UCLA vs MICHIGAN
When: 3/30/2021 9:57 PM
Where: Lucan Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN

TV: 9:57 PM
LINE: -300
PREDICTION: UCLA, Michigan

Oddsmakers currently have Michigan listed as 7 point favorites versus UCLA while the game’s total is sitting at 136.

Underdog UCLA sets sights on Michigan for another upset win

UCLA was expected to have a short stay in the NCAA Tournament, but the Bruins stand just one win away from reaching the Final Four.

The 11th-seeded Bruins aim to win their fifth straight tourney game when they attempt to upset top-seeded Michigan in Tuesday night’s East Regional final at Indianapolis.

The Bruins (21-9) are attempting to join Virginia Commonwealth in 2011 as the only schools to go from being relegated to the NCAA Tournament’s First Four to crashing the Final Four. They earned their date with the Wolverines by posting an exhilarating 88-78 overtime win over second-seeded Alabama on Sunday.

“There’s many times we could have packed it in, but I told them they’ve put up with me for two years trying to pound into them toughness and competitive spirit,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin said. “They allowed me to do it, and you’re seeing the results right now.”

The Bruins were mired in a four-game losing streak before starting their tournament run by defeating Michigan State in overtime in the First Four. They have followed up with double-digit victories over BYU, Abilene Christian and the Crimson Tide.

UCLA has its eyes on reaching the Final Four for the first time since 2008 when it made the last of three straight such appearances under former coach Ben Howland.

The Bruins will again be in the position of needing to score an upset when they play Michigan (23-4), which is playing in the Elite Eight for the fourth time in its last seven NCAA Tournament appearances.

UCLA sophomore swingman Jaime Jaquez Jr. said to go ahead and slap the underdog label on his team because he says the highly confident club won’t wilt under the pressure.

“I don’t want to say invincibility. Everyone is beatable,” Jaquez said. “Everyone has good nights and bad nights. We’re definitely a confident team. We definitely believe in ourselves, even when no one else was or did. So we just believe in each other every single day and knew, if we got this opportunity, we’re going to take full advantage.”

Michigan certainly is operating on all cylinders after trampling fourth-seeded Florida State 76-58 on Sunday.

The Wolverines began their push with wins over Texas Southern and LSU but ramped up their effort against the Seminoles, and the whipping included a 50-28 edge in points in the paint.

“We knew coming in that they were going to switch a lot of ball screens and basically everything,” sophomore guard Franz Wagner said. “So we tried to move the ball. I think a lot of times people get in trouble just holding the ball and dribbling the whole time. So I think we moved the ball pretty well and then attacked close-outs.”

The stellar performance gave Juwan Howard an Elite Eight berth in his second season as Michigan coach.

“As a player, I’ve been to three Elite Eights,” said Howard, referring to the school’s Fab Five era in the early 1990s. “So Michigan has had a lot of success in the basketball program. It’s just beautiful to see that all the hard work is paying off this year.”

The Wolverines are experiencing their March Madness success without standout senior forward Isaiah Livers (foot). Howard said he remains out indefinitely.

This marks the fifth time the schools have met in the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins won three of the previous four meetings, including a 91-80 win in the 1965 national championship game when Gail Goodrich poured in 42 points.

The post UCLA vs. Michigan Odds, Picks & Preview 3/30/2021 appeared first on IdealCapper.

USC vs GONZAGA
When: 3/30/2021 7:15 PM
Where: Lucan Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN

TV: 7:15 PM
LINE: -450
PREDICTION: USC, Gonzaga

Oddsmakers currently have Gonzaga listed as 9 point favorites versus Southern California while the game’s total is sitting at 153.

Most college basketball fans are probably familiar by now with Gonzaga’s big three of Corey Kispert, Jalen Suggs, and Drew Timme.

They were the first trio from the same team to be among 10 players chosen for the Wooden All-American team. Kispert was named a finalist for the Wooden Award, which goes to the national player of the year.

The three have led the top-seeded Bulldogs to the Elite Eight, and an accompanying meeting Tuesday with sixth-seeded Southern California.

But what about the Bulldogs’ other starters?

Well, Andrew Nembhard and Joel Ayayi showed in Sunday’s 83-65 victory against Creighton in the NCAA Tournament’s West Region semifinal that they deserve the defense’s attention as well.

Nembhard and Ayayi combined for 30 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists as Gonzaga (29-0), the top overall seed, moved within a game of their second Final Four berth.

“We play our best when we’re just moving the ball because we have so many pieces and so much versatility,” said Nembhard, a transfer from Florida who has played with the Canadian national team. “It’s just like playing in a park with a bunch of guys that click so well.”

Nembhard’s 17 points Sunday were two shy of his season-high set Dec. 2 in an 87-82 victory against West Virginia, the Bulldogs’ lone game to be decided by fewer than 10 points this season.

Gonzaga is chasing history as well as its first NCAA title. The Bulldogs could become the first undefeated champion since Indiana in 1975-76.

“I’m just telling you: We’re not hung up on the undefeated thing at all,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. “We’ve got to go undefeated from here on out. We’ve got to go 3-0 if we want to win the championship, which, has been our goal all along. But nobody’s talking about the overall undefeated thing at all.”

Gonzaga’s victory in Sunday’s early game assured the West Region final would be an all-West Coast affair.

While the Bulldogs will be making their fourth Elite Eight appearance in the past six tournaments, the Trojans earned their first trip in 20 years and just their second in six decades with their victory in the late game, 82-68 over Pac-12 rival Oregon 82-68 Sunday night.

Isaiah White led the Trojans (25-7) with 22 points, and their zone defense shut down Oregon’s potent attack.

“We’re making history, and it just means a lot to this program,” White said. “As a team, we’re just super excited and we worked for this, so I’m glad that it’s paying off.”

As for USC’s chances against Gonzaga?

“We believe we can beat anybody,” White said.

USC’s 7-foot freshman Evan Mobley considered a potential top-three pick in the next NBA draft, had just 10 points on 4-for-6 shooting against the Ducks but added eight rebounds, six assists, and two blocked shots.

“He takes what the defense gives. He has confidence in his teammates,” USC coach Andy Enfield said. “When your most talented offensive player is your most unselfish and most willing passer, you can win a lot of games like that.”

The post Southern California vs. Gonzaga Odds, Picks & Preview 3/30/2021 appeared first on IdealCapper.

ATLANTA vs PHOENIX
When: 3/30/2021 10:00 PM
Where: Phoenix Suns Arena, Phoenix, AZ

TV: 10:00 PM
LINE: -220
PREDICTION: Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns

Oddsmakers currently have Phoenix listed as 5.5 point favorites versus Atlanta while the game’s total is sitting at 222.5.

The Phoenix Suns return from a successful road trip to open a three-game homestand that begins Tuesday against the Atlanta Hawks.

Phoenix went 3-1 on the trip, which concluded Sunday with a 101-97 overtime win over the Charlotte Hornets. The Hawks are 2-3 on their current eight-game road trip after Sunday’s 126-102 loss to the Denver Nuggets.

This will be the first meeting between the two clubs this season, with a return match scheduled for May 5 in Atlanta. They split two games during the 2019-20 season, each winning on their home court.

Phoenix forward Devin Booker scored 35 points against Charlotte, including four 3-pointers that lifted him to No. 3 in franchise history. He has 753 treys, passing Leandro Barbosa (751) and trailing only Steve Nash (1,051) and Dan Majerle (800). Booker leads the team in scoring at 25.1 points.

Booker has a unique connection to one of the Hawks. His father, Melvin Booker, played for Italy’s Olimpia Milano in 2007-08 and was teammates with Atlanta’s Danilo Gallinari. The young Booker, then 12, sometimes played one-on-one against Gallinari.

Deandre Ayton has been hot over the past five games, during which he’s averaged 19.4 points – his season average is 14.8 – with 11.2 rebounds. His streak of making at least two-thirds of his field-goal attempts ended at four games Sunday when made 6 of 11 shots from the floor.

Mikal Bridges had the key defensive stop against the Hornets with 20.4 seconds left in overtime when he successfully contested Devonte’ Graham’s 3-pointer to protect a two-point Phoenix lead.

“A lot of my game is to play defense,” Bridges said. “I just went out and got a stop.”

Suns coach Monty Williams said, “Defensively, his contests are some of the best in the league at his position after a screen. He has a knack for making plays.”

The Hawks were out of sorts against the Nuggets, who were revitalized by the acquisition of three new players at the trade deadline. Atlanta lost its composure a few times early when the team failed to get the benefit of a call.

“Early in the game we got distracted by that and we didn’t make adjustments appropriately and they pretty much controlled the game from start to finish,” Atlanta coach Nate McMillan said.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game,” Atlanta’s Trae Young said. “It’s disappointing losing the way we did.”

The team was thin again Sunday with the absence of De’Andre Hunter, who missed his second straight game with right knee soreness. The team is taking a cautious approach with Hunter since he returned from missing 23 games following surgery on his right knee. He returned to play in two games on the current road trip, but swelling in the knee prompted McMillan to rest him; his availability for Tuesday is uncertain.

“We’re trying to get that (soreness) removed before he gets on the floor again,” McMillan said Sunday. “He hasn’t done anything for the last three days.”

The Hawks will be a bit deeper on Tuesday when veteran guard Lou Williams joins the team. He was acquired at the trade deadline from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Rajon Rondo. Williams, who averaged 12.1 points in 42 games for the Clippers this season, grew up in the Atlanta area and played for the Hawks from 2012 to 2014.

The post Atlanta vs. Phoenix Odds, Picks & Preview 3/30/2021 appeared first on IdealCapper.

Orlando Magic vs LA Clippers
When: 3/30/2021 10:00 PM
Where: Staples Center

TV: 10:00 PM
LINE: -550
PREDICTION: Orlando Magic, LA Clippers

Oddsmakers currently have LA Clippers listed as 10.5 point favorites versus Orlando Magic while the game’s total is sitting at 218.5.

In stride and feeling good about the road ahead, especially early in a stretch of nine consecutive home games, the Los Angeles Clippers will run into the definition of a trap game Tuesday when they face the Orlando Magic.

The Clippers, coming off an impressive 129-105 home victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, will play Thursday against the Denver Nuggets, who rode them out of last season’s playoffs.

In between, they will square off with the rebuilding Magic, who have lost 13 of their past 15.

Orlando is also 0-2 after Nikola Vucevic was traded to the Chicago Bulls and Evan Fournier was dealt with the Boston Celtics.

With the always-focused Kawhi Leonard leading the way, the chances of a Clippers letdown are slim. Leonard was at the heart of a balanced attack from the starters Monday as the Clippers defeated the Bucks without Serge Ibaka (back), Patrick Beverley (knee), and Paul George (foot).

Even newly acquired point guard Rajon Rondo was out with right adductor soreness while scoring backup guard Lou Williams was shipped off to the Atlanta Hawks.

Four Clippers starters had at least 20 points in Monday’s victory, with Marcus Morris Sr. scoring 25, Leonard 23, Luke Kennard 21, and Reggie Jackson 20. Morris was making just his ninth start of the season while Kennard was starting for the eighth time.

“We need everybody engaged, even guys who are not getting minutes,” Leonard said after Monday’s victory. “They’re watching the game, seeing details of what (they) need to get better at or whoever is on the floor. Just listen to what they’re saying and if I’m seeing the same thing when I’m out there.”

It is a commitment to unity that has helped the Clippers to seven victories in eight games, all without Ibaka on the floor.

“Everything we have been working on and was frustrated about earlier in the season, we’re finally starting to see it come together,” first-year Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue said.

The Magic are a long way from executing at a high level. They will be playing their second consecutive game at Los Angeles after falling 96-93 to the Lakers on Sunday.

Orlando will have to improve on the effort it gave against the Clippers on Jan. 29, when the Magic were dominated at home 116-90. Vucevic and Fournier were on the floor in that contest, but the duo scored only a combined 18 points on 7-of-26 shooting.

Now the Magic need to have faith in newcomers such as Wendell Carter Jr., Otto Porter Jr., and R.J. Hampton, all three of whom made their team debut off the bench Sunday against the Lakers.

Hampton scored 10 points, Carter had eight points with eight rebounds and Porter had five points.

“Everybody came out and competed, (it’s) just fine-tuning some little things,” Hampton said. “We got a lot of new guys. We are a very young team. Down the stretch, those key plays that we got to make, I think over the course of (the rest of) the season, we will definitely do that.”

The post Orlando vs. LA Clippers Odds, Picks & Preview 3/30/2021 appeared first on IdealCapper.

Philadelphia 76ers vs Denver Nuggets
When: 3/30/2021 9:00 PM
Where: Ball Arena, Denver, CO

TV: 9:00 PM
LINE: -175
PREDICTION: Philadephia 76ers, Denver Nuggets

Oddsmakers currently have Denver Nuggets listed as 4 point favorites versus the Philadelphia 76ers while the game’s total is sitting at 221.

After one game with Aaron Gordon in the mix, it looks like the Denver Nuggets made a smart move in acquiring the young forward.

The second test comes Tuesday night when Denver hosts the Philadelphia 76ers in a matchup of teams with title aspirations.

The Nuggets increased their chances when they acquired Gordon from Orlando last week, bolstering their frontcourt and adding another scoring option as well as a versatile defender. Gordon made his Denver debut Sunday night in a win over Atlanta and he came away impressed with his new squad.

“I see no limits for this team. It looks like we have all the pieces for this team, we have depth,” Gordon said after scoring 13 points on 6-for-9 shooting in 21 minutes. “We’re covered in a lot of different spots. As long as we’re working together there’s no stopping us.”

The Nuggets expect there to be some growing pains as Gordon becomes integrated into the system, but they also know there isn’t much time left in the regular season. Denver has only 26 games left, and in the tight Western Conference and a constant shifting of positioning, time is not a luxury.

“Our guys understand with (26) games to go, you look at the standings, it’s going to be a really tight race and every game counts, but It’s not going to happen overnight,” coach Michael Malone said. “Aaron Gordon is not going to fit in seamlessly tonight and be like, ‘yep, we got this,’ it’s going to take a little bit of time and we understand that.”

The Nuggets face a Philadelphia team that sits atop the Eastern Conference but with little margin for error. The Sixers are 10-2 in March but are in a stride-for-stride race with Brooklyn, which was 9-2 in the month heading into Monday night’s game with league-worst Minnesota.

Philadelphia players are well aware of the standings.

“I look at the standings, I know where we are, I know the race,” Tobias Harris said. “I’d be lying to you if I said I don’t look at the standings. I look at the standings every day; it is just something that I do.”

Being locked in such a tight battle with the Nets doesn’t bother Harris.

“I look at the standings and say, ‘We need a win,'” he said. “If it was any different, I would look at it the same exact way.”

The Sixers have stayed atop the Eastern Conference despite not having Joel Embiid for most of the month. Embiid was having an MVP-caliber season before a bone bruise in his left knee has sidelined him for the past eight games. He’s also likely to miss Tuesday’s game, too.

They had a four-game winning streak snapped Saturday night at the Los Angeles Clippers, the fourth of a six-game road trip that has touched down in New York (Knicks), the Bay Area (Warriors), Los Angeles (Lakers and Clippers), Denver and finishes in Cleveland on Thursday night.

Denver, meanwhile, is settling in for plenty of home games. Sunday’s win over the Hawks was the start of having seven of eight at home, with only a one-game trip to Los Angeles to face the Clippers in the next two weeks.

The post Philadelphia vs. Denver Odds, Picks & Preview 3/30/2021 appeared first on IdealCapper.

MIAMI vs NEW YORK
When: 3/29/2021 9:30 PM
Where: Madison Square Garden

TV: 9:30 PM
LINE: -200
PREDICTION: Miami Heat, New York Knicks

Oddsmakers currently have Miami listed as 4.5 point favorites versus the New York while the game’s total is sitting at 204.5.

The task of trying to replace Mitchell Robinson begins in earnest Monday night for the New York Knicks — even if his eventual successor might not yet be on the roster by the opening tip.

The Miami Heat, on the other hand, is almost certain to have a high-profile reinforcement in uniform.

A pair of teams beginning playoff pushes in different fashions are scheduled to meet Monday night, when the Knicks will attempt to overcome their latest key injury and extend their winning streak when they host the Heat in a battle of longtime rivals.

Mitchell Robinson’s injury overshadowed the Knicks’ third straight win Saturday when the third-year center suffered a broken right foot in the first quarter of a 102-96 victory over the host Milwaukee Bucks. The visiting Heat suffered a sixth straight loss Friday when Miami fell to the Charlotte Hornets, 110-105.

Robinson was playing in just his fourth game since returning from a 15-game absence due to a broken right hand. The 7-footer was injured after he crashed to the floor while battling for a rebound with the Bucks’ Brook Lopez. Robinson immediately grabbed his foot in pain and needed help getting off the floor.

“It sucks, man,” said Knicks guard Derrick Rose, who returned Saturday after missing the previous 10 games while battling the coronavirus. “But for someone like him, seeing how hard he worked to get back, for this to happen, it just sucks.”

The injury to Robinson will likely have short- and long-term impacts upon the Knicks’ already short-handed rotation. With All-Star power forward Julius Randle (thigh) out Saturday, Robinson was slated for a bigger role before he went down. Nerlens Noel replaced Robinson and pulled down 11 rebounds while playing 31:28, the most he’s played off the bench this season.

Even before Robinson got hurt, the Knicks were linked to four-time NBA rebounding champion Andre Drummond, who was bought out Friday by the Cleveland Cavaliers. But Drummond is expected to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers. Other potential veteran options for New York include the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Al Horford.

Whoever replaces Robinson will be tasked with trying to help the Knicks complete a surprising surge into the playoffs. New York (24-22), which hasn’t made the postseason since the spring of 2013, has already won three more games than it did last season and will enter Monday as one of the Eastern Conference’s top six seeds.

The Heat will likely have some help Monday as Miami — which won 11 of 12 before beginning its current skid — tries to snap the losing streak that has left it on the outside looking in on a guaranteed playoff spot.

Guard Victor Oladipo, who was acquired from the Houston Rockets Thursday, is expected to step into the lineup for the Heat, who will enter Monday in eighth place in the East. The seventh- through 10th-place teams in each conference will participate in a play-in tournament to determine the final two playoff berths.

But with Oladipo joining a core that includes All-Stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, the Heat feel well-positioned to make another playoff run. Miami reached the NBA Finals as the fifth seed in the East last summer.

“I’d watch out for us,” Heat president Pat Riley said Thursday night.

The post Miami vs. New York Odds, Picks & Preview 3/29/2021 appeared first on IdealCapper.

SAN JOSE vs LOS ANGELES
When: 2/9/2021 10:08 PM
Where:

TV: 10:08 PM
LINE: 0
PREDICTION: LOS ANGELES , SAN JOSE

Oddsmakers currently have the Los Angeles listed as -120-moneyline favorites versus the San Jose, while the game’s total is sitting at 5.5.

The Los Angeles Kings will try to end a four-game losing streak Tuesday night when they host the San Jose Sharks.

The Kings are coming off two straight losses at the Vegas Golden Knights last weekend.

Injuries to defenseman Matt Roy (undisclosed) and Sean Walker (face), and forwards Matt Luff (undisclosed) and Martin Frk (lower body), as well as the absences of forwards Andreas Athanasiou and Blake Lizotte to COVID-19 protocol, have forced the Kings to look deeper into their organization for replacements.

“We’re a young team,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said after a 4-3 loss to Vegas on Sunday. “We’re a team that’s working its way through a lot of adversity with bodies missing and that type of stuff.”

Rookie forward Arthur Kaliyev, playing in his NHL debut, scored his first goal in a 3-1 loss to the visiting Anaheim Ducks last Tuesday. And Sunday, Jaret Anderson-Dolan — playing in just his 11th career game in his third NHL season, and second game this season — scored his first NHL goal.

“Obviously, it’s good to get that first one out of the way,” Anderson-Dolan said. “Now I can just play my game and not have to worry about that.”

San Jose has yet to play a home game this season because Santa Clara County had a contact sports ban in place, which recently expired.

With two more games at Los Angeles remaining before the Sharks come home, they’re looking for improvement after going 1-2-1 in their past four games. San Jose coach Bob Boughner just can’t pinpoint any particular area.

“It’s about doing the simple things, making simple plays instead of trying to overcomplicate things,” Boughner said. “Generally, making the first easy play and opening up your options.”

San Jose has received solid starts to the season from forwards Logan Couture and Evander Kane, each with eight points in 10 games, but the Sharks could use a boost from forward Timo Meier and defenseman Erik Karlsson, who have just eight points between them (including just one goal).

Meier led the Sharks with 49 points (22 goals, 27 assists) in 70 games last season, but has been held to five points (one goal, four assists) through 10 games, with three of those points coming in the second game.

Karlsson, fourth on the Sharks last season with 40 points (six goals, 34 assists) in 56 games, has no goals and three assists in 10 games this season.

“Physically and mentally, I’m feeling way better than I expected,” Karlsson said. “I haven’t found a way to be as creative as I’d like. I should be able to do more. Why I haven’t, I don’t know.”

Karlsson is also a key component on the power play, but the Sharks have converted just one of 26 man-advantage situations in the past seven games.

“If we can find ways to create momentum on the power play, it will help our 5-on-5,” Karlsson said.

McLellan said he is not overly concerned with his team’s power play, saying he wants to see more productivity at even strength. The Sharks, after all, have balanced their dearth of power-play goals by killing off 86.5 percent, third-best in the league.

“I think it’s in a good spot right now,” McLellan said of the power play. “There’s going to be nights where we’re going to execute well, there’s going to be nights where the opponent we play does a good job to stop it. Sometimes, the goalie’s going to get in the way, and some nights we’ll get a lucky one where it sneaks in. I’m more concerned about our 5-on-5 play.”

The post San Jose Sharks vs Los Angeles Kings 2/9/2021 NHL Odds, Pick & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

COLUMBUS vs CHICAGO
When: 1/31/2021 7:00 PM
Where:

TV: 7:00 PM
LINE: 0
PREDICTION: CHICAGO , COLUMBUS

Oddsmakers currently have the COLUMBUS listed as -145-moneyline favorites versus the CHICAGO, while the game’s total is sitting at 5.5.

The Columbus Blue Jackets will go for their third win in a row when they visit the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night.

The game will mark the second time in three days that the teams have played each other. In the opener of a two-game set Friday night, Columbus held on for a 2-1 win behind goals from Oliver Bjorkstrand and Eric Robinson.

The Blackhawks planned to practice Saturday between games, but they called off the practice session because of possible exposure to COVID-19. The team later announced that forward Ryan Carpenter and defenseman Nicolas Beaudin had been added to the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list, increasing the tally to five Chicago players on the list.

Carpenter and Beaudin played Friday against the Blue Jackets. Blackhawks forward Alex DeBrincat, defenseman Adam Boqvist and forward Lucas Wallmark remain on the list.

Players can be placed on the list if they test positive for the coronavirus, have shown symptoms or had close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

“The Chicago Blackhawks organization has, and will continue to follow, all recommended guidelines to protect the health and safety of players and staff as set by the NHL as well as local and state agencies,” the Blackhawks said in a statement. “The Blackhawks will not comment further at this time and information on Sunday’s schedule will be announced at a later time.”

If the game goes on as scheduled, Chicago will have to find a way to solve Columbus’ goaltending. Joonas Korpisalo shined in Friday’s opener, stopping 31 of 32 shots to improve to 2-1-2 with a 2.17 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage.

The Blue Jackets’ other option in net, Elvis Merzlikins, is 2-1-1 with a 2.94 GAA and .906 save percentage on the season.

“I like the way it’s worked out,” Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said. “The schedule, I think, forces it this way, and we’re very fortunate to have the two goalies that we do have.”

The Blackhawks have not enjoyed the same level of success in net, but rookie Kevin Lankinen has emerged recently to grab control of the No. 1 role. The 25-year-old is 2-1-2 with a 2.16 GAA and .930 save percentage on the season, which is notably better than teammates Collin Delia (0-2-0, 5.00, .863) and Malcolm Subban (0-1-1, 3.95, .889).

Lankinen’s solid play has been squandered by a quiet Blackhawks offense, which has four goals in the last three games.

“We want to score more, for sure,” Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton said. “We’re creating chances. We’re generating more in the offensive zone than we have in the past. (The) transition chances I feel will be there with the group we have.

“(But we’re) missing a little bit of execution when we have the opportunity off the rush. Just not quite finishing, not quite making that last pass. But I believe that will come, too.”

The Blue Jackets, who have eight goals in their past three games, are led by Bjorkstrand with eight points (three goals, five assists) in his first nine games. Alexandre Texier is second on the scoring list with six points (four goals, two assists).

Patrick Kane leads the Blackhawks with eight points (three goals, five assists) in nine contests.

The post COLUMBUS vs CHICAGO NHL Odds, Pick & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS vs NY ISLANDERS
When: 7:00 PM  ET, Thursday, November 1, 2018
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York

TV: 7:05 PM
LINE: 0
PREDICTION: NY ISLANDERS , PITTSBURGH

Oddsmakers currently have the PITTSBURGH listed as -165-moneyline favorites versus the NY ISLANDERS, while the game’s total is sitting at 6.5.

The Pittsburgh Penguins answered a sweep of their four-game road trip with getting doubled up in the opener of a home-and-home series against the New York Islanders. The Penguins aim to regain their good fortune on the road Thursday when they vie for a split versus the Islanders, who have won three in a row overall and six straight versus Metropolitan Division rivals dating to last season.

“Mentally you know what to expect, knowing how they play, what the game looked like, tendencies,” captain Sidney Crosby said after scoring in his fourth straight contest in Tuesday’s 6-3 setback. “That’s probably the biggest thing just being able to envision what the game will look like and what to expect, and preparing for that.” Fellow former Hart Trophy winner Evgeni Malkin scored a goal to extend his point streak to eight games overall (five goals, 11 assists) and give him at least one point in 14 of his last 18 encounters versus the Islanders. Jordan Eberle tallied twice in the second period and Brock Nelson netted his fifth goal in five contests for New York, which scored five goals on its first 10 shots Tuesday. The Islanders have collected at least one point in seven of their last eight meetings (4-1-3) with the Penguins and are 5-1-1 in their last seven home games versus the division rival.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh, Sportsnet360, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet Pacific, MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (6-2-2): A lower-body injury prevented Kris Letang from playing in the opener of the home-and-home set, but the offensive-minded defenseman was able to practice on Wednesday and will determine his availability for the finale based on how he feels Thursday morning. “I felt pretty good,” the 31-year-old said. “I tested it a little bit earlier to see if I was able to skate with the guys. It went pretty well after that. I was going hard.” Center Derick Brassard has been ruled out versus the Islanders after he failed to skate in Wednesday’s practice due to a lower-body injury.

ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (6-4-1): Thomas Greiss has turned aside 55 of 57 shots during his stints in the last three games, including 12 of 13 in the third period on Tuesday in relief of an injured Robin Lehner. The 32-year-old Greiss likely will get the nod on Thursday with coach Barry Trotz deeming Lehner as day-to-day with “a strain.” Fellow goaltender Christopher Gibson was brought up on emergency recall from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League while forward Tom Kuhnhackl was loaned to the Sound Tigers, one day after scoring his first goal of the season versus his former team.

OVERTIME

1. New York LW Josh Bailey set up a goal Tuesday, pushing his point and assist streaks to six and five games, respectively.

2. Pittsburgh D Jamie Oleksiak and Dominik Simon are both riding career-high four-game point streaks, with the former notching two assists on Tuesday while the latter scored his second goal of the season.

3. Islanders RW Cal Clutterbuck could draw back in the lineup on Thursday, Trotz announced.

PREDICTION: Penguins 4, Islanders 3

The post PITTSBURGH vs NY ISLANDERS NHL Odds, Pick & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

BOSTON vs NY RANGERS
When: 2/10/2021 7:08 PM
Where:

TV: 7:08 PM
LINE: 0
PREDICTION: NY RANGERS , BOSTON

Oddsmakers currently have Boston Bruins listed as -150-moneyline favorites versus the New York Rangers, while the game’s total is sitting at 5.5.

The New York Rangers won’t have to wait long to try and apply the lessons they learned Monday about the razor-thin difference between winning and losing in an NHL season consisting entirely of intra-divisional games.

The Rangers will look to make up ground in the East Division on Wednesday night against the visiting Boston Bruins in the opener of a two-game series at Madison Square Garden.

The Rangers suffered their first regulation loss of a season-long, eight-game homestand Monday night when they allowed two third-period goals in a 2-0 loss to the New York Islanders. The Bruins haven’t played since Friday, when they ran their winning streak to three games by edging the host Philadelphia Flyers 2-1.

The loss was disheartening for the Rangers, who outshot the Islanders 25-24 before allowing the game’s only goals on consecutive shots by Casey Cizikas, who scored with 8:45 left, and Matt Martin, who added an insurance goal 2:05 later.

“We’ve got to play a full 60; doesn’t matter who we’re playing in our division,” Rangers left winger Chris Kreider said. “There’s a lot of good teams that stick to their structure and know-how to win hockey games.”

The Rangers also had a pair of empty power plays in the first two periods and two prime chances to break the tie within the first four minutes of the third period when Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov stopped Artemi Panarin on a breakaway and turned back a two-on-one opportunity by Mika Zibanejad.

“We’ve got to find a way to generate more offense,” Kreider said.

The Rangers enter Wednesday 1-3-2 in one-goal games — the five one-goal losses were tied for the most in the NHL before Tuesday’s action.

The Bruins, meanwhile, have thrived in close games and in the third period in particular. Boston entered Tuesday with eight wins, tied for the most in the Eastern Conference, including five victories in one-goal games, tied for the most in the NHL.

The win over the Flyers represented the third straight third-period comeback for the Bruins, who fell behind 27 seconds into the third before Brad Marchand and Sean Kuraly scored the tying and winning goals, respectively, in a 27-second span shortly beyond the midway point.

The Bruins’ most recent multi-goal victory was a 5-3 win over the Washington Capitals on Feb. 1, during which Boston scored five unanswered goals in the final 28 minutes, including an empty-netter by Marchand with 1:26 left. And two days before that, Boston mounted a comeback from a three-goal deficit in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Capitals.

“You can’t trail every game and expect to come back,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said following Friday’s win. “But it’s how you end up trailing, I think, that’s important. Tonight we didn’t have our best, but we hung around, found a way to stay in the game.”

The post Boston Bruins vs New York Rangers NHL Odds, Pick & Preview 2/10/2021 appeared first on IdealCapper.