College Basketball Lock Alert – Michigan State at Iowa

The Michigan State Spartans (16-3 SU, 8-7-1 ATS, 7-9 O/U) bounced back nicely from an emphatic loss in their previous contest to beat the Ohio State Buckeyes 78-67 on Sunday.

The Iowa Hawkeyes (12-8 SU, 8-6 ATS, 6-8 O/U) have dropped four of five, including a dismal performance against the suddenly-surprising Penn State Nittany Lions (my beloved alma mater) on Saturday.

Now, both teams will be looking to pick up a win in the BetOnline Sportsbook when they meet at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa tonight.

The Spartans easily covered the spread for BetOnline NCAA college basketball betting backers as a 3-point road favorite on Sunday while the combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (129.5).

Sophomore shooting guard Durrell Summers scored a team-high 26 points for the Spartans and sophomore point guard Kalin Lucas added 20 points in the win.

Iowa couldn’t hold on to a late lead in losing to Penn State 63-59 at the Bryce Jordan Center on Saturday, though they managed to cover the spread as a 6-point road underdog while the final score played under the 124-point total.

Sophomore shooting guard Jake Kelly scored a team-high 19 points in a losing effort.

Here is a look at tonight’s key trends, followed by my in-depth analysis and NCAAB Free Pick.

Michigan State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road

Michigan State is 12-1 SU in its last 13 games

Michigan State is 15-7 SU in its last 22 games when playing Iowa

Michigan State is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games

Iowa is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games at home

Iowa is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Michigan State

Iowa is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Michigan State

Iowa is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Michigan State

NCAAB Odds

Michigan State -6 -110

Iowa +6 -110

Over 125½ -110

Under 125½ -110

Analysis: I think this contest is an absolute ‘lock’ for my beloved BetOnline NCAA college basketball sports betting members as the Michigan State Spartans are not only going to beat the Hawkeyes tonight, but pound them into submission.

NCAAB Free Picks: Michigan State -6 Points/Over 125½ Total Points

PAC 10 Showdown – Stanford at USC

The Stanford Cardinal (13-4 SU, 12-4 ATS, 7-8 O/U) were upset 77-62 by Oregon State on Saturday, but narrowly covered the spread for BetOnline Sportsbook NCAA college basketball sports betting backers as a 16-point favorite at home while the combined score made it OVER the posted total of 129.

The USC Trojans (13-6 SU, 9-8 ATS, 8-8 O/U) held on for a narrow 46-44 win over Washington State at the Wallis Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum on Saturday, covering the spread as a 2-point road underdog while the final score played under 112-point total.

Senior guard Anthony Goods led Stanford with 15 points in a losing effort while 6-5 junior guard Daniel Hackett scored a team-high 14 points for USC in their victory.

Stanford has gone an impressive 5-1 against the spread in their last six contests while Southern Cal has covered the spread in two straight and three of their last four overall.

Here is a look at tonight’s key basketball trends, followed by my in-depth analysis and NCAAB Free Pick:

The total has gone OVER in 5 of Stanford’s last 5 games when playing on the road against USC

Stanford is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games

The total has gone OVER in 10 of Stanford’s last 12 games on the road

Stanford is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road

The total has gone OVER in 5 of USC’s last 5 games when playing at home against Stanford

USC is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home

USC is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Stanford

USC is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games

NCAAB Odds

Stanford +6 -110

USC -6 -110

Over 135 -110

Under 135 -110

Analysis: While I like the USC Trojans to win this contest at home tonight, I just don’t see them beating a decent Stanford team by seven points. The fact of the matter is that USC is just mediocre this season and aren’t much better than the Cardinal – if at all.

Don’t think twice about this pick NCAA hoops bettors, just take the Cardinal to cover the spread while pushing for the outright win!

NCAAB Free Picks: Stanford +6 Points/Over 135 Total Points

NCAAB Line Analysis – Sun Devils host Cougars

The Washington State Cougars (11-8 SU, 5-11 ATS, 6-10 O/U) have dropped two straight games in the BetOnline Sportsbook. The 14th-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils (16-3 SU, 10-5 ATS, 7-8 O/U) have won two consecutive games and four of their last five overall.

Tonight, both teams will be trying to pick up an SU and ATS win in the BetOnline Sportsbook when they battle at Wells Fargo Arena.

Washington State was downed 46-44 by USC at the Wallis Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum on Saturday, failing to cover the spread as 2.5-point home favorites while the final score played Under the 112-point total.

6-6 freshman shooting guard Clay Thompson scored a game-high 15 points, but the Cougars shot a pathetic 2

7.5 percent from the field in the loss.

Arizona State recorded a solid 53-47 win over Arizona on Jan. 21 as gifted 6-4 sophomore shooting guard James Harden scored a team-high 20 points to lead Arizona State to victory. Arizona State covered the spread as 2.5-point road favorites while the game played under the 124.5-point total listed by oddsmakers.

Here is a look at tonight’s key trends, followed by my in-depth analysis and NCAAB Free Pick.

Washington State is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Arizona State

The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Washington State’s last 11 games on the road

The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington State’s last 7 games when playing Arizona State

The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Washington State’s last 16 games

Arizona State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Arizona State’s last 5 games

Arizona State is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games

Arizona State is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games

NCAAB Odds

Washington State +10½ -110

Arizona State -10½ -110

Over 108½ -110

Under 108½ -110

Analysis: The Washington State Cougars are an absolute mess this season BetOnline NCAA college basketball bettors! Averaging just 58.5 points per game this season, the Cougars are going down and they’re going down hard tonight!

Take the Arizona State Sun Devils to win and cover the spread!

NCAAB Free Picks: Arizona State -10½ Points/Over 108½ Total Points

College Ball California Style – Cal at (17) UCLA

The California Golden Bears (16-4 SU, 11-6 ATS, 8-9 O/U) bounced back nicely to snap a modest two-game losing streak in the BetOnline Sportsbook by beating Oregon 76-69 at Haas Pavilion Saturday, covering the spread as a 14-point road underdog while the final score played under the 147-point total.

"I think it was kind of regrouping for us after two consecutive losses, seeing where we are," Cal guard Patrick Christopher said. "The team a year ago might have pointed fingers and turned on each other. It was good for us to come together like a family and talk things out."

The UCLA Bruins (15-4 SU, 8-10 ATS, 10-8 O/U) have lost two of its last three, including a dismal 86-75 loss to Washington on Saturday where they failed to cover the spread as 2-point road underdogs while the final score played OVER the day’s posted total of 141.

"Coach is trying to figure out how much (rest) can he give me without losing games," said point guard Darren Collison who is averaging 14.4 points per game this season. "I don’t want to back down and just give it all away. It’s up to us to push through it mentally."

Senior forward Josh Shipp led all scorers on the day with 25 points in a losing effort for the Bruins while junior point guard Jerome Randle scored a team-high 22 points to lead four players in double figure scoring.

Here is a look at tonight’s key PAC 10 Game online betting trends, followed by my in-depth analysis and NCAAB Free Pick:

The total has gone OVER in 5 of California’s last 5 games when playing on the road against UCLA

California is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games

The total has gone OVER in 4 of California’s last 5 games when playing UCLA

The total has gone OVER in 18 of California’s last 25 games on the road

The total has gone OVER in 5 of UCLA’s last 5 games when playing at home against California

UCLA is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games at home

UCLA is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing California

UCLA is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games

NCAAB Odds

California +9½ -110

UCLA -9½ -110

Over 139½ -110

Under 139½ -110

Analysis: While I fully expect the UCLA Bruins to win this contest, there is no way they win this matchup by the 10 points it will take for them to cover the spread.

The fact of the matter is that the Bruins have taken a big step backwards from the powerful teas they’ve fielded the last four seasons, and understandably so with the departure of several gifted players to the NBA.

Take the California Golden Bears to cover the spread with room to spare!

NCAAB Free Picks: California +9½ Points/Over 139½ Total Points

Nadal vs. Verdasco – Makings of a Dream Final

Melbourne, Australia – Rafael Nadal put forward an outstanding Australian Open campaign to reach his second consecutive semi-final in Melbourne, but none of his performances over the last ten days of the tournament was as awesome as his victory over Gilles Simon in the quarterfinals. Indeed, it depends on perspective for one could argue that as Simon looked to have Nadal on the ropes at times in the match, it was not such a flawless performance. Tribute to Simon for leaving it all on the court; but Nadal’s ferocious effort, highlighted by glorious passing shots and whipping forehands on a dead run when under pressure to overpower and outmuscle a relentless Simon 6-2, 7-5, 7-5, only accentuates his fierce competitive nature. To put a fine point on it, he is tough to beat and showed just a glimmer of what it might take to beat him.

Speaking of what it would take to beat him that is the question lingering in sports bettor’s minds as they consider his upcoming semi-final opponent, compatriot Fernando Verdasco. What can the reinvented Verdasco do to beat the warrior Nadal, all the whilst, the pressure of the big occasion weighs down on his shoulders and Nadal pummels away from the baseline with interest and then some.

Tennis Betting Line:

Rafael Nadal -6½ -130 -900 34½ O -130 U -110

Fernando Verdasco +6½ -110 +450 34½ O -130 U -110

Match Time: 03:30 A.M. Eastern Time Friday 30 January 2009

Head-to-Head Analysis: Nadal leads the head-to-head series 6-0.

Tennis Betting Analysis:

Verdasco +450: Certainly, Verdasco has been the surprise package of the Australian Open. However, he really earned his place in the final four. He arrived to the semis on the back of a near-flawless first week of the tournament dropping an average of four games in his first three matches. His first test came from Andy Murray but he proved to be the better player on that day. His second test was last year’s surprise package Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. He dealt with the Frenchman very efficiently – even better than he did Murray. Now he is in the semis and he has to come up with the match of his life if he is to beat a player he has never beaten before.

Nadal -900: Aside from one of the six matches against Verdasco (the 2006 Stella Artois Championships) Nadal has answered the challenge from his compatriot efficiently and swiftly. Five of their encounters saw Nadal drop only a handful of games while the Stella Artois Championships was the only encounter in which Verdasco nicked a set off Nadal. Given their stats, this match would appear to be a one-sided affair.

Tennis Betting Verdict: Based on their head-to-head record, this matchup six months ago would have been dismissed as a whitewash affair for Verdasco. However, Verdasco has reinvented himself by investing in his tennis and working with Gil Reyes in Las Vegas (Andre Agassi’s conditioning guru) in the off-season. He is a different player today compared to the one his record promotes, so this matchup is sure to take on a completely new dimension given the newfound belief Verdasco enjoys now. At the same time though, the stats are not entirely a mute point where Nadal is concerned. Short-term memory is all fine and dandy for Verdasco (pretending the past never happened is perhaps his best tactical approach available to him in this match). For Nadal, it is a clear edge and the backbone of his strategy against Verdasco. He has beaten him before. Therefore, theoretically, he can again. The psychology favours Nadal as he is playing a reinvented version of the same player – the reinvented part is not so much the game but the mind.

Tennis Free Picks: Nadal in four sets

Nila Amerova is a freelance sports writer and regular contributor to the BetOnline.com Locker Room

Federer and Nadal – The Best Rivalry in Sports?

Melbourne, Australia – Upon initial reflection some scathing observations came to mind especially on the subject of the second week of the Australian Open when the level of competition is higher, the calibre of the players better and the tennis betting lines tighter, taxing tennis betting sensibilities with nerve-racking , nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat action – so they say. But after some of the sub-par performances this week, methinks there was a lot more hype coming into the Australian Open than was warranted.

I was going to launch into a diatribe against the first player who dispelled the notion – Novak Djokovic – and how in his right mind he could retire from a match. And not just any match, a Grand Slam Quarterfinal of an event he is the Defending Champion in and claim a mere hour later in the press room that he feels dandy and wants to go back on the courts again. Seriously! Weren’t you just there a few moments ago? Happily, munching on a banana on the changeover bemoaning fatigue and dizziness and all manner of ailments to the medics before finally calling it quits?

Oh and don’t get me started on the resurgence of mopey Murray! So much for being the bookies chosen one at the Australian Open! Indeed, so much for the so-called “Big Four”. Raise your hands up if you think the punters jumped the gun on this one? Yup, it is unanimous.

I was also going to rip into Juan Martin Del Potro. I mean what an effort the World No.6 player just put in against the maestro. Epic is the word that comes to mind. He really left nothing unanswered on the court didn’t he? Gave it his all – no? Why, I do believe I glimpsed him run once – o.k. maybe twice. And no, I am not upset. Why would you think that?

But then I realized, why, would I waste my time writing and the reader’s time reading something about all of them. They gave us about zero effort. It is only just to return in kind – a snippet worth. Instead, let us focus on those players who deserve to be discussed.

Gilles Simon – bless his soul for trying – gave it his all against Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals. He took all 150 pounds of his lithe, lanky frame and absorbed every ruthless baseline stroke Nadal pummelled his way and returned it with interest and then some. He showed exactly how he managed to beat Nadal and Federer last year and though he lost 6-2, 7-5, 7-5 that day, he walked out of Rod Laver Arena to a well-deserved standing ovation. Bravo. A mighty effort indeed.

Remember the time when the big question in the tennis betting world was what precisely could Andy Roddick do to beat Federer. Experts came out in droves, willing to offer the former World No.1 A-Rod advice. “Serve BIGGER, Andy. Yes. You MUST come in to net. Be MORE aggressive. Surely, he cannot keep making all those magnificent passing shots if you apply the pressure and rattle him from his comfort zone. NOBODY is that good.” Well…drum roll please… somebody IS that good.

In some ways, reliving yesterday is awful. The rematch of their 2007 Australian Open semi-final wasn’t supposed to be so one-sided. Granted it was not the all-out drubbing Roddick received two years ago (almost looked like it after the first set) but, when so many so desperately wanted Roddick to win his first Grand Slam semifinal since the 2006 US Open when he beat Mikhail Youzhny, there was still something vaguely disconcerting about watching Federer completely dismantle Roddick for the 16th time. One has to wonder if this loss (above all the rest) signifies something direr than just lost opportunity (but that is an entirely different debate). Because as much as everyone would like to make yesterday’s semi-final about Roddick; about how disappointed he must be, about how hard he tried and how well he competed – it is not. The world owes Roddick an apology. There was always something inevitable about their rematch Down Under. It had to be this way.

Like all stories, there are two perspectives and Federer’s 2008 season was every bit as disheartening as Nadal’s was heart warming.

Leading up to the 2009 Australian Open so many questions about Federer lingered. Will he come back after his rather underwhelming (by his standard) year in 2008? Would he reclaim his No.1 spot from Nadal? Would he match Pete Sampras 14 for 14 Grand Slam titles (insert little shiver here)?

Federer answered the first question with authority this week. After flattening Del Potro flatter than a pancake in his 6-3, 6-0, 6-0 destruction of the Argentine and overwhelming Roddick 6-2, 7-5, 7-5, he negotiates a premiere position in to his 18th career Grand Slam final. From this vantage point, he has the opportunity to regain ground in the rankings and match Pete Sampras’s record with a title victory.

If Roger Federer is to silence his critics (those sorry few still out there), only one other protagonist could deliver a final, which could play out, as a Shakespearean drama, over five intense acts of tennis and that would be deemed fitting for what could potentially be a historic occasion – and that is Rafael Nadal. If I could knock up a sonnet or reach for the words of some of the great poets in English literature to impress upon sports bettors what a Federer-Nadal final would mean for the Australian Open tournament, for Federer if he wins against Nadal and joins the company of Pete Sampras in history – even for Nadal should he thwart Federer’s ambitions yet again in a Grand Slam final – I would. I am no poet but I will do my best.

Federer and Nadal have proven to be the greatest ambassadors for our beloved sport and they have earned every accolade offered to them and then some. They are superb athletes in their own rights. They are great rivals – enjoying possibly one of the greatest rivalries in sport today (or ever). But they are respectful of one another. Theirs is a competition of legend vs. legend. They gave us already Wimbledon – the greatest match of all time. What a sequel to that match would look like I have no idea. But know this: should they set a date come Sunday – it will be spectacular and the possibility of it all just makes the result (whatever it might be) that much more wonderful. I hope everyone takes a moment to appreciate the fact that they could be about to witness history being made. Viva la tennis. Viva Federer and Nadal.

Nila Amerova is a freelance sports writer and regular contributor to the BetOnline.com Locker Room

College Basketball’s Game of the Year – (1) Duke at (6) Wake Forest

Coach K has Duke where they should be, ranked number one in the nation and on their way to another ACC title. But before the Dookies can claim it, they’ll have to beat teams like the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on the road. The Deacons were ranked number one in the nation before suffering a loss to Virginia Tech. For online betting fans, the loss to VA Tech proved what many of them had been quietly whispering that from an online basketball betting point-of-view, Wake Forest hasn’t been that spectacular. Their record of 8 and 5 against the BetOnline online wagering spread is a good one but they haven’t garnered it through mass destruction.

The Duke Blue Devils on the other hand have. They beat Maryland by 41 points in their last game. The Devils are just getting better and better. While their against the spread record is only 10-7-1, there straight-up record is 18 and 1. I expect the Devils to improve their against the spread record as the season wears on.

Here are the BetOnline online sportsbook betting odds for this game.

Duke Blue Devils -1 ½ -110 O 149 -110

Wake Forest Demon Deacons +1 ½ -110 U 149 -110

Here are a few online wagering trends that might help us find a good online bet in this game.

The Duke Blue Devils are 1 and 4 against the spread in their last 5 road games following three or more consecutive home games.

The Duke Blue Devils are 6 and 1 against the spread in the last 7 meetings between these two teams.

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are 5 and 1 against the spread in their last 6 games overall.

The Favorite is 5 and 1 against the spread in the last 6 meetings between these two teams.

What this game comes down to is reality. The reality is that the Duke Blue Devils are a massively talented team capable of shutting down any offense in the nation. Not only that, but they have terrific scorers in key positions on their team.

When a player like Greg Paulus can come off the bench and pour in 17 on any given night, you know that you’re pretty good. Kyle Sigler is a stud. Gerald Henderson is virtually unstoppable.

And they all play defense!

Wake Forest is a terrific team, they might be better than North Carolina this year, but they don’t have what it takes to down the Duke Blue Devils in this game.

I’ll be making an online college basketball bet on the Duke Blue Devils to beat the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and to cover the -1 ½ spread.

High Flyers – North Carolina vs. Florida State

North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Florida State Seminoles 9:00 ET

March Madness is just around the corner, and as an appetizer, sports betting fanatics will get another chance to tickle their taste buds with a tremendous ACC college basketball betting match-up when the #6 rated North Carolina Tar Heels (17-2, 8-9 ATS) invade the Donald L. Tucker Center to do battle with the up and coming Florida State Seminoles (16-4, 9-4-1 ATS). Florida State is 2-1-1 ATS and 3-2 SU in conference, while North Carolina is 2-3 ATS and 3-2 SU. Though UNC has won the last nine meetings between these teams, FSU has covered back-to-back spreads in the series.

Few offenses in the land can keep pace with the Tar Heels. In ACC play this season, the Heels are averaging 85.2 points per game, but that is a far cry from the 93.0 points per game they’ve averaged for the season; that mark is the 2nd best in the nation. In their most recent game, UNC blew out Clemson 94-70. The trio of F Wayne Ellington, F Tyler Hansbrough, and G Ty Lawson combined to score 61 points. Ellington had a particularly strong game, shooting 9/15 from the field and notching six boards and seven assists. The Heels have been a rough team to read from a basketball betting standpoint, as they have alternated ATS wins and losses in each of their last eight games. Don’t let the offensive explosiveness of Carolina necessarily sway you towards the ‘over’ since it’s only given up more than 70 points twice since December 31st.

The Seminoles could be one signature victory away from breaking a long NCAA Tournament drought. They moved one win closer to the critical 20-win mark with a 73-62 victory in Charlottesville last week. G Toney Douglas had another fantastic game for the garnet and gold, notching 21 points on a blistering 8-of-11 shooting from the floor. FSU held the Hoos to 16 first half points, and used a strong shooting performance in the 2nd half to hang on to the relatively easy road win and cover. Florida State bettors are now 4-1-1 ATS in their L/6 with four of the L/6 also going over the ‘total.’ Though the Noles have been a fantastic investment as a visitor this season, they’ve had their shares of problems in Tallahassee. They’re just 2-3 ATS at home this year, and have only covered five of their L/19 in front of the hometown faithful.

It should come as no surprise that the Heels have been made hefty favorites in this ACC betting match-up. The oddsmakers set them as 11.5-point road favorites, while the ‘total’ has been lined at 149.

The college basketball betting trends suggest that the Seminoles may have a chance of springing the upset. FSU is 7-1-2 ATS in its L/10 games against ACC competition, while UNC is just 2-6 ATS in its L/8 against conference foes.

Whether you prefer your college basketball betting action in the form of spreads, ‘totals’, or moneylines, BetOnline Sportsbook has all of the action covered, so be sure to login to your account and get your sports bets in before the opening tip!

College Basketball – Miners do Battle with the Cougars

UTEP Miners (11-8 SU, 10-5-1 ATS) at Houston Cougars (12-5 SU, 9-5 ATS)

BetOnline NCAA Basketball Sports Betting Odds: HOUSTON -5.5

Here are some of the NCAA basketball sports betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

* UTEP has lost three of its last four games SU

* UTEP is 7-2-1 ATS in its last ten games

* UTEP has won four of its last six road games SU

* UTEP is 3-1-1 ATS in its last five road games

* HOU has won four of its last six games SU

* HOU has played eight of its last ten games OVER the total

* HOU has won nine of its last ten home games SU

* HOU has covered six of its last seven home games

* HOU has played seven of its last nine home games UNDER the total

Also….

* UTEP has covered five of the last seven meetings

* The last three meetings have gone OVER the total

* HOU has won four of the last five meetings SU as the home team

* UTEP has had the shooting edge in each of the last seven meetings

* UTEP has had the rebounding edge in eight of the last ten meetings

* HOU has made more three-pointers in six of the last eight meetings

A quick note: Aubrey Coleman, Houston’s second-leading scorer, was suspended for this game because of his behavior in the team’s last game against Arizona, when he stepped on Chase Budinger’s face. Coleman, who has started all 17 games for the Cougars, has been averaging 18 points a game and was also the team’s second leading rebounder, pulling down 7.8 caroms per game. Coleman had also scored 24 points with 12 rebounds in the team’s previous game against UTEP, keying a 94-86 win in which the Cougars shot 48%. He has six double-digit rebound totals in his last ten games. He is a 6’4" guard, which means Houston doesn’t have a lot of useful size to throw out there. In other words, this is a big loss.

UTEP had difficulty dealing with size last time out, as Jerome Jordan, Tulsa’s athletic center, had 21 points and 14 rebounds in turning the Miners back for a 78-70 decision. UTEP got off to a slow start, shooting 23% from the field. They got themselves together a little better in the second half, but still shot less than 36% for the game.

Clearly Houston’s defensive focus is going to be Stefon Jackson, one of the top scorers in the country. Jackson, who has had season highs of 44 points against Santa Clara and 33 against New Mexico State, scored 27 points in the January 14 meeting with the Cougars. One of Jackson’s assets is getting to the line; the 6’5" senior has made ten or more free throws in nine games this season.

UTEP, which averages almost 78 points a game, can keep pace in this game which is going to be up-tempo. Coleman’s loss is hard to overcome; the Miners have won road games recently against New Mexico, SMU and East Carolina, and as mentioned, they’re not out-sized in this one. Go with UTEP, the 5.5-point underdog in the BetOnline Sportsbook NCAA college basketball sports betting odds.

JAY’S PLAY: UTEP +5.5 ***

(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

(Charles Jay makes his share of shots from downtown as a contributor to the BetOnline Locker Room)

NHL Wednesday – Rangers, Penguins and Canucks in Action

New York Rangers +110 over PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

With Sid The Kid questionable, the Penguins aren’t a good bet moving forward. In fact, the Penguins’ injury ward is getting overbooked. They have 10 guys on the shelf, and not the good shelf with the peanut butter. New York is 5-1 SU in their last 6 games, and is 4-2 SU in their last 6 games against Pittsburgh. With the Pens 3-7 SU in their last 10 at home, and missing their fearless leader due to a sore knee, give this game to Naslund and the Rangers who are coming off a 3-2 win against Carolina last night.

CALGARY FLAMES -175 over Buffalo Sabres

The Flames entered the All-Star break 10-3 SU in their last 13 games, and 8-1 SU in their last 9. With a much needed break in hand to rest some injuries, the Flames haven’t been hotter than right now. The Sabres are coming off a massive 10-2 victory over the Oilers, and have to play a back-to-back on the road tonight in one of the toughest rinks to win a game. Calgary rocks the fifth best home offense in the league, scoring 3.7 goals per game on average. They also get the most power-play chances at 4.6 per game. With the ninth best power play in the league, the Flames can take advantage of a Sabres team that doesn’t have the size to matchup against the big boys of Calgary.

ANAHEIM DUCKS +115 over Chicago Blackhawks

The Ducks are a team that can play even without their best. Teemu may be out, but this team is still neck deep in talent. It’s not that I’ve stopped believing in the Hawks, it’s that I think that the Ducks are beginning to take flight. A resounding win over the Coyotes, a team that has given them fits in the past, will propel the Ducks to excel on the home ice of The Pond. The Hawks limped in to the All-Star break with a 2-game losing streak.

Anaheim has raised their goals per game average to 2.86 and are still trying to get their defense en route. The loss of Francois Beauchemin has been big, and Pronger along with Niedermeyer need to ramp it up if the Ducks want to achieve another Stanley Cup this NHL betting season. Right now, look for them to cause an upset for the Blackhawks as a home dog.

VANCOUVER CANUCKS -190 over Nashville Predators

The Canucks need the turnaround now more than ever. Luongo let the game winner past him in the shootout at the NHL All-Star game, and now he has the pressure of carrying the Canucks, winless in their last 5 games, on his back. Good thing for the Canucks that the Predators aren’t much better. The Preds have just one win in their last five games, and are 3-6-0-1 SU in their last 10 games against Vancouver, and there is something about the talent level in Vancouver. They’re underachieving on a massive level. Don’t bet on that to continue.

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