In today’s SportSense Entertainment Newsletter…

Additional Model Predictions ⬇️

NBA 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 0-0-1 overall, and you can see how the rest of the model performed below.

Money Line Predictions: 5-1

Over/Under Predictions: 3-2-1

Spread Predictions: 3-2-1

Featured Matchup: 0-0-1

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

Florida Panthers @ Pittsburgh Penguins

Model Predicts- Panthers ML, UNDER 6, Penguins +1.5

The Florida Panther will begin a three-game road trip on Wednesday, with the first stop coming in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to take on the Penguins.

Florida enters tonight’s battle in the midst of a two-game win streak, picking up consecutive victories over the Capitals and Avalanche. Those wins pushed the Panthers’ record to 33-15-4, while the Penguins sits in seventh place in the Metropolitan division with a 23-19-7 record.

Our model makes the Panthers a slight favorite in tonight’s matchup, but we are more focused on the total here. Let’s dive into why that.

Florida Panthers

• Enter tonight on two-game win streak

  • Wins over Capitals and Avalanche

  • +6 goal differential in that time

• Boast one of best defensive units in NHL

  • Rank second in xGA/60 in 5-on-5 situations (2.25)

  • Allowing 1.33 goals per game since All-Star break

• Expected goalie- Sergei Bobrovsky

  • .923 Save % in 5-on-5 situations. Ranks 12th in Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx) with +10.1

Pittsburgh Penguins

• Enter tonight on two-game losing streak

  • Losses to Wild and Jets

  • Allowing just 2.5 goals per game in that stretch

• Strong defense all around

  • Own 2.20 GA/60 in 5-on-5 (7th best in NHL)

  • Top-10 penalty kill. Have surrendered three goals or less in ten of last 12 games

• Expected goalie- Tristan Jarry

  • .924 Save % in 5-on-5. Ranks 8th in GSAx (+12.0)

What’s the Play?

Los scoring games have been a common theme for both Florida and Pittsburgh this season, and we agree with our model that this is another prime spot for an under.

Pittsburgh’s solid defense and mediocre scoring attack, one that ranks 24th in goals per game and 30th in power play success, has resulted in ten of the last 12 games seeing a total of five goals or less. Florida is better than Pittsburgh on both ends of the ice, but the same trend remains, with the Panthers seeing a total under six goals in five of their seven games.

Bobrovsky and Jarry are each great options in net as well, with each allowing two goals or fewer in three consecutive appearances, including each goaltender posting a shutout in that stretch. We’ll back the low scoring trend to continue here.

The Play: Under 6 (-115)

Money Line Trends 💰

• Florida Panthers- 33-15-4 overall this season, 17-7-2 as the away team

• Minnesota Wild- 24-23-5 overall this season, 3-0 in last three games

Over/Under Trends ⬆️⬇️

• Florida Panthers- Under is 32-18-2 this season with average total of 5.73

• Pittsburgh Penguins- Under is 29-17-3 this season with average total of 5.61

Puck Line Trends ➕➖

• Winnipeg Jets- Puck line is 27-23 this season

• Arizona Coyotes- Puck line is 28-23 this season

😬 Reilly handed five-game suspension for cross-check. Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly has received a five-game suspension for cross-checking Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig, according to the NHL's Department of Player Safety. Unless there is an appeal, Rielly will be able to return to play on February 22 against the Vegas Golden Knights, marking his first career suspension. The incident occurred during the closing moments of Toronto's 5-3 defeat to the Senators, when Rielly cross-checked Greig after the rookie scored an empty-net goal to conclude the game.

💪 McDavid records six assists in win over Detroit. Connor McDavid orchestrated a dominant performance, notching a career-high six assists to propel the Edmonton Oilers to an 8-4 victory over the Detroit Red Wings, securing their eighth consecutive home win. Despite McDavid's remarkable feat, he remained humble, crediting his teammates for their role in the victory. The Oilers' win puts them within reach of tying their franchise record for consecutive home victories, with their next home game scheduled against the Boston Bruins on February 21st.

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- What team blew a 3-1 series lead to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2015-16 NBA Finals?

Question #2- Three quarterbacks were selected with the top-seven picks in the 2018 NFL Draft: Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and who else?

Question #3- Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley were both traded from the Phillies to what MLB team in 2014/15?

Anyone know what has happened on February 14th throughout history? We didn’t have a clue either, but it appears that it has been a busy day.

On February 14th…

1995- The Portland Trail Blazers trade Clyde Drexler to the Houston Rockets. Tracy Murray joined Drexler in Houston, while Portland received Otis Thorpe, Marcelo Nicola, and a first round pick in return. Drexler would be the key piece to helping the Rockets win their second consecutive NBA title just a few months later.

2010- The 59th NBA All-Star Game is held in Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference in a tight matchup, winning by a final score of 141-139. Dwyane Wade, who recorded 28 points and 11 assists, was named MVP.

2019- Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook records a triple-double for an 11th straight game. The performance set a new NBA record, and came after Westbrook put up 44 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists. Despite the record setting game, the Thunder still suffered a 131-122 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.

1. Golden State Warriors

2. Josh Allen

3. Los Angeles Dodgers