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Preview: Sabres (1-5) at Ducks (5-1)
Date: October 22, 2014 10:30 PM EDT
The Anaheim Ducks have bounced back from a season-opening loss in impressive fashion.
They'll look to keep rolling behind a solid power play and strong goaltending as seek their second win in nine days over the hapless Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.
Anaheim (5-1-0) comes off Sunday's 3-0 win over St. Louis, with Frederik Andersen stopping 28 shots against a team that scored six goals against Arizona a night earlier. The Ducks, who fell 6-4 to Pittsburgh in their opener, started last season in similar fashion, winning seven straight after an opening defeat.
Sami Vatanen became the sixth defenseman in team history to register two power-play goals for his first two scores of the season. He had three power-play goals in 61 career games previously.
"Hopefully he keeps going at that pace," coach Bruce Boudreau said. "We need those good quarterbacks and puck movers on the back end, and we need the shot threat."
Ryan Getzlaf assisted on both of Vatanen's goals Sunday to push his team-leading point total to eight.
Anaheim has improved with the man advantage, scoring six times on 24 opportunities in 2014-15 after finishing 22nd last season at 16.0 percent.
Matt Beleskey also scored his fourth goal and is on pace to easily surpass his career high of 11 in 2009-10.
Andersen improved to 25-5-0 in his career and has posted a 1.38 goals-against average while starting each game since John Gibson struggled against the Penguins. Andersen joins Boston's Ross Brooks (1972-75) as the only goaltenders to win 25 of their first 30 decisions.
"That's something you remember, obviously," Andersen said of his first career shutout. "It's like the players when they get that first goal. They will remember it forever.'
Andersen could have a shot at another shutout Wednesday given Buffalo's offensive issues. The Sabres (1-5-0) are looking to avoid being blanked for a third straight game for the first time in club history after 1-0 and 4-0 losses to Florida and Boston.
Saturday's defeat to the Bruins marked the first time they've suffered two consecutive shutouts since the first two games of the 2003-04 season. Buffalo managed a season-high 32 shots but couldn't take advantage of seven power-play opportunities and fell to 0 for 22 in 2014-15. That slump is the longest to begin a season since the New York Rangers went scoreless on their first 32 chances in 2003-04.
Matt Moulson, who had 51 points last season, has one assist and is without a goal on 13 shots. Cody Hodgson has yet to score after finishing second on the club with 20 goals last season.
Buffalo has been outscored 22-7.
"The one thing about scoring, it's like the weather," coach Ted Nolan said. "Sometimes it's there and sometimes it's not. It's bad. Right now, it's bad."
The Sabres are being outshot by a league-worst 14.3 shots per game, a number inflated by their first meeting with the Ducks on Oct. 13. Anaheim held a 44-12 edge in the category in a 5-1 road win, with William Karlsson scoring two goals.
The 12 shots were one more than Buffalo's franchise low set in 1981. The Ducks have outscored the Sabres 17-6 while taking three straight meetings.
Corey Perry has seven goals and three assists in 10 career games against Buffalo. -
Arthur Ralph Sports
Free play WED Royals -115Comment
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Hondo
Hondo plays an Ace
Big Game James and the Royals looked very small time in Game 1, which resulted in Hondo losing a second straight investment that inflated his deficit to 1,100 sadeckis.
Wednesday night: Mr. Aitch has done his handicapping detective work and decided on Ace Ventura for Game 2 — 10 units on Kansas City.Comment
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Gamblers Data
Free Play Wednesday
Capitals -145
Ducis -1.5 -102Comment
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VIP-Picks
Liverpool - Real Madrid
Tip: >2,75Comment
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Big AL McMordie
BIG AL's 100%NCAA FOOTBALL GAME OF THE MONTH -- Saturday
At 3:30 pm, our selection is on the Oklahoma State Cowboys over West Virginia.
Last week, we had our Big 12 Conference Game of the Month on West Virginia, and the Mountaineers rewarded us with a 41-27 upset of then-undefeated Baylor. The Bears had arrived into Morgantown averaging 623 yards per game (then ranked #1 in College Football), but only managed 318 against WVU to fall to 6-1 on the season. But off that upset win, we will fade West Virginia in Stillwater, as WVU falls into a system of mine that's cashed 18 in a row! What we want to do is fade a road team off an upset win at home as a dog of +5 (or more) points, if it's not getting +4 or more points in its current game! That doesn't bode well for Dana Holgorsen's Mountaineers. And neither does the fact that Oklahoma St. lost at TCU last week, 42-9, snapping the Cowboys' five game win streak. And that's because the Cowboys have been dominant at home over the years off a big loss, as they're 21-4 ATS at home since 1990 following a 20-point (or worse) defeat. Take Oklahoma State. Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.Comment
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Raphael Esparza Soccer
2* Under 2.5-fc-basel-ludogoretComment
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Today's MLB Picks
San Francisco at Kansas City
The Giants look to follow up last night's 7-1 win in the opener and come into Game 2 with a 7-0 record in Jake Peavy's last 7 starts with the total set at 7 to 8 1/2 runs. San Francisco is the pick (-105) according to Dunkel, which has the Giants favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (-105). Here are all of today's MLB picks.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22
Time Posted: 7:00 a.m. ESTGame 903-904: San Francisco at Kansas City (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Peavy) 13.122; Kansas City (Ventura) 11.742
Dunkel Line: San Francisco by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: Kansas City (-115); 7
Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (-105); UnderComment
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Today's NHL Picks
Toronto at Ottawa
The Senators host a Toronto team that is 1-11 in its last 12 games versus Atlantic Division opponents. Ottawa is the pick (-145) according to Dunkel, which has the Senators favored by 2. Dunkel Pick: Ottawa (-145). Here are all of today's NHL picks.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22
Time Posted: 7:00 a.m. ESTGame 1-2: Toronto at Ottawa (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 10.802; Ottawa 12.775
Dunkel Line & Total: Ottawa by 2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Ottawa (-145); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Ottawa (-145); OverGame 3-4: Philadelphia at Pittsburgh (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 12.102; Pittsburgh 11.211
Dunkel Line & Total: Philadelphia by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Pittsburgh (-210); 6
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (+175); UnderGame 5-6: Washington at Edmonton (9:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 10.562; Edmonton 11.414
Dunkel Line & Total: Edmonton by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Washington (-150); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Edmonton (+130); UnderGame 7-8: Buffalo at Anaheim (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Buffalo 12.389; Anaheim 11.442
Dunkel Line & Total: Buffalo by 1; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Anaheim (-350); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Buffalo (+275); OverComment
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Hockey Crusher
Nashville Predators -150 overArizona Coyotes - pending
Washington Capitals -135 over Edmonton Oilers
(System Record: 5-1, lost last 2 games)
Overall Record: 5-6
Rest of the Plays
Anaheim Ducks -1.5 over Buffalo Sabres
Pittsburgh Penguins + Philadelphia Flyers OVER 6
Ottawa Senators -147 over Toronto Maple Leafs
Soccer Crusher
Bahia + Atletico OVER 2 - Brazil pending
Coritiba + Botafogo RJ OVER 2
This match is happening in Brazil
(System Record: 650-22, won last game and a push)
Overall Record: 650-540-99Comment
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Philly Ross
Royals -115Comment
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Ben Burns
8* Personal Favorite Ottawa -145Comment
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Umpire Streakers
OV 6.5 +105 SF/KC (ump suppose to be J Meals)Comment
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Ecks and Bacon
Ben lee lost both wagers in Soccer on Tuesday.
(1) Roma +$280/Bayern-Munich (L)
(2) A play on the Draw +$270 (L)
"Mr Chalk" lost his wager in MLB World Series game one on Tuesday.
(1) Royals Ev/Giants (L)
For Wednesday in MLB World Series game two "Mr Chalk" likes the Royals -$120/Giants.
Ben lee is 1-3 -$100 for week fifty two and 242-272-5 -$3390.
"Mr Chalk" is 91-65 -$424 for the 2014 MLB season.
All E&B selections will be for $50 unless notedComment
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