Monday 4/18/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Post your request, Comments or concerns here.
Good luck on all your plays.

When not viewing the service plays.
Make sure to enjoy the rest of what the RX has to offer.

First time here at the RX.
Make sure to visit the Newbies Room
Click here to go there now

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 20:00

Stoke

v

Tottenham

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS1		9/2	3	7/10	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT STOKE	RECENT FORM
HWADHLAWHDAL​ Most recent​	3 - 0 0 - 1 1 - 2 2 - 1	ALAWHLHWADHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Stoke have scored in their last eight matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Tottenham left it until the final 20 minutes against Manchester United on Sunday but they showed their fine scoring form in the end, notching three times. Stoke haven’t always been seen as a freescoring side but they have hit the net in their last eight and there should be goals.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
2


REFEREE: Neil Swarbrick STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Portuguese Liga TODAY 21:00

Benfica

v

Vitoria Setubal

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		1/9	8	18	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT BENFICA	RECENT FORM
HWAWHWALAWHD​ Most recent​	3 - 0 3 - 0 1 - 1 3 - 0	ALHLALHLADHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Benfica have won 20 of their last 23 matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Setubal have plunged into the fringes of a relegation fight on the back of a 13-match winless streak, and it’s unlikely to get any better against a Benfica team they haven’t beaten in the league since 1999. Setubal haven’t kept a clean sheet since December 5 so expect a routine home win.

RECOMMENDATION: Benfica-Benfica double result
4

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Capitals (56-18) at Flyers (41-27)

Date: April 18, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Jason Chimera likely won't score an easier non-empty net goal in his life. Steve Mason likely won't be more embarrassed after allowing it.

The 101-foot dump that five-holed Mason proved to be the Game 2 winner for the Washington Capitals and sent the Philadelphia Flyers home having to battle back against the Presidents' Trophy holders who apparently have luck on their side, too.

If Mason can help the Flyers overcome an 0-2 deficit beginning Monday night, he'll probably wind up laughing about the taunts he heard in D.C. For now, he's just trying to keep his mind right.

"Can say it over and over again, 'It's a bad goal,'" Mason said. "That wasn't good. My fault, obviously. Put the team in a tough position after that. Just a bad goal."

Chimera's wacky goal early in the second period Saturday put Washington ahead by two on its way to a 4-1 victory. John Carlson and Alex Ovechkin scored on the power play and Nicklas Backstrom added a goal in third two nights after Mason made 27 saves in a 2-0 loss in Game 1.

The Capitals killed a crucial 5-on-3 disadvantage and held on to take a two-game edge in a series they haven't exactly dominated.

"Not a pretty one, but we'll take it," said Ovechkin, who needs another point to match Dale Hunter's franchise playoff record. "It's done, we'll move forward and Game 3 ahead."

Braden Holtby sympathized with Mason and said he couldn't even watch the replay knowing how Mason must've felt. Holtby's 41 saves all were on much more difficult pucks to stop in another solid performance following Thursday's 19-save shutout.

Holtby made a key save during the two-man disadvantage and fended off the Flyers' push in the third. It's nothing surprising to his teammates, who watched Holtby match Martin Brodeur's regular-season record of 48 victories.

"He's making saves all over the place," said forward Marcus Johansson, who had two assists. "He wins games every week and he's done it all year. He was a huge part in this one."

Aside from Mason's gaffe, Philadelphia is heading home proud of how it has played despite the results. The Flyers' 42 shots marked their most in a non-overtime playoff game since 2009 and kept Holtby on his heels.

Unfortunately, only Jakub Voracek has broken through with his 4-on-4 tally in the second period Saturday.

"We keep playing the way we are right now, we're going to start being successful," center Claude Giroux said. "We can't look at it like we're down 2-0 and we're going to start changing things. Our identity, the way we want to play, our hard work I think is going to pay off, so we're going to stick with it."

It's not as if Washington is unbeatable in these situations, either. The Capitals blew a 2-0 lead to the New York Rangers in the first round in 2013 and surrendered a 3-1 edge to the Rangers in last year's Eastern Conference semifinals.

They haven't advanced to the conference finals since losing to Detroit in the 1998 Stanley Cup Final, but coach Barry Trotz isn't doubting his team one bit.

"We learned a lot from last year," Trotz said. "The adjustments we've made ... have been really, really smart."

Washington has lost 10 of its last 12 road games in the playoffs, but its 27 away victories this season were the second-most in the league. The Flyers closed the regular season 4-0-1 at home, including a shootout victory over the Capitals on March 30.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Stars (50-23) at Wild (38-33)

Date: April 18, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

Minnesota has scratched and clawed for each of its seven goals during a losing streak that has lasted more than two weeks. To have the opposition accidentally kick the puck from behind the net and somehow have it go in seems like a cruel joke.

The Wild understandably aren't laughing after a seventh straight loss that has them heading home down 0-2 with two of their top forwards still nursing injuries.

As for Dallas? The Stars are feeling fortunate that the latest unusual twist during a postseason that has seen plenty of them across the league went their way, and winning Monday night would put them a victory away from advancing past the opening round for the first time in eight years.

Minnesota goaltender Devan Dubnyk didn't mince words after allowing possibly the strangest goal of his career Saturday. Defenseman Marco Scandella's clearing attempt hit off Stars forward Ales Hemsky, ricocheted off Antoine Roussel's skate and onto Dubnyk's back.

Dubnyk backed into the crossbar attempting to pin the pick so it wouldn't trickle into the net, which came dislodged. The referee waved off the goal before it went to video review. After a long delay, Toronto's replay officials ruled it a goal.

The Stars went on to win 2-1.

'It's embarrassing. It's not even worth the fine to tell you guys what I think about it,' Dubnyk said. 'Watch the replay. The puck is kicked and somehow they have enough to overturn the ref's call thinking the puck is in the net there. ... It's mind-blowing that that's the outcome of that play in the playoffs.'

Possibly even more embarrassing is the Wild's offensive play recently. They've scored three times in their last five after backing into the playoffs and haven't been able to overcome the losses of Zach Parise and Thomas Vanek, who are dealing with upper-body injuries.

Scandella scored on the power play in the third period, Minnesota's only goal on 20 opportunities with the man advantage during its skid.

"We created chances, we battled hard, but that's just the way it is right now," center Mikael Granlund said. "They got the bounce and we didn't. Now it's 2-0 and we go back home and see what's going to happen there."

Dallas, which finished at the top of the Western Conference with 21 more points than the Wild, has won 11 of 13 and eked out a victory after a dominating 4-0 win in Game 1. This is the Stars' second playoff appearance since they advanced to the conference finals in 2008.

Tyler Seguin returned after missing the previous 11 with a small cut to his left Achilles suffered March 17. He didn't get on the score sheet, but coach Lindy Ruff said Seguin's presence was enough.

Jamie Benn's goal early in the third turned out to be the winner, and although the Stars recognize the luck it took to score their first goal Saturday, they're giving plenty of credit to Kari Lehtonen for having the edge in the series.

Lehtonen has a 1.41 goals-against average while winning his last five starts and has stopped 47 of 48 shots he's faced against in the playoffs.

"He's played some good hockey, making big saves at a key time," Benn said. "We're going to take this on the road now. ... It's just going to get harder. (The Wild's) compete and their will to win is just going to get higher. They're a good team. It's going to be hard to go into their building and get a win. We've got to bring our best up there."

Dallas won all three meetings in Minnesota during the regular season, though, and the Wild have scored three goals while losing their last three at home.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Kings (48-28) at Sharks (46-30)

Date: April 18, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

Since a 3-0 series lead wasn't safe against the Los Angeles Kings two years ago, the San Jose Sharks know a two-game advantage means there's still a long way to go to oust their nemesis from the playoffs.

The Sharks look to begin proving the lesson has been learned Monday night when they try to beat the Kings again in this opening-round series.

San Jose led Los Angeles 3-0 in the first round in 2014, but the Kings stormed back to take the series, outscoring the Sharks 18-5 in Games 4 through 7. They went on to win their second Stanley Cup in three years.

The Sharks, on the other hand, were left licking their wounds after adding the worst chapter to their underachieving history in the postseason. It was also the second straight year they were eliminated by Los Angeles in seven games.

They're nearly in the same position after winning 4-3 in Los Angeles in Game 1 on Thursday and 2-1 in Game 2 two days later. Teams that have won the first two games on the road have an all-time series record of 65-18, but don't tell San Jose the odds.

"What's happened in the past, it's in the past," captain Joe Pavelski said. "You take those lessons. You try to become a better teammate from those, better player. We're still trying to win four games in this series and we got two. It's a good start for us, and we realize there's more work."

Moving the series to San Jose may be a problem since the Sharks went 18-20-3 at home during the regular season, the worst home record for any 2016 playoff team.

Pavelski, though, has been hot over the past four weeks, getting nine goals and seven assists in 14 games - including three and one in this series. He's got a four-game goal streak, totaling five after finding the net on San Jose's first shot Saturday.

The center also owns nine goals and eight assists in his last 11 overall meetings with the Kings.

While Pavelski's scoring isn't much of a surprise, Martin Jones' stellar play in net has been unexpected since he hadn't previously started a playoff game. He's stopped 47 of 51 shots, including 26 saves in Game 2.

"He comes from a good program. I mean, jeez, they got 98 points or whatever. He played most of the games for 'em, so I don't think anybody's surprised by him," Kings coach Darryl Sutter said.

Sutter has also simplified the Kings' path to get back into the series.

"Just think, if you can cut it in half, it's two-one. It's not that hard to figure out," he said.

That's easier said than done unless Los Angeles gets some production from Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty and Tyler Toffoli, who have one point among them after getting at least 50 each during the regular season.

"We've got to stop playing with frustration and start using our emotion in the right way, because frustration is a waste of emotion," left wing Milan Lucic said. "We've got to go out there with determination and start playing our game."

Jonathan Quick is looking to be more of a force in net after making 21 saves in Game 2, two more than he managed in the series opener. However, he lost all three regular-season meetings with a 4.40 goals-against average, stopping 26 of 30 shots in a 5-2 defeat at San Jose on March 28.

These teams will meet in Game 4 on Wednesday in San Jose.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Monday's games

Philadelphia-Washington (W 2-0)
Flyers scored total of one goal in losing both games at Washington; they outshot Caps 19-5 in the first period of Game 2, but didn't score- they outshot Washington 42-23 for game. Philly is 0-8 on power play in series, Washington is 3-8, scoring half its series goals with man advantage. Washington lost three of last four visits here- home side won last four series games. Under is 6-2-2 in the last ten series games, 3-1 in last four played here.

Minnesota-Dallas (D 2-0)
Minnesota Wild lost six of last seven games against Dallas- Stars won last three visits to Twin Cities. Minnesota lost last seven games overall, outscored 22-7; under is 5-1-3 in their last nine. Dallas won eight of last nine games; six of their last seven stayed under. Wild was outshot 28-9 in the first period of the two games by Dallas, which was 1-11 on power play (Minnesota was 1-7). Wild has yet to score even strength goal in series.

San Jose-Los Angeles (SJ 2-0)
Sharks scored GW goal 0:17 into third period of Game 1, then held Kings off in third period, when LA outshot them 13-7 (23-10 in third period shots for series). San Jose is 7-5 in last 12 series games; road team went 8-4 in those games- Kings won three of last four visits here. Over is 4-1-2 in last seven tilts in series. San Jose won seven of last nine games; four of last six stayed under. Kings are 4-8 in last 12 games. Sharks are 2-9 on power play in series, Kings 2-8.

Playoffs tally: Home: 11-8, Over; 6-6-7

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

First Round Cheat Sheet

Key:
A – Atlantic
M – Metropolitan
C – Central
P – Pacific
W – Wild Card

Eastern Conference

1M Washington vs. 2W Philadelphia

Capitals: 56-17-8, 120 points
Flyers: 40-27-14, 94 points

Season series: The Capitals and Flyers each won two meetings this season in four matchups with the final three games decided by one goal each. Philadelphia edged Washington in the shootout on March 30 in a 2-1 home victory, while the Flyers shocked the Capitals as +200 road underdogs in overtime, 4-3 on January 27.

Previous playoff outcome: The Capitals reached the second round of the playoffs last season before bowing out to the Rangers in seven games. Washington knocked out the other New York squad in the first round by edging the Islanders in seven games, as each of their last five playoff series since 2012 have gone the distance. The Flyers are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2014, as Philadelphia fell in seven games to the Rangers.

1A Florida vs. 1W N.Y. Islanders

Panthers: 47-26-9, 103 points
Islanders: 45-27-10, 100 points

Season series: The Panthers beat the Islanders in the first two matchups early in the season, but New York rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the third period of their last meeting to win, 3-2 in mid-March. In the only contest in South Florida, the Panthers edged the Islanders, 3-2 in the shootout on the night after Thanksgiving to begin a five-game winning streak.

Previous playoff outcome: Florida hasn’t won a playoff series since reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 1996, as the Panthers are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2012. The Panthers stretched the Devils to the limit, but lost Game 7 at home in the opening round in double-overtime. The Islanders fell in seven games to the Capitals in the first round of last season’s playoffs, while scoring one goal each in three of the losses.

2A Tampa Bay vs. 3A Detroit

Lightning: 46-31-5, 97 points
Red Wings: 41-30-11, 93 points

Season series: These two teams split four matchups this season with the home team winning each time. Detroit held Tampa Bay to one goal apiece in the two victories at Joe Louis Arena early in the season, while the Lightning scored six goals in their final meeting at Amalie Arena in late March. Three of the four meetings finished ‘under’ the total.

Previous playoff outcome: The Lightning and Red Wings are hooking up in the opening round for the second straight season, as Tampa Bay held off Detroit in seven games. Tampa Bay won three of four games at Amalie Arena, while the Bolts overcame a 3-2 deficit to win the final two games en route to capturing the Eastern Conference championship.

2M Pittsburgh vs. 3M N.Y. Rangers

Penguins: 48-26-8, 104 points
Rangers: 46-27-9, 101 points

Season series: The Penguins caught fire at the end of the season to win 14 of 16 games to finish in second place of the Metropolitan division. Pittsburgh grabbed three of four meetings from New York, including the last two matchups at Madison Square Garden. There weren’t any clear trends on the total between these teams with one ‘over,’ one ‘under,’ and a pair of ‘pushes.’

Previous playoff outcome: New York and Pittsburgh are locking horns for the second straight postseason in the first round, as the Rangers made quick work of the Penguins in five games. All four losses by the Penguins came in exact 2-1 scores, including a pair of losses at home. Pittsburgh has been bounced by New York in each of the last two postseasons, as the Rangers overcame a 3-1 deficit to stun the Pens in the 2014 second round in seven games.

Western Conference

1C Dallas vs. 2W Minnesota

Stars: 50-23-9, 109 points
Wild: 38-33-11, 87 points

Season series: The Stars captured four victories in five games against the Wild this season, including three wins in overtime. Dallas won all three games at Xcel Energy Center, as all three road victories eclipsed the ‘over.’ The only win for Minnesota came at Dallas on January 9 in a 2-1 triumph, while the Wild blew a 3-0 third period lead in a 4-3 home overtime setback to the Stars in late November.

Previous playoff outcome: Minnesota advanced to the second round last season before getting bounced by eventual champion Chicago in four games. The Wild eliminated St. Louis in six games, while yielding two goals or less in all four victories. The Stars are back in the postseason following a one-year absence, as Dallas lost in six games to Anaheim in the opening round of the 2014 playoffs. The last time Dallas advanced past the first round, it reached the conference finals in 2008 as the Stars lost to the Red Wings in six games.

1P Anaheim vs. 1W Nashville

Ducks: 46-25-11, 103 points
Predators: 41-27-14, 96 points

Season series: These teams haven’t met since November 17, as the home squad won all three matchups. Nashville ripped Anaheim at home on October 22 by a 5-1 count, as the Ducks finished that early-season road trip at 0-5. The Ducks picked up revenge in the next meeting at the Honda Center on November 1 in a 4-2 victory before dropping a 3-2 decision in Nashville 16 days later.

Previous playoff outcome: Anaheim rolled past Winnipeg and Calgary in the first two rounds of last season’s playoff before losing in seven games to Chicago. Nashville is making its fourth playoff appearance since 2011, while looking to advance to the second round for the first time since 2012. The Predators fell to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks in six games of the opening round of the 2015 playoffs.

2C St. Louis vs. 3C Chicago

Blues: 49-24-9, 107 points
Blackhawks: 47-26-9, 103 points

Season series: The Blues won three of five matchups this season with the Blackhawks, including a comeback 2-1 victory at the United Center in overtime on April 7. All three losses by Chicago to St. Louis came past regulation, including two overtime defeats at home. After the first two meetings eclipsed the ‘over,’ the ‘under’ rebounded and went 2-0-1 in the final three matchups.

Previous playoff outcome: Chicago claimed its third Stanley Cup title since 2010 when the Blackhawks knocked out the Lightning in six games last June. The Blackhawks last met the Blues in the playoffs back in 2014 in the opening round, as Chicago rallied from a 2-0 series deficit to eliminate St. Louis in six games. The Blues have been bounced in the first round in each of the last three postseasons, as they last escaped past the opening round in 2012 before bowing out to the Kings in the conference semifinals.

2P Los Angeles vs. 3P San Jose

Kings: 48-28-6, 102 points
Sharks: 46-30-6, 98 points

Season series: The Sharks won three of five meetings against the Kings, including a pair of victories at Staples Center. This series was dominated for a long time by the home team, but the road team went 4-1 in the five matchups, while four contests were decided by at least two goals.

Previous playoff outcome: Two seasons ago, San Jose built a commanding 3-0 advantage over Los Angeles in the opening round, but ended up losing the final four games. The Kings wound up winning the Stanley Cup that season, as Los Angeles is back in the playoffs after missing out last season. The Sharks also return to the postseason following a one-year absence, as the Kings knocked out San Jose in both 2013 and 2014 in seven games apiece.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Eastern Conference Outlook
By Alex Smith

Washington Capitals vs. Philadelphia Flyers
2015-16 Head-to-Head Record: Tied 2-2 SU, 1-1-2 O/U
Home team has won 6 of the Last 9 Meetings
Flyers: 7 of the Last 10 Meetings
Capitals: Lost 12 of Last 17 Road Playoff Games

Two clubs who's playoff history dates back to the vicious Patrick Division battles during the 1980s, The Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers are set to clash once again in the first round of this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Capitals have had a monstrous campaign, dominating for well over 3/4ths of the season. Washington set a new record for most wins (56/57), most points (120/121/122) and they captured their second President's Trophy in franchise history. Led by their superstar captain Alexander Ovechkin, who notched his 3rd consecutive 50-goal season and goaltender Braden Holtby, who ended the season tied with Martin Brodeur for most wins by a goaltender in a season with 47, the Caps have been the odds-on favorite to win the Stanley Cup since after the New Year.

However, we have seen President's Trophy-winning clubs fall short of the grand prize time and time again. The 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks are the last club to win both the President's Trophy and Stanley Cup in the same year, and that was a shortened season due to a lockout. You have to go back to the 2001-02 Detroit Red Wings to find a club that won both trophies in a full 82-game season year. Philadelphia returns to the postseason after a down year in 2015-16.

The Flyers, led by first year coach Dave Hakstol, played simple, stripped-down hockey this year, focusing on puck possession, clean neutral-zone play and balanced lines that provided a good wealth of scoring all season. Forwards Wayne Simmonds & Claude Giroux along with rookie D-man Shayne Gostisbehere have been the 3 key pieces for this club's success offensively, while goaltender Steve Mason has turned in a decent ledger this season for the Flyers, but he has yet to prove his worth in a postseason series. With a 2-6 career playoff record, he will the biggest piece of the puzzle in order for them to pull what would be a big upset.

The Flyers haven't fully returned to the "Broad Street Bullies" just yet, but they play a strong, physical brand of hockey that is a contrast from the fast, offensive possession style that the Capitals have made an art form of this season. While these two teams have a built-up rivalry and some tight contests between each other, this Washington team is on a mission to get over their recent playoff struggles. This team will turn on an extra gear in this series and advance to the 2nd Round in what should be a deep postseason run.

Prediction: Capitals in 6

Washington Capitals
(Record: 56-17-8; 120 Points - Presidents' Trophy Winners)
O/U Record: (21-12-19 at 5 / 12-17 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#5: 21.9%)
Penalty Kill: (#2: 85.2%)
# of OT/SO Games: 19

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015
(Beat NY Islanders in 7, Lost to NY Rangers in 7)
(7-7 SU, 3-9-2 O/U & 7-7 ATS Last Postseason)

14-14, 6-17-5, 18-10 ATS Last 5 Series
5-12 Last 17 Playoff Road Games

Current Form: On a 3-6 SU Run Last 9 Games
PK Unit: 20 Kills/22 Chances Last 9 Games

Leading Scorers: Evgeny Kuznetsov (20g, 77pts)
Alex Ovechkin (50g, 71pts), Nicklas Backstrom (20g, 70pts)
Justin Williams (22g, 52pts), T.J. Oshie (26g, 50pts)

#1 Goalie: Braden Holtby (48-9-7, 2.20 G.A.A; .923 Sv% with 3 SO in 65 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 16-18, 1.92 G.A.A; .936 Sv%)

Philadelphia Flyers
(Record: 41-27-14; 96 Points)
O/U Record: (23-11-20 at 5 / 8-18 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#11: 18.9%)
Penalty Kill: (#20: 80.5%)
# of OT/SO Games: 27

Last Playoff Appearance: 2014 (Lost to NY Rangers in 7)
(3-4 SU, 3-2-2 O/U & 3-4 ATS in that Series)
8-10 SU, 10-6-2 O/U & 8-10 ATS Last 3 Playoff Series

Current Form: On a 15-8 SU Run
On a 6-3 SU Run Last 9 Games as a Favorite

Leading Scorers: Claude Giroux (22g, 67pts)
Wayne Simmonds (32g, 60pts), Brayden Schenn (26g, 58pts)
Jakub Voracek (11g, 55pts), Shayne Gostisbehere (17g, 46pts)

#1 Goalie: Steve Mason (23-19-10, 2.51 G.A.A; .918 Sv% w/ 4 SO in 53 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 2-6, 3.11 G.A.A; .907 Sv% in 8 GS)

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Detroit Red Wings
2015-16 Head-to-Head Record: Tied 2-2, 1-3 O/U
Home team has won 10 of last 14 meetings
Lightning: Beat Red Wings in 1st Round Last Year in 7 Gms
Red Wings: 25 Straight Postseason Appearances (Longest Streak in North American Sports)

This rematch from last year's opening round series will have a much different feel this time around. The Tampa Bay Lightning enter this series as defending Eastern Conference Champions after beating the Red Wings in a thrilling seven-game series that was very physical and showcased the defensive prowess from both clubs that hadn't been their mantra during the season prior.

One major change in this match-up will be the absence of Bolts star winger Steven Stamkos, who is out indefinitely after surgery to correct a blood clot in his arm. Stamkos was 2nd in points scored for this Tampa club that has had trouble off and on all season finding consistent secondary scoring, a trait that carried them deep into the playoffs just a season ago. Detroit fought off Boston to grab the 3rd spot in the Atlantic Division on the final weekend of the season to extend their postseason record to 25 consecutive seasons.

Kudos to 1st year coach Jeff Blashill for handling the pressure of dealing with rotating injuries, shaky goaltending and maintaining a record that the Motor City faithful take great pride in. With that said, this series will be a test of which club's offense can heat up at the right time. The Wings will be looking for a boost from rookie sensation Dylan Larkin and veteran mainstay Pavel Datsyuk, who has announced this will be his last NHL season at the conclusion of the playoffs. The oft-injured winger is one of the last members from the Detroit clubs that won Stanley Cups in 2002 & 2008.

The goaltending tandem of Jimmy Howard & Petr Mrazek were the glaring weakness in this series last year, and it seems like not much has changed in that time. Jimmy Howard has been solid as of late, winning 6 of his last 9 starts, but Petr Mrazek, who started all 7 games in the 2015 series, has lost 4 of his last 5 starts. For the Bolts, it's Ben Bishop who has been turning in yet another solid season between the pipes. The 6'7" netminder has won 6 of his last 8 starts and held opponents to 2 or fewer goals in 6 of his last 9 appearances overall. This will be another tightly contested series where goals will be at a premium, and small mistakes will be critical.

Prediction: Lightning in 6

Tampa Bay Lightning
(Record: 46-31-5; 97 Points)
O/U Record: (23-25-10 at 5 / 11-16 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#28: 15.8%)
Penalty Kill: (#7: 84%)
# of OT/SO Games:

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015
(Beat Detroit in 7, Beat Montreal in 6, Beat NY Rangers in 7, Lost to Chicago in 6)
(14-16, 12-17-1 and 16-14 ATS Last 5 Series dating back to 2014)

Current Form: 0-4 SU Last 4 as an Underdog, 3-6 Last 9 Road Games,
PK has allowed 1 Goal in 5 of Last 8 Games

Leading Scorers: Nikita Kucherov (30g, 66pts)
Steven Stamkos (36g, 64pts - Injured), Victor Hedman (10g, 47pts)
Alex Killorn (14g, 40pts), Ondrej Palat (16g, 40pts)

#1 Goalie: Ben Bishop: (35-21-4, 2.06 G.A.A; .926 Sv% with 6 SO in 60 GS)
(Career Playofff Record: 13-11, 2.18 G.A.A; .921 Sv%)

Detroit Red Wings
(Record:41-30-11; 93 Points)
O/U Record: (25-28-16 at 5 / 6-14 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#13: 18.8%)
Penalty Kill: (#14: 81.5%)
# of OT/SO Games: 22

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 (Lost to Tampa Bay in 7)
(3-4 SU, 2-4-1 O/U & 3-4 ATS in that Series)
19-23 SU, 13-17-12 O/U & 23-18 ATS Last 5 Postseasons

Current Form: 5-13 SU Last 18 Road Games
Power-Play has scored at least 1 Goal in 9 of Last 11 Games
Howard: 6-3 SU Last 9 Starts
Mrazek: 1-4 SU Last 5 Starts

Leading Scorers: Henrik Zetterberg (13g, 50pts)
Pavel Datsyuk (16g, 49pts), Tomas Tatar (21g, 45pts)
Dylan Larkin (23g, 45pts), Gustav Nyquist (17g, 43pts)

Goalies:
Jimmy Howard (14-14-5, 2.80 G.A.A; .906 Sv% in 33 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 21-24, 2.53 G.A.A; .919 Sv%)

Petr Mrazek (27-16-6, 2.33 G.A.A; .921 Sv% w/4 SO in 49 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 3-4, 2.11 G.A.A; .925 Sv%)

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Pens lead 3-1 SU, 1-1-2 O/U
Road Team has won 7 of Last 10 Meetings
Under is 5-2-2 Last 9 Meetings
Rangers: Beat Penguins in 5 Games of first round in 2015
Penguins: Lost 6 of Last 10 meetings vs. Rangers

Another first round re-match from last postseason takes place as the scorching hot Pittsburgh Penguins take on the New York Rangers.

It was the Blueshirts who made short work of Sidney Crosby and company last April as the Rangers won the series 4 games to 1, but this season, the Penguins have picked up 3 wins in their 4 meetings. Earlier in the year it was the Rangers that were the all the rage in the Eastern Conference, starting off on a 18-7-3 run, but then cooling off once the injury bug started to hit and affect key guys like goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, and defensemen Kevin Klein & Dan Girardi.

Now it's Pittsburgh that has been one of the best teams in the NHL down the stretch, winning 16 of their last 20 contests to bounce from a fringe team on the bubble of reaching a Wild Card berth to firmly planting themselves into 2nd place in the Metropolitan Division. The mid-season coaching change, hiring Mike Sullivan to replace Mike Johnston, worked out very well, as this dynamic offense, led by Crosby, Evgeni Malkin & newly acquired Phil Kessel finally woke up and took charge, scoring goals in bunches for most of the 2nd half of the season.

Pittsburgh's only major concern has to be their current situation in net. Marc-Andre Fleury has missed time this season on two separate occasions with concussion issues, and while rookie Matt Murray looked stellar in goal during Fleury's recent absence, he too was injured in their season finale, suffering a blow to his head and is now listed as questionable for the start of this series.

As of now, should Fleury & Murray both be ruled out, the goaltending duties would be on Jeff Zatkoff & Tristan Jarry, the latter of which has never even appeared in an NHL contest. This will be an all-out battle, given these two clubs' history with one another. And while the offense for Pittsburgh has been electric, the question mark between the pipes is just big enough to cause some serious concern. I'll give the edge to King Henrik's club to edge out a close series victory.

Prediction: Rangers in 7

Pittsburgh Penguins
(Record: 48-26-8; 104 Points)
O/U Record: (26-16-12 at 5 / 10-17 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#16: 18.4%)
Penalty Kill: (#5: 84.4%)
# of OT/SO Games: 18

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 (Lost to NY Rangers in 5)
(1-4 SU, 1-4 O/U & 5-0 ATS in that Series)
16-17 SU, 16-16-1 O/U & 16-17 ATS Last 6 Series

Current Form: On a 16-4 SU Run Last 20 Games
Scored 4+ Goals in 11 of Last 14 Games
PK Unit: 41 Kills / 45 Chances over Last 14 Games

Leading Scorers: Sidney Crosby (36g, 85pts)
Kris Letang (16g, 67pts), Phil Kessel (26g, 59pts)
Evgeni Malkin (27g, 58pts) Patric Hornqvist (22g, 51pts)

Goalies:
Marc-Andre Fleury (35-17-6, 2.29 G.A.A; .921 Sv% w/5 SO in 58 GP)
(Career Playoff Record: 53-44, 2.65 G.A.A; .906 Sv%)
(Last 5 Years Postseason: 15-20, 2.86 G.A.A; .905 Sv%)

Matt Murray (9-2-1, 2.00 G.A.A; .930 Sv% in 13 GS)
Rookie Was Starting in Place of Fleury, who was out with a concussion, but he suffered a head injury in the Season Finale and is questionable as well.

Jeff Zatkoff (4-7-1, 2.79 G.A.A; .917 Sv% in 11 GS)
(No NHL Playoff Experience)

New York Rangers
(Record: 46-27-9; 101 Points )
O/U Record: (20-29-16 at 5 / 8-9 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#14: 18.6%)
Penalty Kill: (#26: 78.2%)
# of OT/SO Games: 16

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015
(Beat Pittsburgh in 5, Beat Washington in 7, Lost to Tampa Bay in 7)

11-8 SU, 6-12-1 O/U, 5-14 ATS Last Postseason
40-41 SU, 24-40-17 O/U & 31-50 ATS Last 5 Postseasons
4-5 in 1st Home Game of Series since 2013

Current Form:On a 7-4 SU & 6-0-5 O/U Run Last 11 Games
Allowed 2+ Goals in 18 of Last 19 Games
Lundqvist: 4-8 SU Last 12 Starts

Leading Scorers: Mats Zuccarello (26g, 61pts0
Derick Brassard (27g, 58pts), Derek Stepan (22g, 53pts)
Keith Yandle (5g, 47pts), J.T. Miller (22g, 43pts), Chris Kreider (21g, 43pts)

#1 Goalie:
Henrik Lundqvist (35-21-7, 2.48 G.A.A; .920 Sv% with 4 SO in 64 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 54-56, 2.22 G.A.A; .923 Sv% with 9 SO)

Florida Panthers vs. New York Islanders
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Panthers lead 2-1 SU, 1-0-2 O/U
Home Team has won 6 of the Last 10 Meetings
Underdogs have won 6 of the Last 10 Meetings
Over is 8-0-2 Last 10 Meetings
Panthers: 18-8 SU Last 26 Home Games
Islanders: On a 7-4 SU Run Last 11 Games Overall

It's a Cross-Divisional clash as the Atlantic Division Champion Florida Panthers open the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New York Islanders.

This has been a miraculous season for the 'Cats, as many people picked this club to fall somewhere between a Wild Card entry and a Top 5 Lottery Pick for the next Draft. However, with a solid blend of youthful talent and some crafty veterans, the Panthers not only reached the playoffs for the 2nd time in this decade, but with 103 points, the team set a new record for most points in franchise history, en route to winning their 2nd ever division title.

The "Ageless Wonder," 46-year old Jaromir Jagr is not only still skating on an NHL roster, but he leads this club in points and has really set an example for the younger guys on this hockey team with his tireless work ethic and love for this game. He's a perfect locker room guy to have around up-and-coming stars like Vincent Trocheck, Jonathan Huberdeau, Aaron Ekblad & Nick Bjugstad.

The New York Islanders had a nice honeymoon season in their new digs at the Barclays Center over in Brooklyn, reaching the playoffs for the 3rd time in 4 seasons. The core of this club remains intact from last year, with star winger john Tavares leading the way, along with contributions from Forwards Kyle Okposo & Brock Nielson. This club is tough & gritty and will bang the boards with anyone in the league.

Their one weakness heading into the postseason is their defense, and that's as a result of injuries sweeping through their blue line and goaltenders as of late. D-men Travis Hamonic & Calvin de Haan both missed time late in the season with ailments, the former has yet to return to the line-up. In net, Starter Jaroslav Halak has been out for over a month with a groin issue, and Thomas Greiss has been moved to the #1 role, but his new back-up, Jean-Francois Berube, went down a week ago with a lower body issue, and he's questionable for Game 1.

Should something happen to Greiss, who virtually has no NHL playoff experience, the task of tending net would go to either Berube or Christopher Gibson, who barely even have a week's worth of NHL season time on their pads.

This will be a fun series to watch, as we get to see Florida in the playoffs, which is a rare treat, and we also get to see a great fan base in Brooklyn cheer on their squad. Both teams have made great strides over the last couple of seasons to reach this point and we will see a pair of hungry hockey clubs battle it out in this one. I like the Panthers here to win their first playoff series in over 20 years.

Prediction: Panthers in 6

Florida Panthers
(Record: 47-26-9; 103 Points, Atlantic Division Champions)
O/U Record: (25-18-18 at 5 / 8-13 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#23: 16.9%)
Penalty Kill: (#24: 79.5%)
# of OT/SO Games: 17

Last Playoff Appearance: 2012 (Lost to New Jersey in 7)
(3-4 SU, 2-2-3 O/U & 5-2 ATS in that series)

Current Form: On an 11-5 SU Run Last 16 Games Overall
PK Unit has allowed 1+ Goals in 9 of Last 11 Games
Offense has scored 3+ Goals in 13 of Last 17 Games

Leading Scorers: Jaromir Jagr (27g, 65pts)
Jussi Jokinen (18g, 60pts), Aleksander Barkov (28g, 59pts)
Jonathan Huberdeau (20g, 59pts), Vincent Trocheck (25g, 53pts - Injured)

#1 Goalie: Roberto Luongo (34-19-6, 2.35 G.A.A; .922 Sv% w/4 SO in 59 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 32-31, 2.54 G.A.A; .916 Sv% with 5 Shutouts)

New York Islanders
(Record: 45-27-10; 100 Points)
O/U Record: (11-9-8 at 5 / 22-32 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#17: 18.3%)
Penalty Kill: (#4: 84.5%)
# of OT/SO Games: 21

Last Playoff Appearance:2015 (Lost to Washington in 7)
(5-10 SU, 6-7-1 O/U & 8-5 ATS Last 2 Postseasons)

Current Form: Over is 8-2-1 Last 11 Games
On a 4-1 SU run Last 5 Games as a Favorite

Leading Scorers:
John Tavares (33g, 70pts), Kyle Okposo (22g, 64pts)
Frans Nielsen (20g, 52pts), Brock Nelson (26g, 40pts)

Goalies:
Jaroslav Halak (18-13-4, 2.30 G.A.A; .919 Sv% w/3 SO in 36 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 13-15, 2.39 G.A.A; .924 Sv%) (Injured-Groin)

Thomas Greiss (23-12-4, 2.36 G.A.A; .924 Sv% in 38 GS)
(No NHL Playoff Experience)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Western Conference Outlook
By Alex Smith

Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Stars lead 4-1 SU, 3-2 O/U
Road Team has won 6 of the Last 9 Meetings
Favorite has won 5 of the Last 8 Meetings
Over is 6-2 Last 8 Meetings
Stars: On a 13-5 SU Run Last 18 Games Overall
Wild: 2-5 SU Last 7 Playoff Games

With a dramatic 3-2 victory in their regular season finale at home, the Dallas Stars clinched both the Central Division crown and the top seed in the Western Conference, and will now open the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Minnesota Wild in the first round.

Dallas has been one of the best teams in the league all season from an offensive standpoint, with one of the best power-play units converting at a 22% clip, led by the duo of forwards Jamie Benn & Tyler Seguin, the two combined for 74 Goals & 87 Assists during the season.

Minnesota comes into this series on a 5-game losing streak, after previously winning 6 in a row. Their schizophrenic offensive attack has been the primary cause for their roller-coaster season, which saw a bit more stability once John Torchetti was brought in as new Head Coach late into the season. The Wild went 15-11-1 down the stretch with the former Chicago assistant at the helm. Injuries have bit this club as of late, as two key forwards Thomas Vanek & Zach Parise, could miss the start of this series. That duo combined for 43 goals during the season.

The keys to this series will undoubtedly come down to Goaltending & Special Teams. Dallas has been platooning between the Finnish duo of Antti Niemi & Kari Lehtonen all season. While both netminders have turned in respectable records this year, the 32-year old Niemi holds a 10-4-2 career record versus the Wild, which could give him the starting edge, despite Lehtonen winning 6 of his last 7 starts.

Devan Dubnyk will start between the pipes for Minnesota, and he will have to shake off his recent struggles if the Wild stand a chance of advancing out of the first round for the 3rd consecutive year. Dallas' PP shouldn't have too much of a struggle against the Wild's penalty-killing units.

Minnesota is ranked 4th-worst in the league in PK% at just under 78%. The Wild are a disciplined team, that stresses puck possession, but if they can't find the back of the net, they do get frustrated easily, which can turn into penalties.

If the Stars' blue-line corps can do enough to keep quality shots away from either netminder, this could be a very quick series for the club that once called the Twin Cities home over 2 decades ago.

Prediction: Stars in 5

Dallas Stars
(Record: 50-23-9; 109 Points - Central Division Champions)
O/U Record: (2-1-1 at 5 / 43-33 at 5.5 / 0-2 at 6)
Power Play: (#4: 22.1%)
Penalty Kill: (#10: 82.3%)
# of OT/SO Games: 17

Last Playoff Appearance: 2014 (Lost to Anaheim in 6)
(2-4 SU, 4-2 O/U & 4-2 ATS in that series)

Current Form: On a 9-2 SU run Overall and 6-0 Run at home.
5-1 SU Last 6 as a Favorite
PP has scored at least 1 Goal in 6 of Last 9 Games
PK Unit 50 Kills/53 Chances in the Last 15 Games
Lehtonen: 6-1 SU in his Last 7 Starts

Leading Scorers: Jamie Benn (41g, 88pts)
Tyler Seguin (33g, 73pts), Jason Spezza (33g, 63pts)
John Klingberg (10g, 57pts), Patrick Sharp (20g, 54pts)

Goalies:
Kari Lehtonen (25-10-2, 2.76 G.A.A; .906 Sv% in 39 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 2-6, 3.88 G.A.A; .874 Sv%)

Antti Niemi (25-13-7, 2.68 G.A.A; .905 Sv% in 43 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 35-26, 2.74 G.A.A; .907 Sv%

Minnesota Wild
(Record: 38-33-11; 87 Points)
O/U Record: (21-25-20 at 5 / 8-8 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#15: 18.5%)
Penalty Kill: (#27: 77.9%)
# of OT/SO Games: 15

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015
(Beat St. Louis in 7, Lost to Chicago in 4)
10-18 SU, 14-9-6 O/U & 14-15 ATS Last 5 Series
0-5 in Game 1's Last 5 Series

Current Form: On an 0-5 SU run
Offense held to 30< SOG in 7 of Last 9 Games

Leading Scorers: Mikko Koivu (17g, 56pts)
Zach Parise (25g, 53pts), Ryan Suter (8g, 51pts)
Mikael Grandlund (13g, 44pts), Nino Niederreiter (20g, 43pts)

#1 Goalie: Devan Dubnyk (32-27-6, 2.33 G.A.A; .918 Sv% with 5 SO in 65 GS) (Career Playoff Record: 4-7, 2.53 G.A.A; .908 Sv%)

St. Louis Blues vs. Chicago Blackhawks
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Blues lead 3-2 SU, 2-1-2 O/U
Road Team has won 5 of the Last 7 Meetings
Underdog has won 4 of the Last 6 Meetings
Blackhawks: 3-10 in Game 1 of Playoff Series since 2011
Blues: Lost to Chicago in 6 Games in 2014 first round

A historic division rivalry is renewed once again in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the defending Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks look to officially begin their quest for a repeat, start off battling against the St. Louis Blues.

The Hawks & Blues face-off in an opening round series just 2 postseasons ago, where the Blues held a 2-0 series lead and dropped 4 straight, leading to the 2nd of what became 3 consecutive first round exits, while Chicago went all the way to Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, losing in Overtime to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion LA Kings.

This year's series has a similar setup, with St. Louis clinching home-ice less than a week ago after picking up a 2-1 OT win against these Hawks, in a game where they trailed for virtually the entire game, and tied up the contest with under a minute left and picking up the 2nd point early in the extra frame.

Both teams have superb offenses and talented defenders, but some hot & cold spells with goaltending. Chicago's top netminder Corey Crawford has returned after missing 11 starts with concussion-like symptoms, but he showed a bit of rust in his last start, a 5-4 OT loss at Columbus to conclude the regular season. The 2-time Cup Winner was looking like a Vezina Trophy Finalist during the 1st Half of the Season, going 28-12-2 with 7 shutouts before the All-Star Break, but faltering down the stretch with a 7-6-3 record.

The Blues are riding the hot pads of Brian Elliott, who suffered a mid-season injury, only to return and dominate between the pipes with a 12-1-1 record in his last 14 starts. Jake Allen was also very strong in net during Elliott's absence, but he is now out with his 2nd significant injury of the season and is questionable to even back-up his 31-year old counterpart.

The hottest offensive line in all of hockey has been the trio of Patrick Kane, Artemi Panarin & Artem Anisimov. The 2013 Conn Smythe Winner will be adding to his trophy room collection this Summer regardless of how the Playoffs fare, as Kane becomes the 1st ever American-born player to win the Art Ross Trophy for most points scored during the regular season with 106. In addition, the 25-year old rookie Panarin led all first-year players with 76 points and is a shoe-in for the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year.

With all of this being said, the Hawks will need this line to produce as well as major contributions from Captain Jonathan Toews and veteran Marian Hossa, who is slated to return from a minor leg injury in time for this series. St. Louis has been a very tough team and they will be playing with a chip on their shoulder knowing that they have done well against Chicago during the season and will look to avenge their playoff defeat from 2 years ago. This club has just enough talent to pull off their first series win since 2012.

Prediction: Blues in 7

St. Louis Blues
(Record: 49-24-9; 107 Points)
O/U Record: (29-31-10 at 5 / 3-9 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#6: 21.5%)
Penalty Kill: (#3: 85.1%)
# of OT/SO Games: 22

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 (Lost to Minnesota in 7)
11-17 SU, 12-12-4 O/U & 10-18 ATS Last 4 years

Current Form: On a 14-4 SU run Last 18 Games.
Brian Elliott: 12-1-1 Last 14 Starts
Under is 6-4 Last 10 Games
PK Unit: 24 Kills/26 Chances over Last 10 Games

Leading Scorers:
Vladimir Tarasenko (40g, 74pts), Alex Steen (17g, 52pts)
Paul Stastny (10g, 48pts), David Backes (21g, 45pts),
Kevin Shattenkirk (14g, 44pts)

Goaltenders:
Brian Elliott (23-8-6, 2.01 G.A.A; .931 Sv% with 4 Shutouts in 37 GS)
(Career Playoff Record:6-10, 2.55 G.A.A; .898 Sv%)

Jake Allen (26-15-3, 2.35 G.A.A; .920 Sv% with 6 Shutouts in 44 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 2-4, 2.20 G.A.A; .904 Sv%)

Chicago Blackhawks
(Record: 46-27-9; 103 Points)
O/U Record: (11-16-22 at 5 / 12-14 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#2: 22.6%)
Penalty Kill: (#22: 80.3%)
# of OT/SO Games: 20

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 (Beat Nashville in 6,
Beat Minnesota in 4, Beat Anaheim in 7, Beat Tampa Bay in 6)
45-26 SU, 34-27-10 O/U & 36-35 ATS Last 5 Years
3-10 SU in 1st Road Game of a Series since 2010 Cup Final

Current Form: On a 5-3 SU run Last 8 Games Overall
Offense has scored 3+ Goals in 6 of Last 8 Games.
PK Unit: 32 Kills / 35 Chances over the Last 13 Games
7/19 on the Power-Play over the Last 5 Games

Leading Scorers:
Patrick Kane (46g, 106pts - Art Ross Trophy Winner)
Artemi Panarin (30g, 77pts - Leads All Rookies)
Jonathan Toews (28g, 58pts), Brent Seabrook (14g, 49pts)

#1 Goalie: Corey Crawford (35-18-5, 2.34 G.A.A; .924 Sv% in 58 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 45-29, 2.23 G.A.A; .921 Sv% with 5 SO's)

Anaheim Ducks vs. Nashville Predators
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Predators lead 2-1 SU, 2-0-1 O/U
Over is 9-0-1 Last 10 Meetings
Ducks: 7-3 SU Last 10 Meetings
Predators: 7-9 SU Last 16 Playoff Games

One of the biggest comeback stories in this NHL season will be taking part in the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the Anaheim Ducks take on the Nashville Predators in a first round series.

The Ducks got off to a 5-12 SU start to the season and looked like they would be a lottery pick contender, but they were able to muster through the storm and finished the 2nd half of the season with a 25-11 run over the last 3 months to climb all the way back and win the Pacific Division on the very last day of the regular season.

The longtime duo of Corey Perry & Ryan Getzlaf, along with a ton of young core players like Hampus Lindholm & Josh Manson, and the goaltending of Frederik Andersen & John Gibson all contributed to what was a magical run after a disastrous start.

For Nashville, the Predators were looking to expand on what had been a nice 2015-16 campaign, ended abruptly by the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks. The club had a bit of a roller-coaster season and eventually made the playoffs with a late push in, clinching the top Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

Wingers James Neal & Filip Forsberg hold down the offense for the Preds while veteran goalie Pekka Rinne leads a slightly-above average defense. Once considered one of the top goaltenders in the world, the 33-year old starter has logged a lot of ice time and has shown signs of fatigue in the last couple of seasons.

Both of these clubs possess solid Special Teams units, with Anaheim leading the league in both Power-Play & Penalty Kiliing percentage. Nashville's numbers rank within the middle of the league, but this time of year is all about momentum, which is certainly on the side of the Ducks. This will be an interesting series to watch, but I don't expect any shocking finishes here.

Prediction: Ducks in 5

Anaheim Ducks
(Record:47-25-11; 103 Points - Pacific Division Champions)
O/U Record: (21-24-16 at 5 / 11-10 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#1: 23.1%)
Penalty Kill: (#1: 87.2%)
# of OT/SO Games: 18

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015
(Beat Winnipeg in 4, Beat Calgary in 5, Lost to Chicago in 7)
21-15 SU, 17-12-7 O/U & 16-18 ATS Last 6 series

Current Form: On a 5-3 SU Run Last 8 Games
On a 6-4 SU Run Last 10 Games as a Favorite
6-14 SU This Season as an Underdog

Leading Scorers:
Ryan Getzlaf (13g, 63pts), Corey Perry (34g, 62pts)
Ryan Kesler (21g, 53pts), Richard Rakell (20g, 43pts)

Goalies:
John Gibson (21-13-4, 2.07 G.A.A; .920 Sv% w/4 SO in 37 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 2-2, 2.70 G.A.A; .919 Sv% in 4 Starts

Frederik Andersen (21-9-7, 2.36 G.A.A; .917 Sv% w/ 2 SO in 36 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 14-7, 2.54 G.A.A; .913 Sv%)

Nashville Predators
(Record: 41-27-14; 96 Points)
O/U Record: (19-15-18 at 5 / 14-16 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#10: 19.7%)
Penalty Kill: (#16: 81.2%)
# of OT/SO Games: 20

Last Playoff Appearance: 2015 (Lost to Chicago in 6)
2-4 SU, 5-1 O/U and 4-2 ATS in 2015 Playoffs

Current Form:
1-6 Last 7 Road Games, 5-2 Last 7 Home Games
5-1 Last 6 as a Favorite, 5-16 Last 21 as an Underdog

Leading Scorers:
Filip Forsberg (33g, 63pts), Roman Josi (14g, 61pts)
James Neal (31g, 57pts), Shea Weber (20g, 51pts)

#1 Goalie: Pekka Rinne (34-21-10, 2.48 G.A.A; .908 Sv% w/4 SO in 66 GS)
(Career Playoff Record:15-19, 2.48 G.A.A; .914 Sv%)

Los Angeles Kings vs. San Jose Sharks
2015-16 Head-to-Head Series: Sharks lead 3-2 SU, 3-0-2 O/U
Road Team is 7-4 SU Last 11 Meetings
Over is 4-2-1 Last 7 Meetings
Kings: 3rd-Fewest Goals Allowed in NHL (192)
Sharks: Blew 3-0 Lead to Kings in 2014 first round

Two hated Pacific Division rivals clash in this opening round series between the Los Angeles Kings and the San Jose Sharks.

These two squads faced off just 2 postseasons ago, with the Sharks suffering a historic collapse after taking a 3-0 series lead, allowing the Kings to come back and win 4 straight en route to their 2nd Stanley Cup in 3 years. That series loss was the catalyst for San Jose to fire coach Todd McLellan and a shake up of leadership and infusion of youth within the Sharks locker room.

Now this team is hungry again and ready to make another run into the playoffs after a one-year rebuild. The Kings also look primed and ready to make a deep postseason push after missing out on the playoffs last year, becoming the first team since the 2007-08 Carolina Hurricanes to miss the postseason a year after winning the Stanley Cup.

Both of these teams are built in similar fashion, with big, strong forwards up front who have the skills to score but also the toughness to bang bodies along the boards. They each have very dangerous Power-Play attacks and neither club takes a ton of dumb penalties. However, given the nature and history of this rivalry, we will definitely see our fair share of hits, collisions, extra-curriculars after the whistles, and maybe even a fight or two break out. The one glaring edge in this match-up is goaltending.

Jonathan Quick is one of the best goalies in the world when he's hot and with his deep playoff experience, he is always a guy the Kings can rely on to steal a game within a series. He'll either face off against his old back-up in Martin Jones, who has done a stellar job this season for SJ, but doesn't have any postseason experience, or James Reimer, who was acquired from Toronto near the Trade Deadline. The 28-year old backstop has played in one postseason series a few years ago, and has looked good since joining the club with a 6-2 record.

I expect this to be one of the roughest and toughest series of all of the first round match-ups, and with the past events looming in the heads of those veteran Sharks players like Joe Thornton & Patrick Marleau, I expect the San Jose club to see "Red" whenever the Silver & Black hit the ice, and I look for them to get past LA in this opening round.

Prediction: Sharks in 7

Los Angeles Kings
(Record:48-28-6; 102 Points)
O/U Record: (24-27-23 at 5 / 4-5 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#8: 20%)
Penalty Kill: (#15: 81.4%)
# of OT/SO Games: 18

Last Playoff Appearance: 2014
(Beat San Jose in 7, Beat Anaheim in 7, Beat Chicago in 7, Beat NY Rangers in 5)
16-7 SU, 14-8-4 O/U and 15-11 ATS in 2014 Playoffs

Current Form:
On a 4-7 SU Run Last 11 Games Overall
1-5 SU Last 6 Road Games
Allowed 3+ Goals in 8 of Last 11 Games

Leading Scorers:
Anze Kopitar (25g, 73pts), Jeff Carter (24g, 61pts)
Tyler Toffoli (30g, 57pts), Milan Lucic (20g, 54pts)

#1 Goalie: Jonathan Quick (40-23-5, 2.22 G.A.A; .919 Sv% w/ 5 SO in 68 GS)
(Career Playoff Record: 45-31, 2.22 G.A.A; .923 Sv% with 9 Shutouts)

San Jose Sharks
(Record: 46-30-6; 98 Points)
O/U Record: (19-18-8 at 5 / 23-14 at 5.5)
Power Play: (#3: 22.5%)
Penalty Kill: (#21: 80.5%)
# of OT/SO Games: 15

Last Playoff Appearance: 2014 (Lost to Los Angeles in 7)
(3-4 SU, 5-1-1 O/U & 3-4 ATS in that series)
58-56 SU in Playoffs from 2004-2014 (10 Appearances)

(Note: 2013 Sharks became the 4th team in Stanley Cup Playoff History to blow a 3-0 Series lead with 1942 Red Wings, 1975 Penguins, 2010 Bruins)

Current Form: On a 5-2 SU Run Last 7 Games overall
10-3 SU Last 13 Road Games
Power-Play has scored at least 1 Goal in 12 of Last 15 Games

Leading Scorers:
Joe Thornton (19g, 82pts), Joe Pavelski (38g, 78pts)
Brent Burns (27g, 75pts), Patrick Marleau (25g, 48pts)

Goalies:
Martin Jones (37-23-4, 2.27 G.A.A; .918 Sv% w/6 SO in 65 GS)
(Only NHL Playoff experience: 56 Minutes of Relief in 2 GP)

James Reimer (6-2, 1.62 G.A.A; .938 Sv% with 3 Shutouts in 8 GS for SJ)
(Career Playoff Record: 3-4, 2.88 G.A.A; .923 Sv%)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Playoff Zig-Zag Theory
By Marc Lawrence

In NBA handicapping circles, Zig Zags are trendy applications that have been profitable moneymakers during the playoffs.

The premise is simple: "Play On" a team off a playoff loss in its very next game.

The theory is that in a short series involving imminent elimination, a team in more inclined to bounce back with a good effort off a losing performance than it is to continue its losing ways.

How have these plays held up of late? You might be surprised.

Here are point-spread results of NBA Playoff Zig Zags from 1991 through 2015.

Game On, Dude

Overall: 819-726-38(53.0%)
Game Two: 204-159-13 (56.2%)
Game Three: 201-168-8(54.5%)
Game Four: 167-170-8 (49.6%)
Game Five: 135-124-7(52.1%)
Game Six: 79-70-2 (51.6%)
Game Seven: 30-27-2 (52.5%)

The strength of NBA Zig Zags appears to be in Game Two where they become a better than 56% point-spread play on the blind.

Burn Baby Burn

Like all things that are popular, though, they eventually burn out and revert back to the norm.

A combination of the ‘law of averages’ and an adjustment by the oddsmakers has seen the NBA Zig Zags go up in smoke since 2001.

That’s confirmed by the fact that these plays slipped dramatically the last 15 years (2001-2015), going 508-477-28 – or 51.6% - overall as opposed to a 311-249-10 mark – or 55.5% - in games played from 1991-2000.

That’s a decline of nearly 4 full percentage points. Or in bottom line terms, they have been money burners on the blind the last 15 seasons. Talk about a buzz kill.

Round ‘Em Up

Here is a breakdown of how the Zig Zags have fared during each round of the NBA Playoffs since 1991:

Round One: 393-346-22 (53.2%)
Round Two: 204-159-13 (56.2%)
Round Three: 120-111-6 (51.9%)
Round Four: 60-53-3 (53.1%)

While it appears Round Two holds a discernable edge, it should be noted that home teams off a double-digit loss in Round Two have yielded the largest profits, as they are 83-54-3 (60.6%).

Planting The Seeds

Here is a breakdown of how the Zig Zags have fared by seed during NBA Playoffs:

No. 1 Seeds: 117-106-5 (52.5%)
No. 2 Seeds: 113-92-4 (55.1%)
No. 3 Seeds: 97-85-9 (53.3%)
No. 4 Seeds: 80-76-1(51.3%)
No. 5 Seeds: 75-71-3(51.4%)
No. 6 Seeds: 81-76-2-2(51.6%)
No. 7 Seeds: 44-65-4(40.4%)
No. 8 Seeds: 66-46-5 (59.0%)

Note these results are since the 1996 season, when we first began charting seeds.

Note the disparate results that abound between No. 7 and No. 8 seeds.

Rocky Mountain High

So when is it we can still expect to catch the best possible result when firing up with these with NBA Zig Zags these days, you ask?

Simple. Look to support double-digit underdogs when they are off a SU and ATS loss. They’ve stood the test of time, going 35-19-2 ATS since 1991. That’s a pretty high 64.8% winning percentage when you think about it.

So instead of zigging when you should be zagging, check out the optimum roles outlined above... and enjoy the games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

1st Round Cheat Sheet

SU - Straight Up, ATS - Against the Spread

No. 1 Cleveland (57-25 SU, 37-43-2 ATS vs. No. 8 Detroit (44-38 SU, 42-37-3 ATS)

2015-16 Regular Season (Pistons 3-1)
Nov. 17 Cavaliers at Pistons (+4.5) 104-99 Over (195.5)
Jan. 29 Cavaliers (-4) at Pistons 114-106 Over (207.5)
Feb. 22 Cavaliers vs. Pistons (+9) 96-88 Under (207.5)
Apr. 13 Cavaliers vs. Pistons (+4) 112-110 Over (194)

Home Records (SU/ATS)
Cleveland: 33-8-0, 20-21
Detroit: 26-15, 24-15-2

Away Records (SU/ATS)
Cleveland: 24-17, 17-22-2
Detroit: 18-23, 18-22

Current Form (Record Since All-Star Break)
Cleveland: 19-11 SU, 14-16 ATS, 15-14 O/U
Detroit: 17-11 SU, 15-12-1 ATS, 13-14-1 O/U

No. 2 Toronto (56-26 SU, 44-37-1 ATS) vs. No. 7 Indiana (45-37 SU, 42-40 ATS)

2015-16 Regular Season Raptors (3-1)
Oct. 28 Raptors (-5.5) vs. Pacers 106-99 Over (199.5)
Dec. 14 Raptors at Pacers (-4.5) 106-90 Under (200)
Mar. 17 Raptors (+2) at Pacers 101-94 Under (203.5)
Apr. 8 Raptors (-5) vs. Pacers 111-98 Over (193.5)

Home Records (SU/ATS)
Toronto: 32-9, 23-18
Indiana: 26-15, 21-20

Away Records (SU/ATS)
Toronto: 24-17, 21-19-1
Indiana: 19-22, 21-20

Current Form (Record Since All-Star Break)
Toronto: 21-9 SU, 16-14 ATS, 16-14 O/U
Indiana: 17-12 SU, 15-14 ATS, 11-18 O/U

No. 3 Miami (48-34 SU, 43-38-1 ATS) vs. No. 6 Charlotte (48-34 SU, 42-38-2 ATS)

2015-16 Regular Season (2-2)
Oct. 28 Heat (-6.5) vs. Hornets 104-94 Over (194)
Dec. 9 Heat at Hornets (+1) 99-81 Under (192)
Feb. 5 Heat (+4) at Hornets 98-95 Under (194.5)
Mar. 17 Heat vs. Hornets (+4.5) 109-106 Over (208)

Home Records (SU/ATS)
Miami: 28-13, 20-20-1
Charlotte: 30-11, 21-18-2

Away Records (SU/ATS)
Miami: 20-21, 20-21
Charlotte: 18-23, 21-20

Current Form (Record Since All-Star Break)
Miami: 19-10 SU, 17-12 ATS, 16-13 O/U
Charlotte: 21-8 SU, 16-13 ATS, 16-13 O/U

No. 4 Atlanta (48-34 SU, 41-39-2 ATS) vs. No. 5 Boston (48-34 SU, 41-39-2 ATS)

2015-16 Regular Season Hawks (3-1)
Nov. 13 Hawks at Celtics (+1.5) 106-93 Under (206.5)
Nov. 24 Hawks (-2.5) vs. Celtics 121-97 Over (204.5)
Dec. 18 Hawks (+3.5) at Celtics Won 109-101 Over (206.5)
Apr. 9 Hawks (-5) vs. Celtics Won 118-107 Over (207.5)

Home Records (SU/ATS)
Atlanta: 27-14, 21-19-1
Boston: 28-13, 22-17-2

Away Records (SU/ATS)
Atlanta: 21-20, 20-20-1
Boston: 20-21, 19-22

Current Form (Record Since All-Star Break)
Boston: 16-11 SU, 11-16 ATS, 12-15 O/U
Atlanta: 17-10 SU, 15-12 ATS, 11-15-1 O/U

No. 1 Golden State (73-9 SU, 43-36-3 ATS) vs. No. 8 Houston (41-41 SU, 37-45 ATS)

2015-16 Regular Season (Warriors 3-0)
Oct. 30 Warriors (-1) at Rockets 112-92 Under (216.5)
Dec. 31 Warriors (-3.5) at Rockets 114-110 Over (211)
Feb. 9 Warriors (-14) vs. Rockets 123-110 Over (229.5)

Home Records (SU/ATS)
Golden State: 39-2, 20-19-2
Houston: 23-18, 17-24

Away Records (SU/ATS)
Golden State: 34-7, 23-17-1
Houston: 18-23, 20-21

Current Form (Record Since All-Star Break)
Golden State: 25-5 SU, 14-15-1 ATS, 15-14-1 O/U
Houston: 14-13 SU, 14-13 ATS, 15-12 O/U

No. 2 San Antonio (67-15 SU, 43-38-1 ATS) vs. No. 7 Memphis (42-40 SU, 41-39-2 ATS)

2015-16 Regular Season (Spurs 4-0)
Nov. 21 Spurs (-8) vs. Grizzlies 92-82 Under (190)
Dec. 3 Spurs (-3) at Grizzlies 103-83 Over (183)
Mar. 25 Spurs (-13) vs. Grizzlies 110-104 Over (190.5)
Mar. 28 Spurs (-5.5) at Grizzlies 101-87 Under (193)

Home Records (SU/ATS)
San Antonio: 40-1, 22-18-1
Memphis: 26-15, 22-18-1

Away Records (SU/ATS)
San Antonio: 27-14, 21-20
Memphis: 16-25, 19-21-1

Current Form (Record Since All-Star Break)
San Antonio: 22-7 SU, 10-19 ATS, 10-19 O/U
Memphis: 11-18 SU, 16-13 ATS, 16-13 O/U

No. 3 Oklahoma City (55-27 SU, 37-43-2 ATS) vs. No. 6 Dallas (42-40 SU, 44-37-1 ATS)

2015-16 Regular Season (Thunder 4-0)
Nov. 22 Thunder (-3.5) vs. Mavericks 117-114 Over (208.5)
Jan. 13 Thunder (-12.5) vs. Mavericks 108-89 Under (207)
Jan. 22 Thunder (-6.5) at Mavericks 109-106 Over (208)
Feb. 24 Thunder (-5.5) at Mavericks Won 116-103 Over (215)

Home Records (SU/ATS)
Oklahoma City: 32-9, 21-20
Dallas: 23-18, 22-18-1

Away Records (SU/ATS)
Oklahoma City: 23-18, 16-23-2
Dallas: 19-22, 22-19

Current Form (Record Since All-Star Break)
Oklahoma City: 15-14 SU, 15-12-2 ATS, 15-14 O/U
Dallas: 13-14 SU, 14-12-1 ATS, 14-13 O/U

No. 4 L.A. Clippers (53-29 SU, 40-38-4 ATS) vs. No. 5 Portland (44-38 SU, 44-38 ATS)

2015-16 Regular Season (Clippers 3-1)
Nov. 20 Clippers at Trail Blazers (-4.5) 91-102 Under (210)
Nov. 30 Clippers (-7) vs. Trail Blazers 102-87 Under (206)
Jan. 6 Clippers (-3.5) at Trail Blazers 109-98 Over (205.5)
Mar. 24 Clippers (-5.5) vs. Trail Blazers 96-94 Under (216)

Home Records (SU/ATS)
L.A. Clippers: 29-12, 20-20-1
Portland: 28-13, 21-20

Away Records (SU/ATS)
L.A. Clippers: 24-17, 20-18-3
Portland: 16-25, 23-18

Current Form (Record Since All-Star Break)
L.A. Clippers: 18-12 SU, 14-15 ATS, 10-19 O/U
Portland: 17-11 SU, 14-14 ATS, 15-13 O/U

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

1st Round Series Odds

Home Team listed first - Best of 7 Games (2-2-1-1-1)
(Opening Odds in parentheses)

Eastern Conference - First Round

Cleveland vs. Detroit
Cavaliers (-1600)
Pistons (+1000)

Toronto vs. Indiana
Raptors (-300)
Pacers (+250)

Miami vs. Charlotte
Heat (-175)
Hornets (+140)

Atlanta vs. Boston
Hawks (-150)
Celtics (+155)

Western Conference - First Round

Golden State vs. Houston
Warriors (-8500)
Rockets (+2100)

San Antonio vs. Memphis
Spurs (-10000)
Grizzlies (+2500)

Oklahoma City vs. Dallas
Thunder (-3000)
Mavericks (+1400)

L.A. Clippers vs. Portland
Clippers (-300)
Trail Blazers (+25)


Exact Game Props

Pistons vs. Cavaliers
5 Games Cavaliers Win 6/5
4 Games Cavaliers Win 3/1
6 Games Cavaliers Win 3/1
7 Games Cavaliers Win 4/1
6 Games Pistons Win 15/1
7 Games Pistons Win 20/1
5 Games Pistons Win 50/1
4 Games Pistons Win 100/1

Pacers vs. Raptors
5 Games Raptors Win 8/5
7 Games Raptors Win 3/1
6 Games Raptors Win 4/1
4 Games Raptors Win 6/1
6 Games Pacers Win 6/1
7 Games Pacers Win 10/1
5 Games Pacers Win 15/1
4 Games Pacers Win 30/1

Hornets vs. Heat
7 Games Heat Win 5/2
5 Games Heat Win 7/2
6 Games Hornets Win 7/2
6 Games Heat Win 4/1
7 Games Hornets Win 5/1
4 Games Heat Win 10/1
5 Games Hornets Win 10/1
4 Games Hornets Win 18/1

Celtics vs. Hawks
7 Games Hawks Win 3/1
5 Games Hawks Win 7/2
6 Games Celtics Win 4/1
6 Games Hawks Win 4/1
7 Games Celtics Win 5/1
4 Games Hawks Win 10/1
5 Games Celtics Win 10/1
4 Games Celtics Win 18/1

Rockets vs. Warriors
4 Games Warriors Win 2/7
5 Games Warriors Win 7/5
6 Games Warriors Win 10/1
7 Games Warriors Win 25/1
7 Games Rockets Win 100/1
6 Games Rockets Win 150/1
5 Games Rockets Win 500/1
4 Games Rockets Win 1500/1

Grizzlies vs. Spurs
4 Games Spurs Win 1/4
5 Games Spurs Win 8/5
6 Games Spurs Win 8/1
7 Games Spurs Win 25/1
7 Games Grizzlies Win 150/1
6 Games Grizzlies Win 200/1
5 Games Grizzlies Win 500/1
4 Games Grizzlies Win 2000/1

Mavericks vs. Thunder
5 Games Thunder Win 6/5
4 Games Thunder Win 8/5
6 Games Thunder Win 4/1
7 Games Thunder Win 6/1
6 Games Mavericks Win 25/1
7 Games Mavericks Win 40/1
5 Games Mavericks Win 100/1
4 Games Mavericks Win 250/1

Blazers vs. Clippers
5 Games Clippers Win 8/5
7 Games Clippers Win 14/5
6 Games Clippers Win 4/1
4 Games Clippers Win 6/1
6 Games Blazers Win 7/1
7 Games Blazers Win 8/1
5 Games Blazers Win 20/1
4 Games Blazers Win 40/1

Odds Subject to Change

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

1st Round Betting Angles
By Marc Lawrence

Opening Round Betting Strategies

With help from our trusted well-oiled database, let’s examine four time-tested proven theories that have lined our pocket during the opening round of playoffs since 1991.

Here’s what the machine has to say.

No. 8 Seeds Are Behind The 8-Ball

For the most part, No. 8 seeds in the NBA playoffs are teams that likely scratched and clawed their way into the post-season. Not good enough to be seriously considered threats against top-seeded opponents but just barely better than the dregs of the league.

Rest assured, their life expectancy is not long at all, as they’ve lost over 70% of time (54-133 straight up) in games against No. 1 seeds since 1996. In fact, only the 1996 New York Knicks, the 2007 Golden State Warriors and the 2012 Philadelphia 76ers were good enough to pull the rug on top seeded foes and advance to the second round of the playoffs.

And you can virtually write them off in games against No. 1 seeds that are off back-to-back SU and ATS wins. These guys scratch like an roaming 8-ball in the side pocket, going 4-25 SU and 9-20 against the spread, including 0-16 SU and 2-14 ATS whenever the 8-ballers are off a spread loss of 4 or more points in their last game.

Upset Losers Are Winners

No, it’s not an oxymoron. Instead, it’s a powerful handicapping edge. It occurs whenever a team was upset as a favorite in an opening round game and is at home in the game immediately thereafter.

That’s confirmed by the fact that they are 90-24 SU and 68-42-4, a rock solid number. And if they are squaring off against a No. 6 or lower seed they improve to 48-6 SU and 38-16-2 ATS – including 15-2-2 ATS when favored by less than 8 points..

Don’t be afraid of these chalkbusters. That’s because they don’t lose their composure. Instead they almost always dig down deep and respond with aplomb in games after being embarrassed.

Double-Digit Dogma

Surprisingly, in the right role, double-digit underdogs do well in opening round contests, especially when playing off a playoff loss. These overweight puppies are 32-17-2 ATS in this role.

And if these same guys are involved in a game with the Over/Under total set at 193 or higher they zoom to 26-7 ATS, including 19-3 ATS when facing a non-division foe.

Granted, these dogs are not exactly pedigree puppies but the fact of the matter is they tend to come up big against disinterested favorites not capable of chopping heavy lumber.

And Down Goes Frazier

The psyche of teams that are not playing well comes immediately to the surface during the opening round of the NBA playoffs. That’s evidenced by the fact that teams riding a three game-exact loss skein are wobbly and oftentimes one punch away from being counted out.

With glass-like jaws, these swirling teams are just 46-63 SU and 44-61-4 ATS away from home this round, including 7-11 SU and 6-12 ATS in lid-lifters.

Worst of all, road dogs of more than six points on a three game exact losing skid are 3-27 SU and 8-22 ATS on their way to the canvas.

Trending

Defending champions (the Golden State Warriors in this case) are 74-33 SU and 59-44-4 ATS in opening round games the next season, including 16-8 SU and 15-8-1 ATS in Game One of Round One. They are, however, just 5-9 ATS as double-digit chalk in this round.

Enjoy the opening round of the 2016 NBA playoffs.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Playoff Opening Round Betting Strategies
By MARC LAWRENCE

With help from our trusted well-oiled database, let’s examine four proven theories that have lined our pockets during the opening round of the NBA playoffs since 1991. Here’s what the machine has to say.

No. 8 Seeds Are Behind The 8-Ball

For the most part, No. 8 seeds in the NBA playoffs are teams that likely scratched and clawed their way into the post-season. Not good enough to be seriously considered threats against top-seeded opponents but just barely better than the dregs of the league.

Rest assured, their life expectancy is not long at all, as they’ve lost over 70% of time (54-133 SU) in games against No. 1 seeds since 1996. In fact, only the 1996 New York Knicks, the 2007 Golden State Warriors and the 2012 Philadelphia 76ers were good enough to pull the rug on top seeded foes and advance to Round Two of the playoffs.

And you can virtually write them off in games against No. 1 seeds that are off back-to-back SU and ATS wins. These guys scratch like an roaming 8-ball in the side pocket, going 4-25 SU and 9-20 ATS, including 0-16 SU and 2-14 ATS whenever the 8-ballers are off a spread loss of four or more points in their last game.


Upset Losers Are Winners

No, it’s not an oxymoron. Instead, it’s a powerful handicapping edge. It occurs whenever a team was upset as a favorite in an opening round game and is at home in the game immediately thereafter.

That’s confirmed by the fact that they are 90-24 SU and 68-42-4, a rock solid number. And if they are squaring off against a No. 6 or lower seed they improve to 48-6 SU and 38-16-2 ATS – including 15-2-2 ATS when favored by less than eight points.

Don’t be afraid of these chalkbusters. They don’t lose their composure, instead they almost always dig down deep and respond with aplomb in games after being embarrassed.


Double-Digit Dogma

Surprisingly, in the right role, double-digit underdogs do well in opening round contests, especially when playing off a playoff loss. These overweight puppies are 32-17-2 ATS in this role.

If these same teams are involved in a game with the Over/Under total set at 193 or higher they zoom to 26-7 ATS, including 19-3 ATS when facing a non-division foe.

Granted, these dogs are not exactly pedigree puppies, but the fact of the matter is they tend to come up big against disinterested favorites not capable of chopping heavy lumber.


And Down Goes Frazier

The psyche of teams that are not playing well comes immediately to the surface during the opening round of the NBA playoffs. That’s evidenced by the fact that teams riding a three game-exact loss skein are wobbly and oftentimes one punch away from being counted out.

With glass-like jaws, these swirling teams are just 46-63 SU and 44-61-4 ATS away from home this round, including 7-11 SU and 6-12 ATS in lid-lifters.

Worst of all, road dogs of more than six points on a three game exact losing skid are 3-27 SU and 8-22 ATS on their way to the canvas.


Trending

Defending champions (the Golden State Warriors in this case) are 74-33 SU and 59-44-4 ATS in opening round games the next season, including 16-8 SU and 15-8-1 ATS in Game One of Round One. They are, however, just 5-9 ATS as double-digit chalk in this round.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Monday's NBA playoffs betting preview and odds

The Golden State Warriors aren't sure if they'll be with or without reining MVP Stephen Curry against the Houston Rockets. There is certainly plenty of intrigue heading into Monday's trio of Game 2 matchups.

Indiana Pacers at Toronto Raptors (-7, 193.5)

Pacers lead series 1-0

All-Star forward Paul George and the Indiana Pacers delivered the opening salvo and look to make it two consecutive road victories when they face the Toronto Raptors on Monday. George poured in 33 points in Saturday's 100-90 victory and Indiana attempts to continue the playoff woes of the Raptors.

Second-seeded Toronto hasn't won a playoff series since 2001 and has dropped its last seven postseason games, which includes last season's four losses to the Washington Wizards. "As a team, as a whole, I thought we were tight," Raptors coach Dwane Casey told reporters. "I know our team did not play to our identity, but I know we'll come back Monday night and play to our identity." The seventh-seeded Pacers plan to ride the coattails of George in this series and he is intent on making a mark in his first postseason appearances since badly breaking his right leg in the summer of 2014. "Paul's shot-making at the end of the game was spectacular," Indiana coach Frank Vogel told reporters in reference to George's 27 second-half points. "It's been a long road for him in terms of actually getting back to the court but before his injury, we were in the conference finals."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBATV, FSN Indiana, Sportsnet (Toronto)

LINE HISTORY: The Raptors opened as seven-point favorites at home and the spread has yet to move off the opening number. The total opened at 193 and was adjusted slightly to 193.5. View complete line history here.

ABOUT THE PACERS (46-37, 42-40-1 ATS, 37-46 O/U): George said after the Game 1 victory that he is still working on getting to be as strong physically as he was prior to the devastating injury that required an arduous recovery. "Some days I felt great, felt like I could have started that night," George told reporters. "Some days I wanted to throw it all in, let Mother Nature heal it without doing any work. It was a little bit of both." George (4-of-5) and shooting guard Monta Ellis (3-of-4) were strong from 3-point range in the opener and Indiana was 11-of-21 overall.

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (56-27, 45-38 ATS, 42-40-1 O/U): Game 1 was filled with offensive inefficiency as Toronto shot 38 percent from the field and committed 20 turnovers that led to 25 Indiana points. "We just missed some shots and turned the ball over," All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry told reporters. "Now there's a series of adjustments we have to do in one day. It's one game. This is not last year. We're very positive, we're very confident." Lowry was just 3-of-13 shooting, All-Star shooting guard DeMar DeRozan was only 5-of-19 and center Jonas Valanciunas - who set a franchise playoff record with 19 rebounds - was just 4-of-14.

TRENDS:

* Pacers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 vs. Eastern Conference.
* Raptors are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a straight up loss.
* Under is 6-1 in Pacers last 7 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Over is 6-1 in Raptors last 7 games following a double-digit loss at home.
* Pacers are 2-10 ATS in the last 12 meetings.


Dallas Mavericks at Oklahoma City Thunder (-13.5, 200)

Thunder lead series 1-0

The Oklahoma City Thunder put together an immaculate performance in the series opener and look to outclass Dallas again when they host the visiting Mavericks on Monday. The Thunder rolled to a 108-70 annihilation of Dallas on Saturday in what was the franchise's largest margin of victory in a playoff game since relocating from Seattle to Oklahoma City prior to the 2008-09 campaign.

The third-seeded Thunder missed the playoffs last season and came out with a vengeance against the Mavericks as if they had a point to make. "We just wanted to come out and impose our will early," All-Star forward Kevin Durant told reporters. "We didn't want to ease into the game. We wanted to be the aggressor. We came out and did a good job." Sixth-seeded Dallas set dubious franchise playoff records for fewest points scored and worst field-goal percentage (29.8 percent) in a truly woeful showing. "I guess the only positive I take out if this - it's only one game," power forward Dirk Nowitzki told reporters. "If you lose by two or by 50, in the playoffs, it's only one game. We've got another crack to steal one on Monday night. We've got to play harder, we've got to play better. It's as simple as that."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT, FSN Oklahoma

LINE HISTORY: Oklahoma City opened as 13-point favorites but that line was quickly bet up to -13.5. The total opened at 202 and the public jumped all over the under, forcing the books to drop the number a full two points to 200. View complete line history here.

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (42-41, 45-37-1 ATS, 39-43-1 O/U): Point guard J.J. Barea has been one of the team's better players this month but his availability is in jeopardy after he aggravated a groin injury during the second half of Game 1. "I'm very, very concerned," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle told reporters. "I think something happened. I don't think it's just tight." Nowitzki scored 18 points on Saturday and the rest of the starting lineup combined for just 12 points on 5-of-25 shooting as guards Deron Williams (1-of-9), Wesley Matthews (3-of-10) and Barea (1-of-6) were unable to get untracked.

ABOUT THE THUNDER (56-27, 38-44-1 ATS, 39-44 O/U): Point guard Russell Westbrook (24 points and 11 assists in 29 minutes) and Durant (23 points in 26 minutes) were productive as usual but Oklahoma City also received a strong performance from power forward Serge Ibaka, who had 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting to go with nine rebounds and three blocked shots. Ibaka has struggled recently and went 1-of-12 from the field in his final regular-season appearance but was a much different player in the assault of the Mavericks. "When he's knocking (down shots), it opens it up for us on the offensive end," Durant told reporters. "Then guarding Dirk is tough. He made it tough on him all night. He was helping off, protecting the rim, spreading the floor. He was good, but we need him to be better next game."

TRENDS:

* Mavericks are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Thunder are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Under is 6-1 in Mavericks last 7 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
* Under is 5-1 in Thunder last 6 vs. NBA Southwest.
* Under is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings in Oklahoma City.


Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors (-13, 218)

Warriors lead series 1-0

The Golden State Warriors looked every bit like the best team in the NBA in Game 1 of their first-round series but did not come out of the 26-point victory with all positives. The Warriors hope to have star guard Stephen Curry (ankle) available when they host the eighth-seeded Houston Rockets in Game 2 on Monday.

Curry scored 24 points in 19 minutes in Game 1 but rolled his right ankle and barely played in the second half as the Warriors cruised to a 104-78 win. Coach Steve Kerr called him “questionable” for Game 2, but Curry disagreed. "Right now, don't see a scenario where I'll be out," Curry told reporters. "Obviously, if it's not right and I'm at risk of further injury or whatnot, that's the only thing that we'll have to worry about. Pain tolerance and all that stuff, I kind of know what I can deal with on the court. But you don't want anything more serious to happen, favoring an ankle or whatnot. So that's what we'll kind of pay attention to the next two days.” The Rockets will spend their off day trying to figure out how to coax more offense out of a team that shot 35.7 percent from the field, including 6-of-22 from 3-point range, in the opener.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT, ROOT (Houston), CSN Bay Area (Golden State)

LINE HISTORY: The Warriors opened as 12.5-point favorites for Game 2 and that line was adjusted up slightly to -13. The total opened at 220 but the betting public decided that number was too high and the books adjusted the number to 218. View complete line history here.

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (41-42, 37-46 ATS, 47-36 O/U): Houston went with a smaller lineup to try to counter Golden State, inserting Corey Brewer into the starting lineup in place of power forward Donatas Motiejunas to give the defense more athleticism. "Defensively, we thought it gave us more versatility to switch things," Rockets interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters. "Games we've watched, the way we've studied it, the teams that have had success versus them defensively weren't chasing them all over the floor. They just check in front of them. So we went that way." The defensive changes backfired and the offense stalled as star James Harden went 7-of-19 from the floor and did not attempt a free throw for the first time in 148 games.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (74-9, 46-35-2 ATS, 45-37-1 O/U): Golden State was plus-28 with Curry on the floor in Game 1 and doesn’t want to play without its star, but is prepared if necessary. “If you lose the MVP, it’s going to change your team,” Warriors forward Draymond Green told reporters. “I think he’ll be fine at some point. One man is not going to come out and be Steph Curry. We have to do it collectively. But we have the blueprint (for winning without Curry). We know we can do it, if we have to.” Fellow All-Star guard Klay Thompson struggled from the field (4-of-14) but Green collected 12 points and 10 rebounds and Golden State scored 33 points off Houston’s 24 turnovers in Game 1.

TRENDS:

* Rockets are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Warriors are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. NBA Southwest.
* Under is 6-0 in Rockets last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Golden State.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pacers (45-37) at Raptors (56-26)

Date: April 18, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

After Paul George provided the latest postseason pain, the Toronto Raptors are searching for answers as they look to stop their recent cycle of playoff failures.

Dwane Casey believes his outstanding backcourt will regroup Monday night when the Raptors try to avoid an eighth consecutive postseason defeat and even their first-round series with the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 at Air Canada Centre.

George regrouped from a 2-for-9 shooting performance in the first half Saturday by hitting 10 of 13 attempts in the final two quarters on the way to 33 points as Indiana stole homecourt advantage with a 100-90 win. He hit four 3-pointers to go with six assists, four steals and two blocks in an effort coach Frank Vogel called "awesome."

It was a triumphant return to the playoffs for George, who missed all but six games last season after breaking his right leg while playing with Team USA.

"Paul's shot-making at the end of the game was spectacular," Vogel told the team's official website. "It's been a long road for him, in terms of actually getting back on the court, but before his injury, we were in the conference finals."

Several Raptors had no luck containing George. He hit all four shots, including two 3-pointers, when guarded closely by top defender DeMarre Carroll and was 3 for 6 with seven points when DeMar DeRozan was on him. Carroll, however, was limited to 19 minutes off the bench and playing only his fourth game since having right knee surgery Jan. 6.

George also shined defensively, limiting leading scorer DeRozan to 1-of-7 shooting on 36 touches when the All-Star was directly guarding him. The Pacers improved to 26-1 this season when holding opponents to 94 points or fewer.

DeRozan, who averaged 23.5 points during the regular season, finished with 14 on 5-of-19 shooting. Fellow All-Star guard Kyle Lowry, who scored 21.2 per game, was 3 of 13 for 11 points and committed six of the team's 20 turnovers.

"I don't think they're going to shoot like that again," said Casey, whose club hit just 38 percent and missed 15 of 19 from long range. "As a team, I thought we were tight offensively and that frustration carried over to the defensive end. It wasn't us. I hadn't seen us play that tentative on the offensive end all year. That'll change."

The Raptors don't have recent history on their side. After winning the Atlantic Division in 2013-14, they dropped the last two of a seven-game first-round series against Brooklyn before Washington swept them in an opening series last season.

Toronto is coming off a club-record 56 wins and third consecutive Atlantic crown but is still trying to end the longest playoff skid in team history. Its only postseason triumph came in a five-game series win over New York in 2001.

"This is not last year," Lowry insisted. "We're very positive, we're very confident."

Cory Joseph was a bright spot off the bench, finishing with 18 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Jonas Valanciunas fouled out with a team playoff-record 19 rebounds and the Raptors ended up with a 52-38 advantage on the glass.

The Pacers still have room to improve defensively in Game 2 after allowing a Toronto team that shot a franchise-record 1,702 free throws during the regular season to get to the line 38 times. They were bailed out when the Raptors only made 26.

Indiana will also look to continue its solid 3-point shooting after it had gone just 16 for 55 (29.1 percent) in the last two regular-season matchups. Monta Ellis made three of his four attempts in the opener to help the Pacers go 11 for 21.

"We're hoping that we've settled on something that can be successful for us in the playoffs," Vogel said. "We're off to a good start but obviously a lot of work to do still."

The Raptors weren't very good defending the perimeter during the regular season, ranking 29th in opponent 3-point percentage at 37.3.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mavericks (42-40) at Thunder (55-27)

Date: April 18, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Though so much went right for the Oklahoma City Thunder and wrong for the Dallas Mavericks in the opener, both clubs feel that won't mean much once Game 2 tips off.

There will be some negative carryover, however, for the Mavericks' already anemic offense now that J.J. Barea has been ruled out after aggravating his groin injury.

The host Thunder will try to come out with the same sense of urgency, particularly on the defensive end, Monday night as they try to take a 2-0 lead.

Oklahoma City got out to a fast start Saturday by scoring the first nine points and building a 59-33 halftime advantage en route to a 108-70 rout that marked their most lopsided postseason victory since moving from Seattle in 2008-09.

The Thunder's two All-Stars led the way before sitting out the entire fourth quarter. Russell Westbrook finished 24 points, 11 assists and five rebounds and Kevin Durant added 23 points, five assists and five boards.

The Mavericks haven't had much success defending Oklahoma City all season, allowing an average of 111.6 points on 48.4 percent shooting while dropping five meetings.

'We didn't want to ease into the game," said Durant, who finished third during the regular season with 28.2 points per game. "We wanted to be the aggressor.'

Serge Ibaka had 17 points, nine rebounds and three blocks and Enes Kanter contributed 16 points and 13 boards. Ibaka has been particularly tough on Dallas at home, averaging 17.6 points on 60.4 percent shooting with 11.5 rebounds in his last eight meetings.

Oklahoma City dominated the glass 56-33 while limiting Dallas to 29.8 percent shooting. It was not only the fewest points the franchise has ever allowed in a postseason contest, but also the fewest the Mavericks have ever scored in the playoffs.

"Our defense was good and they're a terrific shooting team," Thunder coach Billy Donovan told the team's official website. "It's a seven game series and this is one game."

Dirk Nowitzki finished with 18 points on 7-of-15 shooting, but no other Dallas player scored more than eight and the rest of team shot a combined 18 for 69 (26 percent).

'I guess the only positive I take out if this - it's only one game. If you lose by two or by 50, in the playoffs, it's only one game,' Nowitzki said. 'We've got another crack to steal one on Monday. We've got to play harder, we've got to play better.'

The Mavericks, however, won't have Barea after he sat out the second half with a groin strain. The guard had averaged 22.3 points while hitting 21 of 42 from 3-point range over a seven-game stretch before the injury limited his play over the past five games.

The backcourt could be further thinned with fellow starting guard Deron Williams doubtful with pain in his pelvis and groin. He finished with two points on 1-of-9 shooting in just under 22 minutes.

David Lee also could miss his second straight game with a plantar fascia injury, while third-leading scorer Chandler Parsons is already out following knee surgery.

It should be interesting to see who coach Rick Carlisle decides to go with at center. Rookie Salah Mejri got the nod in the opener, but finished with one point and four rebounds in 15 minutes. Zaza Pachulia scored five on 1-of-6 shooting with six boards off the bench.

"We were not the team that we've been the past two and half weeks," Carlisle told the team's official website. "And I take a great deal of responsibility for that, so I've got to do a better job getting them ready for Game 2."

The Thunder hope Nick Collison will play after sitting out the second half on Saturday because of a chest contusion. They're experienced enough to understand that one outstanding postseason performance doesn't necessarily carry over to the next game.

The Mavericks are counting on that.

'Each game is different, and we've got to be ready for a different team,' Durant said.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rockets (41-41) at Warriors (73-9)

Date: April 18, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - The Golden State Warriors are preparing to play without NBA MVP Stephen Curry for Game 2 of their playoff series Monday night against the Houston Rockets as he nurses an ankle injury.

Even if they know he will beg and plead to play through any pain. As long as he can't make it worse, Curry insists it will be hard to keep him off the court Monday night.

'Oh, yeah, for sure,' coach Steve Kerr said of Curry campaigning to play. 'When Steph's out, our guys understand that he's not there to count on, so they have to execute. If they don't, we're just not going to score enough points.'

Kerr called Curry's status questionable again Sunday, when the point guard didn't practice a day after hurting his right ankle late in the first half of a 104-78 win over the Rockets in the playoff opener.

'Steph is a warrior. If he can play, he's definitely going to be out there,' center Festus Ezeli said.

Curry was undergoing treatment on the ankle Sunday and unavailable for interviews.

'He's doing a little better than yesterday,' Kerr said. 'He'll get some rest, get off his feet and we'll do the same thing tomorrow at shootaround and see how he's feeling.'

If Curry can't play Monday, Shaun Livingston will start in his place. The Warriors won at Houston on Dec. 31 without their superstar.

'It kind of changes things. We don't seem to be as good of a coaching staff when Steph goes out - I don't know why,' Kerr joked after practice. 'We've got a lot of guys who can play. I think Steph missed three or four games this year. We did fine. Obviously we've got to find different ways to score. We'll prepare for that and see what happens.'

Golden State's backups have prided themselves all season in not losing a step when the second team comes into the game. In fact, contributions by the bench were a big reason the Warriors set the NBA record with 73 wins to top the 1995-96 Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls that Kerr played for.

'We're prepared. We're going to continue to play. We're ready to step in,' said power forward Marreese Speights, who scored 12 points in 15 minutes off the bench Saturday. 'We've got a lot of guys who can play and will impact the game. We know Steph, when his 30 points are taken off the board - or really 60 points with all the stuff he's doing on the court, playing defense, passing the ball, helping, controlling the offense - but we'll be all right.'

Curry landed awkwardly shortly before halftime Saturday.

'I just tried to change direction, missed the shot, and tried to get back on defense, and then slipped a little bit and felt it slip or tweak,' he said after the game.

Houston looks for a better start after it trailed 33-15 after one quarter of the opener and was down 27 after 24 minutes. The Rockets are trying to remain upbeat about their situation.

'It's only one game,' star guard James Harden said. 'No matter the deficit, you win by 30, you lose by 30, you win by one, it's only one game. Our focus is to come in here and win one game. And we'll have that opportunity Monday night.'

Harden probably needs to play better for the Rockets to have any chance. He scored just 17 points in the opener on 7-of-19 shooting, and one of the NBA's best at creating fouls didn't attempt a single free throw.

The deep and versatile Warriors have a number of options and a good scheme to defend the league's runner-up to Curry for the scoring title.

'For us, to keep him off the free throw line and get those nine extra points he usually gets, that's important for us,' Curry said. 'So my guess is it probably won't happen the rest of the series, but for the most part if we just continue to keep our fundamentals, show our hands, keep our body in front of him, maybe we can control that part of their offensive attack for the most part in the series."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Monday's games

Indiana-Toronto (Ind 1-0)
Toronto lost its last five first round series; last time they won a first round series was 2001- they got upset 100-90 here Saturday, turning ball over 19 times, going 4-19 on arc, so pressure on them to even series before it heads to Indy. Raptors won seven of last nine games with Indiana; Toronto has covered nine of last 11 series games- six of last nine went over total. Pacers won seven of last nine t overall, four of last five on the road. Raptors won seven of last ten games overall, covering five of last eight.

Dallas-Oklahoma City (OC 1-0)
OC was up 59-33 at half in Saturday's rout; Thunder won last five games with Dallas, but Mavericks are 6-5 vs spread in last 11 vs OKC. Seven of last ten series games went over. Dallas won seven of last ten games, covered four of last six as a dog- Eight of last ten Dallas games stayed under total. Mavericks shot 29.8% in big loss Saturday, 4-18 on arc. Thunder was 12-35 on arc. Every west Game 1 saw favorite win by 20+; dogs were 3-1 vs spread in east.

Houston-Golden State (G 1-0)
Curry's ankle is only question here; he played very little in 2nd half of huge rout Saturday; was it a precaution? Golden State won 10 of last 11 games (7-4 vs the spread) against Houston, covering last six played here. Rockets won three of last four games, are 3-2 vs spread in five tries as an underdog. Warriors won by 26 in first game Saturday, leading 60-33 at half, have to question whether the Rockets want to compete- they shot 36% from floor, 12-24 on line, 6-22 on arc.

Playoff tally: Favorites vs spread: 6-2, Over: 2-6