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03/14/2009 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Capitals have been one of the NHL's best home teams this season, but they have yet to find any success on their own ice during the month of March.
The Southeast Division leaders will try to break a four-game home losing streak when the playoff-hopeful Carolina Hurricanes skate into the Verizon Center this evening.
Washington's home skid began with a 6-2 defeat to fellow division member Florida on March 1 and continued with a 5-2 setback to the Hurricanes two nights later. The Caps would go on to lose twice more on the residency before getting back on track with a pair of recent road wins.
After downing Nashville in overtime on Tuesday, Washington rode an outstanding performance from goaltender Jose Theodore to a 2-1 triumph over Philadelphia Thursday at the Wachovia Center.
Theodore turned aside 35-of-36 shots, including all nine chances he faced in the third period to protect the one-goal lead. Alex Ovechkin put the Capitals ahead when he scored his league-leading 48th goal of the season late in the second frame.
Alexander Semin set up Ovechkin's tally to extend his scoring streak to eight games. The Russian forward has totaled six goals and six assists over that stretch.
Despite their struggles at home as of late, the Capitals still sport an excellent 25-9-2 record at the Verizon Center this season. Following tonight's tilt, the team will embark on a five-game road trip beginning Monday in Atlanta.
Carolina concludes a three-game trek tonight in which it has lost the first two tests. Both defeats came by a single goal, as the Hurricanes fell in a shootout to Chicago on Wednesday and came out on the short end of a 3-2 decision at Dallas the following night.
The Hurricanes had won four in a row prior to the Chicago game and are in the thick of a heated Eastern Conference playoff race. The club is presently tied with the New York Rangers for the final two postseason berths, but ninth-place Florida is lurking only one point behind both teams. Carolina also trails Pittsburgh by just one point for the No. 6 seed in the East.
Cam Ward made 28 saves in Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Stars, but allowed all three Dallas goals within a nine-minute span in the second period.
Hurricanes captain Rod Brind'Amour had a short-handed goal along with an assist on the evening and now has compiled seven points (4 goals, 3 assists) during a five-game scoring streak.
Carolina, which is 12 points in back of the Capitals in the Southeast standings, is 17-15-5 on the road for the season. The Hurricanes will embark on a three-game homestand, culminating with a March 21 meeting against Washington, after tonight's matchup.
These divisional foes have split four previous encounters this season, but the Hurricanes have lost in four of their last six visits to Washington.
<< Flames try for rare road win versus Maple Leafs
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Calgary Flames will aim for their first victory in
Toronto since 2000, as they visit the Maple Leafs tonight and Air Canada
Centre.
The Flames haven't posted a victory in Toronto since December 16, 2000. They
have los
<< Thrashers without Kovalchuk for test with Sabres
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Thrashers will be without their top offensive
weapon tonight when they visit the Buffalo Sabres and HSBC Arena.
The Thrashers notched a 4-3 overtime win against Edmonton on Thursday to post
their fourth victory
<< Pens hope to extend home win streak against Senators
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Despite having their longest winning streak of the season
recently halted, the Pittsburgh Penguins will still try for a fifth straight
win on home ice tonight against the Ottawa Senators at Mellon Arena.
The Penguins begin
<< Blues continue homestand, seek first win vs. Red Wings
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Blues are trying to make their crucial four-
game homestand a successful one. However, success isn't something they have
had this year versus Detroit.
The playoff-hopeful Blues seek their first win over the R
Wild, Stars face off in Dallas >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two teams feverishly fighting for a playoff spot face off
tonight at the American Airlines Center, where the Dallas Stars host the
Minnesota Wild in a key late-season showdown.
The Stars enter this important matchup tied w
Oilers welcome road-challenged Avs to Edmonton >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - If the Edmonton Oilers are to reach the playoffs, they'll
need to take advantage of an upcoming stretch of home games, especially ones
against teams that have struggled on the road this season.
The Oilers will face such an
Preds try to get on track versus Coyotes >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mired in an untimely three-game losing streak, the
Nashville Predators will be vying to get back on track when they take on the
sliding Phoenix Coyotes tonight at Jobing.com Arena.
Nashville's skid comes immediately after
Sharks aim to dethrone Kings in San Jose >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Jose Sharks hope that a visit from the Kings will
be enough to get them back on track. The club hosts Los Angeles tonight at HP
Pavilion.
The Sharks had led the Western Conference for most of the season, but now fi
The 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds have been released and Denver Broncos' running back Knowshon Moreno has been made the opening favorite.
Moreno was selected in the first round of April's NFL draft and is expected to carry the rushing load for the Broncos this season. And with Jay Cutler now in Chicago, Moreno might be expected to be Denver's entire offense.
Betting Lines from sports betting lines have made Moreno a 5/2 favorite to win this year's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Fellow running back Chris “Beanie” Wells (Arizona Cardinals) is right behind Moreno at 7/2, while Donald Brown (Indianapolis Colts) and receiver Michael Crabtree (San Francisco 49ers) are 5/1 to win. Quarterbacks Mark Sanchez (New York Jets) and Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions) are 7/1 and 8/1, respectively.
A couple of players who present some value are Josh Freeman, Shonn Green and Darrius Heyward-Bey.
Freeman needs to beat out Byron Leftwich to become the starting quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but if he does, he has a lot or raw talent and could use the weapons around him (i.e. Kellen Winslow Jr. and Antonio Bryant) to be very successful in his first season.
Green enters a crowded backfield in New York, but considering both Thomas Jones and Leon Washington are unhappy about their contract situations and might holdout, the former Iowa product could become the Jets' primary back.
Everyone was shocked when Al Davis took Heyward-Bey with the eighth overall pick in April's draft, but the kid has a tremendous amount of talent and if quarterback JaMarcus Russell takes the next step this year, the former Maryland product could blossom. Plus, Heyward-Bey will be looking to prove the people wrong who said Oakland should have taken Michael Crabtree with the No. 8 pick.
And if you're looking for a deep sleeper, check out Pat White at 30/1. He enters the Miami Dolphins vaunted “Wild Cat” offense and could be a big time playmaker.
For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds, see below.
2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Odds to Win
Ramses Barden (NYG) 40/1
Andre Brown (NYG) 20/1
Donald Brown (IND) 5/1
Kenny Britt (TEN) 20/1
Glenn Coffee (SFO) 30/1
Chase Coffman (CIN) 50/1
Michael Crabtree (SFO) 5/1
Josh Freeman (TB) 14/1
Shonn Green (NYJ) 14/1
Percy Harvin (MIN) 10/1
Darrius Heyward-Bay (OAK) 18/1
Juaquan Iglesias (CHI) 30/1
Cornelius Ingram (PHI) 50/1
Rashad Jennings (JAC) 30/1
Johnny Knox (CHI) 40/1
Jeremy Maclin (PHI) 18/1
Mohamed Massaquoi (CLE) 30/1
LeSean McCoy (PHI) 12/1
Knowshon Moreno (DEN) 5/2
Hakeem Nicks (NYG) 18/1
Brandon Pettigrew (DET) 30/1
Brian Robiskie (CLE) 20/1
Mark Sanchez (NYJ) 7/1
Matthew Stafford (DET) 8/1
Jason Smith (STL) 40/1
Mike Thomas (JAC) 25/1
Patrick Turner (MIA) 50/1
Mike Wallace (PIT) 50/1
Chris Wells (ARI) 7/2
Pat White (MIA) 30/1
Field (Any Other Player) 9/1
To visit this sports betting site go to BettingExpress.com for all your football betting lines needs.
For sports betting with credit cards site go to BettingExpress.com as well.
Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.
"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."
Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.
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