Follow us @bigal_com

Instagram Twitter

Articles

NHL Playoff Breakdown

by Ben Burns

Monday, May 17, 2021

If the first few games are any indication, we're in for an exciting NHL postseason. For the first time in history, the first three games of the NHL playoffs all went to Overtime. In fact, the fourth game nearly did, too. The third of those OT games was an epic duel between a pair of veteran goalies, Cam Talbot of the Minnesota Wild and Marc-Andre Fleury of the Vegas Knights. In last year's playoffs, there wasn't a single game which was scoreless after regulation. This year, it happened on the first full day of games. (It had previously happened in April of 2019, a game between the Islanders and Hurricanes.) Fleury, the first goalie to ever play in 15 straight postseasons, made some huge saves. Talbot made even more. Forty-two of them. Minnesota won 1-0, reminding us of the importance of "hot goaltending" in the playoffs. It's hard to predict which goalies are going to "get hot" at the right time, as they're all capable of doing so. It's important to pay attention to how they look out of the gate; the playoffs are an entirely different beast. Here are some to keep an eye on:Vasilevskiy (Tampa) Though he wasn't spectacular in the opening game of this year's playoffs, he still did enough. Vasilevskiy would stop 35 of 39 en route to the 5-4 win. He proved himself in last year's postseason and he's off a dominant regular season. Fleury (Vegas) At 36, Fleury is still playing at a very high level. As mentioned, this is his 15th straight trip to the playoffs. He's hoisted the Cup before and he managed career bests in both goals against average and save percentage during the regular season.Campbell (Toronto) Unlike the others, Campbell doesn't have playoff experience. There's also a lot of pressure on him. Still, he was excellent in the regular season and we've see young goalies get it done in the past.Rask (Boston) Rask has been playing at a high level for years but hasn't won the Cup as a starter (Rask was backup to Tim Thomas when the Bruins won in 2011.) He battled injuries this season but now appears to be healthyTalbot (Minnesota) Talbot wouldn't have necessarily cracked this list, if not for his superb effort in 1-0 win over the Knights. He's played well in the playoffs in the past though. He's going to need to keep standing on his head if the Wild want to knock off the Knights. There are a lot of other capable goalies in the field, too. Guys like Carey Price, Jordan Binnington and Semyon Varlamov. (Varlamov didn't play in the Isles' opener but rookie Ilya Sorokin stepped in and got the win.) Going forward, pay close attention to which goalies are playing their best. Confidence can be contagious. You may want to also keep an eye on the road teams, too. They're 3-1 through the first two days. Enjoy the games and good luck! 

Read more

A Look at the NBA’s Play-In Tournament

by Will Rogers

Monday, May 17, 2021

EASTERN CONFERENCETuesdayWashington (8) at Boston (7)Celtics  -1.5      O/U 234Weird season all around, but none weirder than Washington’s. The Wizards opened the season 3-12, and then things started to go bad. There were five- and four-game losing streaks post All-Star Game, but here they are knocking on the door against a gasping Celtics team. Washington rode a resurgent Russell Westbrook to eight straight wins in a 12-5 April that moved the Wizards back in the playoff hunt. The Wizards have more than a puncher’s chance against Boston, which was outscored despite winning two of three against Washington. The Celtics, who are in disarray defensively and still haven’t yet figured out a way to cover for tiny guard Kemba Walker, were torched by Bradley Beal this year. Beal averaged nearly 42 in the three games vs. Boston, which has given up huge nights to numerous guards all year. Jaylen Brown (wrist) is out for the season, leaving the bulk of the scoring load to Walker and Jayson Tatum. Look for Washington to double-team Tatum all night; he struggles to find open teammates when swarmed.TuesdayCharlotte (10) at Indiana (9)Pacers  -3.5    O/U 229Heading into the post-season with five straight losses isn’t quite what Charlotte had in mind. The Hornets will now have to win two straight road games after blowing an 11-point lead and losing to Washington in the final regular season game. That’s a big problem, but not the only big problem for Charlotte. They need to figure out what to do with Pacers bigs Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner. Sabonis is an all-star who averaged better 20 and 12 this season, and Turner blocks nearly four shots a game and will make things problematic for LaMelo Ball’s drives. If things weren’t bad enough for Charlotte, Swiss army knife Gordon Hayward doesn’t expect to be able to go in the Play-In Tournament; Hayward missed 24 of the Hornets’ 72 games this season, and Charlotte was 8-16 in those games. If there is any consolation for Charlotte, it’s that Indy was atrocious at home this season, going 13-23 – the worst home record of any team in the post-season this year.WESTERN CONFERENCEWednesdaySan Antonio (10) at Memphis (9)Grizzlies -3.5     O/U 225.5How many times has San Antonio played a post-season game and NOT had the best player in the series? Not too often, but that will be the case in this one-and-doner. The Grizzlies feature up-and-coming star Ja Morant and a whole lot of people who know their roles, and accept them. SA got its fill of Morant when the Grizzlies overpowered the Spurs in back-to-back games just before the All-Star break. But that set of games three months of go featured a different San Antonio defense. Since then LaMarcus Aldridge has been jettisoned and a younger 5-man, Jakob Poeltl, has taken over. San Antonio isn’t exactly breezing into the Play-In – the Spurs closed the season with four straight losses. But in a single game, would you bet against any team coached by Gregg Popovich? That would take plenty of courage. The Grizz, meanwhile, are young and strong and running against the wind, and figure to be a tough out if they manage to get past San Antonio and into the playoffs proper.WednesdayGolden State (8) at Los Angeles Lakers (7)Lakers -6.5      O/U 222.5LeBron James saw this one coming a mile away while he was rehabbing a sprained ankle that kept him off the court for several weeks. Now it’s a reality, and while the NBA no doubt is delighted with the TV rating that a James-Steph Curry match will no doubt draw, James will be grouchy as the defending champions face the possibility of having to win one of the next two before even thinking about the real playoffs. The Warriors sans Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant still managed to finish six games over .500 this season in the West, and it’s clear to anyone and everyone that Golden State – which won the NBA title only two years ago – will sink or swim on whether Curry (the NBA scoring champ this season) can continue his torrid shooting. The Lakers, meanwhile, did everything they could to avoid the Play-In, winning their final five games. But they needed help elsewhere, and didn’t get it. To make matters worse, James seemed to re-injure his ankle in the season finale on Sunday. Wild horses won’t keep him off the court against GS, but will he be at 100 percent?

Read more

NHL Hockey: Carolina Panthers vs. Nashville Predators Series Preview, Odds and Prediction - 05/17/2021

by Big Al Staff

Monday, May 17, 2021

NHL Central Division First Round Playoff Preview: Nashville Predators versus the Carolina Hurricanes.Carolina won the Central Division with a 36-12-8 record, with their 80 points being the third-most in the NHL this season. The Hurricanes made a surprise run to the Eastern Conference finals two years ago before getting swept by Boston. They made the playoffs again last summer, making it the first time the franchise qualified for the postseason in consecutive seasons since 2002. But Carolina ran into the Bruins once again, who eliminated them in the first round in the playoff bubble. General manager Don Waddell made few moves in the offseason, with the most significant addition being the signing forward Jesper Fast from the New York Rangers for depth on the bottom-six. With a young foundation of forwards Andrei Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho, and Teuvo Teravainen plus Dougie Hamilton on the blue line, the organization felt the pieces were in place to take the next step to reach a Stanley Cup final. Waddell was aggressive at the trade deadline last season by acquiring underachieving center Vincent Trocheck from Florida and Under third-year head coach Rod Brind’Amour, the Hurricanes are second in the league in both their power play and their power play kill units. Aho leads the team with 24 goals and 57 points. Hamilton tops the team with 32 assists. Trocheck has re-emerged with one of his best seasons since the Gerard Gallant era in Florida with 17 goals and 26 assists in 47 games. Svechnikov added another 15 goals and 27 assists. Teravainen missed 35 games to an injury, but he got back on the ice for the final eight games in the regular season. Goaltending was considered a question mark in the offseason, with Brind’Amour relying on the tandem of Petr Mrazek and James Reimer. Those two goaltenders and rookie Alex Nedeljkovic combined for a .935 save percentage at even strength, ranking second-best in the NHL. The Hurricanes lead the league by allowing only 1.78 goals per 60 minutes at even strength. Waddell made a minor move at the trade deadline this season by adding Jani Hakanpaa from Anaheim for more depth on the blue line.Nashville was close to being sellers at the trade deadline before they won twelve of fifteen games. The possibility of another playoff run compelled general manager David Poile not to dangle players like defenseman Mattias Ekholm or left wing Mikael Granlund. Instead, Poile added depth on the blue line by acquiring Erik Gudbranson from Ottawa. They enter the postseason with 20 victories in their last 28 games. The Predators reached the Stanley Cup finals in 2017. A loss in the Western Conference finals the next year was followed up by a first-round exit in 2019. Head coach Peter Laviolette was fired after a 19-15-7 start last season, with Poile bringing in John Hynes, who had been fired by New Jersey earlier that year. The team was eliminated in the play-in qualifier to Arizona after finishing seventh in the Western Conference in the abbreviated regular season. Nashville still has one of the best defensive pairs in the NHL in reigning Norris Trophy winner Roman Josi and Ryan Ellis. Eckholm anchors an effective second line. With goaltender Juuse Saros, the Predators lead the NHL with a .936 save percentage at even strength. They are third for the season by allowing 1.98 goals per 60 minutes at even strength, and they lead the league over their last 20 games by lowering that number to 1.66 goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five. Carolina won the first six meetings between these two teams before dropping the last two games to Nashville earlier this month. BetOnline lists the Hurricanes as a -179 money line favorite with the total set at 5.Prediction:  Carolina Hurricanes win 4 games to 1

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and NHL Previews and Odds - 05/17/2021

by Big Al Staff

Monday, May 17, 2021

The Monday sports card continues the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs and Major League Baseball.Three games are on tap in the NHL. The slate begins at 7:30 PM ET on the NBC Sports Network, with Washington hosting Boston in the second game of their East Division Series. The Capitals won the opener on Saturday with a 3-2 victory in overtime. Tom Wilson began the scoring for the home team, 6:22 minutes into the first period. Jake DeBrusk evened the score for the Bruins just under seven minutes later. Brenden Dillon gave the Caps a 2-1 lead at the 8:44 mark of the second period. Nick Ritchie squared things up again on the power play a little under eight minutes later. After a scoreless third period, the game went into overtime when Nic Dowd scored the game-winner for Washington, 4:41 minutes into the extra period. The Capitals lost their starting goaltender in the first period after Vitek Vanecek injured his groin. Craig Anderson came on in relief to stop 21 of 22 shots to help Washington take the 1-0 lead in the series. The veteran celebrates his fortieth birthday on Friday, and he will likely get the start on Monday with Vanacek day-to-day. Ilya Samsonov has been cleared from COVID quarantine protocols but is unlikely to dress until he gets back into game shape. Phoenix Copley will likely be called up from the taxi squad to serve as the backup goaltender. Boston is a -129 money line road favorite with the total set at 5.5 (all odds from BetOnline). Carolina plays at home against Nashville on CNBC at 8 PM ET in the opening game of their Central Division playoff series. The Predators have won six of their last eight games after defeating the Hurricanes, 5-0, last Monday. Carolina has lost three games in a row, although they rested their starters after clinching first place in the division. The Hurricanes are a -179 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.Colorado is at home against St. Louis on the NBC Sports Network at 10 PM ET in the first game of their West Division playoff series. The Avalanche have won five in a row after a 5-1 victory against Los Angeles on Thursday. The Blues have won three games in a row after their 7-3 victory against Minnesota on Thursday. Colorado is a -265 money line favorite with the total at 5.5. Nine games are on the MLB schedule. The card begins at 6:40 PM ET, with Cincinnati hosting San Francisco as a -135 money line favorite with an over/under of 8. Atlanta plays at home against the New York Mets on ESPN at 7:10 PM ET. The Braves had their two-game winning streak end on Sunday in a 10-9 loss at Milwaukee. The Mets lost their third in a row after their 7-1 defeat at Tampa Bay yesterday. Atlanta is a -126 money line favorite with the total at 8.  The New York Yankees travel to Texas at 8:05 PM ET as a -272 money line road favorite with the total at 8. The Los Angeles Angels are at home against Cleveland as a -136 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. Three games close out the MLB card at 10:10 PM ET. The Los Angeles Dodgers host Arizona as a -192 money line favorite with the total at 7. San Diego plays at home against Colorado as a -190 money line favorite at BookMaker with an over/under of 7. San Diego is at home against Detroit as a -155 money line favorite with the total at 8.

Read more

NHL Hockey: Minnesota Wild vs. Vegas Golden Knights Series Preview, Odds and Prediction - 05/16/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, May 16, 2021

NHL West Division First Round Playoff Preview: Minnesota Wild at Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas finished the regular season with 82 points which tied them with Colorado for most in the NHL. But because the Golden Knights lost to the Avalanche on May 10th, 2-1, they lost the head-to-head tie-breaker with Colorado for the top seed in the West Division playoffs. Not only did that loss cost Vegas from winning the President’s Trophy, but rather than facing a St. Louis team that they dominated during the regular season, they now face a Wild team that defeated them in five of their eight encounters this season.The Golden Knights reached the Western Conference finals for the second time in the first three years of their existence last fall before losing to Dallas in five games. General manager Kelly McCrimmon made a big splash in the offseason by signing defenseman Alex Pietrangelo away from St. Louis to a seven-year $61 million deal. Salat cap constraints forced the franchise to trade away center Paul Stastny and Nate Schmidt. Salary cap issues continued to plague the team late in the season when injuries led to them playing with just fifteen skaters in their showdown with the Avalanche since they lacked the flexibility to bring on extra players. Yet by adding Pietrangelo to join Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty, management has successfully added three high-level players while keeping the core from their magical expansion season where they reached the Stanley Cup finals. Stone leads the team with 61 points from 21 goals and 40 assists. Pacioretty’s 24 goals were the most for the club, and he added 27 assists. Robin Lehner entered the season as the expected starting goaltender after he took over the number one duties in the playoffs last year. He got inked to a five-year, $25 million deal. But a slow start and some injuries created an opportunity for Marc-Andre Fleury, who took full advantage of playing time. Fleury posted a 1.98 goals-against-average and a .928 save percentage. He begins the postseason as the team’s number one goalie. McCrimmon was creative with salary cap maneuvers with other teams to allow the team to trade for forward Mattias Janmark from Chicago. He has played on the third forward line with Alex Tuch.Minnesota finished in third place in the West Division with a 35-16-5 record and 75 points. The Wild finished in tenth place in the Western Conference last year and qualified for the play-in qualifying tournament, where they lost to Vancouver. General manager Bill Guern was active in his first offseason with the organization. He let several veterans go while trading for Marcus Johansson, Nick Bonino, and Nick Bjugstad to restock the forward depth. Perhaps his most impactful move was moving on from goaltender Devan Dubnyk and signing Cam Talbot as a free agent from Calgary in a move that might best be described as addition from subtraction. Rookie Kirill Kaprizov has been a sensation for the team in offering them the elite-level talent they have lacked at forward. The former KHL star scored 27 goals and added 24 assists in his first regular-season in the NHL. Kevin Fiala started slow, but he has led the team in scoring since March. He has 20 goals and 20 assists. Mats Zuccarello added another 11 goals and 24 assists. The blue line is the strength of the team with two outstanding defensive players in Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin who anchor their two pairs. Talbot was an improvement over Dubnyk in goal with a 2.63 goals-against-average and a .915 save percentage. He did struggle down the stretch with a .904 save percentage since the start of April. Minnesota did not make a move at the trade deadline. They lack the playoff experience of the Golden Knights. However, the Wild are a confident bunch when playing Vegas with 11 wins in their last 16 games against them.Prediction:  Vegas Golden Knights win 4 games to 3

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NCAAF, NHL, MLB, WNBA, and EPL Previews and Odds - 05/16/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, May 16, 2021

The Sunday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, WNBA, the English Premier League, and college football with the FCS national championship game.Fifteen games are on the NBA docket on the last day of the regular season. Three games begin the card at 1 PM ET. Washington hosts Charlotte as a 5-point favorite at DraftKings. New York plays at home against Boston in the opening game of a doubleheader on ESPN as an 8-point favorite at DraftKings. Indiana visits Toronto as a 6-point road favorite at DraftKings. Phoenix travels to San Antonio at 2 PM ET as a 10-point road favorite at DraftKings. Golden State hosts Memphis at 3:30 PM ET in the second game on ESPN. The winner clinches the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoffs which ensures them a second game if they lose the first play-in game. The Warriors are a 5.5-point favorite with the total set at 230 (all odds from BetOnline unless indicated otherwise). Three games continue the NBA card at 7 PM ET. Atlanta plays at home against Houston as a 10.5-point favorite at DraftKings. Philadelphia is at home against Orlando as an 8.5-point favorite at DraftKings. Cleveland visits Brooklyn. Miami travels to Detroit at 8 PM ET as a 6.5-point road favorite at DraftKings. Three games conclude the NBA slate at 9 PM ET. The Los Angeles Clippers visit Oklahoma City as an 8.5-point road favorite at DraftKings. Dallas plays at Minnesota as a 9-point road favorite at DraftKings. The Los Angeles Lakers visit New Orleans as a 10-point road favorite at DraftKings. Four games are on the NHL schedule. Pittsburgh hosts the New York Islanders at noon ET on NBC in the opening game of their East Division playoff series. The Penguins are a -125 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Vegas plays at home against Minnesota at 3 PM ET on NBC in the first game of their West Division playoff series. The Golden Knights are a -153 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Tampa Bay visits Florida at 7:30 PM ET on the NBC Sports Network in game one of their Central Division playoff series. The Lightning are a -115 money line road favored with the total at 5.5. Calgary plays at Vancouver at 10:30 PM ET as both teams continue to make up games from their regular season schedule. The Flames are a -127 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5.Fifteen games are on the MLB slate. San Francisco plays at Pittsburgh at 1:05 PM ET as a -163 money line road favorite with the total at 8. The New York Yankees visit Baltimore. Toronto plays at home against Philadelphia at 1:07 PM ET as a -164 money line favorite with an over/under of 10. Boston hosts the Los Angeles Angels at 1:10 PM ET as a -149 money line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Chicago Cubs travels to Detroit as a -137 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The New York Mets play at Tampa Bay.Houston hosts Texas at 2:10 PM ET as a -181 money line favorite with a total of 8. The Chicago White Sox play at home against Kansas City as a -160 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Minnesota is at home against Oakland with both teams priced at -105 with a total of 8.5. Atlanta plays at Milwaukee. Cincinnati is at Colorado at 3:10 PM ET as a -110 money line road favorite with an over/under of 11.5. Washington plays at Arizona at 4:10 PM ET as a -108 money line road favorite with a total of 9.5. Miami plays in Los Angeles against the Dodgers. Cleveland visits Seattle. San Diego plays at home against St. Louis at 7 PM ET on ESPN. The Padres send out Ryan Weathers to face Kwang-Hyun Kim. San Diego is a -128 money line favorite with an over/under of 7.Two games are in the WNBA. New York visits Indiana at 2 PM ET. Phoenix travels to Connecticut at 8 PM ET. Both games are on the CBS Sports Network. Four matches conclude Matchweek 36 in the English Premier League. Aston Villa visits Crystal Palace at 7 AM ET on the NBC Sports Network as a -0.25 goal line road favorite with the total at 2.5. Tottenham hosts Wolverhampton at 9:05 AM ET on the NBC Sports Network as a -1 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Liverpool travels to West Bromwich Albion at 11:30 AM ET on the NBC Sports Network as a -2 goal line road favorite with a total of 3.5. Everton is at home against Sheffield United at 2 PM ET on Peacock as a -1.25 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Sam Houston State plays South Dakota State for the FCS college football national championship on ABC at 2 PM ET. The Jackrabbits are a 5.5-point favorite with the total set at 48.

Read more

NHL Hockey: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Islanders Series Preview, Odds and Prediction - 05/16/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, May 16, 2021

NHL East Division First Round Playoff Preview: New York Islanders versus the Pittsburgh Penguins.Pittsburgh finished tied with Washington with 77 points in the East Division. They claimed first place and home-ice advantage through the first two rounds of the playoffs by winning the head-to-head series with the Capitals. Led by Sidney Crosby, the organization still have a core of players that won back-to-back Stanley Cup champions in 2015-16 and 2016-17. The Penguins started strong last season with improved defense, good goaltending, and positive contributions from the bottom of their lineup. However, the team hit a wall by winning only three of their last eleven games in the regular season before the stoppage of play. They returned to the bubble in the summer to outplay Montreal but get stymied by goalie Carey Price and lose to the Canadiens in the play-in qualifying round. A slow start this season contributed to longtime general manager Jim Rutherford resigning on January 27th. The franchise hired Ron Hextall as their next general manager and brought in veteran executive Brian Burke as the President of Hockey Operations. The new brain trust made a splash at the trade deadline by acquiring versatile forward Jeff Carter from Los Angeles. The Carter acquisition has fortified the forward depth of this Pittsburgh team. Carter has scored nine goals and assisted on another 11 goals in his 14 games in a Pens’ uniform joining Jared McCannon on the third line. Crosby anchors the top line, and he leads the team with 24 goals and 38 assists in 55 games. Kris Letang has 45 points in 55 games leading the top defensive pairing with Brian Dumoulin and quarterbacking the power play. Goaltending is a question mark for head coach Mike Sullivan in the franchise’s first season since 2005 without either Marc-Andre Fleury or Matt Murray between the pipes. Tristan Jarry has a 25-9-3 record, with a 2.75 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage. Casey DeSmith has an 11-7-0 record, with a 2.54 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage. New York defeated Florida, Philadelphia, and Washington en route to the Eastern Conference finals where they lost in six games to the eventual Stanley Cup champions in Tampa Bay. The Islanders finished in fourth place in the East Division this season with a 32-17-7 record. They lost seven of their last ten games going into the postseason, but they lost seven straight games before the stoppage of play last season before flipping the switch in the bubble. The team endured a major blow in mid-March when their captain, Anders Lee, suffered a season-ending knee injury. The left winger on the top line had scored at least 20 goals in four straight seasons before his campaign was short-circuited this year. General manager Lou Lamoriello was active at the trade deadline by acquiring forward depth in Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac from New Jersey and defenseman Brayden Coburn from Ottawa. Center Matthew Barzal leads the team with 28 goals and 45 points. Defenseman Nick Leddy’s 29 assists are a team-best. Goalie Semyon Varlamov has a 19-11-4 record, with a 2.04 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage. The Islanders are second in the NHL by allowing only 1.92 goals per game at even strength as they continue to be one of the stingiest defensive teams in the third season under head coach Barry Trotz.Pittsburgh won six of the eight regular-season meetings between these two teams. However, Sullivan and Trotz will remember the opening round of the 2019 playoffs when the Islanders stunned the Penguins by sweeping them in four games. The opening game of this series takes place on Sunday at noon ET. BetOnline lists Pittsburgh as a -125 money line favorite with the total set at 5.5. NBC has the broadcast.Computer prediction:  Pittsburgh Penguins win 4 games to 2

Read more

NHL Hockey: Boston Bruins vs. Washington Capitals Series Preview, Odds and Prediction - 05/15/2021

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, May 15, 2021

NHL East Division First Round Playoff Preview: Boston Bruins versus the Washington Capitals.Washington tied for first place in the East Division with Pittsburgh but settled for the second seed given tie-breakers. The Capitals had 77 points in the regular season, coming from a 36-15-5 record under first-year head coach Peter Laviolette. Led by Alex Ovechkin and a core group of veterans who led the franchise to their first Stanley Cup championship in 2018, the hope is the pieces are in place to make another deep postseason run. This team started great under head coach Todd Rierden last season in his second year with the organization. However, their play waned in the second half, and they were a disappointment in the bubble after the COVID stoppage in play. A first-round playoff exit to the New York Islanders compelled the franchise to dismiss Rierden and hire the former Nashville skipper. Known as a disciplinarian who might coax better efforts from underperforming veterans like Evgeny Kuznetsov, Laviolette is the first Washington head coach with previous NHL coaching experience in the Ovechkin era. Laviolette had one of the deepest blue lines in the league during his time with the Predators, which peaked with a Stanley Cup appearance in 2017. General manager fortified the Capitals' depth on defense by signing Zdeno Chara and Justin Schultz in the offseason. Led by John Carlson, who might be coming off his best regular season in his career with ten goals and 34 assists in 55 games, Washington has three capable blue line pairings. Ovechkin and Kuznetsov have had better seasons despite shooting percentages that top 12%. Ovechkin has 24 goals and 18 assists in 45 games after tying for the league-lead with 45 goals last season. Kuznetsov scored only nine times with 21 assists in 41 games. Niklas Backstrom led the team with 53 points coming from 15 goals and 38 assists. T.J. Oshie complemented that line with 22 goals and 21 assists. Goaltending remains a question mark after the franchise parted ways with Braden Holtby in the offseason. Second-year pro Ilya Samsonov was 13-4-1 in 19 games, with a 2.69 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage. Rookie Vitek Vanecek was a surprise by playing in 37 games while posting a 21-10-4 record with a 2.69 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage. MacLellan had originally signed veteran New Rangers’ goaltender Henrik Lundqvist in the fall to mentor these young goaltenders while perhaps offering Laviolette his playoff experience in the postseason. Turning to Lundqvist is not an option after he opted out from playing the season the health issues with his heart. The Ovechkin/Kuznetsov duo may not have as lethal in the regular season as they were in the 2016-17 campaign, but this Capitals’ team may have better depth at forward and center. MacLellan traded for Detroit Red Wings’ talented but underachieving center Anthony Mantha at the trade deadline. Mantha is anchoring the Backstrom-Oshie line. The Caps join Carolina as the only two teams in the NHL to rank in the top-five in power-play productivity and the power play kill unit.  Boston finished in third place in the East Division with a 33-16-7 record. They were four points behind the Capitals and Penguins. The Bruins ran away with the President’s Trophy last year, but they lost their mojo after the stoppage of play in March. They lost all three of their round-robin games in the bubble to determine playoff seeding before losing to Tampa Bay in the second round. Did this team simply get outplayed by a Lightning team that was due to win a Stanley Cup title, or was their disappointment in the restart a harbinger whose championship window is closing? Head coach Bruce Cassidey still has probably the best forward line in hockey in Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and David Pastrnak. Fourth-year defenseman Charlie McAvoy has emerged into one of the elite blue line players in the league. Goaltender Tuukka Rask continues to play at a high level. The former Vezina Trophy winner and Stanley Cup champion for this franchise has a 15-5-2 record in 24 games, with a 2.28 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage. The Bruins have one of the best “backup” goalies in the NHL in Jaroslav Halak, who posted a 9-6-4 mark in 19 games, with a 2.53 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage.Boston started the season sluggishly, with Marchand and Pastrnak recovering from off-season surgeries. The team is peaking at the right time with 14 victories in their last 19 games entering the postseason. General manager Don Sweeney made one of the biggest splashes in the league by acquiring Taylor Hall from Buffalo at the trade deadline. The talented left wing was lost with the Sabres but immediately responded playing in a new uniform by scoring seven goals and adding seven assists in his 16 games as a Bruin. He joins center David Krejci and right win Craig Smith, the team’s biggest free-agent signing in the offseason from Nashville, to form an imposing second line. Sweeney also added blue line depth by trading for defenseman Mike Reilly from Ottawa. Krejci has 36 assists and 48 points in 51 games in leading the second line. Marchand leads the team with 69 points coming from 29 goals and 40 assists in the 53 games he played. Bergeron has 23 goals and 25 assists in 54 games. Pastrnak added 20 goals and 28 assists in 48 games. These two teams split their eight regular-season meetings, with Boston outscoring Washington, 26-25. The opening game of this series begins the NHL postseason on Saturday on NBC at 7:15 PM ET. BetAnySports lists the Bruins as a -125 money line road favorite with the total set at 5.5.Prediction:  Boston Bruins win the series in 6 games

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: Preakness Stakes, NBA, NHL, MLB, WNBA, EPL, and FA Cup Previews and Odds - 05/15/2021

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, May 15, 2021

The Saturday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, WNBA, the English Premier League, the FA Cup, and the second leg of the Triple Crown.The Preakness Stakes takes place on NBC, with the race starting at 6:47 PM ET. Kentucky Derby winner, Medina Spirit, is the morning line favorite at 9-5 odds. Six games are on the NBA docket. The card begins at 1 PM ET with three games. The Los Angeles Lakers visit Indiana as a 7-point road favorite at DraftKings. New York plays at home against Charlotte as a 5.5-point favorite with the total set at 212 (all odds from BetOnline unless indicated otherwise). Brooklyn is at home against Chicago as an 11-point favorite at DraftKings. Minnesota hosts Boston at 2 PM ET as a 2.5-point favorite at DraftKings. Phoenix travels to San Antonio as a 10.5-point road favorite at DraftKings. Milwaukee plays at home against Miami at 8 PM ET as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 232. Two games are on the NHL schedule. Edmonton plays at home against Vancouver at 3:30 PM ET as a -190 money line favorite with the total at 6. The Stanley Cup playoffs begin at 7:15 PM ET on NBC, with Washington hosting Boston in the opener of their East Division best-of-seven series. These two teams split their eight regular-season meetings after the Capitals won at home against the Bruins, 2-1, on Tuesday to close out the regular season for both clubs. Boston is a -125 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Fifteen games are on the MLB slate. The New York Mets visit Tampa Bay at 1:10 PM ET. Minnesota hosts Oakland in the first game of a doubleheader on FS1 at 4:05 PM ET. The A’s won the opening game of this series on Friday with a 6-1 victory. They send out Cole Irvin to face the Twins’ Jose Berrios. Minnesota is a -135 money line favorite with the total at 8.5. The Los Angeles Angels travel to Boston at 4:10 PM ET as a -110 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Chicago Cubs play at Detroit as a -118 money line road favorite with a total of 9.San Francisco visits Pittsburgh at 6:35 PM ET as a -128 money line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The New York Yankees play at Baltimore at 7:05 PM ET as a -160 money line road favorite with the total at 9. The Chicago White Sox play at home against Kansas City at 7:10 PM ET as a -187 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Houston is at home against Texas as a -174 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. Atlanta travels to Milwaukee. Philadelphia is at Toronto at 7:37 PM ET. Cincinnati visits Colorado at 8:10 PM ET. Washington plays at Arizona.San Diego hosts St. Louis in the nightcap on FS1 at 8:40 PM ET. The Padres won the opening game of this series with a 5-4 victory on Friday. They send out Chris Paddack to face the Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright. San Diego is a -130 money line favorite with an over/under of 7. Cleveland plays at Seattle at 9:10 PM ET as a -114 money line road favorite with a total of 8. Miami visits Los Angeles to play the Dodgers. Two games on the WNBA schedule. Chicago travels to Washington at 1 PM ET. Las Vegas visits Seattle at 3 PM ET. Both games are on ABC. Matchweek 36 of the English Premier League continues with three matches. Leeds United visits Burnley on the NBC Sports Network at 7:30 AM ET as a -0.25 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2.75. Southampton hosts Fulham on the NBC Sports Network at 10 AM ET as a -0.5 goal line favorite with a total of 2.5. West Ham United travels to Brighton and Hove Albion as a -0.25 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5.The finals of the FA Cup take place at 12:15 PM ET between Leicester City and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium. The Foxes reached the championship game with their 1-0 victory against Southampton on April 18th. The Blues advanced to the finals on April 17th with a 1-0 win against Manchester City. Chelsea is a -0.5 goal line favorite with the total set at 2.25. ESPN+ broadcasts the match.

Read more

NHL First Round Playoff Preview

by Sean Murphy

Friday, May 14, 2021

The NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are upon us with the action getting underway with Game 1 between the Bruins and Capitals on Saturday evening.Here's a quick preview of each opening round series.(Odds courtesy BetOnline)North DivisionMaple Leafs (-280) vs. Canadiens (+235)For the first time in 42 years the Leafs and Canadiens will renew their storied rivalry in the playoffs, this time as the 1 vs. 4 matchup in the North Division. The Leafs took seven of nine regular season meetings and enter the series as heavy favorites. You would be hard-pressed to find an advantage for the Habs in this series but perhaps goaltending could be the great equalizer? Canadiens goaltender Carey Price has proven he can steal a series in the past but let's face it, he had a disastrous regular season and was outperformed by backup Jake Allen, who could very well earn the Game 1 start in this series. Jack Campbell took over the Leafs starting job after Frederik Andersen got hurt and while Andersen is back, he's unlikely to wrestle back the number one role. For things to go Montreal's way it will need to get elite production from its forward group that has only been good in fits and starts this season. Keeping pace with the Leafs vaunted offense will be a tall task indeed and I ultimately expect the Habs to fall short. Prediction: Leafs in six. Oilers (-200) vs. Jets (+170)This would have been an intriguing matchup a few weeks ago but with the Jets going in the tank down the stretch, excitement has waned a bit. The Oilers didn't let up an ounce in the closing weeks of the regular season and are well-positioned to outgun a Jets squad that has sorely missed the production of Nik Ehlers since he went down with a season-ending injury. Winnipeg does have the talent and experience to go on a deep playoff run but it's going to be difficult for them to take flight (pun intended) from a standing start. Note that the Jets entered Friday's regular season finale against Toronto having won just twice since April 17th, scoring fewer than three goals in nine of their last 11 contests. The Oilers are hungry for an elusive playoff series win and have the personnel in place to end their drought here in 2021. In the face of an army of doubters, goaltender Mike Smith has proven to be Edmonton's unsung hero this season and should help them advance past the down-trodden Jets in relatively short order. Prediction: Oilers in five.Central DivisionHurricanes (-255) vs. Predators (+215)Carolina not surprisingly dominated the regular season series between these two teams, taking six of eight meetings. A true Stanley Cup contender, the 'Canes will be looking to erase the memory of an early playoff exit (in unceremonious fashion) at the hands of the Bruins last year. While the Predators have one of the most underrated goaltenders in hockey in Juuse Saros, I'm not convinced they have enough offensive firepower to keep pace with the deep Carolina offense. Home ice will mean something in this series as the 'Canes went 20-8 in Raleigh during the regular season, outscoring opponents by an average margin of 1.3 goals per game. While the Preds went 18-10 at home, they check in 13-15 in a visitors role. Prediction: Hurricanes in five.Lightning (-150) vs. Panthers (+130)It looks like it will be all hands on deck for the Lightning as they welcome back Nikita Kucherov and Steve Stamkos from injury in round one against the in-state rival Panthers. Victor Hedman will require offseason surgery but all indications are that he'll be back on the ice for the series-opener as well. The Panthers did take five of eight regular season meetings between these two teams and while they have the offense to keep up with the Bolts, I'm not sure Sergei Bobrovsky can match saves with all-world counterpart Andrei Vasilevskiy. This is also a series where Florida missed defensive anchor Aaron Ekblad and key secondary scorer Vincent Trocheck, who now skates with the Hurricanes. This has the makings of a long series but I'll give the slight edge to the defending champions. Prediction: Lightning in seven. East DivisionPenguins (-145) vs. Islanders (+125)Pittsburgh had its way with New York during the regular season, taking six of eight meetings. The stretch run was a disaster for the Islanders as they dropped seven of their last 10 games to set up this difficult opening round date. With that being said, the Isles core remains intact from the team that staged a 4-0 sweep over the favored Penguins two years ago. I wouldn't be quick to dismiss a Barry Trotz-coached squad that defends well and also has two top-rate goaltenders at its disposal. The issue is up front where someone other than Mat Barzal will need to step up and contribute - something we just didn't see much of during the regular season. I may sound like a broken record but scoring depth is paramount at this time of year and the Pens have it. Prediction: Penguins in six. Capitals (+145) vs. Bruins (-165)The Bruins are favored in this series despite finishing behind the Capitals in the East Division standings. In fact, Boston is the favorite to come out of the East Division. I would have had this series priced a little tighter but can understand the logic behind the B's being favored in spite of the 4-4 regular season split between these two. While Boston's top line of Marchand, Bergeron and Pastrnak has been firing on all cylinders, the Caps have been struggling to even ice a healthy roster with key cogs such as Ovechkin, Carlson and Kuznetsov in and out of the lineup. Washington's 19-9 road record is certainly a feather in its cap entering this series as is the fact that it managed to go 12-5 down the stretch despite being undermanned. Perhaps the Caps spat with the Rangers will be looked back on as a galvanizing turning point. Prediction: Bruins in seven.West DivisionAvalanche (-400) vs. Blues (+320)Colorado won its way into top spot in the West Division thanks to sweeping a two-game set against the Kings at the end of the regular season. It did so without the services of Nathan MacKinnon but I would count on him to be back on the ice for the start of this series. St. Louis dropped five of the first six meetings in this series during the regular season before answering with a couple of victories on home ice in late April. It will be hard-pressed to steal more than a game, if that, against the Stanley Cup favorites here, however. We saw a glimpse of Colorado's incredible depth as it scored 11 goals - without MacKinnon - in consecutive wins over the Kings earlier this week. The Avs defense is the real undervalued commodity here though, noting that they've allowed just 2.4 goals per game overall and 1.9 goals per game on home ice this season. The Blues don't have the goaltending or consistency up front to keep pace. Prediction: Colorado in four.Golden Knights (-240) vs. Wild (+200)This has the makings of an incredible series between the veteran-laden Knights and the upstart Wild. Vegas led the West Division for much of the season - deservedly so - but a late season loss to the Avs cost them the top seed. Few teams displayed the consistency of the Knights over the course of the season as they went 21-7 at home and 19-9 on the road. It is worth noting that the Wild have managed to take four of the last seven meetings in Las Vegas. Minnesota seemed to find its identity this year, somewhat surprisingly as a high-octane offensive squad. If you haven't seen much of the Wild this season you're in for a treat. Rookie standout Kirill Kaprizov is cut from the same mold as superstar Artemi Panarin, breaking into the league as a 24-year old this season and pacing the Wild offense. Minnesota checks in averaging 3.4 goals per game compared to Vegas' 3.2. Prediction: Vegas in seven. 

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, EPL, WNBA and MLB Previews and Odds - 05/14/2021

by Big Al Staff

Friday, May 14, 2021

The Friday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, WNBA, and the English Premier League.Eight games are on the NBA docket. The card begins at 7 PM ET, with Washington hosting Cleveland as a 7.5-point favorite at DraftKings. Utah visits Oklahoma City at 8 PM ET as a 13.5-point road favorite at DraftKings. Philadelphia plays at home against Orlando as a 13-point favorite at DraftKings. Denver travels to Detroit. Memphis is at home against Sacramento at 9 PM ET as an 8.5-point favorite at DraftKings. Dallas hosts Toronto as a 13-point favorite at DraftKings. The Los Angeles Clippers visit Houston.The NBA card concludes at 9:30 PM ET with Golden State playing at home against New Orleans on ESPN. The Warriors have won six of their last seven games with their 122-116 upset win against Phoenix as a 5-point underdog on Tuesday. The Pelicans have lost three of their last four games after their 125-107 loss at Dallas as a 9.5-point underdog on Wednesday. Golden State is a 5.5-point favorite at DraftKings. One game is on the NHL schedule. Toronto visits Winnipeg at 8 PM ET as a -155 money line road favorite with the total set at 6 (all odds from BetOnline unless indicated otherwise). Sixteen games are on the MLB slate. Kansas City plays at Chicago against the White Sox at 3:10 PM ET in the opener of their seven-inning doubleheader. San Francisco visits Pittsburgh at 6:35 PM ET as a -136 money line road favorite with an over/under of 7. The New York Yankees travel to Baltimore at 7:05 PM ET as a -180 money line road favorite with a total of 9. The Chicago Cubs visit Detroit as a -132 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Los Angeles Angels play at Boston. Toronto hosts Philadelphia at 7:37 PM ET as a -147 money line favorite with the total at 10.5.Houston is at home against Texas at 8:10 PM ET as a -215 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. Oakland visits Minnesota as a -110 money line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Atlanta plays at Milwaukee. The second game of the Royals/White Sox doubleheader is at 8:10 PM ET. Colorado plays at home against Cincinnati at 8:40 PM ET as a -108 money line favorite with an over/under of 10.5. Washington travels to Arizona at 9:40 PM ET as a -165 money line road favorite at BookMaker with a total of 8. The Los Angeles Dodgers host Miami at 10:10 PM ET as a -209 money line favorite with an over/under of 7. San Diego is at home against St. Louis as a -166 money line favorite with a total of 7. Cleveland visits Seattle as a -120 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.The WNBA season tips off on Friday with four games. Indiana visits New York at 7 PM ET as a 3-point road favorite. Connecticut travels to Atlanta at 7:30 PM ET as a 3-point road favorite. Minnesota hosts Phoenix on the CBS Sports Network at 9 PM ET as a 2.5-point favorite. Los Angeles plays at home against Dallas at 10:30 PM ET as a 5.5-point favorite. Matchweek 36 in the English Premier League begins at 3 PM ET with Manchester City traveling to Newcastle United. Man City is a -1.75 goal line road favorite with the total at 3. Peacock broadcasts the match.

Read more

NHL Playoffs: Tampa Bay Lightning/Florida Panthers Series Preview and Odds - 05/16/2021

by Big Al Staff

Friday, May 14, 2021

NHL Central Division First Round Playoff Preview: Florida Panthers versus Tampa Bay Lightning.The Florida Panthers will have home-ice advantage against the reigning Stanley Cup champions after a surprising regular season that earned them second place in the makeshift Central Division in this season played amidst the COVID outbreak. Florida’s 37-14-5 record put them one point behind Carolina in first place in the division with 79 points. The Panthers reached the traditional sixteen-team playoff postseason for just the third time in the last 20 seasons. They did qualify for the play-in best of five series last year before getting eliminated by the New York Islanders in four games. The organization replaced general manager Dale Tallon in the offseason with Bill Zito, who had previously served as Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Zito parted ways with goal scorers Mike Hoffman and Evgenii Dadonov and replaced them with some under-the-radar values in forwards like Patric Hornqvist, Anthony Duclair, and Carter Verhaeghe. Zito then made a splash at the trade deadline by acquiring forward Sam Bennett from Calgary and defenseman Brandon Montour from Buffalo. Bennett has scored nine goals and added nine assists in his ten games in a Panthers’ uniform while stabilizing the second line playing center with talented wingers Jonathan Huberdeau and Owen Tippett. Huberdeau leads the team with 61 points coming from 20 goals and 41 assists in his 55 games. The 21-year-old Tippett is the former tenth pick in the 2017 draft. Bennett’s strong play has allowed head coach Joel Quenneville to drop center Alex Wennberg to play on the third line alongside a two-time Stanley Cup winner in Hornqvist. Montour has found new life getting away from the Sabres skating with Markus Nutivaara on the second blue line pairing. Florida had a big hole to fill on their blue line after the season-ending leg injury to star young defenseman, Aaron Ekblad. Mackenzie Weegar has emerged as a legitimate number one defenseman playing the top blue-line pairing with Gustav Forsling. The Panthers have surprisingly improved in their possession numbers after the loss of Eklbad. The Florida talisman is their top-line center Alexsander Barkov. The second overall pick in the 2013 NHL draft is enjoying the best season in his career with 26 goals and 32 assists while being one of the best two-way players in the game. Zito’s success in adding midtier depth afforded the veteran Quenneville the luxury to split up Barkov and Huberdeau to form two high-quality scoring lines. After playing together at five-on-five 69% of the time in the previous two seasons, Quenneville has had the two stars on the ice together at even strength just 14% of the time this year. Duclair and Verghaeghe join Barkov on the top line.While Zito has quickly addressed many of the problems in depth he inherited from Tallon, the question marks with goaltending continue. Tallon thought he addressed this issue two years ago by signing Sergei Bobrovsky to a seven-year, $70 million contract. The 32-year-old former Vezina Trophy winner was a disappointment with a 3.23 goals-against-average and a .900 save percentage (the second-lowest mark in his career) last year. Bobrovsky has not been much better this season, with a 2.91 goals-against-average and a .906 save percentage. Quenneville might turn to Chris Driedger after the 26-year-old posted a 2.07 goals-against-average and .927 save percentage in 23 regular season starts.Tampa Bay finally got the monkey off their back in the Jon Cooper-coaching era by winning the Stanley Cup last fall in the NHL playoff bubble. That triumph culminated a six-year run under Cooper, where they lead the league in the most regular-season wins, the most playoff wins, and the most goals scored during that tenure. After their dominant postseason run, the Lightning’s campaign to repeat as champions suffered an early blow when Nikita Kucherov suffered a hip injury that kept him out of the entire regular season. Cooper’s team was on cruise control playing without Kucherov, finishing with a 36-17-3 record for 75 points and third place in the Central Division. The good news for Tampa Bay is that Kucherov will be back for the postseason. However, star defensemen Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh, and forward Steven Stamkos are dealing with injuries that threaten their ability to take the ice in the opening game of this series. General manager Julien BriseBois was able to keep the core of his team intact in the offseason. He did lose Verhaege to the Panthers, who were struggling to find ice time given the forward depth of the Lightning. Tampa Bay lost some blue line depth entering the year, most notably in the departure of Kevin Shattenkirk. Brisebois acquired defenseman David Savard in a trade with Columbus at the deadline, but the veteran has yet to gel with his new team.Brayden Point led the team with 23 goals and 48 points anchoring the top line without Kucherov at right wing. The Lightning’s regular-season Most Valuable Player may have been goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, who posted a 2.21 goals-against-average and a .925 save percentage. Florida won the regular-season series between these two teams with five victories in eight games. They outscored Stanley Cup champions by a 31-24 goal margin, albeit without Kucherov. The Panthers host the opening two games of this best-of-seven series beginning on Sunday on the NBC Sports Network at 7:30 PM ET. The winner of this series plays the winner of the Carolina Hurricanes-Nashville Predators first-round series. BetOnline lists Tampa Bay as a -108 money line road favorite with the total set at 5.5.

Read more

Follow us @bigal_com

Instagram Twitter

Links

Big Al's Sports Picks Info

All photographic images used for editorial content have been licensed from the Associated Press.

© 2025 Al McMordie's BigAl.com. All Rights Reserved.