Capitals double-up Lightning

Hockey Betting Lines

04/09/2009 - Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brooks Laich scored twice and Mike Green registered a goal and two assists as the Washington Capitals held on to edge the Tampa Bay Lightning, 4-2, at St. Pete Times Forum.

David Steckel also tallied for Washington, which was coming off back-to-back wins over Atlanta. The Capitals have won five of six overall and clinched second place in the Eastern Conference standings.

Jose Theodore turned aside 22-of-24 shots for the Capitals, who have won 11 straight games over the Lightning and will finish out their regular-season schedule at Florida on Saturday.

Steven Stamkos and Matt Pettinger scored for the Lightning, who dropped a 6-4 decision to Pittsburgh on Tuesday. Tampa Bay has lost eight straight and 11 of 12.

Karri Ramo stopped 29-of-32 shots for Tampa Bay, which will end its season at Atlanta on Saturday.

With the Capitals holding a 3-1 edge in the third period, Pettinger's deflection goal from in close got the Lightning to within one with 7:07 remaining. However, Green's empty-net tally with five second to go accounted for the 4-2 final score.

Stamkos opened the scoring 36 seconds into the first period to give the Lightning the quick lead, but Laich tied things when he put home a rebound from in close with the Caps on the power play at 9:19.

Washington then struck for two goals 31 seconds apart in the second. First it was Laich beating Ramo over the glove hand with a wrister at 5:37, then Steckel chipped in a pass from Matt Bradley on the doorstep at 6:08 to put the Capitals ahead 3-1.

Game Notes

Don Koharski, a 32-year NHL referee was working his last career game...Stamkos set the franchise-rookie record with his 22nd goal of the season...Caps star Alex Ovechkin had a nine-game point streak snapped...Washington improved to 21-14-5 as the visitor...Tampa Bay fell to 12-18-1 as the host this season.

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2007 NFL Football Betting Preview


“You play to win the game!”

Those are the words of notoriously intense head coach Herman Edwards. Unfortunately, from a bettors’ perspective, most coaches don’t feel that way about the NFL preseason. August is a time to evaluate young players, finalize the depth chart and pray your star players stay healthy.

The trick to making money during the exhibition schedule is identifying coaches – like Edwards – who can’t stand losing even when there's nothing on the line.

The New York Jets betting won 15 of 21 preseason games and went 14-7 against the spread (ATS) during Edwards’s five-year tenure with the club. In his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs field boss, the team improved from 0-4 to 2-2.

Identifying win-a-holics like Edwards is a good start if you plan betting the preseason – even though most say you shouldn’t ... but what the hell do they know anyway?

Here’s a brief rundown of two teams that have a habit of winning during the second-stringers’ season, and another club that has a good chance of exceeding this year.

New York Giants betting lines

Playing in the media hub of North America can be stressful but the press can’t write anything negative about the way Tom Coughlin’s boys play in the preseason. The Giants won and covered all four games last summer, improving their record to 7-1 both straight up (SU) and against the spread over the last two years.

Coughlin has shown he’s not afraid to give his starters more time in the second preseason game than most of his colleagues, no doubt one of the reasons his team has been so dominant.

Dallas Cowboys betting lines

Bettors can count on America’s team early on. The Cowboys are 14-6 both SU and ATS since 2002 in warm-up contests. Former coach Bill Parcells, the coach of the team the last four years, has an intimidating, in-your-face presence – surely a reason Dallas has had so much early success.

The Big Tuna won’t be strolling the sidelines with looks of disgust, but new coach Wade Phillips will be anxious to make a good first impression for owner Jerry Jones.

Dallas plays the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos before things get serious. They then face the Houston Texans in their third contest (the game starters see most game time) and finish off with the Minnesota Vikings.

Expect a Dallas team able to walk away with another 3-1 preseason record.

Oakland Raiders betting lines

This team scored a league-worst 12 offensive touchdowns last season, so the rookies and veterans each have something to prove. There’s a bounty of first-unit jobs up for grabs and plenty of bodies competing for those slots.

First-time head coach Lane Kiffin will be eager to impress an owner who employs the philosophy, “Just win, baby!”

The 32-year-old Kiffin has to command respect from a locker room full of players older than him. All of these factors should lead to purpose in preseason. 

Don’t forget: before playing like a team that belonged in NFL Europe, Oakland went 4-1 (both SU and ATS) in exhibition games.

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