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03/15/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Devils learned last time out that they can't take any opponent lightly. New Jersey will keep that in mind tonight when it shoots for a third straight win against Boston, while the Bruins try to avoid losing their grip on the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot at Prudential Center.
Coming off big wins over the Rangers and Penguins, the Devils visited the Islanders on Saturday to take on a New York club that at the time sat 14th among the 15 teams in the East. However, New Jersey was dealt a 4-2 setback and failed to move into a tie with Atlantic Division-leading Pittsburgh. The Devils now trail the Pens by four points in the standings after Pittsburgh defeated Tampa Bay on Sunday.
Mike Mottau and Ilya Kovalchuk each found the back of the net for the Devils, who play two straight and five of their next six at home, where they have won three straight.
With New Jersey playing the second of back-to-back games, former Islander netminder Yann Danis filled in for the resting Martin Brodeur and allowed four goals on 29 shots in defeat. It was Danis' first start since Feb. 2.
"We came out and played a real strong first 15 minutes of the game," said Devils forward Jamie Langenbrunner. "We were really in control and then we stopped playing for you know 35 minutes or whatever it was. We can't do that."
Brodeur should resume his starting role tonight and is 23-15-0 with eight ties and a 2.43 goals-against average lifetime versus the Bruins. He won his lone start versus them this year, stopping 32 shots on Nov. 27 in a 2-1 shootout victory.
That win was the Devils' second in as many games versus the Bruins this year. New Jersey has won four of five and eight of its last 11 overall versus Boston as well as four of the last five played in the Garden State.
The Bruins head to Jersey with just a one-point edge over the Rangers for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East, though New York is idle tonight and has played two more games.
Boston has dropped three of its last four, including Saturday's 3-2 setback in Montreal. Tuukka Rask made 24 saves, but also misplayed a dump in off the boards in the third period that allowed Montreal to score and take a two-goal edge. Milan Lucic later scored in the frame, but the Bruins failed to net the equalizer.
Blake Wheeler also tallied for the Bruins, who fell to 2-2-1 on a seven-game road trip, their longest of the season.
"We had a slow start, no question about that, we came out so sluggishly," said Bruins captain Zdeno Chara. "The whole first period put us behind by a margin we find hard to come back from, but even so we battled hard."
Rask was making his second start in a row, but it is unknown who will start tonight. Rask has started three of Boston's seven games since the Olympic break and is 0-0-2 with a 1.73 GAA in two games (1 start) lifetime versus the Devils. He made 36 saves in November's shootout loss.
Tim Thomas, meanwhile, has started the other four games since the break and is 4-4-3 with a 2.36 GAA in his career against New Jersey.
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The 2007 college football rules changes that were implemented to shorten games are now history. The NCAA rules committee did what they set out to do; games were cut by an average of 14 minutes per game last season. There were also, on average, 14 fewer plays per game. We’ll get into how that did (or didn’t) affect games in regards to the pointspread a bit later.
While the NCAA rules committee may have had the betterment of the game in mind, they'll now “turn back the clock” for next season. Two key rules have now been overturned by the NCAA committee for the 2007 season, something definitely for the better.
For those of you who may not remember what those rules actually were, let us refresh your memory.
1) The first one was actually starting the clock on a kickoff as soon as the kicker touched the ball rather than waiting until the returner touched it. The problem here was near the end of the half (or game), if the team leading was kicking off, they could milk the clock by intentionally running offsides and then re-kicking. They could run 10-15 seconds off the clock each play while taking just five-yard penalties each time. They could run the clock down and simply cause the half (or game) to end on a kickoff, keeping the opposing offense off the field. In 2007, the clock will now start when the returner touches the ball as it had before last season.
2) The second rule dealt with starting the clock after a change of online football betting possession rather than waiting until the ball was snapped. This took a lot of time off the clock throughout the game as teams changed possession, however it caused the most problems late in games (or halves). Rather than huddling up and calling a play, the offensive team would have to rush onto the field as the clock started. This was a definite disadvantage to a team that was trying to come from behind late in the game. This year the clock will start on a change of possession, after the ball is snapped.
How did those rules affect the college game last year and will it make a difference this year when it comes to the pointspread? We commonly heard two theories when it came to these changes. First, it would affect scoring negatively. Second, it would hurt favorites as they would have less time and fewer plays to cover the number.
Did the rules hurt scoring? Yes. It seemed obvious that shortening the game by what amounted to 14 plays would push scoring downward. That was the case last year. Of the 119 Division 1A teams, 69 squads scored fewer points in 2007 than they did in 2005. Just 48 teams had a higher PPG scoring average and two stayed the same. Almost 59 percent of the teams in college football last year had a lower PPG average than they did in 2005. Expect more scoring in 2007 as we revert back to the old rules.
Did the rules hinder favorites from covering the number in 2007? Not really. Last year the favorites posted an overall spread record of 336-350-16 (48.9 percent). The year before, favorites were 316-326-13 (49.2 percent). In 2004, the favorites were 316-339-2 (48.2 percent). In fact, college football favorites have been above 50 percent for the season just once in the last seven years (in 2003). Last year’s numbers fell right in line with where they have been historically.
How about big favorites? The rules must have hurt them? Maybe a little bit. Double-digit favorites last year came in at a 47.8 percent clip compare with an average of just over 50 percent over the last seven years. Since 1980, favorites of -10 or more have covered at exactly a 50 percent clip (measured over 6,716 games).
Even bigger favorites must have struggled? Not really. In fact, it was just the opposite. Favorites of three TD’s or more were 59-54-2 last year (52.2 percent). Since 2000, those same favorites (-21 or higher) hit at 51.3 percent and since 1990 came in a clip of 50.3 percent. Stepping it up a notch to four TD favorites or higher, we actually see they've covered at a much better rate last season than before. Last year, favorites of -28 or more were 31-21-1, or almost 60 percent. Historically, four-TD-or-higher favorites have come in at a 50.7 percent spot since 2000 and only 48.9 percent since 1990. The “perceived” problem with the favorites covering at a reduced rate really never came to fruition.
Bottom line is, there might be some more scoring in 2007, but no real revelations when it comes to finding any pointspread golden nuggets.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on college football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.
Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.
According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).
Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.
''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.
Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.
''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''
Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.
”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.
For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
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