Capitals welcome Panthers to Verizon Center

Hockey Betting Lines

02/27/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Florida Panthers will attempt to continue their recent success against the Washington Capitals when the two Southeast Division members get together tonight at the Verizon Center.

Florida has won 11 of the last 14 matchups between these teams, including the last three encounters. The Panthers have outscored the Capitals by a 17-7 margin during those three most recent wins.

The Panthers currently lead cellar-dwelling Washington by three points in the division standings and are coming off a lopsided home victory. Chris Gratton scored twice and added an assist to lead Florida to a 7-2 rout over the Boston Bruins Saturday at the BankAtlantic Center.

Stephen Weiss had a goal and two assists to help the Panthers end a two-game slide, while Juraj Kolnik finished with three helpers in the win. Ed Belfour turned aside 25 shots in goal for Florida.

Florida's season hasn't lived up to expectations, though, and the club decided to make a move before today's trade deadline by shipping veteran forward Gary Roberts to Pittsburgh.

The Panthers get younger in return, as they received 24-year-old defenseman Noah Welch in the deal. A former second-round pick in 2001, Welch has one goal, one assist and 22 penalty minutes in 22 games with Pittsburgh this season.

Roberts, who had to waive a no-trade clause for the deal to go through, has 13 goals and 16 assists through 50 games so far this season. The 40-year-old was grabbed 12th overall by Calgary in 1984 and has 424 goals and 451 assists in 1,137 career games for 875 points.

Washington has dropped six of its last seven contests and has fallen hopelessly out of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. As a result, the Capitals were active sellers on the day before the league's trade deadline, shipping left wing Richard Zednik and defenseman Lawrence Nycholat Monday in separate deals.

Zednik was dealt to the New York Islanders for a 2007 second-round draft choice, while Nycholat was traded to Ottawa for minor-league defenseman Andy Hedlund and a sixth-round pick.

Washington just completed a home-and-home weekend series with New Jersey. The Caps posted a surprising 4-2 win at the Meadowlands on Saturday, but the Atlantic-Division leading Devils rebounded with a 3-2 triumph Sunday at the Verizon Center.

Brooks Laich and Alexander Ovechkin had the goals for Washington and Brent Johnson made 26 saves in defeat.

Sunday's loss kicked off a four-game homestand for the Capitals, who are 14-13-5 as the host this season.

Florida is 7-1-1 (1 tie) in its last nine visits to the Verizon Center and earned a 4-1 road victory over Washington last month.

Sportcasinostake Hockey Betting News

<< Panthers host rival Mountaineers in critical Big East bout
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 12th-ranked Pittsburgh Panthers have lost their hold on first place in the Big East Conference standings, and they will play a critical game against the West Virginia Mountaineers today.

<< Gators try to right the ship as postseason approaches
Knoxville, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The fifth-ranked Florida Gators have lost two of their last three games, and they will attempt to get back to their winning ways as they battle the Tennessee Volunteers tonight in Knoxville. On Sat

<< League-leading Cougars head to Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The BYU Cougars own sole possession of first place in the Mountain West Conference standings, and are set for a much-anticipated matchup with the 25th-ranked Air Force Falcons this e

<< Report: Livingston's season over
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Los Angeles Clippers guard Shaun Livingston will reportedly miss the remainder of the season because of a severe knee injury suffered Monday night. Livingston dislocated his left knee early in the

<< Twins sign P Crain to three-year deal
Fort Myers, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Twins agreed to terms with pitcher Jesse Crain on a three-year contract through the 2009 season. The 25-year-old Crain went 4-5 with a 3.52 earned run average and one save in 68 appearanc

'Canes aim to keep playoff hopes alive against Sens >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Carolina Hurricanes appear to be back on track towards securing a playoff berth. Tonight the defending Stanley Cup champions aim for a third consecutive victory when they host the Ottawa Senators at the RBC Center. Ca

First-place Canucks wrap up road swing in St. Louis >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Vancouver Canucks hope to complete a four-game road trip on a positive note tonight, when they visit the St. Louis Blues at Scottrade Center. So far the Canucks have earned a point in each stop on the tre

Streaking Canadiens begin road swing against Rangers >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Having re-discovered their winning ways, the Montreal Canadiens begin an important road trip tonight at Madison Square Garden against a New York Rangers team in desperate need of a victory. The Canadiens have rebounded str

Cavs, Hornets square off in Cleveland >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cleveland Cavaliers try and stop a two-game losing streak this evening when they host the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets at Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavs have dropped two in a row after a two-game win

Devils and Pens battle in the Steel City >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New Jersey Devils will get another opportunity to show the Pittsburgh Penguins who is boss in the Atlantic Division when the two clubs meet tonight at the Mellon Arena. The Penguins endured a stretch where they won 12

Betting Football

NFL Football Betting Online

Is there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL?

I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.

Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said.

There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans.

Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal.

For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though.

A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup.

The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games.

Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff.

So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action.

Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns.

“I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said.

Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season.

“Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said.

It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties.

Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples.

The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left.

“The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits.

“These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.”

Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough.

The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday.

“Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.”

Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach?

“It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.”

Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines.