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04/10/2009 - Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mike Ribeiro scored the decisive goal in a wild shootout, as the Dallas Stars topped the Colorado Avalanche, 3-2, at the Pepsi Center.
In the shootout, Colorado's Wojtek Wolski went first and fooled Dallas goaltender Matt Climie out of his pads. Wolski skated to the left side of the crease, getting Climie to go in the same direction, but he left the puck on the right side and tapped it into an open net.
Fabian Brunnstrom beat Peter Budaj on a top-shelf backhander before Milan Hejduk, switching backhand-to-forehand several times, notched a goal with a backhander over Climie. Dallas' James Neal had his shot slowed down, but the puck rolled by Budaj into the net. A shooter was finally stopped, as Climie stuffed T.J. Hensick's attempt.
Ribeiro's dazzling attempt then won the game. He skated in with his back to the net and turned slightly, sending a pass between his legs. Ribeiro also put his stick between his legs and made a forehand shot, which Budaj initially stopped. But it bounced in the air and into the right side of the crease before rolling across the goal line, ending the contest.
Steve Begin and Brunnstrom scored for Dallas, which was eliminated from playoff contention last weekend. Climie stopped 25 shots in the win, the Stars' second in three tries.
Chris Stewart and John-Michael Liles had the goals for Colorado, which has one win in its last 11 games. Budaj stopped 37 shots.
Stewart's power-play goal with 7:17 left in the second period got Colorado on the scoreboard, but Brunnstrom evened the game on the man advantage 2:09 into the third.
Begin gave the Stars the lead with 3:11 remaining in regulation on a tip-in from the slot, but the Avs evened the game less than a minute later. Liles took a shot from the left corner that bounced off Climie into the Stars' net.
Game Notes
Dallas was 1-for-2 on power plays, while Colorado went 1-for-5...The Stars close their season Friday at Anaheim...The Avalanche host Vancouver and St. Louis over the weekend to end their 2008-09 campaign.
<< Miami-Ohio and Boston University advance to Frozen Four final
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tommy Wingels registered two goals and an
assist as Miami-Ohio defeated Bemidji State, 4-1, in the semifinals of the
Frozen Four at Verizon Center.
Alden Hirschfeld and Bill Loupee also tallied fo
<< Bulls draw closer to playoffs with thumping of Philadelphia
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tyrus Thomas and Ben Gordon each scored 24
points as Chicago inched closer to a playoff berth with a 113-99 victory over
slumping Philadelphia.
Derrick Rose added 16 points and eight assists, Brad Mille
<< Lakers' Bynum returns to action
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Andrew Bynum is back, and not a second
too soon for the Lakers as the playoffs near.
Bynum stepped foot onto the floor in game action during the first quarter of
Los Angeles' game against Denver on
<< Devils clinch Atlantic in shootout win over Senators
Ottawa, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brendan Shanahan scored the shootout winner, and
the New Jersey Devils wrapped up the Atlantic Division title in a 3-2 win
against the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place.
The Devils needed just a point to
Luongo blanks Kings as Canucks take over Northwest Division >>
Vancouver, BC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Roberto Luongo made 20 saves in setting a
franchise mark for shutouts in a season with his eighth, as Vancouver took
over the top spot in the Northwest Division with a 1-0 blanking of the Los
Angeles
Coyotes bury Sharks >>
San Jose, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Scottie Upshall and Peter Mueller each had a
goal and assist, as the Phoenix Coyotes topped the San Jose Sharks, 4-1, at HP
Pavilion.
Despite the loss, San Jose clinched the top seed in the Western Confer
Kobe helps Lakers down Nuggets in Bynum's return >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kobe Bryant's 33-point performance was only
part of the story Thursday night, as Andrew Bynum came back from a 31-game
absence to score 16 points and grab seven rebounds in just over 21 minutes, as
the Lak
Georgia Southern names Young basketball coach >>
Statesboro, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Georgia Southern has selected Charlton
Young as its new head men's basketball coach, the school announced Thursday.
Young replaces Jeff Price, who spent the last 10 seasons with the school but
resign
The 2007 college football rules changes that were implemented to shorten games are now history. The NCAA rules committee did what they set out to do; games were cut by an average of 14 minutes per game last season. There were also, on average, 14 fewer plays per game. We’ll get into how that did (or didn’t) affect games in regards to the pointspread a bit later.
While the NCAA rules committee may have had the betterment of the game in mind, they'll now “turn back the clock” for next season. Two key rules have now been overturned by the NCAA committee for the 2007 season, something definitely for the better.
For those of you who may not remember what those rules actually were, let us refresh your memory.
1) The first one was actually starting the clock on a kickoff as soon as the kicker touched the ball rather than waiting until the returner touched it. The problem here was near the end of the half (or game), if the team leading was kicking off, they could milk the clock by intentionally running offsides and then re-kicking. They could run 10-15 seconds off the clock each play while taking just five-yard penalties each time. They could run the clock down and simply cause the half (or game) to end on a kickoff, keeping the opposing offense off the field. In 2007, the clock will now start when the returner touches the ball as it had before last season.
2) The second rule dealt with starting the clock after a change of online football betting possession rather than waiting until the ball was snapped. This took a lot of time off the clock throughout the game as teams changed possession, however it caused the most problems late in games (or halves). Rather than huddling up and calling a play, the offensive team would have to rush onto the field as the clock started. This was a definite disadvantage to a team that was trying to come from behind late in the game. This year the clock will start on a change of possession, after the ball is snapped.
How did those rules affect the college game last year and will it make a difference this year when it comes to the pointspread? We commonly heard two theories when it came to these changes. First, it would affect scoring negatively. Second, it would hurt favorites as they would have less time and fewer plays to cover the number.
Did the rules hurt scoring? Yes. It seemed obvious that shortening the game by what amounted to 14 plays would push scoring downward. That was the case last year. Of the 119 Division 1A teams, 69 squads scored fewer points in 2007 than they did in 2005. Just 48 teams had a higher PPG scoring average and two stayed the same. Almost 59 percent of the teams in college football last year had a lower PPG average than they did in 2005. Expect more scoring in 2007 as we revert back to the old rules.
Did the rules hinder favorites from covering the number in 2007? Not really. Last year the favorites posted an overall spread record of 336-350-16 (48.9 percent). The year before, favorites were 316-326-13 (49.2 percent). In 2004, the favorites were 316-339-2 (48.2 percent). In fact, college football favorites have been above 50 percent for the season just once in the last seven years (in 2003). Last year’s numbers fell right in line with where they have been historically.
How about big favorites? The rules must have hurt them? Maybe a little bit. Double-digit favorites last year came in at a 47.8 percent clip compare with an average of just over 50 percent over the last seven years. Since 1980, favorites of -10 or more have covered at exactly a 50 percent clip (measured over 6,716 games).
Even bigger favorites must have struggled? Not really. In fact, it was just the opposite. Favorites of three TD’s or more were 59-54-2 last year (52.2 percent). Since 2000, those same favorites (-21 or higher) hit at 51.3 percent and since 1990 came in a clip of 50.3 percent. Stepping it up a notch to four TD favorites or higher, we actually see they've covered at a much better rate last season than before. Last year, favorites of -28 or more were 31-21-1, or almost 60 percent. Historically, four-TD-or-higher favorites have come in at a 50.7 percent spot since 2000 and only 48.9 percent since 1990. The “perceived” problem with the favorites covering at a reduced rate really never came to fruition.
Bottom line is, there might be some more scoring in 2007, but no real revelations when it comes to finding any pointspread golden nuggets.
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El Duque expected to throw Tuesday
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.
Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.
El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.
MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds.
Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.
New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.
Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''
Additional baseball lines and World Series odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com
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