Wednesday 4/13/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[superbeets]

English FA Cup TODAY 19:00

West Ham

v

Man Utd

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BBC1		17/10	12/5	7/4	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT WEST HAM	RECENT FORM
HWAWADADHDHD​ Most recent​	1 - 1 0 - 2 2 - 2 2 - 2	ALHDHDAWHWAL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: West Ham are unbeaten in 14 matches

EXPERT VERDICT: West Ham can reach the FA Cup semi-finals and a Wembley date with Everton by beating Manchester United in the last ever knockout tie at Upton Park. United’s 3-0 defeat at Spurs mean they have lost three of their last four away games, conceding six and scoring only one in their win against Man City.

RECOMMENDATION: West Ham
2


REFEREE: Roger East STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Champions League TODAY 19:45

Atl Madrid

v

Barcelona

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BTEU		21/10	12/5	11/8	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ATL MADRID	RECENT FORM
HWHD*ALHWALAW​ Most recent​	1 - 2 0 - 1 2 - 3 1 - 0	HWHWADHLHWAL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Barcelona have won only one of their last four outings

EXPERT VERDICT: Atletico Madrid’s first-leg away goal is a huge boost to their chances and they look a value selection to end Barcelona’s title defence. Barca haven’t been at their brilliant best of late and in the cauldron of the Vicente Calderon they may come unstuck against a typically tenacious Atleti side.

RECOMMENDATION: Atletico Madrid
1


REFEREE: Nicola Rizzoli STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Champions League TODAY 19:45

Benfica

v

B Munich

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		11/2	3	3/5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT BENFICA	RECENT FORM
AWHWAWHWALAW​ Most recent​	0 - 0 0 - 0	HWHD*AWHWHWAW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Bayern Munich have lost only one of their nine European games

EXPERT VERDICT: Bayern will have hoped to take more than just a slender one-goal advantage to Lisbon but should take their opportunites at the Estadio da Luz. After a rocky period, the German champions are playing with the same authority as earlier in the season and can secure their place in the last four.

RECOMMENDATION: Bayern Munich
2


REFEREE: Bjorn Kuipers STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

Premier League TODAY 20:00

C Palace

v

Everton

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		2	12/5	8/5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT C PALACE	RECENT FORM
ADHLAWHLADHW​ Most recent​	0 - 1 0 - 0 1 - 3 1 - 3	AWHLHWHLALAD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Everton have recorded the most top-flight away draws

EXPERT VERDICT: Only Aston Villa have lost more home games than Crystal Palace in the Premier League and the Eagles have struggled against Everton recently. But while Palace haven’t scored against the Toffees in their last two home league meetings, Everton have a poor W5, D8, L2 away record this term

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
2


REFEREE: Mike Jones STADIUM: Selhurst Park

 

[superbeets]

Europa League Th 14Apr 20:05

Liverpool

v

B Dortmund

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BTEU		2	9/4	11/8	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT LIVERPOOL	RECENT FORM
HWADALHDADHW​ Most recent​	2 - 0	HWAWAWHWHDAD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Liverpool are unbeaten in this season’s Europa League

EXPERT VERDICT: Liverpool put up a determined performance against Dortmund on Thursday and a 1-1 draw has given them every chance of claiming a place in a Europa League semi-final at the expense of Jurgen Klopp’s former club. For all their quality, Dortmund could not win in Germany and they might struggle at Liverpool, who were excellent when beating Stoke 4-1 at the weekend.

RECOMMENDATION: Liverpool
1


REFEREE: Cuneyt Cakir STADIUM:

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CL Best Bets - Quarterfinals
By Toby Maxtone-Smith

UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals - Second Legs

The draw for the quarter-finals heavily favoured the four outright favourites, but the proposed semi-final quartet or Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and PSG is looking less solid than it did a week ago.

PSG are now outsiders to qualify after drawing at home to Manchester City, while bookies give Real Madrid a 50/50 chance of qualifying. Barcelona and Bayern Munich both won, but they were narrow wins at home by a goal to nil. All four ties are far from over.

Barcelona still lead the betting at 6/4, with Bayern second at 9/4. Real Madrid are 8/1, PSG are 10/1, just ahead of the week’s big movers in the market, Manchester City, who are 12/1.

Atletico Madrid are 16/1, Wolfsburg are 25/1 and Benfica are the rank outsiders at 100/1.


Tuesday, Apr. 12
Games scheduled for 2:45 p.m. ET on FS1 and FS2

Manchester City vs. Paris Saint-Germain: PSG to qualify at 5/4

Bookmakers opened up this game with both sides vying for favouritism, but all the money has been for PSG and they are now the 7/5 favourites with Manchester City at 2/1. After a 2-2 draw PSG need to win at the Etihad Stadium to go through (or draw 2-2 and take it to extra time, or draw 3-3 or 4-4). They are 5/4 to qualify, and on the evidence of the first leg this is a great bet.

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Punters should not be fooled by City’s result at the Parc des Princes. It was extremely lucky. PSG dominated the game and should have had two penalties in the first ten minutes. In reality they were only given one, which they missed. City’s display had a sadly characteristic naivety about it, and the Parisians were clearly the superior team. PSG’s style is such that it does not vary that much depending on whether they are home or away, and they should have enough to get through this tie.

Real Madrid vs. Wolfsburg: Both teams to score at 3/4

Nobody could see Wolfsburg winning the first leg, let alone doing it by two goals to nil. But strikes from Ricardo Rodriguez and Max Arnold ensured they go into the second leg with a better chance than they could have dreamed of. But bookmakers still, amazingly, make them outsiders. They are evens to qualify with Real Madrid 5/6. A home win is 1/5 with a Wolfsburg win 14/1.

The away goals rule means that this match will be more than simply Real attacking and Wolfsburg defending. The German side know that an away goal hugely increases their chances of qualifying: if they score once, Real must score four. The Spanish side have the worst defence of La Liga’s big three, and Wolfsburg showed enough in the first leg that they can score on Tuesday night.

Wednesday, Apr. 13
Games scheduled for 2:45 p.m. ET on FS1 and FS2

Atletico Madrid vs. Barcelona: Barcelona to win at 5/4

Fernando Torres repeated 2012 by scoring a vital goal in the Nou Camp, but just minute’s later he was sent off with his side Atletico still 1-0 up. After that there was an inevitability about Barcelona’s comeback, but a final scoreline of 2-1 means there is still lots of hope for Atletico. They are 5/2 to win and 10/3 to qualify. Barcelona are 5/4 to win on the night and as short as 2/9 to make it to the semi-finals.

If Atletico had held the Catalans to a draw it would all have been set up for a might defensive display typical of Diego Simeone’s side. But now that they are behind in the tie the onus is on Atletico to attack. And there is no-one better at counter-attacking than Barcelona. Their recent record against Atletico is excellent, and 5/4 is a good enough price to back Barcelona at.

Benfica vs. Bayern Munich: Over 2.5 goals at 17/20

A 1-0 home win in the Champions League is never a bad result, but after scoring almost straight away there was an uncertainty about Bayern Munich in the first leg against Benfica. Nonetheless they are as short as 1/12 to qualify with Benfica 1/7, who are also 19/4 to win the match with Bayern 4/6.

At that price Bayern do not seem worth backing: they stumbled past Juventus in the last round and do not look set to progress with much confidence here. If they meet Barcelona in the semi-finals it is hard to see past the Catalans over two legs.

It is not in the nature of a Pep Guardiola side to try and hold what they have and go for a draw. Bayern will almost certainly score at some point, meaning Benfica will have need three goals and will go for it. The game may open up quickly and this points to over 2.5 goals at 17/20.

 

[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]

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

Washington vs. Philadelphia
Capitals (-280)
Flyers (+230)

Florida vs. N.Y. Islanders
Panthers (-155)
Islanders (+135)

Pittsburgh vs. N.Y. Rangers
Penguins (-150)
Rangers (+130)

Tampa Bay vs. Detroit
Lightning (-150)
Red Wings (+130)

Western Conference - First Round

Dallas vs. Minnesota
Stars (-200)
Wild (+165)

Anaheims vs. Nashville
Ducks (-165)
Predators (+145)

Los Angeles vs. San Jose
Kings (-150)
Sharks (+130)

St. Louis vs. Chicago
Blues (-110)
Blackhawks (-110)

Odds Subject to Change

 

[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]

Capitals enter playoffs as clear favorites to hoist Stanley Cup
By ANDREW CALEY

The puck drops on the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Wednesday and with their dominant regular season behind them, the Washington Capitals open the postseason as the clear favorites to hoist the Cup this June.

The Capitals ended the season with 120 points, easily winning the Presidents’ Trophy, resulting in them beginning the postseason as the 3/1 favorites to win the Stanley Cup, according to the Westgate LV Superbook.


Those are considerable odds despite the fact the Capitals have struggled in the NHL’s second season.

Dating back to the 2007-08 season, the Capitals have made the playoffs seven times and have never gotten past the second round, getting eliminated each time by a lower seeded team. In three of those occasions they were even put out in the first round.

After the Capitals, the Stanley Cup odds are dominated by Western Conference teams with five of the next teams reside in the West. They are led by the two clubs that have won the Cup each of the last four years, the Los Angeles Kings at 6/1 and the defending champion Chicago Blackhawks at 7/1.

The Dallas Stars are on the board at 8/1, while the Anaheim Ducks and the St. Louis Blues are both listed at 10/1.

As for Eastern Conference teams to challenge the Capitals, the red-hot Pittsburgh Penguins enter the playoffs at 8/1, followed by the Florida Panthers at 12/1.

Checkout the complete list of Stanley Cup futures courtesy the Westgate LV Superbook.

CAPITALS 3/1
KINGS 6/1
BLACKHAWKS 7/1
PENGUINS 8/1
STARS 8/1
DUCKS 10/1
BLUES 10/1
PANTHERS 12/1
RANGERS 16/1
SHARKS 18/1
PREDATORS 20/1
LIGHTNING 25/1
WILD 25/1
ISLANDERS 25/1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Betting 101: How to safely bet the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs

The NHL playoffs, more so than any other sport’s postseason, are about as different from the regular season as you can get.

Teams that dominated during the regular schedule suddenly find themselves on the brink of elimination, and clubs that squeaked into the playoff picture can catch fire and ride a hot goalie all the way to the Stanley Cup.

In order to help hockey bettors navigate the upside-down world of postseason puck, we asked some top handicappers to share their best tips, tactics, and trends when it comes to successfully wagering on the NHL’s second season.

Hot goaltenders

Like pitching in baseball, goaltending can singlehandedly win a playoff series. Year after year, hockey bettors witness incredible performances between the pipes and make a small mint riding these red-hot keepers.

On the other side of the coin, not having a proven No. 1 goalie can quickly put a wrap on the season – no matter how many goals a team can score. Jesse Schule points to the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have been ushered out of the playoffs the past four years thanks to shaky play in the crease.

When looking to narrow down the field to legitimate Stanley Cup contenders, its always good look at the goaltenders first. Which ones are capable of carrying a team on their shoulders if need be? Who can steal a game, or even a series?

The Washington Capitals are hoping the sensational campaign by Braden Holtby can finally get them over their playoff woes and deliver a Stanley Cup. Holtby finished the season with a 48-9-7 record, just one win short of Martin Brodeur's record for wins in a single season. He also owns a 2.20 goals against average and .922 save percentage heading into the playoffs.

Depth and toughness

Ever watch a hockey player get interviewed about his team’s deep postseason run? More often than not, the guy’s face looks like someone dropped a plate of spaghetti on the floor and then tried to sew it back together.

The NHL playoffs are a grueling challenge of teams’ overall talent and toughness. When a series goes six or seven games, the true depth of a roster is drawn to the surface.

Injuries can spoil an NHL bet faster than a Shea Weber slapshot and knowing which teams are healthy, getting healthy, and beat up entering the playoffs is a good way to gauge just where you should put your money.

Some teams that were banged up earlier this season are healthy now and could perform better than expected, while the opposite could be true of teams suffering through multiple injuries at the moment.

Teams that can get production from their third and fourth lines are the ones who survive, while clubs that rely on a few key players to carry the team often find themselves trading hockey sticks for golf clubs. Opponents draw up schemes to shadow and lock down these stars and force role players to beat them.

It's important to consider depth. Which teams can roll four lines and get steady production from their role players? Unlike other sports, the NHL playoffs aren't all about the superstars. It's the grinders that often decide which team is left standing in June.

Physicality also plays a major role in the outcome of the playoffs, with every hit looked at as an investment. Finesse teams can get worn down over the course of a series while teams that like to lay the lumber excel in the furious pace of the postseason.

“Some teams might not be the fastest and most skilled, but instead they out-work, out-hit, and physically dominate their opponents,” says Schule.

Road Warriors

Another big difference between the NHL playoffs and other sports’ tournaments is the importance - or lack thereof - when it comes to home ice.

In basketball and football, having the crowd on your side is crucial to a championship run. However, in hockey, bettors get great value with road teams in the postseason. Hot home teams like Dallas or the New York Rangers may be good fade bait while tough road clubs, like San Jose, can hold added pop on the road.

“Other than getting the final line change, there is really not much of an edge for the home team,” says Steve Merril. “Obviously, the crowd will be supporting them. But unlike the NBA, it does not influence officials as much, as penalties are normally called evenly and on an alternating makeup basis. NHL playoffs is the one sport where I feel home teams are generally overvalued, especially since travel is not a factor and both teams in a best-of-seven series have the same travel schedule.”

Ben Burns believes each NHL postseason game is unique and doesn't carry as much momentum from one contest to the next. Teams quickly make adjustments, line changes and roster moves based on the game before and can have a completely different feel when they face off next. A high-scoring Game 1 can produce a low-scoring Game 2 with teams tightening up on defense.

Special teams

Referees do tend to let a lot more slide in the postseason compared to regular season action, so it makes it even more important for teams to capitalize on those man-advantages when the whistle does blow.

“It is absolutely imperative to score on the power play, in order to discourage opponents from taking cheap shots at your best players,” says Schule.

Entering the postseason, the Anaheim Ducks boast the top power-play attack in the league with 56 goals with the man advantage and a 23.0 power-play percentage. At the bottom of the scale, the Tampa Bay Lightning boast the lowest power-play percentage in the playoffs at 15.8 percent.

When it comes to playing a man down, the Ducks are just as good at killing those penalties off, as they are at scoring with the man advantage. They rarely got burned with a man in the box ranking first in the NHL with an 87.2 penalty-kill percentage. The Blues and Capitals followed them, each killing off 85.1 percent of their penalties. The Minnesota Wild have the worst penalty kill among playoff teams at 77.9 percent.

Editor's note: This article was originally published in April 2014. Stats and info have been updated to reflect this NHL season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL Hockey Odds and Picks: Scouting the Week Ahead
by Alan Matthews

I love the NHL but honestly don't watch much hockey during the regular season. But I would argue that the Stanley Cup playoffs are the best postseason of any major American sport, and the pucks drops on them starting Wednesday.

Certainly the top storyline has to involve the Chicago Blackhawks, the team of the decade. Chicago has won three Stanley Cups in the past six seasons but has yet to repeat. The last team to go back-to-back was the Detroit Red Wings in 1997 & '98. These Hawks don't look as good as last year's club, but if any team knows how to flip a switch, it's this one. Patrick Kane finished with an NHL-high and career-best 106 points to become the first American-born player to win the Art Ross Trophy as top scorer. Kane, who had 27 multipoint games, has to be the NHL MVP, which will be announced later this summer. And the Hawks should have the Calder Trophy winner as Rookie of the Year in Kane's linemate Artemi Panarin, who led all rookies with 77 points. The last Hawk to win that award? Kane in 2007-08.

Chicago is +450 to win the Western Conference and +750 to win the Cup. The Hawks open at St. Louis on Wednesday night. A reminder that Chicago will be without top defenseman Duncan Keith, the reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP, for that game as he finishes a suspension. The Hawks and Blues are both -110 on the series line.

St. Louis will get back captain David Backes after he missed the final week or so with an injury. The Blues won three of the five regular-season meetings, with three of the five games decided after regulation. The Blues took a 2-0 lead in the first round of the playoffs two years ago against Chicago and then proceeded to lose the next four games. This franchise hasn't won a playoff series since the 2011-12 season, and I highly doubt Coach Ken Hitchcock is brought back if it happens again.

The other main story is that of the Presidents' Cup-winning Washington Capitals. Alex Ovechkin won yet another Rocket Richard Trophy as the NHL's top goal-scorer with 50. It's the fourth straight season and sixth time overall he has done that. But Ovechkin's teams have flamed out in the postseason, failing to reach the conference finals with him. The Capitals have not played past the second round since they reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 1998.

The Caps are +400 favorites to win the Cup and +150 to win the East. It's actually pretty rare for a team to win the Presidents' Trophy and Stanley Cup in the same season, doing so just eight times. Chicago was the last in 2012-13. Washington opens against Philadelphia, a team I didn't think would make the playoffs and which has a negative goals differential (minus-4). Washington is -265 on the series line with Philadelphia at +225. The teams split four regular-season meetings.

Probably the marquee playoff matchup is Pittsburgh against the New York Rangers. The Pens won three of the four meetings and are -155 series favorites. Back in 2014, the Penguins won Game 4 of the conference semifinals against the Blueshirts at Madison Square Garden to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. However, the Rangers won the next three and also ousted Pittsburgh last year in five games.

Both teams have injury questions. New York captain Ryan McDonagh is dealing with an upper-body injury, reportedly a broken hand, and won't start Game 1. It's not clear if he will play at all. Fellow defenseman Dan Girardi is questionable, as is center Eric Staal, who was acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes in a trade on Feb. 28.

Pittsburgh remains without Evgeni Malkin, who has been sidelined since March 11 due to a suspected wrist/hand injury. He's not likely to play in the opener at least. Who will be in net for the Pens? Marc-Andre Fleury hasn't played since March 31 due to a concussion but was at practice on Monday. Youngster Matt Murray was great in Fleury's place but he was injured on Saturday -- a possible concussion -- and being called day-to-day. Why was he playing in a meaningless game?

The other significant injury to watch around the league is to the Stars' Tyler Seguin. He has been out since March 17 with an Achilles injury but was at practice on Monday. Coach Lindy Ruff wouldn't say if Seguin could play in Game 1 against Minnesota on Thursday. Seguin had 33 goals and 40 assists in 72 games for the NHL's highest-scoring team. The Stars probably don't need him to beat Minnesota, which enters the playoffs on a five-game losing streak. Dallas, the West's top seed, is -175 on the series line.

My Western Conference picks to advance are: Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles (over San Jose) and Anaheim (over Nashville), so chalk there. In the East: Washington, NY Rangers, NY Islanders (over Florida) and Detroit (over Steven Stamkos-less Tampa Bay).

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Wednesday's games

Detroit-Tampa Bay (0-0)
Home side won last five Detroit-Tampa Bay games; four of last five series games stayed under total. Red Wings lost four of last five visits to Tampa, outscored 16-8. Detroit lost four of its last five away games; over is 5-2-3 in their last ten games. Lightning lost three of last four games, all on road; they are 4-2 in last six home games. Over is 3-0-1 in their last four games. Detroit lost in first round of playoffs last two years; Tampa Bay lost in Cup Finals LY; in their history, they're 4-4 in first round series.

NY Rangers-Pittsburgh (0-0)
Rangers lost last three games with Pittsburgh in series where road team won six of last eight series tilts. New York won four of last five visits here; they've won three of last four games overall. Over is 6-0-4 in their last ten games. Pittsburgh won eight of its last nine games, winning last three at home; five of its last seven games went over the total. Rangers won their first round series the last four years; their 101 points in first time in 43 years they've had 100+ in consecutive years. Penguins are in playoffs for 10th year in row; they're 2-3 in first round series the last five years.

St Louis-Chicago (0-0)
Blues won five of last seven games with Chicago, winning three of last five played here; over is 2-1-2 in last five series games played here. Chicago lost its last two games in OT; they're 5-3 in last eight games overall- they won last five times they scored more than two goals. St Louis won eight of last ten games, but lost two of last three at home. Over is 4-1 in last five games for both sides. Blues lost in first round last three years; they have 100+ points for 4th full season in row. Chicago won Stanley Cup three of last six years; they're 5-2 in last seven first round series.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Previews, Streaks, Tips, Notes

Hawks Begin Cup Defense Versus Blues

This could be the best series in the entire Stanley Cup playoffs. The defending champion Chicago Blackhawks (47-26-9) have drawn the St. Louis Blues (49-24-9) in the Western Conference Quarterfinals. Game 1 is Wednesday night at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, starting at 9:30 PM ET on NBCSN.

Although the Blues finished the 2015-2016 regular season with the better record, Chicago skates into the playoffs with shorter odds on the Stanley Cup futures market. The Hawks are the second-favorites at +800 (along with LA, Anaheim, Dallas and Pittsburgh), a step ahead of St. Louis at +1000. These two teams faced each other five times during the regular season; the Blues won three games, with the total split evenly at 2-2-1.

Chicago will be without defenseman Duncan Keith (nine goals, 43 points) for Wednesday's opener. The two-time Norris Trophy winner has one game left to go in his six-game suspension for hitting Minnesota Wild forward Charlie Coyle in the face with his stick. The Hawks also have a number of players listed as questionable for Game 1, including top-line centre Artem Anisimov (20 goals, 42 points) and second-line right wing Marian Hossa (13 goals, 33 points). The Blues will have all their key players available Wednesday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA notebook: Knicks could consider Blatt
By The Sports Xchange

David Blatt is on the short list of candidates under consideration to be head coach of the New York Knicks.
According to the New York Post, Blatt, who was 70-48 with the Cleveland Cavaliers before he was fired in January, is very high on the list of general manager Steve Mills. Mills and Blatt were teammates on the Princeton basketball team.
Interim coach Kurt Rambis, former Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau and Golden State Warriors assistant coach Luke Walton are thought to be targets of Knicks president of basketball operations Phil Jackson. The Knicks haven't made the playoffs in three years and lost 50-plus games for the second consecutive season.

---NBA owners are expected to approve advertisements on uniforms starting with the 2017-18 season, according to an ESPN report.
The owners were presented with a proposal during a meeting at the NBA All-Star Game in February in Toronto for 2.5-inch by 2.5-inch patches to be placed on the left shoulder of player jerseys.
The report indicated that the patches would be approved at the NBA Board of Governors meeting to be held Thursday and Friday in New York.

---The Miami Heat signed forward Dorell Wright, the club announced.
Wright spent the season in China and averaged 24.3 points and 7.5 rebounds in 37 games. He topped 40 points on four occasions.
Wright, 30, has averaged 8.4 points in 549 career NBA games. He was the 19th overall selection by the Heat in 2004 draft and was a member of Miami's 2006 NBA championship squad. Wright has also played for the Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers and Portland Trail Blazers.

---Center Sasha Kaun and guard Jordan McRae were assigned back to the Canton Charge by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Both players are available to the Charge for the first game of the NBA Developmental League Eastern Conference finals.
Kaun played in 23 games for the Cavaliers this season. McRae played in 20 NBA games (13 for Cleveland) this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Kings (33-48) at Rockets (40-41)

Date: April 13, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

"See you in Golden State," was Jason Terry's message following the Houston Rockets' latest win, alluding to a possible postseason matchup against Stephen Curry and the top-seeded Warriors.

Maybe not if the Rockets can't slow down that other Curry first.

Seth Curry and the depleted Sacramento Kings hope to play spoiler Wednesday night when they visit Houston, which can clinch a playoff spot with a win on the regular season's final day.

The Rockets (40-41) regained control of the Western Conference's eighth and final postseason berth with Monday's 129-105 victory at Minnesota, one day after beating the Los Angeles Lakers 130-110.

They pulled even record-wise with Utah, which lost 101-92 to Dallas, but hold the tiebreaker based on conference records. Houston can wrap up a spot in the first round against Golden State with a victory Wednesday or a Jazz loss to the Lakers later in the night.

It has been a largely uninspiring season for the Rockets after they reached the West finals a year ago. But they played with a sense of urgency Monday when James Harden scored 34 points and Dwight Howard added 19 and eight rebounds.

Houston, which has traded wins and losses in its last eight home games, shot 55.8 percent as Harden made 12 of 21 shots, including 5 of 7 3-pointers. Howard finished 8 of 11, as did Trevor Ariza on the way to 21 points.

'We're trying to make the playoffs. The fire is under us and it's lit,' said Patrick Beverley, who chipped in 11 points, five rebounds and four assists. 'It's not how we wanted it to be at the end of the season where we start to try to do the right things, but better late than never.'

The easy way for the Rockets would be pushing aside Sacramento (33-48), which will be without DeMarcus Cousins, Rajon Rondo and Darren Collison. All three are being rested after dealing with several nagging injuries this season.

The Rockets won the first two games of the season series, but Sacramento's 107-97 home win Dec. 15 snapped its seven-game skid against Houston.

Harden has averaged 38.7 points in the last seven games of this series, including 35.7 on 52.7 percent shooting this season. He has made 13 of 24 3s with 28 assists in the season series, though he has turned the ball over 19 times.

With a combined 52.8 points, 19.8 rebounds and 19.3 assists missing from their lineup from Cousins, Rondo and Collison, the Kings will likely turn to Curry again.

The third-year pro combined for about 36 1/2 minutes against the Rockets in the season series, but he has ignited Sacramento with an uptick of playing time down the stretch. Curry has scored 20 points in consecutive wins and has averaged 17.5 his last six games, up from 5 per game in his first 37.

He made 6 of 10 3s in Saturday's 114-112 victory over Oklahoma City and tripled his previous career high with 15 assists in Monday's 105-101 win at Phoenix.

'I had the ball, I was able to make some plays and show a different part of my game,' he said after playing 38 minutes Monday, 'and guys were doing a great job screening for me, finishing shots, stuff like that so they made me look good.'

It's possible this is the final game as Kings coach for George Karl, who has been under fire for much of the season and has had his share of problems with Cousins. The 63-year-old Karl is fifth all-time with 1,175 wins, 35 shy of Pat Riley.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Spurs (65-15) at Mavericks (42-39)

Date: April 13, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Dallas Mavericks know they will avoid the NBA's best team when they open the postseason and now they are in good position to avoid the second-best club as well.

The Mavericks can secure at least the Western Conference's No. 6 seed when they host a short-handed San Antonio Spurs club in the regular-season finale Wednesday night.

Dallas (42-39) clinched its 15th playoff berth in the last 16 years with Monday's 101-92 victory at Utah. The Mavericks have won seven of eight after Deron Williams scored 23 points and Dirk Nowitzki had 22 and 11 boards.

'Well, it's been a lot of work,' coach Rick Carlisle said. 'It's been an amazing two weeks. Our guys looked like they were down and out, and we all dug in. Everyone dug in, especially the players, and we found a way to get into the playoffs."

There's little doubt that Dallas wants to avoid being the seventh seed for a matchup with San Antonio (66-15) after losing 14 of the previous 16 regular-season meetings, including all three this season.

"You know, this team wants to be as high of a seed as possible, and that's what we're going to try to do," Williams told the Mavericks' official website. "And we'll try to take care of business at home against San Antonio."

Now the only way the Mavericks can finish seventh is with a loss to the Spurs and an upset victory by Memphis at Golden State later Wednesday. Dallas will gain the sixth seed with a victory or a loss by the Grizzlies and will be fifth with a win and a loss by Portland at home to Denver.

Although the Mavericks have enjoyed little success against one of their Lone Star state rivals, the task should be easier in this one. The Spurs won 102-98 in overtime over Oklahoma City on Tuesday and figure to rest many of their stars one night later, with Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker confirming they won't be making the trip.

One player who also probably won't be there is LaMarcus Aldridge, who exited three minutes into the third quarter and didn't return. He doesn't appear to be injured, with coach Gregg Popovich saying Aldridge left because he needed to use the restroom.

'He's fine,' Popovich said. 'He went in to take a leak.'

Considering the break lasted most of the second half, Popovich was again pressed to explain Aldridge's absence.

"Let me say it differently,' Popovich said. 'He went into the locker room and used the latrine.'

Leonard scored 26 and Parker added 20 for the Spurs, who tied an NBA record by going 40-1 at home after being down by 10 points at halftime.

"Just try to stay in rhythm obviously, because we're not going to play until Saturday or Sunday," Parker said. "The second half was a lot better."

The Spurs have dropped three straight regular-season finales.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pelicans (30-51) at Timberwolves (28-53)

Date: April 13, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Although they were supposed to take another step forward, the injury-ravaged New Orleans Pelicans are mercifully closing out a highly disappointing season.

Expectations weren't nearly as high for the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the emergence of their young talent has them feeling good about the future.

As Karl-Anthony Towns looks to put an emphatic stamp on his bid for the Rookie of the Year award, the Timberwolves try to finish with a fourth victory in five games when they host the severely short-handed Pelicans on Wednesday night.

With a potential MVP candidate in Anthony Davis, a solid roster around him and Alvin Gentry taking over as coach after helping Golden State win the NBA title as associate coach, the Pelicans were expected by many prognosticators to return to the playoffs after last season's first-round exit.

Instead, they dropped 11 of their first 12 games and never recovered while dealing with a ton of adversity. Davis had a 59-point, 20-rebound performance at Detroit in February but has missed 20 games and is out at least three months following knee surgery.

New Orleans (30-51) is also playing without valuable contributors Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans, Eric Gordon, Quincy Pondexter, Alonzo Gee and Norris Cole. The club had eight players available in Monday's 121-116 home loss to Chicago.

James Ennis scored a career-high 29 points while Toney Douglas had 21 and Tim Frazier added 21 with 11 assists and six rebounds. Douglas has averaged 20.8 points while going 9 of 22 from 3-point range over his last four.

General manager Dell Demps refuted a report last month that alluded to friction between he and Gentry and that he had been second-guessing the firing of former coach Monty Williams. Gentry has said recently that he expects to be back next season.

"Every guy that is injured, or rehabbing and (is) trying to get himself back healthy, the one thing they've got to do is come back and compete at the same level as these guys did. If we do, we'll be fine," Gentry said after Monday's game.

The Wolves finished near the bottom of the Western Conference, but they showed glimpses of a promising future by beating Golden State and playoff-bound Portland during a season-high three-game winning streak.

After averaging 17.1 points in the first half, Towns has put up 20.5 over his 27 games since the All-Star break. The favorite for Rookie of the Year scored the final of his 27 with 1.8 seconds remaining in Saturday's 106-105 road win over the Trail Blazers, but is looking to bounce back after scoring 12 in Monday's 129-105 home loss to Houston.

Towns did pass Christian Laettner for the team rookie record with 1,475 points.

"We're doing a great job this year," he said. "We've all made tremendous strides, so I think that this is the year that we've learned everything we need for next year."

Andrew Wiggins, the 2015 Rookie of the Year, is averaging a team-high 20.7 points. Backcourt mate Zach LaVine has scored 16.6 per game over his last 36 while forward Shabazz Muhammad has averaged 20 and 54.2 percent shooting in his last four.

Towns had 30 points and 15 rebounds, LaVine scored 25 and Wiggins hit two free throws with 3.6 seconds left as Minnesota (28-53) snapped a seven-game losing streak in this series with a 112-110 road win Feb. 27.