This is a match-up between the two best records in the National League. The Dodgers are fresh off of their first two home losses of the season at the hand of the Atlanta Braves, but that isn’t to say they didn’t play well. Matt Kemp hit another home run, pushing his league-leading total to 10.
The Seattle Mariners used a surprising road sweep at Detroit to even their record at 10-10 heading into the weekend.
The Detroit Tigers and the New York Yankees are expected to be two of the best teams in the American League this year.
This weekend marks the end of the first month of the 2012 MLB regular season and a few early surprises both good and bad have made handicapping the games a bit more challenging so far.
The Twins and Royals have the same records and are tied in the basement of the AL Central 5 games back of the 3 teams tied for first.
The New Jersey Devils and the Florida Panthers square off in Game 7 of what has been a most intriguing series on Thursday night, with both looking to end long playoff droughts. How close has this series been?
The New York Rangers were anticipating a tough first round series versus the Ottawa Senators but there is no way that they could have envisioned having to win Games 6 and 7 just to move on. That is the case as the top Eastern seed hosts the pesky #8 seed in the deciding Game 7 on Thursday night.
#1 Seed in the East Rangers Hopes to Avoid Upset at the Hands of #8 Ottawa
Ottawa Senators at NY Rangers
When: 7:00 PM ET, Thursday, April 26, 2012
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Broadcast: CBC,RDS,NBCSN,CSN-DC,NESN (HD)
Series tied 3-3
Sens vs. Rangers Betting Lines from betonline.com
Spread: Rangers -1 ½ (+175)
Moneyline: Senators +150: Rangers -165
Over/Under: 5 goals
The Ottawa Senators, it could be argued, deserve a better fate than the one that faces them – Game 7 on the road in one of the most iconic buildings in the world. But an average effort in Game 6 is the reason that they are here. Jason Spezza was benched, team Captain Daniel Alfredsson snapped and even the coach was critical of their effort.
Chances are that Ottawa will be better on Thursday night. They have brought the intensity all series long – there is no reason to think that they won’t rekindle the hate and the emotion for Game 7.
Offense hasn’t exactly been Ottawa’s strong suit in the series so far but key players are conspicuously absent at the moment. Eric Karlsson is inexplicably pointless in his last four games and Milan Michalek hasn’t been nearly the player that he was during the regular season. But it is up to the veteran on the team to get it going. Daniel Alfredsson showed plenty of emotion in Game 6 but they will need his to show up on the score sheet. Jason Spezza has three points in two games but has been prone to lapses that could cost his team in game 7.
Make no mistake about it – Craig Anderson has been the story of the series so far! He has been sensational and owns a 1.70 goals against average in the series and a save percentage hovering around .950 – amazing!
The New York Rangers are in a tough spot. Why? One could point to the poor play of Marion Gaborik in the series so far – no goals since Game 1! Although there is not a whole lot to love about the Rangers offensively they can take solace in the fact that the previously pointless Derek Stepan woke up and registered one goal and two assists in Game 6 and Brad Richards chipped in with a goal and two assists. However with the good, there is some bad. [ad-4437448]
The Rangers haven’t scored an even strength goal in over three games and in a Game 7 that will likely be short on power play chances (hopefully the referees let them play), New York will need some better five-on-five play.
No worries about Henrik Lundqvist – he has been stellar as per usual. However an interesting stat – Lundqvist is 2-5 in elimination games and has never won back-to-back elimination contests.
Betting Prediction: Ottawa is 23-7 in the last 30 meetings in New York and the road team is 21-7 in the last 28 meetings.
The road team has won four of the last six Game 7s in the playoffs. The Rangers have won the last three Game 7s at MSG but are just 3-5 all-time in deciding games while the Senators are -0-4 in Game 7s.
The New York Rangers will likely be forced to play without Brian Boyle once again on Thursday and that could be a factor. Ottawa has been the better team in the series and deserve to go through – don’t you think? Karma catches up to the Rangers and the Senators send the remaining #1 seed home Thursday.
Pick: The Underdog Senators +150
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The 2012 MLB regular season heads into the final weekend in April and there have already been a number of early season surprises that have had a direct impact on handicapping the games.
Both of these teams are squarely into the playoffs, so they are set in that regard. Nevertheless, these two teams also each have something to play for on this shortened season’s last day.
It will be the final game of the NBA regular season on TNT Thursday night. The Golden State Warriors will host the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs in this one.
It’s the final night of the NBA regular season. I think the common question among NBA fans when they saw the TNT Thursday night schedule for the final night was “How on earth are the Charlotte Bobcats on national television?”
While the injury-plagued Magic are locked into the 6th spot in the Eastern Conference the Grizzlies have a lot on the line in this home game.
Chicago’s south side will be the site of a battle between the Red Sox and the White Sox Thursday night.
The Nationals have been one of the surprises in the early part of the MLB season, as they have the best record in the Majors and they are on a 4-game winning streak.
The Chicago Bulls need just one win in their final two games to clinch the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
By the time this game tips off, we’ll know a lot more about what the Suns need to do in order to make this year’s postseason. And whoever said the final two days of the NBA’s regular season wasn’t exciting watch?
