Bruins host Preds in clash between struggling clubs

Hockey Betting Lines

02/11/2012 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Nashville Predators and Boston Bruins are trying not to panic during their recent skids. The two clubs look to get right this afternoon as the Predators visit the Bruins.

Though Nashville is 14-4-1 over its past 19 games, the club has lost three of its past four and Thursday's 4-3 loss in Ottawa dropped the club two points behind St. Louis for second place in the Central Division and fourth overall in the Western Conference.

The Predators got a goal and an assist from Martin Erat in Thursday's loss, giving him two goals and six points in his past three games, while Patric Hornqvist and Gabriel Bourque added scores. Ryan Suter notched two assists.

"I thought we weren't as engaged as we needed to be," Predators head coach Barry Trotz said. "We were very sloppy and if you're going to play against a desperate team, you can't play a sloppy, light game."

Pekka Rinne was touched for all four goals on 29 shots and has now allowed seven goals in back-to-back losses after yielding more than two just once over his club-record 11-game win streak from Jan. 7-Feb. 4.

Nashville played without Brian McGrattan due to an upper-body injury and he is questionable for this game.

The Bruins' struggles have gone on a bit longer than the Predators as the defending Stanley Cup champions are 5-6-1 in their last 12. They now trail the Rangers by five points for the top spot in the East and their lead over the second-place Senators in the Northeast Division has dipped to five.

Boston was humbled in Buffalo on Wednesday, dropping a 6-0 decision. Ryan Miller made 36 saves for the Sabres, while Tuukka Rask got the start for the Bruins and was touched for three goals on 10 shots before getting lifted early in the second period.

Rask was replaced by Tim Thomas, who made 16 saves on 19 shots.

"We just have to pick ourselves up off the ground and come to the next game ready to give the best effort we can," said Thomas.

Boston was coming off a 4-1 win over Washington last Sunday, but failed to win two straight for the first time since Jan. 10-12.

The Predators have won two of their past three versus the Bruins, picking up both triumphs beyond regulation. That includes a 4-3 overtime win at home on March 17 of last year, with Shea Weber netting the winner on a power play and Rinne making 35 saves.

Rask got the start for the Bruins and ended with 27 saves.

The Bruins did log a 3-2 victory in the Preds' last trip to Boston on Oct. 21, 2009.

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Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting

So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance.

Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it?

If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.)

Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa).

In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech.

Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.

The Bubble Breakdown
CONFERENCE LOCKS SHOULD BE INS AT-LARGES TAKEN
(assuming no auto bid outlier)
ACC Betting Odds 6 0 5
Big East Betting Odds 5 0 4
Big Ten Betting Odds 2 2 3
Big 12 Betting Odds 3 0 2
Pac-10 Betting Odds 5 1 5
SEC Betting Odds 4 0 3
MVC Betting Odds 1 1 1
MWC Betting Odds 2 1 2
TOTAL 28 5 25

As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down.

(Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28)

If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech

The ACC moves to six locks as BC, Va Tech and Virginia all got their 10th ACC wins, which should be more than enough this season, and Maryland rallied past North Carolina to get the final piece the Terps needed. After that? It could end there unless FSU, Ga Tech or Clemson picks things up in a hurry.

 

Work left to do:

Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's.

Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win).

Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT.

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