Pizza Rats (+2.0 Goals) (-120)
Team Pie Pie (-2.0 Goals) (-120)
Over 5.5 (-120)
Under 5.5 (-120)
Notes: The only reason this line is 5.5 rather than 5.0 is the standard Friday insanity. Otherwise, these are two great defensive teams, one with a veteran goalie having a career year, the other with a rookie sensation exceeding expectations even though she’s like 5 feet tall. The Rats pulled a pretty shocking comeback Tuesday night, down 2-0 late in the 3rd with some Draftkings users reporting their live line to be in the +700 range, only to pick up two goals in less than a minute en route to a shootout victory. That win came at a huge cost, however, as Amit appears to be out for the season. His replacement is TBD but with an orange team near full strength here and looking to rebound after a surprise loss on Tuesday night, I have to favor the cats over the rats. I would normally be slamming the under but Friday unders are a rough rough bet. Just ask Cardello.
My Cup Size Is Stanley (-1.0 Goals) (-230)
Pizza Rats (+1.0 Goals) (+150)
Over 6.0 (-115)
Under 6.0 (-125)
Notes: Super tough game to handicap. If this game took place a month ago, the line would be fully reversed with Rats favored as an underrated public dog against one of the worst D5 teams in years. And yet, after a three game stretch where Cup Size has won by an aggregate of 16-3, there is no way they cannot be favored in this game. Of course, if you look under the hood, skeptics will point to two of those wins being against a reeling silver team with the third being against a red team missing their 2nd and 3rd rounders and turning their 1st round goalie on an all-time heater into a center. So it’s really tough to tell exactly how this game will go. I think public perception forces me to make Cup Size a favorite after the goal bonanza / LaPorte resurgence we’ve been seeing in recent weeks, but Jeff Green is on a career heater and I would be extremely careful betting against this man right now.
Team Pie Pie (-1.5 Goals) (-200)
The Grassholes (+1.5 Goals) (+140)
Over 5.5 (-130)
Under 5.5 (-110)
Notes: Green pulled the upset in this matchup Tuesday night, much to Ridzik’s delight as he was subbing and max betting at the same time, but this week will be substantially tougher. Orange has a full lineup this go around while green won’t have Wagner, co-captain Mo or their 1st round pick Andrew. They will however have Jeff Green subbing in net, although it will be his 3rd straight game and he will have to shotgun a beer before the game as per league rules. I was pretty impressed with green’s effort on Tuesday night and at least one league captain told me that they are now sold on green as a legit title contender. It is certainly possible, but for this game I think they’ll struggle without their top dman in tow. Orange 4-2.
Talking Reds (-3.0 Goals) (+140)
The MilkMob (+3.0 Goals) (-200)
Over 6.0 (-120)
Under 6.0 (-120)
Notes: This is a rough one to handicap indeed. On paper this should be a blowout win for red. However, in practice the MilkMob has had this game circled on their calendars for weeks and in fact this game is all that the Milkman’s talked about. He wants this game bad and I wouldn’t be surprised by a multi-point, multi-penalty effort in this one. The question is whether his squad has enough horsepower to actually pull what would be the biggest upset of the season against a red team that, unlike in their loss to black, will actually have Campbell in net. I am loathe to bet against the Milkman but I also don’t really see how they can get to Campbell enough times and prevent enough goals for the win. I think they’re likely to keep this one close though.
Mace Windu (-2.0 Goals) (-145)
The MilkMob (+2.0 Goals) (EVEN)
Over 6.0 (-145)
Under 6.0 (EVEN)
Notes: Similar to the above game except that MilkMob might be tired after going all-out against red and purple will be missing some players if the game starts on time. Of course, we all know that the 4th game on a Friday is never starting on time, but still TBD if he makes it. As such, another game that’s really tough to handicap, as all MilkMob games are. Their speed and team commitment is never in doubt, but the results just haven’t been there this season and they’re facing two elite goalies tonight. I have to favor purple for a number of reasons but this could end up being a trendy upset pick, especially with Tom not available til like 10:00, and despite Milstein texting me today that Samuel L Jackson announced at some panel that Mace Windu might actually be alive. Ugh.
Silver Stallions (+2.5 Goals) (+140)
My Cup Size Is Stanley (-2.5 Goals) (-200)
Over 8.0 (-120)
Under 8.0 (-120)
Notes: The first west coast game we’ve ever had on a Friday night because these teams decided to reschedule their original Friday night matchup from April 4. I bet Jacob wishes he didn’t do that because at the time silver was in the middle of the standings and black was one of the worst teams ever seen in D5. Now after a crazy flurry of trades, some decent, some shady, all shocking, Cup Size is suddenly hot and the Stallions have lost four straight. And will have to make due in this one without Pigozzi or Ken. Yikes. Late night west coast special, plus these teams just played Tuesday and scored nine combined goals…welcome to the highest over/under of the season, with Cup Size comfortably favored as well. Solid birthday present to Jenn. See ya tonight.