Wednesday Night Hockey, serious cappers plz!!

PapaGeorge · 03-25-09, 12:00 PM

Dallas Stars skating on thin ice as playoffs near

With just over two weeks remaining in the NHL regular season, several Western Conference playoff hopefuls are facing an uphill skate trying to push their way into the Top 8 with banged-up rosters. The Dallas Stars are going to be without center Brad Richards, the Minnesota Wild will miss Mikko Koivu for the next week and the Los Angeles Kings are minus their leading goal scorer, winger Alexander Frolov.

Put a band-aid on it and let’s go.

If only it were that simple. With only 10 games left to go in the NHL regular season, this is definitely not the time you want to have one of your key players blow a tire. Yet that’s exactly the scenario facing these three Western Conference hopefuls who find themselves up against the wall.

Dallas Stars
The Stars are falling down. They’ve lost four games in a row to slip four points out of a playoff spot, and they’ve lost Brad Richards (16 goals, 32 assists in 56 games) for at least the next month with a broken wrist. The added problem here is that Richards plays center; the Stars are already missing the services of Brian Sutherby (lower body) and Toby Petersen (foot).

Granted, those are the two centers at the bottom of the depth chart, but it’s an issue nonetheless. Dallas is already subpar in scoring at 2.76 goals per game – No. 17 overall in the NHL.

Minnesota Wild
Back in Dallas’ former home, the Wild are even lower in scoring at 2.47 goals per game (No. 27), so the loss of center Mikko Koivu (knee) for the next week and possibly more gets magnified in importance. Koivu leads the team with 62 points (18 goals, 44 assists) and plays an integral role on the Minnesota power play.
At a competitive 19.3 percent success rate (No. 14 overall), the Wild need to keep clicking on the man advantage to weather Koivu’s absence – they’re only two points ahead of Dallas in the West and two behind eighth-place Anaheim.

Los Angeles Kings
Even the Kings have a shot at the playoffs despite sitting eight points behind the Ducks. But their chances got a lot slimmer on Sunday when Alexander Frolov (28 goals, 27 assists in 72 games) was knocked out of commission for 7-10 days with another of those ubiquitous lower-body injuries.

Los Angeles has dropped three straight and is definitely in no position to lose its leading scorer – the Kings are No. 24 overall in goals at 2.54 per game. And, yes, Frolov was also L.A.’s top gun on the power play (and a healthy one at 20.1 percent) with 11 goals. Oh well, there’s always the Lakers.

Calgary at Pittsburgh
Wednesday, Mar 25, 7:30 p.m. (ET) TSN
The 42-24-6 Flames (35-37 ATS, minus-0.49 units) are holding onto third place in the Western standings, three points ahead of Vancouver in the Northwest Division and 12 points ahead of Nashville in ninth. But these haven’t been the best of times for Calgary supporters at 3-5 over the past eight games, dropping 3.98 units along the way. Two of those starts were by No. 2 goalie Curtis McElhinney, who inspired no confidence with seven goals allowed in less than four periods of work. No. 1 Miikka Kiprusoff (.904 save percentage) is in line to make his fourth start in a row for the Flames.

Pittsburgh (35-39 ATS, minus-6.19 units) has catapulted back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture with an 8-1-2 record this month. That one loss in regulation was on Sunday, when the Pens fell 3-1 to the Flyers as –137 home faves. Otherwise, this has been an entirely rejuvenated team under coach Dan Bylsma, who took over for the straight-laced Michel Therrien on Feb. 15. Sidney Crosby has a point in each of the 13 games since (seven goals, 16 assists). Evgeni Malkin is also lighting it up with eight points in his last three games; Malkin will face the Flames on Wednesday after the NHL decided not to suspend him for hitting Los Angeles RW Wayne Simmonds in the head last week.

Crosby and Malkin are the top two scorers in the league right now and more than enough to make Pittsburgh a –130 favorite at the Igloo. The betting odds also have a total of six goals up on the board.
__________________
THANKS CHANCE HARPER!

PapaGeorge · 03-25-09, 01:07 PM

compliments of 5dimes.com

Senators +1½ -220 +135 Over 5½ +105
Hurricanes -1½ +180 -155 Under 5½ -125
Wild -1½ +255 -115 Over 5 -125
Islanders +1½ -310 -105 Under 5 +105
Panthers +1½ -250 +115 Over 5½ -110
Sabres -1½ +210 -135 Under 5½ -110
Flames +1½ -235 +115 Over 6½ -110
Penguins -1½ +195 -135 Under 6½ -110
Sharks +1½ -270 +105 Over 5½ +105
Blackhawks -1½ +230 -125 Under 5½ -125
Ducks -1½ +235 -125 Over 5½ -110
Avalanche +1½ -275 +105 Under 5½ -110

PapaGeorge · 03-25-09, 01:09 PM

Tomas Vokoun Probable @ 7:48am EDTvs
Mikael Tellqvist (WGR550) Firm @ 12:35pm EDT7:48amLooks like Tellqvist will start with Miller possibly getting a game this weekend. (Buffalo News)
Niklas Backstrom Likely @ 1:34pm EDT1:34pmNo confirmed but sounds like Backstrom again. (Russo's Rant)vs
Yann Danis Likely @ 1:48pm EDT1:48pmIt appears like Danis will start tonight. (Islanders Point Blank)
Brian Elliott Firm @ 1:15pm EDT1:15pmElliot will start tonight (Ottawa Sun)8:02amClouston will name his starter today. Auld won his last game and Elliot has a eight game winning streak (Ottawa Sun)vs
Cam Ward (Ottawa Sun) Firm @ 1:16pm EDT8:47amWard was noted to likely start the rest of the games this season. Maybe on game before the playoffs. (News Observer)
Miikka Kiprusoff Probable @ 7:47am EDTvs
Marc-Andre Fleury Likely @ 7:53am EDT7:53amFleury is expected to start (Post Gazette)
Evgeni Nabokov Probable @ 7:47am EDTvs
Nikolai Khabibulin Firm @ 7:53am EDT7:53amThird straight start for Khabibulin (Chicago Tribune)
Jonas Hiller Probable @ 7:46am EDTvs
Peter Budaj (Denver Post) Firm @ 7:47am EDT

The General · 03-25-09, 02:17 PM

What do you think about the Ducks and Sabres PL tonight, papa?

Thanks

PapaGeorge · 03-25-09, 02:23 PM

hmm...i cant find myself playing any puck lines this close to the playoffs, alot of desperate teams ya know.....sorry bro...

PapaGeorge · 03-25-09, 02:24 PM

CAROLINA HURRICANES -155
PANTHERS VS SABRES Under 5½ -110
SHARKS VS BLACKHAWKS Over 5½ +105

SO FAR THIS IS WHAT I CAME UP WITH.....TIGHT NIGHT...

The General · 03-25-09, 02:29 PM

No problem thanks for the thoughts and BOL tonight.

PapaGeorge · 03-25-09, 02:34 PM

also
FLAMES +115

GOODLUCK EVERYONE

danofsarnia · 03-25-09, 04:32 PM

just some help from Sarnia guys

SJ is 13-1 against chicago in their last 14 meetings

pittsburg is 4-2 in their last 6 Calgary on the road is 1-6-1 in their last 8 meetings.

Anaheim is 6-1 against Colorado and 5-2 on all their last 7 road games. Annaheim needs the win for a playoff position too.

Minnesota is playing tuff right now and is on the winning side especially on the road. On the flip side NYI have hit a pot hole and gone back to normal with a few losses.

FYI Dan O

Scully · 03-25-09, 04:54 PM

No Marleau for Sharks tonight.

PapaGeorge · 03-25-09, 05:14 PM

damn how did i miss that one....

Scully · 03-25-09, 05:27 PM

Fellows an important point to note regarding the Black Hawks and in particular their recent skid was the fact that they were missing one of their top point getters and leaders in Patrick Sharp. It seemed went he went out, the Hawks proceeded to slide and were never able to regain their previous success. In his first game back on Sunday, Sharp scored two goals and added an assist in Chicago's 4-1 win over LA.

PapaGeorge · 03-25-09, 05:45 PM

good info scully, thanks for helping out, i appreciate it alot!
gl luck tonight.....

The General · 03-26-09, 12:52 AM

Damn I passed on both PL's.