Let’s keep this simple. The Boston Bruins are in a fight to make the playoffs. Carolina are fighting for the McDavid/Eichel sweepstakes.
The number on this game has dropped about 15 cents due to the anticipation of Svedberg being between the pipes. Suddenly you have a team that could end up contending for the cup as a affordable favorite over a team that has scored 75 goals on the season. To put things into further persecutive the Hurricanes have scored 1 goal or less 14 times in their last 24 games. Even more amazing they have scored more than 2 goals just 4 times in those 24 games. This type of offensive futility is nearly historic. At least in recent memory. The 1997-98 Tampa Bay Lightning own the modern day record for lowest GPG average of 1.84, (152 goals in 82 games). The Canes are on pace for 162, (1.97 avg.) I don’t even think Nicklas Svedberg could fuck this up.
Boston Bruins -.5 +135
I read Sherwood’s site regularly like most of you. One thing he mentioned the other day that rings so true is the comparison of goaltenders in hockey to pitchers in baseball. How integral they are to the success of a team. I remember asking a Stardust sports book supervisor well over 20 years ago to be able to “list” starting goalies like we are able to with pitchers in baseball. In those days we had to sit and wait till the goalies were announced over the ticker. Usually this happened 5 or so minutes before puck drop. Very frustrating to have a bet down and find out the back up was getting the nod. Often we’d rush back to the window to lay off the action or even bet the other way. Of course with a 20 cent line this meant we often had the worst of it.
Things are so much easier today. Today we know, (or likely to know), Robin Lehner is between the pipes for Ottawa. More than likely Ben Bishop gets to play against his old team for the Lightning. Today we have John Lester vs. Homer Bailey.
There is no doubt in my mind Tampa Bay is the deepest, most talented team in the Eastern Conference. They come off a humiliating loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. They sat in a Ottawa hotel room thinking about that loss while the Senators played a tough matinee in Boston yesterday. For what ever reason the Pittsburgh Penguins are the Lightning, and Bishop’s, kryptonite. Bishop owns a 4.93 GAA. .896 save # for his 5 career starts against the Penguins. Whole different story against his old team. Since being traded two years ago he has a 5-0-2 2.34 GAA, .925 record against the Sens.
No doubt in my mind we have the better lineup and starting pitcher on the mound at a very respectable price.
Tampa Bay -.5 +109
The number on this game has dropped about 15 cents due to the anticipation of Svedberg being between the pipes. Suddenly you have a team that could end up contending for the cup as a affordable favorite over a team that has scored 75 goals on the season. To put things into further persecutive the Hurricanes have scored 1 goal or less 14 times in their last 24 games. Even more amazing they have scored more than 2 goals just 4 times in those 24 games. This type of offensive futility is nearly historic. At least in recent memory. The 1997-98 Tampa Bay Lightning own the modern day record for lowest GPG average of 1.84, (152 goals in 82 games). The Canes are on pace for 162, (1.97 avg.) I don’t even think Nicklas Svedberg could fuck this up.
Boston Bruins -.5 +135
I read Sherwood’s site regularly like most of you. One thing he mentioned the other day that rings so true is the comparison of goaltenders in hockey to pitchers in baseball. How integral they are to the success of a team. I remember asking a Stardust sports book supervisor well over 20 years ago to be able to “list” starting goalies like we are able to with pitchers in baseball. In those days we had to sit and wait till the goalies were announced over the ticker. Usually this happened 5 or so minutes before puck drop. Very frustrating to have a bet down and find out the back up was getting the nod. Often we’d rush back to the window to lay off the action or even bet the other way. Of course with a 20 cent line this meant we often had the worst of it.
Things are so much easier today. Today we know, (or likely to know), Robin Lehner is between the pipes for Ottawa. More than likely Ben Bishop gets to play against his old team for the Lightning. Today we have John Lester vs. Homer Bailey.
There is no doubt in my mind Tampa Bay is the deepest, most talented team in the Eastern Conference. They come off a humiliating loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. They sat in a Ottawa hotel room thinking about that loss while the Senators played a tough matinee in Boston yesterday. For what ever reason the Pittsburgh Penguins are the Lightning, and Bishop’s, kryptonite. Bishop owns a 4.93 GAA. .896 save # for his 5 career starts against the Penguins. Whole different story against his old team. Since being traded two years ago he has a 5-0-2 2.34 GAA, .925 record against the Sens.
No doubt in my mind we have the better lineup and starting pitcher on the mound at a very respectable price.
Tampa Bay -.5 +109
