Nugent-Hopkins returns, carries Oilers to SO win over Red Wings

Hockey Betting Lines

02/05/2012 - Edmonton, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins netted the game-winning goal in the sixth round of the shootout, sending the Edmonton Oilers to a 5-4 win over the Detroit Red Wings at Rexall Place.

Nugent-Hopkins, who returned to the lineup for the first time since suffering a left shoulder injury on January 2, picked up the puck at center ice and went in deliberately on Wings goalie Joey MacDonald. Nugent-Hopkins faked forehand- backhand and fired a quick wrist shot to the blocker side of MacDonald.

Devan Dubnyk stopped Danny Cleary on Detroit's final attempt to seal the win for the Oilers, who broke a seven-game slide against the Red Wings.

"I think we started out really strong and came out flying," Nugent-Hopkins said. "In the third period, we knew they were going to come out strong, we just had to weather that storm. They got a few good goals but in the end I thought it was a really good character win for us."

Coming off a ridiculous eight-point game in an 8-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday, Sam Gagner continued his offensive assault on the NHL with two goals and an assist in regulation. Jordan Eberle also added a pair of goals for the Oilers, who got 35 saves from Dubnyk en route to their third straight win.

Todd Bertuzzi scored twice, while Drew Miller and Valtteri Filppula also scored for the Red Wings, who had their brief two-game winning streak snapped.

Ty Conklin gave up three goals on nine shots before getting yanked in favor of MacDonald, who stopped 22-of-23 shots.

Edmonton opened the scoring with a power-play tally just 2:42 into the game when Ryan Whitney ripped a slap shot from the point that was stopped by Conklin, but Gagner was parked in front and slammed home the rebound.

Edmonton extended its lead to 2-0 at 5:41 of the opening period after Gagner threw one on net from just inside the left circle and Eberle was the first to spot the puck in the crease amid a scramble and tap it in.

Detroit cut the deficit to 2-1 while shorthanded off a turnover in the defensive zone by the Oilers. Filppula jumped on a loose puck in the slot and wristed one on net, which he didn't get all of, but the lack of velocity on the shot caught Dubnyk by surprise and it trickled over the line for the goal.

The Oilers though, atoned for their blunder when Gagner struck again in the dying seconds of the first period. Ryan Smyth threw one on goal from the right circle and Gagner was in perfect position in front of Conklin to deflect it into the net.

After a scoreless second period, Detroit came out on fire in the third and scored three consecutive goals to take a 4-3 lead.

Bertuzzi tucked one home from in front with a wrist shot 2:18 into the period, then Miller slid one past Dubnyk off a nice centering feed from Darren Helm at 5:49, and Bertuzzi capped the scoring burst with his second of the night 16:19 after he dangled past his checker in the left circle and wired a wrist shot high over Dubnyk's left shoulder.

"If anything, we should feel good we got the one point," Bertuzzi said. "We didn't play very well in the first period. In the second we got a little better and obviously turned it on in the third period, but we still wanted the two points. We gave ourselves a good chance to do it, just came up a little short."

Edmonton fought to the end though, and got rewarded with the tying goal with just 39 seconds to play. Following good forechecking work behind the net, the puck came out front to Eberle, and he made no mistake, tapping it into the open cage.

Game Notes

The Red Wings fell to 6-1 in shootouts this season, while Edmonton improved to 3-4...It was Bertuzzi's second two-goal game of his career...Edmonton finished 2-for-3 with the man advantage, while the Red Wings went 0-for-4 on the power play...Detroit will visit the Phoenix Coyotes on Monday, while the Oilers will be on the road against the Toronto Maple Leafs, also on Monday.

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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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