Jack Brayman
Let's keep this 16-5 win streak rolling, as I'm playing the Detroit Red Wings on the puck line tonight, over the Buffalo Sabres.
The Detroit Red Wings come into this clash short-handed, but what I've learned about many teams this season, is when they're up against it, missing key components, they play some of their best hockey.
Tonight the Wings will make up for the absences of Luke Witkowski and Trevor Daley, by taking out frustrations on the Buffalo Sabres with a convincing and momentous win.
Little Caesars Arena will be rocking on a Friday night, and the Wings will respond with the same offensive effort that just drubbed the Calgary Flames, 8-2, on Wednesday. Tonight marks Detroit's third home game during a five game home stand, so the Wings should be fine in terms of rest and fresh legs.
No traveling. No hotel rooms.
Unlike the Sabres, who are wrapping up a three-game road trip, after losses in Montreal and Pittsburgh. They've lost three in a row and six of eight, and now play their third road game in seven days.
Take the home team in a rout tonight.
3* RED WINGS -1.5
Chip Chirimbes
Jazz vs. Nets
Play: Nets
Utah started the season 5-3 but are just 1-6 since with the lone win in that span coming against the Nets 114-106 in Utah. Now, Utah is traveling to Brooklyn where the improved Nets are 3-3 at home while the Jazz are 0-5 on the road. But, Utah has won three straight meetings in Brooklyn. Reversal here...
SPORTS WAGERS
Buffalo +130 over DETROIT
OT included. The Red Wings are coming off a resounding 8-2 win over Calgary but they scored eight times in 27 shots on net. Eddie lack was yanked after five goals. After leaving Vancouver years ago, Lack has proven to be among the worst goaltenders in the game over the past five decades. That Detroit won and won big means jack. The Red Wings have been much more competitive this season than they were projected to be and for that, they deserve some credit. However, it’s worth noting that they are 2-5 against top-16 competition and their expected goals against ranks lower than Buffalo’s. The Red Wings are very simply better suited in the role of the underdog.
The Sabres are coming off another loss, this time in Pittsburgh by a score of 5-4 in OT. Prior to that, they lost in Montreal in OT also. While a loss is never satisfying, the Sabres have to feel pretty good about taking two quality teams the distance on the road. The Sabres metrics are great to be sure but they have been getting better week by week and now they are allowing far less scoring chances against. It may surprise you to learn that Buffalo has given up the fourth least scoring chances in the game. After playing Dallas, Montreal and Pittsburgh in three of its last four games with Washington thrown in between those, the Sabres take a step down in class here against a team that they are superior to. Buffalo is starting to come on and if its goaltending holds up, they are in line to go on a run. We’ll put that to the test here.
SPORTS WAGERS
WESTERN KENTUCKY +112 over Mid Tennessee St
Compared to year’s past, 2017 has been a tremendous fall from grace for the Hilltoppers. After two years of Conference USA supremacy as back-to-back champions, Western Kentucky is flirting with the possibility of missing a bowl game in 2017. The Hilltoppers won a combined total of 23 games in the previous two seasons while they lost just one game in conference play over that span. This year, the Hilltoppers have tripled that number already as they are 5-5 on the season and 3-3 in the Conference USA. Overall, WKU has hit a nasty skid, as they have lost their last three games by an average of 11.7 points. The typically prolific offense that WKU is known for has looked nothing close to what we have seen out of this bunch in years’ past. Such a shift was to be expected because the mastermind behind WKU’s dominance, former Head Coach Jeff Brohm, left town for a job at Purdue. Under the regime change, the Hilltoppers have taken a noticeable step back, which provides us with an opportunity, as we are not exposed to spotting lofty point spreads with the Hilltoppers anymore. WKU has covered just two times this year, mainly because the Hilltoppers were still inflicting premiums on its backers. We are now the beneficiaries of a market overreaction to WKU’s plight.
By contrast, the stock on Middle Tennessee State is on the rise because they have won their last two outings while outscoring its opponents 65-24. However, beating down Charlotte and UTEP in Murfreesboro is not an impressive feat to revel at. The two teams combined have won just one game this year, epitomizing every bit of the word, cupcake. You know our take on teams that feast on the sweets and there couldn’t be a more prime time for a bellyache. Nevertheless, the combination of these two narratives has enticed action on the Blue Raiders. Steady steam has rolled in on MTSU from the get-go and now this spot looks especially good, as we can take back a price on the team that we’re suggesting has a better chance of winning. “100 Miles of Hate” as it is known between the two franchises has been Western Kentucky’s show. The Hilltoppers have won the last two editions and while the trend is irrelevant from a statistical sense, it provides Western Kentucky with an intangible for this game. The Hilltoppers have an emotional edge and for the seniors on this team, this is their last hurrah at home before graduation. Beating a hated foe that they have fared well against and securing bowl eligibility in their final home game would serve as a fine feather in their cap. While Middle Tennessee State is known for its home field advantage in Murfreesboro but this isn’t home. MTSU will certainly need all four quarters to subdue an opponent poised to play its best game but for us, there is more than enough value in the price of this underdog to get on board.
Buster Sports
New York at Toronto
Play: New York +8
This is just a real bad spot for the Raptors tonight as this will be their third game in four nights. It also is their first game back from a very successful three-game road trip. They almost won all three games except for a point loss to the Celtics. However, as we always say that first home game can be tough for a team especially if they’re in a bad situation like the Raptors are tonight. The Knicks have surprisingly been playing some decent basketball winning five out of their last seven games. Earlier in the year, the Knicks actually won on the road in Cleveland. We will have no problem believing that they can play a game right down to the wire against this Raptor club who will be looking ahead to a big game with Eastern Conference rival the Washington Wizards. At the time of this writing, the Raptors are minus 8 and we will take those points with the Knicks.
Harry Bondi
UNLV (+2.5) over New Mexico
Head Coach Bob Davies is a dead man walking and will be canned after the Lobo’s game against San Diego State next week. Davies is being investigated by the NCAA for mistreatment of players and falsifying drug tests. That and a 3-7 record will get you fired every time! His players know it and have quit on him losing their last 3 games by a combined score of 121 to 27! Vegas on the other hand has been the best road team in the country going 4-0 straight up and ATS. Rebels get the win and the money again tonight!