Prospal, Rangers down sliding Thrashers

Hockey Betting Lines

03/12/2010 - Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Vinny Prospal had two goals and an assist as the New York Rangers took a 5-2 decision over the Atlanta Thrashers in a battle between playoff contenders.

Marian Gaborik had a goal and two assists while Ryan Callahan added a goal and an assist for the Rangers, who stopped a four-game slide. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 29 shots in the win.

The win moves New York to 69 points, three back of idle Boston for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Clarke MacArthur and Ron Hainsey each had a goal for the Thrashers, who have dropped their past five games. Johan Hedberg stopped 30-of-34 shots in the loss.

The losing streak has dropped Atlanta to the 11th spot in the Eastern Conference with 66 points, two below Tampa Bay, which won at Washington earlier Friday.

The Rangers dominated play in the first period and scored three times in the frame.

The first goal came 7:49 in as Prospal accepted a long feed from Gaborik and at the left circle blasted a slap shot past Hedberg and just 41 seconds later, Gaborik scored on the power play for his 36th goal and a 2-0 lead.

Prospal notched his second goal of the period on a wrister with 6:34 left for the 3-0 advantage.

Atlanta got on the board 2:33 into the second with a power-play tally as a crisp passing play was finished when Rich Peverley fired a pass from the left to the right where MacArthur one-timed it home.

New York, though, got the goal back with 2:28 to play in the second as Michael Del Zotto's wrister from the point snuck past Hedberg.

The Thrashers cut the deficit to two with 8:34 to play in the third on the power play as Chris Thorburn fired a pass from the right circle to the slot where a wide open Hainesy wristed it home.

Atlanta got a chance to make it a one-goal game a few minutes later when Jody Shelley was called for hooking, but Lundqvist made a couple big stops to keep it a two-goal contest.

The Thrashers pulled Hedberg late for the extra attacker, but Callahan sealed the win with a shot into the empty cage.

Game Notes

New York hosts Philly on Sunday...Atlanta continues its five-game homestand on Sunday against Phoenix...Atlanta had won the previous five matchups, including the first three games of this season series...Atlanta has scored just six goals over its losing streak...New York went 2-for-6 on the power play while Atlanta was 1-for-4.

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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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