injury after assisting on Cal Clutterbuck’s goal in Game 1. Stoner was replaced by Justin Falk, who finished minus-1 in 14:09 time on ice in his first career playoff game. Jason Pominville remains day-to-day with a head injury that has kept him out of the opening two games.

TRENDS:

* Blackhawks are 20-6 in their last 26 road games.
* Wild are 1-6 in their last 7 home games.
* Under is 6-0 in Blackhawks last 6 road games.
* Blackhawks are 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.

OVERTIME:

1. Minnesota is 3-5-1 in its last nine home games against Chicago and all three victories came in the shootout. The last time the Wild defeated the Blackhawks in regulation at home was Oct. 27, 2008.

2. Blackhawks captain and 2010 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Toews has been held off the scoresheet in both games thus far. Toews has 50 points in 54 career postseason contests.

3. The Wild’s last home playoff victory was a 3-2 overtime triumph on April 11, 2008 against the Colorado Avalanche. Minnesota won its last postseason contest three days later at Colorado by the same margin.



Montreal Canadiens vs. Ottawa Senators (-133, 5)

Series tied 1-1.

The Ottawa Senators were the league's best penalty-killing team during the regular season, but the Montreal Canadiens did the better work while shorthanded in Game 2 to deadlock the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series at 1-1. The series shifts to Ottawa for Game 3 on Sunday night, and the Senators will look to ride reclaim the momentum from Montreal, which killed off all four penalties - three in the first period - en route to a 3-1 victory on Friday night.

The Senators were also among the best home teams for much of the season, but they dropped their final three games at Scotiabank Place. Conversely, the Canadiens posted the second-best road mark (15-7-2) in the Eastern Conference. The devastating hit by Ottawa's Eric Gryba on Canadiens center Lars Eller added an edge to the series, and Montreal displayed an added tenacity in Game 2 despite the absences of injured captain Brian Gionta and leading scorer Max Pacioretty. "They played harder than we did for most of the game," Senators coach Paul MacLean acknowledged.

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

ABOUT THE CANADIENS: Montreal coach Michel Therrien said prior to the series that he expected goaltender Carey Price to be his team's best player. That certainly was not the case in the series opener, but Price bounced back strong in Game 2 despite losing a tooth when he took a skate to the mask. He did his best work during an Ottawa power play during the second period and was rewarded seconds later when the Canadiens struck for a two-goal edge. "We got a couple more bounces and we buried a couple of opportunities," Price said. "At least I didn't let in any soft goals, so that helps."

ABOUT THE SENATORS: Ottawa was among the league's most offensively challenged teams and ranked 20th on the power play. The Senators have gone 0-for-6 with the extra skater in the series and failed on three first-period chances in Game 2. "We could have used something out of our power play tonight in the first period when we had three opportunities," MacLean said afterward. "I think that was a huge part of the game." Ottawa had been hoping to exploit a Canadiens penalty-killing unit that was wretched down the stretch of the regular season, allowing opponents to convert on 11-of-36 man-advantage chances.

TRENDS:

* Canadiens are 1-4 in their last 5 games following a win.
* Under is 34-12-10 in Senators last 56 overall.
* Senators are 6-13 in their last 19 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Home team is 8-1 in the last 9 meetings.

OVERTIME:

1. The Senators won both matchups in Ottawa this season - 5-1 on Jan. 30 and 2-1 in a shootout on Feb. 25.

2. Gionta and Pacioretty accompanied the team to Ottawa but remain questionable with upper-body injuries.

3. Gryba said Saturday that he was "disappointed" with his two-game suspension and said he has yet to reach out to Eller, who was released from the hospital on Friday.



Vancouver Canucks vs. San Jose Sharks (-143, 5)

San Jose leads series 2-0.

After seizing the first two games on the road, the San Jose Sharks have to be feeling pretty confident as they return to HP Pavilion. Sixth-seeded San Jose, which posted a 17-2-5 mark at home in the regular season, will look to claim a commanding advantage over the Northwest Division champion Vancouver Canucks when the teams reconvene for Game 3 on Sunday night. Patrick Marleau scored the tying goal with 56 seconds remaining in the third period before former Canuck Raffi Torres tallied 5:31 into overtime as the Sharks skated to a 3-2 victory over third-seeded Vancouver on Friday.

With six consecutive home postseason losses on their mind, the Canucks are likely thrilled to be leaving British Columbia in their rear-view mirror. They'll need to gain at least a split in their trip to San Jose in order to return home for Game 5 on Thursday. "We deserved better and it didn't fall that way," said Vancouver's Ryan Kesler, who scored twice in the third period. "You've got to win four and there are plenty of games left and we need to go on a winning streak here."

TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBC Sports, TSN, RDS

ABOUT THE CANUCKS: While goaltender Roberto Luongo often receives scrutiny, captain Henrik and Daniel Sedin are also coming under fire for their lack of production in the first two games. “You win because you’re getting contributions from everybody and, right now, we need that," Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault said. "The twins worked hard, but 5-on-5 they need to find the scoresheet, and they know that more than anybody else." The Sedins each received an assist on Kesler's power-play goal for their lone point of the series.

ABOUT THE SHARKS: Torres barely let Friday's winning goal settle in before he began thinking about Sunday's tilt. "They're going to come at us with everything in Game 3," he said. Marleau certainly hasn't been holding back after scoring in both games this series. The veteran has secured at least one point in all seven career playoff games versus Vancouver. Brent Burns notched a pair of assists for the second time in three contests.

TRENDS:

* Canucks are 0-4 in their last 4 overall.
* Sharks are 9-1 in their last 10 vs. a team with a winning record.
* Under is 15-5-3 in Canucks last 23 vs. Western Conference.
* Under is 3-0-1 in the last 4 meetings in San Jose.

OVERTIME:

1. The last time San Jose claimed a 2-0 advantage by winning a pair of road games was 1995. The Sharks were blasted 9-2 by Calgary in Game 3, but regained their composure to outlast the Flames in seven games.

2. Vancouver G Cory Schneider, who has been nursing an undisclosed "body" injury, traveled with the team to San Jose. "On the trip and day-to-day," Vigneault said.

3. San Jose C Tommy Wingels registered a game-high eight hits in just 13:30 of ice time in Game 2. Wingels also matched Burns with five shots on goal.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

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Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

05/04/13 7-_1-_0 87.50% +_3185 Detail
05/03/13 2-_5-_1 28.57% -_2370 Detail
05/02/13 5-_3-_0 62.50% +_935 Detail
05/01/13 3-_2-_1 60.00% +_600 Detail

Totals 17-_11-_2 60.71% +2350


Sunday, May 5

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Pittsburgh - 12:00 PM ET NY Islanders +150 500 POD # 1
NY Islanders - Over 5.5 500

Chicago - 3:00 PM ET Minnesota +144 500 POD # 2
Minnesota - Under 5 500

Montreal - 7:00 PM ET Ottawa -133 500
Ottawa - Under 5 500

Vancouver - 10:00 PM ET San Jose -143 500
San Jose - Under 5 500




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

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Preview: Bruins (0-0) at Maple Leafs (0-0)

Date: May 06, 2013 7:00 PM EDT


BOSTON (AP) - The first-game jitters are gone. Their top players are scoring. And the Toronto Maple Leafs are home for the next two games.

Everything seems to be going their way.

But everything seemed to be going the Boston Bruins' way after a dominant 4-1 win in their playoff opener. Then the Maple Leafs took control with a hard-hitting first period and a 4-2 victory in Game 2.

So all the cheering on Monday night in the first playoff game in Toronto since 2004 won't help if the Bruins bounce back the way the Maple Leafs did.

``There's going to be a lot of, I guess, media coverage and a lot of things said and a lot of things done,' Toronto coach Randy Carlyle said, ``but we have to stay focused on what we can control and we have to prepare ourselves to play a better Boston hockey club.'

The win that evened the best-of-seven series came exactly nine years after the last postseason game in Toronto. The Maple Leafs overcame a 2-0 deficit in the third period but lost 3-2 to the Philadelphia Flyers on Jeremy Roenick's goal 7:39 into overtime in Game 6 of the second round.

On Saturday night, there were plenty of loud fans sporting blue-and-white Maple Leafs jerseys in Boston. Imagine how many there will be in Toronto.

``I don't think we're a team that lets those things distract us,' Bruins coach Claude Julien said Sunday. ``We've been through that before and we've played Montreal so many times in the playoffs, and that's a pretty hostile environment as well.'

The Bruins also will have to handle opposing players who are better prepared for the playoff intensity than they were before the series. Thirteen Maple Leafs players have made their postseason debuts this year - 10 in the first game.

Boston's playoff experience - 17 current Bruins were on the team that won the Stanley Cup two years ago - is no longer as big an advantage.

In Game 2, Toronto forwards Matt Fratin and Ryan Hamilton and defenseman Jake Gardiner saw their first postseason action. Each had an assist.

``It's a great sign when they step in and make a contribution. It's worthwhile because it's not a lot of fun when you're not playing for extended periods of time,' Carlyle said. ``All three players were young players, youthful, and added some enthusiasm to our hockey club.'

So did players Carlyle has come to rely on, forwards whose scoring ability is critical to any success the Maple Leafs have.

Joffrey Lupul scored twice Saturday after getting 11 goals in just 16 regular-season games. Phil Kessel scored on a breakaway after leading the team with 20 goals. And James van Riemsdyk scored after tying for second on the team with 18 goals.

``You want your best players to be your best and lead, but it takes every guy in the playoffs,' Lupul said, ``from defense blocking shots and getting pucks out and playing physical in front of our net to forwards.

``You can't win playoff hockey games with just three, four guys going. It's going to take a team effort.'

The Bruins had that in the opener.

They were the more physical team and continually stymied Toronto's efforts to get the puck out of its zone. They were more aggressive around the net and forced numerous turnovers.

But in the second game, the Maple Leafs set the tone early, delivering 22 hits in the first period while the Bruins dished out only 10.

``Probably the biggest challenge for our hockey club was finding that consistency in our game' in the past month, Boston left wing Milan Lucic said. ``And there's no better time to find it than now.'

The return of Andrew Ference should help, although no one blamed the loss on his absence.

The defenseman who plays in Boston's second pairing was suspended for Saturday's game for elbowing Mikhail Grabovski in the head in Game 1.

``We had different partners as the year went on,' defenseman Johnny Boychuk said. ``We do have chemistry with each other no matter who you're playing with. You've just got to talk a lot and talk loud and be the eyes for your partner when he's going back for the puck.'

No one was back far enough when Kessel got behind the defense and took a pass from Nazem Kadri. The former Bruin who has been jeered on his visits to Boston since he was traded to Toronto in September 2009 shot the puck between Tuukka Rask's pads for a 3-1 lead 53 seconds into the third period.

It was just his fourth goal in 24 career games against Boston and only the first at even strength.

``It was nice to get one,' Kessel said, ``but we've just got to keep going.'




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

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Preview: Capitals (0-0) at Rangers (0-0)

Date: May 06, 2013 7:30 PM EDT


NEW YORK (AP) - In the first-round matchup between the New York Rangers and the Washington Capitals there is a Vezina Trophy-winning goalie who has taken his team to the Eastern Conference finals, and of course there is ... the other guy.

No, Washington's Braden Holtby doesn't have the awards, the accolades or the attention that New York counterpart Henrik Lundqvist has grown accustomed to.

What he and the Capitals do have is a big 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series that resumes with Game 3 at Madison Square Garden on Monday night.

Holtby yielded only one goal in the Capitals' victory in Game 1, outdueling Lundqvist on a night the star goalie felt at least one if not two of the three Washington goals should have been stopped.

Holtby and Lundqvist were both on top of their games Saturday and pitched regulation shutouts at each other. Mike Green managed to get a power-play shot past Lundqvist in overtime, and the Capitals held serve at home with a stirring 1-0 victory.

First-year Capitals coach Adam Oates is no stranger to Lundqvist's game. Consider him impressed.

``He's exactly what everybody says. He's a great goalie,' Oates said.

Holtby is making a name for himself, too, after going 23-12-1 with a 2.58 goals-against average in 36 regular-season games. He had only been in 21 total NHL games the previous two seasons before getting into 14 playoff games a year ago.

He stayed off the ice on Sunday and enjoyed some well-earned rest time.

``Rest is obviously an important part in preparation,' Holtby said. ``We'll get back on the ice (Monday) in pregame skate and get our legs back under us. Use the rest to our advantage and come in with the right frame of mind and ready to play.'

Madison Square Garden will surely be fired up on Monday, but there will be a healthy dose of nerves in the crowd, too, especially if the Rangers can't find their suddenly absent offense in a hurry.

Carl Hagelin gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead with 3:16 left in the first period of Game 1, and they haven't scored since - going 111 minutes, 16 seconds without putting a puck past Holtby.

``We know they're going to make a push,' Holtby said Sunday after the Capitals held an optional practice before heading to New York. ``It's a big game for both of us.'

If Washington can manage even a split of the next two games in New York, it knows it will return home at worst with a chance to knock out the Rangers in Game 5.

``It's one of the best atmospheres in the league. I believe we have the best here at Verizon Center,' Holtby said. ``They're passionate fans. They obviously want to help the team win. Our job is to block all that out.

``We have a job to do, to win the game. The atmosphere, the fans, the other team, that doesn't matter. We have our goal in mind, and we're going to prepare for that.'

The Capitals have looked ready for the Rangers from the start. Not only isn't New York scoring on the power play (0-for-7), it isn't scoring at all.

``We've got to be better, go to the dirty areas, make it hard, make it so he can't get out of his crease,' said Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh, whose delay-of-game penalty in overtime led to the winning goal.

``In this series, it's tough for both teams to get goals, so maybe we just need to put a couple more bodies around the net and throw it there.'

Washington has relied on its system to shut down the Rangers. Forget about goals, New York didn't even muster a shot on net in the final 17:43 of play Sunday.

``I think a little bit of fatigue came into the game,' Oates said. ``They had more chances. (Rick) Nash gets a breakaway. He didn't get a shot on net, so, one of the most glorious chances of the game. Every statistic is skewed. They were in our zone a lot.'

The Rangers, who reached the East finals a year ago before losing to New Jersey, have only come back once to win a series they trailed 2-0.

``That is the furthest thing as a worry for me,' Rangers coach John Tortorella said Sunday when asked if his team was discouraged. ``This is a good group of guys, and last time I remember you need four games to win a series. Our guys are fully aware of that.'

New York got injured forwards Brian Boyle and Derek Dorsett back in the lineup on Saturday, and they could have Ryane Clowe in there for Game 3.

Clowe, out since sustaining a suspected concussion on April 25, took part in practice on Sunday. He skated hard on Saturday, but was kept out of the lineup. If he isn't ready to go on Monday, it might not be much longer before he is well enough to play.

``I'm not sure. It's a possibility,' he said. ``I feel pretty good. I think it's day by day right now. The first time I really skated hard was (Saturday). It's just nice to get back in the routine of being on the ice every day.'




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

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

Date: May 06, 2013 8:00 PM EDT


DETROIT (AP) - Less than 24 hours after his team was shut out in Game 3 of its first-round series against Anaheim, Detroit coach Mike Babcock wanted no part of any gloom and doom.

``You can make this as a reporter as bad as you want, or you can make it as good as you want. You've just got to choose your attitude,' Babcock said Sunday.

``I'm going to choose mine and I'm going to say we were right there knocking on the door and we're going to win tomorrow and make it a best-of-three.

``That should have wrapped that up. We don't need any more questions, do we?'

Babcock was joking, since there were obviously going to be a few more minutes of questions.

When Babcock spoke to reporters Sunday, the Red Wings were facing the prospect of playing without Justin Abdelkader after the left wing was ejected from Saturday's game for his hit on Anaheim's Toni Lydman.

Sure enough, the NHL suspended Abdelkader for two games later Sunday. He'll miss Games 4 and 5 of this Western Conference playoff series, which the Ducks lead 2-1.

Game 4 is Monday night.

Abdelkader appeared to catch Lydman square in the side of the head with his left shoulder, and he was given a major penalty for charging and a game misconduct with 4:49 remaining in the second period of Game 3.

Anaheim's Nick Bonino scored 18 seconds later to break a scoreless tie. Detroit killed off the rest of the penalty, but the Red Wings allowed three more goals in the third period and lost 4-0.

The league released a video of the hit, saying Abdelkader skated ``a considerable distance' before making contact with Lydman - and caused an injury.

The 26-year-old Abdelkader played all 48 games during the regular season for Detroit, scoring 10 goals with three assists.

Abdelkader did not talk as part of Detroit's media availability Sunday, but Babcock said his piece.

``I watched the hit again today. Holy mackerel. I don't know what you're going to be suspended for,' Babcock said. ``Now if you turn the video around and you pretend like there was contact to the head, maybe you can find something. ... I think it was shoulder to shoulder - bent knees going into a guy, exploding through him.'

The league wasn't buying that explanation, saying Abdelkader elevated and made ``significant head contact' with Lydman.

Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau said Lydman was still feeling the effects.

``Toni has headaches. He's got a stiff neck,' Boudreau said. ``Bright lights are bugging him. ... (Monday) is very questionable for him.'

The Red Wings were 4 of 10 on the power play while splitting the first two games of the series, but they went 0 for 6 in Game 3. Detroit has scored only twice at even strength in the series, and both those goals game in the first period of Game 2.

Abdelkader had one of those two goals, and Detroit went on to win that game 5-4 in overtime. Now the Red Wings will be without him for a crucial Game 4 - a loss Monday night would put them on the brink of elimination, with two of the last three games of the series on the road.

``It's a hard thing to talk about when it's your own teammate, but certainly Abby has no history of this,' Detroit right wing Daniel Cleary said. ``He's not a guy that targets people, but it was a hard hit.'

Lydman might not play Monday night either. The 35-year-old defenseman has never been much of a scorer, but he was playing regularly for the Ducks until Abdelkader's hit knocked him out of Game 3.

Now Sheldon Souray, who played in the first two games of this series before sitting out the third, may be back in the lineup for Anaheim.

``Whoever is in at any time, it's their responsibility to help out the team,' Souray said. ``I've been around long enough to just be here and do what I have to do to support the guys. It's a team-first attitude in here.'




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

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Preview: Blues (0-0) at Kings (0-0)

Date: May 06, 2013 10:00 PM EDT


EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) - Three games into the Los Angeles Kings' tremendously tense playoff series with the St. Louis Blues, it's clear the scores are so low because the stakes are so high.

Two elite Western Conference teams have combined for just seven goals, and nobody has led by more than one goal at any point.

The highlight reels aren't getting filled up when these two sturdy defenses and standout goalies challenge each other, but the entertainment value has been tremendous for fans of tactical hockey and all-or-nothing playoff excitement.

With the Blues holding a 2-1 series lead heading to a pivotal Game 4 on Monday night at Staples Center, both teams are trying to break this defensive deadlock in time to save seasons that began with Stanley Cup aspirations.

``You've got to understand, it's playoffs,' Los Angeles coach Darryl Sutter said after a light practice Sunday at the Kings' training complex.

``It's one-goal games. All three of them are one-goal games. Everybody is trying to score a goal, but it's not that easy when you have the two best defensive teams in the conference.'

In the West, only Chicago allowed fewer goals than St. Louis during the regular season. Los Angeles allowed just three more goals than the Blues.

Fourth-seeded St. Louis' imposing defense has allowed only three goals, outmuscling the Kings' talented forwards and keeping their scoring chances largely outside the slot.

After their return to the playoffs ended in a second-round sweep last year, the Blues are desperate to win just their second playoff series since 2002, and their play in front of Brian Elliott has reflected it.

``We knew what we were in for,' Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. ``There's not much difference between the two teams. Both goalies are on top of their game.'

The defending Stanley Cup champion Kings have yielded just four goals, with Jonathan Quick posting a shutout in Game 3 to trim the Blues' series lead to 2-1.

Los Angeles has nearly the same roster as last season's Cup-winning team, and the Kings are determined to show they weren't a fluke during their run from the eighth seed to their first title last summer.

``It's typical playoff hockey,' said defenseman Robyn Regehr, one of Los Angeles' few new additions. ``Every inch of ice is a battle out there. Both teams are struggling offensively, but both goaltenders are a reason for that. There's all kinds of little things that happen within the game. Playoff hockey is the most fun.'

Quick has stopped 93 of the Blues' 97 shots, returning to last season's dominant form in his Saturday night shutout in Game 3, while Elliott has stopped 76 of 79 shots.

While St. Louis knew Quick was one of the NHL's toughest matchups, the Kings have emerged from the first three games with renewed respect for Elliott, who shared the starting job with Jaroslav Halak again this season.

``He's a good goalie,' Kings defenseman Drew Doughty said. ``He makes the first save pretty much every time. I think the one area where he struggles is he lets some rebounds, and I think we haven't been doing a good enough job of pouncing on those rebounds and putting in the second effort.

``Goalies are huge in any series. Elliott played great in the first two games, and that's why they won two, and Quickie was great (in Game 3).'

Sutter shook up his lineup for Game 3, dressing seven defensemen by adding Alec Martinez back to the group. Jeff Carter, Dustin Brown and others double-shifted on the fourth line to make up for the absent forward, and Martinez rewarded the decision by picking up an assist on Slava Voynov's goal in the 1-0 victory.

The Blues left Game 3 lamenting numerous missed scoring opportunities that could have given them a stranglehold on the series. That's why St. Louis is considering the addition of Russian rookie right wing Vladimir Tarasenko to the lineup in Game 4, although Hitchcock said he won't decide for sure until Monday.

``We got our fair share of chances, (but) we just have to be more determined and find ways to score,' said forward Alexander Steen, who has two of the Blues' four goals in the series. ``(In Game 3) I didn't think it was Quick. I thought it was us. We had our chances, and we have to start putting them away.'

The Kings haven't had as many chances, but they largely blame themselves. Los Angeles has been bullied out of the slot and into the corners by the Blues' hulking defense, which added Jordan Leopold and Jay Bouwmeester this season to make a tough team even tougher.

``There's not going to be an easy time for us,' Regehr said. ``It's going to be a challenge all the time.'

Unless the Blues figure out how to break the Kings' mastery at home, they'll be headed back to St. Louis with an even series. Los Angeles improved the NHL's best home record to 20-4-1 with a victory in Game 3, winning every game since March 23. St. Louis has lost six straight games at Staples Center dating to the 2010-11 season.

``We're confident in front of our fans,' Kings forward Justin Williams said. ``We have to come out for Game 4 with the same emphasis. You can't let up for even one period in a series like this, and we know it.'




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

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NHL
Dunkel

Boston at Toronto
The Maple Leafs look to take advantage of a Boston team that is 1-5 in its last 6 road games against a team with a winning record. Toronto is the pick (+110) according to Dunkel, which has the Maple Leafs favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+110). Here are all of today's picks.

MONDAY, MAY 6

Game 9-10: Boston at Toronto (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston 10.576; Toronto 11.456
Dunkel Line & Total: Toronto by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Boston (-130); 5
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+110); Over

Game 11-12: Washington at NY Rangers (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 11.962; NY Rangers 12.857
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Rangers by 1; 4
Vegas Line & Total: NY Rangers (-145); 5
Dunkel Pick: NY Rangers (-145); Under

Game 13-14: Anaheim at Detroit (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Anaheim 11.659; Detroit 11.940
Dunkel Line & Total: Detroit by 1/2; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Detroit (-130); 5
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-130); Under

Game 15-16: St. Louis at Los Angeles (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis 11.767; Los Angeles 11.412
Dunkel Line & Total: St. Louis by 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles (-150); 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (+130); Over




NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, May 6

Capitals won 13 of last 15 games to position themselves as one of favorites in the Eastern Conference; they've won four of last five road games. Rangers won seven of last nine in regular season, but scored just one goal in first two games of this series; they've won six in a row at home, with last home loss to Washington March 24, which was Caps' first win in last four visits to Manhattan. New York scored 4+ goals in its last five wins, 1-2-2-0 in its last four losses. Under is 10-0-5 last 15 series games, as all five pushes ended 3-2.

Toronto reduced its penalty minutes from 39 in Game 1 to 7 in Game 2, Boston had only one power play chance, and Leafs evened series with road win. Bruins hit road just 3-8 in last 11 games overall, losing six of last eight games on foreign ice; they've scored 3+ goals in only two of last 11 games, but won 10 of last 12 vs Maple Leafs, taking four of last five visits here. Boston outshot Maple Leafs 71-52 in first two games. Toronto is 3-5 in its last eight games- they split their last six home games. Over is 10-3-2 in last fifteen series games.

Ducks outscored Detroit 8-1 in third period in series so far, though Red Wings did win in only OT game in series. Anaheim's 4-0 win here in Game 3 was just their second in last ten visits to Motor City, where Red Wings won three of last four games overall, allowing seven goals. Ducks are now 5-2 in last seven games, winning last four on road, allowing total of two goals. Seven of last ten Detroit games stayed under the total. Home teams are 13-9 so far in playoffs, with under 11-8-3. Red Wings were 0-6 on power play last game, after being 4-10 in two games in Anaheim.

Total of seven goals in three games, with Blues 1-13, Kings 1-10 on power play in series. Los Angeles won its last seven home games, last six all by a single goal; they've scored one goal in all three games of this series, with home side winning all three. Kings are 10-5 last 15 games vs St Louis, winning five of last six played here. Blues are 14-4 in last 18 games overall, allowing one goal each in last five. Only once in their last 11 games overall have Blues allowed more than two goals. Under is 9-1-1 in Blues' last 11 games overall, 6-1-1 in last eight series games.




NHL

Monday, May 6

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

7:00 PM
BOSTON vs. TORONTO
Boston is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games when playing Toronto
Boston is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Toronto's last 15 games when playing Boston
Toronto is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games at home

7:30 PM
WASHINGTON vs. NY RANGERS
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 7 games on the road
NY Rangers are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against Washington
NY Rangers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games at home

8:00 PM
ANAHEIM vs. DETROIT
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Anaheim's last 17 games when playing Detroit
Anaheim is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Detroit is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Detroit's last 10 games

10:00 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. LOS ANGELES
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of St. Louis's last 6 games on the road
St. Louis is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games when playing Los Angeles
Los Angeles is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Los Angeles is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home


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




NHL

Monday, May 6

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday's NHL playoff action: What bettors need to know
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (+115, 5)
Best-of-seven series tied 1-1

Toronto Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle pulled out all the stops in Game 2 to give his team its first postseason victory in nine years, evening its Eastern Conference first-round series with the Boston Bruins at one game apiece. The fifth-seeded Maple Leafs will try to carry that momentum home for Game 3 when they host fourth seed Boston on Monday. Carlyle shuffled his lines on the fly during Saturday’s 4-2 triumph in order to free Phil Kessel from the smothering defense of Bruins captain Zdeno Chara. The moves paid dividends early in the third period when Kessel scored the eventual game-winner on a breakaway for his first even-strength goal in 24 contests against his old team.

Despite the success of the line-shuffling, the Maple Leafs surrendered 41 shots in Game 2. Toronto goaltender James Reimer has been sharp in his first two postseason starts, earning his first career playoff victory on Saturday and stopping 75 of 81 shots thus far. Boston goalie Tuukka Rask has allowed five goals on 29 fewer shots in his first postseason starts since 2010. The Bruins have surrendered a power-play goal in each of the first two games this series after finishing the season ranked fourth in the league in penalty killing. Boston looked much less dominant on Saturday than it did in Game 1 and will now need to contend with the Maple Leafs possessing the crucial last player change as the series shifts to Toronto.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBC, RDS, NHL Network (U.S.), NESN

ABOUT THE BRUINS: The scoring line of David Krejci, Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton has been Boston’s brightest spot in the series now that Horton has returned from injury, combining on four of the team’s six goals. Krejci leads all players in the series with four points, while Horton has two goals and Lucic has three assists. Veteran Jaromir Jagr, acquired at the trade deadline to bolster Boston’s scoring depth, is minus-2 with no points to open the postseason following a stretch of nine points in 11 contests. Tyler Seguin fired eight shots in Game 2 and leads all players with 15 in the series, but has yet to record a point. Rookie defenseman Dougie Hamilton played 13:32 in his playoff debut in place of suspended blue-liner Andrew Ference, who will be eligible to return to the lineup on Monday.

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS: Joffrey Lupul scored the team’s first two goals in Game 2 for his first playoff tallies since 2009 when he was a member of the Philadelphia Flyers. James van Riemsdyk, also a former Flyer, scored in each of his first two postseason games for Toronto and has 10 goals in his last 20 playoff contests. Along with Mike Kostka, who broke his finger in Game 1, Carlyle scratched Frazer McLaren, Clarke MacArthur and John-Michael Liles on Saturday, dressing Ryan Hamilton, Matt Frattin, Jake Gardiner and Ryan O’Byrne in their place. Hamilton, Frattin and Gardiner each contributed an assist, while O’Byrne finished plus-1 with four hits and two blocked shots in 14:49 time on ice. Tyler Bozak led all Toronto skaters in ice-time in Game 2 with 24:22.

TRENDS

* Maple Leafs are 1-4 in their last five games following a win.
* Bruins are 1-4 in last five road games.
* Over is 4-1-1 in last six meetings in Toronto.
* Bruins are 4-1 in last five meetings in Toronto.
* Home team is 4-1 in the last five meetings.

OVERTIME

1. Boston is 3-6-2 in its last 11 contests overall, dating back to April 11.

2. The last NHL playoff game in Toronto occurred on May 4, 2004, when the Maple Leafs lost 3-2 in overtime to the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference second-round series.

3. The league chose not to review a hit by Toronto captain Dion Phaneuf on Daniel Paille in the third period of Game 2 despite claims by the Bruins that Phaneuf made contact with Paille’s head.



Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers (-138, 5)
Washington leads series 2-0

If the sixth-seeded New York Rangers hope to get back in their Eastern Conference first-round series against the Southeast Division champion Washington Capitals, they're going to have to generate some offense when they host Game 3 on Monday. New York, which finished in the middle of the pack in goals scored during the regular season despite recording 51 over 14 games in April, has totaled just one over its first two playoff contests and finds itself in a 2-0 hole. And that tally, which was scored by Carl Hagelin to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead in the series opener, went in off Washington defenseman John Erskine's skate.

Third-seeded Washington hasn't been lighting it up offensively either, but its flurry of three goals in a span of 8 minutes, 8 seconds in the second period of Game 1 was enough to produce a 3-1 victory. Like their opponent, the Capitals were unable to break through in regulation on Saturday afternoon, but defenseman Mike Green cashed in on a power-play opportunity eight minutes into overtime to help his team maintain home-ice advantage. Washington should not feel comfortable, however, as it has lost four of the last six series in which it has held a 2-0 lead.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TSN2, RDS2, CSN (Washington), MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE CAPITALS: Coach Adam Oates had all players report to the rink Sunday but made the practice optional. "I just brought them all in just to come to the arena and make sure we just get hockey on your mind," Oates told the Washington Post. "It's a stressful environment, you win in overtime, you're excited, but still it's very stressful. So let the guys just breathe a little bit." Washington's special teams have been impressive through two games. The club is 2-for-7 on the power play and has successfully killed all seven of its penalties.

ABOUT THE RANGERS: After Brian Boyle and Derek Dorsett returned from injuries to play in Game 2, Ryane Clowe could follow suit on Monday. Clowe, who recorded three goals and eight points in 12 games after being acquired from San Jose, has not played since April 25 due to an undisclosed injury that is suspected to be a concussion. He hopes to be in the lineup for Game 3 but won't return prematurely. "You've gotta make sure you're fit to play and you can at least help the team," Clowe said. "I don't want to go in there and come out again, so I want to make sure I'm ready."

TRENDS

* Capitals are 10-2 in the last 12 games following a win.
* Capitals are 8-2 in their last 10 road games.
* Rangers are 6-0 in their last six home games.
* Under is 4-0 in Capitals' last four games.

OVERTIME

1. The Rangers are 1-20 in series in which they've lost the first two games.

2. G Braden Holtby's shutout Saturday was just the second by a 1-0 score in the Capitals' playoff history. Olaf Kolzig blanked Pittsburgh 1-0 on April 12, 2001.

3. New York did not register a shot on goal over the final 17:43 of Game 2, including eight minutes of overtime.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

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NHL
Short Sheet

Monday, May 6

Boston at Toronto, 7:05 ET
Boston: 33-11 SU after failing to cover 4 or 5 of their last 6 against the spread
Toronto: 5-14 SU in home games off a road win scoring 4 or more goals

Washington at NY Rangers, 7:35 ET
Washington: 15-6 SU after having won 4 or 5 of their last 6
NY Rangers: 7-13 SU after playing a game where 4 or fewer total goals

Anaheim at Detroit, 8:05 ET
Anaheim: 5-0 SU in road games off a road win scoring 4 or more goals
Detroit: 0-6 SU after having won 5 or 6 of their last 7

St Louis at Los Angeles, 10:05 ET
St Louis: 2-13 SU in road games after having won 6 or 7 of their last 8
Los Angeles: 11-2 SU after scoring 1 goal or less in 2 straight games




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

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Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

05/05/13 4-_3-_1 57.14% +_620 Detail
05/04/13 7-_1-_0 87.50% +_3185 Detail
05/03/13 2-_5-_1 28.57% -_2370 Detail
05/02/13 5-_3-_0 62.50% +_935 Detail
05/01/13 3-_2-_1 60.00% +_600 Detail

Totals 21-_14-_3 60.00% +2970


Monday, May 6

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Boston - 7:00 PM ET Boston -125 500

Toronto - Over 5 500 POD # 3

Washington - 7:30 PM ET Washington +132 500 POD # 2

NY Rangers - Over 5 500

Anaheim - 8:00 PM ET Anaheim +114 500 POD # 1

Detroit - Under 5 500

St. Louis - 10:00 PM ET Los Angeles -134 500

Los Angeles - Under 5 500 POD # 4




Believe in the 3 G's
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Preview: Penguins (0-0) at Islanders (0-0)

Date: May 07, 2013 7:00 PM EDT


UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) - Jarome Iginla spent parts of 17 seasons as the go-to guy for the Calgary Flames, on and off the ice.

A star player and overall leader on a club that was often outside the hockey spotlight, the fact he forged what will surely be a Hall of Fame career is a testament to his skills.

None of those seasons ended with a Stanley Cup championship, and the Flames haven't even made the playoffs since 2009. But Iginla's career has been reborn with a late-season trade to the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have lots of talent and as good a chance as any to claim the title this year.

``I don't think it's been an adjustment at all,' said Iginla, acquired on March 28. ``As far as doing interviews and stuff, probably a few less, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I'm just focused on trying to make sure I'm prepared and ready for the games and just keep trying to get better and add that to the group.'

That bunch includes stars Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Marc-Andre Fleury - so Iginla has no trouble keeping to himself. The main reason he attracted attention Monday after the Penguins held an optional practice before Tuesday's Game 4 against the New York Islanders is the fact Crosby and Malkin took the opportunity to rest their legs and their voices.

The top-seeded Penguins lead the best-of-seven, first-round Eastern Conference series 2-1, and they have earned their two wins in different ways.

Pittsburgh jumped all over the Islanders at home in a 5-0 victory in Game 1, and then scratched and clawed all the way to escape with a 5-4 overtime win Sunday on the road in Game 3.

In between, the Islanders rallied for a win in Game 2. The Nassau Coliseum was rocking Sunday, but New York couldn't ride the wave of emotion to a win, despite holding an early 2-0 lead.

``There were emotional rides in the game,' Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said Monday. ``They came out with a surge and we turned a turnover right into a goal.

``I can't say we handled it well. We got off to two goals against and led them feed off some speed and energy. From the time we got here, the atmosphere in the building, our players were really excited about the atmosphere here. It was pretty crazy. They chanted from before warm-ups, during warm-ups, during the game. Our guys were really excited about playing in front of that type of atmosphere. That's what it's all about.'

Bylsma allowed himself to smile while recalling Sunday's scene. It was easier because his team erased the early hole and led 3-2 before the first period was over. Even blowing a two-goal lead of their own in the third period didn't seem so bad once Crosby set up Chris Kunitz for the Penguins' third power-play goal of the game in overtime.

``It's playoff hockey, and we haven't been in this building for playoff games before,' Bylsma said. ``It was an awesome crowd. They were great and were energized right from the start. (The Islanders) used it and they got on top and they came with a lot of speed. We need to do a better job.'

That was also the message on the Islanders' side of the hallway. New York now faces the task of shaking off the deflating defeat in time for Game 4. A win in that one and the Islanders are back even. A loss, and suddenly summer vacation becomes a whole lot closer to reality.

``Our penalty kill has to be better. The best way to do that is to stay out of the box,' Islanders defenseman Andrew MacDonald said. ``Those can end up killing us.'

With the Penguins' power play operating at a supremely high level, connecting six times in 13 opportunities in the series, the Islanders must cut down on the penalties they are committing, and figure out a way to slow down Pittsburgh when there is an advantage to be killed.

``We've got to be more disciplined. No question,' Islanders coach Jack Capuano said. ``The penalty kill is something we've got to clean up. But discipline with and without the puck is a big part of the game, and with their quickness we've got to make sure we defend a little bit harder and a little bit smarter.'

Iginla has smoothly fit in with the Penguins, who are seeking their second Cup title in five seasons. His experience, scoring touch, and toughness are all positives for Pittsburgh at this time of year.

``He's brought a quiet confidence to our room right off the hop,' Bylsma said. ``He hasn't been a guy who stepped right in and started screaming and yelling and rah-rah. We had some injuries and we had some different lineups, and we went on the road and he really developed into a go-to guy on the power play that was a weapon. He has continued to be that for our team.

``It gives us a different dimension to our team that maybe we didn't have before, with that type of shot. He's got a fierce edge that he plays the game with. He has brought that to our team. When you are down there on the ice with him, you certainly know it and see it.'

The Penguins have six power-play goals and eight at even strength. While they are enjoying how well their special teams are performing, they are well aware that 5-on-5 play will likely be the deciding factor.

``We can't just rely on power-play goals or fortunate bounces,' defenseman Paul Martin said. ``We have to make sure that we're taking the game to them and playing the way that we play to feel more confident in our game.'




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

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