Weekend Sports Gambler: After Upset In Chicago, VGK Get Their Mojo Back vs. Flames In Vegas Thursday
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By Dan Behringer, LVSportsBiz.com Sports Betting Writer
Done in by the Chicago Blackhawks?
Yes, that was the fate of the Vegas Golden Knights’ impressive five-gaming winning streak.
It all came to an inglorious end Tuesday in the Windy City when the Blackhawks dropped the VGK, 3-2.
And bettors, who had been cashing tickets with appreciable regularity, saw their streak, which extended back to the first game after the All-Star Game, end when the Blackhawks’ left wing Tyler Johnson rang up the tying goal on a power play with less than a minute left, then fired in a low shot for the game-winner in a shootout.
The Knights had closed at around -290. Blackhawks bettors cashed at around +230. The total of 6.5 was never seriously threatened.
That of course brought the Boys with the Gold Helmets to their home date on Thursday vs. the Calgary Flames. This time, the VGK were -156 with the total at 6.
It turned out to be a rebound spot for the Golden Knights, but three periods of NHL hockey weren’t enough. Tied at the end of regulation, the VGK won it in overtime when defenseman Alex Pietrangelo scored on a rebound from Jonathan Marchessault’s shot to the delight of an announced crowd of 17,609 and an indeterminate number of gamblers clutching betting slips or watching their online accounts.
The final score was 4-3.
“We chipped away there as the game went on,” Pietrangelo said after the VGK rallied from a 3-1 deficit. “We were just more aggressive.”
The Golden Knights, now 35-18-3-2, will face the Dallas Stars (30-16-9-3) on Saturday at the Big Ice House by the Strip.
An early line has the VGK at -125. The puck drop is 7 p.m.
Elsewhere:
— Runnin’ the wrong way? The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels (16-11, 5-10 MWC) next host the Air Force Falcons (14-15, 5-11 MWC) on Friday at the Thomas & Mack.
UNLV is -8.5. The total is 137.5. Tipoff is 6:30 p.m.
They are coming off a 73-69 loss to Boise State last weekend in which they were +7.5 and managed to come away with only the cover. It was their third straight loss.
“I thought both teams did a really good job competing. It was a great second half in a lot of ways. There is no moral victory to it, but at the same time it could have gone the other direction pretty easily,” coach Kevin Kruger told the team’s official website after the Boise State loss.
For the season, UNLV is 14-12 ATS. Over their last 10 games, they are 6-4 ATS. At home, however, they are 4-9 against-the-spread.
— Fight night: Nikita Krylov (29-9) squares off against Ryan Spann (21-7) at UFC Fight Night in a light heavyweight bout at UFC Apex on Saturday night.
Krylov is anywhere from -150 to as high as -175. Spann is +140 to +155 on the buyback. The over-under is 1.5 rounds.
Covers.com notes that Krylov is the No. 6-ranked light heavyweight contender while Spann is coming off a first-round knockout win against Dominick Reyes in November.
Match time is set for 4 p.m.
— First action in MLB preseason: The Kansas City Royals are -105 vs. the Texas Rangers, and the San Diego Padres are -110 vs. Seattle Mariners as preseason Major League baseball games get underway on Friday. Both games have totals of 10.5, and both start shortly about noon.
“It’s that time, guys are excited,” Rangers first-year manager Bruce Bochy told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “They say it runs in cycles. You get the pitchers and catchers here, then you can’t wait for the full squad to be here, then the games begin. A week from now, they’ll be ready for the season (to start).”
— Easy money? In last week’s column, we noted the total on the NBA All-Star Game was 318.5. By tipoff, bettors had pushed it up to 325.5. But, no matter. The final score was 184-175 — some 359 points for a relatively easy over.
