Caps visit Rangers in battle of first-place clubs

Hockey Betting Lines

12/23/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Capitals will try to rebound from a lopsided loss when they visit the New York Rangers for tonight's battle between first- place teams at Madison Square Garden.

The Capitals, who lead the Southeast Division with 43 points, had won five consecutive games before getting slammed by the Flyers this past Saturday in Philadelphia. Scott Hartnell had a hat trick and Antero Niittymaki finished the game with 47 saves as to lead the Flyers to the 7-1 victory at the Wachovia Center.

Brooks Laich scored the lone goal for the Capitals, who were handed their most-lopsided loss of the season by the team that ousted them in the opening round of last year's playoffs.

Brent Johnson started the game in net, but was pulled after two periods as he gave up three goals on 13 shots. Jose Theodore, though, didn't fare much better between the pipes as he gave up four goals on 15 shots.

Alexander Semin missed Saturday's game with a back injury and is expected to sit out again tonight. Semin is second on the Caps with 14 goals and third on the club with 32 points.

The Caps are just 7-10-2 as the visiting team this year, but have won three of their last five road games.

Washington has won three straight meetings with the Rangers, but has also been downed seven times in a row at the Garden. In fact, the home club has won five straight and 12 of the last 13 encounters in this series.

Caps star winger Alex Ovechkin has 13 points (7 goals, 6 assists) in 13 career games against the Rangers. He is third in the NHL with 43 points on 20 goals and 23 assists this season.

The Atlantic Division-leading Rangers also had a winning streak halted their last time out, as they were handed a 3-2 loss Saturday in San Jose. Evgeni Nabokov made 32 saves to help lead the Sharks to the victory at HP Pavilion.

It was just the fifth loss ever for the Rangers against San Jose and the first time they lost to the Sharks since October 22, 2001.

Nikolai Zherdev and Ryan Callahan had the goals for the Rangers, while Henrik Lundqvist made 27 saves. New York had won three straight before Saturday's setback.

The Rangers, who are 12-6-1 as the host this year, are beginning a three-game homestand tonight. New York has won two of its last three tilts at MSG.

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Sportsbook betting odds favor Europe in Ryder Cup

September 19, – Despite holding a decided edge in the all-time series, with 24 wins, 2 ties and 10 losses, Team USA is the underdog again heading into the Ryder Cup in Kidare, Ireland this weekend, according to MySportsbook.com.  The Europeans have captured four of the past five editions, including their largest victory ever, an 18 ½ to 9 ½ thumping in Michigan in 2004. Current Ryder Cup betting odds favor the Europeans to continue their winning ways; they are a 4-5 bet to take the title, compared to 6-5 for the Americans. 

Despite being knocked out in the first round of World Match play by Shaun Micheel, Tiger Woods is predicted to lead the US charge and be their highest point scorer for the week, with odds listed at 9-4 that he outpoints all other American players, including Jim Furyk, Phil Mickelson and Chris DiMarco to  name a  few.  Team USA has four relatively unknown players on the roster but all four are 2007 tournament winners and have posted some of season’s best performances, each earning over $1.5 million on the PGA TOUR.  They include Zach Johnson, Vaughan Taylor, JJ Henry and Brett Wetterich.

The experienced European squad includes the likes of Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, Jose Maria Olazabal and Darren Clarke, who’s emotions will be tested after the passing of his wife to a battle with cancer.  Donald and Garcia are in particularly good form and each is a 5-1 bet to lead the European squad in the points race. Donald has proven he can go head to head with Woods at a major event after a run for the $1.2 million purse at the PGA Championship. Garcia’s Ryder Cup credentials prove he’s ready for battle too.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your golf sportsbook needs.

Ryder Cup Odds

Europe
Tie
USA
4-5
10-1
6-5


Ryder Cup Top US point scorer
Tiger Woods
Jim Furyk
Phil Mickelson
Chris DiMarco
David Toms
Stewart Cink
Chad Campbell
Scott Verplank
Zach Johnson
Vaughan Taylor
JJ Henry
Brett Wetterich
9-4
4-1
5-1
7-1
8-1
12-1
15-1
15-1
25-1
30-1
30-1
50-1


Ryder Cup Top European scorer
Sergio Garcia
Luke Donald
Padraig Harrington
Colin Montgomerie
Darren Clarke
David Howell
Lee Westwood
Paul Casey
Henrik Stenson
Jose Maria Olazabal
Paul McGinley
Robert Karlsson
5-1
5-1
6-1
13-2
8-1
9-1
9-1
11-1
12-1
12-1
20-1
25-1

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com