Ducks battle Avs in Anaheim

Hockey Betting Lines

03/21/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Anaheim Ducks will try to continue heading in the right direction when they host the Colorado Avalanche tonight at Honda Center.

The Ducks have won three straight, giving the club its longest winning streak since a season-best five-game stretch from Jan. 5-13.

Even with another victory today, Anaheim has an uphill battle to make the playoffs as it trails Detroit by nine points for the eighth and final postseason berth in the Western Conference.

Meanwhile, Colorado enters Sunday in seventh place in the West -- three points ahead of Detroit. The Avalanche also trail Vancouver by six points for first place in the Northwest Division.

The Ducks and Avs have split a pair of meetings this year, but Anaheim has dominated the recent series, winning nine of the last 11 matchups. Colorado has also been defeated in six of eight and eight of its last 11 trips to Orange County.

Tonight also marks the finale of Anaheim's seven-game homestand. The Ducks are 3-2-1 on the residency and have a 22-11-3 home record this season. The club will begin a three-game road trip Tuesday in Calgary.

Anaheim earned its most recent victory in dramatic fashion on Friday, picking up the 5-4 overtime win on Saku Koivu's goal 14 seconds into the extra session at Honda Center.

In OT, Bruno Gervais tried to force a pass that Koivu picked off. The Finnish veteran then skated into the New York zone and snapped a wrister into the left corner of the net.

Lubomir Visnovsky scored twice, including the tying goal with 32 seconds left in regulation, while Jason Blake and Matt Beleskey each lit the lamp for the Ducks.

"We need every point," said Visnovsky. "The last three games we've won have been great for the team. We have confidence. Tonight was a crazy game. For me, every puck was bouncing off my stick and I was not very comfortable with the puck. But it doesn't matter because the team wins and everything is OK."

Jonas Hiller gave up three goals on 17 shots and was pulled halfway through the second period. Curtis McElhinney finished the game in net and stopped 13 shots to get the win.

Anaheim winger Teemu Selanne remains at 599 career goals. Should he get to 600, he will be the 18th player in NHL history to reach that mark and if he gets to 601, he will tie Jari Kurri for most goals ever by a Finland native. He finished Friday's game with two assists.

The Avalanche had a three-game winning streak halted its last time out, losing to visiting Calgary in regulation. Rene Bourque tallied twice and Vesa Toskala made 32 saves to lead the Flames to Wednesday's 3-2 victory.

Chris Durno and Milan Hejduk scored for the Avalanche and Craig Anderson took the loss despite 31 stops.

"We can't afford to get comfortable out there, no matter what the reason is," Avs center Paul Stastny said.

Stastny added an assist in Wednesday's loss to push his point streak to nine games. He has five goals and 11 helpers during the run.

Colorado is playing the first of two straight on the road tonight and will visit Los Angeles on Monday. The Avs are 18-13-4 as the guest this season.

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NFL Football Betting : Odds on NFL Division to Win the Super Bowl

NFL Super Bowl Betting

The AFC South and the NFC East are the favorite divisions to have the next Super Bowl champ among them in the NFL betting odds. But more down to the point, these football odds are in favor of the Indianapolis Colts, by far the strongest team in the AFC South, and the Dallas Cowboys of the NFC East.

Most sports fans would agree that these two teams top the list to win it all before the season even begins. In the BetUS Sportsbook football futures, the Colts are +800 in the odds to win the Super Bowl, while the Cowboys are sitting at +1000 and the Super Bowl XLIV champions New Orleans Saints at +900. In the AFC South, the Colts won the division for five straight years after the 2002 realignment, before the Tennessee Titans won it in 2008. But the Colts came back strong in 2009 to win the division again en route to the Super Bowl. The Cowboys are the favorite to win the NFC East, as well as to advance far into the post season. The Cowboys won the division last season before their horrendous loss in the NFC Divisional playoff to Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings. But the ‘Boys will take that loss humbly and be ready for the playoffs this time around.

The NFC South is also very strong, at +600 in the NFL futures, considering that it is home to the defending Super Bowl champions. However, some predictions have the Atlanta Falcons with possibilities of claiming the divisional title this season in place of the Saints, as no team has won back-to-back division championships since the division realignment took place. Let’s not overlook the AFC North at +500. As TO goes to Cincinnati to join Chad OchoCinco and Adam “Pac-Man” Jones, this team looks to claim the division title again. And it is likely they will do so. The Bengals lost in the AFC Wild Card spot in a hard-fought battle against the New York Jets last season. Lest not forget the Pittsburgh Steelers, the XLII Super Bowl Champions… All these teams present interesting odds and matchups for the upcoming season, but the safest and surest bet seems to be with the Colts in the AFC South and the Cowboys in the NFC East. Play this weekly NFL Football Contestto see if you can win.

To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your NFL football betting needs.

Football Betting Lines

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.

Bet NFL Sports Lines

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

Betting Line

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.