The Pie Pie Strikes Back (-145)
Slime Time Live (EVEN)
Over 6.5 Goals (-120)
Under 6.5 Goals (-120)
Notes: This is a battle between two teams who I thought would both be top half of the league but instead have had a strange journey this season and ended up in the bottom half of the standings. Orange looks primed to be in the 7-8 range but can still finish as high as 5th if they win out and get a little bit of help. Meanwhile green badly needs to win at least one of these games, if not both in regulation as they are only two points ahead of pink for the 9 seed with pink having a game in hand. I have this game rated as close to a coin flip but with Jeff Green back and Gelman feeling himself currently sitting top five in league scoring, I give orange the slight edge here.
Mean Girls (+2.0 Goals) (EVEN)
Slime Time Live (-2.0 Goals) (-145)
Over 6.5 Goals (-155)
Under 6.5 Goals (+110)
Notes: This game probably determines which team has to play a playoff game (technically play-in) tomorrow night. Green has been better this season, looks better on paper and is two points ahead of pink in the standings. But if they lose this game in regulation, they’re in serious trouble and would have to roll up tomorrow when pretty much the entire world is/was/continues to expect Mean Girls to be the 10 seed. I actually think this game is going to be closer than expected with pink rocking a short lineup and wisely coming to me for counsel on the line combos. Green needs to be favored here just because of their top-end talent and the experience edge they get having won the cup less than a year ago, but this one could really go all the way. I would take green to win, but pink to cover.
Purple Nurple (+135)
The Pie Pie Strikes Back (-200)
Over 6.5 Goals (-120)
Under 6.5 Goals (-120)
Notes: Caleb appears to be out for the season for purple, a massive blow to their championship hopes. Pigozzi is also out tonight, apparently at a Phish concert, and their chances in this game are a little shaky. They’ll have Levine subbing in net against the team for whom he played most of the season as the backup goaltender. Now he gets to face them along with starter Jeff Green in a classic student vs teacher battle. This game, like the first one, pits two teams that I expected to be among the tops in the league but who are jockeying to escape the 7-11 play-in bracket and move up to at least the 6 seed. With full rosters I would expect this game to be a toss-up. With orange’s only major absence being Ken and purple missing a host of top players, I have to favor Pie Pie to pick up the win here and continue their late push up the standings.
Mean Girls (-200)
Silver Stallions (+135)
Over 7.5 Goals (-145)
Under 7.5 Goals (EVEN)
Notes: These teams met last week and it was a 7-5 feel good win for pink that never really felt as close as the scoreline indicated. That said, four of those pink goals were scored by Emma who is out tonight. Kate will take her place, probably on D, and look to lead the pink team to the kind of win that blue laid down on Yehuda last night as he yelled at no less than four different players to hit the weight room. I have actually given both teams lineup advice in what I am terming an AI vs AI battle (Alex Intelligence) and think both squads will probably play some of their best hockey of the season here. Silver actually did that just last night and has put forth their two best efforts of the entire year in the past two games…first in almost beating MilkMob, one of the top teams in the league, with a severely depleted lineup last week and then in keeping the score 1-1 with Pie Pie for most of the game despite playing much of the 1st period shorthanded last night. I have to favor pink based on last week’s pounding but as long as Jacob doesn’t get too hammered at his work event, this game is going to be closer than you might think. I also have to favor the over due to the ridiculous 7-5 game last week and the fact that both teams have a tendency to just abandon defense at some point in the game if they’re losing. Should be a fun one.
My Cup Size Is Stanley (+115)
Reds N’ Roses (-160)
Over 6.5 Goals (-120)
Under 6.5 Goals (-120)
Notes: These teams met last week and black led 3-1 before a furious rally by red and a crazy bank-in goal from Doug sent Reds N’ Roses home with an improbable comeback win and black home wondering why they demanded a Friday night doubleheader. This week should be similarly interesting with Hogg and Hilary out for black but red using Sophia for APK and still looking for a lady sub at time of writing. Who knows where this will all net out but my gut continues to tell me that red is a better overall team and with the incentive to finish top four and only have to play one playoff game next week dangling in front of them, I can’t believe I’m saying this but I’m putting my faith in the Nate Lerner System. Red ML is the play in the game of the night.