In today’s SportSense Entertainment Newsletter…

Additional Model Predictions ⬇️

NBA Model Predictions- Click Here

MLB Model Predictions- Click Here

There were plenty of model predictions to go around yesterday across the NBA, with our model focusing in on one of those predictions in our Featured Matchup. That prediction went 0-1 overall, and you can see how the rest of the model performed below.

Money Line Predictions: 4-0

Over/Under Predictions: 2-2

Spread Predictions: 1-3

Featured Matchup: 0-1

Four NHL games are scheduled to take place today. Our model’s predictions for all four matchups can be found below.

Washington Capitals @ New York Rangers

Model Predicts- Rangers ML, UNDER 5.5, Capitals +1.5

The Washington Capitals will make the journey north to the Big Apple on Sunday, officially marking the start of a best-of-seven series with the New York Rangers.

Washington enters the postseason off an 82-game regular season that saw the Capitals post a 40-31-11 record and 91 points. That performance was good enough for fourth place in the Metropolitan division, while the Rangers won the Metro with a 55-23-4 record and 114 points, the most of any team in the NHL.

The talent gap between these two teams is much wider than our model is signaling, but if there is one thing we agree with our model on, it’s that goals will be tough to come by in this game. Let’s take a look at why that is.

Washington Capitals

• Ended regular season hot, but still have plenty of concerns

  • Went 3-0 in last three games- wins over Flyers, Bruins, and Lightning

  • Still owned -37 goal differential for season despite playoff appearance- ranked 27th in NHL

• Offensive issues will hinder team from making cup run

  • Ranked 29th in GF/60 in 5-on-5 situations (2.12)

  • Put no pressure on net- 30th in shots on goal per game (26.5), 23rd in high-danger chances per 60 minutes (HDCF/60) in 5-on-5

• Expected goalie- Charlie Lindgren

  • .918 Save % in 5-on-5 situations. Ranks 16th in Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx) with +10.5

New York Rangers

• Ended regular season on high note

  • Took down Islanders and Senators in final two games

  • 7-3 record and +6 goal differential in final 10 games

• Surface-level numbers on offense are good, but advanced metrics are worrisome

  • Rank 7th in goals scored, 12th in shots on goal, 3rd best power play

  • Struggled in 5-on-5 situations- Ranked 20th in xGF/60 (2.52), 17th in HDCF/60 ( 10.97)

• Expected goalie- Igor Shesterkin

  • .918 Save % in 5-on-5. Ranks 11th in GSAx (+12.1)

What’s the Play?

Once again, our model may be giving Washington a little too much credit, but we do agree with our model that this is likely to be a low-scoring game.

Washington is easily the most offensively challenged team in the postseason, and one could make the argument that the Capitals’ scoring attack is a bottom three group in the NHL. However, New York isn’t the strongest offense either, and oftentimes relied on the power play to generate goals, as evidenced by the team’s 19th ranking in total goals scored in 5-on-5 situations.

Additionally, both Washington and New York have solid options in net with Lindgren and Shesterkin and can step things up defensively, a big reason why three of four games in this season series saw five goals or fewer and only 4.50 goals per game. We’ll back those trends to continue this afternoon and take the under.

The Play: Under 5.5 (-120)

Money Line Trends 💰

• Winnipeg Jets- 52-24-6 this season, 27-11-3 as the home team

• Vancouver Canucks- 50-23-9 this season, 27-9-5 as the home team

Over/Under Trends ⬆️⬇️

• Washington Capitals- Under is 42-34-6 this season with average total of 5.82

• New York Rangers- Under is 3-1 in season series with Washington with average total of 4.50

Puck Line Trends ➕➖

• Tampa Bay Lightning- Puck line is 43-39 this season

💪 Hurricanes take down Islanders in Game 1. The Stanley Cup favorite Carolina Hurricanes took home the victory in Game 1, defending home ice to begin the series. Stefan Noesen scored early in the third period to break the tie and give the Carolina Hurricanes a 2-1 lead, and Martin Necas added an empty-net goal late in the game to extend the lead to 3-1. The Hurricanes, led by Frederik Andersen's 34 saves, held off the Islanders' pressure, and will now look to take a 2-0 series lead on Monday night.

🙌 Bruins take 1-0 series lead over Maple Leafs. The Boston Bruins defended home ice on Saturday night, taking down an Atlantic Division rival, the Toronto Maple Leafs, to take a 1-0 series lead. Boston beat Toronto by a score of 5-1, despite being out-shot 36-24 by the Leafs. Game 2 will be played on Monday night in Boston, a game in which the Bruins are once again favored in.

Today’s trivia requires you to dig into multiple pockets of your brain, testing your knowledge of recent events as well as those that happened decades ago.

See how many of the below questions you can get correct. Answers are provided at the end of the newsletter.

Question #1- Who was the first NBA player to have a signature shoe created, which was made by PUMA in the 1970s?

Question #2- What pitcher led the MLB in wins (21) and ERA (1.77) during the 2014 season?

Question #3- Former New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman was a quarterback at university prior to switching positions in the NFL?

Anyone know what has happened on April 21st throughout history? We didn’t have a clue either, but it appears that it has been a busy day.

On April 21st…

2001- Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick is selected with the No.1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Vick was selected by the Atlanta Falcons, a result of recording 4,495 total yards and 38 touchdowns in his collegiate career. Vick would play in the NFL until 2015, suiting up for the Eagles, Jets, and Steelers in addition to the Falcons.

2012- Chicago White Sox pitcher Philip Humber throws a perfect game against the Seattle Mariners. Humber struck out nine batters in the game, helping lower his ERA to 0.63 and give him his first win of the season. It was the 21st perfect game in MLB history, and the third thrown by a White Sox pitcher.

2018- Oakland Athletics pitcher Sean Manaea throws a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox. It was the first no-hitter for Manaea in his career, and it was the first throw against the Red Sox in 25 years. Manaea recorded all 28 outs in 108 pitches, striking out 10 batters and walking two along the way.

1. Walt Frazier

2. Clayton Kershaw

3. Kent State