Bodog Beat

Anaheim's Scott Niedermayer will look to hoist the Stanley Cup in NHL playoff action tonight. (AP Images)

Scott Niedermayer chooses his words carefully and saves them for the most opportune times.

He's not flashy, not rugged – despite the full, bushy playoff beard that covers his face – and not one to stand up in front of his teammates to issue a Knute Rockne-type speech. But sometimes he has a message, and when it's time to deliver it, he expresses it in the same efficient manner in which he plays.

At no time was this more evident than during the second intermission of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals. The Anaheim Ducks were tied 2-2 with the Ottawa Senators and they were angry. Just as the middle period ended, Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson faked a shot from center ice, and then ripped a slap shot right at Niedermayer, his counterpart.

Niedermayer was mad, and a full scrum formed near the benches. A volatile situation was diffused, and the Norris Trophy finalist made certain of that in the Ducks dressing room during the break.

Anaheim held a 2-1 lead in the series and had a chance to take a commanding edge if they could just come out ahead in the third period. That was where Niedermayer wanted his team's focus to be, not in seeking retribution.

Dustin Penner scored the only goal of the third period, and now the Ducks are a win away from their first Stanley Cup championship. They can secure it with a home win tonight.

Some Betting Trends to Consider:

• Ottawa is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games on the road
• Ottawa is 12-5 SU in its last 17 games
• The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Ottawa's last 9 games when playing on the road against Anaheim
• Ottawa is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
• Anaheim is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
• Anaheim is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
• Anaheim is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Ottawa
• The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Anaheim's last 9 games when playing at home against Ottawa

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