Suspicions at the beginning of this series turned out to be true – Minnesota acquisition Ilya Bryzgalov has made a goat of himself in net. Backup goalie Darcy Kuemper has given admirable effort in relief, but he isn’t a front-line starter.
However, Colorado’s advantage in this rather up-and-down series can be boiled down to one young phenom: Nathan MacKinnon.
The 2014 Triple Crown horse racing season kicks off this Saturday, May 3 with the 140th running of the crowned jewel of the three races; the Kentucky Derby from fabled Churchill Downs in Louisville.
Location Churchill Downs
Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Inaugurated 1875
Race type Thoroughbred
Website http://www.kentuckyderby.com/
Race information
Distance 1¼ miles (10 furlongs)
Track Dirt, Left-handed
Qualification 3-year-old
Weight Colt/Gelding: 126 lbs (57.2 kg)
Filly: 121 lbs. (54.9 kg)
Purse US$2 million+
Approx. 1st: $1,425,000
Bonuses US$ 200
Outside of the Super Bowl, March Madness and NFL Week 1, the Kentucky Derby is THE BEST time of year to open a racebook betting account. Sign Up now.
Odds to win the 2011 Kentucky Derby (by post position)
Early Kentucy Derby Prediction: Samraat 20/1
Get ready for the most exciting two minutes in sports with the 140th running of the Kentucky Derby. bet NOW!
The Miami Heat have taken a three-game lead in Round 1 over the Charlotte Bobcats, and they’ll look to close out their opponents Monday night on TNT. The two will face off at 7:00 p.m. ET in what could be the final game of the series.
The San Diego Padres will head back out west to San Francisco on Monday to open a three-game game series with the Giants, who they took two of a three games from at home, back on April 18-20.
The Hawks had Indiana on the ropes but couldn’t seal the deal in G4 letting a halftime lead disappear in the second half.
The Bulls were in desperation mode heading into G3 and they came away with a close victory on the road.
The Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors continue their opening round playoff series with Game 4 at Barclays Center on Sunday night. The Nets won Game 3 in the series on Friday night to take a 2-1 edge in the series, and look to take a stranglehold on the series with a win on Sunday.
The Houston Rockets needed a win in Game 3, and they got it on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers. Now it’s time for one team to show it wants it more before heading back to Clutch City for Game 5.
The media have been swirling like a pack of hungry sharks around the offensive discord of the Oklahoma City Thunder in this series. Is Russell Westbrook dissatisfied sharing the limelight with Kevin Durant? Is he too “me-first”? Has head coach Scott Brooks lost all conceptions of offensive game-planning?
Shark Return Home Looking to Finish Kings
The Los Angeles Kings have a little fight left in them after all. Following three straight demoralizing losses in their opening round series with the San Jose Sharks, the Kings finally showed up Thursday night, played a full 60 minutes and walked away with a convincing 6-3 victory.
After a promising performance in game 2 the Pacers were disappointing again on Thursday night losing game three and falling behind in the series, again.
The Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets will see their opening round playoff series shift back to Pittsburgh with the series tied at two games apiece. No lead has been safe in this series, with both offenses rolling, and both goaltenders looking ordinary.
The Miami Heat entered the 2014 NBA playoffs looking more vulnerable than they have in years past, but they’ve managed to capture a 2-game lead on the Charlotte Bobcats entering Game 3.
Light Heavyweight Title On the Line – UFC 172 From Baltimore Saturday Night
The UFC has once again put together a stacked card for UFC 172 with the Light Heavyweight strap on the line. Jon Jones faces perhaps his stiffest test to date when he takes on Glover Teixeira in the Main Event while the rest of the card is littered with quality matchups to say the least.
Let’s take a look.
UFC 172: Jones vs. Teixeira
Date: April 26, 2014
Time: 10pm ET/7pm PT
Location: Baltimore Arena, Baltimore, Maryland
Broadcast: Pay-per-view, Fox Sports 1, UFC Fight Pass
UFC Odds From Bovada
Jon Jones (19-1): -500
Glover Teixeira (22-2): +385
Jon Jones gets back at it Saturday night for the first time since a Title Fight for the ages in September against Alexander Gustafsson. His task this time – defeat Glover Teixeira who rides a 20 fight win streak over 9 1/2 years into the Baltimore Arena. Jones hopes to use his incredible athleticism and terrific all around game against one of the more powerful Light Heavyweights on the planet.
Jones brings an almost indefensible wing span into the Octagon – one that he uses to stay on the outside and deliver a variety of punishing strikes to his opponent. He is long, he is lean, he is unorthodox and most of all he is powerful – able to inflict a ton of damage on his feet. When called upon, Jones is well versed in takedowns and ground control – he is as good on the mat as he is on his feet.
Teixeira is powerful – his training with Chuck Liddell most recently has only added to the intrigue of this top tier Light Heavyweight. Tex has incredible power in both hands and is also a 2nd degree Black Belt in jiu jitsu – he like Jones can succeed anywhere this fight happens to go. Add in Glover’s stellar defense, his takedown game and his impressive cardio and Glover Teixeira may be the most well rounded fighter that Jones has ever faced.
Jones will have learned a lot from his epic fight with Alex Gustafsson and will definitely be wary of Teixeira’s danger zones. Simply put – Jones’s athleticism will bail him out in this one! Jones’s wing span should be able to keep Glover at bay and Jones’s terrific takedown defense should ensure that he keeps out of Tex’s wheelhouse. In what is sure to be a razor-close fight, I like the champion to do enough and to ride his gifts to a narrow decision.
Pick: Jon Jones -500
Phil Davis (12-1, 1NC): -205
Anthony Johnson (16-4): +175
Two of the better wrestlers in the UFC do battle when Anthony Johnson, who went on a six fight win streak after getting released from the UFC, takes on Phil Davis who is fresh off a decision win over Lyoto Machida.
Johnson is likely the stronger man in this fight and he probably has the better overall ground game but Phil Davis is no slouch in the wrestling department. Davis is likely to have the edge in the standup as he showed in his last fight against Machida.
Johnson will be a motivated guy coming back after getting released from the organization but he runs into an ever-improving Phil Davis in this one. I like Davis to wear Johnson down in this one en route to a submission win – likely in the 3rd round.
Pick: Phil Davis -205
Luke Rockhold (11-2): -800
Tim Boetsch (17-6): +575
Former Strikeforce champ Luke Rockhold will look to keep his ascent up the UFC ladder going Saturday when he takes on the very tough Tim Boetsch in Middleweight action. Rockhold is coming off an impressive dominant win over Costa Philippou whole Boetsch was last seen winning a split decision over CB Dollaway.
Boetsch will be the stronger man in this fight but that is about where the advantages stop. Rockhold will enter as the better wrestler, the better striker and the more athletic of the two fighters. Rockhold`s only loss in the last six years came at the hands to Vitor Belfort – no shame in that.
I`ll take the more well rounded fighter to prevail against the one-trick pony in this one.
Pick: Luke Rockhold -800
Jim Miller (23-4, 1NC): -205
Yancy Medeiros (10-1): +175
[ad-3573245]
Jim Miller steps into the Octagon for the 17th time Saturday to take on injury replacement Yancy Medeiros who steps in for Bobby Green – an unenviable task for even the most seasoned fighter. Miller is a stellar grappler – able to smother his opponents with tremendous wrestling and mat control. His standup isn’t so bad either!
Miller is a “B+” fighter stepping into the Octagon with a “C+” fighter in this one. Bobby Green would have been in tough against Miller – Yancy Medeiros doesn’t have much of a chance.
Pick: Jim Miller -205
Max Holloway (8-3): +135
Andre Fili (13-1): -155
Andre Fili will put an impressive nine fight win streak on the line against a very tough Max Holloway who is coming off a Knockout of the Night fight against Will Chope. This has Fight of the Night written all over it!
Holloway will look to utilize his height and reach in this fight – keeping his range and using a variety of kicks and punches may be his best chance here. Fili is also a dangerous striker that will have the definite edge this weekend in the wrestling department – Fili has good takedowns that can bail him out more often than not.
The problem for Max Holloway here is that he will not have the huge size advantage that he is used to – Fili is a beast. Fili`s size, his striking and his overwhelming grappling advantage will be the difference in this one. Fili isn`t widely known in the UFC – Saturday night could change that!
Pick: Andre Fili -155
Joseph Benavidez (19-4): -380
Tim Elliott (10-4-1): +315
Pick: Joseph Benavidez -380
Isaac Vallie-Flagg (14-4-1): +180
Takanori Gomi (34-9, 1NC): -210
Pick: Takanori Gomi -210
Jessamyn Duke (3-0, 1NC): +100
Bethe Correia (7-0): -120
Pick: Bethe Correia -120
Joe Ellenberger (14-1): -280
Vagner Rocha +240
Pick: Joe Ellenberger -280
Danny Castillo (18-6): -270
Charlie Brenneman (19-6): +230
Pick: Danny Castillo -270
Chris Beal (8-0): -140
Patrick Williams (7-3): +120
Pick: Patrick Williams +120
The Rangers just swept Oakland and thus will be heading into Seattle in first place in the AL West with an AL leading 14 victories. Texas is red hot right now having won 8 of 9 starting with the final three of their last set with the Mariners.
Texas Rangers (14-8) vs. Seattle Mariners (8-13)
Friday April 25
Safeco Field – Seattle, WA
10:10PM
Probable Pitchers
TEX: Robbie Ross (L)
SEA: Roenis Elias (L)
Moneyline: Seattle -106, Texas -102
Total: 7.5
[dfads params=’groups=63740&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]
Other than Martin Perez’ current scoreless streak nothing is really standing out with the Rangers right now other than they are doing it without a number of key contributors. Jurickson Profar and Adrian Beltre are on the DL and Shin-Soo Choo is questionable for Friday.
Texas has been getting very good starting pitching and that includes the starts from Robbie Ross, who doesn’t look like he will be returning to the pen anytime soon.
Check out our in-house Handicapper!!! Click here to Buy Razor Ray’s MLB Baseball Picks Today!
Ross has a 2.31 ERA in the young season and a big reason are the 7 shutout innings he threw against the Mariners in his lone win on the season.
Only once in 4 starts has he given up more than 2ER and this time will take on Seattle in pitcher friendly Safeco.
[dfads params=’groups=10&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]
While Texas has been soaring the Mariners have been sinking.
They had lost 8 games in a row before ending their slide with a series closing win against Houston. If they had lost that one it would have been the Mariners not the Astros in last place. However, it is still relatively early and thankfully for Seattle their pitching has been solid.
It is the offense that is the problem. Robinson Cano is hitting below expectations at .280 and others are well off what you would expected. Kyle Seager is batting .179, ouch.
Rookie Roenis Elias has been better than expected this season.
He is giving up a few too many walks but is keeping the balling in the park and not giving up a ton of hits. His lone win on the season was against the Rangers in a game in which he gave up just one run over 6 innings.
It was the deepest he has gone in any start this season – he needs to start giving them some more innings or else they are going to burn out their bullpen.
Both of these starters have had success against their opponents recently. Since we are still writing the book on both I think we can expect a low scoring game. I see no reason to back the home side and given the way both teams are playing the value on Texas is better than expected.
It is the smart play.
Total prediction: Under
Score prediction: Texas 4 – Seattle 3
Blackhawks and Blues in Crucial Game 5 Friday Night
The Chicago Blackhawks did their part winning both games on home ice and evening their first round series against the St. Louis Blues. The Blues have lost all momentum gained in the first two games of the series and will be happy to see the inside of the Scottrade Center where they won the first two games of the series and have claimed victory all five times they have hosted Chicago this year.
