Boston fightback fails in overtime

It was certainly a late one last night as I stayed up to watch the Stanley Cup quarter final (or Eastern Conference semi final if you prefer!) deciding game between Boston and Carolina which didnt finish until something like 4.30am.
If you remember I'd backed the Bruins at 33/1 each way so another couple of series wins would pay the place part of the bet though I had tbh written them off somewhat when they went 3-1 down.
A couple of wins later though and optimism was renewed at 3-3 though it was always going to be a tough decider as the Hurricanes were not backing down and so it proved, going all the way to extra time before a rather soft rebound off netminder Tim Thomas left Scotty Walker to poach the winner for Carolina from close range.
It was unfortunate for Thomas who had been one of the stars of the season for Boston but also for me as my potential four figure winnings (had the ante post been landed) likewise disappeared into the abyss.
That said, I didnt really feel they looked like potential champions here with their attacking play perhaps lacking a bit of real top quality, too many pucks being fired rather predictably straight at the solid Cam Ward. Boston had looked very good around Christmas time building up a considerable buffer to land the Eastern Conference but perhaps peaked a couple of months too soon in retrospect.
Also looking back on the ice hockey betting for the season makes rather painful viewing and although I should really clip it from the roster, I have learned some lessons this time around and might give it a limited bash again next year depending on how the other sports are performing.
Russia did at least land the IIHF World Championship last Sunday to scoop my ante post bet of 9/4 with a 2-1 win over Canada but that event too recorded overall losses.
None of the World Pool Masters first round bets proved very auspicious either as Tony Drago disposed of an out of sorts Nils Feijen to scupper my double and then Fu Jian-Bo lost 8-7 in a decider to favourite Mikka Immonen. The event was eventually won by Brit Darren Appleton, a 9/1 outright shot, who defeated Holland's Nick Van Den Berg 8-4 in the final. There were perhaps luckily no prices available from the second round onwards as the compiler most likely had the weekend off thankfully!
Yet more woe came about when Mayo failed to overturn the -16 handicap deficit at New York in the gaelic football - in fact they trailed by four points to nil early doors - but despite eventually gaining an 11 pt lead at half time they eased off somewhat in the second period and the final margin was just 15. Hats off to the handicapper at Paddies, though he did later change it to -18 in line with most of the others!
It wasnt all doom and gloom though. The World Series of Snooker Grand Finale at Portugal turned in a profit, despite Graeme Dott losing 5-4 to Shaun Murphy in the semi finals when I'd backed him at 9/1 in the outright. I still plundered a few quid by supporting Higgins to beat Maguire at 5/6 in the semi (he won 5-3) and having seen that rather scrappy affair I also went in on Murphy to win the final at 11/10 which he did 6-2.
The new season of World Series starts just a week later in Killarney on Saturday with Murphy and Higgins again the main protagonists on paper though you wonder if they might have put their cues away for a week after a hectic schedule and also if Ken Doherty might have made an extra effort for this in his home country, though his recent form is hardly inspiring, losing to the 14-year-old whizz-kid Luca Brecel in Portugal last weekend.
The cricket bets also produced some dividends as I managed three out of three in the Friends Provident Trophy, Gloucestershire to beat Durham at 10/11, Sussex to do the same at 11/10 and Essex to defeat Glamorgan at 4/7 who all obliged.
Gloucestershire, a 33/1 outright pick, look set to qualify for the quarter finals as I speak, as they top their group with Yorkshire my other candidates vying for second place with Sussex at present.
Kent my Division 2 County Championship picks at 9/4 have also sprung to life in the last few weeks with an amazing win over Essex after being forced to follow-on and then making short work of Glamorgan to move into second place in the table with a game in hand.
I'll be having a look at the Twenty Twenty prices this week with that competition just around the corner, hopefully the weather will pick up as I have tickets for all Derbyshire's group games.
On the greyhound front, the majority of my remaining Derby picks made it through although I'm still far from confident in my portfolio there, I do think the Irish Derby at Shelbourne is a bit more of a fairer test for all types of dog as often the one in front at the first bend will go on to win at the Don if its a good un, which isnt really the type of race that tickles my fancy too much.
Speaking of Shelbourne, I have Faypoint Man at 7/1 and Skywalker Queen at 10/1 into the final of the Oran Majestic Classic and in the Ladbrokes 600, all my four made it into the semi finals though College Causeway and Dundrum Minor go head to head from adjoining stalls in one of them which isnt ideal, with my other contenders being Mid West Blue and Skywalker Night.
Finally, its ironic that betting was once considered one of the roots of all evil, yet perhaps now its becoming quite respectable when we see some of the supposed bastions of Parliament allegedly resorting to all kinds of skulduggery when compiling their expense forms. They're not the only ones of course, what with banks out for all they can get when you go a smidgeon overdrawn on one account for the odd day when they can see you have ample amounts in other ones which they themselves have recommended to you, parking fees springing up everywhere you care to look, insurance companies bumping up premiums until you show them you can get it cheaper elsewhere, speed traps designed to make money rather than the ultimate goal of safety, long hours for small wages, its all a bit depressing and cynical for me.
At least in our game its all upfront, you strike a bargain on the table and each side is happy before the off, no need for any shenanigans to try and increase your lot afterwards, hold on a minute though I'm forgetting Betfair and the premium charge arent I lol. I've honestly never heard anything quite so ridiculous as winning a string of straight bets and then being told to pay some of it back as you've won too much, I think that one still takes the biscuit! OK maybe traders are a different kettle of fish I'll concede.
Anyhow thats all for now, hope you didnt mind my Victor Meldrew moment there at the end (or has everyone forgotten who he is now lol!)
See you soon
Rick