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.

Wwwpharoahscasino Hockey Betting News

<< Bruins try to start win streak against Jets
(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

Sharks try to bounce back in Carolina >>
(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

NFL Football Office Pool Printable Schedules
MySportsbook.com , leading online sportsbook, offers free NFL football office pool printable sheets! Run your own NFL Football Office Pool. Create your own pool, invite your friends to join. Compete with your with co-workers, friends or family for bragging rights every week. Exchange some hard hits without risk of injury -- Trash Talk with your fellow co-workers.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football sportsbook needs.

El Duque expected to throw Tuesday

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.

Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.

El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.

MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds. 

Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.

New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.

Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''

Additional baseball lines and World Series odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.