Stanley Cup Betting – History, home crowd against Penguins on Friday
June 12, 2009
Like boxing betting underdog Josh Clottey in his match with Miguel Cotto on Saturday, Pittsburgh is an underdog (although not as big), and their opponent will have a major home advantage (Cotto is from New York). The Penguins will try to go against history, and the crowd, when they head to Joe Louis Arena for their Game 7 showdown with Detroit, but offshore sportsbook odds are thinking that the Penguins will go down for the second straight year.
Stanley Cup Betting – Friday, June 12, 8:00 PM ET
The Penguins got goals from Jordan Staal and Tyler Kennedy, and they needed Marc-Andre Fleury to stand on his head in the final minutes of Game 6’s 2-1 win. Fleury was blasted after letting in all five goals of a 5-0 destruction in Game 5, but the young goaltender saved his team from vacation with a 25-save performance, which includes a breakaway stop on Dan Cleary with only 1:41 remaining in the game, not to mention his tough showing with 13 seconds left, when everyone but the referees ended up in Fleury’s net.
The Red Wings were outplayed badly in the first half of the game, or maybe it was the Penguins had extra jump in their step. Whatever the case, Kris Draper’s goal with 8:01 left in the third sparked the Red Wings, and they threw everything they had and more at Fleury. Chris Osgood stopped 29 of 31 shots for the Red Wings, whose usually potent power-play unit failed to capitalize on two chances in the third period.
Stanley Cup betting has the Red Wings as a -190 favorite to win the Cup for the fifth time in 12 years, and with good reason: in 14 Game 7s, the home team has won 12 times, and the Red Wings have dominated the Penguins at Joe Louis Arena during the playoffs, outscoring them 11-2 over three wins. The Penguins need Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to step up and lead the way, as Crosby has three points in the series with a -3 rating, while Malkin has been pointless since Pavel Datsyuk returned to the lineup in Game 5. The Penguins have put up a great fight, and they’re getting closer, but they’ll fall a little short in “Hockeytown” on Friday.
Stanley Cup betting pick: Detroit
Stanley Cup Betting – Pens are favored with backs against the wall
June 9, 2009
NHL betting is backing Pittsburgh to extend the Stanley Cup finals to a seventh game, but they’ll need a much better performance than Game 5, when they were embarrassed by Detroit. Game 6 goes Tuesday night at Mellon Arena.
Red Wings Penguins odds – Tuesday, June 9, 8:00 PM ET
The Red Wings used a four-goal second period to thump the Penguins 5-0 at home in Game 5, with three of those goals coming on the power play. Daniel Cleary, Valtteri Filppula, Niklas Kronwall, Brian Rafalski and Henrik Zetterberg all lit the red light for the Red Wings, who outshot the Penguins 29-22. Chris Osgood stopped all 22 shots he faced, and he was instrumental in keeping the Penguins quiet when they started quickly in the first period.
The Penguins unraveled in the second period, taking a number of silly penalties which gave the potent Detroit power play numerous chances to put the game away. Marc-Andre Fleury was chased in the second, allowing five goals on 21 shots, but a couple of those goals weren’t his fault as the defense in front of him disintegrated. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were a combined -3, they managed only two shots on net, and the star duo had eight penalty minutes, which showed their frustration with the tight Detroit checking.
Your offshore sportsbook has the Penguins as a -130 favorite in this elimination game, and the home team has won all five games in the series so far. The Penguins need to keep their heads in this critical game, because there is no way they should expect to take the series back to Detroit if they give the Red Wings nine chances with the man advantage again. The Red Wings got Pavel Datsyuk back in the lineup, and the Hart Trophy nominee had a pair of assists and took some of the pressure off of Henrik Zetterberg, who was obviously exhausted near the end of Games 3 and 4. Fleury will have to shake off the tough outing he had in Detroit, which should not be a problem as he’s been much better at home all season than on the road. Look for the Penguins to grab a much-needed NHL betting win on Tuesday.
Hockey Betting – Red Wings look to close coffin on Blackhawks
May 26, 2009
Lakers Nuggets betting players are wishing that their series was as easy to handicap as the Western Conference finals in the NHL has been, because Detroit have been giving Chicago a playoff lesson they won’t soon forget. The Red Wings can close out the series on Wednesday night at home in Joe Louis Arena, and hockey odds are giving them a huge advantage.
Blackhawks Red Wings odds – Wednesday, May 27, 7:30 PM ET
The Blackhawks unraveled again in a 6-1 loss at home in Game 4, committing 56 PIMs, and the Red Wings scored three times with the man advantage. Jonathan Toews scored the only Chicago goal on the power play, but even then, the Red Wings replied 12 seconds later. Their youth and inexperience is shining through in this series, because you can’t afford to give teams like Detroit multiple chances with the man advantage. Even with Niklas Lidstrom and Pavel Datsyuk out of the lineup, the Blackhawks couldn’t take advantage of the Red Wings at home, and they’ll look back on this game during the entire offseason. Cristobal Huet was shelled for five goals on 26 shots in his first start, replacing the injured Nikolai Khabibulin, and he’ll need to be much better for the Blackhawks to have any chance.
The Red Wings got two goals each from Henrik Zetterberg and Marian Hossa (who has now scored all six of his goals in Game 4s), with Valtteri Filppula and Johan Franzen potting solo markers for Detroit. Detroit’s depth really stood out in this game, as they didn’t miss a beat while missing their captain and defensive rock (Lidstrom), and one of the best two-way players in the game (Datsyuk). Chris Osgood left in the third period because of dehydration after stopping 18 of 19 shots, but he’ll be ready to go on Wednesday.
Online sports book odds are favoring Detroit at -235, and they’ve won six of their last seven games against the Blackhawks at Joe Louis Arena. The Red Wings will also be powered by losing two Game 5s at home in last year’s playoffs, something they’d love to avoid to give their players some time to rest before the finals. The Blackhawks have made a great run, but their core is still too young. Rest assured, they’ve learned some lessons against the Red Wings that they’ll carry over to next year, and beyond.
Bet Online NHL pick: Detroit
Hockey Betting – Underdog Blackhawks try to avoid 0-2 hole in Detroit
May 20, 2009
To sum up for those looking at their French Open odds, Detroit is like the Rafael Nadal of the NHL, and Chicago is well, the rest of the world. The Blackhawks did themselves no favors with a poor performance in Game 1, and they’ll be behind the eight-ball in your online sports book again on Tuesday night for Game 2.
Blackhawks vs Red Wings odds – Tuesday, May 19, 7:30 PM ET
Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews are the stars of Chicago’s high-powered offense, but they had no answer for Detroit’s top line in a 5-2 loss in Game 1. The pair was held scoreless and was a combined -6 on the night, while Toews managed the only three shots the two could muster. Adam Burish and Kris Versteeg got on the scoresheet for the Blackhawks, who were outshot 43-32 and couldn’t get the puck away from the Red Wings. Nikolai Khabibulin stopped 38 shots for the Blackhawks, but two goals in a 1:27 third-period span by the Red Wings ended the game.
The top line of Johan Franzen, Henrik Zetterberg and Daniel Cleary showed the young ‘Hawks how to dominate on both ends of the ice, combining for four goals and seven points, while shutting down Chicago’s top line. Mikael Samuelsson added a goal for the Red Wings, who were almost toying with the Blackhawks in the puck-possession department. The Red Wings know that Chicago is a faster team, so if they keep the puck away from them, the Blackhawks’ speed is neutralized. Chris Osgood was solid between the pipes for Detroit, making 30 saves.
Blackhawks vs Red Wings odds are favoring Detroit at -205, and if the Blackhawks are going to make this a competitive series, players like Kane, Toews, Martin Havlat and Patrick Sharp must be better than they were in Game 1. Not just on the offensive end, either, because Detroit has four lines that can hurt you on both ends of the ice. The Blackhawks’ lack of experience showed in the first game, and some believe nerves were the main culprit behind their terrible showing. If they play the way they did in the first two period of the game, they’ll have a shot. However, the Detroit fans won’t let up from Game 1, which should lead to another win. Bet on Detroit for a hockey betting win on Tuesday.
Bet Jamaica NHL Playoff Preview — Boston Bruins vs. Carolina Hurricanes
May 12, 2009
The Boston Bruins and the Carolina Hurricanes will both be trying to pick up a win on Tuesday when they battle at RBC Center in the sixth game of their second-round playoff series.
Oddsmakers currently have the Bruins listed as 115-moneyline favorites versus the Hurricanes, while the game’s total is sitting at 5.
The Bruins defeated Carolina 4-0 as a -210 favorite in Game 5 on Sunday. The four goals scored fell UNDER the posted over/under total (5).
Phil Kessel scored a pair of goals for Boston and Tim Thomas stopped all 19 shots he faced to post the shutout.
Cam Ward made 36 saves for Carolina in the loss.
Team records:
Boston: 53-19-10
Carolina: 45-30-7
Boston most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 7-3
Before playing Ottawa are 5-5
After playing Carolina are 6-4
After a win are 7-3
Carolina most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 5-5
Before playing Boston are 7-3
After playing Boston are 8-2
After a loss are 6-4
A few trends to consider:
Boston is 14-5 SU in its last 19 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Boston’s last 10 games when playing on the road against Carolina
Boston is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing Carolina
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston’s last 6 games
Carolina is 16-2 SU in its last 18 games at home
Carolina is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Carolina’s last 10 games when playing at home against Boston
Carolina is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing Boston
Stanley Cup Odds – Wings favored as backs are against the wall
May 7, 2009
According to Stanley Cup odds, Detroit is still the favorites to repeat, but they missed a great chance to take the series lead via some bad officiating and a hot rookie goalie in Game 3. The Red Wings are the sportsbook favorites on Thursday in Anaheim, and they’ll need all of their Cup-winning experience to avoid a 3-1 deficit to the Ducks.
Red Wings vs Ducks odds – Thursday, May 7, 10:30 PM ET
The Red Wings outshot the Ducks 46-23 in their 2-1 loss in Game 3, but the talking point was a quick whistle that disallowed Marian Hossa’s goal that would have tied the game with 1:09 remaining. The referee claims to have lost sight of the puck, but regardless, the whistle was premature. Henrik Zetterberg potted his fourth goal of the playoffs for the Red Wings, who squandered two power plays in the last 10 minutes of the game and were 1-of-5 with the man advantage for the game. Chris Osgood had another shaky game in goal, stopping 21 of 23 shots.
Jonas Hiller outplayed his more-experienced counterpart again, making 45 saves, including 18 in the final 20 minutes. Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer notched the goals for the Ducks, who only managed nine shots over the last two periods of the game. They took a few undisciplined penalties, and they’re very lucky that Hiller was on top of his game, and they got that quick whistle on the Hossa “goal”.
Stanley Cup odds are backing the Red Wings at -150 on the road, and they find themselves in an unfamiliar position; with their backs against the wall. But the Red Wings are an experienced bunch, and they won’t let the pressure get to them. The Ducks have to stop taking unnecessary penalties, because Detroit’s got far too much firepower. Pavel Datsyuk needs to break out in this series, as he’s had a single assist in the opening game. He tried to be more physical in Game 3, but Datysuk’s game isn’t based on taking the body, it’s based on being the best two-way player in the league. Expect him and the rest of the Red Wings to pepper Hiller with plenty of shots, and take Detroit’s Stanley Cup odds for Game 4 on Thursday.
Bet Jamaica NHL Playoff Preview — Boston Bruins vs. Carolina Hurricanes
May 6, 2009
The Boston Bruins and the Carolina Hurricanes will both be gunning for a victory on Wednesday when they meet at RBC Center in the third game of their second-round playoff series.
Oddsmakers currently have the Bruins listed as 122-moneyline favorites versus the Hurricanes, while the game’s total is sitting at 5.
The Hurricanes blanked Boston 3-0 as a +190 underdog in Game 2 on Sunday. The three goals scored fell UNDER the posted over/under total (5).
Cam Ward stopped all 36 shots he faced to post the shutout for Carolina, while Eric Staal scored his 6th postseason goal into an empty net.
Tim Thomas made 22 saves for the Bruins in the loss.
Team records:
Boston: 53-19-10
Carolina: 45-30-7
Boston most recently:
When playing on Wednesday are 5-5
Before playing Ottawa are 5-5
After playing Carolina are 6-4
After a loss are 6-4
Carolina most recently:
When playing on Wednesday are 5-5
Before playing Boston are 4-6
After playing Boston are 6-4
After a win are 6-4
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Boston’s last 8 games when playing on the road against Carolina
Boston is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Boston is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Carolina
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Carolina
Carolina is 14-2 SU in its last 16 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Carolina’s last 8 games when playing at home against Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Carolina’s last 5 games
Carolina is 14-6 SU in its last 20 games
Next up:
Carolina home to Boston, Friday, May 8
Bet Jamaica NHL Playoff Preview — Chicago Blackhawks vs. Vancouver Canucks
April 30, 2009
The Chicago Blackhawks and the Vancouver Canucks will both be gunning for a victory on Thursday when they meet at General Motors Place in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series.
Oddsmakers currently have the Canucks listed as 145-moneyline favorites versus the Blackhawks, while the game’s total is sitting at 5.
Dustin Byfuglien had a goal and two assists as the Blackhawks defeated the Flames 4-1 to win their Western Conference quarterfinal series 4-2 on Monday night.
Chicago cashed as +120 road underdogs as the game played under the 5.5-goal total listed by oddsmakers.
Alexandre Burrows scored two goals, including the winner in overtime, to lift the Canucks over the Blues 3-2 to win their Western Conference quarterfinal series 4-0 last Tuesday night.
Vancouver cashed as -160 road favorites as the game pushed the 5-goal total posted by oddsmakers.
Team records:
Chicago: 46-24-12
Vancouver: 45-27-10
Chicago most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 4-6
Before playing Edmonton are 7-3
After playing Calgary are 6-4
After a win are 7-3
Vancouver most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 6-4
Before playing San Jose are 6-4
After playing St. Louis are 6-4
After a win are 8-2
A few trends to consider:
Chicago is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chicago’s last 7 games when playing on the road against Vancouver
Chicago is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Chicago is 5-17 SU in its last 22 games when playing Vancouver
Vancouver is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Vancouver’s last 5 games at home
Vancouver is 15-2 SU in its last 17 games at home
Vancouver is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Chicago
Next up:
Vancouver home to Chicago, Saturday, May 2
Bet Jamaica NHL Playoff Preview — Carolina Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils
April 28, 2009
The Carolina Hurricanes and the New Jersey Devils will both be gunning for a victory on Tuesday when they meet at Prudential Center in the deciding game of their first-round playoff series.
Oddsmakers currently have the Devils listed as 150-moneyline favorites versus the Hurricanes, while the game’s total is sitting at 5.
The Hurricanes defeated New Jersey 4-0 as a -140 favorite in Game 6 on Sunday. The four goals scored fell UNDER the posted over/under total (5).
Cam Ward made 28 saves in the shutout and Eric Staal scored a pair of goals for Carolina. Ray Whitney had four points for the Hurricanes with a goal and three assists.
Martin Brodeur made 33 save for New Jersey in the loss.
Team records:
Carolina: 45-30-7
New Jersey: 51-27-4
Carolina most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 4-6
Before playing Boston are 4-6
After playing New Jersey are 5-5
After a win are 7-3
New Jersey most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 8-2
Before playing Buffalo are 8-2
After playing Carolina are 4-6
After a loss are 5-5
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Carolina’s last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Carolina’s last 5 games when playing on the road against New Jersey
Carolina is 12-5 SU in its last 17 games
Carolina is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games on the road
New Jersey is 15-3 SU in its last 18 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New Jersey’s last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New Jersey’s last 5 games when playing at home against Carolina
New Jersey is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Carolina
Bet Jamaica NHL Playoff Preview — Chicago Blackhawks vs. Calgary Flames
April 27, 2009
The Chicago Blackhawks and the Calgary Flames will both be trying to pick up a win on Monday when they battle at Pengrowth Saddledome in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series.
Oddsmakers currently have the Flames listed as 121-moneyline favorites versus the Blackhawks, while the game’s total is sitting at 5½.
The Blackhawks exploded for three goals in the first period on Saturday as they went on to crush the Flames 5-1 and now lead this series 3-2.
The Blackhawks won the game as -160 favorites, and the six goals made it OVER the posted over/under (5.5).
Brent Seabrook, Patrick Sharp, Kris Versteeg, Andrfew Ladd, and Cam Barker scored for the Blackhawks.
Dustin Boyd scored for the Flames, who were +140 underdogs in Game 5.
Team records:
Chicago: 46-24-12
Calgary: 46-30-6
Chicago most recently:
When playing on Monday are 2-8
Before playing Edmonton are 7-3
After playing Calgary are 5-5
After a win are 7-3
Calgary most recently:
When playing on Monday are 4-6
Before playing Los Angeles are 4-6
After playing Chicago are 6-4
After a loss are 7-3
A few trends to consider:
Chicago is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing Calgary
Chicago is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games
Chicago is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Calgary
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chicago’s last 7 games when playing Calgary
Calgary is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Calgary’s last 7 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Calgary’s last 12 games
Calgary is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Chicago