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12/21/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A three-time 30-goal scorer, Montreal's Alex Kovalev is showing signs of breaking out of his scoring slump. Kovalev aims to light the lamp for a fourth straight game tonight, as the Canadiens host the Carolina Hurricanes at the Bell Centre.
Kovalev is coming off a 2007-08 season that saw him post 35 goals and 49 assists for 84 points. It was his best scoring campaign since notching 44 goals, 51 assists and 95 points in 2000-01 with Pittsburgh.
However, he has just eight goals and 18 assists in 32 games this year, but since going 19 games without a tally he has scored in three straight contests. That includes the overtime game-winner in last night's 4-3 win versus Buffalo.
Kovalev's wrister from in close with just 25 seconds left on the clock gave the Canadiens their second straight win on the heels of a three-game slide. It also came on Montreal's second man advantage of the overtime session and was just Kovalev's second power-play goal of the year. He had a career-high 17 last season.
Sergei Kostitsyn scored twice and Alex Tanguay tallied for Montreal, which closes out a three-game homestand tonight and is 11-4-3 as the host this year. Jaroslav Halak allowed three goals on 34 shots in the win and Andrei Markov had two assists.
Halak continues to play with Carey Price out with a left quadriceps/knee injury. Andrei Kostitsyn, meanwhile, missed last night's test due to a knee ailment and is day-to-day.
The Hurricanes began a four-game road trip on Saturday night and had a six- game point streak (3-0-3) halted with a 4-2 setback to the Boston Bruins.
Joni Pitkanen and Ray Whitney scored for Carolina, which had won two in a row. Rod Brind'Amour assisted on both goals for the Hurricanes to give him seven helpers over a six-game assist streak.
Cam Ward made 32 saves in defeat.
Carolina, eight points back of first-place Washington in the Southeast Division, is 6-5-4 on the road this year and has lost three straight and six of its last seven as the road team.
These two clubs will close out their four-game season series. Montreal took the first meeting at home, but has since lost two straight in Carolina. The Hurricanes have won seven of the last 10 in the series overall and six of its last seven at the Bell Centre, with the Habs' earlier win there snapping a six-game series home losing streak.
<< Bruins aim for first win in St. Louis since 1995
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Bruins are one of the top home teams in the NHL
this year but will close out 2008 on a five-game road trip. They begin that
swing this evening in St. Louis, where they take on the Blues at Scottrade
Center.
St.
<< Celtics aim for 18th straight vs. Knicks in Beantown
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The defending NBA champion Boston Celtics will attempt to
match a franchise record Sunday when they shoot for their 18th straight win
against the reeling New York Knicks.
Ray Allen scored 27 and Kendrick Perkins added a ca
<< Avalanche end road trip with test versus Panthers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Colorado Avalanche conclude a four-game road trip this
evening against a team they have had much road success against, as they visit
the Florida Panthers and BankAtlantic Center.
The Avalanche began the eastern trek wi
<< Mavs visit Wizards
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Dallas Mavericks conclude a three-game road trip on
Sunday when they arrive in the nation's capital to take on the hapless
Washington Wizards at the Verizon Center.
The Mavs fell to 1-1 on the trek Friday when Devin Ha
Celtic surges late to maintain four-point edge >>
Falkirk, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Celtic restored its four-point lead atop
the Scottish Premier League table on Sunday as the Hoops scored three times in
the second half, including two in stoppage time, to beat Falkirk, 3-0 at
Falkirk
Sterne wins again, beats Maybin in playoff >>
Paarl, South Africa (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Richard Sterne is peaking.
The 27-year-old South African birdied the first playoff hole on Sunday to beat
Gareth Maybin and win the South African Open Championship -- his fifth
European Tour vic
NFL Inactives (Sunday, December 21, 2008) >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The following is a list of inactive players
for today's NFL games.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT TENNESSEE TITANS, 1:00 P.M. (ET)
Steelers - 3rd QB Dennis Dixon, T Marvel Smith, DE Orpheus Roye, DT Scott
Paxso
Dolphins' Crowder sits in Kansas City >>
Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Miami Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder
was listed as inactive for Sunday's game against Kansas City because of a knee
problem.
Crowder entered the day as Miami's leading tackler this season with 105 st
NFL betting action is back! At MySportsbook, all of the pro football odds are posted for the NFC North. Check out how we see the four teams in this cloudy division stacking up this year in the chase for the playoffs! Green Bay Packers (+125) - With QB Aaron Rodgers leading the offense and DC Dom Capers working his magic on defense, the Packers are a real force to be reckoned with.
Virtually nothing changed on this offense for Green Bay from last year to this year, save for the addition of rookie OT Brian Bulaga to the bunch. Expect more huge numbers from the Pack, and a relatively favorable schedule should get them over the hump and into the playoffs once again this season. My NFL Betting Predictions: 11-5, 1st place in NFC North Minnesota Vikings (+130) - There are still too many unknowns about the Vikes this year. There is a huge difference between QB Brett Favre and either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels under center. Plus, is Favre comes back, is he really going to be able to keep his pick total under double digits again? Depth at running back looked like it might have been an issue with RB Chester Taylor fleeing in free agency, but drafting RB Toby Gerhart should pick up the difference. This defense is still suitable, but with a first place schedule, making the playoffs is going to be very tough regardless of whether #4 comes back or not.
There is a huge difference between QB Brett Favre and either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels under center. Plus, is Favre comes back, is he really going to be able to keep his pick total under double digits again? Depth at running back looked like it might have been an issue with RB Chester Taylor fleeing in free agency, but drafting RB Toby Gerhart should pick up the difference. This defense is still suitable, but with a first place schedule, making the playoffs is going to be very tough regardless of whether #4 comes back or not. Play this weekly NFL Football Contestto see if you can win.
Chicago Bears (+350) - The Bears are probably a bit of an overhyped team once again this year.No, we don't think it is plausible for QB Jay Cutler to have as bad of a season as he did last year, and we do think the additions of RB Chester Taylor and DE Julius Peppers are going to help immensely, but there's still something in the water in the Windy City that we aren't so sure about. Maybe Chicago finds its way to .500... but then again, maybe it doesn't. If Favre comes back, Cutler might be the worst quarterback in this division this year.
Detroit Lions (+1500) - The Lions are probably once again going to be the whipping boys for the rest of the teams in the NFC North, but they aren't just going to roll over and die once again. There is some real talent amassing on this team offensively, as the combination of QB Matt Stafford, RB Jahvid Best, WR Calvin Johnson, and TE Brandon Pettigrew should put a bunch of points on the board if the offensive line can even remotely hold up. The questions really lie on defense, where it feels like DT Ndamukong Suh is going to be trying to stop opposing teams all by himself. This year should show some marked improvement in the Motor City.
The Patriots will make NFL betting fans a lot of money this season, get in early and enjoy the cash.
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The Indianapolis Colts know that winning the Super Bowl last season put a huge target on their backs, and they expect opponents to go all-out to knock them from the top of the mountain.
They’ll get their first test from the New Orleans Saints this Thursday night. The defending champs had nothing but good things to say about the New Orleans defense this past week, praising their opponents’ pass rush and run-stopping abilities.
"They play very aggressively," head coach Tony Dungy told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "They play a lot of man-to-man coverage, and they come after you. They have good pass rushers, and they're going to try to pressure us, I'm sure."
Both center Jeff Saturday and quarterback Peyton Manning gave New Orleans’ front four props, admitting keeping guys like Will Smithand Charles Grant contained would be a tall task for the offensive line.
New Orleans ranked second in total defense during the preseason at a sportsbook, allowing just under 233 yards per game. Last season, the defense finished 11th in the league after giving up 307.3 yards and 20.1 points per contest.
Not so sound on the ground
If Indianapolis' efficient offense has a weakness it has to be its running attack. The Colts one-two-punch of Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai is no longer, leaving the bulk of the carries to Addai, the second-year back out of LSU.
Former Saskatchewan Roughrider Kenton Keith was named Addai’s backup this week after beating out DeDe Dorsey for the second-string position. Indy has only three backs on the roster right now, including fullback Luke Lawton, and coach Dungy is aware of the thinness of his ground game. Sports Betting lines on the game can be found at BettingExpress.com
“We’ll continue to look. Luke Lawton’s done a good job for us too. So probably getting a third true tailback is something that we’d like to do,” Dungy told the Indiana Tribune-Star.
Last season, Addai rushed for over 1,000 yards in his rookie campaign and scored seven touchdowns on the ground.
Brees says bring it on
Opening the season on the road against the defending Super Bowl champions is not the way most teams would like to kick off their year – unless you’re the New Orleans Saints or their quarterback Drew Brees. This internet Sportsbooks had the Saints as the favorites.
Brees told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that he is excited to get the regular season started and the Colts are a great challenge for him and his teammates. The 28-year-old QB, entering his second season with the Saints, is expecting a wild environment in the RCA Dome this Thursday when the franchise celebrates its 2007-2007 championship.
Brees said he sees the opening game scheduling as an honor and a testament to how well New Orleans did last season. The Saints missed facing the Colts in the Super Bowl by one game, losing to the Chicago Bearsin the NFC Championship game.
"I mean, people think we can hang with these guys," Brees told reporters. "Even if they didn't, it wouldn't matter what they thought because as a team we're very confident. We know what we can do. We're not satisfied where we finished the season last year. And we've been looking forward to this opportunity for a long time."
SportsBooks ready for a shootout
Oddsmakers are preparing for some fireworks this Thursday when the NFL season kicks off. online Sportsbooks have Thursday’s total set at a whopping 52 points, accounting for two of the league’s most explosive offenses.
“This is like must-see TV,” Saints cornerback and former Colt Jason David told the Baton Rouge Advocate. “It’s two exciting offenses with great players. You’ve got a lot of star power on offense. At any given time a big play can happen. If I was a fan, I wouldn’t miss a snap.”
New Orleans, who ranked No.1 in total offense last season, can go blow-for-blow with the Colts’ attack. Head coach Sean Payton’s offensive schemes will get even better production out of Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and receiver Marques Colston now that they’ve each had a season of playing together under their belts.
The Saints and Colts were the top two passing teams in the NFL last year, but while Indianapolis managed to put up almost 27 points per game, New Orleans struggled to capitalize on their efforts. The Saints ranked fifth in points per game.
“Yards are great,” running backDeuce McAllister told reporters, “but to be able to score more touchdowns would be important for us.”
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