Power Play Wins
CBB: Gonzaga -6
Power Play Wins
CBB: Gonzaga -6
VSI NHL
NHL HOCKEY
3 Unit Play. Take #52 New York Islanders -145 over Anaheim (7:05p.m., Thursday December 21)
Tonight in the Barclays Center the New York Islanders will look to get back to cashing home games and tonight the face off a struggling Anaheim Ducks team. The Ducks come to Barclays losing 3-straight road games and 6 out of 7 road games and if the Islanders can grab an early lead I see the Ducks dropping another one. Tuesday night the Islanders lost to the Red Wings 6-3 and the Isles have spilt their last 4 home games but with a struggling Ducks in town I see the Isles getting back to cashing home tickets. Anaheim is 4-11 in their last 15 games and the Ducks are 1-7 against a team with a winning record. The New York Islanders are 10-2 following a loss of 3 or more goals and the Isles are 5-1 against Pacific division teams.
VSI NBA
NBA BASKETBALL
3 Unit Play. Take #503 Chicago +10.5 over Cleveland (7:05p.m., Thursday December 21)
I know the Bulls played last night and won while the Cavs had last night off but I see a much closer game then the oddsmakers are telling us. The Bulls come to Cleveland winners of 7-straight and getting the Cavs off a lost in Milwaukee 119-116 and wouldn't shock me to see this game be close in the 4th quarter. Cleveland does win this game but I don't see them covering this number and I see them winning this game 8 points or less. Chicago is 14-2 ATS against Eastern Conference teams and the Bulls are 6-0 ATS after scoring 100 points or more in their last game. Cleveland is 5-21 ATS at home and the road team in this series is 4-1 ATS.
NFAC
NBA
Sixers +2 500
Harris 8U NHL
8 Unit Play. Take #2563 Chicago Blackhawks +115 over Dallas Stars (8:35 PM, Thursday, December 21)
The Chicago Blackhawks will look to extend their win streak to six games when they hit the road to take on the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX on Thursday night. Corey Crawford (16-7-2, 2.11 GAA, .935 save %) will get the start in goal for the Blackhawks and he will be opposed by Ben Bishop (13-9-2, 2.76 GAA, .908 save %), who is scheduled to get the call between the pipes for the Stars. Chicago has posted a perfect 4-0 record in their last four games following a game where the allowed two goals or less and they have that same perfect 4-0 record in their last four games following a regulation win. The Stars, on the other hand, have struggled a bit in the spot they are in here tonight as they have gone just 2-5 in their last seven games where they faced a team with a winning record and they have lost six of their last eight games overall. They have also gone just 3-12 in their last fifteen games played on a Thursday nightfor whatever reason and they are an awful 6-20 in their last 26 games where they faced a Central Division rival. Throw in the fact that the Hawks have gone 5-2 in the last seven head to head meetings between the two teams and that they have dominated the Stars on the road, going 10-4 in their last fourteen trips to the AAC and we're going to take them at the small underdog price to get the road win in Dallas on Thursday night, giving us a winner on our 8-Unit NHL Game of the Year!
Tony Finn
4% Temple -6.5 (-108)
Temple is the 2017 American Athletic Conference title holder and did so with an overall 6-6 mark. The underlying peripherals of the Owls seriously trump those of FIU -- and it came with what most college football investors dread supporting, a change at quarterback. The Owls took most of three months to buy into head coach Geoff Collins scheme, and in his debut season. Temple made hay in the final month, across their last four games, going 3-1 overall, the AAC league title winner and bowl eligible.
*On April 26, 2006, the NCAA announced that they were relaxing the rules for eligibility starting with the 2006 season, particularly in light of the new twelve-game college football season. Now, teams with a minimum non-losing, or .500, record can qualify for bowl games if their conference has a contract with a bowl game.
There have been a small percentage of 6-6 bowl teams that have been favorites in their holiday event and even less that have been 7-point or larger chalk. did go 3-1 in their final four games to become bowl eligible. Temple has not won a bowl since beating Wyoming in the 2011 New Mexico Bowl. Florida International is playing in a bowl for just the third time ever. The Panthers' only win came over Toledo in the 2010 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.
Like Temple, FIU is under the direction of a first year head coach, veteran Butch Davis. The Panthers have never won nine games in a single season in their school history and taking down a red hot and prepared Owls troupe is, on paper and film, a task that will not only take their best effort but some luck as well.
The current Temple player personnel are experienced in holiday affairs. This is Temple's third straight bowl appearance.
When coach Collins make a change at quarterback the Owls took off. The move to push quarterback Frank Nutile into the starting role changed the team's season and has, all things being equal, made the 6-6 Owls what they are heading into this pre-Xmas event, a .500 team that is a large favorite over eight win FIU.
The Nutile as the team's starter the Owls' only losses were to undefeated UCF and in overtime to Army. Over the last five games, he's averaged more than 253 passing yards per game and has a total of 11 touchdowns to just six interceptions in that span. FIU's secondary allows an average of almost 250 yards through the air per game.
FIU signal-caller Alex McGough had a solid senior season but he will be without his leading receiver, Thomas Owens. McGough will face a Temple secondary that leads the AAC in passing yards allowed (210 passing ypg).
The Panthers have done a good job of protecting McGough. The O-line allowed just 22 total sacks this year. However, they face their toughest challenge of the season against two Temple defensive ends in Sharif Finch and Jacob Martin. The duo have combined for 15.5 sacks and 25.5 tackles for a loss this season. There is a large number of FBS schools that have solid rush ends, NFL caliber QB chasers, but the tandem for Temple rank 22nd nationally and average nearly three sacks per game across their 12 games.
Without wide out Owens it is unlikely that FIU can keep pace with the Owls. With Owens they would have struggled as this is easily the best 6-6 team in the FBS.
When the Panthers squared off against dynamic offenses this season they were taken to the woodshed. UCF's Tre'Quan Smith registered a pair of touchdowns against FIU and Florida Atlantic's Devin Singletary recorded a 164 yard day on the ground scoring two TD's.
Don't sleep on the current form of the Owls. Their quarterback switch at just the right time has this Temple team peaking. Throw in the fact that the Panther swill be without their most dynamic player, wide receiver Thomas Owens, pushes this game to Best Bet investment status.
Since the change to Nutile behind center Temple has averaged over 32-points per game and with one of the better FBS stop-units in the league the Owls are 5-0 when scoring 29-plus points this season
Steve Merril
3% temple -7
Rainman
MAKE A REGULAR PLAY ON:
Temple -7 over Florida International
Gavazzi
4% flor int
Picks 2 Play
CBB: Northern Illinois -3.5
Alan Harris 8 unit NHL Game Of The Year
Bloodbath !!!
OUCH *-4400 1-4 Didn't even win Bowling Green vs Wisc Green Bay (Total: over 162) *1500 with 35 points in OT That is just awful handicapping. I sometimes follow him sure glad I didn't see this post till this AM. Wow this is badOriginally Posted by DORIS
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