Wednesday 10/3/18 thread for free handicapping service plays and expert predictions for Wednesday’s NCAAFB, NFL & MLB games.
Larry Ness
Oct 03 '18, 7:35 PM in 10h
NHL | Bruins vs Capitals
Play on: Capitals -120 at 5Dimes
My free play is on the Was Caps at 7:35 ET. The Washington Capitals were perennial underachievers throughout their history, particularly in the postseason. However, the Caps finally shed that label in last spring's stirring postseason run, one which ended with Washington capturing its first Stanley Cup title. Tonight, the Capitals will raise that championship banner to the Capital One Arena rafters and begin their title defense against the Boston Bruins.
Boston opened last season just 6-7-4 but the Bruins roared to a 50-20-12 record the rest of the way, as the team's 112 points were second-best in the Eastern Conference. The Bruins defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs but fell in five games to the East's No. 1-seeded Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round. The Bruins' top line of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak combined for 99 goals and were the team's top three scorers.
Goalie Tuukka Rask, owner of a 21-game point streak last season but inconsistent in the playoffs, will have a new No. 2 netminder in Jaroslav Halak, who spent the last four seasons with the New York Islanders
Alex Ovechkin led the league in scoring for the seventh time by netting 49 goals, before sparking the run to the Cup with 15 goals and 27 points in 24 postseason games to win the Conn Smythe Trophy. Top-line center Evgeny Kuznetsov notched a career-high 83 points before adding a team-best 32 points in the playoffs while rugged winger Tom Wilson rounded out the top line with 14 goals. Center Nicklas Backstrom had his eighth 50-assist season while Lars Eller centers the third line. Goalie Braden Holtby had a career-worst 2.99 goals-against average and was benched at the start of the postseason. However, he came up YUGE in the team's 'run to the cup.' He too will have a new backup in Pheonix Copley.
The Bruins were the best team in the NHL for a long stretch last season but they are overly reliant on their No. 1 line last season and have made no significant additions to their starting lineup. Meanwhile, Washington returns nearly its entire roster intact and new coach Todd Reirden knows this team VERY well. Reirden ascended to the top spot when Barry Trotz stepped down and ultimately took the New York Islanders' top job. He was Trotz's top assistant the last four years!
The Bruins' success last season was a bit ahead of schedule, as they boast one of the youngest rosters in the league. It doesn't help that Boston will be missing a key player in the opener, as defenseman Torey Krug injured his left ankle in the final preseason game. He's in a walking boot and will be evaluated in three weeks. Krug had 59 points (14 goals, 45 assists) in 76 games last season. Expectations remain high for the Capitals and they should. The Bruins will be a good early test and the fact that Washington has won 12 straight regular-season games in four seasons against Boston, makes the Caps the play here on Opening Night.
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Mike Wynn
Free Play: Free NHL Boston +125 Over Washington
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Totals4U
Wednesday's Free Selection: Boston/Washington over 5 1/2 goals
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Atlantic Sports
Wednesday's Free Selection from Atlantic Sports: Toronto - 225
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#1 Sports
Wednesday's Free Selection: Boston Bruins + 115
Platinum Plays
Free Pick the San Jose Sharks -170 over Anaheim
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Golden Dragon Sports
FREE WINNER for WEDNESDAY: Calgary -130 NHL
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Huddle Up Sports
Free Play: Washington -125 NHL
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Hawkeye Sports
Wednesday's Free Pick: San Jose Sharks - 170
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Arthur Ralph Sports
FREE playWED Oakland A's w/ Hendrik + 165
The Vegas Steam Line
Your free winner for Wednesday: Take SAN JOSE (NHL) -170 over Anaheim
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High Stakes Syndicate
Free Selection for Wednesday: Calgary Flames - 130
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John Anthony Sports
Wednesday's Free Selection: San Jose Sharks - 170
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Nevada Sharpshooter
Your free winner for Wednesday: Take WASHINGTON (NHL) -125 over Boston
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Jimmy Boyd
Oct 03 '18, 8:00 PM in 8h
MLB | OAK vs NYY
Play on: UNDER 8½ -105
1* Free Pick on A's/Yankees UNDER 8.5
We easily cashed in on the UNDER in Tuesday's NL Wild Card matchup between the Cubs/Rockies. Including the two tie-breaker games on Monday we have seen the UNDER go a perfect 3-0 since the regular-season concluded. I expect another low-scoring game on Wednesday when the Yankees host the A's in the AL Wild Card game.
New York will have their ace on the mound in Luis Severino, who after a rough patch in the 2nd half found his groove down the stretch run. Severino posted a 2.04 ERA and 1.019 WHIP in his last 3 starts. He's also got a 2.74 ERA in 15 home starts on the season.
The A's will start Liam Hendricks, as they take a page out of the Rays playbook and go without a tradition starter and instead imply the "Opener" strategy and attack this one with their bullpen from the start. Oakland used this strategy 9 times in the final month of the season with great results, as they posted as a 1.86 ERA in those games.
Adding to this is a great system in play. UNDER is 160-88 (65%) in October games dating back to 1997 with a total of 8 to 8.5 where you have a team (A's) that has a bullpen WHIP under 1.200 over their last 10 games. Take the UNDER!
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Chris Jordan
It's a free pick, and it's opening night in the NHL, so I'm taking the road underdog Boston Bruins to upset the Washington Capitals.
The defending Stanley Cup champs will raise the banner, Alex Ovechkin will hoist the Cup for the 8,000th time since winning it, and the fans will be in a frenzy for this game. And once the emotion drains, the Bruins will go to work.
While Washington returns 18 of the 20 players who dressed in their Game 5 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights, the biggest change is behind the bench, where coach Todd Reirden replaces Barry Trotz, now the coach of the New York Islanders.
The Bruins are on a 5-1-0 run in season openers and finished their pre-season with a 5-1-2 record including wins over Calgary, Washington, and Philadelphia.
Yes, the Bruins are winless in their last 12 games versus the Capitals, going 0-9-3, but this is a great spot, as Washington will be too distracted by the pregame hype, and will overlook the greatness of Boston goalie Tukka Rask.
1* BRUINS
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Jack Brayman
Let's jump start the NHL campaign with a free play on the Calgary Flames, who I think will steal this season-opener against the Vancouver Canucks.
I'm not one to put too much into how a team finishes the preseason, record-wise, but the Canucks looked horrendous en route to a 1-6-0 record. Their special teams play was brutal, as they finished their pre-season slate with a 13.5 percent power play percentage (5 of 37).
Besides Brock Boeser, I don't know if this team has anyone who can break out against an improved Calgary team that be looking to make an immediate statement.
The Flames, meanwhile, closed out the preseason with a strong performance against the Edmonton Oilers, despite losing 4-3. Calgary ended a jammed pack preseason with a record of 4-3-2-1.
And it's the new faces I'm intrigued to watch with this team, as Calgary boasts four players making their debut tonight. Forwards’ James Neal, Derek Ryan, Elias Lindholm, and Austin Czarnik as well as defenseman, Noah Hanifin were all acquired in the offseason.
Neal comes over from Vegas, after a run to the Stanley Cup Final for the second consecutive season. Neal lost with the Predators in 2017, and the Golden Knights last season.
Neal, who scored the first goal in Golden Knights history with a snipe on opening night in Dallas last season, Scored 20 goals in his 10th straight season. He became only one of six active players to score 20+ goals in first 10 seasons. Look for him to be the factor tonight.
3* FLAMES
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Tommy Brunson
Wednesday comp play on the ice, as the new season, and in fact the new era gets underway in Vancouver where the Canucks will host the Flames.
Vancouver will play for the first time since 1999-2000 without their Swedish Sedin brothers, as Daniel and Henrik both retired at the end of last season. Now it is time for another Swede, Elias Pettersson to flash his talents. Pettersson will join up with the blossoming talent of Bo Horvat and Brock Boeser to give Vancouver fans something to cheer about.
Their will be some excitement at home tonight, and the home ice in this rivalry has indeed meant something, as the host in the series has won 8 of the last 11 meetings.
Let's back the Canucks to open the new era with the win.
1* VANCOUVER
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