Pens host surprising Habs in Game 7 of East semis

Hockey Betting Lines

05/12/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The eighth-seeded Montreal Canadiens have pushed the defending Stanley Cup champions to the brink in the Eastern Conference semifinals and it all comes down to tonight, when the Habs visit the Pittsburgh Penguins for a decisive Game 7 at Mellon Arena.

This is the second straight Game 7 for the Canadiens, who shocked the top- seeded Washington Capitals in the opening round, taking the series with a 2-1 road victory in the final game. The Habs tied this current best-of-seven set at three games apiece thanks to a 4-3 victory over the visiting Pens in Monday's Game 6.

Meanwhile, the fourth-seeded Penguins are playing their first Game 7 since defeating the Red Wings in a decisive contest in Detroit to win last year's Stanley Cup.

The Penguins are 7-4 all-time in Game 7s, while Montreal is 12-8 in this situation.

This is the first Game 7 to be staged at Mellon Arena since June 1, 1996, when the Penguins lost to Florida in the Eastern Conference finals, and tonight could also be the final game ever at the Arena, which is scheduled to be replaced by Consol Energy Center at the start of next season.

The oldest building in the NHL, the Igloo opened in 1961 and since the fall of 1967 -- when the Penguins entered the NHL as an expansion club -- it has been the only building the team has called home.

The Penguins are just 3-3 as the host in the 2010 playoffs after posting a strong 25-12-4 mark on home ice during the regular season. Montreal is 4-3 as the visiting club in this postseason, but was just 19-17-5 as the guest prior to the playoffs.

While Montreal needed to overcome a 3-1 series deficit to beat the Caps in Round 1, this series has been more predictable. The Pens and Habs have alternated wins so far in this series, with Pittsburgh taking the odd-numbered games and Montreal notching wins in Games 2, 4 and 6.

The upstart Canadiens notched Monday's victory thanks in large part to Michael Cammalleri's third two-goal game of these playoffs. Jaroslav Halak also withstood a 37-shot barrage to lead the Habs to a 4-3 win and set up tonight's winner-take-all scenario.

Cammalleri continued his superb postseason and now has a league-high 11 goals to go with five assists in 13 playoff games this spring.

"You go through times when it goes in, but sometimes it doesn't. You just keep playing. As a goal scorer, it goes back to your teammates. It's all about the passes and the plays, that you're getting the puck (on)," said Cammalleri.

Maxim Lapierre added a nifty unassisted tally in the third that turned out to be the game-winner when the Penguins scored with 1:24 remaining.

Montreal defenseman Jaroslav Spacek was inserted into the lineup in place of an injured Hal Gill after sitting the last nine games. Spacek, who was sidelined with an inner-ear infection, netted a go-ahead goal late in the second period on Monday. Meanwhile, Gill, who suffered a lacerated left leg in Game 6, is expected to be a game-time decision tonight. Gill won a Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh last year before jumping ship to Montreal as a free agent last summer.

For Pittsburgh, Sidney Crosby posted his first goal of the series and Kris Letang scored a power-play goal. Bill Guerin scored to get the Pens within one just outside the final minute of play with Marc-Andre Fleury on the bench in favor of the extra attacker, but the visitors couldn't find the equalizer. Fleury finished with 21 saves.

In addition to winning last year's Cup, the Penguins are the two-time defending conference champions and are trying to become the first Eastern Conference club to reach three straight conference finals since Boston achieved the feat from 1990-92. Back then both the Penguins and Bruins played as part of the Wales Conference.

Montreal is attempting to become the first Eastern Conference club to reach the conference finals as a No. 8 seed since the current playoff format was adopted in 1994. The only eighth-seeded Western team to reach the conference finals since then was the 2006 Edmonton Oilers, who made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals before losing to Carolina.

The Habs and Pens have met just once before in the playoffs and that was back in the opening round of the 1998 postseason when Montreal notched a six-game series victory.

Wwwbetandwin Hockey Betting News

<< Red Sox close homestand with finale against Jays
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Red Sox will attempt to close out a long homestand with a result that's been a familiar one so far this season, a win over the Toronto Blue Jays. With Tim Wakefield set to make his first start in more than two

<< Mariners try to make it three in a row in Baltimore
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Seattle Mariners have dug themselves a hole in the American League West race with a dreadful recent homestand, but their current road trip has gotten off to a much more desirable start. The team will set its sights on a s

<< Yanks, Tigers play two in Detroit
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After an unscheduled day off, the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers will pull double duty with a day-night twinbill beginning this afternoon at Comerica Park. The second test of this four-game series, slated for Tuesday

<< Rays hope Price is right in Anaheim
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A pair of pitchers who have gotten their 2010 campaigns off to terrific starts go head-to-head as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Tampa Bay Rays decide a three-game series today at Angel Stadium. Former No. 1 overa

<< Indians try to add to Royals' recent misery
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cleveland Indians try to hang a seventh straight loss on the Kansas City Royals this evening, when the American League Central cellar-dwellers play the middle test of their three-game set at Kauffman Stadium. Clevelan

Flyers try to stay alive in Game 6 vs. Bruins >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Flyers will try to stay alive in the Eastern Conference semifinals once again when they host the Boston Bruins tonight at Wachovia Center in Game 6 of the best-of-seven series. The seventh-seeded Flyers lo

Injury scratches Hurricane Ike from Preakness >>
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hurricane Ike, winner of last month's Derby Trial, has been withdrawn from the Preakness Stakes with a leg injury. Trainer John Sadler made the announcement Wednesday morning. "My horse isn't so fine. It'

Tigers recall P Figaro, option OF Raburn >>
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Tigers recalled pitcher Alfredo Figaro from Triple-A Toledo and optioned outfielder Ryan Raburn to the same club Wednesday. The 25-year-old Figaro posted a 4-1 record and 2.55 earned run ave

OKC's Collison undergoes arthroscopic knee surgery >>
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -Oklahoma City Thunder forward Nick Collison has undergone successful arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.The team says the procedure took place Tuesday. Collison will begin rehabilitating the knee immediately and should resume

Terry suffers injury in training >>
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - John Terry was taken to the hospital on Wednesday after suffering an injury to his right foot in training. It was originally feared that the Chelsea captain may have suffered a broken metatarsal, whi

COLLEGE FOOTBALL BETTING

NCAA Football Betting

Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)

"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."

Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins

There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.

Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins

Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.

USC Trojans - 10.5 wins

A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.

Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy

Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.

"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."

Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1

The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.

Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1

If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.

Stay with us here as we take you through the best in NFL action on a consistent basis, with advice columns as well as handicapping selections. If you're looking for college football betting, that's in our NCAA section, which you can reach by clicking here. And if you're looking for a different kind of football, such as the Canadian Football League, which we'll deal with occasionally, or the Arena Football League, which we really like, you can find it in our Miscellaneous section by clicking

Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines .
To visit this sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs. Mysportsbook.com online sports betting

Terrell Owens could return for Cowboys next game
A bye week will allow Terrell Owens broken hand to recover just in time for the next game the Dallas Cowboys are slated to play, according to reports. MySportsbook.com, an football sportsbook, has posted football betting lines on TO playing.

Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger Sunday night and had a plate surgically attached to it Monday. Although Owens' hand was swollen and aching Wednesday, Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said he's optimistic the receiver will be back at work next week and catching passes a week from Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

MySportsbook.com online sportsbook listed Terrell Owens with odds of 7-2 (or $7 paid out for every $2 bet) to return back for the game against Tennessee.

"I certainly wouldn't rule it out now," Parcells said, referring to Terrell Owens immediate return. "Maybe five days from now I might, but I wouldn't rule it out now. ... I know we're looking to try to get him moving around pretty good in the next day or so. So we'll see where we are."

Owens did not speak with reporters Wednesday, but said Sunday he'd be out two to four weeks. A return against the Titans would be 13 days after the surgery. The Cowboys were listed as an early -7 1/2 favorite vs. the Tennessee Titans for Week 4 at MySportsbook.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Mastercard needs.