Last exit to make NHL postseason

The hockey season is down to a precious few days and several teams have been fighting for survival just to make the playoffs, let alone worrying about what happens when they get there. Each conference has teams fighting to hang on or struggling to get in, looking to join the chase for the Stanley Cup. Here is look at the possibilities for all the contenders.

Eastern teams presently in

Montreal, Boston and Philadelphia occupy slots six thru eight in the Eastern Conference. Canadiens coach Jacques Martin has all but confirmed that Jaroslav Halak will be the starting goaltender for the remainder of the regular season. Montreal is 19-20 SU on the road and has winnable games at the New York Islanders and at Carolina before returning home to close the season against Toronto. Montreal should emerge as sixth seed.

After finishing second in goals scored a year ago in the NHL, the Bruins have been last most of the season putting the puck in the net and their only saving grace has been defense, with only New Jersey allowing fewer goals. Boston has home games against Buffalo and Carolina; however that isn’t necessarily a good thing for team that is 3-14 SU on home ice since Winter Classic at Fenway Park. Boston’s last game at Washington may be critical, however the Capitals might not bring best effort having wrapped up everything for the playoffs.

Philadelphia has lost nine of last 12 and has placed itself in precarious position. The Flyers can determine their own fate playing home and home with the New York Rangers whom they lead by a point in the standings. Right now Philadelphia also has an edge in a tie-breaker, with the first aspect looked at being number of wins.

Eastern teams trying to move up

The Rangers have won five of six including last three in a row and could use wins over Buffalo and Toronto to set up “all in” matchups with the Flyers. “We do not want to be the New York Rangers team that didn't make the playoffs," Brandon Dubinsky told the New York Post. "That's really important to us.”

Atlanta had a brutal close to the season schedule-wise, facing Washington and Pittsburgh twice along with taking on New Jersey. The Thrashers already lost to the Caps and Penguins last week and have to come up with six points in final three games to realistically even have a chance. Against this type of competition, that could be too tall an order.

Western teams presently in

Detroit has placed themselves in good position in the West, winning 10 of 13 and being as healthy as they have been all season. Rookie Jimmy Howard’s fine play between the pipes is the biggest reason why the Red Wings have gone from being a shaky participant to virtually in and has two matchups with Columbus that should give them the stamp of approval.

Of all the teams fighting to make the postseason, the Los Angeles Kings are the most impressive on their body of work for the year. The Kings are +22 in goal differential, basically the same as New Jersey and Phoenix, both who are comfortably in the playoff picture. L.A. can end Anaheim’s faint hopes with a victory and should earn two easy points hosting Edmonton before closing out the regular season at Colorado.

The Avalanche is gasping for air having tumbled to eighth in the West standings, by virtue of losing seven of nine. This young squad by appearances is just worn out from a long season after playing beyond expectations most of the year, which is evident on the defensive end, conceding three or more goals in all but one of their defeats. Playing at Edmonton should be a win; however with games at Vancouver, plus Chicago and the Kings on home ice, nothing is secured yet. The Avs are 24-15 SU on home ice which could help.

Western teams trying to move up

Calgary is attempting to make late charge, winning six of last 10, but its anemic offense will have to come up big vs. San Jose, Minnesota and at Vancouver to sneak into the playoffs.
Anaheim and St. Louis mathematically are still alive; however each has to win remaining contests to even get a sniff.

Half Season NHL Report

The National Hockey League will soon be taking a break due to the Olympics and with most at or past the halfway point of the season, determined this would be a good time to check in wagering aspects of all the teams. We’ll blend the team thoughts along with betting units for each team to create a perspective.

Eastern Conference

New Jersey (41-12, +17 units) The Devils have rekindled the magic, thanks to a group of hard-working players who rededicated themselves to playing New Jersey hockey and the front office replenished the depth. The Devils come at teams in waves and goalie Martin Brodeur is as sharp as ever. New Jersey’s 15-5 road record speaks to mindset.

Buffalo (28-16, +6.7 units) Buffalo was one of the first teams to adjust to the rule changes a few seasons ago, having faster players that could really work. They never got beyond being a good regular season team, however this season a case could be made presently that net-minder Ryan Miller is the league MVP for team on the rise again. This club is solid wager.

Washington (27-17, +3.2 units) Top scoring team in the league, led by Alex Ovechkin who is playing like a man on a mission. Goaltending is very suspect, which makes them a so-so bet for a top flight squad.

Pittsburgh (28-19, -0.7 units) The defending Stanley Cup champions have not been known for big first half efforts since they became elite team. They are burdened with inflated money lines, making each lost costly and they will go thru the motions for a stretch of games. They were four seed last year and won it all, will likely settle in same area and look to save energy for playoff run.

Montreal (22-25, -1.9 units) Fans of the Canadiens yearn for the days of the up and down the ice high-flyers. This team is in the bottom 15 percent of goals scored per game and goalies Jaroslav Halak or Carey Price essentially have to stand on their heads most night to give Montreal a chance.

Florida (18-27, -2.9 units) No name team that hasn’t make the postseason since 2000. The only reason they are a halfway decent wager is because they are almost .500 on the road, receiving heavy numbers from oddsmakers.

N.Y. Islanders (19-27, -3.5 units) The Eastern Conference is not stuffed with many good hockey teams, which is why the Isles still have a opportunity at the playoffs. To have any chance, the Islanders have to improve -26 goal differential.

Ottawa (22-24, -4.9 units) The Senators have hung in their despite losing their best scorer from last season and crummy goaltending. Credit coach Cory Clouston for keeping this afloat. Watch carefully however, this team could go south with more holes than Dunkin Donuts.
Atlanta (19-25,-5.9 units) Nothing like a nine-game losing streak to ruin what was shaping up to be a good first half of the season the Thrashers. It’s hard to tell what is worse right now, the defense or the goaltending.

N.Y. Rangers (22-23, -6.1 units) Think the Rangers have trouble scoring? Since Nov. 24, the Blueshirts have scored more than three goals three times (22 games). If Marian Gaborik were to get injured, the Rangers would likely be on a two goals max limit. Doesn’t goalie Henrik Lundqvist really deserve this?

Philadelphia (22-22, -6.3 units) Easily the most disappointing team in the East. Continual non-efforts cost John Stevens his coaching job and things haven’t improved much. Talented squad mired in mediocrity makes this a “stay away” from wager unless they collectively decide to play.

Boston (22-22, -7.3 units) If the Bruins had a consistent attack to light the lamp, they would be a super wager, since defensively they are among the best. For the most part they just pepper the net with mediocre shot attempts that high school goalie could stop and waste defensive efforts most nights, making them unsafe bet.

Tampa Bay (17-27, -7.9 units) Lousy record doesn’t tell the whole story. The Lightning is 2-10 in OT, including unlucky 0-6 in shootouts. If Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis start playing up to capabilities, this becomes dangerous play on team in hunt for playoff berth.

Toronto (15-31, -16.1 units) The Maple Leafs needed eight games to register initial victory and five more contests to reach two wins. Who has the league’s worst penalty killing outfit and allows the most goals, you don’t have to read the Hockey News to figure that out.

Carolina (13-31, -16.5 units) Did this team really win the Stanley Cup three and half years ago and make the East Finals last season! There had been talk this team was running on fumes last year, turns out to be true.

Western Conference

Nashville (27-19, +10 units) The biggest surprise for hockey bettors is the play of the Predators. Nashville doesn’t score a lot of goals, however receives contributions from a smorgasbord of players. Back-stops Pekka Rinne and Dan Ellis are like a dependable restaurant, good every time and there is no apparent reason why Nashville can’t keep winning and building bankrolls.

Colorado (26-21, +8.7 units) First year coach Joe Sacco deserves all the credit for molding this young squad into cohesive unit, with most experts seeing them in the Northwest Division basement by now. Not certain the youngsters can hold it together for the second half, more likely a play on-play against team depending on the streak.

Chicago (31-15, +7.5 units) Blackhawks fans can hardly believe their eyes; they have one of the best teams in the NHL after years of spendthrift ways. Chicago has exciting young talented snipers, a stingy defense and the best penalty kill unit in the game. Stanley Cup contender without injuries.

Phoenix (26-20, +7.0 units) Let’s get this straight, this team was in bankruptcy court, hired their present coach one week before the season started, while presumably headed for relocation and only four teams have more points than the Coyotes! Now it makes sense. If Shane Doan can start playing as well as netminder Ilya Bryzgalov, this might be another Miracle on Ice.

Los Angeles (25-21, +3.7 units) The Kings have suffered key injuries to some of its veteran players and still produced a winning record. With these players close to 100 percent, Los Angeles could match their early season success the rest of the way.

Vancouver (27-19, +3.3 units) The Olympics are in Vancouver, which could ruin a good season for the Canucks. Starting at the end of this month, Vancouver has to play eight road games before the break, after the Olympics, six more road games for a total of FOURTEEN straight games away from home. They are 9-11 on the road thus far.

San Jose (29-17, +1.8 units) From talent perspective, the best team in the West and probably the NHL. The problem is the Sharks are boring to bet. Heavy money lines mean soft wins and losses are like beaten eaten by sharks. Similar to New York Yankees, play on when in hot streak to show a profit before the losses hit.

Minnesota (23-23, +1.2 units) Minnesota’s 3-9 start really put them behind the curve and they have rebounded nicely to be .500. Distinct wagering qualities about the Wild - 15-7 at home and 8-16 on the road.

Calgary (26-20, -0.5 units) Jarome Iginla leads two good scoring lines for Calgary who has been somewhat forgotten in the Northwest Division with the play of Colorado. Miikka Kiprusoff is having his best year in net since the lockout and the Flames should be a consistent team in the second half.

Anaheim (20-26, -5.9 units) Too many personnel losses on the blue line have robbed this team of what used to be a reliable defense. The goaltending has been below average, complicating the situation. Even the ability to score is no help from a team that was this close to being in the Stanley Cup Finals last June.

Detroit (23-21, -6.9 units) Perhaps no team has been bitten by the injury bug to its most important players than the Red Wings. If most everyone can come back healthy by March, Detroit suddenly becomes a club nobody wants to face and could string a number of wins together at a fairer value for bettors.

Dallas (19-26, -7.9 units) Dallas is ordinary at best, picking up points in overtime losses, which only helps on the puck line at +1.5. Nothing points to rally or slipping further into the abyss, just continued triviality.

St. Louis (18-26, -8.9 units) It looks like the Blues second half surge from a season ago was a mirage and coach Andy Murray was recently jettisoned. With one of the poorer offenses around, this club is like a bad stock, dump it.

Edmonton (16-28, -11.2 units) What’s the best same to sum up Oilers? Inferior at home with 9-14 mark and rotten on the road with 7-14 record. Oh yea, one more thing, one of the worst defenses in the NHL. That about sums up Edmonton.

Columbus (18-29, -13.5 units) Columbus made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history last season and has followed up that joyous occasion by stinking up the joint at almost every turn. Even the home ice has yellow tint.

Make up your mind Monday

Closed with a 2-1-1 NFL Sunday, which included Over on Chic/Cin from earlier in the week. We’ll change this up a bit today, just for fun. No real winners or losers, just information and you deciding what side of the fence to be on. Good Luck

What I thought last yesterday – How a kicker directly impacts a game and not necessarily making or missing a field goal at the end of game. Look for this to be part of article this week.

On Twitter at: www.twitter.com/3Dailywinners

Free Football System-1) Play On a MNF home underdog that lost SU at home last week and its opponent also lost previous game. (10-3 ATS) Or Play Against a MNF home team if their opponent scored nine or fewer points. (18-8 ATS)

Free Hockey Trend-2) Play ON Phoenix Coyotes who are 9-3 off a home loss by two goals or more OR PLAY ON New York Rangers who are 7-0 ATS in home games when playing against a good team (Win Pct. 60% to 75%).

Free Football Pick -3) Ken had a winner yesterday and had small play on Philly earlier at -7, which is long gone now. FYI- Brandon Lange has the UNDER on MNF, it’s as close to a lock as you’ll get on the OVER as you could find.

Note- If you prefer to have this sent to you daily instead of having to visit the site, sign up for our FREE mailing list on the right.

NHL Playoff Preview – Eastern Conference

The NHL Stanley Cup tournament is set, now we just need the games to begin. Before we arrive at that point starting Wednesday evening, it is time to breakdown what should happen and we will start in the Eastern Conference, where a lower seed has pulled at least one upset each of the last two years. Odds are courtesy of Bookmaker.com.

(1) Boston vs (8) Montreal

For Boston Bruins fans this is an uncomfortable matchup. Are the Bruins better, yes, they have hardnosed players and though not having a scorer in the top 11 in the league, they finished second in the NHL in scoring. Boston’s top three lines all can score, making them dangerous across the board and they do not allow opposing netminders like Montreal’s Casey Price to catch his breath often. The Bruins slumped for about a month, from the first part of February to the mid-point of March, mostly due to injury. Nearly all the injured players have returned and they closed 8-2.

Montreal can play with the Bruins, despite the disparity in seeding. The Canadiens have the physiological edge having won 24 of 31 playoff series and in 2002 and 2004 they beat Boston as the lower seed, just like this time. If the referees allow more physical play, Montreal will be at a serious disadvantage, since they are in hockey terms “soft”. After having the best power play each of the last two years, the Habs fell to 13th, while Boston’s improved to fourth.

There is no compelling argument to make for Montreal with goalie Casey registering five wins in last 18 games between the pipes, however it’s the Bruins and Canadiens and anything is possible. Boston needs to jump on Montreal at home and they were 29-12 on home ice this season with the Canadiens having lost 15 or last 20 road games.

Pick- Boston (-325) in six

(2) Washington vs (7) N.Y. Rangers

If one has a hockey preference towards end to end action and scoring or prefers tight low scoring hockey, both will be in evidence in this series. The Capitals scored 272 goals, the third highest total in the league. They are led by Alex Ovechkin, who finished second in points scored and they have a whole stable of forwards that can all bury the puck in the net, with the likes Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin. Washington isn’t going to scare anybody with its defense that ranked 19th in goals surrendered. Goalie Jose Theodore is a wild card of sorts and has to prove he can be consistent, which is not his trademark.

The Rangers are as comfortable as any team in the league with a 1-0 lead, since they were sixth in defensive scoring and dowdy 28th in putting the puck in the net. Though Henrik Lundqvist didn’t have his usual glimmering numbers in net, he’s capable of turning into a brick wall at any time. The matchup of the Rangers number one penalty kill unit and the Caps second ranked power play will be key. Even with the Blueshirts having offensive issue, they still have seasoned playoff vets like Scott Gomez and Chris Drury who can light the lamp and Sean Avery could get Theodore off his game with his antics.

Washington won three of four meetings this season, but didn’t dominate as 14-11 total score shows. If the Capitals receive a better than average effort from Theodore, they will pepper the net to wear down New York. The Caps are 37-14 on home ice, but don’t have a ton of experience in Stanley Cup action. If the Rangers can take advantage of Washington being up ice and capitalize a few times, they can lock up the net against Ovechkin and company. The Rangers are 8-1 in this playoff round the last two years.

Pick- Washington (-215) in seven

(3)New Jersey vs (6) Carolina

For fans that don’t watch or follow the NHL until the playoff chase begins, seeing New Jersey and Carolina colliding is like putting on your favorite most comfortable shirt. This will be the fourth postseason matchup between these teams over the last eight years. Carolina lost two meaningless games to close the season and was on 12-3 roll prior to that. Goalie Cam Ward put the clamps down on opposing snipers, giving the Hurricanes much needed confidence. The return of forward Erik Cole gave Carolina three complete lines and Eric Staal and Ray Whitney have made the Hurricanes exceedingly dangerous.

New Jersey isn’t the same boring team that played the neutral zone trap; this team actually tries to score as opposed to just picking spots. The return of future Hall of Famer Martin Broduer was welcomed, though he finished just 4-7 and hasn’t been nearly as effective in the postseason in years. Zach Parise has become an elite point producer for the Devils; however he will be marked man, as Carolina will try to find out if New Jersey has any secondary scorers.
New Jersey first has to stop Staal, since Carolina is 22-5 when he scores. The Devils have to win home games and won 24 of last 32 contests at the Prudential Center. These teams are very similar and goaltending will be tantamount and a piece of evidence could make the difference in this series. The Hurricanes blue-liners have outscored their New Jersey counterparts by better than 2 to 1 on the season. If that continues, Carolina will advance.

Pick- Carolina (+120) in six

(4) Pittsburgh vs (5) Philadelphia

Sometimes announcers will trot out clichés like, “These two teams don’t like each other” and the fact is it just isn’t true. However, when it is true, that just leads to a heighten sense of excitement for a best of seven series. This is the Keystone State clash and these teams went toe to toe in the East Finals a year ago. Both teams are different from 2008, but how either could win is still pretty much the same. How Philadelphia handles players named Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal will help determine their fate. All three are as healthy as they have been all season and why replacement coach Dan Bylsma was able to steer the Penguins from 10th in the East to fourth with 18-3-4 finish.

Philadelphia can bring a little offense to the party as well, having six players that totaled 20 or more goals, including four like Jeff Carter who broke the 30-goal barrier. The Flyers blew last game of the season to lose home ice advantage in this series, which places added pressure on goalie Martin Biron to perform at high level, something he has struggled over stretches of games.
To say these teams are evenly matched is an understatement. They finished the regular season with 99 points each and scored the exact same number of goals on the season at 264. Neither is stellar in there own end and they are separated by a one in goals allowed. Pittsburgh prefers to dazzle opponents with its array of stars and scorers, which means Philly has to hit, to slow down Penguins. Whatever team that can win the special team’s battle with gain an edge and it is more incumbent on the Flyers to do so, since Pittsburgh is better five on five.

Pick- Pittsburgh (-155) in six

Final Four Saturday

I personally was 1-1 as those who receive my free picks who testify to it, but I missed on the Bobcats to cause a 1-2 day. Today we have the consensus results from the LCC on today’s Final Four and a perfect hockey trend that goes this afternoon. While many see Orlando in a letdown, today’s Best System views it the other way and is 83.3 percent accurate. Good Luck.

Free Basketball System-1) PLAY ON road teams where the line is +3 to -3, who are a quality offensive team averaging 102 or more points against an average defensive team (92-98 PPG), after a blowout win by 20 points or more. The Orlando Magic is such a team that supports a system that is 25-5 ATS, 83.3 percent.

Free Hockey Trend -2) The New York Rangers are 0-8 against the money line in road games against explosive offensive teams scoring three or more goals a game in the second half of the season.

Free Basketball Selections -3) For today’s Final Four, the Left Coast Connection has 64 percent on North Carolina and 70 percent on Connecticut.

What to look for Wagering on the NHL

Ron Raymond of Phoenix Sports.com has been a pioneer in the handicapping business when it comes to on-line presence. Ron is a well-known authority when it comes to NHL sports wagering and it only seems like he has been around since it was just the Original Six. With less then 20 games left in the regular season, thought we would converse with Ron about what teams might be good or bad plays the rest of the season and who might be in or out of the playoffs, come the completion of the season.

3Daily Winners: Let’s start in the East, Pittsburgh has moved up to be among the eight teams that would currently make the postseason in the East with a 7-2-1 spurt and is only six points behind Philadelphia for the No.4 seed, what do you see happening?

Ron Raymond: What happened to Pittsburgh is they lost a lot of their “sandpaper”. What I mean by that is guys on the third and fourth lines, who bring that edge to the game. Names like Ryan Malone, Georges LaRaque and Gary Roberts, those were guys that went into the corners and made room for the superstars like Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby on the ice. Pittsburgh just lost too much of their “sandpaper” guys in the off-season. Now, Pittsburgh superstars are fending for themselves and their chemistry looks poor. In those tight checking games, especially in the division, when the opposing team is taking a run at your superstars, you don’t have the players to respond. Plus let’s face it; Pittsburgh went to the Stanley Cup finals last year and any team that goes to the Super Bowl, World Series or the NBA Finals, it’s tough to come back, since every playoff series in hockey is a best of seven and you are playing every other night, it takes a toll on the body. What you end up seeing is teams like Pittsburgh going through dry periods, which in hockey circles is known as the Stanley Cup hangover.

3DW: Do you see Pittsburgh making the playoffs or falling back?

Ron: I see them falling, with Carolina and Buffalo pushing them. The Sabres lost goalie Ryan Miller leaving open the possibility they could sneak in, but I see them finishing eight or ninth. When Pittsburgh has to play those road games the remainder of the season, I see them coming up empty.

3DW: What about Carolina?

Ron: Carolina is coming on strong and had recent win over Washington. Cam Ward has been playing well in goal.

3DW: So you’re thinking Pittsburgh could be playing golf by late April?

Ron: Pretty much.

3DW: Only Ottawa and the Islanders have scored fewer goals than the New York Rangers, can the Rangers survive and make the playoffs with such a lack of offense?

Ron: The Rangers is a funny situation. If you look at all the teams that went to Europe last year, Pittsburgh, Ottawa and the Rangers, all have lost their head coach. The Rangers are bringing in Sean Avery and the big question is how that will affect the dressing room. Guys like Scott Gomez and Markus Naslund have not produced and you can’t expect the defense to carry the entire load. I would not support the Rangers, especially as a heavy favorite.

3DW: In summation, you see Carolina in and Pittsburgh out in the East.

Ron: That is correct.

3DW: One other question about the East, Boston has been very loose in the defensive end and has only three wins in last 10 games, what has happened?

Ron: What happened was Michael Ryder got injured about a month ago in Montreal and Phil Kessel was also injured. When you start losing goal scorers from your lineup and playing at the pace they were (21-5-3 from Nov. 1 to Jan. 31), there is no way you can keep up that pace, as they don’t have the talent on that team like the Detroit Red Wings or San Jose Sharks. Boston has fallen back more towards their talent level, being among the top 10 teams in hockey.

3DW: Out in the Western Conference, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Colorado look to be finished with recent slumps, of the remaining teams, Anaheim, Dallas, Minnesota and St. Louis, which would be good plays to pick up points and make the postseason?

Ron: Of the teams to be the best bet to make the playoffs, I’d put my money on Dallas. Goalie Marty Turco has come back and since they have gotten rid of Sean Avery, the Stars have had one of the best records since January. The loss of Mike Modano is set back, but Mike Ribeiro has picked up his game and Dallas proved last year they know how to win on the road. Look for Dallas to make run at the playoffs.

3DW: Nashville is 7-2-1 in last 10 games, what do you see from them?

Ron: In a given week, Nashville could go from 8th to 10th and probably back again.

3DW: Vancouver has made a big move, winning eight of 10, are they for real?

Ron: What happened for Vancouver is they got Mats Sundin. Anytime you get a quality superstar like that, he changes the dynamic of the team. I thought Vancouver was a little too confident after acquiring him. They seemed to think Sundin would their savior. It took Sundin about a month to get his timing, especially overcoming a groin injury. Any time a hockey player has a groin injury, he’s not going to trust it, always wondering if he will re-injure himself. Until the groin was 100 percent, he didn’t trust it. Now Sundin is healthy, got his confidence back and the rest of the team is playing well. Vancouver looks very good right now.

3DW: With San Jose and Detroit neck and neck for most points in the West, who do you see coming out ahead?

Ron: I like San Jose. Even though they are not a strong playoff team with unsure goaltending and Joe Thornton having never proven to a playoff hockey player, Detroit lost Marian Hossa for the second time in a week and their 8-0 loss at Nashville could signal a problem since the Red Wings don’t lose by eight goals. I checked my database at Phoenix Sports and Detroit has only lost by six or more goals twice since 1996.

3DW: In looking at the rest of the regular season, is their any wager or wagers you see that might be worthwhile?

Ron: There is always that one team in the playoffs you don’t understand, they screw up the whole party. I’m telling you right now, people better look out for Florida. If I was a betting man and I am, the Panthers are +1200 to win the East and +3000 at Bookmaker.com to win the Cup. If you have an extra few dollars to play with, might be worth looking into. I remember in 2004, I put nickel ($500) on the Calgary Flames at 44-1 to win the Stanley Cup and they got to the Finals. I hedged my bet once they got there, and I was lucky enough to come out a winner. If you have some fun money, put it on the Florida Panthers and let it ride.

3DW: That is great stuff Ron, I appreciate you wisdom and insights and good luck the rest of the regular season.

Ron: Thanks, Doug it’s been fun and good luck to you also.