11-17-11

[timbob]

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[Mr. IWS]

Today's NFL Picks

NY Jets at Denver

The Jets look to build on their 6-1 ATS record in their last 7 games as a road favorite of 3 1/2 to 10 points. New York is the pick (-4 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Jets favored by 13. Dunkel Pick: NY Jets (-4 1/2). Here are all of this week's picks.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17 Time Posted: 10:00 a.m. EST (11/15)

Game 307-308: NY Jets at Denver (8:20 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: NY Jets 138.098; Denver 124.971 Dunkel Line: NY Jets by 13; 36 Vegas Line: NY Jets by 4 1/2; 41 Dunkel Pick: NY Jets (-4 1/2); Under

[Mr. IWS]

Dunkel CFB

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17 Time Posted: 10:00 p.m. EST (11/14)

Game 309-310: North Carolina at Virginia Tech (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: North Carolina 87.850; Virginia Tech 102.839 Dunkel Line: Virginia Tech by 15; 52 Vegas Line: Virginia Tech by 10; 47 Dunkel Pick: Virginia Tech (-10); Over

Game 311-312: Marshall at Memphis (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Marshall 74.707; Memphis 65.384 Dunkel Line: Marshall by 9 1/2; 59 Vegas Line: Marshall by 12 1/2; 50 Dunkel Pick: Memphis (+12 1/2); Over

Game 313-314: Southern Mississippi at UAB (8:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Southern Mississippi 99.505; UAB 67.110 Dunkel Line: Southern Mississippi by 32 1/2; 58 Vegas Line: Southern Mississippi by 23; 61 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Southern Mississippi (-23); Under

[Mr. IWS]

DCI CFB

Thursday, November 17, 2011
Atlantic Coast Conference
VIRGINIA TECH 34, North Carolina 13
Conference USA
Marshall 38, MEMPHIS 20
Southern Miss 49, UAB 23
Southland Conference
SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA 40, Nicholls State 27

[Mr. IWS]

DCI NFL

Season
Straight Up: 94-45 (.676)
ATS: 75-64 (.540)
ATS Vary Units: 386-304 (.559)
Over/Under: 71-69 (.507)
Over/Under Vary Units: 206-180 (.534)

Thursday, November 17, 2011
N.Y. Jets 25, DENVER 23

[Mr. IWS]

avid Chan aka The Dragon

NFL-Jets @ Broncos PICK: 10* under 41.5 "RED DRAGON"
NFL- Jets @ Broncos PICK: 10* Jets -4 "NO LIMIT BLOWOUT"
CFB- Southern Miss @ UAB PICK: 8* UAB +22.5
CFB-Marshall @ Memphis PICK: 8* Memphis +13
CFB- North Carolina @ VT PICK:10* NC +12 "PRIME-TARGET"

[Mr. IWS]

LuckyDaySports

Thursday’s Comp Play

NFL
N.Y. Jets -4.5

[Mr. IWS]

NCAA CBB NEWS AND NOTES
Texas A&M Vs. Mississippi State: 2K Sports Classic Preview
By Bison Messink


Texas A&M Aggies at Mississippi State Bulldogs (+4, N/A)

Most college basketball coaches at top programs don't feel comfortable scheduling difficult games until after Thanksgiving, giving their teams a month or so to break in new freshmen and transfers, and find some cohesiveness on the floor. Which makes early events like the 2K Sports Classic so interesting.

After playing two rounds of showcase games against smaller schools, Texas A&M, Mississippi State and Arizona join St. John's in New York City on Thursday and Friday for a four-team tournament at Madison Square Garden.

Texas A&M and Mississippi State meet in the more interesting of the two first-round games. The Aggies and Bulldogs tip off at 7 p.m. on ESPN2, and SportsOlogy will be making the three block trek from our office to MSG to cover it. I really hope it isn't raining tomorrow, or that could be a really rough commute.

Mississippi State's trip to New York couldn't possibly go any worse than the early season tournament the Bulldogs played in last year, when star player Renardo Sidney got into a fight with teammate Elgin Bailey while they were sitting in the stands watching another game. Both players were suspended, and Bailey later transferred.

The 6-10 Sidney is one of the most talented players in the country, and his inside-outside skills make him a nightmare matchup, but questions about his makeup and mentality have followed him through his college career. Right or wrong, Sidney is seen as the talented, unsettling presence that makes or breaks the team. A 10-point home loss to Akron last week wasn't an encouraging sign for the Bulldogs, but Akron is a much better team than most people realize and Mississippi State still has plenty of time to prove itself.

Senior point guard Dee Bost averaged more than 15 points and six assists last year, and should break the school's all-time assists record this season. Bulldogs fans expect big things from 6-8 freshman Rodney Hood, and 6-11 UTEP transfer Arnett Moultrie gives Mississippi State a deep and dynamic front court.

Texas A&M men's basketball season got off to an ominous start before the games even began, as head coach Bill Kennedy was diagnosed with the early stages of Parkinson's disease in October. Kennedy is expected to be on the bench for the 2K Sports Classic, but it doesn't appear his star forward Khris Middleton will play in New York.

Kennedy injured his hamstring after just ten minutes of playing time in the season opener, but with Middleton absent, junior forward Ray Turner has stepped up. After showing immense potential but little production his first two seasons with the Aggies, the 6-9 Turner led A&M in scoring with 20 points in each of the Aggies' first two games against Liberty and Southern. Even without Middleton, A&M was able to dominate those teams physically and score easy baskets in transition.

Turner especially benefitted from the open style of play, but the Aggies will be forced to execute as a team in the half court against a physically equal, if not superior, Mississippi State team. And that is when we'll see just how much Middleton's injury - and Kennedy's missed practice time - will hurt A&M.

Prediction: This one is really impossible to call, based on how little we know of these teams. If Khris Middleton were playing for A&M I'd feel comfortable picking them, but with no Middleton, my guess is the Aggies will run into some trouble scoring baskets.

[Mr. IWS]

COLLEGE FUNDS

Thursday's Best NCAAB Bets

Texas A&M Aggies at Mississippi State Bulldogs (+4, N/A)

The Renardo Sidney experiment continues as the Bulldogs and Aggies tangle in the semifinals of the Coaches vs. Cancer

Sidney, the 6-foot-10, 270-pound mystery, is expected to suit up for Mississippi State Thursday after missing Saturday’s win over South Alabama with a groin injury, but outside of that very little is certain when you’re talking about Sidney.

He decided to work out with former NBA player John Lucas this summer instead of traveling to Europe with the team and has numerous issues with the NCAA before that. It seems that he’s still a work in progress.

"He still has a ways to go,'' Bulldogs coach Rick Stansbury told ESPN. "He's taking baby steps. So far, as in his life itself, has been better. He hasn't disrupted in practice. He's been a good teammate. That part of his life is a lot better. He continues to push himself. But he's got to push himself to get in shape and play more productive minutes. That's his challenge.''

Luckily for Stansbury, the Bulldogs have a pile of talent to go around.

PICK: Mississippi State


Arizona Wildcats at St. John’s Red Storm (Pick 'em, N/A)

The Wildcats lost both Derrick Williams and starting point guard Momo Jones from last year’s club and will have a tough time coming anywhere near their production. But while coach Sean Miller will have his hands full this year, so too will St. John’s bench boss Steve Lavin.

The Red Storm have five freshmen and a couple of juco transfers expected to play big roles for his club. All five starters are getting their first tastes of Division-I ball, which makes early season evaluations difficult.

“We’re a new team, we have lots of newcomers and are very young,” Lavin told reporters. “We like the skill and quickness that our team has exhibited to this point, but we don’t have the depth of size in terms of front line, and overall we’re a bit thin in terms of our rotation.”

The Wildcats head into this one 0-3 against the number but they should be able to earn their first payday here.

PICK: Arizona

[Mr. IWS]

What Bettors Need To Know: Thursday's Top 25 NCAAF Action

Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles at UAB Blazers (+23, 61.5)

THE STORY: No. 20 Southern Miss appears to be on a collision course with 10th-ranked Houston for the Conference USA Championship Game, but both teams still have work left to do. The Cougars have tough games remaining against SMU and Tulsa, while the Golden Eagles merely have to win one of their final two games against bottom-feeders Alabama-Birmingham and Memphis. Southern Miss has won eight straight games since a slip-up at Marshall in Week 2, which is tied for coach Larry Fedora’s longest winning streak since he took over in 2008.

Southern Miss won the first nine meetings in this series, but Alabama-Birmingham has claimed the last two games, including last season’s 50-49 double-overtime win.

TV: CBS Sports Network

LINE MOVES: Southern Miss opened at -21 and has been bet up to -23.

ABOUT SOUTHERN MISS (9-1, 5-1 Conference USA, 7-3 ATS): The Golden Eagles are off to their best start since 1962, and another win would be only their third 10-win season in school history and first since 1988. Last weekend, Southern Miss barely escaped with a 30-29 home win over Central Florida, which scored a touchdown as time expired but then failed on a two-point conversion that would’ve won the game. The Golden Eagles limited UCF to only 48 yards rushing, holding an opponent under 100 yards on the ground for the fifth time this season. Southern Miss is 20-1 all-time under Fedora when accomplishing that.

ABOUT ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM (2-8, 2-5 Conference USA, 6-4 ATS): The Blazers snapped a two-game skid with a dramatic come-from-behind win at Memphis last weekend. Trailing 35-17 in the fourth-quarter, Alabama-Birmingham reeled off 24 unanswered points to win 41-35 and complete the biggest fourth-quarter comeback in school history. Jonathan Perry tossed two of his four touchdowns in the final period, and Greg Franklin scored on a 10-yard run that proved to be the game-winner with 1:36 left.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. After running back Bruce Johnson and wide receiver Chris Briggs notched their first touchdowns of the season last weekend, a school-record 21 different players have scored for Southern Miss in 2011.

2. Seven of the 11 games in this series have been decided by seven points or less, but the Golden Eagles are 6-1 in those games.

3. Southern Miss ranks 16th nationally in scoring offense (36.8), while the Blazers are 113th in scoring defense (37.2).

TRENDS:

* Under is 4-1 in the last five meetings in Alabama-Birmingham.
* Underdog is 8-3 ATS in their last 11 meetings.
* Golden Eagles are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games overall.
* Blazers are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games as underdogs.

PREDICTION: Southern Miss 52, Alabama-Birmingham 28. The Blazers have given up at least 49 points three times this season, and this game will likely be the fourth



North Carolina Tar Heels at Virginia Tech Hokies (-10.5, 47)

THE STORY: No. 7 Virginia Tech controls its own destiny in its pursuit of the ACC championship and the BCS Bowl berth that comes with the trophy. The Hokies made it through one test with a win at Georgia Tech last week and are currently one game ahead of rival Virginia in the ACC Coastal Division. With a visit to the Cavaliers on tap for next weekend, Virginia Tech must first sneak past a dangerous North Carolina team. The Tar Heels looked like they had a chance to make some noise in the ACC until running into a rough patch over the last month with losses in three of their last four games. North Carolina was shut out for the first time in five years on Nov. 5 but has had a bye week to prepare for the Virginia Tech offense. Hokies coach Frank Beamer will be looking for his 250th career win when the Tar Heels visits Blacksburg, Va., on Thursday.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE MOVES: The Hokies opened as high as -11 and have been bet down to -10.5.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (6-4, 2-4 ACC, 4-6 ATS): The Tar Heels expect to have quarterback Bryn Renner healthy on Thursday after the sophomore was knocked out of the 13-0 loss at North Carolina State with a concussion. Renner was coming off his first career 300-yard passing performance in a win over Wake Forest when he ran into trouble against the Wolfpack. North Carolina managed only three rushing yards against NC State and is 72nd in the FBS in rushing average at 144.8 yards.

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (9-1, 5-1, 3-7 ATS): The Hokies are aiming for a berth in their fourth ACC Championship game in the last five years. Beamer’s offense is running in high gear lately, going over 400 total yards in five straight, and is coming off a strong performance in a 37-26 victory over Georgia Tech. Sophomore quarterback Logan Thomas passed for three touchdowns and rushed for two more - the second time this season he has totaled five scores in a game.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. The Hokies are 25-2 in November games since 2004.

2. The last time the schools met on a Thursday in Blacksburg, the Tar Heels came away with a 20-17 victory in 2009.

3. Renner’s father, Bill, was a punter for Virginia Tech.

TRENDS:

* Under is 4-0 in the last four meetings.
* Road team is 5-0 ATS in their last five meetings.
* Tar Heels are 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Hokies are 2-7 ATS in their last nine games overall.

PREDICTION: Hokies 24, Tar Heels 14. Thomas will prove to be too much for the North Carolina defense.

[Mr. IWS]

BANG THE BOOK

Thursday's Best NCAA CFB Bet

Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles at UAB Blazers (+23, 61.5)

Conference USA has loaded its schedule up with quite a few mid-week games at the end of this season. Conference USA’s East Division isn’t competitive at this point. Southern Mississippi leads at 5-1, and they are two games ahead of both East Carolina and Marshall. UAB has won just two games this year, but both of them have been inside the conference. The Blazers have actually won two of their last four games after starting 0-6. Can UAB make this one a contest or will the Golden Eagles win in a rout?

Austin Davis is a fourth-year starter at the quarterback spot for the Golden Eagles. Davis knows this offense well, and he does a nice job making decisions with the football. Davis is much more mobile than most people realize, and he has an accurate arm as well. The Golden Eagles have four running backs that have gotten at least 57 carries this year. Jamal Woodyard has emerged as the team’s top rusher, and he averages 6.6 yards per carry. Ryan Balentine and Kevin Bolden both have five touchdown receptions and more than 40 receptions already this year. Southern Miss is strong offensively because they are so balanced. The Golden Eagles are 16th in the nation averaging 36.8 points per game.

Defensively, Southern Mississippi is much better than most Conference USA teams. Most teams in this conference rely on outscoring their opponent, but Southern Miss has a pretty good defense. The front seven is particularly strong against the run. The Golden Eagles allow only 20.5 points per game.

There hasn’t been much go right for UAB this year. The team’s starting quarterback is out for the year with a hand injury. The team’s best runner has been battling nagging injuries all year long. The Blazers have been able to move the ball through the air this year, but they haven’t been able to punch it in the end zone. Jonathan Perry is the new signal caller for the Blazers, and he has been extremely inconsistent. Perry is a mobile quarterback, but he doesn’t always make good decisions with the ball. The Blazers are averaging just 17 points per game on offense.

Things aren’t any better on the defensive end of the field for UAB. The Blazers defense ranks 115th out of 120 teams in the nation in total defense. UAB is allowing 489 yards and 37 points per game so far this year. The secondary often gets beaten deep, and that could be a problem against a solid quarterback like Austin Davis.

Southern Miss is the much better team, but laying this many points on the road is a dangerous proposition. I think the better play here is the under. Look for the Golden Eagles defense to shine in this one.

PICK: Under 61.5


North Carolina Tar Heels at Virginia Tech Hokies (-10.5, 47)

The No. 7 Virginia Tech Hokies will host the North Carolina Tar Heels on ESPN’s Thursday Night Football, aiming for a berth in their fourth ACC Championship game in the last five years.

But just a week after making it through one test with a win at Georgia Tech, VT must first sneak by a very dangerous North Carolina team who expect to have quarterback Bryn Renner healthy for Thursday, before taking on ACC Coastal Division rival Virginia next week.

The last time the schools met on a Thursday in Blacksburg, the Tar Heels came away with a 20-17 victory in 2009.

And you can bet if Renner, who after being knocked out in the third quarter of as 13-0 loss at North Carolina State with a concussion last week, makes it into this one, it could be a repeat for the Heels who are desperately looking for a win after losing three of their last four games.

The sophomore quarterback was coming off his first career 300-yard passing performance in a win over Wake Forest when he ran into trouble against the Wolf Pack. North Carolina managed only three rushing yards against NC State and is 72nd in the FBS in rushing average at 144.8 yards.

The Heels totaled just 165 yards of total offense and turned the ball over three times before being shut out for the first time in five years.

Meanwhile, the Hokies who remain a single game ahead of the Cavaliers, who they play next week, controls their own destiny in its pursuit of an ACC championship and the BCS Bowl berth that comes with it.

A win over UNC would put VT in a good position to claim its fourth ACC Championship game in the last five years, and coach Frank Beamer would love to notch his 250th career victory in doing so.

And there is no reason to doubt that they can, as the Hokies has continued to roll along with a mission since suffering their lone loss of the season to Clemson.
Beamer’s offense is running on all cylinders of late, going over 400 total yards in five straight games, and is coming off a strong performance in a 37-26 victory over Georgia Tech.

Quarterback Logan Thomas passed for three touchdowns and ran for another two — the second time this season he has totaled five scores in a game– while David Wilson continued his impressive season totaling 175 rushing yards.

North Carolina is 6-4 this season SU and 4-6 ATS. Virginia Tech is 9-1 SU and 3-7 ATS.

PICK: Virginia Tech

[Mr. IWS]

NFL NEWS AND NOTES
Thursday Night Football: Jets at Broncos

New York Jets at Denver Broncos (+6, 40.5)

THE STORY: There’s usually not much activity on Revis Island, but it will be taken to a new extreme when the Denver Broncos host the New York Jets on Thursday night. Jets coach Rex Ryan banks on teams not throwing at star cornerback Darrelle Revis, and the Broncos will be happy to oblige with their Tim Tebow-led option offense that put the ball in the air only eight times in Sunday’s win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Denver’s new look might be welcomed by the Jets, who were torched by Tom Brady and New England’s aerial attack in a blowout home loss Sunday night.

TV: NFL Network, 8:20 p.m. ET.

LINE MOVES: The Jets opened as 5-point road faves and were bet down to -4 before action pushed the spread all the way to -6. The total had fallen from 42.5 to 40.5.

WEATHER: Clear skies are in the forecast for Denver, with light winds blowing SW at 6 mph. Game-time temperatures will dip into the mid 40's later in the evening.

ABOUT THE JETS (5-4, 4-5 ATS): New York’s three-game winning streak came to a screeching halt in the 37-16 loss to the Patriots in a showdown for first place in the AFC East. QB Mark Sanchez threw a pair of interceptions and was sacked five times, so the Jets may follow Denver’s lead with a more conventional ground-and-pound running game. With LaDainian Tomlinson likely to miss the game with a sprain knee, New York could feature a heavy dose of RB Shonn Greene and count on its defense to contain the Broncos’ one-dimensional offense. The Jets had allowed 38 points in three previous games before wilting under the New England’s pass-heavy attack.

ABOUT THE BRONCOS (4-5, 4-5 ATS): The pundits keep insisting that Tebow’s throwing motion is not suited for success in the NFL, but it doesn’t have to be in this offense. Denver ran the ball on 55 plays last week, getting 30 carries from Lance Ball, who was forced into action due to injuries to RBs Willis McGahee and Knowshon Moreno. McGahee is iffy and Moreno is done for the year, so Ball could be in line for another big workload. Tebow had two completions last week, but one was a 56-yard TD to Eric Decker that broke the game open. The Broncos have won two straight and are 3-1 with Tebow as a starter.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Tebow is the only QB in history to throw a TD pass and rush for at least 25 yards in each of his first seven starts.

2. The Jets had won six straight games in November prior to Sunday’s loss that had Ryan cursing at a fan – and apologizing for it the next day.

3. Tomlinson ran for two fourth-quarter scores as the Jets rallied for a 24-20 win at Denver last season.

TRENDS:

* Under is 4-1 in the last five meetings in Denver.
* Jets are 1-4 ATS in their last five road games.
* Broncos are 7-19-2 ATS in their last 28 home games.
* Over is 5-0 in Jets' last five games as road favorites.
* Over is 22-8 in Broncos' last 30 games overall.

PREDICTION: Jets 20, Broncos 13. With only leather helmets missing, the Jets grind out a hard-to-watch victory.

[Mr. IWS]

BANG THE BOOK

Thursday's Best NFL Bet

New York Jets at Denver Broncos (+6, 40.5)

Two teams that are fighting for their playoff lives in the AFC duke it out on the NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football betting action, as the New York Jets take on the Denver Broncos.

The schedule makers really didn’t have much of a heart for the Jets in this one, as they had to play on Sunday Night Football last week, then turn around, fly across the country to take on a team that is starting to form some sort of an identity. This is a potentially bad matchup for the Jets as well, as they are certainly a heck of a lot less proficient against the run (116.0 YPG, No. 15 in the league) than the pass (210.8 YPG, No. 8 in the league). If Denver can keep the ball on the ground on Thursday night, the New York offense is really going to be tested, as it can’t make mistakes. RB LaDainian Tomlinson is out of the lineup, and RB Shonn Greene really hasn’t done anything of tremendous note this year, which puts the onus right on the shoulders of QB Mark Sanchez. 2,081 passing yards with 14 TDs against nine picks isn’t all that great, and we really don’t expect to see all that much out of Sanchez either. His top receiving target is TE Dustin Keller with 473 yards and two scores, though WR Plaxico Burress does have 361 yards and six trips to the end zone.

We always knew that Head Coach John Fox was a smart cookie, but we didn’t really know just how smart he was until last week. Fox threw the ball exactly eight times against the Kansas City Chiefs, and QB Tim Tebow only completed two of those passes, yet it was still good enough to win the game. Miraculously, all of that action on the ground came with both RB Willis McGahee and RB Knowshon Moreno being knocked out of the game in the first quarter. It’s not sounding great for McGahee this week with a hamstring injury in a short week or preparation, and Moreno is now out for the year with an ACL injury. That leaves RB Lance Ball, who toted the rock a whopping 30 times last week to shoulder the load again this week in all likelihood, though WR Eddie Royal was also used as a running back in a pinch as well. The question is what happens if Denver has to play this game from behind instead of ahead. Tebow is only completing 44.8 percent of his passes for 605 yards, and there is a real question what happens if the Jets make him throw it even 20 times on the day.

New York Jets @ Denver Broncos Pick: Kansas City is a train wreck in the middle of happening, so we’re not overly surprised at least week’s result. In the end, we trust that Head Coach Rex Ryan will be able to come up with a scheme, even if that means keeping nine in the box to stop this Denver rushing game, and come the second half, things could get really, really ugly for the Broncos.

PICK: Jets -6

[Mr. IWS]

NHL NEWS AND NOTES
Wings Continue Trip In San Jose
By Tal Pinchevsky


Detroit Red Wings at San Jose Sharks (-135, 5.5)
RED WINGS (9-6-1) at SHARKS (9-5-1)

TV: FS-Detroit (HD), CSN-California (HD)

LAST 10: Detroit 4-5-1; San Jose 7-2-1

SEASON SERIES: This is the second of four meetings between two of the Western Conference's premier teams. They played in Detroit on Oct. 28, a game in which San Jose captain Joe Thornton scored two goals, including the game-winner, in a 4-2 win.

BIG STORY: While neither team is perched atop the Western Conference, they've both showed flashes of the play that has made them two of the NHL's marquee franchises over the past decade. Detroit undid the damage of an uncharacteristic six-game losing streak with four straight wins before Tuesday's 2-1 loss in St. Louis, and the Sharks' early-season five-game win streak has them near the top of the ultra-competitive Pacific Division.

TEAM SCOPE:

RED WINGS: The lengthy skid the Red Wings experienced early in the season had fans fearing that Detroit would lose seven straight for the first time in more than two decades. The last Wings team to do it, the 1990-91 club, finished the season with a sub-500 record. However, the Wings snapped the six-game losing streak with a convincing 5-0 win against Anaheim on Nov. 5 before proceeding to win their next three games. The Wings looked to make it five wins in a row on Tuesday in St. Louis, but the Blues had other plans, outshooting Detroit 30-13 after the first period.

"Our performance tonight was unacceptable," said Niklas Kronwall, who played 21:59 despite being hurt on a check from behind by Chris Stewart, who subsequently earned a three-game suspension for the hit. "We're losing way too many battles, made too many mistakes. Our power play wasn't good enough. We had some chances. We just have to bear down."

SHARKS: An early five-game win streak had the Sharks showing the form that put them in the Conference Final each of the last two seasons. A 5-2 loss at Madison Square Garden on Halloween snapped the streak, but San Jose rebounded nicely by going 3-0-1 in their next four games. Playing their fourth in a five-game homestand, the Sharks hoped to continue that run on Saturday against the Coyotes.

Against the Sharks, Radim Vrbata and Boyd Gordon gave Phoenix a 2-0 lead before the game was 20 minutes old. The Sharks outshot the Coyotes 24-12 in the next two periods, but failed to get a shot past Mike Smith, who stopped 31 shots to earn a 3-0 win, his first shutout of the season. "It was a bad start," San Jose forward Ryane Clowe said. "Bang, bang the first period is over and we're down 2-0. It was uphill from there."

WHO'S HOT: For the Wings, Drew Miller is enjoying a three-game point streak in which he has three points while captain Nicklas Lidstrom has eight points in his last nine games and Valtteri Filppula has six in his last five games. … San Jose's Patrick Marleau has five points in his last three games and Dan Boyle has seven points in his last seven games.

INJURY REPORT: Defenseman Ian White is out for the Wings with a broken cheekbone while Todd Bertuzzi is on IR with a sinus infection that has caused dizziness. … The Sharks are not missing any major pieces of their roster.

STAT PACK: The Sharks and Red Wings have cultivated quite a rivalry over the past two playoff seasons. The two teams have played 12 playoff games, with the Sharks winning eight, over the past two playoff years. Only the Canucks and Blackhawks, with 13 matchups, have competed in more playoff games in that span.

PUCK DROP: With every game played, Lidstrom continues to climb the all-time games played list. Five more games and he will pass his former teammate, Steve Yzerman, for 13th on the all-time list. After that, he'll be 10 games short of another former teammate, Brendan Shanahan.

[Mr. IWS]

ICE PICKS

Thursday’s Best NHL Bets

Detroit Red Wings at San Jose Sharks (-135, 5.5)

It’s almost time to start getting a bit concerned about Henrik Zetterberg if you’re a Red Wings supporter.

While Detroit’s defense has been great all season, the offense has been spotty at best and Zetterberg is catching a lot of the blame. He is reportedly playing through a minor undisclosed injury but his numbers speak for themselves: six points in 16 games.

Zetterberg was held off the score sheet again in Detroit’s 2-1 loss to St. Louis on Tuesday, a defeat that raised some eyebrows in the dressing room.

"They did to us what we do to lots of teams," coach Mike Babcock told reporters. "That's dominate us. They outchanced us. They outplayed us. They were better. They were quicker. They were harder in the puck battles. I thought the score flattered us."

The Red Wings will bounce back with a better effort in the Shark Tank and we can only hope Zetterberg gets his act together.

PICK: Detroit


Toronto Maple Leafs at Nashville Predators (-165, 5.5)

We’ll really see what the Toronto Maple Leafs are made of now.

After getting by with some questions in the crease over the past couple of weeks, the Leafs have a couple significant injuries to deal with.

Toronto dropped its fourth straight game Tuesday night, 3-2, to Philadelphia and also saw forwards Clarke MacArthur and Mikhail Grabovski leave the game with injuries. As of now, it looks as though Grabovski will be out about two weeks with a lower body problem, but no word has come out about MacArthur’s status.

Meanwhile, Nashville hasn’t been great at home this season, but the Preds did just mount a comeback win over Washington when they were down 1-0 with only five minutes left in the third.

Those are the kind of wins teams can rally around so we’ll eat the home chalk here.

PICK: Nashville