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Canucks aim for playoff berth in AnaheimHockey Betting Lines04/02/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Though the Ducks have been playing playoff-caliber hockey over the last few weeks, it is the Canucks who again have a chance to lock up a postseason berth tonight. Vancouver will try to halt a four-game road losing streak this evening against an Anaheim squad that has won its last five games at the Honda Center. The Canucks actually had a chance last night to claim their second straight trip to the postseason, but they were instead routed by the hosting Kings, 8-3. Vancouver can still get in this evening with a point in this game or any type of loss by ninth-place Calgary, which visits Colorado tonight. The Avalanche trail the Canucks by seven points for first place in the Northwest Division. Kyle Wellwood scored a pair of goals and Ryan Kesler also tallied for the Canucks, who have lost four of their last six. "It definitely wasn't one of our best performances of the year," Canucks coach Alain Vigneault said. "At the same time, we had quite a few players that didn't have a very good game and the score obviously indicated that." Already without 30-goal scorer Mikael Samuelsson (shoulder) and defenseman Shane O'Brien (disciplinary), Daniel Sedin missed the contest due to back spasms and Alex Burrows left early after getting hit in the throat by the puck. Samuelsson, Sedin and Burrows have combined for 89 goals and 193 points this season. Samuelsson might return this weekend after sitting out the last seven games, while Sedin and Burrows' status for tonight is unknown. Henrik Sedin had an assist last night to up his NHL-leading points total to 105, but Roberto Luongo allowed all eight goals on 29 shots. Vancouver could go with Andrew Raycroft tonight after deciding not to use him in relief Thursday. Raycroft is 3-1-0 with a 3.39 goals-against average and .880 save percentage lifetime versus Anaheim, splitting two starts against the club this season. The Ducks picked up their third straight win on Wednesday and helped the Canucks out in the process by handing the Avalanche a 5-2 defeat. Jason Blake matched a club record with five points on a goal and career-high four assists, while Teemu Selanne netted the 601st goal of his career to match Jari Kurri for 17th on the all-time list and for the most scored in the NHL by a Finnish skater. "It's a big honor," Selanne said of tying Kurri. "When I was young I would have never expected this. He was my idol." Saku Koivu registered a goal and three assists and both Steve Eminger and Scott Niedermayer scored for the Ducks, who have also won seven of their last nine games to go along with their home winning streak and are 24-11-3 as the host this season. Despite Anaheim's recent run, it is seven points back of the eighth-place Avalanche in the West with six games to play. Curtis McElhinney made 27 saves in the win, as Jonas Hiller missed his second game in a row with back spasms. Hiller is questionable for tonight, meaning McElhinney should make his first ever start versus Vancouver. Ryan Getzlaf, the team leader with 50 assists, is also likely to miss his fourth game in a row with a sprained left ankle. The Ducks won their first two meetings with the Canucks this year by a 10-4 margin, stretching their series winning streak to four games, before a 4-1 setback at Vancouver on March 24. Anaheim has still won two straight and four of its last six at home over Vancouver.
<< Flames visit Avs for important West battle
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - If the Avalanche want to strengthen their hold on the Western Conference's final playoff spot, they need to keep doing what they have been doing all season. That is, beat the Flames. Colorado will try to increase its lead
<< Stars and Oilers clash in Big D
<< Eastern powers collide as Cavs host Hawks
<< Sharks hope to avoid defeat against Wild
<< Blackhawks visit Devils in matchup of playoff-bound clubs
Heat put win streak to the test in Indy >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Miami Heat put a season-best six-game winning streak on the line in tonight's matchup with the suddenly-dangerous Indiana Pacers from Conseco Fieldhouse. The Heat appear to be playing their best ball of the season
Bucks, Bobcats collide in Charlotte >>
Bulls hit the road to Washington >>
Purdue signs Painter through 2016-17 season >>
Eagles send Brown, Gocong to Browns for Hall, picks >>
Super Bowl 2009 BettingSuper Bowl 2009 Betting propositionsUnderdog bettors love the Super Bowl and, history suggests, the underdogs love them back. And the big dogs bite harder. Even so, there is a warning in store for Super Bowl gamblers who must love dogs: The Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl betting lines might not be enough of a Cinderella to make it worth your while. Although the Cardinals were widely panned as one of the worst division winners and least playoff-worthy teams in recent memory, their trip to Super Bowl XLIII Jan. 31 in Tampa against the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl betting lines comes with a little more respect from the oddsmakers than you might imagine. They are a 7-point underdog at most sports books. If you count yourself among those who covet the big dog in the big game, this isn’t exactly great news. You should have been hoping for more points. This is because the facts show that the bigger the dog, the better the bet in the Super Bowl. Case in point: Over the past 13 seasons, double-figure underdogs in the Super Bowl are 4-0-1 ATS and have won the past three outright. In fact, the last double-digit chalk to do the deed for bettors was the 1995 San Francisco 49ers, who managed to beat the astounding 19-point spot afforded backers of the San Diego Chargers in the 49-26 romp in Super Bowl XXIX. By contrast, 7-point favorites are 2-1-1 ATS in the same span, the last such contest resulting a cover grinded out by the Colts in their 29-17 win over the Bears two seasons ago in Super Bowl XLI. In 2004, the Patriots failed to cover the number in their 32-29 triumph over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl props while the Rams and Titans gave everyone a refund in 2000 after the Rams posted a 23-16 win as a seven-point favorite. So while Arizona’s run has included impressive upsets as a 10-point road underdog to the Carolina Panthers and Sunday’s 32-25 win in the NFC championship game to the 4-point favored Philadelphia Eagles, their long-shot story lacks a bit of the David vs. Goliath storyline of past Super Bowl underdogs. While the seven-point spread represents a significant gap in the perception of strength between the two teams, it is far from monumental. For example, last season the Giants were the wild-card afterthought turned road-warrior buzzsaw, with stunning wins over the Buccaneers, Cowboys and Packers to earn their place in the Super Bowl. There, they played spoiler to New England’s bid to become the first 19-0 team in NFL history and cemented their place in sports betting lore with a 17-14 win as a 12.5-point underdog. In other words, the Cardinals appear to have their work cut out for them as a mid-range underdog. But in homage to the spread beaters who have come before them, here is a brief look back at recent colossal upsets in the Super Bowl: SB XLII -- 2008 -- New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14 (Giants +12.5) – Eli Manning’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the final minute clinched the historic upset for the Giants, who used a masterful defensive plan to slow down Tom Brady and the previously undefeated New England Patriots. XXXVI -- 2002 -- Patriots 20, Rams 17 (Patriots +14) – This was the coming out party for the aforementioned Brady, who went from obscure sixth-round draft pick to Super Bowl hero in one fell swoop. He led the game-winning drive in the final minute – eschewing analyst John Madden’s advice to take a knee and play for overtime – leading to Adam Vinatieri’s memorable 48-yard field goal that split the uprights as time expired. XXXII 1998 Broncos 31, Packers 24 (Denver +12) – The first of John Elway’s two consecutive Super Bowl titles to put an end to his Hall of Fame career was an upset for the ages. The Broncos used the determination of Elway and a 157-yard, three-touchdown performance from Terrell Davis to turn back Brett Favre and the heavily favored Packers. Get free 2009 Super Bowl Betting from top rated online sportsbook MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online Super Bowl betting VISA Mastercard |
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