Avalanche visit Oilers aiming to snap road skid
Hockey Betting Lines
02/17/2012 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Colorado Avalanche will try to pick up their first road win in nearly a month when they visit the Edmonton Oilers for tonight's Northwest Division battle at Rexall Place.
The Avalanche are 0-1-1 so far on a four-game road trip and the club has lost four straight away from Denver since recording a 3-1 decision in Los Angeles on Jan. 21. Colorado has also lost seven of its last nine as the guest and is just 12-13-3 as the road team this season.
Colorado will likely need to pick up its road play if it wants to qualify for the postseason. The Avs are currently five points out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference and 13 of their remaining 24 games are on the road.
The Avalanche were handed a 3-1 setback Wednesday night in Vancouver and Colorado lost more than the game, as goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere left the contest with a groin injury.
Giguere started the game in net, but left late in the first period after giving up a goal on nine shots. Semyon Varlamov let in one goal on 21 shots the rest of the way and will likely start tonight's test. Goaltender Cedrick Desjardins was recalled from Colorado's AHL affiliate in Lake Erie and is expected to serve as Varlamov's backup tonight.
Colorado also played Wednesday without forward Peter Mueller, who was a late scratch due to a torso injury. He could return tonight. Fellow forward T.J. Galiardi left Wednesday's game with an upper-body injury and will miss the next seven-to-ten days.
The Oilers have lost three of their last four games, but they've been able to earn points in their last two outings. Edmonton posted an overtime win Saturday in Ottawa and then lost in OT to visiting Toronto on Wednesday. Tim Connolly scored the game-winning goal just 1:39 into overtime to lift the Maple Leafs to the 4-3 decision.
Ben Eager, Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle lit the lamp for the Oilers, who are 15 points out of the West's final postseason berth.
"We had a slow start but came back hard and played a good game," Eager said. "We had our chances to win, but unfortunately couldn't convert."
Nikolai Khabibulin was tagged for all four goals on 26 shots in Wednesday's defeat.
The setback ended Edmonton's four-game home winning streak and it came at the start of a three-game homestand. The Oilers, who will close the residency Sunday against Vancouver, are 15-8-4 as the host this season.
The Oilers hope to get defenseman Theo Peckham back tonight after he sat out the last six games due to a facial injury suffered in practice. Fellow blueliner Corey Potter is also questionable after missing the last two games with a groin injury.
Edmonton forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is still out indefinitely after re- injuring his shoulder earlier this month. The No. 1 overall pick of last summer's draft has 13 goals and 35 points in 40 games as a rookie.
The Oilers have won three of four meetings against Colorado this season and have taken five of eight overall in the series. Edmonton is also 5-0-2 in the last seven games as the host against the Avalanche.
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Bruins will try to record consecutive victories for the first time in over a month when they visit the Winnipeg Jets tonight at MTS Centre. The Bruins went 25-4-1 from Nov. 1-Jan. 12, but the defending Stanley C
<< Red Wings seek 22nd straight home win vs. rival Preds
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Red Wings will try to add another victory to
the longest home winning streak in NHL history tonight, as they host the rival
Nashville Predators for a Central Division clash at Joe Louis Arena.
Detroit tied the
<< Caps hope to close the gap with Panthers in Sunrise
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Capitals will try to make up some ground in
the battle for first place in the Southeast Division when they visit the
Florida Panthers tonight at BankAtlantic Center.
The Capitals and Panthers met over a week
<< Ducks aim for rare win in New Jersey
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Anaheim Ducks have gotten their season-high road trip
off to an excellent start and have begun thinking about the playoffs once
again.
To keep that momentum, the Ducks will have to pick up a rare road victory over
the
<< Nuggets and Grizzlies square off in Memphis
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sometimes a change of scenery is what some players need to
rejuvenate their game. Memphis Grizzlies power forward Marreese Speights knows
that all too well and aims to build off an impressive outing tonight versus
the Denver
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Sharks are likely going to ride Antti Niemi for as long as their season lasts, but that didn't stop head coach Todd McLellan from calling out his goaltender Thursday night. San Jose will look to rebound this evening as
Lakers open home-and-home set with Suns >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pacific Division rivals renew hostilities at Staples Center
on Friday when the Los Angeles Lakers open up a home-and-home series with the
Phoenix Suns.
Fresh off a 3-3 Grammy Road Trip the Lakers returned to SoCal on Tu
Wizards pay a visit to Jazz >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Washington will resume a five-game road trip on Friday
against the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena.
After winning during the first two stops on their trip against the Pistons and
Blazers, the Wizards were tripped
Rounding Third: In Carter, baseball loses one of its good guys >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Growing up in New York whether you were a
fan of the Yankees or the Mets, it was hard not to get caught up with what was
going on at Shea Stadium in the Summer of 1986.
A big reason for the excitement that
Magic entertain Bucks at Amway Center >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Orlando Magic take aim at a fourth straight win this
evening when they conclude a three-game homestand versus the Milwaukee Bucks
at Amway Center.
The Magic continued to roll on Wednesday, as Ryan Anderson scored
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.