Avalanche end road trip with test versus Panthers

Hockey Betting Lines

12/21/2008 - (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 with a big win in Detroit and then lost the second test in Philadelphia before picking up a controversial 2-1 shootout win in Tampa on Thursday. Milan Hejduk was awarded the game-winning goal during the extra session after officials ruled that Lightning goaltender Mike Smith had thrown his stick in an attempted save.

Hejduk was the fourth skater in the shootout after the first three were unsuccessful, and veered to the left for a backhander. On the play, Smith moved his stick out for the poke check, gripping it near the end of the handle. As he moved to his right for the blocker save, the stick came loose and flew out of his grip.

Despite the protests of Smith and Tampa Bay head coach Rick Tocchet, the call stood and Andrew Raycroft then made a glove save on Martin St. Louis, ending the contest for an Avalanche win. While Smith was upset with the ruling, Colorado head coach Tony Granato said after the game it was the right call.

Raycroft made 37 saves through regulation and overtime for Colorado, which moved to 2-1 on the four-game trip. Paul Stastny tallied the lone regulation goal for the Avs.

The win also saw the return of Ben Guite and Darcy Tucker to the lineup. Guite played for the first time since November 8 due to a rib injury, while Tucker hadn't played since November 24 because of a knee ailment.

No. 1 netminder Peter Budaj should return to net tonight as Colorado tries to improve on its 8-9-1 road record. Budaj has never faced Florida but has allowed at least four goals in three of his last four starts.

Colorado has won four straight and seven of its last eight versus the Panthers, and have won eight straight in Sunrise. All-time, the Avalanche franchise is 11-1-0 versus the Panthers as the visiting team, with their lone loss coming on April 22, 1995 as the Quebec Nordiques.

The Panthers begin a three-game homestand today and are 6-4-2 as the host but just 1-1-2 in their last four at BankAtlantic Center.

After winning the first three games of a five-game road trip, Florida lost the final two games. That includes a 2-1 overtime loss to Carolina on Thursday.

The Hurricanes' Joe Corvo scored on a sensational individual effort with 44 seconds remaining in overtime, taking a pass from Ray Whitney at the top of the slot. He then wound up for a shot, but fell to the ice after making contact with a Florida defender. He recovered though, and skated the puck into the left circle, cutting between two defenders, before lifting a backhander past Tomas Vokoun, who made 35 saves in the tough-luck loss.

Former Carolina skater Cory Stillman registered the lone goal for Florida in his second game back after missing time due to concussion symptoms. It marked his first goal since October 24 and he has six goals and four assists in 15 games this season.

Vokoun is 7-9-1 with a tie and 3.18 goals against average lifetime versus Colorado.

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2007 NFL Football Betting Preview


“You play to win the game!”

Those are the words of notoriously intense head coach Herman Edwards. Unfortunately, from a bettors’ perspective, most coaches don’t feel that way about the NFL preseason. August is a time to evaluate young players, finalize the depth chart and pray your star players stay healthy.

The trick to making money during the exhibition schedule is identifying coaches – like Edwards – who can’t stand losing even when there's nothing on the line.

The New York Jets betting won 15 of 21 preseason games and went 14-7 against the spread (ATS) during Edwards’s five-year tenure with the club. In his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs field boss, the team improved from 0-4 to 2-2.

Identifying win-a-holics like Edwards is a good start if you plan betting the preseason – even though most say you shouldn’t ... but what the hell do they know anyway?

Here’s a brief rundown of two teams that have a habit of winning during the second-stringers’ season, and another club that has a good chance of exceeding this year.

New York Giants betting lines

Playing in the media hub of North America can be stressful but the press can’t write anything negative about the way Tom Coughlin’s boys play in the preseason. The Giants won and covered all four games last summer, improving their record to 7-1 both straight up (SU) and against the spread over the last two years.

Coughlin has shown he’s not afraid to give his starters more time in the second preseason game than most of his colleagues, no doubt one of the reasons his team has been so dominant.

Dallas Cowboys betting lines

Bettors can count on America’s team early on. The Cowboys are 14-6 both SU and ATS since 2002 in warm-up contests. Former coach Bill Parcells, the coach of the team the last four years, has an intimidating, in-your-face presence – surely a reason Dallas has had so much early success.

The Big Tuna won’t be strolling the sidelines with looks of disgust, but new coach Wade Phillips will be anxious to make a good first impression for owner Jerry Jones.

Dallas plays the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos before things get serious. They then face the Houston Texans in their third contest (the game starters see most game time) and finish off with the Minnesota Vikings.

Expect a Dallas team able to walk away with another 3-1 preseason record.

Oakland Raiders betting lines

This team scored a league-worst 12 offensive touchdowns last season, so the rookies and veterans each have something to prove. There’s a bounty of first-unit jobs up for grabs and plenty of bodies competing for those slots.

First-time head coach Lane Kiffin will be eager to impress an owner who employs the philosophy, “Just win, baby!”

The 32-year-old Kiffin has to command respect from a locker room full of players older than him. All of these factors should lead to purpose in preseason. 

Don’t forget: before playing like a team that belonged in NFL Europe, Oakland went 4-1 (both SU and ATS) in exhibition games.

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