Capitals, Panthers ready for Southeast showdown
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03/17/2009 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Florida Panthers will try to avoid their longest losing streak in 2 1/2 months this evening, when they take on the Southeast Division- leading Washington Capitals at BankAtlantic Center.
The Panthers have lost three straight and four of their last five games. That skid has come at a bad time, as the club is now ninth overall in the Eastern Conference, a point behind eighth-seeded Carolina.
Florida hasn't dropped four in a row since doing so from December 26-31.
The Panthers' losing streak was extended on Saturday with a 4-3 shootout setback to Tampa Bay. After a spirited overtime, the Lightning's Steven Stamkos lit the lamp to give the Lightning the edge in the first round of the shootout. David Booth and Michael Frolik then came away empty on their subsequent chances for Florida to give the Lightning the win.
Booth had two goals and a helper in regulation -- including the 50th of his career, and Frolik also netted a goal.
The Panthers were without defenseman Bryan McCabe, who has missed the last three games due to facial surgery required after he was hit with a puck versus St. Louis on March 7. McCabe has 12 goals and 21 assists in 56 games this season and could return tonight.
Florida lost the opener of a five-game homestand and is 18-9-6 as the host this year.
The Capitals will try to hand the Panthers another home setback this evening and rebound from a 5-1 loss to Atlanta last night, the Thrashers' franchise- record sixth win in a row.
Jose Theodore started the game in net, but was pulled after giving up four goals on 19 shots for the Capitals, who had both a three-game overall winning streak and a five-game road run stopped. Simeon Varlamov came on in relief and allowed one goal on six shots.
Eric Fehr scored late in the third period for Washington, which sits in the third spot in the Eastern Conference with 92 points, one behind New Jersey.
Washington was without defenseman Mike Green due to flu-like symptoms and he is questionable again for tonight. Green leads all NHL blueliners with 24 goals and 60 points.
Alex Ovechkin failed in his first chance to become the first Capitals player to ever notch three separate 50 goal seasons in last night's loss. He also had a 10-game point streak end (7 goals, 7 assists), while Alexander Semin had his nine-game run halted (7g, 9a). Semin is also one goal shy of his 30th of the season.
Washington is 17-13-4 on the road and plays the second contest of a five-game swing tonight.
The Capitals and Panthers have split four meetings so far this year, but Washington has won four of the six overall in the series. The club has also won in two straight and three of its last four visits to BankAtlantic Center.
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Lightning and the Toronto Maple Leafs will meet for the second time in five days tonight, as the two franchises battle it out at St. Pete Times Forum. The Lightning picked up their third victory versus the Ma
<< Colts re-sign OL Federkeil
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Indianapolis Colts re-signed offensive
lineman Dan Federkeil on Tuesday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Entering his fourth season in the NFL, all with the Colts, he has played in 22
games, inc
<< Penguins visit Thrashers in clash of surging clubs
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The surging Pittsburgh Penguins aim for a series sweep of
the Atlanta Thrashers, who are on the longest winning streak in franchise
history, when the two clubs meet tonight at Mellon Arena.
Pittsburgh has won four straight
<< Sabres hoping to end struggles in Ottawa
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Buffalo Sabres will attempt to halt a five-game road
losing streak in a city where they haven't had much luck as of late. Buffalo
wraps its season series with the Ottawa Senators tonight at Scotiabank Place.
Buffalo ha
<< Rangers, Habs to battle for playoff position
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Montreal Canadiens fans had a reason to cheer the last time
their team took the ice, but it didn't have anything to do with the home
club's play. Montreal will try to avoid wrapping up a four-game homestand with
three straigh
Springfield, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Syracuse Crunch goaltender Kevin Lalande has been named the American Hockey League's Player of the Week. In three games, Lalande stopped 111 of 114 shots while going 3-0-0 with a 1.00 goals- against
Knicks sign Nichols to second 10-day contract >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Knicks have signed guard
Demetris Nichols to his second consecutive 10-day contract.
He has yet to appear in a game for New York this season.
Nichols was a second-round selection by
'Quakes sign Zaher to developmental deal >>
San Jose, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Jose Earthquakes signed defender Mike
Zaher, the Major League Soccer club announced late on Monday.
"Mike is a skillful left back who understands the game," 'Quakes General
Manager of Soccer O
MLS suspends Houston forward Kamara two games >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber
suspended Houston Dynamo forward Kei Kamara two regular season games and fined
him $500 for inappropriate comments to an official, it was announced late
Monday.
Will Federer return to the top? >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - We're two-and-a-half months into the 2009
ATP season, and it's hard too say if Roger Federer will regain the No. 1
ranking, but I'd have to say I'm seriously leaning in the "no-way" direction.
And that wou
Mayweather picked to beat De La Hoya
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya and his rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. arrived at the MGM Grand here Wednesday amid the pomp and pandemonium befitting two of the biggest stars in the sport who are about to duke it out for the WBC super welterweight crown this Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
As of Wednesday, MySportsbook.com closed its book with Mayweather a favorite to defeat De La Hoya at -170 (a $100 bet wins $70), while De La Hoya is a +140 underdog (a $100 bet wins $140).
Mayweather arrived at about 11:30 a.m. on a big truck with his face and a big "World's Best Pound-for-Pound" sign scribbled across the vehicle. He was accompanied by his entourage made up of rappers and his training team.
A crowd of close to 3,000 eager fans packed the MGM Grand lobby, with their cameras in tow, all trying to vie for position to get a good angle at Mayweather, who is acknowledged as the world's best fighter pound-for-pound.
Eric Gomez, Golden Boy Promotions vice-president, described the fan turnout as "amazing" and swore he had never seen anything quite like this event.
"The crowd was fantastic. Everybody was just too eager to see the two fighters," said ALA manager Michael Aldeguer, who was among those who waited at the lobby together with his ward Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista and AJ Banal.
De La Hoya made his own grand entrance at the hotel lobby at around 12:30 p.m. accompanied by GBP chief executive officer Richard Schaefer and trainer Freddie Roach.
The same group of fans who trooped to see Mayweather also lingered around to get a close look at De La Hoya, who has been secretly working out at a Las Vegas gym for days after arriving from his main training camp in Puerto Rico.
The golden boy then took part in a closed-door afternoon workout with Bautista and Banal. The two, along with Aldeguer and wife Christine, as well as an HBO crew were the only ones allowed inside the gym.
De La Hoya and Mayweather take part in today's final press conference before the official weigh-in this Friday.
Ring Magazine, the acknowledged bible of boxing, reported in its June 2007 issue that 12 out of 20 boxing experts it interviewed have favored Mayweather to defeat De la Hoya, with only 8 favoring the latter.
But Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao said in a recent interview with The Freeman's Emmanuel Villaruel that De La Hoya will win by unanimous decision over Mayweather.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on boxing needs.
FOOTBALL BETTING : Cassel Signs Contract
Kansas City, MO - Kansas City has not officially named Matt Cassel its starting quarterback, but there can be no doubt now.
NFL Betting
After praising his leadership and work ethic through spring workouts, the Chiefs announced Tuesday they had signed the 27-year-old Cassel to a multiyear contract. Terms were not disclosed, but he will almost certainly be one of the highest-paid members of the team.
"We are excited to be able to reach a long-term agreement for Matt Cassel to be a Kansas City Chief for many years to come," owner and board chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement. "His proven leadership on and off the field will be a tremendous asset to the organization."
Patriots made him their franchise player, meaning his salary for this season will be about $15 million.
New head coach Todd Haley, taking over for Herm Edwards after a 2-14 season, refused to name a starter at any position during offseason workouts. But it was obvious to everyone the team belonged to Cassel.
"I go out there each and every day with that focus that I'm the starter," Cassel said during a June minicamp. "Competition brings out the best in everybody."
The signing will come as welcome news to Cassel's new coaches and teammates. Amiable and hardworking, online football betting he appeared to win over everyone at minicamp.
"I think he's got some unique leadership qualities. I think his teammates like him and have respect for him. I think he's doing a pretty good job on the field, too," Haley said last month. "He's doing everything that I'm asking him, that our coaches are asking him to do. I don't have one single complaint how he's carrying himself."
After one workout, wide receiver Devard Darling declared Cassel "a breath of fresh air."
"He has a lot of swagger, a lot of confidence. It's good for us," said Darling. "We trust in him that he's going to go out there and lead us all the way."
nse to accommodate his specific abilities.
Trapped on the bench behind Heisman winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC and then unable to unseat Super Bowl MVP Brady at New England, Cassel seemed destined to be a backup all his life. As Brady was helped off the field last September, Cassel seized the opportunity he'd been waiting for since high school.
In his only sustained action since his teens, he hit 349 of 555 passes for 3,949 yards at New England. He had 23 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions as the Patriots, who had gone unbeaten through the regular season the year before, finished 11-5 and out of the playoffs.
Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli, who had been Bill Belichick's assistant in New England, engineered the trade after the Patriots became convinced that Brady would recover fully from his knee operation.
"Since Matt arrived in Kansas City, he has embraced the team and the community," Pioli said. "His work ethic, his ability and competitive presence is what we expect from our players."
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