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Fired Up David Ferrer Beats Richard Gasquet: 2015 Rome Masters Open

Curt Johnson
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Fired Up David Ferrer Beats Richard Gasquet: 2015 Rome Masters Open

david ferrer beats richard gasquet at 2015 rome masters open

David Ferrer was truly on fire today at the 2015 Rome Masters Open and took it out on Frenchman Richard Gasquet in only two sets 6-4, 7-5. The Spanish tennis star has been keeping at the bottom of the Top 10 tennis rankings, but if Rafael Nadal continues his slump, he could surpass him into the 7th place spot if he continues playing like he did on Tuesday. This was Ferrer’s ninth win out of 12 matches with Gasquet.

The Spaniard converted three of his eight break points as he claimed his 30th win of the season in 90 minutes. Ferrer is a winner of three ATP World Tour titles in 2015, lifting the trophy in Doha (d. Berdych), Rio de Janeiro (d. Fognini) and Acapulco (d. Nishikori).

richard gasquet loses to david ferrer 2015 rome masters open

The 33-year-old Ferrer has a 19-11 record at the Foro Italico, finishing runner-up in 2010 (l. to Nadal) and reaching the semi-finals in 2005 and 2012 (l. to Nadal both times).

Sixth seed Tomas Berdych cruised into the second round with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Italian wild card Matteo Donati in 75 minutes. The Czech, who this week returned to the Top 5 of the Emirates ATP Rankings, did not face any break points on serve.

david ferrer moves to third round 2015 rome masters open

Berdych has reached the quarter-finals or better at all eight of his tournament appearances this season, including runner-up finishes in Doha, Rotterdam and Monte-Carlo. In the third round, he awaits the winner between 10th-seeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov and top Italian Fabio Fognini, who face off for a third straight Masters 1000 tournament.

Kevin Anderson, the No. 15 seed, led Philipp Kohlschreiber 3-0 in the opening set when the recent Munich finalist retired with an elbow injury. The South African will next play either Roger Federer or Pablo Cuevas, who met a couple weeks ago in the Istanbul final.

Kyrgios/Sock Win On Debut
With Vasek Pospisil nursing a sprained ankle, Jack Sock took the opportunity to join forces with Nick Kyrgios in Rome and the young guns combined for a 6-3, 1-6, 10-8 victory over Lukas Rosol and Gilles Simon in 65 minutes.

Victory earned the Australian/American duo a second-round clash withAustralian Open champions and home favourites Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini, who were invited to meet the Italian Prime Minister at the weekend.

david ferrer bulge 2015 rome masters open tennis

Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah reunited this week, after Farah was sidelined briefly with an arm injury, and instantly returned to winning ways with a 7-6(5), 6-3 victory over Paolo Lorenzi and Luca Vanni. The Colombians, champions in Sao Paulo earlier this year, go on to face seventh seeds Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares.


Guillermo Garcia-Lopez Ousts Marin Cilic from 2015 Rome Masters Open

Jackie Warner
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Guillermo Garcia-Lopez Ousts Marin Cilic from 2015 Rome Masters Open

guillermo garcia lopez beats marin cilic 2015 rome masters open

Marin Cilic had the surprise today at the 2015 Rome Masters Open of taking on Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, who was in a winning mood. The ninth seed was ousted from the Open after only two sets 6-4, 6-3. This marked Garcia-Lopez’s twentieth win this season in the Open’s first round.

World No. 28 Garcia-Lopez made a strong start to the clay-court swing, lifting the trophy in Bucharest (d. Vesely) before reaching the semi-finals in Estoril (l. to Gasquet). Last week in Madrid, he lost a tight first-round encounter with Fernando Verdasco.

marin cilic loses to guillermo garcia lopez 2015 rome master open

Cilic’s search for form continues. The 2014 US Open champion returned from a shoulder injury in Indian Wells and has won back-to-back matches just once in five tournaments, reaching the Monte-Carlo quarter-finals (l. to Djokovic).

Down a set and a break, No. 8 seed Stan Wawrinka was just games away from becoming the second top player to make an early exit in Rome on Tuesday before shifting the momentum to overcome World No. 36 Juan Monaco 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

“For me, it’s never easy when I get into a tournament,” Wawrinka said. “Juan is a tough player to play, especially on clay. I’m happy to get through. The most important thing is to win matches.”

A finalist in 2008, Wawrinka served up seven aces and saved eight of the 12 break points he faced in the two hour, 12-minute match. In his 11th appearance in Rome, the Swiss will look to win two matches in a row for the first time since winning the Rotterdam title in February. He will meet the winner of Dominic Thiem and Gilles Simon in the third round.

No. 11 seed Feliciano Lopez avoided defeat at the hands of 20-year-old Nick Kyrgios, taking out the Aussie 6-4, 7-6(4) to tally his 100th win on clay.

Kyrgios, who upset Roger Federer last week in Madrid, came into the match with a career-high Emirates ATP Ranking of No. 20, but his high confidence level was not enough to overcome the veteran Spaniard. The 33-year-old left-hander struck 12 aces and faced just one break point in the 81-minute match.

“It was a great win, beating Nick today, after his performance in Madrid and Estoril, where he reached the final,” said Lopez. “I have not been so confident on the clay this season, but I hope this win will give me a boost.”

Lopez, who is making his 12th appearance in Rome, will next face Viktor Troicki as he tries to record back-to-back wins for the first time in his past six events.

Troicki will have his work cut out for him after surviving a two hour, 46-minute opening match against Bernard Tomic. The World No. 34 toppled the Aussie 7-6(3), 6-7(4), 7-6(4).

Novak Djokovic vs Roberto Bautista Agut Next: 2015 Rome Masters Open

Jackie Warner
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Novak Djokovic vs Roberto Bautista Agut Next: 2015 Rome Masters Open

novak djokovic beats nicolas almaro 2015 rome masters open

Novak Djokovic might have taken a three week vacation physically from the tennis courts, but he was certainly mentally prepared when he hit his first round vs Nicolas Almagro Tuesday at the 2015 Rome Masters Open. It was a two hour match with the number one tennis player in the world defeating Almagro 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-3 so it wasn’t such an easy one, but Djokovic was rested to play for hours more if needed.

Djokovic looked to have victory in hand against the former World No. 9 as he raced to a 5-2 lead in the second-set tie-break, but it was Almagro who pulled off five straight points to force the decider. The Spaniard again looked to be in trouble as he tripped awkwardly on a wide forehand at 2-2 in the third set, prompting a nice moment of sportsmanship as Djokovic checked on his opponent. Though Almagro recovered from his fall, Djokovic would need just one break at 3-4 to set himself up for a three-set victory.

novak djokovic moves forward at 2015 rome masters open after nicolas almagro

The Serb saved the only break point he faced in the match, while converting on all three break opportunities he created. Both players served up 11 aces in the contest.

“At the end of the day it’s a win after three weeks with no official match,” said Djokovic. “In the important moments today, I did feel a little bit uncomfortable. Maybe that’s due to a lack of competitive play in the past couple of weeks. But I won against a quality player, who knows how to play on the big stage. All in all, it was a great test. Before coming to the court, I was aware he was going to present a great challenge.

“I needed to take some time off, because I have played a lot of matches,” continued the Serb. “It has been one of the best starts to the season of my life. But it took a lot out of me, mostly mentally. So I needed to really take it off, recharge my batteries and spend some time at home. It probably did affect my overall feeling on the court today, especially in the tough moments. Hopefully the day off tomorrow will allow to spend some more time on the court, working to get better in the next one.”

Djokovic, who extended his current winning streak to 18 matches on Tuesday, is looking to add a fourth Rome title to his mantle after becoming the first player to win the opening three ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events of the 2015 season.

roberto bautista abut vs novak djokovic 2015 rome masters open

Roberto Bautista Agut and Thomaz Bellucci will duel for the right to play Djokovic in the third round. No. 14 seed Bautista Agut won an all-Spanish clash with Marcel Granollers 6-1, 6-3, while qualifier Bellucci was leadingDiego Schwartzman 6-4, 4-3 when the Argentine was forced to retire. Bautista won that duel so he’s off to face the powerhouse Djokovic.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga finished strongly to defeat Sam Querrey 7-6(6), 6-0 in the first round. The 12th-seeded Frenchman broke Querrey five times as he raced to victory in 85 minutes, setting a second-round clash with David Goffin, who rallied from a set down to beat Italian qualifier Andrea Arnaboldi5-7, 6-2, 6-1.

The 30-year-old Tsonga, playing just his fifth tournament of the year after returning from injury, leads Goffin 3-1 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head and will look for a repeat of his straight-sets win in Monte-Carlo over the Belgian.

Austin Rivers Brings New Energy For Los Angeles Clippers

Chris Maurice
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Austin Rivers Brings New Energy For Los Angeles Clippers

austin rivers bringing live to the los angeles clippers 2015

Austin Rivers, son of Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers, began his third NBA season with the New Orleans Pelicans; but much like his first two seasons, he didn’t make much of a name for himself with his play on the court.

autin rivers with dad head coach doc for la clippers nba 2015

The 10th overall selection back in 2012 has always been second-best. Even as a top-10 selection, he was always overshadowed by Anthony Davis—the 1st overall pick in the draft the same season.

After two and a half years with the Pels, Rivers was traded and eventually ended up in the hands of his father with the Clippers. A few months later, the playoffs rolled around; and suddenly, Rivers is the most improved player on the court.

“Keep playing,” Doc would always tell his son. Rivers has had a lot of trouble on the court in his short career; but his father obviously sees the full potential of his son, the former Duke standout. Doc received a lot of criticism for picking up his own son; but after his double-digit scoring performances in the playoffs, the same fans that were doubting Doc were chanting his son’s name.

Rivers had a few good games in the San Antonio Spurs series, including 16 points in Game 4; however, the Houston Rockets were not at all ready for what Rivers would be bringing to the table in the Western Conference Semi-finals.

austin rivers bringing live to la clippers nba 2015

Austin Rivers poured in 25 points in Game 3 with Chris Paul still partially recovering from his hamstring injury. In fact, at one point Rivers scored 15 points in less than five minutes. Another 12 points in Game 4, and Rivers is a household name in the basketball world.

“They’re all my sons,” said Doc when asked about his biological child’s amazing performance in Game 3. “You enjoy it a little bit, but not really.”

Something tells me Doc Rivers was underselling his excitement a little. Sure, you’re the coach; but there has to be a part of him watching from the bench, saying, “Wow. My son is tearing it up out there in the NBA playoffs.”

As NFL Season Approaches, Rule Changes Draw More Attention

Chris Maurice
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As NFL Season Approaches, Rule Changes Draw More Attention

nfl issues new rules 2015

Back in March, the NFL’s Competition Committee met to discuss possible rule changes starting as early as the 2015 NFL season. Unfortunately, the meeting happened not too long after the Super Bowl; and was lost between the media coverage of the New England Patriots, the Marshawn Lynch jokes, and the Deflategate scandal. The Deflategate scandal is back in full force with the possible suspension of Tom Brady. (I say possible because there’s that appeals process that could wipe his slate clean while everybody would have forgotten everything once it happened.)

nfl changes instant replay rules 2015

Well, with the season quickly approaching, these changes have gained some well-deserved attention lately. The most serious alterations—changes to the extra point and instant replay rules—will be voted on at some point this month; however, that doesn’t make the rules passed back in March any less significant.

nfl new rules stop peel back block 2015

The majority of the rules were aimed at making the game safer for defensive players. Offensive linemen are no longer allowed to “peel back” block (blocks aiming below the belt of the defense), running backs cannot chop block anywhere on the field, and intercepting players are now protected immediately following the catch via the ‘defenseless player’ rule.

Oh yeah, the NFL also cracked down on the Patriots borderline-cheating loophole from this past season, making it illegal for eligible-numbered players to report ineligible and line up outside the core of the formation. Basically, the Patriots were lining up in very confusing ways and snapping the ball before the refs or the opposing team could determine what was happening. IF it sounds like cheating, that’s because it basically is. Well, no more of that at least.

nfl changes rule on big hits in football 2015

As for the other rules, the bottom line is the NFL will no longer let big hits go. Whether it’s a block or a tackle, Roger Goodell knows that no one wants to see a hit that you can hear from your living room; so the football god himself has blessed us with more changes to the rules that will involve less hitting.

It is basically impossible to play defense well anymore. That’s probably why the Seattle Seahawks have the most penalized defense in the NFL year after year.

Let’s just hope the NFL doesn’t make any serious changes to the game come the May voting later this month…updates to come as changes are announced.

Will Montreal Canadiens Makes Game 6 Comback vs Tampa Bay Lightning: 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs

Shane Lambert
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Will Montreal Canadiens Makes Game 6 Comback vs Tampa Bay Lightning: 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs

montreal canadiens vs tampa bay lightning game 6 stanley cup images 2015

The Montreal Canadiens may be on the edge on what could be a historic comeback for their franchise in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Montreal, after trailing 0-3 in their series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, have a chance to pull even in Florida tonight (7:30pm ET). Arguably no one’s future in Montreal is more on the line than coach Michel Therrien‘s.

montreal canadiens vs tampa bay lightning game 6 stanley cup playoffs 2015

Jack Todd, writing for the Edmonton Journal earlier this week (May 11th), wrote an article on that matter. Headlined “Therrien has played his hand superbly” Todd, in reference to the current series between Montreal and Tampa Bay, claimed that Therrien “has outcoached Cooper,” the coach of the Lightning.

The opinion could be called counter-intuitive based on the fact that Tampa Bay lead the Canadiens three games to two. However Todd depicts Therrien as a coach that is doing the best with what he has and laments that the Montreal coach “Rather than get credit for what he has achieved…has a target on his back.”

michel therrien coaching career on line for canadiens stanley cup playoffs

As Todd sees it, the 2014/15 Canadiens are “offensively challenged” which appears to be the politically correct term for sucking on offense. He thinks that Therrien “deserves to be commended for a terrific season” regardless of how the rest of the series goes against Tampa Bay.

Assuming Montreal lose the series, I think Therrien could definitely get the short end of the stick. However I don’t see the problem as having to do with being “offensively challenged.”

Personally, if there is call to defend Therrien, I think it doesn’t have to do with Montreal’s offensive problems. Truthfully a team can be “offensively challenged” BECAUSE of the coach.

I still think one missed call in double overtime of game one allowed Tampa Bay to get out to the series lead. The Lightning, on a play that would lead to the game-winner, were clearly offside and the play should have been whistled dead. Called correctly, perhaps Montreal would be leading the series 3-2 right now instead of trailing by that margin (I know they still could have lost game one so don’t bother pointing that out).

In the end, the coach of the losing team will stand to be blamed because only the result, not the excuses, will count toward the franchise’s bottom line. But on the matter of results, Todd made statements that puzzled me too:

“…even if (the Canadiens) had been swept by Tampa Bay, Therrien’s job should not have been in play. Results count. Therrien gets results, period. The discussion ought to stop there.”

tampa bay lightning vs montreal canadiens game 6 2015 stanley cup playoffs

How do you say that “Results count” when evaluating a coach and then ignore, albeit hypothetically, a sweep?

Heading into Tuesday’s game, nothing is settled yet except games one to five. But historical achievements are on the line for the Canadiens and, based on how old the franchise is, that makes game six must-see hockey.

Aaron Hernandez Unable To Silence Witness Now As Indictement Drops

Adam Mcenroe
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Aaron Hernandez Unable To Silence Witness Now As Indictement Drops

Aaron Hernandez indicted for shooting alexander bradley silencing witness

Aaron Hernandez‘s saga continues as he’s once again having to prepare to get back in court after now being charged for trying to silence former right hand guy and witness, Alexander Bradley in the face and leaving him for dead, prosecutors said Monday. Like a scene out of a film noir, this silencing tactic didn’t work, and Hernandez didn’t make sure the job was completely finished. It seems that at that point in his life and football career with the New England Patriots, the man felt he was untouchable or just desperate to cover up so he could land his big payday football contract.

Hernandez was indicted Friday by a grand jury in Boston on a charge of witness intimidation, according to the office of Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley. It’s the latest criminal charge against the former star tight end, who once had a $40 million contract with the Patriots.

Hernandez’s lawyers didn’t immediately return a message seeking comment on the new charge.

The 25-year-old was convicted last month of killing Odin Lloyd, who was dating his fiancee’s sister, in June 2013. He also faces two counts of murder in Boston, where he is accused of gunning down two men in 2012 after one caused him to spill his drink at a nightclub.

The latest charge is connected to the Boston killings. The Suffolk County DA’s office said the victim of the intimidation was a witness to those killings, which happened on July 16, 2012.

“Hernandez allegedly shot him in the face on the morning of Feb. 13, 2013, and left him to die on the side of the road in Riviera Beach, Florida, after the witness made a remark about the homicides,” the office said in a news release.

The office did not identify the witness, but it is clear from several other court proceedings that it is former Hernandez friend Alexander Bradley.

alexander bradley shows how big aaron hernandez was for killing 2015

Bradley has sued Hernandez in Florida, saying that on Feb. 13, 2013, he, Hernandez and two other men went to a strip club in Miami. According to court papers, Hernandez and Bradley got into an argument at the club and then again later. Prosecutors in the Lloyd case said in a filing made during that trial that Bradley then made “disrespectful remarks” about Hernandez.

“Shortly thereafter, the car pulled over in an isolated industrial area, where Bradley was shot between the eyes. The defendant exited the car and quickly dumped Bradley’s body on the ground before fleeing the scene,” according to a filing from the Bristol district attorney’s office.

Bradley was found soon after by people who worked in the area and he survived, although he lost an eye. He refused to cooperate with police at the time and no charges were brought in Florida.

While the shooting happened in Florida, Conley’s office said Hernandez could legally be prosecuted in Massachusetts because he is accused of willfully causing injury to a witness with the intent to impede a criminal investigation in Suffolk County.

David Jaroslawicz, Bradley’s civil lawyer, said it was “totally new” to him to hear prosecutors’ allegations that Bradley witnessed the 2012 shooting and that Hernandez shot him after Bradley made a remark about the killings.

“I know nothing about it,” he said. “This is the first I heard about it, you’re telling me.”

He said he did not think it would affect Bradley’s lawsuit.

Bradley was called by prosecutors to testify in the Lloyd trial, but the judge would not allow him to discuss the Florida shooting. Instead, he told jurors about how Hernandez had said he had a difficult time trusting people, including his friends.

Hernandez, a native of Bristol, Connecticut, is serving a term of life in prison without the possibility of parole for Lloyd’s killing. The witness intimidation charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

An arraignment has not yet been scheduled for the witness intimidation charge. A hearing on the murder charges is scheduled for May 21, although Hernandez is not expected to be in court.

Novak Djokovic Back On Court For 2015 Rome Masters vs Nicolas Almagro

Jackie Warner
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Novak Djokovic Back On Court For 2015 Rome Masters vs Nicolas Almagro

novak djokovic vs nicolas almagro 2015 rome masters open

Novak Djokovic took three weeks off to power down, rest up and prepare himself mentally for the 2015 French Open, a title he hasn’t won yet. He even pulled out of the 2015 Madrid Open, seeming to open the path for Rafael Nadal to get to the finals, even though he still lost to Andy Murray.

Now the powerhouse number 1 ranked tennis star in the world, is rested, hungry and ready to chow down on his first opponent, Nicolas Almagro. Djokovic is looking to get his fourth crown here at the 2015 Rome Masters, and as smart as he’s been playing, it won’t be a surprise to anyone. At this point, it’s like sending a lamb out for the Serbians appetizer course.

Five of the world’s Top 10 players feature on Day 3 at the Foro Italico, with World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and No. 5 Tomas Berdych leading the way. Djokovic, who has never lost before the QF stage in Rome, opens his bid for a fourth crown against Nicolas Almagro, while Tomas Berdych takes on Italian wild card Matteo Donati in the night session on Centrale. David Ferrer, Stan Wawrinka and Marin Cilic also feature today.

novak djokovic back on the court again with 2015 rome masters vs nicolas almagro

• DJOKOVIC’S DOMINANCE: Djokovic is set to return to competitive action for the first time since lifting the Monte-Carlo title on April 19, a victory which saw him become the first player to win the opening three ATP Masters 1000 events of the season. The Serb, who is currently on a 17-match winning streak, has been dominant at this tournament level in recent years, winning 18 of the last 40 (45%) Masters 1000 events. He has a 29-5 career record here, winning the title in 2008 (d. Wawrinka), 2011 (d. Nadal) and 2014 (d. Nadal).

• BIG SIX TITLE FEAT: Djokovic is on a 32-match winning streak at the highest-level tournaments: Grand Slams, ATP Masters 1000s and Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. The run dates back to his title in Paris-Bercy last November:

2015 ATP Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo    d. Berdych     32-0
2015 ATP Masters 1000 Miami            d. Murray        27-0
2015 ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells    d. Federer      21-0
2015 Australian Open                         d. Murray       16-0
2014 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals    d. Federer      9-0
2014 ATP Masters 1000 Paris               d. Raonic       5-0

• ON THE RISE: Nick Kyrgios will be seeking another big-name scalp when he goes up against No. 11 seed Feliciano Lopez today. Last week in Madrid the young Aussie posted the second Top 5 win of his career, defeating Roger Federer in the 2R (l. to Isner in 3R). He became the sixth player to beat both Nadal and Federer in their first meetings after Alex Corretja, Lleyton Hewitt,Dominik Hrbaty, David Nalbandian and Vincent Spadea – Kyrgios is the first, however, to do it while Nadal and Federer are both ranked inside the Top 10. The 20-year-old climbed five places to a career-high No. 30 this week and is the youngest player ranked inside the Top 50.

DAY 3 FEDEX ATP HEAD2HEADS

CENTRALE

[8] Stan Wawrinka (SUI)            vs            Juan Monaco (ARG)

FedEx ATP Head2Head: Wawrinka leads 3-0

•    Wawrinka returns to Rome for the 11th time. He finished runner-up here in 2008, posting Top 10 wins over No. 8 James Blake and No. 6 Andy Roddick (l. to Djokovic in 3 sets).
•    Wawrinka captured the eighth and ninth titles of his career in Chennai (d.Aljaz Bedene) and Rotterdam (d. Berdych) either side of a SF appearance at the Australian Open (l. to Djokovic).
•    Wawrinka suffered early exits in both Indian Wells (l. to Haase in 2R) and Miami (l. to Mannarino in 3R) in March. He also fell to Dimitrov in both the 3R in Monte-Carlo and last week in Madrid.
•    Wawrinka hasn’t won back-to-back matches since Rotterdam in February.
•    In 2014, Wawrinka finished in the Top 10 for the second year in a row at a year-end high No. 4. He captured his first Grand Slam crown at Australian Open (d. Nadal), first ATP Masters 1000 title in Monte-Carlo (d. Federer) and won the Davis Cup with Switzerland for the first time.
•    Monaco opened his account with a 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-2 victory over Dusan Lajovic in 2h20m.
•    Monaco is making his 10th appearance at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. His best run here was a QF showing in 2009 (l. to Gonzalez).
•    Monaco advanced to his 20th ATP World Tour final in Buenos Aires in February (l. to Nadal). He also made the QF in Rio de Janeiro (l. to Ferrer) and Miami (l. to Berdych) – his first ATP Masters 1000 QF in three years.
•    Monaco opened 2015 with an 0-4 record.
•    Monaco has a 19-52 career record against Top 10 opponents. He is 1-5 against the Top 10 this year, with his lone victory coming over world No. 10Marin Cilic at Indian Wells in March.
•    In 2014, Monaco finished a season outside the Top 50 for the first time since 2006.

[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB)        vs            [PR] Nicolas Almagro (ESP)

FedEx ATP Head2Head: Djokovic leads 3-0

•    Djokovic returns to Rome for the ninth time. He has reached at least the QF here on all eight of his previous visits, winning the title in 2008 (d. Wawrinka), 2011 (d. Nadal) and 2014 (d. Nadal).
•    Djokovic is bidding for his 150th clay-court win today.
•    Djokovic’s lone clay-court outing this year came in Monte-Carlo where he became the first player to capture the opening three ATP Masters 1000 events of the season. In the Principality, the Serb closed with three consecutive Top 10 wins over Marin Cilic, Rafael Nadal and Tomas Berdych.
•    Djokovic is in on a 17-match winning streak, which also includes his title runs in Indian Wells (d. Federer) and Miami (d. Murray). His victory at Indian Wells saw him become the 11th player in the Open Era to win 50 titles, surpassing Rod Laver and coach Boris Becker, who both finished their careers on 49. He now has 52 titles to his name.
•    Djokovic has won 23 ATP Masters 1000 titles during his career, putting him level with Federer (23) and four short of Nadal (27). The trio rank in the Top 3 for titles won at this tournament level.
•    In January, Djokovic became the first man in the Open Era to win fiveAustralian Open titles, defeating Murray in the final. It was his eighth Grand Slam crown, putting him level with Agassi, Connors, Lendl, Perry and Rosewall in eighth place on the all-time list for most major titles.
•    Djokovic’s last defeat came against Federer in the Dubai final in early March. His only other loss this year came in the opening week of the season, falling to Ivo Karlovic in the Doha QF.
•    Since falling to Nadal in last year’s Roland Garros final, Djokovic has posted a 23-2 record against fellow Top 10 players. He has captured victories over eight different Top 10 players this season – has not faced Nishikori – and he leads the tour with an 11-1 record vs. Top 10 foes in 2015.
•    Djokovic has won a 6-0 set on 10 separate occasions this season. This is the third time he has won 10-more 6-0 sets in a season, after posting 13 in 2011 and 14 in 2013.
•    In 2014, Djokovic finished the season at No. 1 for the third time in four years, winning an ATP World Tour-high seven titles in eight finals. His season was highlighted by capturing a second Wimbledon crown, four ATP Masters 1000 titles and the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London.
•    Almagro kicked off his Rome campaign with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Luca Vanni.
•    Almagro is making his 10th appearance in the Italian capital and his first since 2013. He is a two-time quarter-finalist here, reaching the last eight in 2006 (l. to Federer) and 2008 (l. to Djokovic).
•    Almagro arrived in Rome after a 1R loss to Juan Monaco in Madrid. His standout performance this season was a SF appearance in Buenos Aires in late February (l. to Monaco).
•    Almagro has a 17-62 career record vs. Top 10 opponents.
•    In 2014, Almagro finished outside the Top 50 for the first time since 2005 after an injury-plagued season. He underwent left foot surgery on June 30 and missed the rest of the year.

[6] Tomas Berdych (CZE)        vs            [WC] Matteo Donati (ITA)

FedEx ATP Head2Head: First ATP World Tour meeting

•    Berdych is back at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia for the 10th time. He has reached three QFs here and one SF, with his final four run coming in 2013 (d. No. 1 Djokovic in QF; l. to Nadal).
•    Berdych has reached at least the SF at seven of his eight tournaments this season. The only exception was a QF appearance at Indian Wells (l. to Federer).
•    All eight of Berdych’s losses this season have come against Top 10 opposition.
•    Berdych arrives in Rome fresh from a SF run in Madrid last week (d. Isner in QF – saved 1 MP; l. to Nadal). This week he returned to the Top 5 in the Emirates ATP Rankings.
•    Berdych also impressed at the opening three ATP Masters 1000 events of the season, advancing to a fourth career ATP Masters 1000 final in Monte-Carlo (l. to Djokovic), the SF in Miami (l. to Murray) and the QF at Indian Wells (l. to Federer).
•    In February, Berdych advanced to the final in Rotterdam (l. to Wawrinka in 3 sets) and the SF in Dubai (l. to Djokovic in 3 sets).
•    In the opening week of the season Berdych finished runner-up in Doha (l. to Ferrer) before putting together a SF run at the Australian Open, where he defeated world No. 3 Nadal in the QF, ending a 17-match losing streak against the Spaniard (l. to Murray).
•    In 2014, Berdych finished in the Top 10 for the fifth year in a row, winning two titles – Rotterdam and Stockholm – in a career-best five finals.
•    Donati clinched his first ever tour-level win in the 1R, defeating Santiago Giraldo 2-6, 6-1, 6-4.
•    Donati had never contested an ATP World Tour match before this week.
•    Donati, who has five career Futures titles to his name, reached his first Challenger final in Napoli last month (l. to Munoz-De La Nava).
•    Donati’s idols growing up were Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.

GRANDSTAND

[9] Marin Cilic (CRO)            vs        Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP)

FedEx ATP Head2Head: Series tied 1-1

•    Cilic has made seven previous visits to Rome with his best showing a QF run in 2011 (l. to Nadal).
•    Cilic missed the first two months of the season with a right shoulder injury. He returned at Indian Wells, where he fell in his first match to Juan Monaco.
•    Since Indian Wells, Cilic has made three other appearances, falling in the QF in Monte-Carlo (l. to Djokovic), the opening round in Barcelona (l. to Estrella Burgos) and the 2R in Madrid last week (l. to Verdasco).
•    In 2014, Cilic finished a year-end best No. 9 and won more than 50 matches for the first time (54), capturing a personal-high four titles, including a first Grand Slam crown at the US Open (d. Nishikori). He was the first Croat in the year-end Top 10 since Ljubicic in 2006.
•    Garcia-Lopez is back in the Rome main draw for the fourth time. He reached the 3R here once, in 2010 (l. to Verdasco).
•    Garcia-Lopez comes in off the back of a 1R loss to Fernando Verdasco in Madrid last week.
•    Garcia-Lopez clinched his fourth career title in Zagreb in February (d. Seppi) and his fifth in Bucharest last month (d. No. 15 Monfils in SF, Vesely in F). It’s the first time he has won multiple titles in a single season.
•    Garcia-Lopez also reached the SF in Estoril (l. to Gasquet in 3rd set TB) earlier this month.
•    In 2014, Garcia-Lopez posted his second Top 40 season (also 2010), ending a four-year trophy drought by capturing the title in Casablanca (d. Granollers).

[11] Feliciano Lopez (ESP)        vs            Nick Kyrgios (AUS)

FedEx ATP Head2Head: First ATP World Tour meeting

•    Lopez is making his 12th appearance in Rome. He reached the QF here once, in 2010 (l. to Gulbis). He has fallen in his opening match here eight times, including the last three years in a row.
•    Lopez is bidding for his 100th win on clay today.
•    In February, Lopez advanced to a 12th career final in Quito (l. to Estrella Burgos in 3rd set TB).
•    Lopez’s other stand out result came at Indian Wells, where he reached the QF at an ATP Masters 1000 event for the 12th time in his career (d. No. 5 Nishikori in 4R; l. to Murray).
•    On March 2, the 33-year-old Spaniard rose to a career-high No. 12 in the Emirates ATP Rankings.
•    Lopez has failed to record back-to-back wins at his last five events.
•    In 2014, Lopez finished in the Top 15 for the first time at a year-end high No. 14, winning a personal-best 39 matches and a fourth career ATP World Tour title.
•    Kyrgios is making his debut at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.
•    Kyrgios arrives in Rome off the back of a 3R appearance in Madrid, where he saved two MPs in a 2R victory over Roger Federer before falling to John Isner. It marked the first time Federer had lost to a player aged 20-under since he fell to Juan Martin del Potro in the 2009 US Open final.
•    Kyrgios’ win over Federer was the second Top 5 win of his career, having also seen off Nadal at Wimbledon last year. Kyrgios became the fifth player aged 20-under to beat both Nadal and Federer, joining Mario Ancic, Tomas Berdych, Novak Djokovic and Del Potro. In addition, the Aussie was the sixth player to beat both Nadal and Federer in their first meetings after Alex Corretja, Lleyton Hewitt, Dominik Hrbaty, David Nalbandian and Vincent Spadea – Kyrgios is the first, however, to do it while Nadal and Federer are both ranked inside the Top 10.
•    Kyrgios reached a maiden ATP World Tour final in Estoril at the beginning of the month (d. Ramos-Viñolas, Krajinovic, Haase, Carreno Busta; l. to Gasquet). He’d been looking to become the first Australian to win on European clay since Richard Fromberg in Bucharest in 1997.
•    Prior to his run in Estoril, Kyrgios had never won a match at an ATP 250 event. His 17 match wins before Portugal had come in Grand Slams (12), Davis Cup (3) and Masters 1000 events (2).
•    At the Australian Open, Kyrgios became the first teenager to reach the QF since Andrei Cherkasov in 1990 (d. Delbonis, Karlovic, Jaziri, Seppi; l. to Murray). The last Aussie teen to reach the final eight in Melbourne was Pat Cash in 1984.
•    Kyrgios was also the first teenager to reach multiple Grand Slam QFs since Federer in 2001.
•    After his run in Melbourne, Kyrgios missed the next six weeks of competitive action due to a persistent back injury. He returned at Indian Wells where he lost to Dimitrov in a 3rd set TB.
•    Kyrgios climbed to a career-high No. 30 in the Emirates ATP Rankings on Monday.
•    In 2014, Kyrgios ended his breakthrough season as one of two teenagers (also Coric) in the Top 100, rising 134 places during the year.

Richard Gasquet (FRA)            vs            [7] David Ferrer (ESP)

FedEx ATP Head2Head: Ferrer leads 8-3

•    Gasquet opened his account on Monday, defeating Italian qualifierThomas Fabbiano 6-1, 7-6(0).
•    Gasquet returns to Rome for the eighth time. His best showings were a SF run in 2011 (d. No. 3 Federer, No. 7 Ferrer; l. to Nadal) and a QF visit in 2012 (d. No. 4 Murray in 3R; l. to Ferrer).
•    Gasquet captured the 11th and 12th ATP World Tour titles of his career earlier this year in Montpellier (d. Janowicz) and Estoril (d. Kyrgios). The victories put him tied with Simon (12) in second place on the all-time French title leaderboard, behind Yannick Noah (23).
•    In 2014, Gasquet finished inside the Top 30 for the fifth year in a row and ninth time overall with runner-up showings in Montpellier (l. to Monfils) and Eastbourne (l. to F. Lopez).
•    Ferrer is set to make his 12th appearance in Rome. He has reached at least the QF here five times, including the last four years in a row, with his best result a runner-up showing in 2010 (d. No. 5 Murray, No. 10 Tsonga, No. 9 Verdasco; l. to Nadal).
•    Ferrer has reached the QF-or-better at 11 of his last 13 ATP Masters 1000 events, including three this year in Miami (l. to Djokovic), Monte-Carlo (l. to Nadal) and Madrid (l. to Nishikori).
•    Ferrer has won three titles this year, bringing his career haul to 24. He captured the Doha title in the opening week of the season (d. Berdych), before posting back-to-back tournament wins at the ATP 500 events in Rio de Janeiro (d. Fognini) and Acapulco (d. Nishikori). He became the first player since Ivan Lendl in 1985 to win back-to-back tournaments on two different surfaces.
•    In 2014, Ferrer finished in the Top 10 for the fifth year in a row and sixth overall, reaching the QF or better 17 times, while clinching a lone title in Buenos Aires (d. Fognini).

PIETRANGELI

[Q] Andrea Arnaboldi (ITA)        vs            David Goffin (BEL)

FedEx ATP Head2Head: First ATP World Tour meeting

Sam Querrey (USA)            vs        [13] Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)

FedEx ATP Head2Head: Tsonga leads 2-1

COURT 1

Bernard Tomic (AUS)            vs            Viktor Troicki (SRB)

FedEx ATP Head2Head: Tomic leads 2-1

COURT 2

[Q] Thomaz Bellucci (BRA)        vs        [Q] Diego Schwartzman(ARG)

FedEx ATP Head2Head: Schwartzman leads 1-0

[15] Kevin Anderson (RSA)        vs        Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER)

FedEx ATP Head2Head: Anderson leads 1-0

COURT 3

Martin Klizan (SVK)            vs        [Q] Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR)

FedEx ATP Head2Head: Klizan leads 2-0

COURT 4

Marcel Granollers (ESP)        vs        [14] Roberto Bautista Agut(ESP)

Aaron Hernandez Part 2: Indicted For Shooting Alexander Bradley In Face

Jackie Warner
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Aaron Hernandez Part 2: Indicted For Shooting Alexander Bradley In Face

aaron hernandez indicted for shootin alexander bradley in face 2015

The story of Aaron Hernandez certainly wasn’t going to end after that first trial which found him guilty of murder giving him a life imprisonment sentence with no parole, now the former New England Patriots football star is facing an indictment for shooing his former right-hand guy, Alexander Bradley, in the face on February 2013. Many thought he’d get away with it, but things have quickly changed for the man who’s fortunes also changed at the drop of a hat.

Prosecutors announced an indictment Monday accusing Hernandez of shooting Bradley and leaving him to die in an industrial park near Riviera Beach, Florida. Bradley is believed to be a witness to the homicides of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado, and prosecutors say Bradley was shot by Hernandez after he made a remark about the double murder.

Hernandez was charged with one count under the state’s witness intimidation statute, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office.

Although Bradley filed a federal civil lawsuit in June 2013 against Hernandez accusing him of shooting him, criminal charges were never filed because Bradley, until recently, did not cooperate with authorities, saying initially that he did not know who shot him.

The civil lawsuit is still pending. It was initially filed in Miami just days before Odin Lloyd was gunned down on June 13, 2013.

aaron hernandez facing new indictment for shooting alexander bradley in face 2015

De Abreu and Furtado were fatally shot in a 2003 BMW outside a Boston nightclub on July 16, 2012. The deaths remained unsolved until January 2014, when a Boston grand jury indicted Hernandez for allegedly pulling the trigger. A break in the case came when an SUV sought by Boston police was found at the home of Hernandez’s cousin after Lloyd’s murder.

Hernandez, 25, faces two counts of first-degree murder, three counts of armed assault with intent to murder, and single counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm in relation to the July 2012 shooting.

Prosecutors say that earlier that evening at the nightclub, de Abreu accidentally bumped into Hernandez, spilling a drink. Court documents state that later that night, Hernandez was driving an SUV, pulled up alongside de Abreu and Furtado’s car near the nightclub and fired a .38-caliber revolver at them, killing them. Shots were also fired at three surviving victims, also in the car.

Bradley was with Hernandez at the club that night and when the shots were fired. He is expected to be a key witness against him during the pending murder trial. Bradley has never been publicly named by Suffolk County prosecutors because as a matter of policy, they don’t name surviving victims of violent crime.

Bradley testified as a prosecution witness against Hernandez in the Odin Lloyd murder trial, but he was forbidden by that trial judge from mentioning his own accusation against Hernandez. Instead, he told a jury that he saw Hernandez handle a .45 caliber pistol during that 2013 trip to Florida.

Prosecutors will file a motion to join his new charge with the De Abreu and Furtado double murder indictment, but Hernandez’s attorneys aren’t responding to any media outlets yet.

David Jaroslawicz, Bradley’s civil attorney, told news outlets he’s unaware of what Bradley might have said to Hernandez before his client was shot and questioned the decision to indict Hernandez now that the former New England Patriots tight end faces life imprisonment from the Odin Lloyd murder case.

A trial date for the double murder is expected to be set at a hearing in Boston on May 21. Hernandez is not expected to be present. An arraignment has not yet been set for this most recent charge, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.

Hernandez was found guilty of first degree murder in the death of Odin Lloyd last month. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Deflategate & Tom Brady Suspension Great For NFL

Shane Mclendon
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Deflategate & Tom Brady Suspension Great For NFL

deflate tom brady punishment great for nfl 2015

Check out all the major sports networks and you will find nothing but talk of Tom Brady’s four game suspension resulting from the Wells Report. NFL.com’s homepage has nine headlines, five of which involve Deflategate. Last night on ESPN, they posted tweets from athletes commenting on Brady’s punishment and had seemingly every ESPN employee call in with their take. This story is not going away anytime soon folks. The more ridiculous it gets, the more momentum it seems to gather.

There are some commentators out there who are saying this is a black eye for the league, having one of its biggest stars outed (see “generally aware of cheating, probably”) as a cheater. Still other high and mighty analysts point to the “rule of law” and how no player can be above the so called integrity of the game. These people make me especially nauseous. Athletes have been looking for tiny edges ever since competition began. Football is an imperfect sport, played by imperfect people, in one of the most competitive environments on Earth. There have always been cheaters and always will be. It’s just harder to cover up even minor things like deflating a football in 2015 with cameras everywhere, everyone’s thoughts laid out in text messages to be later reviewed, and the collective mind of the internet asking tough questions after every single tiny controversy.

I for one am sick of talking about Deflategate. But it will not go away. I knew punishment was coming for Brady, so the reaction was bound to be all over the TV, radio, and web. I also knew he would be appealing, so this punishment phase is just getting started. No way Tom Brady acted innocent all this time since the AFC Title Game and was going to confess all he knew once the NFL came down on him with a four game benching, a million bucks fine to his franchise, and the loss of two draft picks over the next couple years. I had to sit through endless discussion yesterday on the NFL Network as they broke down the games that Brady would miss. We don’t even know he will miss those games yet! Everyone is already hyping up the “revenge” game against the Colts, which would be the first game back for Tom Brady if this suspension holds up. The NFL is loving this stuff.

I have to admit that it’s a big deal if Tom Brady has to sit out four games next year. The million dollar fine is chump change to Robert Kraft, but the first round pick they lose in 2016 is a significant loss. I have to believe that Brady’s suspension will at the very least be reduced. The Patriots won’t get out of their overall penalties since their equipment guys failed to use the Tony Soprano method of face to face communications instead of texting.

Yesterday’s news overshadowed everything else in sports including some good NBA playoff series. The NFL already dominates all other major sports in TV ratings and popularity. Now it seems there will always be an offseason story to take even more eyes off of baseball, basketball, hockey, and racing. With reporters on every corner, picking up on tiny details of every story angle, the NFL can stay in the forefront of the news cycle whenever they want.

Controversies like Tom Brady allegedly orchestrating some shady football tampering isn’t like having Ray Lewis accused of stabbing two dudes, or Aaron Hernandez whacking an acquaintance to cover up other possible murders. The Deflategate controversy really hurts no one but those naive people who still believe in some fictional holy sports world. Deflategate is just boys being boys and goes along with the old “ain’t cheating, ain’t trying” adage.

tom brady suspended four games after deflategate findings 2015

By the way, Tom Brady’s punishment of four games missed is four more than the NFL levied at Ray Lewis after he made a deal to get out of his double murder charge. “Probably” telling some equipment guys to lower the psi of some footballs hurts the integrity of the game, but “probably” (allegedly) being involved in a double murder doesn’t harm the Shield I guess.

As this story continues to unfold, more and more minute details will come out as we all pick apart the Wells Report. Now there is some buzz about the two different air gauges used to test the footballs during the Colts game. If the same gauge wasn’t used to test the balls initially as the one to test them at halftime of that game, then that’s a big deal.

I can’t wait to hear all the comments today as more “enlightened” people let their thoughts leak out to the world. There were a few hypocrites clowning the Patriots last night as the news broke. Darnell Dockett weighed in with this tweet, “You have to the love the patriots. They do anything to win a Super Bowl. #mytypeofteam”. This is the same guy who wrenched the leg of an opposing running back in college at the bottom of a pile, causing the back to miss games. Anything to win, right Darnell?

If you are tired of Deflategate, you best stay away from all sports media for a while. It is here to stay for the foreseeable future. Until something more interesting comes along to grab the sports world’s attention, this is what we have to look forward to now. People were sick of Tim Tebow news back when ESPN was ramming his story down our collective throats a couple years ago. But the headlines just kept coming. Deflategate is the same situation. The NFL loves the attention, fans are interested (to a point), and the 24 hour sports channels need content to fill up the airwaves. Look for some form of controversy after next year’s Super Bowl. If you dig deep enough you can find a juicy story, and with all the mileage the NFL has gotten from Deflategate you can bet this is going to be a yearly phenomenon in one form or another.

Real Madrid vs Juventus Semi-finals: 2015 Champions League Preview

Luka Alario
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Real Madrid vs Juventus Semi-finals: 2015 Champions League Preview

real madrid vs juventus semis champions league 2015 images

The Champions League competition may be Real Madrid’s last shot at a silverware this season as Barcelona have extended the lead at the top of the Spanish league table by four points.

The Champions League holders drew against Valencia on Saturday, allowing the league leaders Barcelona to relax with only two games remaining in the end of this La Liga campaign. But Carlo Ancelotti’s men can still around their season with a win against the Italian champions on Wednesday. Last week, Los Blancos were defeated by Juventus in Turin. The Old Lady will travel to the Santiago Bernabeu with a 2 – 1 advantage. Yet, the reigning European champions netted an important away goal in the first leg and it could prove to be a very crucial factor after the second leg.

real madrid vs juventus champions league semi finals 2015

No team in Europe has ever retained the Champions League and it won’t be a big surprise if the ten-time winners break this long standing record. The Real Madrid boss claimed that his side can genuinely advance to the final in Berlin

“We feel good and if we play like this on Wednesday then everything will go well,” the Italian said in the post-match conference after the 2 – 2 draw against Valencia.

Dani Carvajal has conceded that Real Madrid won’t be able to win the league title as Barcelona losing both their remaining matches seems quite unpractical. The defender has claimed that the match against the Italian giants would be to prove a point.

“Our reputation is on the line against Juve and the crowd will be spectacular and will be our 12th man,” he said.

champions league juventus vs real madrid 2015 images

“We put in a shift for the full 90 minutes against Valencia. We ran, fought, and if you don’t put it in, it ends up taking its toll, but on Wednesday we’re going to go all out. The crowd got behind us and didn’t givein at any point.”

It is Juventus’ first semi-final since 2003 and they might go all the way as they are a very balanced side. Prior to the clash in Spain, Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri said: “I won’t know my starting line-up right until the last minute.

“We know it will be a very difficult game in Madrid and a different one entirely, a more attacking affair. We passed up four or five decent chances in the first leg. We’ll have to put them away at the Bernabeu if we want to go through.”

Juventus’ star midfielder made his comeback after being sidelined for a course of two months. In the 1 – 1 draw against Cagliari at the weekend, the France International scored a beautiful goal. One of the most sought after players in the world, Pogba can make a huge difference in the match at Bernabeu.

Pogba concluded: “We know it’s going to be really difficult. They’re used to playing in semi-finals and they won the competition last year.

“They’re playing at home so it’s going to be even harder for us. But we want to win and we’ll do everything we can to pull it off.”

cristiano ronaldo over 300 goals real madrid vs juventus champions league 2015

Alongside Barcelona, Real Madrid are also scouting Pogba. Hence Fiorentino Perez might keep a close eye on his performance to convince himself of the quality of the player.

2015 Stanley Cup Betting Odds: Anaheim Ducks & Chicago Blackhawks Continue As Top Favorites

Shane Lambert
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2015 Stanley Cup Betting Odds: Anaheim Ducks & Chicago Blackhawks Continue As Top Favorites

Monday night May 11th is an off-night in the NHL as the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs have no games featured. A big reason for that is that there are only six teams left in the hunt for the championship. Those teams, along with their betting odds to win the Cup outright, are listed below.

Chicago Blackhawks, +240 (12/5), bet365
Anaheim Ducks, +240 (12/5), bet365
New York Rangers, +600 (6/1), Paddy Power
Tampa Bay Lightning, +600 (6/1), Betway
Washington Capitals, +1000 (10/1), BetVictor
Montreal Canadiens, +1000 (10/1), BetFred

Chicago and Anaheim will meet in the 2015 Western Conference finals and the two teams are considered evenly matched. BetVictor, for example, have both teams priced at -110 (10/11) to win their upcoming series, one that Anaheim will hold home-ice advantage for. Not surprisingly, in the outright winner’s market for the Cup, both teams are similarly priced as well, as per the odds above.

Over in the Eastern Conference things are much more complicated as of Monday night. The Rangers, Lightning, Capitals, and Canadiens are all still in the mix although one of those four teams could be out as of Tuesday night.

The Canadiens, although they are that team, have shown some resilience in the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs. After falling behind 0-3 against Tampa Bay, Montreal have made some gains.

anaheim ducks vs chicago blackhawks stanley cup betting odds 2015

Heading into game six on Tuesday night, the Canadiens are down 2-3 in the series and they will be looking to pull even. However, playing on the road, they are considered underdogs in game six as the Lightning are priced at -160 (5/8; bet365) to win straight up. Should Tampa Bay lose game six they may just crumble when they head back to the Bell Centre so perhaps all is riding on Tuesday night’s game.

With New York and Washington, the series is on the verge of being decided. The two teams will meet on Wednesday night in a game from Madison Square Garden that will decide the series. In the case of the Rangers, they have home-ice advantage heading into game seven. Furthermore, they would have home-ice advantage in the Eastern Conference finals as well.

Should New York survive Washington on Wednesday then they may very well become the new Stanley Cup favorites. At this point in the betting market for the Cup, perhaps someone looking to back Anaheim or Chicago should only do so if they believe Washington will defeat the Rangers.

If you think the Rangers are going to win game seven over the Caps then you might expect longer odds on Anaheim and Chicago later in the week.

Recommendation at this point: take Anaheim, who are 8-1 in the post-season, to win the western conference finals.

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