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A couple of seasons ago the New York Rangers were supposed to be one star winger away from being a contender – so they went out and picked up Marian Gaborik. Gaborik, though, slumped last year, so the team's new greatest need was a top-line center – so they went out and picked up Brad Richards.
And now Richards will make his regular-season debut for the Rangers on Friday as the club takes on the Los Angeles Kings in an NHL betting matchup at the Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden.
New York made it to the playoffs as the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference last year, but their postseason journey didn't last long as they were bounced in five games by the Washington Capitals.
Whether or not Richards can improve the team's fortunes in this year's postseason remains to be seen, but for Friday at least the crowd will be less interested in him and more keen on seeing the team's goaltender, native son Henrik Lundqvist.
Lundqvist had another strong season for the Rangers last year, putting up 36 wins and posting a goals-against average of 2.28 and a save percentage of .920. However, his Kings counterpart on this trip was stellar in 2010-11 as well, with Jonathan Quick winning 35 games while putting up a GAA of 2.24 and a save percentage of .920.
Quick's netminding led the Kings to the seventh seed in the West last season, although they also bowed out in the first round of the playoffs (to the San Jose Sharks). Los Angeles blueliner Drew Doughty will be on the ice on Friday after holding out for much of training camp in a contract dispute – the team caved, and he's back on the roster.
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And now Richards will make his regular-season debut for the Rangers on Friday as the club takes on the Los Angeles Kings in an NHL betting matchup at the Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden.
New York made it to the playoffs as the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference last year, but their postseason journey didn't last long as they were bounced in five games by the Washington Capitals.
Whether or not Richards can improve the team's fortunes in this year's postseason remains to be seen, but for Friday at least the crowd will be less interested in him and more keen on seeing the team's goaltender, native son Henrik Lundqvist.
Lundqvist had another strong season for the Rangers last year, putting up 36 wins and posting a goals-against average of 2.28 and a save percentage of .920. However, his Kings counterpart on this trip was stellar in 2010-11 as well, with Jonathan Quick winning 35 games while putting up a GAA of 2.24 and a save percentage of .920.
Quick's netminding led the Kings to the seventh seed in the West last season, although they also bowed out in the first round of the playoffs (to the San Jose Sharks). Los Angeles blueliner Drew Doughty will be on the ice on Friday after holding out for much of training camp in a contract dispute – the team caved, and he's back on the roster.
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If you're looking at your favorite NHL team's schedule for this season and wondering when they're playing the Atlanta Thrashers you can stop – the Thrashers died in the offseason, getting reborn up north as the Winnipeg Jets.
Of course, the Jets existed before, playing mostly middling hockey for many seasons before they were moved south to become the Phoenix Coyotes. That caused much heartache for Manitoba hockey fans, but now their team is back in business.
And that business begins on Sunday, as the Jets start their 2011-12 NHL betting campaign at home against the Montreal Canadiens. Can a raucous Winnipeg crowd will its new team to wins this season?
That remains to be seen – after all, this squad is still just the Atlanta Thrashers dressed up in some new uniforms, and the Thrashers ended up 13 points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference last season with a record of 34-36-12.
All of the key Thrashers players did make the move north for this season, including leading scorer Andrew Ladd (29 goals, 59 points in 2010-11) and blueliners Dustin Byfuglien (53 points) and Tobias Enstrom (51 points).
As well, the team is looking for a breakout campaign from goaltender Ondrej Pavelec after he went 21-23-9 with a .910 save percentage last season.
The Canadiens got a breakout campaign from their netminder last year, as Carey Price put up 38 wins to go along with a 2.35 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. Price remains the most valuable player on the Habs' roster.
Montreal added scoring forward Erik Cole to the lineup over the summer, but they'll have to make due without top defenseman Andrei Markov at least in the short term – he's not yet ready to return from last year's knee surgery.
Puck drop for Sunday's contest is set for 5 p.m. ET from Winnipeg.
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Of course, the Jets existed before, playing mostly middling hockey for many seasons before they were moved south to become the Phoenix Coyotes. That caused much heartache for Manitoba hockey fans, but now their team is back in business.
And that business begins on Sunday, as the Jets start their 2011-12 NHL betting campaign at home against the Montreal Canadiens. Can a raucous Winnipeg crowd will its new team to wins this season?
That remains to be seen – after all, this squad is still just the Atlanta Thrashers dressed up in some new uniforms, and the Thrashers ended up 13 points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference last season with a record of 34-36-12.
All of the key Thrashers players did make the move north for this season, including leading scorer Andrew Ladd (29 goals, 59 points in 2010-11) and blueliners Dustin Byfuglien (53 points) and Tobias Enstrom (51 points).
As well, the team is looking for a breakout campaign from goaltender Ondrej Pavelec after he went 21-23-9 with a .910 save percentage last season.
The Canadiens got a breakout campaign from their netminder last year, as Carey Price put up 38 wins to go along with a 2.35 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. Price remains the most valuable player on the Habs' roster.
Montreal added scoring forward Erik Cole to the lineup over the summer, but they'll have to make due without top defenseman Andrei Markov at least in the short term – he's not yet ready to return from last year's knee surgery.
Puck drop for Sunday's contest is set for 5 p.m. ET from Winnipeg.
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The Pittsburgh Penguins, off a good trip through Canada, host Florida in the Pens’ home opener on Tuesday night but Sidney Crosby still won’t be on the ice. And fellow star Evgeni Malkin might not be either. Thus there will be no line on this game on Bodog’s NHL hockey odds until Malkin’s status is clear.
The Russian forward was held out of Sunday night's game against the Edmonton Oilers with a lower-body injury. Coach Dan Bylsma said following the game that Malkin "just played a lot of hockey and was a little sore." Malkin tore two ligaments in his right knee and had surgery this past February. He missed the rest of the regular season and playoffs.
It’s actually a big day for Crosby, who hasn’t played since Jan. 5 because of a concussion. He will visit with his medical team Tuesday to determine if he is ready for contact. Crosby has not missed a scheduled practice dating to the start of training camp Sept. 17. The Penguins have not set a timetable for Crosby's return to games.
While Pittsburgh already has played three games, getting five of a possible six points, this is just the second one of the season for the Panthers. They beat the New York Islanders 2-0 in their opener on Saturday in the first game for new Florida coach Kevin Dineen. Jose Theodore became the first goaltender to record a shutout in his first game for the Panthers, stopping all 27 shots he faced. Theodore's shutout was his sixth against the Islanders, though the last time he blanked them was almost eight years ago (Oct. 23, 2003 for Montreal). It was the 31st shutout of Theodore’s career.
Pittsburgh swept last season's series from Florida, with 10 different players scoring at least one goal. Malkin has four goals and 14 assists in 18 career games against Florida.
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The Russian forward was held out of Sunday night's game against the Edmonton Oilers with a lower-body injury. Coach Dan Bylsma said following the game that Malkin "just played a lot of hockey and was a little sore." Malkin tore two ligaments in his right knee and had surgery this past February. He missed the rest of the regular season and playoffs.
It’s actually a big day for Crosby, who hasn’t played since Jan. 5 because of a concussion. He will visit with his medical team Tuesday to determine if he is ready for contact. Crosby has not missed a scheduled practice dating to the start of training camp Sept. 17. The Penguins have not set a timetable for Crosby's return to games.
While Pittsburgh already has played three games, getting five of a possible six points, this is just the second one of the season for the Panthers. They beat the New York Islanders 2-0 in their opener on Saturday in the first game for new Florida coach Kevin Dineen. Jose Theodore became the first goaltender to record a shutout in his first game for the Panthers, stopping all 27 shots he faced. Theodore's shutout was his sixth against the Islanders, though the last time he blanked them was almost eight years ago (Oct. 23, 2003 for Montreal). It was the 31st shutout of Theodore’s career.
Pittsburgh swept last season's series from Florida, with 10 different players scoring at least one goal. Malkin has four goals and 14 assists in 18 career games against Florida.
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So far so good for new Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, with his team set to play host to the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night in NHL betting action at the Bodog Sportsbook.
Bryzgalov has a 2-0 record with a tiny 0.50 goals-against average and a .980 save percentage through the Flyers' first two games of the season, victories over the Bruins in Boston (2-1) and the Devils in New Jersey (3-0).
Philly's other summer acquisitions have also already made an impact, with Wayne Simmonds and Jakub Voracek along with rookie Matt Read all scoring goals in the first week of the season. Claude Giroux has a team-leading two goals in two games, while Jaromir Jagr has been held to just one assist to date.
The Canucks haven't been quite as sharp so far this year, but they have managed to pick up three of a possible four points in a win over the Blue Jackets in Columbus (3-2) and a shootout loss to the Penguins at home (4-3).
Roberto Luongo was between the pipes against the Pens, while backup Cory Schneider was in net against the Blue Jackets; expect Luongo to play against the Flyers on Wednesday, and probably against the Red Wings in Detroit on Thursday as well.
The Canucks and Flyers met in Vancouver last December, with the home side cruising to a 6-2 win as a -145 favorite on the NHL betting lines. Luongo was in net for Vancouver in that game, while Sergei Bobrovsky took the loss for the Flyers in that OVER result.
Other bet options available for hockey fans include Bodog's Stanley Cup futures; Vancouver is the 15/2 favorite on that list, with Philadelphia fourth at 10/1.
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Bryzgalov has a 2-0 record with a tiny 0.50 goals-against average and a .980 save percentage through the Flyers' first two games of the season, victories over the Bruins in Boston (2-1) and the Devils in New Jersey (3-0).
Philly's other summer acquisitions have also already made an impact, with Wayne Simmonds and Jakub Voracek along with rookie Matt Read all scoring goals in the first week of the season. Claude Giroux has a team-leading two goals in two games, while Jaromir Jagr has been held to just one assist to date.
The Canucks haven't been quite as sharp so far this year, but they have managed to pick up three of a possible four points in a win over the Blue Jackets in Columbus (3-2) and a shootout loss to the Penguins at home (4-3).
Roberto Luongo was between the pipes against the Pens, while backup Cory Schneider was in net against the Blue Jackets; expect Luongo to play against the Flyers on Wednesday, and probably against the Red Wings in Detroit on Thursday as well.
The Canucks and Flyers met in Vancouver last December, with the home side cruising to a 6-2 win as a -145 favorite on the NHL betting lines. Luongo was in net for Vancouver in that game, while Sergei Bobrovsky took the loss for the Flyers in that OVER result.
Other bet options available for hockey fans include Bodog's Stanley Cup futures; Vancouver is the 15/2 favorite on that list, with Philadelphia fourth at 10/1.
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They haven't made it look easy, but the Washington Capitals are 2-0-0 to start the season on the NHL betting board. They'll gun for their third consecutive victory on Thursday night when they take on the Penguins in Pittsburgh.
Washington began its season on Saturday with a home game against the Hurricanes – and with a little controversy, as head coach Bruce Boudreau decided to use Michal Neuvirth in net instead of Tomas Vokoun.
That goaltending decision paid off for the Capitals – but just barely. Neuvirth gave up a late goal to Carolina forward Jussi Jokinen to send the game into overtime, but Mike Green scored the winner for Washington on the power play in that extra frame.
Vokoun then got his chance between the pipes on Monday night at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning but was shelled for five goals on 28 shots. Lucky for Vokoun, though, his team bailed him out by forcing overtime and then winning the game 6-5 in a shootout.
So the Caps will be looking to clamp down on defense when they take on the Penguins on Thursday night – and they could catch Pittsburgh at just the right time as Sidney Crosby still hasn't returned from his head injury and Evgeni Malkin missed Tuesday's game against the Florida Panthers with a lower-body injury.
The Penguins have been dealt a tough schedule in the early going – they started the season with three games in four nights in western Canada before returning home to face the Panthers on Tuesday and the Capitals on Thursday.
Washington has a 4-1 record in its last five games against Pittsburgh, with the OVER/UNDER at 1-4 over those contests. Looking for Stanley Cup futures? Both the Capitals and the Penguins sit at 8/1 on that odds board.
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Washington began its season on Saturday with a home game against the Hurricanes – and with a little controversy, as head coach Bruce Boudreau decided to use Michal Neuvirth in net instead of Tomas Vokoun.
That goaltending decision paid off for the Capitals – but just barely. Neuvirth gave up a late goal to Carolina forward Jussi Jokinen to send the game into overtime, but Mike Green scored the winner for Washington on the power play in that extra frame.
Vokoun then got his chance between the pipes on Monday night at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning but was shelled for five goals on 28 shots. Lucky for Vokoun, though, his team bailed him out by forcing overtime and then winning the game 6-5 in a shootout.
So the Caps will be looking to clamp down on defense when they take on the Penguins on Thursday night – and they could catch Pittsburgh at just the right time as Sidney Crosby still hasn't returned from his head injury and Evgeni Malkin missed Tuesday's game against the Florida Panthers with a lower-body injury.
The Penguins have been dealt a tough schedule in the early going – they started the season with three games in four nights in western Canada before returning home to face the Panthers on Tuesday and the Capitals on Thursday.
Washington has a 4-1 record in its last five games against Pittsburgh, with the OVER/UNDER at 1-4 over those contests. Looking for Stanley Cup futures? Both the Capitals and the Penguins sit at 8/1 on that odds board.
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Stanley Cup hangover for the Boston Bruins? The defending champions haven't looked that sharp through the first week and a half of the season; they'll try to turn things around on Saturday night as they travel to Chicago for an NHL betting matchup against the Blackhawks.
Boston started the season with a 2-1 home loss to the Flyers on the night they raised the Cup banner at their arena, then bounced back to beat the Lightning 4-1. The Bruins then fell 1-0 to Colorado on Monday afternoon and 3-2 in Carolina on Wednesday night.
That gives them just seven goals through four games so far this season, with two each from Brad Marchand and Rich Peverley and singles from Tyler Seguin, David Krejci, and Daniel Paille. Patrice Bergeron, Milan Lucic, and Nathan Horton have all been held without a goal through four games.
And that has made it hard for the Bruins' netminders to pick up wins this year despite solid numbers. Tim Thomas, last year's Vezina winner, has a 2.03 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage in three starts, and he's likely to face the Blackhawks on Saturday. Backup Tuukka Rask allowed one goal on 36 shots in his lone outing so far.
Thomas' last start against Chicago came in March, when he picked up a shutout in a 3-0 Boston home win as a -128 favorite on the NHL betting lines at the Bodog Sportsbook. Overall Boston is 3-2 in its last five games against Chicago.
The Bruins could be missing Krejci on Saturday – he sat out Wednesday's loss to Carolina with a leg injury and is listed as day-to-day. The Blackhawks have forwards Viktor Stalberg (leg) and Ben Smith (concussion) on injured reserve heading into the weekend.
Looking for the latest Stanley Cup futures? Boston is at 11/1 to win the championship this season, with Chicago at 12/1.
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Boston started the season with a 2-1 home loss to the Flyers on the night they raised the Cup banner at their arena, then bounced back to beat the Lightning 4-1. The Bruins then fell 1-0 to Colorado on Monday afternoon and 3-2 in Carolina on Wednesday night.
That gives them just seven goals through four games so far this season, with two each from Brad Marchand and Rich Peverley and singles from Tyler Seguin, David Krejci, and Daniel Paille. Patrice Bergeron, Milan Lucic, and Nathan Horton have all been held without a goal through four games.
And that has made it hard for the Bruins' netminders to pick up wins this year despite solid numbers. Tim Thomas, last year's Vezina winner, has a 2.03 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage in three starts, and he's likely to face the Blackhawks on Saturday. Backup Tuukka Rask allowed one goal on 36 shots in his lone outing so far.
Thomas' last start against Chicago came in March, when he picked up a shutout in a 3-0 Boston home win as a -128 favorite on the NHL betting lines at the Bodog Sportsbook. Overall Boston is 3-2 in its last five games against Chicago.
The Bruins could be missing Krejci on Saturday – he sat out Wednesday's loss to Carolina with a leg injury and is listed as day-to-day. The Blackhawks have forwards Viktor Stalberg (leg) and Ben Smith (concussion) on injured reserve heading into the weekend.
Looking for the latest Stanley Cup futures? Boston is at 11/1 to win the championship this season, with Chicago at 12/1.
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The Chicago Blackhawks start a two-game road trip out west on Tuesday night and hope to have the services of top winger Marian Hossa when they visit Phoenix. Chicago opened as a -140 favorite on Bodog’s NHL hockey odds.
Hossa did not practice Monday for a third consecutive day and did not play in Saturday's 3-2 shootout loss against the Boston Bruins. He's been out with an upper-body ailment, according to the team. But Hossa did travel with the club to Phoenix. Hossa,32, has missed 43 games since he signed a 12-year contract with the Hawks in July 2009 after missing just 16 games during his first eight NHL seasons. He ranked fourth on the team last year with 25 goals and has one goal and two assists in his three games so far this year.
Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said that Corey Crawford will be in net tonight. He stopped 37 shots in that loss to Boston and has one win in three starts despite a 1.97 GAA. Mike Smith should get the call for Phoenix.
Phoenix (2-1-1) enters off a 4-1 win Saturday over the team they used to be – the Winnipeg Jets. Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored two goals to lead the Coyotes. The 20-year-old Ekman-Larsson is only the second defenseman in Winnipeg/Phoenix franchise history to score two goals in one game before his 21st birthday. Ekman-Larsson’s three goals in four games this season are tops in the NHL among defensemen and tied for fifth for all skaters. The Coyotes are among the NHL scoring leaders, averaging 3.3 goals per game.
These two teams split four games last year, with each winning one via shootout. The Hawks won the final two meetings of last season.
Hossa did not practice Monday for a third consecutive day and did not play in Saturday's 3-2 shootout loss against the Boston Bruins. He's been out with an upper-body ailment, according to the team. But Hossa did travel with the club to Phoenix. Hossa,32, has missed 43 games since he signed a 12-year contract with the Hawks in July 2009 after missing just 16 games during his first eight NHL seasons. He ranked fourth on the team last year with 25 goals and has one goal and two assists in his three games so far this year.
Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said that Corey Crawford will be in net tonight. He stopped 37 shots in that loss to Boston and has one win in three starts despite a 1.97 GAA. Mike Smith should get the call for Phoenix.
Phoenix (2-1-1) enters off a 4-1 win Saturday over the team they used to be – the Winnipeg Jets. Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored two goals to lead the Coyotes. The 20-year-old Ekman-Larsson is only the second defenseman in Winnipeg/Phoenix franchise history to score two goals in one game before his 21st birthday. Ekman-Larsson’s three goals in four games this season are tops in the NHL among defensemen and tied for fifth for all skaters. The Coyotes are among the NHL scoring leaders, averaging 3.3 goals per game.
These two teams split four games last year, with each winning one via shootout. The Hawks won the final two meetings of last season.
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Division rivals Montreal and Buffalo will resume hostilities on Tuesday night when the two meet for an NHL betting game at the Bell Centre. Both teams are coming off victories in their last game, although Montreal’s was by way of a shootout.
Buffalo’s brand new roster budget has paid off early on. The Sabres are 3-1-0 so far and have recorded wins over Anaheim, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh. Ryan Miller is off to a great start in goal with his 2.35 goals-against average and .928 save percentage. The Sabres have 12/1 Stanley Cup odds at the Bodog Sportsbook.
Thomas Vanek leads the team with three goals and seven points so far. Luke Adam is behind Vanek by one assist and Drew Stafford has three goals and four points total.
Montreal has been less fortunate, going 1-2-1 to open the season. Carey Price has been largely to blame thus far, posting a goals-against average of 2.96 and .880 save percentage. Regardless how the defense has played in front of him, he has to be better than that. Montrael’s Stanley Cup futures are set at 30/1.
Montreal’s scoring has been less proficient. Only Max Pacioretty and Tomas Plekanec have reached four points so far; each recording a pair of goals and assists. Just six others have tallied more than one point. The team’s power play is operating at just 12.5 percent.
In six meetings last year, Montreal was 3-1-2 against Buffalo. However, not a single victory came after Nov. 27. All six games were separated by two goals or less, and no team scored more than three goals in any game.
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Buffalo’s brand new roster budget has paid off early on. The Sabres are 3-1-0 so far and have recorded wins over Anaheim, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh. Ryan Miller is off to a great start in goal with his 2.35 goals-against average and .928 save percentage. The Sabres have 12/1 Stanley Cup odds at the Bodog Sportsbook.
Thomas Vanek leads the team with three goals and seven points so far. Luke Adam is behind Vanek by one assist and Drew Stafford has three goals and four points total.
Montreal has been less fortunate, going 1-2-1 to open the season. Carey Price has been largely to blame thus far, posting a goals-against average of 2.96 and .880 save percentage. Regardless how the defense has played in front of him, he has to be better than that. Montrael’s Stanley Cup futures are set at 30/1.
Montreal’s scoring has been less proficient. Only Max Pacioretty and Tomas Plekanec have reached four points so far; each recording a pair of goals and assists. Just six others have tallied more than one point. The team’s power play is operating at just 12.5 percent.
In six meetings last year, Montreal was 3-1-2 against Buffalo. However, not a single victory came after Nov. 27. All six games were separated by two goals or less, and no team scored more than three goals in any game.
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The term “Stanley Cup Hangover” is being bandied about regarding the Boston Bruins right now as the B’s have started the new season just 2-4-0. Boston tries to avoid its fourth home loss already this season on Thursday night when the surprising Toronto Maple Leafs visit. The Bruins opened as -175 favorites on Bodog’s NHL hockey odds.
Other than a 4-1 win over Tampa Bay in their second game of the season, Boston has been awful at home, losing three games and scoring one goal in each. The Bruins are 30th in the NHL in scoring, averaging just 1.7 goals per game.
In Tuesday’s 4-1 loss to Carolina, Boston either showed some fight or lost its cool. The Bruins was called for 11 penalties in the second and third periods, many during scrums. Bruins coach Claude Julien was given a game misconduct with 3:44 to play as Boston racked up 72 penalty minutes. Tuukka Rask got the call in net for Boston, falling to 0-2, but Tim Thomas will no doubt be back tonight.
Center David Krejci has missed the past three games for Boston with a lower-body injury but says it’s 50-50 he plays tonight after practicing Wednesday. And look for some line switches as well. Bruins coach Claude Julien reshuffled his top three lines in practice Wednesday. Milan Lucic and Tyler Seguin remained on the top line, but Seguin was shifted from center to right wing, with Chris Kelly the new center. Nathan Horton, who has gotten off to a slow start, was demoted to the No. 2 line.
The Leafs (4-0-1) enter off a 4-3 shootout win at home Wednesday night against Winnipeg. Toronto’s Phil Kessel extended his NHL lead in goals and points on a night where Toronto appeared headed for its first regulation loss after falling behind 3-1 midway through the second period. Kessel has seven goals and 12 points in five games and has three games with at least three points already this season after posting two games with three points all of last season.
Toronto won its final three games against Boston last season as part of a second-half surge, including twice at TD Garden. Kessel, who was traded to Toronto from Boston a few years ago, was the leading Toronto scorer against the B’s last year with five points in six games and a shootout winner. Toronto goalie James Reimer was 3-1 against Boston last year, but he’s giving way to Jonas Gustavsson (2-1-1, 1.71 GAA) because Reimer was in net Wednesday.
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Other than a 4-1 win over Tampa Bay in their second game of the season, Boston has been awful at home, losing three games and scoring one goal in each. The Bruins are 30th in the NHL in scoring, averaging just 1.7 goals per game.
In Tuesday’s 4-1 loss to Carolina, Boston either showed some fight or lost its cool. The Bruins was called for 11 penalties in the second and third periods, many during scrums. Bruins coach Claude Julien was given a game misconduct with 3:44 to play as Boston racked up 72 penalty minutes. Tuukka Rask got the call in net for Boston, falling to 0-2, but Tim Thomas will no doubt be back tonight.
Center David Krejci has missed the past three games for Boston with a lower-body injury but says it’s 50-50 he plays tonight after practicing Wednesday. And look for some line switches as well. Bruins coach Claude Julien reshuffled his top three lines in practice Wednesday. Milan Lucic and Tyler Seguin remained on the top line, but Seguin was shifted from center to right wing, with Chris Kelly the new center. Nathan Horton, who has gotten off to a slow start, was demoted to the No. 2 line.
The Leafs (4-0-1) enter off a 4-3 shootout win at home Wednesday night against Winnipeg. Toronto’s Phil Kessel extended his NHL lead in goals and points on a night where Toronto appeared headed for its first regulation loss after falling behind 3-1 midway through the second period. Kessel has seven goals and 12 points in five games and has three games with at least three points already this season after posting two games with three points all of last season.
Toronto won its final three games against Boston last season as part of a second-half surge, including twice at TD Garden. Kessel, who was traded to Toronto from Boston a few years ago, was the leading Toronto scorer against the B’s last year with five points in six games and a shootout winner. Toronto goalie James Reimer was 3-1 against Boston last year, but he’s giving way to Jonas Gustavsson (2-1-1, 1.71 GAA) because Reimer was in net Wednesday.
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Two of the NHL's top Stanley Cup contenders will clash in Philadelphia on Thursday night as the Flyers play host to the Washington Capitals.
Heading into their Thursday matchup the Flyers and Capitals are a combined 9-0-1, with the 5-0-0 Capitals unbeaten to start the season and the 4-0-1 Flyers having an overtime loss as the only blemish on their record.
That has both those teams high on the Stanley Cup futures list at the Bodog Sportsbook, with Washington at 8/1 and Philadelphia at 17/2.
Philadelphia is coming off a convincing 7-2 win in Ottawa over the Senators on Tuesday night, with rookie forward Matt Read scoring a goal and adding three assists in the contest. Sean Couturier, Claude Giroux, Matt Carle, and Max Talbot also had two-point games against the Sens, while backup netminder Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 21 of 23 shots.
Philadelphia, though, is expected to turn back to starting netminder Ilya Bryzgalov for Thursday's game against the Capitals; the offseason acquisition is 3-0-1 on the season with a 1.99 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage.
The Capitals blanked the Florida Panthers 3-0 at home in their last game on Tuesday night, with netminder Tomas Vokoun making 20 saves for the shutout. Vokoun gave up five goals in his first start of the season against Tampa Bay, but since then he's allowed a combined three goals over three games to lower his GAA to 1.94.
Marcus Johansson, Alexander Semin, and Jason Chimera (into an empty net) scored for Washington on Tuesday, while Alex Ovechkin picked up an assist; Ovechkin has been held to just one goal and two assists through five games this season.
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Heading into their Thursday matchup the Flyers and Capitals are a combined 9-0-1, with the 5-0-0 Capitals unbeaten to start the season and the 4-0-1 Flyers having an overtime loss as the only blemish on their record.
That has both those teams high on the Stanley Cup futures list at the Bodog Sportsbook, with Washington at 8/1 and Philadelphia at 17/2.
Philadelphia is coming off a convincing 7-2 win in Ottawa over the Senators on Tuesday night, with rookie forward Matt Read scoring a goal and adding three assists in the contest. Sean Couturier, Claude Giroux, Matt Carle, and Max Talbot also had two-point games against the Sens, while backup netminder Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 21 of 23 shots.
Philadelphia, though, is expected to turn back to starting netminder Ilya Bryzgalov for Thursday's game against the Capitals; the offseason acquisition is 3-0-1 on the season with a 1.99 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage.
The Capitals blanked the Florida Panthers 3-0 at home in their last game on Tuesday night, with netminder Tomas Vokoun making 20 saves for the shutout. Vokoun gave up five goals in his first start of the season against Tampa Bay, but since then he's allowed a combined three goals over three games to lower his GAA to 1.94.
Marcus Johansson, Alexander Semin, and Jason Chimera (into an empty net) scored for Washington on Tuesday, while Alex Ovechkin picked up an assist; Ovechkin has been held to just one goal and two assists through five games this season.
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The San Jose Sharks have lost three straight games and they haven't had much success against the New Jersey Devils in recent years. They'll try to turn around those NHL betting trends when the two teams meet in New Jersey on Friday night.
The Sharks won their opener against the Coyotes, but since then they've lost twice to Anaheim and once to St. Louis to sit at 1-3-0 on the season.
San Jose last played on Monday night at home against the Ducks, losing that game 3-2 as starting goaltender Antti Niemi gave up three goals on 22 shots. Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Brent Burns had the goals for the Sharks in that contest, while Joe Thornton picked up an assist for his first point of the season.
The Devils have been headed in the opposite direction, losing at home to the Flyers in their first game of the season then grabbing consecutive victories over the Hurricanes, Kings, and Predators.
New Jersey has been idle since their 3-2 shootout win in Nashville last Saturday night. Ilya Kovalchuk and David Clarkson scored for the Devils in regulation time in that contest, and Johan Hedberg stopped 29 of 31 Nashville shots.
Hedberg has been filling in for injured New Jersey starter Martin Brodeur, who has a sore shoulder and is expected to miss another week of action.
The Sharks are just 1-4 in their last five games against the Devils, and 2-8 in their last 10. The teams split their meetings last season, with each club getting the win at home.
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The Sharks won their opener against the Coyotes, but since then they've lost twice to Anaheim and once to St. Louis to sit at 1-3-0 on the season.
San Jose last played on Monday night at home against the Ducks, losing that game 3-2 as starting goaltender Antti Niemi gave up three goals on 22 shots. Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Brent Burns had the goals for the Sharks in that contest, while Joe Thornton picked up an assist for his first point of the season.
The Devils have been headed in the opposite direction, losing at home to the Flyers in their first game of the season then grabbing consecutive victories over the Hurricanes, Kings, and Predators.
New Jersey has been idle since their 3-2 shootout win in Nashville last Saturday night. Ilya Kovalchuk and David Clarkson scored for the Devils in regulation time in that contest, and Johan Hedberg stopped 29 of 31 Nashville shots.
Hedberg has been filling in for injured New Jersey starter Martin Brodeur, who has a sore shoulder and is expected to miss another week of action.
The Sharks are just 1-4 in their last five games against the Devils, and 2-8 in their last 10. The teams split their meetings last season, with each club getting the win at home.
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The Philadelphia Flyers have won just one of their four home games so far this season. They'll be looking to improve on that mark on Monday night when they play host to the Toronto Maple Leafs on the NHL odds board.
Philly is coming off back-to-back home losses to the Washington Capitals (5-2) on Thursday and the St. Louis Blues (4-2) on Saturday. Flyers netminder Ilya Bryzgalov allowed all four goals on 25 shots against the Blues, raising his goals-against average to 2.85 and dropping his save percentage to .895 on the season.
Daniel Briere and Matt Carle had the goals for Philadelphia on Saturday, and Chris Pronger picked up his team-leading sixth assist of the season. Leading scorer Claude Giroux (eight points) was held without a point against the Blues, as was free-agent signing Jaromir Jagr, who has just four assists in seven games so far this year.
The Maple Leafs got knocked around 6-2 in Boston last Thursday night, but they bounced back from that loss with a 5-4 overtime win in Montreal on Saturday night.
Mikhail Grabovksi had the OT winner for Toronto in that contest, and Phil Kessel scored his league-leading eighth goal of the campaign. Kessel also leads the NHL in points with 14 in seven games.
James Reimer started between the pipes for the Maple Leafs on Saturday, stopping nine of 10 shots before leaving the game with reported whiplash; he won't play on Monday. Jonas Gustavsson gave up three goals on 18 shots in relief.
The Flyers won three of four meetings with the Maple Leafs last season, but did lose to Toronto 3-2 at home in March as a big -240 favorite on the NHL betting lines. Reimer was in nets for the Leafs in that game, while Sergei Bobrovsky started for the Flyers.
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Philly is coming off back-to-back home losses to the Washington Capitals (5-2) on Thursday and the St. Louis Blues (4-2) on Saturday. Flyers netminder Ilya Bryzgalov allowed all four goals on 25 shots against the Blues, raising his goals-against average to 2.85 and dropping his save percentage to .895 on the season.
Daniel Briere and Matt Carle had the goals for Philadelphia on Saturday, and Chris Pronger picked up his team-leading sixth assist of the season. Leading scorer Claude Giroux (eight points) was held without a point against the Blues, as was free-agent signing Jaromir Jagr, who has just four assists in seven games so far this year.
The Maple Leafs got knocked around 6-2 in Boston last Thursday night, but they bounced back from that loss with a 5-4 overtime win in Montreal on Saturday night.
Mikhail Grabovksi had the OT winner for Toronto in that contest, and Phil Kessel scored his league-leading eighth goal of the campaign. Kessel also leads the NHL in points with 14 in seven games.
James Reimer started between the pipes for the Maple Leafs on Saturday, stopping nine of 10 shots before leaving the game with reported whiplash; he won't play on Monday. Jonas Gustavsson gave up three goals on 18 shots in relief.
The Flyers won three of four meetings with the Maple Leafs last season, but did lose to Toronto 3-2 at home in March as a big -240 favorite on the NHL betting lines. Reimer was in nets for the Leafs in that game, while Sergei Bobrovsky started for the Flyers.
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There could soon be a coaching change in Montreal if the Canadiens don’t turn their season around quickly as the Habs enter Wednesday night’s game at home against the Philadelphia Flyers on a six-game losing streak and at 1-5-2 for the franchise’s worst start since 1941. To add insult to injury, Montreal leading scorer Max Pacioretty will miss at least this game with a reported wrist injury. Philly opened as a -135 favorite on Bodog’s NHL odds.
Pacioretty has two goals and four assists on the season. He left Monday’s game against the Florida Panthers after the second period of a 2-1 loss and is officially being called day-to-day but for sure won’t play tonight. The Habs have lost six straight games for the first time in more than four years. Montreal is 29th in the NHL in power-play conversion percentage and All-Star goalie Carey Price is an ugly 1-4-2 with a 3.31 goals-against average and .878 save percentage; he got the night off Monday.
At the Bell Centre, the Habs have gone 0-3-2 to post the worst home start in franchise history. The only other Eastern Conference team which hasn't won a home game is the Rangers, but they have yet to play one. The Canadiens have scored one or no goals in five games overall this season despite ranking second in the Eastern Conference in shots per game at 33.9.
There is talk that head coach Jacques Martin is on the hot seat. In fact, you can bet at Bodog whether Martin will be fired before Nov. 30, with yes at +150 and no at -200. It should be noted that the Habs started 2-5-0 in Martin's first season behind the Montreal bench in 2009-10 and still reached the conference finals that season.
The Flyers (5-2-1), meanwhile, begin life without captain and top defenseman Chris Pronger, who was accidentally hit in the eye with a stick in Monday’s 4-2 win over Toronto. He could miss up to a month. Jaromir Jagr had two goals in that game for the Flyers, his first goals in the NHL since the end of the 2007-08 season.
The Flyers have won three in a row and nine of 12 against the Canadiens.
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Pacioretty has two goals and four assists on the season. He left Monday’s game against the Florida Panthers after the second period of a 2-1 loss and is officially being called day-to-day but for sure won’t play tonight. The Habs have lost six straight games for the first time in more than four years. Montreal is 29th in the NHL in power-play conversion percentage and All-Star goalie Carey Price is an ugly 1-4-2 with a 3.31 goals-against average and .878 save percentage; he got the night off Monday.
At the Bell Centre, the Habs have gone 0-3-2 to post the worst home start in franchise history. The only other Eastern Conference team which hasn't won a home game is the Rangers, but they have yet to play one. The Canadiens have scored one or no goals in five games overall this season despite ranking second in the Eastern Conference in shots per game at 33.9.
There is talk that head coach Jacques Martin is on the hot seat. In fact, you can bet at Bodog whether Martin will be fired before Nov. 30, with yes at +150 and no at -200. It should be noted that the Habs started 2-5-0 in Martin's first season behind the Montreal bench in 2009-10 and still reached the conference finals that season.
The Flyers (5-2-1), meanwhile, begin life without captain and top defenseman Chris Pronger, who was accidentally hit in the eye with a stick in Monday’s 4-2 win over Toronto. He could miss up to a month. Jaromir Jagr had two goals in that game for the Flyers, his first goals in the NHL since the end of the 2007-08 season.
The Flyers have won three in a row and nine of 12 against the Canadiens.
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Riding high atop the Northwest Division standings, the Colorado Avalanche will try to remain perfect on the road on Wednesday night when they meet the Flames in Calgary in an NHL betting matchup.
The Avalanche, at 6-2-0 so far on the season, are a perfect 6-0-0 in road games through the first few weeks of the year – most recently winning 5-4 in Chicago in a shootout on Saturday night.
Rookie forward Gabriel Landeskog had two goals for Colorado in that win, while Paul Stastny and David Jones also scored in regulation time. Joakim Lindstrom netted the shootout winner, and Semyon Varlamov made 34 saves in the contest.
Varlamov improved his record to 4-2-0 on the season with the win, with a solid 2.41 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage in his first year as the starting netminder for Colorado.
The Flames enter Wednesday in last place in the Northwest Division standings at 2-4-1, and they're coming off a 2-0 shutout loss at home against the Nashville Predators on the NHL odds board in their last game on Saturday.
Calgary goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff stopped just 12 of 14 Nashville shots in that loss, and he's now 2-3-0 on the season despite his 2.23 goals-against average and .919 save percentage.
The Flames are riding a five-game winning streak against the Avalanche into Wednesday, with Kiprusoff backstopping the team to four of those wins. Overall the Avalanche are 3-7 in their last 10 against Calgary, with the OVER/UNDER at 4-6.
The Bodog Sportsbook will offer the line and total for all of Wednesday's NHL games, along with updated Stanley Cup futures; Colorado is at 40/1 odds to win the championship right now, with Calgary at 50/1 odds.
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The Avalanche, at 6-2-0 so far on the season, are a perfect 6-0-0 in road games through the first few weeks of the year – most recently winning 5-4 in Chicago in a shootout on Saturday night.
Rookie forward Gabriel Landeskog had two goals for Colorado in that win, while Paul Stastny and David Jones also scored in regulation time. Joakim Lindstrom netted the shootout winner, and Semyon Varlamov made 34 saves in the contest.
Varlamov improved his record to 4-2-0 on the season with the win, with a solid 2.41 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage in his first year as the starting netminder for Colorado.
The Flames enter Wednesday in last place in the Northwest Division standings at 2-4-1, and they're coming off a 2-0 shutout loss at home against the Nashville Predators on the NHL odds board in their last game on Saturday.
Calgary goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff stopped just 12 of 14 Nashville shots in that loss, and he's now 2-3-0 on the season despite his 2.23 goals-against average and .919 save percentage.
The Flames are riding a five-game winning streak against the Avalanche into Wednesday, with Kiprusoff backstopping the team to four of those wins. Overall the Avalanche are 3-7 in their last 10 against Calgary, with the OVER/UNDER at 4-6.
The Bodog Sportsbook will offer the line and total for all of Wednesday's NHL games, along with updated Stanley Cup futures; Colorado is at 40/1 odds to win the championship right now, with Calgary at 50/1 odds.
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The Montreal Canadiens have lost each of their last six games and have started the season with a 1-5-2 record. Only Columbus has fewer points than the Habs in the NHL. The schedule doesn’t get any easier as they host the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday night at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
Philadelphia began the season by earning nine points in its first five games, but then dropped two in a row before getting back on track with a win against Toronto on Monday night. Wednesday’s game is the first of three in four nights for the Flyers, who have 17/2 odds of winning the Stanley Cup.
On the other hand, Montreal’s schedule has been a bit easier – at least on paper. They’ve yet to play on back-to-back nights, but like Philly, Montreal also has three games in four nights, the latter two as part of a home-and-home against the Boston Bruins. The Canadiens have 35/1 Stanley Cup odds at the Bodog Sportsbook.
Montreal’s biggest problem early on has been scoring. Travis Moen leads all scorers with four goals. Nobody else on the team has more than two. Also, the Canadiens’ power play is operating at an abysmal 9.4 percent; 29th in the league.
In Philly, Claude Giroux leads the team with five goals and five assists, with all five of his goals worthy of highlight reels. After a slow start, Jaromir Jagr has also turned it up. He had a goal and three assists against Toronto and now he and Chris Pronger are tied for second among Flyers scorers with seven points each.
Can the Canadiens break out of their funk or will the Flyers continue pounding on the teams who are down? Which team will put out more of an effort, knowing the grueling schedule going into the weekend?
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Philadelphia began the season by earning nine points in its first five games, but then dropped two in a row before getting back on track with a win against Toronto on Monday night. Wednesday’s game is the first of three in four nights for the Flyers, who have 17/2 odds of winning the Stanley Cup.
On the other hand, Montreal’s schedule has been a bit easier – at least on paper. They’ve yet to play on back-to-back nights, but like Philly, Montreal also has three games in four nights, the latter two as part of a home-and-home against the Boston Bruins. The Canadiens have 35/1 Stanley Cup odds at the Bodog Sportsbook.
Montreal’s biggest problem early on has been scoring. Travis Moen leads all scorers with four goals. Nobody else on the team has more than two. Also, the Canadiens’ power play is operating at an abysmal 9.4 percent; 29th in the league.
In Philly, Claude Giroux leads the team with five goals and five assists, with all five of his goals worthy of highlight reels. After a slow start, Jaromir Jagr has also turned it up. He had a goal and three assists against Toronto and now he and Chris Pronger are tied for second among Flyers scorers with seven points each.
Can the Canadiens break out of their funk or will the Flyers continue pounding on the teams who are down? Which team will put out more of an effort, knowing the grueling schedule going into the weekend?
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The New York Rangers finally get to play a home game on Thursday night as Madison Square Garden reopens after a summer of renovations and upgrades. The Rangers will play against an Original Six rival in the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Rangers opened the season in Europe, dropping their first two games in extra time. Their first win came in a shutout over Vancouver on Oct. 18; more than a week after the season began. After the slow start, New York has improved to a 3-2-2 record. The Rangers have 30/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup.
Toronto has emerged as one of the top teams in the league with a 5-2-1 record, thanks in large part to an easy schedule to open the season. The Leafs’ two losses have come against Boston and Philadelphia – two teams that, like the Rangers, figure to be strong Cup contenders. Toronto also has 30/1 Stanley Cup futures at the Bodog Sportsbook.
Toronto will likely get forward Tim Connolly into the lineup for the first time. The offseason acquisition has yet to play a game due to an upper body injury. James Reimer will start in net after being taken out of a game last Saturday against Montreal when he took a hit to the head from Brian Gionta.
As the New York fans welcome home Brad Richards and the team, the players themselves will also welcome the return of defenseman Michael Sauer, who injured his shoulder while the Rangers were in Sweden.
Can the Rangers christen the new MSG with a win, or will Toronto play spoiler to the fun in New York?
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The Rangers opened the season in Europe, dropping their first two games in extra time. Their first win came in a shutout over Vancouver on Oct. 18; more than a week after the season began. After the slow start, New York has improved to a 3-2-2 record. The Rangers have 30/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup.
Toronto has emerged as one of the top teams in the league with a 5-2-1 record, thanks in large part to an easy schedule to open the season. The Leafs’ two losses have come against Boston and Philadelphia – two teams that, like the Rangers, figure to be strong Cup contenders. Toronto also has 30/1 Stanley Cup futures at the Bodog Sportsbook.
Toronto will likely get forward Tim Connolly into the lineup for the first time. The offseason acquisition has yet to play a game due to an upper body injury. James Reimer will start in net after being taken out of a game last Saturday against Montreal when he took a hit to the head from Brian Gionta.
As the New York fans welcome home Brad Richards and the team, the players themselves will also welcome the return of defenseman Michael Sauer, who injured his shoulder while the Rangers were in Sweden.
Can the Rangers christen the new MSG with a win, or will Toronto play spoiler to the fun in New York?
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The Boston Bruins will return from a four-day layoff on Thursday night as they begin a home-and-home series against the division-rival Montreal Canadiens at home.
The defending Stanley Cup champions haven't been able to get much going yet this season, posting a 3-5-0 mark in their first eight games including a 4-2 loss at home against the San Jose Sharks in their last outing on the NHL odds board on Saturday.
Tim Thomas allowed three goals on 29 shots for the Bruins between the pipes in that loss, while Milan Lucic and Tyler Seguin provided the markers for the team in the third period. Seguin leads the team with three goals and nine points so far this season.
Seguin is listed as day-to-day this week with a sore ankle, but he's probable to play on Thursday night against the Canadiens. Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid is considered questionable for Thursday's contest as he tries to return from a head injury.
The Canadiens, who are off to an even slower start than the Bruins, have a lengthier injury list heading into Thursday night. Forward Scott Gomez (upper-body injury) will be out on Thursday, while defensemen Andrei Markov (knee) and Chris Campoli (leg) are out indefinitely with no timetable set for their return.
The Bruins knocked the Canadiens out of the playoffs last season, and they're 6-4 against the NHL betting lines at the Bodog Sportsbook in their past 10 meetings. The OVER/UNDER went 5-4-1 in those 10 contests.
The second half of the home-and-home set will be played in Montreal on Saturday night, and the Bodog Sportsbook will have the lines and totals for all of this weekend's games along with Stanley Cup futures; Boston is at 14/1 to repeat as the champions.
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The defending Stanley Cup champions haven't been able to get much going yet this season, posting a 3-5-0 mark in their first eight games including a 4-2 loss at home against the San Jose Sharks in their last outing on the NHL odds board on Saturday.
Tim Thomas allowed three goals on 29 shots for the Bruins between the pipes in that loss, while Milan Lucic and Tyler Seguin provided the markers for the team in the third period. Seguin leads the team with three goals and nine points so far this season.
Seguin is listed as day-to-day this week with a sore ankle, but he's probable to play on Thursday night against the Canadiens. Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid is considered questionable for Thursday's contest as he tries to return from a head injury.
The Canadiens, who are off to an even slower start than the Bruins, have a lengthier injury list heading into Thursday night. Forward Scott Gomez (upper-body injury) will be out on Thursday, while defensemen Andrei Markov (knee) and Chris Campoli (leg) are out indefinitely with no timetable set for their return.
The Bruins knocked the Canadiens out of the playoffs last season, and they're 6-4 against the NHL betting lines at the Bodog Sportsbook in their past 10 meetings. The OVER/UNDER went 5-4-1 in those 10 contests.
The second half of the home-and-home set will be played in Montreal on Saturday night, and the Bodog Sportsbook will have the lines and totals for all of this weekend's games along with Stanley Cup futures; Boston is at 14/1 to repeat as the champions.
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The Washington Capitals haven't picked up a win in Vancouver in over a decade, but they'll get a chance to do just that on Saturday night as they face off against the Canucks on the NHL betting board at the Bodog Sportsbook.
And that matchup will be a battle between two of the teams in the top tier of Stanley Cup favorites on the futures list – Washington sits at 15/2 odds to win the Stanley Cup this season, while Vancouver is just behind them at 17/2 to claim the championship.
The Canucks, of course, lost in the Stanley Cup final to the Boston Bruins last season, with goaltender Roberto Luongo getting a chunk of the blame for that series defeat.
This season has been much of the same for Luongo, who has been hearing it from the fans and the media after a lacklustre start to the year. In six starts so far this season Luongo is 2-3-1 with a 3.46 goals-against average and an ugly .868 save percentage.
In Luongo's last start against Edmonton on Tuesday night he allowed three goals in just 27 minutes of work before getting the hook. Backup Cory Schneider finished that game for Vancouver, and he also got the call against the Blues on Wednesday night.
While goalie controversies swirl in Vancouver, the club made a move to bolster its offense last weekend when they acquired forwards David Booth and Steven Reinprecht from the Florida Panthers for forwards Mikael Samuelsson and Marco Sturm.
Reinprecht was dispatched to the minors, but Booth has been inserted onto the team's second line with Ryan Kesler as the club looks for more balance in the offense behind the Sedins. Booth had 23 goals and 40 points in 82 games with Florida last season.
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And that matchup will be a battle between two of the teams in the top tier of Stanley Cup favorites on the futures list – Washington sits at 15/2 odds to win the Stanley Cup this season, while Vancouver is just behind them at 17/2 to claim the championship.
The Canucks, of course, lost in the Stanley Cup final to the Boston Bruins last season, with goaltender Roberto Luongo getting a chunk of the blame for that series defeat.
This season has been much of the same for Luongo, who has been hearing it from the fans and the media after a lacklustre start to the year. In six starts so far this season Luongo is 2-3-1 with a 3.46 goals-against average and an ugly .868 save percentage.
In Luongo's last start against Edmonton on Tuesday night he allowed three goals in just 27 minutes of work before getting the hook. Backup Cory Schneider finished that game for Vancouver, and he also got the call against the Blues on Wednesday night.
While goalie controversies swirl in Vancouver, the club made a move to bolster its offense last weekend when they acquired forwards David Booth and Steven Reinprecht from the Florida Panthers for forwards Mikael Samuelsson and Marco Sturm.
Reinprecht was dispatched to the minors, but Booth has been inserted onto the team's second line with Ryan Kesler as the club looks for more balance in the offense behind the Sedins. Booth had 23 goals and 40 points in 82 games with Florida last season.
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Two of the top teams on the Stanley Cup futures board at the Bodog Sportsbook will meet in Detroit on Friday night as the Red Wings play host to the San Jose Sharks.
Both the Red Wings and Sharks sit at 11/1 on the championship futures list heading into Friday's matchup, but the teams are currently headed in opposite directions.
The 4-3-0 Sharks are riding a three-game winning streak into Friday, grabbing consecutive road wins over the Devils, Bruins, and Predators. That stretch comes on the heels of a three-game losing streak by San Jose last week.
Last time out against the Predators the Sharks skated to a 3-1 win, getting a pair of goals from Joe Pavelski in the third period and a shorthanded marker from Logan Couture in the opening frame. Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton each contributed a pair of assists in the contest.
Antti Niemi stopped 19 of 20 Nashville shots in that outing on Tuesday; through four games this season Niemi is 3-1-0 with a .910 save percentage and a 2.23 goals-against average.
The Red Wings are on a two-game skid, losing 7-1 in Washington and 4-1 in Columbus in their last two outings with backup goaltender Ty Conklin between the pipes. Starting netminder Jimmy Howard, who missed Tuesday's outing against Columbus while his wife had a baby, is expected back between the pipes on Friday night.
Darren Helm scored the only goal for the Red Wings in their loss to the Blue Jackets.
The Sharks knocked the Red Wings out of the Stanley Cup playoffs in seven games in the second round last season, and overall they're 7-3 on the NHL odds board against Detroit in their past 10 meetings. The OVER/UNDER was 5-5 in those 10 games.
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Both the Red Wings and Sharks sit at 11/1 on the championship futures list heading into Friday's matchup, but the teams are currently headed in opposite directions.
The 4-3-0 Sharks are riding a three-game winning streak into Friday, grabbing consecutive road wins over the Devils, Bruins, and Predators. That stretch comes on the heels of a three-game losing streak by San Jose last week.
Last time out against the Predators the Sharks skated to a 3-1 win, getting a pair of goals from Joe Pavelski in the third period and a shorthanded marker from Logan Couture in the opening frame. Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton each contributed a pair of assists in the contest.
Antti Niemi stopped 19 of 20 Nashville shots in that outing on Tuesday; through four games this season Niemi is 3-1-0 with a .910 save percentage and a 2.23 goals-against average.
The Red Wings are on a two-game skid, losing 7-1 in Washington and 4-1 in Columbus in their last two outings with backup goaltender Ty Conklin between the pipes. Starting netminder Jimmy Howard, who missed Tuesday's outing against Columbus while his wife had a baby, is expected back between the pipes on Friday night.
Darren Helm scored the only goal for the Red Wings in their loss to the Blue Jackets.
The Sharks knocked the Red Wings out of the Stanley Cup playoffs in seven games in the second round last season, and overall they're 7-3 on the NHL odds board against Detroit in their past 10 meetings. The OVER/UNDER was 5-5 in those 10 games.
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Emery played in 10 regular season games last year with the Ducks, posting a 7-2-0 record with a 2.28 goals-against average. He played in each of Anaheim’s six playoff games, but his team was ejected from the postseason by Nashville.
The 29-year-old goaltender began his NHL career with Ottawa, and then went to the KHL in 2008-09 to play with the Atlant Moscow Oblast. He came back to the NHL and played with Philadelphia and Anaheim. He’s also spent time with each NHL club’s respective AHL affiliate. That’s a lot of traveling over a three-year period.
Emery is also returning from a career-threatening injury in early 2010. After being diagnosed with avascular necrosis, doctors performed a surgery where bone from his lower leg was inserted into his hip. His play at the end of last season suggests that he’s made a full recovery, but how his body holds up in a full NHL season remains to be seen.
Emery won’t emerge as the top goaltender for Chicago. That role goes to sophomore Corey Crawford, who had a fantastic rookie season. For now, Emery gets the back-up role while Alexander Salak was assigned to the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL.
Chicago opens the regular season on Friday night against Dallas.
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