Habs, Pens meet in the Steel City

Hockey Betting Lines

12/27/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Montreal Canadiens will kick off a four-game road trip when they visit the Pittsburgh Penguins for this evening's battle at Mellon Arena.

The Canadiens have played just one road game so far in December and that was a 3-2 loss in Carolina on December 16. Montreal is 7-5-2 as the visiting team this year and has lost two straight and six of nine on the road.

Montreal has notched a point in three straight tests, but had a two-game winning streak halted in last Sunday's overtime loss to visiting Carolina. Tuomo Ruutu scored 1:43 into OT to lift the Hurricanes to the 3-2 decision at the Bell Centre.

On the winner, Ruutu slipped by several players as well as Habs goaltender Carey Price on a wraparound. The puck trickled through Price's pads and settled near the left post before Ruutu dove forward and knocked the disc into the net.

Matt D'Agostini and Robert Lang netted a goal each for the Canadiens. Price made 24 saves in the loss, Montreal's fourth in six outings.

Price was making his first start since December 6, as he had battled the flu originally before also sustaining a lower-body injury. He is 13-4-5 this year and 2-0 in his career against the Penguins.

The Penguins picked up a victory on Friday night as they shut out the Devils in New Jersey. Pittsburgh has alternated wins and losses over its past eight games and is 5-6-1 in December.

Marc-Andre Fleury stopped all 37 shots he faced to post his first shutout of the season, as Pittsburgh clipped New Jersey, 1-0, at the Prudential Center.

Ruslan Fedotenko provided the lone goal for the Penguins, who have won three of five and moved past the Devils for third place in the Atlantic Division. Pittsburgh heads into Saturday's action with 42 points and is three behind Philadelphia for second place.

The Penguins are capping the 2008 calendar year with back-to-back home tests. Pittsburgh is 8-6-2 as the host this season and has dropped two straight and three of four at the Igloo. The club will also host Boston on Tuesday night.

Tonight's test marks the first of four encounters between the Pens and Habs this year. Pittsburgh won the last two meetings of 2007-08, but Montreal has still taken five of nine in the series.

Montreal has also picked up wins in two straight trips and five of its previous eight stops in the Steel City.

Wwwusacasino Hockey Betting News

<< Isles visit Sabres, aim for consecutive wins
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Fresh off their first win in December, the New York Islanders will try for back-to-back victories when they visit the Buffalo Sabres for tonight's matchup at HSBC Arena. The Islanders ended their longest losing streak in 1

<< Rolling Magic pay a visit to Minnesota
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The streaking Orlando Magic shoot for their seventh straight win Saturday when they begin a three-game road trip against the hapless Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center. The Magic finished a perfect

<< Hawks continue homestand with Bulls
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Hawks resume a season-long eight-game homestand Saturday when they welcome the Chicago Bulls to Philips Arena. The Hawks improved to 5-1 on the residency Tuesday when Joe Johnson recorded his second career

<< Bobcats welcome Nets down south
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Charlotte Bobcats will try to extend their winning streak to a season high three straight games tonight when they welcome the New Jersey Nets to town in the back end of a home-and-home set. The Bobcats will also h

<< Hapless Wizards host lowly Thunder
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The woeful Washington Wizards aim to snap an eight-game skid Saturday when they welcome the hapless Oklahoma City Thunder to the Verizon Center. The Wizards dropped their latest affair on Thursday when Clev

Bruins shoot for seventh straight win in visit to Carolina >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Bruins will aim for their seventh consecutive victory when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes for this evening's matchup at RBC Center. The Bruins, who lead the Eastern Conference and Southeast Division with 54

Sliding Blue Jackets welcome Flyers to town >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Columbus Blue Jackets will try to avoid a fourth straight loss and snap a lengthy scoreless drought when they invite the Philadelphia Flyers for tonight's interconference matchup at Nationwide Arena. The Blue Jackets h

Rangers, Devils tangle at MSG >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Rangers will try to avoid losing three straight games for the first time this season when they welcome the rival New Jersey Devils for an Atlantic Division showdown at Madison Square Garden. The Devils and Ran

Bolts host Panthers in home-and-home finale >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Lightning will shoot for a home-and-home sweep as well as their third consecutive victory overall when they welcome the Florida Panthers for a battle at St. Pete Times Forum. The Lightning edged Florida in a

Stars begin homestand vs. Ducks >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Coming off their best offensive output of the year, the last-place Dallas Stars begin a three-game homestand tonight against the visiting Anaheim Ducks at American Airlines Center. Just one season removed from a Western Co

Kurt Warner to start, Matt Leinart to watch

Despite the debate that's swirling , Kurt Warner will remain the starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals, coach Dennis Green said today. The Arizona Cardinals are the +7 point underdog at online sportsbook MySportsbook.com for this Sunday's game.

Green's comment came in a statement released by the team following an ESPN report that Green decided that rookie Matt Leinart would replace Warner as starter for Sunday's game at Atlanta.

"Generally talking about the starting lineup is not something we do," Green told the AP. "However, given the speculation that was out there we want to make it clear. We're disappointed after last week, but we still expect to be a playoff football team and we fully expect Kurt Warner to be the quarterback that leads us. That has not changed."

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on football needs.

El Duque expected to throw Tuesday

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.

Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.

El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.

MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds. 

Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.

New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.

Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''

Additional baseball lines and World Series odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.