Randall the Handle 11/19
Tampa Bay +1.36 over ANAHEIM (REG) Pinnacle
The Ducks are a team to stay away from these days, as there is something very wrong with them. The focus, determination or both are missing badly and that’s been very evident in most of its games this season. The forwards aren’t chipping in and the defense is giving away more free candy than any team in the league. The Ducks are coming off a four game East Coast trip in which they didn’t win a game and surrendered 12 goals in its final two games. Only once in the four games did they score more than twice. Meanwhile, the Lightning has picked up points in six straight and the scary thing is that they’re not even playing so great. They’ve only managed more than 22 shots on net once in those past six games but they’re still winning and that’s a testament to how sharp its marksmen are. Lecavlier and Tanguay are starting to get it going after a slow start for both. The Bolts should get tons of scoring chances tonight against this soft and very easy to fore-check host. The Ducks have serious problems and something is going to give real soon. Play: Tampa Bay +1.36 (Risking 2 units).
DALLAS -½ +1.19 over Columbus (REG) Pinnacle
The Jackets have won four of its last five games and the Stars are usually a much better dog than favorite but a close look reveals that the Jackets really aren’t playing that good. First, Steve Mason will start and he’s been way off all year with a 3.67 GAA and an 8.79 save %. Those aforementioned four wins came against Atlanta (minus Kovalchuk), Carolina, a reeling Ducks team in OT and a exhausted Oilers team playing the final game of a five-game trip. That one also went into OT. The loss they suffered in there was that memorable 9-1 thumping to the Red Wings, the only real tough game over that five-game stretch and the same Red Wing team the Stars defeated last night in Detroit. Prior to that the Jackets had dropped four of five. Last year the Jackets only visit to Dallas resulted in a 7-3 loss. Dallas is 4-1-1 against the Central Division and that’s where the Jackets reside. The Stars are healthy, they’re tough to beat and they’re on the verge of going on a roll and this Jackets team is getting just a bit too much credit when in fact, they’re not playing well at all. Play: Dallas -½ +1.19 (Risking 2 units).
ST. LOUIS -½ +1.04 over Phoenix Pinnacle
The money line seems rather high (the Blues are –1.65) when you consider that there’s really not a lot that separates these two. In fact, an argument could be made that the Coyotes are the better team and who could argue, as they have six more wins than the Blue Notes. Furthermore, the Blues have just three wins in 11 home games while the Coyotes are a very decent 6-4 on the road. However, this one is strictly a situational play in that the line is so high because the books are very aware that Phoenix could be completely gassed while the Blue Notes are as rested as a team could possibly be. Phoenix will play its fifth game in a week, its third game in four days and the tail end of back-to-backs after a tough game in Minnesota last night. They looked to be running on fumes in the second period and portions of the third as well. So, sometimes you have to “read between the lines” and this is a prime example of that. The Blue Notes will play its second game this week and they’ve been off since Saturday. If this were an even playing field situation the Blues would be a lot shorter price. Play St. Louis -½ +1.04 (Risking 2 units).
NASHVILLE +1.07 over New Jersey (REG) Pinnacle
The Preds are playing too good to ignore as a pooch and while the Devils are playing great also, this game is in Nashville and it’s a place the Devils seldom visit. New Jersey has made three trips to Nashville in the past six years and after games against Philly, Washington and Pittsburgh, three of its biggest rivals, and after finally losing a road game, the Devils could definitely take a bit of a breather tonight. They were on a nine-game road winning streak and when a team is riding that high they’ll play their hearts out in order to keep it going. It takes a life of its own once it gets that high but once its broken you can almost hear the exhaling. The Preds figure to be the more jacked-up team, as they get to play one of the more successful franchises over the past decade or so. The arena is electric when it’s full and there’s a great chance it’ll be capacity or damn near it tonight. Nashville has won three in a row, seven of nine and they’re a dog tonight because they get very little recognition. Thing is, they’re great defensively, they’re getting outstanding goaltending, they’re healthy and they roll out three terrific lines. Play: Nashville +1.07 (Risking 2 units).
Chicago/L.A. LAKERS under 194 5Dimes
The Bulls have hit 100 points just once all year and it came in its last game against Sacramento. However, that was one game but a better measure of how they play is what they’ve done against other high scoring teams. Against Denver, the final score was 90-89. Against the Raps the final score was 99-89; against Milwaukee, 83-81, against Cleveland 86-85 and the list goes on and on. The Bulls know they can’t get into a shooting contest with the Lakers because they know they have no shot of winning if they do. The Bulls are going to have to dictate the pace of this game and while that might be a tough assignment, Phil Jackson is happy to play a defensive game. Yeah, the Lakers are capable of putting up a lot of points but this one is all about the Bulls. A team that shoots a low percentage, walks up the floor and they sure as hell aren’t going to change its strategy here. Play: Chicago/Lakers under 194 (Risking 2.1 units to win 2).