Monday 1/26/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Post your request, Comments or concerns here.
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[superbeets]

English FA Cup TODAY 20:00

Rochdale

v

Stoke

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT1		5	3	13/20	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ROCHDALE	RECENT FORM
HDALHLHWAWHW​ Most recent​	2 - 2 1 - 3 2 - 1 1 - 3	AWHWHDHWALAW​ Most recent​

EXPERT VERDICT: Nottingham Forest and Leeds have both suffered humbling FA Cup exits at Spotland in the last two seasons and Rochdale could also give Stoke a fright. After a minor wobble, Dale have rediscovered their form, winning three successive matches, and they have the quality to get on the scoresheet which could be enough to force a replay.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1


REFEREE: Martin Atkinson STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Italian Serie A TODAY 18:00

Empoli

v

Udinese

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
ESPN		10/11	11/5	10/3	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT EMPOLI	RECENT FORM
HDADHDALHDAD*​ Most recent​	0 - 1 1 - 1 1 - 1 2 - 0	HLADHLADHDAD*​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Udinese have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last seven Serie A away games

EXPERT VERDICT: Empoli have drawn ten of their 19 league matches this season but can ease their relegation fears with a home victory over Udinese. All of Empoli's last three home games have finished goalless but they can find their shooting boots against the Zebras, who have not kept a Serie A clean sheet since October.

RECOMMENDATION: Empoli
1

 

[superbeets]

Italian Serie A TODAY 20:00

Napoli

v

Genoa

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
ESPN		2/5	4	13/2	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT NAPOLI	RECENT FORM
HWND*AWHLAWHD*​ Most recent​	1 - 1 2 - 0 6 - 1 1 - 0	HWHLALHDALHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Napoli have scored two or more goals in 11 of their last 12 home matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Napoli were taken to penalties by Udinese on Thursday but Rafa Benitez rotated his squad for that match and they should be more comfortable against out-of-form Genoa. After a bright start the visitors are winless in five and they could ship a few goals against a team who score plenty at home.

RECOMMENDATION: Napoli to win 3-0
1

 

[superbeets]

Portuguese Liga TODAY 20:00

Pacos Ferreira

v

Benfica

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BTX		13/2	16/5	4/9	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT PACOS FERREIRA	RECENT FORM
ALHWALHLADHL​ Most recent​	0 - 2 1 - 2 1 - 2 1 - 5	HDAWHWAWHWAW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Benfica have won 19 of the last 20 meetings between the sides

EXPERT VERDICT: Benfica have been almost foot-perfect in the Primeira Liga this season and they can notch a sixth straight away victory at free-falling Pacos Ferreira, who have lost five of their last seven. Eduardo Salvio has been on impressive goalscoring form with three goals in his last two appearances and he can get in on the act once more.

RECOMMENDATION: E Silva first goalscorer
1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by Chatsworth Consortium at Monticello Raceway

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 6 - Post: 2:05 - 1 mile. PACE - Class Rating: 78 - Purse:$2900 - F& M $4000 CLAIMING/ALLOWANCES J TAGGART JR 8 OVER 1,7


CONSORTIUM CHOICES


Chatsworth Consortium

# 5 RUSTY'S TREASURE 4/1


# 2 GET YOUR OWN 7/2


# 4 HARPER LEE 6/1


Hard not to get behind RUSTY'S TREASURE as the top selection for this race. Cannot put a finger on it, but get behind this mare for a wager. GET YOUR OWN - Starters win from this slot at Monticello Raceway with better than average regularity, suggesting this tremendous wager. This entrant looks very good considering the high class stats. Don't toss out of any exotics. HARPER LEE - This standardbred recorded a competitive TrackMaster Speed Rating last time out. Looks sharp to come right back. Appears that this interesting entrant's running style fits well in this affair. Surely will be there at the finish.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by Chatsworth Consortium at Pompano Park

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 3 - Post: 8:06 - 1 mile. PACE - Class Rating: 75 - Purse:$5700 - FILLIES AND MARES CLAIMING $6,000 MC NICHOL PICKED 7 OVER 4


CONSORTIUM CHOICES


Chatsworth Consortium

# 1 TAYLOR B SWIFT 6/5


# 3 MAMAJONS BLUEGRASS 3/1


# 5 FIVE STARS QUEEN 6/1


TAYLOR B SWIFT sure does look ready to take the whole enchilada. Many top players know speed is is such an important factor. This fine animal has credentials with a 76 avg statistic. Worth considering this time if only for the very nice TrackMaster speed fig achieved in the last race. Win stat for this driver/conditioner is a sparkling 36 percent - terrific probability. MAMAJONS BLUEGRASS - She has good class ratings, averaging 77. Should be considered for a bet in here. Really liked this mare's last race. Ran a solid 72 TrackMaster Speed Rating. Major contender. FIVE STARS QUEEN - More wins than normal have been earned by harness racers lining up behind the 5 position at Pompano Park. Take a good look at making this horse your win wager based on high win percent alone.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by The Walker Group at Louisiana Downs

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 4 - Maiden Claiming - 110y on the Dirt. Purse: $4000 Class Rating: 55

QUARTER HORSE 110Y, FOR MAIDENS, THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD. THREE YEAR OLDS, 124 LBS.; OLDER, 126 LBS. CLAIMING PRICE $10,000.



RECOMMENDED CHOICES

The Walker Group Picks

# 4 LILI HOLLYWOOD 5/2


# 2 TTT HONEY HALO 2/1


# 3 FIRST PRIZE SHINE 6/1


LILI HOLLYWOOD supports the bet in here. Likely to see this racer to be right there at the finishing post versus these horses. Has very good Equibase Class Figures relative to this field - worth a look. TTT HONEY HALO - The extreme drop in competition can only help out this horse today. FIRST PRIZE SHINE - Will make a strong outing versus this field.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by The Walker Group at Parx Racing

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 6 - Maiden Claiming - 6.0f on the Dirt. Purse: $29000 Class Rating: 68

FOR MAIDENS, FILLIES AND MARES FOUR YEARS OLD AND UPWARD. WEIGHT, 122 LBS. CLAIMING PRICE $25,000, FOR EACH $2,500 TO $20,000 2 LBS.



RECOMMENDED CHOICES

The Walker Group Picks

# 2 QUIETLY PRIM 4/1


# 5 ISLE OF PALMA 5/1


# 10 MOLDAVITE 9/2


QUIETLY PRIM has a respectable shot to take this race. Has performed soundly recently in sprint races, posting a nifty 61 avg Equibase Speed Figure. With Davis getting the mount, watch out for this pony. Ought to be given a chance here on the basis of the figures in the speed section alone. ISLE OF PALMA - There is a very good chance that this entry's late pace will improve on Lasix. The average class rating alone makes this entrant a solid choice. MOLDAVITE - Bettors should note that this pony runs with second time Lasix today. With Ritvo in the saddle guiding her, this filly will most likely be able to break out sharply for this race.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by The Turf Club Analysts

Bar

Fair Grounds - Race #9 - Post: 5:24pm - Claiming - 6.0 furlongs on the Dirt. Purse: $15,000 Class Rating: 90

Rating: Golden DollarGolden DollarGolden Dollar

#8 TIZ A PAR (ML=4/1)
#1 TY'S BANDIT (ML=8/1)
#12 BUSTED ACCOUNT (ML=15/1)


TIZ A PAR - I really like sprint horses that make a rapid turnaround. TY'S BANDIT - This gelding is in top form right now. Ran third in the last race and comes back rapidly. BUSTED ACCOUNT - Good return on investment for this jockey and handler tandem. I usually like playing sprinters who are 3-4 races into a comeback.

Vulnerable Contenders: #2 MOONLIT METEOR (ML=8/5), #6 TOTAL IMMERSION (ML=9/2), #4 WINNING NOTE (ML=8/1),

MOONLIT METEOR - Hasn't been on the Fair Grounds oval in the last two to three weeks. Cause for some concern. TOTAL IMMERSION - A bit of a lackluster effort when this horse finished ninth. When examining today's class rating, he will have to notch a better fig than last time around the track to battle in this dirt sprint. WINNING NOTE - The speed fig last time out doesn't fit very well in this event when I look at the class rating of today's race. Mark this thoroughbred as a questionable challenger.

Top HatGUEST COMMENTARY: Winston - TIZ A PAR - Despite finishing seventh in the last race, wasn't too far from the victor. Fits with this group.



STRAIGHT WAGERS:
#8 TIZ A PAR is the play if we get odds of 3/1 or better

EXACTA WAGERS:
Box [1,8,12]

TRIFECTA WAGERS:
Box [1,8,12] Total Cost: $6

SUPERFECTA WAGERS:
[1,8,12] with [1,8,12] with [1,8,9,11,12] with [1,8,9,11,12] Total Cost: $36

SUPER HI-5 WAGERS:
[1,8,12] with [1,8,12] with [1,8,11,12] with [1,8,9,10,11,12] with [1,8,9,10,11,12] Total Cost: $72

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by The Turf Club Analysts

Bar

Mahoning Valley Race Course - Race #5 - Post: 2:36pm - Claiming - 8.3 furlongs on the Dirt. Purse: $7,500 Class Rating: 77

Rating: Golden DollarGolden DollarGolden DollarGolden Dollar

#7 SKI POLE (ML=8/1)
#8 MR. G. L. B. (ML=15/1)
#3 GAME EFFORT (ML=10/1)


SKI POLE - Pilares should have him moving big on the turn. MR. G. L. B. - Utilizing this jock/trainer combination is a good move. After a pair of sprints, he's routing today, which is probably what this gelding wants to do. GAME EFFORT - Trainer Brooks moves this animal to a lower class level to face a lower level today. Look for a solid performance in this race. I like this gelding. Has the topmost EPS (earnings per start) in this one.

Vulnerable Contenders: #5 RETALIATOR (ML=7/2), #2 BURST OF FIRE (ML=9/2), #6 SNEAK A SMILE (ML=5/1),

RETALIATOR - This questionable contender's record tells you not to bet on him as the public's top choice. BURST OF FIRE - Don't feel this horse will make a winning move in today's event. That last speed figure was mediocre when compared with today's Equibase class figure. SNEAK A SMILE - Registered a run-of-the-mill rating in the last race in a $5,000 Claiming race on December 27th. Not likely to see an improved performance off of that number.



STRAIGHT WAGERS:
Put your money on #7 SKI POLE on the nose if you can get odds of 3/1 or more

EXACTA WAGERS:
Box [3,7,8]

TRIFECTA WAGERS:
Box [3,7,8] Total Cost: $6

SUPERFECTA WAGERS:
[3,7,8] with [3,7,8] with [2,3,7,8,9] with [2,3,7,8,9] Total Cost: $36

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Woodbine Harness: Monday 1/26 Analysis
By Garnet Barnsdale

DRF HARNESS

Race 4 - $50,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool

EARLY $1 PICK 4 PLAY:

2,7,8 / 2,6,7,8 / 4 / 5,6,10 = $36

MEET STATS: 19 - 52 / $129.90 BEST BETS: 2 - 5 / $13.20 SPOT PLAYS: 1 - 5 / $21.60

Best Bet: VELOCITY HEADLIGHT (6th)

Spot Play: JLS TIMES R GOOD (1st)


Race 1

(7) JLS TIMES R GOOD produced a nice effort first time dropped into claimers after chasing better at Flamboro. McDonnell should be able to carve out a winning stalking trip here. (2) STEPHANA DREAM came with a visually impressive rush late in her last mile which came off a 6-month layoff. She is an obvious contender but may get overbet here relative to her chances. (3) NEILS GOLDEN GIRL closed belatedly to be a well-beaten 2nd behind a winner that was taking a big edge; for a piece.

Race 2

First time starter (4) AMERICAN ROCK looks revved up and ready to rock for Team Alagna and likely dispatches this group as a popular winner at the windows. (5) CAMVICTED impressively won his debut despite racing greenly down the lane; respect. (6) GIVE EM BACK showed decent early foot in his seasonal debut and should get a piece of this dash, too.

Race 3

(1) TYMAL COLLOSUS was beaten by one that had an obvious edge on the field. He should be able to make his own luck here from the rail and take control of the race when Filion says 'go'. (8) HOLY MOLIE MAGGIE exits the same heat and overcame some poor cover to close well belatedly. She'll be coming late again. (4) LAKEFIELD drops back into a claimer and you'll know him early; late is questionable.

Race 4

(7) HOPETOBEFIRST debuts off the Auciello claim and was thwarted last time by poor cover and a leader getting zero pressure throughout the mile. It will be interesting to see if A-Mac revs this one up early. (2) LITTLE QUICK's chances were eliminated by a horse that stalled the flow throughout the mile. Redemption is possible here. (8) GUINESS SEELSTER was claimed off some nice wins by Puddy and jumped up into the London Preferred. He fits better here and could upset. (9) LOST IN PANSLATION strolled unchallenged around the track as predicted returning an astounding $21. He is unlikely to get the same kind of trip here.

Race 5

(7) COBBLE BEACH makes his 3rd start of the season and takes a substantial class drop. He is likely all systems go against this group. (8) KINDLY POET, the likeable millionaire, drops several classes and would be no surprise vs. these. (2) SMARTER YET fell just short of upsetting after a covered trip throughout. A similar good trip is possible here.

Race 6

(4) VELOCITY HEADLIGHT, the night's BEST BET, came up with a monster effort off a 28-day break. He should be even better on the 7-day rotation and rates top call. (2) REGAL RAY showed good improvement in his second start off a layoff and should go even better here. (5) HARBOR PLACE had every chance but was repelled by the choice last week. A similar fate is likely tonight.

Race 7

(6) NORTHERN VICTORY produced a big winning effort as expected last week. Call right back in his current sharp form. (5) NOWUCIT NOWUDONT has been in very good form for Henriksen for several weeks and fits this class like a glove; should be right there. (10) PAPER BACKED LINDY won two straight impressively at lower classes but the waters get deeper here with the class jump and move to post 10.

Race 8

(5) LEGION OF BOOM's debut was decent enough to suggest he is one of the better ones here. Expect McNair to fire him off the gate with the better starting slot. (6) BARRYS SHELBY is certainly bred well enough to be competitive right off the gate; using. (8) TERROR OF THE NIGHT took a ton of cash at the windows then imploded early. His penultimate race makes him a big factor if he can replicate it.

Race 9

(2) FEARLESS MAN again made multiple moves but paid the price in the Preferred. He gets the call to rebound here. (4) WATKINS makes his third start off a long layoff and could wake up vs. these. (5) COOL GUY made a bold move for the front in the third quarter but was easily overtaken by the classy winner who was taking her 4th straight Preferred. He is a big factor in here.

Race 10

(1) ROCKNROLL BAND could not find a spot to tuck in early and was hung out to dry; he stopped and started several times in that mile and did well to be third. He goes much better from the rail here. (4) UNIQUE BARAN was a comfortable winner first off the claim for Stewart and is the obvious danger. (6) SHOW TOPPER followed along for third but has been racing okay for trainer Jarvis since the December 8 claim. This one is on the ticket. (9) PL GYRO closes for a piece after the winner has been decided virtually every week. Put him on the bottom of your vertical wagers. (5) SMOKEYS LUCK was 2nd behind the choice then missed a week; for a minor award only.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Yonkers: Monday 1/26 Analysis
By Matt Rose

DRF HARNESS

MEET STATS: 13 - 47 / $65.10 BEST BETS: 3 - 4 / $12.30

Best Bet: ALBERTO CONTADOR N (6th)

Spot Play: LITTLE MICHAEL B (7th)


Race 1

(1) TRACK MASTER D was a decent second in his local return and the Remmen trainee just looks a touch better than these. (5) WAYWARD SON hasn't been racing all that badly of late and he drops in class tonight. (3) ROCKIN RAMBARAN double-drops in class off a rather dull effort.

Race 2

(4) MAGIC WILL WORK qualified nicely at The Big M upon shipping east from The Meadows; mare debuts locally for the streaking Harmon barn. (3) DO IT FOR ANNIE was a decent second to a classy rival last out in an added-distance event. (2) ROSE RUN NASH hails from the Banca barn, hard to ignore that angle.

Race 3

(3) ADRENALIN JUNKIE raced okay last week after recovering from a break before the start; he deserves another chance in this very weak field. (4) BRICKYARD CLASSIC has hit the board in six of his last seven for Baynes. (2) PERFECT TWENTY ONE also broke last week; prior race was a winning effort at Freehold.

Race 4

(6) REGIL MEG was a good second to a well-rated winner last week; Auciello trainee has the needed early speed and looks ready to score. (3) KEYSTONE CLASSY hasn't shown much in her last two at The Meadowlands but she had some decent efforts last Fall at Philly. (2) ANTY ENTITY raced okay here last season and she's reunited with Brennan.

Race 5

(1) WINWOOD SCOUT returns for Harmon off three consecutive front-end scores at Monticello. He's never been one of my favorites but he deserves top billing based on the rail draw and his current form. (6) PHOTO RULES has had his moments here in the past and he does have some early speed. (2) NOWERLAND FIREBIRD hails from Banca but she hasn't looked good in her last few.

Race 6

(1) ALBERTO CONTADOR N was overloaded with pace from an impossible spot versus better last week. He drops, draws all the way inside and looks like lock-city tonight. (6) FRITZIE PIC UP MAN was a pocket-sitting winner at this level last out. (3) BRETT MCFAVRELOUS was empty last out for Lachance but he was off a month; he's better than that.

Race 7

(5) LITTLE MICHAEL B enters a new barn via claim and has shown big speed on occasion; I think he's a must-try from this spot. (3) BOX CAR JOHNNIE had some decent pace last week after escaping traffic and he can show more tonight. (6) HYPNOTIST drops in class again but he's been pretty flat recently.

Race 8

(1) AGGRESSIVE arrives from Woodbine and finds a very soft spot; gets the call in a forgettable race. (5) MARTINI MASTER will be firing the gate which clearly makes her a player. (3) SHELIKESCANDY should be close enough to land a share.

Race 9

(2) MIGHTY YOUNG JOE launched a big wide move from behind stale excess cover last week and understandably flattened late after the tough trip; smoother journey takes this. (1) MY TEMUDJIN N was aggressively handled at a big price last out and now he draws all the way in. (4) EXTREME MACHINE N takes a needed drop in class but he has no current form; proceed with caution.

Race 10

(2) ART OF ILLUSION gave it an aggressive try last out and tired on the front end. Veteran appears overdue. (7) OUR DRAGON KING would clearly be the top choice if not for the poor post; can he get revved up early? (1) MARINER SEELSTER gets class and post relief in his local return.

Race 11

(1) REQUEST FOR PAROLE gets serious class relief in her second local appearance and Lachance should take full advantage of this prime spot. (7) VILLAGE JESSICA was shuffled back last week; mare has big early speed, (6) SHERKIN HANOVER drew away with ease last week after blowing by the quitting leader; she should be a player again.

Race 12

(3) DRUMFIRE A was in a spot to land a share two back when he broke and last week at The Meadowlands he had too far to come; oldtimer lands a better post tonight and he looks capable of upsetting with a favorable trip. (5) STATION THEEEOHSIX was uncovered into a rated pace last week versus better; threat here on the dropdown. (4) DIAMOND COWBOY may be more aggressively handled tonight.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SPOT PLAYS

For Monday


TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE


Fair Grounds (3rd) Lady Tamer, 7-2
(4th) Hero of Humor, 9-2


Mahoning Valley (5th) Sky Music, 10-1
(8th) Forest Signet, 10-1


Parx Racing (1st) Faryn, 8-1
(9th) Zuma Moon, 3-1


Sam Houston (1st) Sand on Fire, 3-1
(9th) Saucy Shadow, 7-2


Sunland Park (6th) Lets Get Frisky, 10-1
(10th) There's a Dream, 8-1


Turf Paradise (2nd) Denim and Diamonds, 4-1
(8th) Shiny Sky, 3-1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL Grand Salami - January

The Grand Salami in pro hockey is decided by adding up all the goals scored in every game scheduled for that particular day. You can wager on 'over' or 'under' the Grand Salami total. The total is set by adding up all listed 'over/under' odds for each game on that particular day.

Note: The Grand Salami will have no action if any game is suspended or cancelled before the regulation time of three twenty minute periods. Also, regardless of the number of goals scored during the shoot out portion of the overtime, the final scored recorded for the game will give the winning team on more goal than its opponent based on the score at the end of regulation time.

*The majority of sportsbooks do not put out a total on the Grand Salami when there is only one game on the card. For tracking purposes, we will continue to show the 'over/under' for goals and combined goals scored on days with just one game.

NHL GRAND SALAMI

Date No. of Games Total Goals Combined Goals Scored Result
1/1 2 10.5 10 UNDER
1/2 8 43 37 UNDER
1/3 10 52.5 74 OVER
1/4 7 37 46 OVER
1/5 1 5 5 PUSH
1/6 10 55.5 51 UNDER
1/7 4 22 23 OVER
1/8 10 55.5 58 OVER
1/9 5 26.5 33 OVER
1/10 11 58 58 PUSH
1/11 3 16 20 OVER
1/12 3 17.5 15 UNDER
1/13 10 54.5 64 OVER
1/14 4 21.5 18 UNDER
1/15 10 55.5 47 UNDER
1/16 6 32 34 OVER
1/17 12 64.5 69 OVER
1/18 4 21.5 33 OVER
1/19 7 37.5 37 UNDER
1/20 8 45.5 47 OVER
1/21 6 33.5 36 OVER
1/22 No games scheduled/All-Star break
1/23 No games scheduled/All-Star break
1/24 No games scheduled/All-Star break
1/25 No games scheduled/All-Star break
1/26 No games scheduled/All-Star break
1/27 11 - - -
1/28 3 - - -
1/29 11 - - -
1/30 5 - - -
1/31 11 - - -

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL Team Toews outscores Team Foligno, 17-12

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - It was enough to give a goalie nightmares: A record 29 goals, 25 players with at least two points and eight with at least four.

In addition to the high-profile superstars who didn't make it to Ohio's capital city for the NHL All-Star game, defense also took a holiday.

John Tavares of the New York Islanders matched a record with four goals, and Team Toews beat Team Foligno 17-12 on Sunday night in the highest-scoring NHL All-Star game.

''We had so many good players on each team,'' said Philadelphia Flyers forward Jake Voracek, who tied another record with six points. ''There's going to be a lot of goals.''

How much offense was there? Tavares wasn't even the MVP, although that might have been due to a little home-cooking. Ryan Johansen of the host Columbus Blue Jackets had two goals and two assists for the losing side and was selected as the MVP in voting by fans on Twitter.

Tavares was as gracious about the balloting as he was good on the ice.

''I didn't come to the game trying to get the car,'' said Tavares, referring to the prize given to the MVP. ''You get four goals, and obviously you think you have an opportunity. But Ryan had a good game. He had a couple of nice goals, made some nice plays.''

Johansen, a budding star for the Blue Jackets, was touched by the smiles of the fans he encountered all week.

''It's meant a lot, being a part of it - seeing the fans and how much they've been enjoying all the festivities,'' he said. ''We did a two-hour (autograph) signing. Everybody just seemed to be having a great time. All the kids were laughing and having a lot of fun.''

The players, at least those on offense, had a lot of fun once the game started. The wild, no-defense exhibition even featured a fake fight to go with goals in bunches.

It was the most goals in the event's 60-year history, eclipsing the 26-goal burst in North America's 14-12 victory over the World in 2001.

Tavares' four goals gave him a share of the All-Star record that was established by Wayne Gretzky in 1983, and equaled by Mario Lemieux (1990), Vincent Damphousse (1991), Mike Gartner (1993) and Dany Heatley (2003).

Voracek's six points tied another mark set by Pittsburgh legend Lemieux.

Captain Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks had a goal and four assists, as did Boston's Patrice Bergeron. Dallas' Tyler Seguin had two goals and two assists, Filip Forsberg of Nashville, and Rick Nash of the New York Rangers - another former Columbus star - both scored twice, and Florida's Aaron Ekblad and St. Louis' Vladimir Tarasenko each had four assists.

For Team Foligno, Chicago's Patrick Kane and Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos had two goals and an assist apiece, Philadelphia's Claude Giroux had a goal and two assists, and Washington's Alexander Ovechkin added three assists.

Captain Nick Foligno, also of Columbus, was asked what he learned from being a captain of the team he helped pick.

''How to handle 20 egos,'' he cracked. ''That's probably the hardest thing. But it's fun in the role of showing off our team and our city.''

The fake fight provided some energy to a capacity crowd of 18,901 on the game's first visit to Columbus. Late in the second period, during a scrum in front of the net, Ovechkin and Foligno pretended to mix it up with Calgary's Mark Giordano and Chicago's Brent Seabrook.

All of the players were laughing after they grabbed and hugged each other.

It was fitting that Toews scored the goal that shattered the record. He held off defenseman Brent Burns of San Jose to find the net with a rising shot with 5:39 left.

Toews said he was just happy to silence the cannon that fires every time the home team scores at Nationwide Arena.

''It's loud enough that it gets on your nerves pretty quickly and especially when they score 12 or so goals,'' he said. ''It gets you a little bit.''

With the game tied at 4 after the first period, Team Toews broke it open with six goals in 9 1/2 minutes - and a record seven in the frame.

The teams scored twice within 8 seconds in the opening minute and three goals in a 58-second span, as the arena announcer stacked up goal announcements and was three behind at one point.

Nash, a former Blue Jackets captain who was booed every time he touched the puck, provided the go-ahead goal 4:08 in.

Pittsburgh's Marc-Andre Fleury, the only Penguins player in action after Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin stayed home due to injuries, had a particularly forgettable period. He gave up six goals on the first 10 shots he faced.

''I wish I would have made a few more stops,'' he said. Then, referring to the heckling he got from Columbus fans, he added, ''So they would have been more quiet.''

NOTES: Fall Out Boy, O.A.R. and Locksley performed before and during the game. ... Calgary's Johnny ''Johnny Hockey'' Gaudreau was promoted earlier Sunday from the list of four rookies to Team Toews, giving each side 21 players. ... The NHL season resumes Tuesday night with 11 games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Monday's Tip Sheet
By Kevin Rogers

Four of the seven games on the Monday NBA card involve double-digit spreads. Two of those games involve teams with single-digit victories (Minnesota and Philadelphia), while the Clippers and Pelicans play with revenge off road losses. Since last Monday, double-digit favorites have gone 15-0 SU and 8-5-2, as the Bucks, Celtics, and Wolves covered on Sunday in losses.

Wolves at Thunder – 8:05 PM EST

In spite of a 7-36 record, Minnesota has been a solid play when receiving at least 10 points lately. The Wolves have covered six consecutive times as a road underdog as a double-digit ‘dog, including in a 112-100 loss at Atlanta last night as 18-point ‘dogs. In an interesting side note, in three of the six covers in this role, Minnesota actually lost by double-digits, but were so huge of an underdog that dropping these games by more than 10 points still resulted in covers at Atlanta, Golden State, and Phoenix in the past month.

Oklahoma City returns home following a 108-98 setback at Cleveland on Sunday as 3 ½-point underdogs, wrapping up its road trip at 3-2 SU/ATS. The Thunder hoisted plenty of shots from downtown in the previous five games, converting 41 of 136 three-point attempts for just a 30% clip. Since losing at home to Portland on December 23, the Thunder has won five consecutive games at Chesapeake Energy Arena, but has covered only once in its past six home contests. OKC has won each of the past four meetings with Minnesota, including a 111-92 blowout at the Target Center on December 12 as 8 ½-point favorites.

Magic at Grizzlies – 8:05 PM EST

The magic has disappeared for Jacque Vaughn’s squad of late, dropping five in a row both straight up and from an ATS perspective. Orlando is coming off a meltdown in last night’s 106-99 setback to Indiana as two-point home underdogs, as the Magic were outscored 31-17 in the final quarter. The Magic has allowed at least 100 points in nine straight games, while cashing the ‘over’ in each of the past seven contests. Since December, Orlando has covered three of the last four times as a double-digit road underdog, while cashing five of the previous seven when getting points on the highway overall.

Memphis knocked off Orlando ten days ago, 106-96 as five-point road favorites, even though point guard Mike Conley sat out due to injury. The Grizzlies have won six of their past seven games, which coincides with the return of Zach Randolph to the lineup, who is averaging nearly 20 points per game in the last two weeks. Memphis is re-establishing a strong home-court advantage over the past month by posting a 6-1 SU and 4-1-2 ATS record, while drilling the ‘under’ in the last three contests.

76ers at Pelicans – 8:05 PM EST

Philadelphia is riding a five-game losing streak since upending New Orleans, 96-81 as 6 ½-point home underdogs on January 16. The Pelicans played without Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday in that defeat, as New Orleans has lost seven of its past nine games against Eastern Conference opponents. In this stretch, Monty Williams’ club owns an 0-6 ATS record in the last six when facing East squads in the favorite role. The Pelicans play with no rest after outlasting Dallas at home on Sunday, 109-106 to pick up their third straight victory.

Since returning home from a West Coast swing earlier this month, the 76ers are 11-1 to the ‘under’ the previous 12 contests, while being listed as a double-digit underdog on the road for the 11th straight time. Philadelphia hasn’t been very competitive on the highway during this stretch by compiling a 2-7-1 ATS record, with its only outright victory coming at Brooklyn as 10 ½-point ‘dogs, 90-88 on January 9. The Sixers have been limited to below 100 points in 21 straight games, while busting the 100-point mark on the road once in 24 tries this season.

Nuggets at Clippers – 10:35 PM EST

Denver heads to Southern California following a 117-116 overtime setback to Washington on Sunday, the sixth straight loss for Brian Shaw’s squad. The Nuggets covered for the first time in five tries, barely doing so as 3 ½-point underdogs, but have allowed at least 100 points in each of their past six defeats. Denver outlasted Los Angeles in its first meeting this season at the Pepsi Center, 109-106 in mid-December, as the Nuggets came out with a victory in spite of getting outscored, 31-12 in the third quarter.

The Clippers have won each of the past three home matchups with the Nuggets by double-digits, even though Denver hasn’t visited Doc Rivers’ team yet this season. Los Angeles also plays with no rest after blowing out Phoenix last night, 120-100 as 2 ½-point road favorites. This is an interesting scheduling spot for the Clips, who head out for an eight-game road swing starting Wednesday following this contest with Denver, which could be a flat spot for Los Angeles. In its past five times out with no rest, the Clippers have put together an 0-5 ATS mark, including three ATS losses when laying double-digits.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Monday Blues!'

When it comes to NBA betting on the first day of the week there is a situation that offers the sports handicapper an opportunity to take advantage of. The exact situation comes about when a home team is playing on Monday without rest and facing an opponent who also played the previous day. History tells us in this situation the visitor has been the best choice to make. That's because since 2008 road teams have compiled a 35-21 point-spread record (62.5%) in this spot. Whether the road team was favored or getting points hasn’t mattered, the betting numbers are virtually the same in either case. Road chalks compiled a 13-7 ATS record (65%), road underdogs posted a 22-14 mark against the betting line (61.1%). Better yet, back a road favorite playing without rest facing an un-rested home team off a road game the previous effort the situation improves to 70.0% (12-5 ATS). An NBA trend such as this doesn’t pop up too often, but given the hit rate paying attention can pay off handsomely. As always best of luck this NBA season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB Tournament Forecast
By The SportsBoss

2015 NCAA Tournament – Projected Field thru action on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2015.

This is our first installment of bracketology for the 2015 NCAA Tournament and comes a couple weeks into conference play.

Before jumping into this season’s breakdown let’s take a look back at last year’s first installment which we published on Jan. 8, 2014 did very well projecting the field, especially considering how early it was posted.

The one area we struggled some were the smaller conferences: there were 22 conferences that received one bid & we only projected 10 of the 22 correct – that area of a bracketology is clearly the toughest.

After those 22 teams are accounted for we are left with 46 open bids & we nailed 36 of those 46 – here are more details on the 10 we missed (teams in italic & bold we included in our projection but they missed field):

SMU: in our “first five out” category meaning they narrowly missed our field
St. Joseph’s: earned the A10 automatic bid
Florida State: missed field
Georgetown: missed field
Providence: earned the Big East automatic bid
Minnesota: missed field
Stanford: in our “first five out” category
California: in our “first five out” category
Missouri: missed field
Arkansas: missed field
BYU: in our “first five out” category

To summarize four of our “first five out” teams wound up earning a bid; two teams earned their conference’s automatic bid otherwise there is a good chance they would have missed field; and five teams we projected in did not earn a bid.

Considering this projection was posted 2 months in advance of Selection Sunday those results are excellent – add in fact that our final bracketology of last year only missed on one team & this exercise proves valuable.

Now that we have some context on last year let’s jump into the 2015 projection! Below we breakdown each conference into three buckets initially (with a fourth bucket “life support” coming in February as the picture continues to sort itself out):

1) Automatic Bid
2) Looking Good - teams highly likely to play well enough in the regular season to earn a bid
3) Need Wins - teams that are firmly on the bubble and will need to play well to close their season

**Teams are listed in the s-curve order I see them now within conference**
**For this edition, to add some more color to each team I will include their SBPI ranking through action on Thursday January 22. For one bid leagues I will also show the SBPI ranking of the 2nd team in the conference to give a feel for their competition**

**Last key to remember when looking this over – I always lean towards INCLUDING teams in my breakdown that have any shot at earning a bid; some listed are extreme longshots but I would prefer including any potential candidates vs. adding them later out of blue. Leveraging that idea further I will lean towards keeping teams in say “Need Wins” versus moving them up to “Looking Good” till I feel certain they are a lock to earn a bid – do not want to slide teams down levels, only up. Many teams are closer to being left off completely versus moving up a level at this point in the season**

America East: Stony Brook #77 (Albany #201)

American Athletic: Cincinnati #47
Looking Good: SMU #53
Need Wins: Tulsa #47, Temple #56, UConn #100, Memphis #131

Atlantic Ten: VCU #8
Need Wins: Davidson #41, Dayton #75, George Washington #54, Rhode Island #74

ACC: Virginia #11
Looking Good: Duke #7, North Carolina #17, Louisville #14, Notre Dame #174
Need Wins: Miami #59, NC State #24, Syracuse #78, Pittsburgh #70

Atlantic Sun: North Florida #136 (Northern Kentucky #191)

Big 12: Kansas #2
Looking Good: Iowa State #30, Oklahoma #23, Texas #35\
Need Wins: West Virginia #16, Baylor #9, Oklahoma State #18, Kansas St. #60

Big East: Villanova #4
Looking Good: Butler #3, Providence #19, Georgetown #26
Need Wins: Seton Hall #38, Xavier #15, St. John’s #64

Big Sky: Eastern Washington #170 (Northern Arizona #127)

Big South: Gardner-Webb #101 (Coastal Carolina #113)

Big Ten: Wisconsin #13
Looking Good: Indiana #82, Maryland #52
Need Wins: Michigan State #31, Iowa #29, Ohio State #36, Illinois #40, Michigan #58, Nebraska #132, Minnesota #42

Big West: Long Beach State #81 (UCSB #62)

Colonial: William & Mary #109 (Hofstra #165)

Conference USA: Old Dominion #61 (Western Kentucky #55)
If OLD DOMINION does not win their conference tournament they would still BE ALIVE to earn an at-large bid. The Monarchs have gone 2-0 vs. Top 50 RPI teams including a win over LSU on a neutral court & a home win over VCU.

Horizon: Cleveland State #57 (Green Bay #90)

Ivy: Yale #28 (Harvard #68)

MAAC: Iona #146 (Canisius #175)

MAC: Buffalo #85 (Toledo #79)

MEAC: North Carolina Central #95 (Norfolk State #163)

Missouri Valley : Wichita State #6
If WICHITA STATE does not win their conference tournament they would still RECEIVE a bid, thus taking a spot away from the at-large field.
Need Wins: Northern Iowa #86

Mountain West: San Diego State #22
Need Wins: Colorado State #71

Northeast: St. Francis NY #159 (St. Francis PA #158)

Ohio Valley: Murray State #123 (Morehead State #84)

Pac 12: Arizona #5
Looking Good: Utah #12
Need Wins: Stanford #25, Washington #143, Oregon State #108, UCLA #32, Oregon #106

Patriot: Colgate #183 (Holy Cross #142)

SEC: Kentucky #1
Looking Good: Arkansas #27
Need Wins: Georgia #39, LSU #103, Tennessee #96, Texas A&M #44, Ole Miss #43, Alabama #51, South Carolina #34, Florida #20

Southern: Wofford #98 (Chattanooga #125)

Southland: Stephen F. Austin #69 (Sam Houston State #111)

SWAC: Texas Southern #179 (Southern #189)

Summit: Oral Roberts #120 (South Dakota State #152)

Sun Belt: Georgia Southern #114 (Georgia State #122)

West Coast: Gonzaga #10
If GONZAGA does not win their conference tournament they would still RECEIVE a bid, thus taking one away from the current at-large pool.
Need Wins: BYU #21, St Mary’s #48

WAC: New Mexico State #91 (Chicago State #190)

FIELD: 68

AUTOMATIC BIDS: 32

Looking Good: 15

Currently I project 47 of the 68 bids are earned.

Need Wins: 43

That leaves 43 teams that are in the mix for 21 open bids.

Keep in mind however that DOES NOT include the upsets we will see during Conference Tournament week where teams that are LOCKS from smaller conferences lose a game in their conference tournament and hence use an at-large bid on themselves.

For the remaining 21 open bids this is the way I see it currently, which will obviously be very fluid (listed in conference alphabetical order applying s-curve within conference):

Davidson
Dayton
Miami, Fla
NC State
Syracuse (last five IN)
West Virginia
Baylor
Oklahoma State (last five IN)
Seton Hall
Xavier (last five IN)
St. John’s (last five IN)
Michigan State
Iowa
Ohio State
Northern Iowa
Colorado State (last five IN)
Stanford
Washington
Georgia
LSU
BYU

FIRST FIVE OUT – alphabetical order by conference:

George Washington
Illinois
Michigan
Oregon State
UCLA

Multiple bid conferences (total of 47 bids in 11 conferences; 21 single bid conferences = 68 bids):

ACC (8)
B12 (7)
BE (7)
B10 (6)
P12 (4)
SEC (4)
A10 (3)
AAC (2)
MWC (2)
MVC (2)
WCC (2)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB Big Monday Action
By David Schwab

The men’s college basketball season heads into the final week of January with the drive to March Madness in full swing. There are a pair of matchups on ESPN this Monday that should be a special interest to anyone who loves to bet on the games. Starting in the ACC, Syracuse will be on the road against North Carolina and later that night Texas and Iowa State face-off against one another in a Big 12 showdown of nationally ranked teams.

The following betting tip sheet breaks down each one of these key conference matchups with some useful facts, stats and betting trends to help you handicap the games.

Syracuse Orange vs. No. 15 North Carolina Tar Heels (ESPN, 7 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: North Carolina -10

Syracuse continues to struggle in conference play with losses to Clemson and Miami as a favorite wrapped around a tight 69-61 victory against Boston College on Jan. 20 as an 8 ½-point favorite at home. The Orange are still 5-2 straight-up in the AAC, but they are just 1-6 against the spread. Senior forward Rakeem Christmas continues to lead the way with a team-high 18.3 points and 8.9 rebounds a game. Syracuse is averaging 68.5 points per game and shooting 43.8 percent from the field. Defensively, it is holding opposing teams to 59.8 PPG.

The Tar Heels slid by Florida State 78-74 this past Saturday to run their SU winning streak to five games, but after failing to cover as 15-point home favorites they are now 1-5 ATS in their last six outings. The total went OVER the closing 144.5-point line against the Seminoles and it has gone OVER in four of their last five games. North Carolina boasts five players with at least nine points a game as part of a team average of 79.4 PPG and it is ranked second in the nation in rebounds with 43.5. Sophomore forward Kennedy Meeks has led the way in department with 8.3 rebounds a game while averaging 12.8 PPG.

Betting Trends

-- The Orange are 3-12-1 ATS in their last 16 ACC games and they are 1-5 ATS in their last six games against a team with a SU winning record. The total has gone OVER in six of their last eight road games.

-- The Tar Heels are 23-10 ATS in their last 33 home games against a team with a SU losing record on the road, but they have failed to cover in their last four home games overall. The total has gone OVER in five of their last eight games played at home.

-- Last season, Syracuse rolled to a 57-45 victory over North Carolina as an 8 ½-point home favorite in the only meeting between the two. The total stayed UNDER the closing 136-point line.

No. 17 Texas Longhorns vs. No. 9 Iowa State Cyclones (ESPN, 9 p.m. ET)

Opening Odds: Iowa State -4

Texas fell to 3-3 (SU and ATS) in conference play with this past Saturday’s 75-62 loss to Kansas as a four-point home favorite. The total is also an even 3-3 after going OVER the closing 133 ½-point line against the Jayhawks. The total has stayed UNDER in eight of 12 games this season with a betting line. The Longhorns have relied heavily on a solid defensive effort that is holding opponents to an average of 57.3 PPG and they are ranked fourth in the nation in rebounds (42.5). Sophomore guard Isaiah Taylor leads the team in scoring with 12.7 PPG and freshman forward Myles Turner is the top rebounder with 6.8 a game.

The Cyclones are also coming off a tough loss after falling to Texas Tech 78-73 this past Saturday as 9 ½-point road favorites. They have failed to cover in four of their last seven games while going 4-3 SU. The total went OVER the closing 136 ½-point line against the Red Raiders and it has now gone OVER in their last four outings. Sophomore guard Monte Morris had the hot hand in Saturday’s loss with 20 points, but junior forward Georges Niang remains the team’s leading scorer with 14.6 PPG. Iowa State is averaging 79.7 points while shooting an efficient 48.4 percent from the field.

Betting Trends

-- The Longhorns have covered ATS in six of their last seven road games and they are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games played on a Monday. The total has stayed UNDER in 11 of their last 15 games on the road.

-- The Cyclones are 7-3 in their last 10 conference games, but they have failed to cover ATS in seven of their last nine games following a SU loss. The total has gone OVER in 30 of their last 42 Big 12 games.

-- Head-to-head in this conference clash, the home team has won the last four meetings both SU and ATS with the total going OVER in all four contests. Texas has failed to cover in four of their last five trips to Iowa State.