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Hot Streaks and Achievements

  • Skating on a 48-36-1 win streak in the NHL for $14,720 NET$ since Jan. 28
  • No. 1 WNBA Handicapper last season with a 51-37-1 mark for $10,380 net profit
  • 9-4-1 run in MLB for $5,390 NET$ since May 11

Biography

Vegas Writer is a journalist/social media influencer entrenched in Southern Nevada from every aspect when it comes to sports.

Active since: 1992

Location: Las Vegas, NV

Vegas Writer has racked up the accolades since joining in 2022.  He's 185-151-8 all-time in College Football for $19,940, including a 40-19-2 roll with his CFB Totals.  VW also closed the 2024-25 NFL campaign on a 48-28-3 run for $17,030 (from Nov. 17, 2024 through the Super Bowl). Last year he ranked No. 1 in the WNBA for the season, going 51-37-1 for $10,380 last season. But beyond sports handicapping, VW is a famed writer.  If it comes to sports in Las Vegas, the Vegas Writer is probably writing about it, whether you can bet on it or not.

From the NFL to NHL, to NBA, to WNBA, to NFR, to AHL, to MiLB - you get the picture. There isn't a day of the week the Vegas Writer is not writing something about sports. Not a week goes by without the Vegas Writer wearing a credential to an event.

Satellite radio, national and local radio spots, and the occasional TV guest appearance - the Vegas Writer is everywhere his followers need him to be when it comes to covering sporting events.

And the one area Vegas Writer has thrived in since his first radio appearance in the 1990s is sports gambling. He has been on TV and radio. He has worked as a columnist for one of the leading Las Vegas-based sports-betting media outlets. He has written freelance betting articles for many of the sites you visit every single day.

Finally, the Vegas Writer has decided it's time for you to benefit from his travels around town, as he's transitioning into the world of handicapping due to the amount of work he puts into the articles he is currently producing. He is a numbers guy, using a heavy dose of analytics for the stories he writes for his sports-gaming beat for one particular media outlet. For others, he is constantly in touch with the local teams and their opponents, so he knows these games inside and out.

And what the Vegas Writer has come to learn is that neither a sports betting beat writer, nor a handicapper is a part-time worker. It takes a full-time effort to understand the teams, the games, and the numbers.  And one of his biggest advantages is that he knows the nuances of each team.

Another important thing to understand is that, just because the Vegas Writer talks to players and coaches on the field, and is around locker rooms every day during the season, there isn't any "Inside Info" here. You're simply getting an expert sports betting opinion from a veteran writer who knows the games inside-and-out.

That's the Vegas Writer's job, and has been since 1992.

Now, let's go make some money.

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13 Things To Watch As The WNBA Prepares For Opening Tip

Thursday, May 15, 2025

The WNBA season begins Friday night, and the 2025 campaign will surely bring compelling storylines across the league.Nearly every team has made significant changes during free agency, there is another exciting rookie class, and the first of three expansion teams joining the league will debut as the Golden State Valkyries open play on opening night.I'm excited to defend my own WNBA title, as I finished No. 1 last season with a 51-37-1 mark for $10,380 net profit. Now's the time for you to get on board for a long-term subscription so you don't miss one play.With a lot to consider with all 13 teams, here's a playoff prediction for each team before the season begins:ATLANTA DreamFirst-year coach Karl Smesko may have shocked plenty by waiving Haley Jones, but those who know what he did at Florida Gulf Coast understand he likes to run high-paced games laced with 3-point shooters. The addition of Brittney Griner will help in the paint with offensive boards, but this season goes as Allisha Gray goes. Gray could challenge for the MVP award this season.CHICAGO SkyThe additions of veterans Courtney Vandersloot and Kia Nurse will be the reasons Tyler Marsh will have a productive campaign. Their calming presence and voice in the locker room will help keep Angel Reese grounded. But the player who could have an All-Star campaign is Kamilla Cardoso. With many eyes on Reese this season, and opposing teams hoping to stop her on the offensive boards, Cardoso will take advantage of the diversion and benefit in the paint.CONNECTICUT SunThe heart and soul of a team that made it to the WNBA Finals three years ago is gone. Courtney Williams and Jonquel Jones have been gone, but now the team has lost Alyssa Thomas to Phoenix, and DeWanna Bonner and coach Stephanie White to Indiana. How this team responds remains to be seen, but it could find itself out of the playoffs for the first time since 2016. The player to watch is the offseason acquisition is Jacy Sheldon, who will emerge as the Sun's star.DALLAS WingsI'm convinced the Wings will have a better season than last year since they battled injuries throughout 2024. Adding No. 1 overall draft pick Paige Bueckers didn't hurt, and having Arike Ogunbowale means this offense will be dangerous. The problem might be having a defensive wizard in Chris Koclanes as coach. I'm curious if this season turns into a bust while he tries to figure out how to blend all this talent at both ends of the court.GOLDEN STATE ValkyriesCoach Natalie Nakase's name is being dragged through the mud with her preseason cuts, many wondering if she knows what she's doing. Coming from the Becky Hammon coaching tree, though, Nakase's assessment of talent is better than people think. There will be an adjustment period, no doubt, but don't expect this team to do much tanking, as it will hang around long enough to put a scare into the final playoff spot.INDIANA FeverThe pressure is on in Indianapolis, now that White is in charge of a team that made the offseason investments to surround Caitlin Clark with enforcers who will stand up to anyone who tries to push her around. Bonner, Sophie Cunningham, Natasha Howard and Sydney Colson were brought in, and many believe a legendary campaign is upon us. But will it be a championship-worthy season? Don't blow your money on any future championship bets just yet.LAS VEGAS AcesA'ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray are determined to bring a championship to Las Vegas for a third time in four years. The talk out of camp is that the mindset is much different than last year, when everyone was loose and distracted by success. Now, it's back to business with the Aces feeling the sting of being eliminated from the 2024 playoffs - and dethroned - on their homecourt to eventual champion New York. The Aces appear ready for a return to the Finals.LOS ANGELES SparksThe biggest question is who will have the biggest impact on this season for the Sparks. Cameron Brink is healthy, Rae Burrell is coming off an impressive offseason, Dearica Hamby is always resilient and Rickea Jackson is poised for greatness. But it was the offseason acquisition of Kelsey Plum that will prove to be the moneymaker. Out of Wilson's shadow in Vegas, look for Plum to lead L.A. to the postseason.MINNESOTA LynxThis year's Lynx is last year's Liberty, who were hungry after losing in the WNBA Finals the previous year. But a bigger chip on Minnesota's shoulder is how the Liberty beat them in overtime of Game 5. Breanna Stewart's phantom foul call - rather than a travel call - helped the Liberty top the Lynx, and the sting remains. Minnesota's gritty lineup also remembers commissioner Cathy Engelbert's Statue of Liberty-themed Game 5 fit. The Lynx will be a threat once again.NEW YORK LibertyUntil this team is dethroned, it's the favorite to win the WNBA title. With all the Aces, Fever and Lynx are bringing into the season, the Liberty are still the best choice to win this year with most of last year's team intact, outside of Vandersloot's departure. Natasha Cloud joins the team, bringing the Liberty a defensive stalwart. The Liberty has endured a few injuries, but this is one of the best teams in franchise history.PHOENIX MercuryI'm not buying into much with this team, and actually feel bad for Alyssa Thomas, who is now in town. There is a promising roster in place with Thomas and Satou Sabally joining Kahleah Copper, but from there, I don't know if coach Nate Tibbetts has a playoff-caliber supporting cast. It will take a relatively injury-free season for the Mercury to get to the postseason.SEATTLE StormThe Storm is the team to watch this season. Coach Noelle Quinn survived bullying allegations and might have gotten rid of the toxic components that plagued last year's team. It's a new look with the biggest names from the championship years now gone. Veterans Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins are back and are joined by fellow veteran Alysha Clark. Strong guard additions of Lexie Brown and Erica Wheeler will bolster the offense, while Gabby Williams will strengthen the defense. Expect the Storm to reign this season.WASHINGTON MysticsAs much as I'd like to think good things into reality for the Mystics, I'm afraid this will be another long season. Preseason injuries have already taken this team out of contention before the season has tipped off. The Mystics might win a few games here and there, the problem is their chemistry, or lack thereof, will plague them against the better and improved teams, which there are more of this season.

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NHL Playoffs: A Glance Inside The Numbers

Saturday, Apr 19, 2025

The most exciting postseason is set to begin, as the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs open Saturday, beginning the two-month parade to see who will hoist Lord Stanley's Cup.That means it's time to delve inside the playoff numbers.Here are several for you to chew on:* If you're counting on one of the five Canadian teams to win the Stanley Cup, remember among the 16 teams that qualified for this year's postseason, the four longest waits for a championship belong to teams from north of the border: Toronto (58 years; last 1967), Edmonton (35 years; last 1990), Montreal (32 years; last 1993) and Ottawa (32 years; looking for first Cup)* If you're wondering which playoff teams have won the most series in the last five years (since 2020), seven teams have won at least six playoff series over the past five years, including four that have won the Stanley Cup: 11 – Tampa Bay (SC in 2020 & 2021) 8 – Vegas (SC in 2023) 8 – Florida (SC in 2024) 7 – Colorado (SC in 2022) 7 – Dallas 6 – Carolina 6 – Edmonton * Looking for a Wild Card longshot? Good news! At least one Wild Card team has advanced from the opening round in six of the nine years under that format, including multiple teams four times in a single postseason.* Who will represent the Eastern Conference? An Atlantic Division team isn't a bad bet for your future wager. To wit: a team currently in the Atlantic Division has reached the Stanley Cup Final in six straight years. In the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Atlantic Division has five of the eight playoff spots in the East: Toronto, Tampa Bay, Florida, Ottawa and Montreal. Here are the Atlantic Division teams who have made the Stanley Cup Final, since 2019: 2024 – Florida (Won Cup) 2023 – Florida (Lost Final) 2022 – Tampa Bay (Lost Final) 2021 – Tampa Bay (Won Cup) 2020 – Tampa Bay (Won Cup) 2019 – Boston (Lost Final) Here is a glance at the No. 1 trend or stat to think about for each team coming into the playoffs: Carolina: The Hurricanes closed their regular-season campaign on a 1-7 slide, and were outscored by an average final of 4.38 to 2.88.Colorado: Dating back to Feb. 26, the Avalanche are tied with the Blues for the highest point production, with an average of 3.74 goals-for per game.Dallas: The Stars were tied for second-to-last with the New Jersey Devils down the stretch, after losing their seven of their last eight games (1-5-2) since April 2. Dallas was outscored by an average final of 4.38 to 2.88 in that span.Edmonton: The Oilers have stayed under in nine of their last 10 regular-season games. The average tally in those games was 4.9 goals per game.Florida: The defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers closed their regular-season campaign losing seven of their final 10 games. They also stayed under in seven of their last nine.Los Angeles: The Kings are 17-5-0 since March 8, a stretch that has seen them rank No. 1 in allowing just 2.00 goals per game.Minnesota: The Wild won four of their last five regular-season games to clinch the No. 1 Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Important to note: the four wins all came in overtime.Montreal: The Canadiens won seven of their last 10 games in the regular season, with seven of those games staying under the posted number.New Jersey: The Flames landed over the posted number in eight of their last 11 games of the regular season. Those 11 games averaged a final tally of 5.91 goals per game.Ottawa: The high-scoring Senators went over the posted number in their last five games with each game landing on seven goals or higher.St. Louis: Rank No. 1 in the NHL with 40 points since Feb. 23, having won 19 of its last 25 games of the regular season, going 19-4-2.Tampa Bay: The high-flying Lightning closed the regular season going over in five of their last six games, with those contests averaging nearly seven goals per game.Toronto: The Leafs won nine of their last 10 games of the regular season and allowed two or fewer goals in seven of those games. Since March 29, the Leafs are the only team allowing less than two goals per game.Vegas: The Golden Knights won 19 of their final 28 games, ranking tied for third with 42 points since Feb. 6. They ranked third in that span in allowing 2.32 goals per game.Washington: The Capitals, who qualified for the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a -36 goal differential, finished with a +57 goal differential this season.Winnipeg: Rank No. 1 in the NHL with 57 points since Jan. 11, having won 28 of its final 39 games of the regular season, going 28-10-1.

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NHL Playoffs: Regular Season Man Games Lost Should Be Taken In Consideration

Thursday, Apr 17, 2025

As the NHL Playoffs are set to start Saturday, one of the biggest factors for me in the opening round has always been which teams have been the healthiest, and which team has experienced the most man-games lost. Which team has dealt with the most adversity, and which team is still battling injuries.Many teams struggle to rekindle chemistry from the first half of the season, when they gathered enough points to get them in playoff position, but struggled down the stretch and are still dealing with injuries.For instance, everyone has been fascinated by the Washington Capitals earning the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, but this is a team that has the 10th highest Cap Hit of Injured Players (CHIP). That includes their star goaltender, Logan Thompson, who has been dealing with concussion issues since the 4 Nation's Face-Off break. Altogether, the Caps have 190 man-games lost this season and CHIP of $10.31 million.Per NHLInjuryViz.com, CHIP represents the per-game cap charge of a player missing a game through injury/illness, i.e., annual cap charge divided by 82.Seven of the 11 teams with the highest CHIP are headed to the postseason, including Central Division teams Colorado, St. Louis and Dallas.The Tampa Bay Lightning (3.37) and Winnipeg Jets had the two lowest CHIP this season, and it's a projected Stanley Cup Final that many experts are predicting.Interestingly, after the Bolts and Jets, the next closest playoff team is Montreal, with the NHL's eighth-lowest CHIP.Here are the 16 playoff teams, from lowest to highest CHIP: Tampa Bay 3.37 Winnipeg 4.12 Montreal 5.77 Florida 6.85 New Jersey 7.87 Carolina 8.40 Ottawa 8.43 Vegas 9.22 Los Angeles 9.40 Toronto 9.97 Washington 10.31 Edmonton 11.31 Minnesota 13.19 Dallas 13.50 St. Louis 14.28 Colorado 16.09

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North Carolina is Worth Looking Into For Futures Bets

Wednesday, Mar 19, 2025

The North Carolina Tar Heels are laughing all the way to the first round of this year’s NCAA Tournament.While 99.9% of America - or what seemed like that many - said the Tar Heels didn't belong in the dance, they smacked San Diego State back to Southern California and looked like a team on a mission with a huge win in the First Four on Tuesday.Brand recognition or not, regardless if the Selection Committee put the Heels in because of Bubba Cunningham or because tickets would sell, this is still an ACC team that went through a gauntlet of conference opponents to get to this point.Next up: Ole Miss.But what I think you should focus on is DraftKings' prices for the Tar Heels to advance. They're (only) +380 to get to the Sweet 16 They're +900 to get to the Elite 8 They're +3000 to win the South Region They're +6500 to get to the Final They're +17000 to win the Championship Why even consider this? Because of the 99.9% of America that ridiculed the Selection Committee since about 6:30 pm Eastern time on Sunday.Again, on a mission, the Heels are motivated by the hate and we saw it last night in their 95-68 rout of San Diego State on Tuesday night.RJ Davis scored 26 points and was 6 of 6 from 3-point range to help the Tar Heels silence skeptics while destroying the Aztecs in their own arena."I don’t think it was a weight on us to try to get into the NCAA Tournament," North Carolina coach Hubert Davis said in his postgame press conference. "My communication with them is to focus on us. It’s not the noise on the outside in terms of comments and critics. Focusing on our preparation, our practice and our play."Okay Hubie, we'll let you tell it however you want. But the fact is, the Heels looked like a team with something to prove. Your players were indeed fueled by the noise.Thus, I find it interesting the number to win two more to get to the sweetened weekend is just +380. Seems as if there is suddenly legitimacy. In the way is Ole Miss , and then either Iowa State or Lipscomb.Now, per KenPom, the Heels are the third-best team, ranked 30th with their net rating. But Ole Miss is just four spots higher at 26th. Iowa State is 10th and Lipscomb is 82nd.If you're holding a near 4-to-1 ticket, though, you have a big enough cushion to hedge. Same goes if you bet them to win the Region, or further.More questions about this team will be answered on Friday, but for now, it's well worth thinking about an investment in North Carolina's future, as it's a team playing with a mighty big chip on its shoulders.

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NCAA Tournament: Buyer Beware on These Two Higher Seeds

Sunday, Mar 16, 2025

Now that the Selection Committee has done its job, it's time for me to do mine and provide you with a Buyer Beware speech before the dance gets underway this week.While many are on the prowl to identify the right team to invest in, the one with the right odds and that can make a run at the title, I'm alerting you to a couple of higher-seeded teams I see bowing out sooner than expected so you don't make any financial mistakes.AUBURN (No. 1 seed, South Region)Of the No. 1 seeds in this year's event, the Tigers appear to be the most vulnerable, and one I don't think makes it into the national semifinals, let alone the South final. The Tigers bowed out of the SEC Tournament with a 62-57 loss to the Tennessee Volunteers, and come into the tournament losers in three of their last four games.They closed the regular season with consecutive losses to Texas A&M and Alabama, and I have to tell you, I think Bruce Pearl's troops is going to have problems when it gets locked into physical games due to its knack for fouling.Auburn ranks 318th in the nation in committing 18.6 fouls per game, and by putting teams on the line, the Tigers could shoot themselves in the foot as early as the second round against either Louisville or Creighton.PURDUE (No. 4 seed, Midwest Region)I bought into the Boilermakers early on this season, after they bolted out to an 11-2 mark in the Big Ten. But then they lost four in a row, and ended up closing the season, and postseason tournament, with losses in six of their last nine games.The defense scares me, as it went from allowing 69 points per game over its first 24 games but then gave up 78 per contest over the last nine.The other problem with this team is turnovers. Yes, they rank 48th in committing only 10.4 miscues per game, but this team has an upset-minded High Point in the opening round and then could face Clemson and Houston if it gets as far as the regional semifinal. The Boilers would suffocate under Houston's pressure.

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Five Things to Consider Before the MLB Season

Tuesday, Feb 25, 2025

And just like that, football is an instant memory, with Ohio State and the Eagles celebrating championships, and the focus now on March Madness.But I'm thinking about baseball, with the boys of summer reporting for duty. Spring Training is underway, and it got me thinking about some things to consider - five to be exact - heading into the campaign.Figured I'd share.Here are five takeaways heading into the MLB campaign:5. Is it as strange to anyone else as it is to me that two Major League Baseball clubs won't be playing in their stadiums this season?The A's are moving to Sutter Health Park in Sacramento and will be playing on natural grass, rather than synthetic turf, which is a bit interesting, as the franchise prepares to move to Las Vegas, until that stadium is ready.And people I've spoken to seem to forget Tropicana Field was damaged by Hurricane Milton and is out of commission until 2026. Thus, the Rays are moving to Steinbrenner Field, home of the Yankees during Spring Training. Keep that in mind when making total bets and future wagers, as we have two professional baseball teams that won't be in their true home parks this season.These are decent-sized parks, but it's not like they're major-league ballparks. It's an interesting dynamic with scheduling and homefield advantage, or lack thereof, how this will end up presenting itself.4. Can the Yankees be a better team after losing Juan Soto? I know on the surface that sounds crazy, but indulge me, if you may. Soto helped the Yankees reach their first World Series since 2009, yes, but after attempting to re-sign him it didn't work out, he left the Bronx for Queen to play for the Mets.  He promptly smacked a home run in his first exhibition game for the Mets.I get it, you have to look at Soto and recognize the impact he has on your overall offense. And the Yankees' philosophy has always been to mash their way to being a championship contender. Now you lose the best hitter in baseball so it's hard to make a case that you're better with losing a talent like Soto. They made some interesting moves. They added left hander Max Fried. They added Cody Bellinger. They added Paul Goldschmidt from the Cardinals. They brought in closer Devin Williams. I have to wonder if bringing in formidable assets have made the Yankees a more complete and more athletic team by letting Soto go. Could these guys get the Yankees back to the World Series?3. Do the Mets have what it takes to beat the Dodgers and get to the World Series? It didn't work in the NLCS last season, but is this the year? We know Steve Cohen opened the checkbook to land $765 million-dollar man Soto. Fan-favorite Pete Alonso is very important to the organization - the clubhouse in particular - and he is back. I do have questions about the team's depth and its rotation and how it's going to configure this lineup with Soto receiving mail in Queens.Look, for a team that was in the NLCS last year, it seems like they could have enough firepower to advance further this season. They certainly cannot rely on the magic of last season and think it's automatic to return, but Soto will undoubtedly provide a spark. Personally, I can see the Mets needing another starting pitcher, someone front-ending things to lead the rotation. Could we see the return of Jacob deGrom?2. Can the Braves bounce back after falling from their NL East perch? Can they reclaim the division and vie for a shot at the World Series? Plenty will depend on when Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider return to the team.Strider has to make sure he doesn't have any setbacks during his recovery from elbow surgery. It appears he can return to the rotation by the end of April and Acuna's progress is being monitored closely, as he's coming back from a torn right ACL. It looks like he might be sidelined until about May. So, depending on when they come back and how long it takes those two in particular to return, the Braves could certainly be a team to pay attention to.It certainly makes you wonder: do you still lean on the Mets because of Soto, or do you lend credence to a healthy Braves team and what it can do in the division?1. It has to be the defending World Series champion Dodgers. Can any team match their firepower, and are they going to be the first franchise to repeat as champions in 25 years? Everyone's paying attention to them. They're the villains now.First and foremost, I have to wonder about Shohei Otani and if he's going to be as dominant on the mound when he steps to the hill.Personally, I want to see Ohtani pitch as much as possible. But that's whenever he's ready. If he's ready in July, then let his first pitch come in August. Don't push it. You have so much talent on that roster and so much pitching in addition to Ohtani.Let's face it, this is a team much like we talk about the Chiefs and/or Eagles in the NFL, right? Let's get through the regular season and head into the postseason healthy and ready to put everything on the line, and not care about what happens in the summer as much as we should care about winning the World Series. It's about trying to win a championship once you get to the playoffs.The champs went out and acquired more talent this offseason, and it's going to be interesting to see if anyone can keep pace with them, or if the gap is going to continue to widen.

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Hockey Day in America insisde the numbers

Saturday, Feb 22, 2025

As the NHL is set to celebrate Hockey Day in America on Sunday with a blockbuster doubleheader featuring the Oilers visiting the Capitals at Capital One Arena followed by the Penguins hosting the Rangers at PPG Paints Arena, there are numbers to consider for what should be an exciting day of hockey.Edmonton has won five of its last eight meetings with the Capitals, including two of three in D.C.The Rangers come into Pittsburgh on a 6-2 roll against the Penguins, including a perfect 3-0 in Steeltown.The Lightning have won six of seven meetings with the Kraken since they entered the league.The Predators have won eight of their last 10 meetings with New Jersey.Colorado has won seven of the last eight meetings with the Blues, and five straight in St. Louis.Calgary is on an 8-1 run against the Sharks.Looking for a player prop today? Zach Werenski and Quinn Hughes (both with 59) rank tied for the second-most points among defensemen this season.If you're basing your handicapping on goaltending, make note that Connor Hellebuyck (34) and Jake Oettinger (26) rank first and second, respectively, for wins this season.The Capitals are in first place in the Eastern Conference, just one point behind the League-leading Jets (39-14-3, 81 points).

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Championship Game Props: 3 Early Takeaways

Friday, Jan 31, 2025

As we approach Pro FB Championship week, and the hysteria of Radio Row, Media Day, and all the hype that leads to the Big Game, the swarm of propositions hit the boards and bettors wasted no time in getting in on the action 10 days before kickoff.A quick scan of the throngs of wild offerings brings me to three takeaways worth looking at immediately:RUN PAT RUN: I'm putting action on Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to go over 28.5 yards rushing (-110). In 20 career playoff games, Mahomes has rushed for 29 or more 10 times, including 43 against Buffalo in the AFC Championship. And with Philadelphia's defense counting on a vicious front line, I have to believe Mahomes will count on his legs a lot in this game. It's a perfect opportunity for him to use his speed and dual-threat ability in a domed stadium on a fast track.MAHOMES OVER HURTS: I most certainly like Mahomes -1/2 passing touchdown against Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts. The Eagles' offense has run through Saquon Barkley, and by using their ground-and-pound offense, I have to believe once they get into the end zone we're going to see Barkley with the ball. In eight career playoff games, Hurts has just eight touchdown passes. He's thrown three this postseason, but only one across the NFC Divisional Round and conference championship. Mahomes has at least one passing TD in 18 of his 20 playoff games, and averages 2.15 per postseason contest.DON'T COUNT ON THE D: Will there be a defensive score? I think no, as the Chiefs and Eagles ranked 25th and 26th, respectively, each with 0.4 defensive points per game, separated by mere decimal points. With Philly likely to rely on Barkley, we have a seasoned running back who doesn't make many mistakes. Hurts will be careful with his approach, staying cautious against the Chiefs' secondary. With Mahomes, he's thrown only eight interceptions in his 20 playoff games.Chew on those three immediate thoughts for proposition bets, and look for next week's articles derived from The Big East, as I'll have plenty to right about after Media Day and throughout the week, leading up to kickoff.

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NFC Championship Game Primer

Wednesday, Jan 22, 2025

No. 6 Washington Commanders (14-5 SU, 13-6 ATS) at No. 2 Philadelphia Eagles (16-3, 12-7)Postseason history: Washington defeated Philadelphia, 20-6, in the 1990 NFC Wild Card round, the only postseason meeting between the two franchises. Mark Rypien threw touchdown passes to Gary Clark and Art Monk. Also, Darrell Green had one of his six career postseason interceptions.Series History: The Commanders come to Philadelphia on a 6-2-2 ATS winning streak against the Eagles.2024 regular season: Philadelphia and Washington split their regular-season meetings, each team winning at home. In Week 11, the Eagles beat the Commanders, 26-18, as Saquon Barkley rushed for 146 yards, including two rushing touchdowns in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter to seal the win. In Week 16, it was Washington overcoming a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Philadelphia, 36-33. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels threw a career-high five touchdown passes, with three coming in the fourth quarter, including the game-winning touchdown pass with six seconds remaining.Divisional opponents in Championship games since 2002: Philadelphia and Washington provide the fifth Conference Championship game between divisional opponents since 2002. In the previous four such matchups, the division-winning team won three times while each of the four winners went on to win the Super Bowl.Washington tidbits: Washington, which comes into the game on a 4-1 ATS run, advanced to the Conference Championship game for seventh time since 1970 (5-1 record) and for the first time since the 1991 campaign. The Commanders became the sixth team since 2009 and the third team in the past four seasons (2021 – Cincinnati and San Francisco) to make the Conference Championship game after finishing in last or tied for last place in their division the season before.The Commanders, who selected quarterback Daniels with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, are the fourth team in the common-draft era to have a Top-2 selection in the NFL Draft and make the Conference Championship in the same season. Dan Quinn: Quinn, who has led the Commanders to 14 wins this season (including the playoffs) after finishing with four wins last season, is the second coach ever to improve a team by 10 wins in his first season with a club (including the postseason). He also became the fourth head coach in the last 15 seasons (2010-24) to lead his team to a Conference Championship appearance in his first season with a club. Jayden Daniels: The rookie gunslinger can become the sixth rookie quarterback all-time to start a Conference Championship game. With a win, Daniels can become the first rookie starting quarterback to start a Super Bowl, first rookie starting quarterback to win three postseason games and surpass Ben Roethlisberger (14 wins in 2004 with Pittsburgh) for the most wins by a rookie quarterback, including the postseason, in NFL history. Additionally with a win, Daniels can become the sixth quarterback ever to win three road postseason games in one playoff run. Daniels, who already has the most completions by a rookie quarterback in the postseason in NFL history (46), can become the first rookie quarterback ever with five postseason touchdown passes and with six passing yards, will surpass Russell Wilson (572 passing yards in 2012 with Seattle) for the most playoff passing yards by a rookie quarterback all-time. Philadelphia tidbits: For the first time in franchise history, the Eagles will host a Wild Card, Divisional and Championship game in the same season. Philadelphia, which is in on  a 3-1 ATS roll, has a 4-4 record in Conference Championship games since 1970, including wins in each of their past two appearances (2017 and 2022). Nick Sirianni: Including the postseason, Sirianni has won 52 games since being hired as Philadelphia’s head coach in 2021 and is one of two head coaches with at least 50 wins in his first four seasons, including the playoffs. With a win, Sirianni can join Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs and Mike Tomlin as the only head coaches to make the Super Bowl in two of his first four seasons. Saquon Barkley: In the Divisional playoffs, Barkley totaled 232 scrimmage yards (205 rushing, 27 receiving) and two rushing touchdowns, the second-most scrimmage yards in a playoff game by a running back in the Super Bowl era, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson (244 scrimmage yards on Jan. 4, 1986). Including the playoffs, Barkley has the third-most rushing yards (2,329) and fourth-most scrimmage yards (2,638) by a player in a season in NFL history.

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AFC Championship Game Primer

Wednesday, Jan 22, 2025

No. 2 Buffalo Bills (15-4 SU,12-7 ATS) at No. 1 Kansas City Chiefs (16-2, 8-10)Postseason history: The Chiefs hold a 4-2 record in postseason meetings against the Bills, including three consecutive victories in the 2020 AFC Championship Game and 2021 and 2023 AFC Divisional Playoffs. In the postseason last year, Patrick Mahomes connected with Travis Kelce for two touchdowns in the win.Series History: The teams have slipped the past 10 meetings ATS, but the Bills have covered three of the last four.2024 regular season: The Bills have won four consecutive regular-season games against the Chiefs, including a 30-21 win in Buffalo in Week 11 to hand Kansas City their first loss of the season. In that meeting, Josh Allen totaled 317 yards (262 passing, 55 rushing), including the game-sealing 26-yard touchdown run on fourth down with 2:17 remaining in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes: On Sunday, Allen and Mahomes are set to become the fifth set of starting quarterbacks to face each other in at least four postseason games since 1950.Buffalo tidbits: Buffalo, which has covered seven of its last 10, advanced to the Conference Championship game for seventh time since 1970 and can advance to the Super Bowl for the first time since qualifying in four consecutive seasons from 1990-93. Since last year’s Wild Card playoffs, the Bills have no turnovers in their past four postseason games, becoming the first team ever without a turnover in four consecutive postseason games.Buffalo, including the postseason, leads the NFL with 35 takeaways and has committed a league-low eight turnovers this season, and only seven teams all-time have finished with a better turnover differential, including the playoffs, than the Bills’ current +27. They can become the first team ever to reach the Super Bowl with 10-or-fewer turnovers, including the playoffs. Sean McDermott: Including the postseason, McDermott has won 93 games since being hired as Buffalo’s head coach in 2017, tied with Mike Holmgren (93 wins) for the second-most wins by a head coach in his first eight seasons, including the playoffs, in NFL history. Only George Seifert (108 wins) has more. Josh Allen: Allen has 83 career victories, including the playoffs, in his first seven NFL seasons. With a win on Sunday, he can surpass Russell Wilson (83 wins) for the second-most wins by a quarterback ever in his first seven seasons, including the postseason. Only Patrick Mahomes (89 wins in first seven seasons) has more. Kansas City tidbits: Kansas City, which has failed to cover seven of its last 10, reached the AFC Championship Game for the seventh-consecutive season, trailing only the 2011-18 New England Patriots (eight straight) for the longest such streak in NFL history. The Chiefs are the fourth reigning back-to-back Super Bowl champion to reach the Conference Championship game.The Chiefs have won eight consecutive postseason games, the third-longest such streak all-time and since Week 12, have not committed a turnover in eight consecutive games, the longest such streak in a season all-time (including the playoffs). Andy Reid: Reid will be appearing in the Conference Championship game for the 12th time, trailing only Bill Belichick (13 times) for the most Conference Championship games by a head coach since 1970. With a win, he can become the first head coach ever to win multiple postseason games in six consecutive seasons and can join Belichick (nine Super Bowl appearances) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Don Shula (six) as the only head coaches all-time to appear in six Super Bowls. Patrick Mahomes: Mahomes enters the AFC Championship Game tied for the second-most postseason wins by a starting quarterback (16) and has the second-highest postseason passer rating (105.6, minimum 150 attempts), fifth-most postseason touchdown passes (42) and eighth-most postseason passing yards (5,312) in NFL history. Travis Kelce: Kelce recorded 117 receiving yards in the AFC Divisional playoffs, his ninth career postseason game with at least 100 receiving yards, the most in postseason history. In NFL playoff history, he enters Championship Sunday with the most receptions (172) and second-most receiving yards (2,020) and touchdown receptions (20), trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice (2,245 receiving yards and 22 touchdown receptions) in both categories.

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Blackhawks-Blues: NHL Winter Classic By The Numbers

Monday, Dec 30, 2024

The Chicago Blackhawks renew one of their oldest rivalries this year in the Winter Classic, as they'll face the St. Louis Blues at Wrigley Field. . The two previously met in the Classic in 2017 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, as the Blackhawks lost 4-1.Some reports tell us weather conditions suggest a potential date change, but until then, we're counting on the game taking place on New Year's Eve.Here's a glance inside some of the Winter Classic numbers:3 – The Winter Classic will be the third outdoor NHL game for the Blues, who are 2-0-0 in previous outdoor game contests.4 - The Blackhawks come into the Winter Classic on a four-game skid.4 - The Blues have scored at least four goals in 10 of their last 16 meetings with Chicago.6 - The Blackhawks entered the week allowing 3.32 goals per game, tied for sixth-most in the league.7 – The Winter Classic will be the seventh outdoor NHL game for the Blackhawks, the most among NHL teams. The Blackhawks are 1-5-0 in previous outdoor game appearances.13 - The Blues have won 13 of the last 16 meetings.16 - In playing 21 games away from their barn, the Blackhawks have lost 16 of those contests, going 5-14-2.31 - For the month of December, the Blackhawks rank 31st in allowing 3.93 goals per game this month.332 -- The Winter Classic will mark the 332nd time the Blackhawks and Blues have faced off in regular-season games since 1967. Chicago holds a 356-334 edge in points over the Blues. In 12 playoff series, the Blackhawks have won eight.

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Vegas Writer's NHL Morning Skate

Saturday, Dec 21, 2024

Welcome to Saturday's edition of the "Morning Skate." While it's football heaven today with College Football Playoff action and two NFL games on tap, I want to make sure we're all aware there is plenty of NHL action before the league goes on its holiday break.There was an exciting seven-game card last night, including a potential Stanley Cup Final preview in Dallas, where the Rangers stole a 3-1 road win over the Stars.Let's take a look at the main highlights from Saturday: The Utah Hockey Club earned its fourth straight win and tied the fifth-longest point streak by a franchise in its inaugural season with last night's 2-1 win in Minnesota.Dylan Guenther scored twice to extend his point streak to seven games, which was already the longest on his team, to help Utah extend its win streak.Matt Murray made 24 saves to backstop Toronto past Buffalo, 6-3, and earned his first victory since March 23, 2023.After scoring a hat trick of power-play goals Tuesday, Patrik Laine cashed in again on the man advantage to help the Montreal Canadiens skate to their second straight win, a 4-3 win in Detroit.Through the first 74 nights of the season: Favorites are 311-214, including a 286-194 run. Unders are 261-232-32, and is currently on a 187-148-18 roll. We have 11 games on the card tonight, and I'm headed to Montreal for the return engagement between the Canadiens and Red Wings.Tonight's FEATURED GAME (lines courtesy DraftKings):Detroit at Montreal (+100, 6-over, -120)OUTLOOK: With last night's 4-3 win in Detroit, the Canadiens have won two straight and five of eight since Dec.3. In their two-game win streak, the Canadiens outscored Winnipeg and Detroit by a combined final of 10-4. The Red Wings had their two-game win streak snapped last night and have now lost seven of 10 since Nov. 29. I don't like the fact they're doing a one-off road game to complete this home-and-home before returning home for a four-game homestand. Consider the Canadiens to complete the sweep.

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Vegas Writer's NHL Morning Skate

Wednesday, Dec 18, 2024

Welcome to Wednesday's edition of the "Morning Skate." It's been a minute since I checked in, I know. But so much has been going on for me, especially with the NBA Cup being in town the past week. Add in the Thanksgiving holiday, some heavy UNLV action, plus the Raiders and Golden Knights, and my plate has been full.But let's play catch up after a 10-game card last night, including a pretty good showdown in Calgary, where Boston squeaked by with a 4-3 overtime win.Let's take a look at the main highlights from Tuesday: Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck was one of three 4 Nations Face-Off goaltenders to achieve notable feats while becoming the first netminder to reach 20 wins this season with a 4-3 win in San Jose.Then there was Ottawa's Linus Ullmark, who made 30 saves for his second straight shutout on the road and extended his winning streak to six games in Ottawa's 3-0 win in Seattle.Boston's Jeremy Swayman made 20 saves while David Pastrnak scored his 11th career overtime goal to help Boston secure its NHL-leading third multi-goal, third-period comeback win. Swayman registered his 90th career victory and became the second-fastest American goaltender in NHL history to reach the mark.Patrik Laine registered his 11th career hat trick to lift the Canadiens to a 6-1 win over the struggling Sabres. Laine (6 goals, 1 assist in seven games played) has scored each of his first six goals with the Canadiens on the power play.Three Metropolitan Division clubs picked up wins, with New Jersey (21-10-3, 45 points) overtaking the Capitals (21-8-2, 44 points) for first place thanks to a 4-1 win in St. Louis. At the same time, third-place Carolina (20-10-1, 41) gained ground with it 4-0 shutout of the Islanders, and the Penguins (14-14-5. 33 points) inched closer to a playoff position with their 3-2 win over the Kings. Through the first 71 nights of the season: Favorites are 299-205, including a 274-185 run. Overs are 225-247-32, but the Under is currently on a 178-137-18 roll. We have five games on the card tonight, and I'm headed to the high altitude of Salt Lake City for tonight's game with a potential Stanley Cup Final in St. Paul, Minnesota, where the Wild are hosting the defending champion Florida Panthers.There's also a solid non-conference showdown in Dallas, where the Stars are hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs.But I have my eyes on an entirely different game.Tonight's FEATURED GAME (lines courtesy DraftKings):Vancouver at Utah (-110, 5.5-over, -120)OUTLOOK: The Canucks arrive in Salt Lake City with a 16-9-5 mark for 37 points and slotted No. 1 in the wild-card race, and face the scrappy Utah Hockey Club (14-11-5, 33 points; 3 points back of WC2). With both scrapping in the Western Conference wild-card race, Vancouver is a dangerous team away from home, boasting a 10-2-1 road record with a League-leading .808 points percentage as the visiting team. But Utah has been playing well, having won four of five seven of 11 since Nov. 26. The thing I worry about with the Canucks is the first of a back-to-back, with tomorrow's game in Vegas. They may be looking ahead to the Golden Knights. Consider the home team in this one.

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Vegas Writer's NHL Morning Skate

Thursday, Nov 21, 2024

Welcome to Thursday's edition of the "Morning Skate," which follows a five-game card from Wednesday.Three of the five games were shutouts, including Toronto blanking Vegas, ending the Golden Knights' run of scoring at least one goal in a game. Their streak of 59 games of not being shutout was the third-longest in the league.Let's take a look at the main highlights from Wednesday: The injury-ravaged Maple Leafs were without five key players, including captain Auston Matthews, yet still improved to 6-1-0 this season without last year's Rocket Richard Trophy winner.Sebastian Aho scored his 58th career game-winning goal to surpass Ron Francis (57) for the most in franchise history and help the Hurricanes (14-4-0, 28 points) move into first place in the Metropolitan Division with a 4-1 win in Philadelphia.Daniel Sprong opened the scoring while Brandon Montour and Chandler Stephenson had multiple points as the Kraken blanked the Predators, 3-0.Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 24 shots, Jason Zucker scored the game’s only goal, and the Buffalo Sabres silenced the Los Angeles Kings 1-0 on the road. Through the first 44 nights of the season: Favorites are 186-104, including a 161-85 run. Overs are 133-134-23, but the Under is currently on a 65-45-9 roll. We have 10 games on the card tonight, with hefty prices from five of the games.Tonight's FEATURED GAME (lines courtesy DraftKings):Florida (-238, 6) at ChicagoOUTLOOK: The defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers finish up a mini-two-game trip that started with a 6-3 loss in Winnipeg. This is a good opportunity to flex their muscles against the lowly Blackhawks, who have lost three straight, including Tuesday's 3-2 home loss to the Anaheim Ducks. Since a 3-1 win streak carried into early November, the 'Hawks have lost five of six. Florida has won six of the last eight meetings and should make it seven of nine without a hitch. The puck line (+110) is the smart play here, as the Panthers win by at least two goals.

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Vegas Writer's NHL Morning Skate

Thursday, Nov 14, 2024

Welcome to Thursday's edition of the "Morning Skate," which followed a five-game card that featured three road wins.Detroit, Vegas and Toronto won on strange ice, while Utah and Colorado held it down in their barns.We have 10 games on the card tonight, including the second of a two-game mini-series between Eastern Conference contenders New Jersey and Florida. The Devils took the 4-1 decision on Tuesday, despite getting outshot 35-24.Let's take a look at the main highlights from Wednesday: After Toronto's William Nylander cut Washington's lead to one with 4:09 remaining and Mitch Marner tied the score with 48 seconds on the clock, John Tavares netted the overtime winner in a 4-3 win to help the Maple Leafs complete an incredible comeback. Colorado's Mikko Rantanen scored a natural hat trick and a four-point night as he factored on each of Colorado’s goals during a 4-2 win over the Kings, while Nathan MacKinnon tallied three assists to help the Avalanche win their fourth straight home game. Vegas' Jack Eichel joined MacKinnon as the NHL’s second player to record 20 assists this season and surpassed teammate Mark Stone (20 GP in 2020-21) as the fastest player in Golden Knights history to reach the 20-helper mark in a season. Through the first 36 nights of the season: Favorites are 158-87, including a 133-68 run. Overs are 115-109-21, but the Under is currently on a 38-25-7 roll. Tonight's FEATURED GAME (lines courtesy DraftKings):Philadelphia at Ottawa (-170, 6u, -115)PREDICTION: The Philadelphia Flyers have seen their last two games land on seven goals, finishing with 4-3 scores, one a win and the other a loss. Toss in a 10-goal game four games back, which are the highest-scoring games they've seen since late October. In facing an Ottawa team that has the offensive potential it has, I have to wonder if the Sens will engage in a high-scoring game. It's a one-off home game for the Senators after playing in Boston and Toronto in their previous two games, which might be why those games landed on 5 and 3 goals. Three of the last four meetings have gone over the posted number, with the last four meetings averaging 7.5 goals per game. Look for a high-scoring game here, as I one of these teams just may win by a final of 5-4.

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Vegas Writer's NHL Morning Skate

Monday, Nov 11, 2024

Welcome to Monday's edition of the "Morning Skate," recapping the weekend while looking at the standings.The defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers have done a good job carrying their success from last season into this one, as they're 11-3-1 with 23 points sitting atop the Atlantic Division. In the Metro, it's the New Jersey Devils (10-6-2) leading the pack with 22 points, but on their heels are the Carolina Hurricanes (10-3-0) with an impressive plus-20 goal differential.Leading the league, in what's been a bit of a surprise, is Central Division-leading Winnipeg, as the Jets are 14-1-0 (28 points) and a league-best plus-36 point differential.Perhaps the biggest surprise is the Pacific Division, with the Los Angeles Kings (9-4-3) leading the pack with 21 points and the Vegas Golden Knights (9-3-2)one point back. They're the only two teams are in the plus with goal-differential.The highest scoring division, as a whole, is the Metropolitan at plus-29, followed by the Central at plus-5. Teams from the Atlantic are minus-11 while the Pacific teams are -23.Let's take a look at the main highlights from Sunday: Mackenzie Blackwood (44 saves) recorded his fourth career 40-save shutout to lead San Jose past New Jersey, 1-0. Kirill Kaprizov assisted on the game-tying goal by Matt Boldy with 4:31 left in regulation, only to be spiled by Philipp Kurashev and Seth Jones, who connected for Chicago's overtime winner in a 2-1 win, which snapped its 12-game slide against Minnesota. Leo Carlsson registered his third game-winning goal of the season while John Gibson turned away 38 shots in his return to Anaheim’s crease. Carlsson is tied for the second most game-winners in the NHL this season. Through the first 33 nights of the season: Favorites are 148-79, including a 123-60 run. Overs are 107-100-20, but the Under is currently on a 30-16-6 roll. Tonight's FEATURED GAME (lines courtesy DraftKings):Carolina (-142, 6.5u, -118) at VegasPREDICTION: The Hurricanes just had their eight-game win streak snapped in Denver on Saturday, and now enter hostile territory, as the Golden Knights have yet to lose at home and return from a two-game trip they gathered three points after winning in Edmonton and losing in overtime in Seattle. Plenty of question marks with a couple of injuries with Vegas, but when you come into the season with arguably the best defensive pairings, and strong depth with centermen, you should be able to compensate against tough competition. Vegas comes in 8-0-0 at home, the longest home win streak in franchise history. The Golden Knights have outscored their opponents 43-19 inside T-Mobile Arena, averaging 5.38 goals-for-per-game, the most in the NHL. The Golden Knights come away with the win here.

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Vegas Writer's NHL Morning Skate

Friday, Nov 08, 2024

Before getting to Friday's edition of the "Morning Skate," recapping Thursday's full slate of action that featured 13 games, let's address last night's loss.My Western Conference Game of the Year didn't pan out as expected, as the Utah Hockey Club went into St. Louis and knocked off the Blues, 4-2, with an empty netter providing the final margin. Not what I expected to happen.When you're outshot by a 2-to-1 ratio - 30 to 15 - it gives you very little chance to win, and such was the case last night, as the Blues looked like the travel-weary team. They also were 0 for 3 on the power play, something they'll need to fix as the third-worst team with a man advantage.Like the wins that come in droves, there will be losses. I'll bounce back, and by playoff time in April, the plan is to have profit to work with, so stick with me, and let's make money.Let's take a look at the main highlights from Thursday: The Panthers (10-3-1, 21 points) and Hurricanes (10-2-0, 20 points), who rank first and second in the Eastern Conference, both hit the 20-point mark on the season with the help of multi-point performances by Aleksander Barkov and Sebastian Aho, respectively. Barkov (3 assists) factored on three of six Panthers goals in a victory against the Penguins. Aho assisted on two of his team’s five goals to help Carolina extend the League’s longest active winning streak to eight games.The Sabres had 15 players record a point in the same game for the ninth time in franchise history and third in the past 30 years during a 6-1 win over the Rangers in Manhattan. It also marked just the second time in franchise history that all 12 Sabres forwards found the score sheet.The Winnipeg Jets, who have suffered just one regular-season loss in 22 games since April 1, 2024, matched the best 14-game start to a campaign in NHL history. With the win, goalie Connor Hellebuyck (10-1-0, 1.91 GAA, .932 SV%, 3 SO) posted back-to-back shutouts for the first time and became the sixth U.S.-born goaltender in NHL history to register 40 career shutouts.Logan Stankoven (1 goal, 1 assist) stated his case for an early nod toward Rookie of the Year after he registered his third multi-point performance of the season to lift the Stars to a 3-1 victory over Chicago while boosting his totals 12 points (2 goals, 10 assists). He owns the most assists and points among rookies this season. Through the first 30 nights of the season: Favorites are 141-75, including a 116-56 run. Overs are 100-92-20, including a 45-39-10 run. The Under, however, is on a 22-13-6 roll. Tonight's FEATURED GAME (lines courtesy DraftKings):Vegas (-135, 6o, -118) at SeattlePREDICTION: The Vegas Golden Knights finally secured a road win, spoiling Connor McDavid's return to the Edmonton Oilers with a 4-2 win two nights back. Tonight the Knights visit the Seattle Kraken for a battle between the New Kids on the Block, and I am looking for low-scoring game. As the season moves into the second month, we see a lot better play from defensive pairings, with goalies settling into their dwelling. As you see above, after Overs in the NHL opened the season 87-70-14, the Unders are on a 22-13-6 run. Seven of the last 10 meetings between Vegas and Seattle have stayed under. The Kraken have stayed low in three of their last four and in catching Vegas - which has struggled on the road - on a two-game tour, this one will be played at a pedestrian pace. Let's play this one Under.

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Vegas Writer's NHL Morning Skate

Saturday, Nov 02, 2024

Saturday's edition of the "Morning Skate" recaps Friday's short slate that featured six games, four of them continuing the high-scoring efforts we saw the first month of the season.Let's take a look at the main highlights from Friday: Nikolaj Ehlers (3 goals, 1 assist) notched his fifth career hat trick in Winnipeg's 6-2 win in Columbus, as the Jets (10-1-0) continued their strong play to begin the season. They became the first team to get to 10 wins.Aleksander Barkov (1 goal, 3 assists) led the defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers (8-3-1) to a 6-4 victory over the Dallas Stars in Finland. It was the NHL's highest-scoring regular-season game played outside North America.Kirill Kaprizov (2 goals, 1 assist) extended his multi-point streak to seven games with his 35th career three-point outing while taking the lead of the NHL’s scoring race with 7 goals and 14 assists for 21 points in 10 games played. Minnesota improved to 7-1-2 (16 points) and tied for its second-most points through 10 games of a campaign. Through the first 24 nights:Favorites are 106-64, including a 81-45 run.Overs are 86-70-14, including a 31-17-4 run.Tonight's FEATURED GAME (lines courtesy DraftKings):Toronto (-1' +140) at ST. LOUISPREDICTION: The Toronto Maple Leafs (6-4-1, 13 points) are part of Saturday's Hockey Night in Canada schedule as one of the 22 teams in action on an 11-game slate.John Tavares (5 goals, 6 assists) comes into the day with an active six-game point streak since Oct. 21 (3-= goals, 6 assists), a stretch that has seen the 34-year-old turn in his fourth career hat trick in a Maple Leafs uniform.Now he faces a Blues team he's seen 24 times in his career, during which he's scored eight goals and assisted on five others.The road team has won eight of the last nine meetings, and behind surging Tavares, look for the Leafs to grab this road win with a puck-line cover.

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Vegas Writer's NHL Morning Skate

Saturday, Oct 26, 2024

Saturday's edition of the "Morning Skate" recaps Friday's short slate that featured just four games and saw the home teams and their guests split out with two wins apiece.The New York Islanders and Nashville Predators won on the road, at New Jersey and Chicago, respectively, while the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights beat Pittsburgh and Ottawa, respectively.The Penguins were the only team that failed to score a goal on Friday.Let's take a look at the main highlights from Friday: Alex Pietrangelo had three assists and picked up his final one on the go-ahead goal by Keegan Kolesar after Tomas Hertl pulled Vegas even with 3:11 left in regulation. The Golden Knights earned a victory in regulation despite trailing in the final five minutes for just the second time in franchise history.Evan Bouchard, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Mattias Ekholm scored goals for Edmonton, which sprayed a season-high 50 shots against the Penguins.Connor Bedard's 24th career goal gave Chicago a 2-0 lead, but Gustav Nyquist, Filip Forsberg and Brady Skjei accounted for Nashville's three unanswered goals to give the Predators their first multi-goal comeback win of the season.Nico Hischier scored his eighth goal of the season to move into a tie for the league lead while Jesper Bratt scored a game-tying goal with 1:29 left in regulation for the Devils. In the end, however, it would be Bo Horvat scoring the overtime winner for the Islanders, who stymied the Jersey's comeback attempt. Through the first 17 nights:Favorites are 71-47, including a 46-28 run.Overs are 55-53-10.Tonight's FEATURED GAME (lines courtesy DraftKings):Toronto at Boston (-110, 6o, -112)William Nylander and the Maple Leafs reunite their chief nemesis, as they head into Beantown to face David Pastrnak and the Bruins. It'll make the first meeting since Game 7 of the 2024 playoffs, where Nylander scored a third-period goal before Pastrnak buried the clincher at 1:54 of overtime in the first round.Boston has earned victories in each of its last seven regular-season battles with Toronto, going back to Jan. 14, 2023, including three overtime wins.Toronto arrives after losing two in a row, including Thursday's 5-1 home loss to St. Louis. The Leafs have scored two or fewer goals in three of their last four games.Boston, meanwhile, has dropped its last three, including Thursday's 5-2 home loss to Dallas. Like the Leafs, the Bruins have been in search of offense, scoring just three goals during the three-game slide.PREDICTION: With both teams playing sluggish of late, and this rivalry being as heavy as it's been, another low-scoring game isn't out of the question. Eight of the last 10 meetings have stayed under, with the average final tally being 4.7 goals per game. If anything, this one stays under

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Vegas Writer's NHL Morning Skate

Friday, Oct 25, 2024

Friday's edition of the "Morning Skate" recaps Thursday's busy slate that featured nine games and seven teams being unruly guests with some incredible road wins.We had a couple of potential Stanley Cup Final previews with the Dallas Stars topping the Boston Bruins, 5-2, and the defending champion Florida Panthers beating the New York Rangers, 3-1. Both the Stars and Panthers were on the road.The Winnipeg Jets also remained unbeaten with their 4-3 win in Seattle, while Marc-Andre Fleury stepped between the pipes to lead the Minnesota Wild to a 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Both the Jets and Wild were on the road.Let's take a look at the main highlights from Thursday: Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 24 of 25 shots to earn his 400th career win, as he stifled the Rangers in their first meeting with the Panthers since the 2024 Eastern Conference Final. Florida handed New York its first regulation defeat of 2024-25 and snapped the Rangers' season-opening point streak at six games. Bobrovsky joined Fleury (561) as just the second active goaltender to earn 400 career wins.Nikolaj Ehlers scored the overtime winner to fend off a Kraken comeback attempt and help the Jets (7-0-0, 14 points) become the fifth team in the past 10 years to start a campaign on a seven-game winning streak. Connor Hellebuyck (29 saves) has backstopped Winnipeg to six of its seven victories.Kirill Kaprizov had two goals and an assist to help the Wild (5-0-2, 12 points) extend their season-opening point streak to seven contests.Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar recorded his NHL-leading 15th point of the season and extended his season-opening point streak to eight games in last night's 5-1 win in Salt Lake City. Through the first 16 nights:Favorites are 68-46, including a 43-27 run.Overs are 53-51-10.Tonight's FEATURED GAME (lines courtesy DraftKings):Ottawa at Vegas (-148, 6o, -120)The Vegas Golden Knights returned from a dreadful three-game road trip and found their offense in a 6-1 win over border-rival Los Angeles, as Kings' netminder David Rittich never stood a chance.The jury is still out on the Ottawa Senators, as they're one of those three teams from the Eastern Conference that everyone remains on pins and needles, waiting for them, the Detroit Red Wings or Buffalo Sabres to have a breakout season.Through nearly three weeks, I'd say the Senators have been the most impressive to date. And they could come into T-Mobile Arena for this rather early puck drop and give the Knights a problem.I'd be leery with both sides, as we never know which Knights offense is showing up, and we don't know if the Senators are going to respond.PREDICTION: The way to go here is to anticipate a high-scoring game. Ottawa has the offensive firepower to pot goals, and we know the Knights will be looking to push the tempo, as six of their seven games have landed north of the posted number. Seven of the last 10 meetings have gone over, and in the 12 all-time meetings, the average final tally is 6.75 goals per game. Six of the 12 landed on seven or higher. Look for this one to run high.

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Vegas Writer's NHL Morning Skate

Tuesday, Oct 22, 2024

Tuesday's edition of the "Morning Skate" recaps a quiet Monday card that featured just one game. It's been a few days since we caught up, but I've got all the updated numbers for you and am looking forward to a profitable week.Let's take a look at the main highlight from Monday: Auston Matthews found the back of the net for the third straight game to lift the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 5-2 win over the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning. Matthews notched his 371st career goal and tied Alex Ovechkin for 10th most in NHL history before age 28. Through Monday's game:Favorites are 55-33, including a 30-14 run since last Tuesday.Overs are 42-40-6.Tonight's FEATURED GAME (lines courtesy DraftKings):Washington at Philadelphia (-110, 6u, -120)Alex Ovechkin is coming off his first goal of the season in a thrilling 6-5 overtime win in Jersey on Saturday. The "Great 8" is just 41 goals from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL record of 894. Ovechkin has 49 goals and 31 assists in 74 career games against the Flyers.If Ovi scores tonight, he'll make Philadelphia the fourth franchise against whom he's notched 50 tallies.The Flyers have opened the season 1-3-1, and the natives are already becoming restless. They opened the home portion of their schedule with a 3-0 loss to Vancouver on Saturday, following four straight season-opening road games.Washington, meanwhile, rides in on a three-game win streak and should be flying high for this Metropolitan Division clash.PREDICTION: It's easy to see the direction I was taking this, as I don't think the Flyers will be able to skate with the Capitals tonight. Washington found its stride when Vegas came to town last week and the Caps scored a 4-2 win with former Knight Logan Thompson in net. Then they beat the Western Conference-favored Dallas Stars, 3-2. Add in a win over the Devils, a team many believe can win the East, and you can see why the Caps are playing with confidence. We're getting off cheap with the Capitals here.

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