Best bets on the Tube

For three years now, coach Dave Tippett has kept the Phoenix Coyotes together when they had every off-ice reason to fall apart. When they struggled to fill their rink, when the NHL franchise seemed headed to Winnipeg, Tippett and his players kept improving and winning. Even when stuck in a 0-3 hole in the Western Conference finals against an opponent seemingly touched by playoff destiny, Tippett and the Coyotes aren’t folding against maybe their longest odds yet. Tippett figures if the Coyotes can win an early-starting Game 4 today ( noon on NBC), they’ll head home to the desert with real momentum. – Associated Press