12-9-11

[Mr. IWS]

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[Mr. IWS]

Football Crusher
Play of the Day:

Northern Iowa +1.5 over Montana

[Mr. IWS]

Hockey Crusher
Play of the Day:

Buffalo Sabres -139 over Florida Panthers

[Mr. IWS]

Basketball Crusher
Play of the Day:

Iowa State -9 over Iowa

[Mr. IWS]

NHL

Hot teams
-- Panthers won four of their last five games.
-- Winnipeg won six of its last seven home games.

Cold teams
-- Maple Leafs lost three of their last four games, but won four of last five on the road. Washington lost five of its last seven games.
-- Sabres lost six of their last seven home games.
-- Carolina lost seven of its last eight games.
-- Avalanche lost last seven road games, allowing 32 goals. Edmonton lost five of its last six games overall.

Totals
-- Last four Washington road games went over the total.
-- Over is 7-2 in Buffalo's last nine home games.
-- Last three Carolina road games went over the total.
-- Over is 3-1-1 in Colorado's last five games.


Series records
-- Maple Leafs lost five of last seven games against Washington.
-- Sabres won three of last four games against Florida.
-- Jets won three of last four game against Carolina.
-- Avalanche won three of last four games against Edmonton.

Back-to-Back
-- Florida is 0-2, losing 4-0/5-1 if they played night before.
-- Colorado won only previous time they played the night before

[Mr. IWS]

Preview: Carolina at Winnipeg

Carolina Hurricanes at Winnipeg Jets (-145, 5.5)

THE STORY: The Winnipeg Jets are enjoying a safe haven in Manitoba. Winners of six of their last seven at MTS Centre, the Jets will vie for their season-high fourth straight win when they host the Southeast Division rival Carolina Hurricanes on Friday. Winnipeg improved to 7-2-1 in its last 10 games on Tuesday by besting the red-hot Boston Bruins, who hadn't lost in regulation in 15 games. "We know if we’re going to stick with the plan, if we’re going to play the way we want, that we can beat everybody,” said goaltender Ondrej Pavelec, who is riding a personal three-game winning streak. After beating one of the East's elite teams, the Jets will now face, well, the club with the lowest point total in the conference. Carolina collected its first win under coach Kirk Muller with a 5-3 triumph over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday. The victory also snapped a season-high seven-game losing skid for the Hurricanes.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSCR, TSN

ABOUT THE HURRICANES (9-17-4): G Cam Ward stopped 22 shots against the Oilers, and then scooped up the puck and handed it to Muller. "It's been a while since we won a hockey game. We wanted to do this for Kirk, he's been great since he got here," Ward said. Although the Hurricanes dropped a 3-1 decision to Winnipeg on Nov. 25, Ward has fared well versus the former Atlanta Thrashers franchise. He has posted a 19-9-3 career mark. After failing to score in 10 games, Tuomo Ruutu has tallied in back-to-back contests. The 28-year-old Finn also scored in a 5-3 loss to Winnipeg on Oct. 22.

ABOUT THE JETS (12-11-4): Evander Kane has been sizzling on the ice as of late. Kane has collected nine goals and three assists during the last 10 games - and has tallied in both matchups this season versus Carolina. Former Hurricanes and current Jets captain Andrew Ladd scored versus Boston to snap a four-game streak without a point. Prior to the skid, Ladd had points in five straight and seven of eight games.

OVERTIME:

1. Much maligned Hurricanes D Tomas Kaberle recorded a pair of assists for his second straight two-point performance.

2. Jets C Bryan Little has collected six goals and six assists in his last 10 games.

PREDICTION: Jets 3, Hurricanes 2.

[Mr. IWS]

ICE PICKS

Friday's Best NHL Bets

Carolina Hurricanes at Winnipeg Jets (-145, 5.5)

The MTS Centre may never have been louder than it was on Tuesday night when the hometown Jets dropped the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins.

The Bruins hadn’t lost in regulation in 15 games before Ondrej Pavelec stole the game with 39 saves. Winnipeg has now won three straight games and improved to 8-4 at home.

"There's a lot of trust being built within the room, within the players, and I think we believe we can get this thing done," head coach Claude Noel said. "We're playing smart, we're following the details, and we're getting the job done."

They don’t have much choice when they’re playing at home. Jets fans are an entirely different breed and won’t let these guys off the hook like Atlanta did – which is good because this team still needs a kick in the pants on a regular basis.

We don’t normally dig into chalk like this, but it’s a good matchup. You may want to look to the puckline.

PICK: Winnipeg


Toronto Maple Leafs at Washington Capitals (N/A)

Alex Ovechkin’s reaction after he scored a highlight-reel goal Wednesday said it all. Washington captain looked skyward after netting his first goal in six games, putting Washington up 3-2 in the third period against the Senators.

The Caps went on to win 5-3, which was just their second victory in seven games.

"(Ovechkin is) our star player and we need him to play like that," forward Troy Brouwer told reporters. "He set the tone early, had a couple of good shifts and a couple of good opportunities. You could see one coming - he had that desire to score. Hopefully this will give him a little bit of confidence so he can get back to the old Alex Ovechkin that we know."

Ovechkin did catch some heat over he allegedly speared Chris Neal, but there hasn’t been any talk of possible suspension as of Thursday evening.

The Capitals showed a lot of jump in the third period and that should carry over to this one.

PICK: Over

[Mr. IWS]

Preview: Rider vs Florida

Rider Broncs at Florida Gators (-26, 155.5)

THE STORY: With one day between games, it’s a good bet that Billy Donovan spent some of the short time with his team discussing end-of-game situations. No. 12 Florida survived a battle with Arizona in overtime on Wednesday, but only after a questionable call gave the Wildcats three free throws in the final seconds of regulation. The Gators have suffered their only losses to teams ranked in the top-3 and may have found a new star in sophomore forward Patric Young. Florida will try to go into its finals break strong when they face Rider in Jacksonville, Fla., on Friday. The Broncos won 23 games last season and played in the College Invitational Tournament but are rebuilding around sophomore forward Daniel Stewart while integrating five freshmen.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN3, Comcast Sports South

ABOUT RIDER (1-8): The Broncos have fallen on hard times in the first month of the season. After giving then-No. 11 Pittsburgh a battle in an 86-78 loss on Nov. 13 and taking Pennsylvania to overtime in a setback four days later, Rider broke through with its first win, edging out Howard, 74-74, on Nov. 21. But that momentum failed to carry over, as four straight losses have come by an average of 16.3 points. Stewart leads the team with 14.9 points and 6.9 rebounds while shooting 64.8 percent from the floor. He was 9 of 11 in a 95-75 loss at Marist on Sunday.

ABOUT FLORIDA (6-2): The Gators nearly knocked off No. 3 Syracuse on the road last week and got a big challenge from pesky Arizona. Florida, trying to prevent a tying 3-point attempt, was whistled for a shooting foul on an inbounds play in the final seconds after the Arizona player appeared to throw his hands in the air. Young, who scored a career-high 25 points on 12-of-15 shooting, kept the Gators in the game while star guards Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton combined to go 5 of 27 from the floor.

TIP-INS:

1. Rider has beaten a nationally ranked SEC team in the past, topping No. 18 Mississippi State in the 2009-10 opener.

2. Broncos freshman center Junior Fortunat will make his debut Friday. He missed the first nine games while the NCAA sorted out his eligibility.

3. Florida is 7-0 all-time in the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena.

[Mr. IWS]

COLLEGE FUNDS

Friday's Best NCAAB Bets

Richmond Spiders vs. VCU Rams (-3.5, 128)

With a light schedule on tap for Friday, the Spiders and Rams will welcome in ESPN2 to take in the annual Black and Blue Classic at the Siegel Center. And it should be a doozy.

Richmond’s lone loss on its schedule was a 70-61 decision to Illinois and the Spiders have rebounded to win and cover the number in their last three. Meanwhile, VCU has won four of its last five and has covered the number in four straight.

The Rams may really get on a roll once point guard Darius Theus gets more comfortable as the starting point guard.

"The more games we play, the more comfortable I get," Theus told reporters. "It hasn't been a big adjustment. Any player who comes in and has to play behind somebody .?.?. this is what I've been waiting for. This is my chance now."

This should be a scrappy affair and with these two clubs allowing about 60 points per game, we’ll look to the under.

PICK: Under 128


Rider Broncs at Florida Gators (-26, 155.5)

So what did Billy Donovan want from Patric Young after the sophomore put up a career-high 25 points to go along with 10 rebounds in a 78-72 overtime win over Arizona? Well, more.

With guards Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker chucking up bricks all night, Donovan wanted his club to keep feeding the hot hand.

“This is a game where Patric Young should have taken 40 shots in the game. Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton need to do a better job of reading what is going on inside the game,” Donovan told reporters. “This could be a great film because we did win the game, but they can learn a lot from this game, like what teams may potentially do in the future against us and how to respond and react.”

You know Boynton and Walker will bounce back. They hit just two of 15 trey attempts between them against Arizona and will be ready to put it on Rider here.

PICK: Florida

[Mr. IWS]

FCS Quarterfinals: Clock Control Big For UNI, Montana
By Sean Shapiro

Northern Iowa Panthers at Montana Grizzlies (N/A)
DATE & TIME: Friday, December 9th, 8:05 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Washington-Grizzly Stadium/John Hoyt Field (25,217) - Missoula, Montana. Surface: Sprinturf. Television: ESPN 2. Announcers: Justin Kutcher and Tom Luginbill. Home Record: Northern Iowa 6-0; Montana 7-0. Away Record: Northern Iowa 4-2; Montana 3-2. Series Record: Montana (4-0). Last Meeting: December 15, 2001 (Montana def. Northern Iowa, 38-0 at Montana). Series Streak: Montana has won all four meetings. Conference: Northern Iowa - Missouri Valley; Montana - Big Sky. Nicknames: Northern Iowa Panthers; Montana Grizzlies. Sports Network/Fathead.com Ranking: Northern Iowa (2); Montana (5). NCAA Playoff Seedings: Northern Iowa (5); Montana (4). Head Coaches: Northern Iowa - Mark Farley (11th year, 99-39 at Northern Iowa and Overall); Montana - Robin Pflugrad (2nd season 17-6 at Montana and Overall). All-Time Record: Northern Iowa (620-382-47); Montana (544-462-23). FCS Playoff Records: Northern Iowa (19-15); Montana (2 national championships 1995, 2001, 31-18). Previous FCS Playoff Appearances: Northern Iowa 15 (1985, 1987, 1990-96, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007-08, 2010); Montana 20 (1982, 1988-89, 1993-2009).

GAME NOTES: Montana continued to cruise last week, dismantling Central Arkansas, 41-14, and winning its eighth straight game after a 2-2 start to the season. Northern Iowa, which has now won four straight, got a pair of back-to- back touchdowns, to knock off Wofford, 28-21.

Like most four- vs. five-seed match-ups, the teams come in well matched. Both have a reliable defense and a potent offense, and both have a chip on their shoulder after playoff failures from last season. Last season, Montana missed the playoffs, the first time in 17 seasons, while Northern Iowa was upset at home by Lehigh in the second round.

Northern Iowa didn't have the ball much against Wofford, as the triple option burned up 34 minutes, 29 seconds, and when it did get the ball it didn't do much to put together long drives. Of the Panthers' nine offensive drives, four ended in punts and six ended with 22 yards or less. Montana, on the other hand, thrashed Central Arkansas' defense, holding the ball for 38:43 and compiling 415 total yards.

If the Panthers' offense can run as planned, expect quarterback Tirrell Rennie (231.2 ypg) to make plays with his arm and his legs. Rennie won't be alone in the backfield, running backs David Johnson and Carlos Anderson could both get significant carries against the Grizzlies.

Montana's rush defense has bottled up opponents all season (115.8 ypg), and if it can stall the running game, the linebackers and secondary will have an opportunity to force turnovers like it did against Central Arkansas. However, winning the turnover margin against Northern Iowa is easier said than done.

The Panthers have turned the ball over 13 times this season (10 fumbles, 3 interceptions), but the opportunistic defense has responded with 30 takeaways (12 fumbles, 18 interceptions). With Northern Iowa's takeaway ability, ball security will be a point of emphasis for Montana quarterback Jordan Johnson and his trio of running backs - Peter Nguyen, Jordan Canada and Dan Moore - who combined to run for 229 yards against Central Arkansas.

Northern Iowa lost at North Dakota State earlier this season, 27-19, and the Panthers could use that past experience to prepare for another hostile environment. Washington-Grizzly Stadium has been a safe haven for Montana as the Grizzlies are 30-1 at home over the past four seasons and a perfect 7-0 this season.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Montana 28, Northern Iowa 21

[Mr. IWS]

Friday's Best NCAA CFB Bet

Northern Iowa Panthers at Montana Grizzlies (N/A)

The Grizzles followed up their impressive regular-season finale victory over Montana State with an even more impressive performance against Central Arkansas 41-14 in the second round.

Montana, led by cornerback Trumaine Johnson and linebacker Caleb McSurdy, blew out the Bears with solid defense the entire game, including a 31-0 shutout in the first half.

Additionally, Montana's offense was on fire with 229 yards rushing and 27 first downs.

Northern Iowa will come in to this game with a 28-21 victory over a strong Wofford team.

Fourth-quarter touchdowns, including a 1-yard run by David Johnson, and a fumble recovery in the end zone by Phil Wright sealed the deal for the Panthers.

While the Panthers are currently 10-2, four out of Northern Iowa's last five victories have been decided by seven points or less.

I really like Montana's chances with their strong running game against a Northern Iowa that gave up 457 yards on the ground to Wofford. Look for the Grizzly running backs to lead the Grizzlies to victory this Friday night in Missoula.

PICK: Montana

[Mr. IWS]

Friday’s Betting Tips: VCU Rams Own Richmond ATS

WHO'S HOT

NHL: The over is 6-1 in Colorado’s last seven road games.

NHL: Washington is 20-8 in its last 28 home games.

NCAAB: Florida is 8-3 against the spread in its last 11 non-conference games.

NCAAB: VCU has covered the number in four straight.

WHO'S HOT

NHL: Edmonton is 4-17 in its last 21 as a favorite.

NHL: Buffalo is 2-6 in its last eight.

NCAAB: Iowa is 1-4 against the spread in its last five road games.

NCAAB: Richmond is 3-8 against the spread in its last 11 meetings with VCU.

KEY STAT

49.4 – The Wyoming Cowboys are off to a quick start this season, jumping out to an 8-1 straight up record while covering the number in five of the six games that have seen a pointspread. Most of their success can be attributed to defense. They sit third in the nation allowing just 49.4 points per game heading into Friday’s date with Colorado. Wyoming is listed as a 5.5-point road underdog.

INJURY THAT SHOULDN'T BE OVERLOOKED

Paul Stastny, Colorado Avalanche – Stastny is considered doubtful for Friday’s game against Edmonton with an upper-body injury. The 25-year-old was injured in Sunday’s game against Detroit and hasn’t played since. He sits fourth in team scoring with 15 points.

GAME OF THE DAY

Richmond Spiders at VCU Rams (-3.5, 128)

NOTABLE QUOTABLE

"I will say that Albert Pujols' age to me is not a concern. He's an honorable man and a very respectful man. I'm not a scientist, but I can tell you he hits like he's 27. ... I will say this, that in regard to the evolution of a hitter, as hitters begin to age, into their 30s and to whatever point you can project, there is a certain quality and a trait in a hitter, the patience they exhibit." - Los Angeles Angels GM Jerry Dipoto on the 10-year, $254 million contract he gave Albert Pujols.

TIPS AND NOTES

Buffalo Sabres right wing Ville Leino was suspended one game for leveling Philadelphia Flyers rookie Matt Read with an elbow to the head on Wednesday. Leino will miss Friday’s home game against Florida. Read was not injured during the third-period altercation and no penalty was called on the play. Signed to a massive six-year, $27 million contract in the offseason, Leino has collected just three goals, seven assists and four penalty minutes with Buffalo. The Sabres are -150 favorites against the Panthers.

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson returned to practice Thursday while continuing his recovery from a high ankle sprain. Peterson has already missed two games with the injury, suffered in a Nov. 20 game against the Oakland Raiders. he All-Pro runner participated in individual drills Thursday. Coach Leslie Frazier said earlier in the week that Peterson was close to coming back. Toby Gerhart will likely see the bulk of the carries again if Peterson can't play Sunday against the Detroit Lions. The 26-year-old Peterson has 187 carries for 875 yards and 11 touchdowns in 10 games.

The Los Angeles Lakers appeared to have reached an agreement to acquire point guard Chris Paul from the New Orleans Hornets in exchange for Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom, according to a Yahoo! Sports report. But the trade has been put on hold, possibly for good, according to multiple reports. A group of NBA owners protested the league-owned Hornets trading Paul to the Lakers, forcing commissioner David Stern to get involved. News that the trade had been called off came just hours after the reported three-team deal, which also included the Houston Rockets, was agreed upon. Paul simply wrote "Wow" on Twitter late Thursday when told of the deal falling apart. ESPN.com had reporting that the Hornets will receive Luis Scola, Kevin Martin and Goran Dragic from Houston for Gasol, who would be re-routed to the Rockets.

[Mr. IWS]

Today's NHL Picks

Carolina at Winnipeg

The Hurricanes look to take advantage of a Winnipeg team that is 5-15 in its last 20 games as a favorite. Carolina is the pick (+130) according to Dunkel, which has the Hurricanes favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Carolina (+130). Here are all of today's picks.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9 Time Posted 7:00 a.m. EST

Game 51-52: Toronto at Washington (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 11.437; Washington 12.261 Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 1; 6 1/2 Vegas Line & Total: No Line Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 53-54: Florida at Buffalo (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Florida 12.435; Buffalo 11.193 Dunkel Line & Total: Florida by 1; 5 Vegas Line & Total: Buffalo (-140); 5 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Florida (+120); Under

Game 55-56: Carolina at Winnipeg (8:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Carolina 11.951; Winnipeg 10.944 Dunkel Line & Total: Carolina by 1; 6 Vegas Line & Total: Winnipeg (-150); 5 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Carolina (+130); Over

Game 57-58: Colorado at Edmonton (9:30 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Colorado 10.499; Edmonton 11.242 Dunkel Line & Total: Edmonton by 1; 5 Vegas Line & Total: Edmonton (-145); 5 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Edmonton (-145); Under

[Mr. IWS]

NCAA Basketball Picks

Rider vs. Florida

The Gators look to take advantage of a Rider team that is coming off a 95-75 loss to Marist and is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games after allowing more than 90 points in its previous game. Florida is the pick (-26) according to Dunkel, which has the Gators favored by 33 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Florida (-26). Here are all of today's games.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9 Time Posted: 6:00 a.m. EST

Game 841-842: Iowa at Iowa State (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Iowa 54.056; Iowa State 65.919 Dunkel Line: Iowa State by 12; 143 Vegas Line: Iowa State by 9 1/2; 148 Dunkel Pick: Iowa State (-9 1/2); Under

Game 843-844: Wyoming at Colorado (9:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Wyoming 59.437; Colorado 63.574 Dunkel Line: Colorado by 4; 135 Vegas Line: Colorado by 6; 131 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Wyoming (+6); Over

Game 845-846: Idaho at Oregon State (10:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Idaho 55.087; Oregon State 67.296 Dunkel Line: Oregon State by 12; 142 Vegas Line: Oregon State by 13; 139 Dunkel Pick: Idaho (+13); Over

Game 849-850: Rider vs. Florida (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Rider 40.940; Florida 78.236 Dunkel Line: Florida by 33 1/2; 150 Vegas Line: Florida by 26; 154 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Florida (-26); Under

Game 851-852: Siena at Massachusetts (7:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Siena 48.145; Massachusetts 58.844 Dunkel Line: Massachusetts by 10 1/2; 128 Vegas Line: Massachusetts by 13 1/2; 133 Dunkel Pick: Siena (+13 1/2); Under

Game 853-854: Old Dominion vs. Fairfield (9:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Old Dominion 57.568; Fairfield 57.634 Dunkel Line: Even; 120 Vegas Line: Fairfield by 2; 117 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Old Dominion (+2); Over

Game 855-856: Richmond at VCU (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Richmond 63.294; VCU 63.034 Dunkel Line: Even; 131 Vegas Line: VCU by 3 1/2; 128 Dunkel Pick: Richmond (+3 1/2); Over

[Mr. IWS]

NCAA Football Game Pick

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9
Time Posted: 6:00 a.m. EST (12/8) Game 151-152: Northern Iowa at Montana (0:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Northern Iowa 78.929; Montana 78.679
Dunkel Line: Even
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A