Some quick fiddling around on an Excel spreadsheet reveals that 1,008 plus 1,008 equals 2,016, which according to an online mathematics tutorial posted by Khan Academy means that 2,016 is an even number. You dont think that matters? Try telling teams vanquished by the likes of Cody Ross, Travis Ishikawa and now Conor Gillaspie that the San Francisco Giants dont possess even-year, postseason magic.Chicago Cubs fans take solace, however. While the Giants have been the most reliable even-year underdogs since the Continental Army in 1776, 1778, 1780, etc., theyve never faced a team this good. In fact, of the 11 straight postseason series San Francisco has won, only three of those victories came against teams with more than 91 regular-season wins. None of them came close to winning 103 games, as the Cubs did this year. Further, normalizing their run differential and removing their (negative) cluster luck, suggests the Cubs played at a talent level during the regular season in excess of 110 wins.As the Mets can attest, when San Francisco has Madison Bumgarner on the mound, it doesnt matter how good the opposition is, but the Giants will have Bumgarners services for only one game in this series. The Cubs knew for many weeks theyd be the top seed in the National League and so their rotation is optimized and rested.With six different series analyzed the past four days, rest isnt something our team of baseball handicappers are familiar with. They end the division series betting previews with their take on the series with the heaviest odds so far. Joe Peta, Dave Tuley and Andrew Lange all explain how theyre valuing a prohibitive favorite. Tyler Toffoli Jersey . Jordan Lynch, the all-purpose Heisman Trophy finalist from Northern Illinois, failed to make it into that exclusive club. Anze Kopitar Jersey . After Martin Skrtel put the Reds in front from close range at Stamford Bridge after only four minutes, Hazard hit back in the 17th with a superb strike. Etoo gave Jose Mourinhos team a decisive lead from Oscars back pass in the 34th. http://www.kingsauthentic.com/authentic-kurtis-macdermid-kings-jersey/ . "Were just throwing s--- at the wall hoping something sticks," said Tortorella about the possible line combinations for Fridays game against Columbus. The Canucks have lost five straight games and six of their last seven, leaving them in a logjam in the Pacific Division, currently sitting fifth - good for ninth in the Western Conference. Wayne Gretzky Jersey .1 million pounds ($61.2 million) on Saturday, giving the beleaguered English Premier League champions a major lift. Rogie Vachon Jersey . The head of USA Boxing came out swinging Tuesday with an open letter to Tyson -- a former Olympic hopeful himself -- that accuses the former heavyweight champion of trying to poach fighters who might be candidates for the U. NEW YORK -- There may not be a team in the NHL that needs a win more than the New York Islanders. A desperate Islanders team is going to meet an angry but wounded opponent Friday night, when the Pittsburgh Penguins travel to Barclays Center for the second meeting this season between the Metropolitan Division rivals.The Islanders (5-8-3), who reached the second round of the playoffs last spring for the first time since 1993, will enter Friday with the fewest points in the Eastern Conference. New York has lost three straight (0-2-1) and six of seven (1-3-3) this month.In the Islanders most recent game, a 4-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, a rapidly emptying crowd of 12,498 chanted for the firing of head coach Jack Capuano, who appeared to be making a case to stay by using some variation of its on me three times during his postgame press conference.I have to find the right combinations for us to find some offense, said Capuano, whose team is 2-8-3 when scoring three goals or fewer. Weve been able to do it in the past. I have faith in myself and our coaching staff to figure it out. But we have to find a way to get some offense.Capuano tinkered with the top line during practice Thursday, when center and captain John Tavares was flanked by Ryan Strome and Josh Bailey. Tavares has a team-high five goals this season while Strome and Bailey have scored twice apiece.The new-look Islanders will get quite a challenge Friday against the defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins (10-4-2), who suffered their worst loss in almost six years in falling to the Washington Capitals, 7-1, on Wednesday.We were embarrassed out there tonight, all of us, Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said Wednessday night.dddddddddddd. Its humbling when you go through it. My hope is that we learn from it and make sure it doesnt happen again.Pittsburgh last lost by at least six goals on Feb. 2, 2011, when the Islanders routed the Penguins 9-3 at Nassau Coliseum.Our team as a group tonight, we werent ready to play, Sullivan said. And we can search for solutions tactically, but sometimes this game is more about will than it is about skill.Not only did the Penguins lose the game, but they potentially lost two key forwards for Fridays game.Rugged wingers Patric Hornqvist and Chris Kunitz could both miss the game. Both are day-to-day, with Hornqvist dealing with a concussion and Kunitz dealing with a lower-body injury. Their availability wont be determined until Fridays morning skate.The Penguins also waived Tom Sestito on Wednesday in order to give themselves flexibility should they need to make a call-up or two on Friday afternoon.The Islanders have had an uncanny knack this month for running into teams coming off lopsided losses. Of New Yorks six losses in November, five have come against a team that lost its preceding game by more than two goals.Im sure theyll be well-prepared no matter what the circumstance, Tavares told Newsday following practice on Thursday.The Penguins won the first game of the season between the teams on Oct. 27, when they beat the Islander 4-2 at PPG Paints Arena. The game Friday marks the first of two trips to Barclays Center this month for Pittsburgh, which visits again Nov. 30. The season series concludes March 24 in Pittsburgh. ' ' '