Nick "BookieKiller" Parsons
Tampa Bay -125
Analysis: For a number of different reasons I believe we're getting excellent value on the home side in this situation:
Montreal (25-24-5), which has won six of nine at St. Pete Times Forum since the beginning of the 2005-06 season, posted a 2-1 overtime victory in Tampa on Dec. 30 on Tomas Plekanec’s game-winner.
Plekanec, who leads the Canadiens with 39 assists and 52 points, scored a second-period power-play goal Tuesday, but Montreal allowed two unanswered goals in the third and fell to Florida 2-1 to open its three-game trip.
After making 27 saves versus the Panthers, Jaroslav Halak will likely get his fourth straight start. Halak, who is 8-3-1 with a 1.99 goals-against average in his last 12 starts, is 0-1-0 with a 3.08 GAA lifetime versus the Lightning.
Remember, the Habs are just 2-4 their last six overall.
On the other side of the ice: Tampa Bay (21-20-10) has finished last in the Southeast Division each of the last two seasons, but with a 10-6-1 record since a 1-8-2 stretch from Nov. 28-Dec. 17, the Lightning have improved their playoff chances.
Saturday’s 2-1 shootout victory over Atlanta was Tampa Bay’s third win in four games. The Lightning are 6-1-1 in their last eight at St. Pete Times Forum and among a number of teams vying for the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.
Antero Niittymaki will likely need to be a major contributor if that’s going to happen. Since Mike Smith strained his neck against Washington on Jan. 12, Niittymaki has started six straight games, going 3-1-0 in his last four after making 37 saves and five stops in the tiebreaker against the Thrashers.
Bottom line: Niittymaki made 36 saves in a 3-1 victory in Montreal on Nov. 7 to snap a personal seven-game losing streak to the Canadiens.
The well rested Lightning have the advantage over a team that played just 24 hours previous; look for TAMPA BAY to improve to 4-1 (+3.5 units) when playing with 3 or more days of rest and for Montreal to drop to 4-7 its last 11 overall!
7* TAMPA BAY
Tampa Bay -125
Analysis: For a number of different reasons I believe we're getting excellent value on the home side in this situation:
Montreal (25-24-5), which has won six of nine at St. Pete Times Forum since the beginning of the 2005-06 season, posted a 2-1 overtime victory in Tampa on Dec. 30 on Tomas Plekanec’s game-winner.
Plekanec, who leads the Canadiens with 39 assists and 52 points, scored a second-period power-play goal Tuesday, but Montreal allowed two unanswered goals in the third and fell to Florida 2-1 to open its three-game trip.
After making 27 saves versus the Panthers, Jaroslav Halak will likely get his fourth straight start. Halak, who is 8-3-1 with a 1.99 goals-against average in his last 12 starts, is 0-1-0 with a 3.08 GAA lifetime versus the Lightning.
Remember, the Habs are just 2-4 their last six overall.
On the other side of the ice: Tampa Bay (21-20-10) has finished last in the Southeast Division each of the last two seasons, but with a 10-6-1 record since a 1-8-2 stretch from Nov. 28-Dec. 17, the Lightning have improved their playoff chances.
Saturday’s 2-1 shootout victory over Atlanta was Tampa Bay’s third win in four games. The Lightning are 6-1-1 in their last eight at St. Pete Times Forum and among a number of teams vying for the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.
Antero Niittymaki will likely need to be a major contributor if that’s going to happen. Since Mike Smith strained his neck against Washington on Jan. 12, Niittymaki has started six straight games, going 3-1-0 in his last four after making 37 saves and five stops in the tiebreaker against the Thrashers.
Bottom line: Niittymaki made 36 saves in a 3-1 victory in Montreal on Nov. 7 to snap a personal seven-game losing streak to the Canadiens.
The well rested Lightning have the advantage over a team that played just 24 hours previous; look for TAMPA BAY to improve to 4-1 (+3.5 units) when playing with 3 or more days of rest and for Montreal to drop to 4-7 its last 11 overall!
7* TAMPA BAY
Tony George
Bradley -3
Creighton, oh how the mighty have fallen this year in the Mo Valley with the Blue Jays and Salukies both having bad years, and Bradley at home is a BRUTAL road game for any team coming in here. Adding to that is Creighton’s 1-6 SU road record. The Blue Jays are also just 2-7-1 ATS their last 10 road games. The Braves have already defeated Mo Valley Power Wichita State in here and Southern Illinois and are avenging 4 straight losses to Creighton and the Blue Gays starting guard Stinnett is out for suspension and the Jays lack depth and scoring from the forward position. Creighton only 24% from the arc in their last 5 games and with a starting guard out who averages 10 ppg and a weak frontcourt, on the road in a tough place to play against a team avenging 4 losses dating back 2 years, I like the Braves to kick the Blue Jays here when they are down. Play 1 Unit on Bradley.
Bradley -3
Creighton, oh how the mighty have fallen this year in the Mo Valley with the Blue Jays and Salukies both having bad years, and Bradley at home is a BRUTAL road game for any team coming in here. Adding to that is Creighton’s 1-6 SU road record. The Blue Jays are also just 2-7-1 ATS their last 10 road games. The Braves have already defeated Mo Valley Power Wichita State in here and Southern Illinois and are avenging 4 straight losses to Creighton and the Blue Gays starting guard Stinnett is out for suspension and the Jays lack depth and scoring from the forward position. Creighton only 24% from the arc in their last 5 games and with a starting guard out who averages 10 ppg and a weak frontcourt, on the road in a tough place to play against a team avenging 4 losses dating back 2 years, I like the Braves to kick the Blue Jays here when they are down. Play 1 Unit on Bradley.
