Ovechkin returns as Capitals visit Canadiens

Hockey Betting Lines

02/04/2012 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Alex Ovechkin will try to help the Washington Capitals avoid their first three-game slide in over two months, as the star forward returns from suspension today to battle the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre.

Ovechkin was banned for three games for an illegal hit on Pittsburgh's Zbynek Michalek on Jan. 22 and Washington went 1-1-1 without him. The Russian sniper also opted to skip the All-Star weekend in Ottawa even though his suspension did not apply to the league's midseason showcase.

Ovechkin, a two-time Hart Trophy winner, is having a down year by his standards, but the 26-year-old Russian is still leading Washington with 20 goals and is second on the team with 39 points.

Both the Capitals and Canadiens will be seeking their first win after the All- Star break today. The Habs have dropped two straight in regulation since the break, while Washington suffered an overtime loss in Tampa on Tuesday before losing a key divisional matchup the following night at Florida. The Caps haven't lost three in a row since an 0-4 stretch from Nov. 25-Dec. 1.

The Capitals are currently sitting ninth in the East standings and are trailing Toronto by two points for the conference's last playoff seed. Washington is also three points in back of Florida for first place in the Southeast Division and the third seed in the East.

Washington missed an opportunity to keep first place in the division when it visited the Panthers on Wednesday. The Caps entered the game leading Florida by a point, but the Panthers posted a 4-2 win to leap past Washington and into first. Mikael Samuelsson tallied twice and Shawn Matthias provided a late insurance goal for Florida.

Brooks Laich and John Carlson tallied for the Capitals, while Michal Neuvirth allowed three goals on 37 shots for the loss.

"I thought we played hard. You don't like to lose like this," said Capitals head coach Dale Hunter. "We were in the game, but it's one of those things where you don't get the breaks you want."

Washington has dropped its last four games on the road and is completing a three-game swing today. The Caps are just 8-14-3 as the guest this year compared to an 18-6-1 mark in D.C.

The Canadiens were dealt a 3-1 loss by visiting Buffalo on Tuesday and then dropped a 5-3 decision Thursday in New Jersey. Montreal held leads of 2-0 and 3-1 over the Devils, but ultimately lost in regulation.

Andrei Kostitsyn, David Desharnais and Mathieu Darche all had goals for the Canadiens, while Carey Price gave up four goals on 21 shots in the loss.

"It's tough to blame the bounces, it was more that we didn't stick together for 60 minutes tonight," said Darche. "It's never over till it's over, but we've dug ourselves a big hole and losing these two games didn't help."

With 47 points, the Canadiens are tied for last in the Eastern Conference and are 11 points out of a playoff spot.

Montreal is kicking off a three-game homestand today and is just 9-10-7 in Quebec this season.

The Canadiens and Caps have met just once this season and that was in Montreal on Jan. 18, when Washington notched a 3-0 win to take its third straight decision in this series. Neuvirth made 31 saves to post the shutout in that outing and Ovechkin scored one of Washington's three goals.

Washington has also claimed three straight in Montreal and is 4-0-1 in its last five trips to the Bell Centre.

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American Idol Betting Odds: Season 6  

The online gambling websites are in the process of deciphering each American Idol contestant and his or her chances of winning Season 6 to come up with the early American Idol betting lines.

Tim Dalton of MySportsbook.com has been locked away in a soundproof room coming up with all the latest tallies, we are told. "American Idol has become one of the most significant betting events of the year," claims Jack Black of MySportsbook.com.  "Last year, millions were bet during the season across the globe, not just in America.

It's tough early on since we really do not have a glimpse as to how well each of these individuals will perform solo on a week-to-week basis.  It's like Week 1 of the NFL.  Pre-season means nada!

We do know the 24 finalists however.

Sanjaya Malakar is the young man whose sister failed to make it into the Top 24.  He's very low key but - unless he totally flubs - will probably win over the young girlie vote for a few weeks anyway.  He's too young to go all the way, according to Payton O'Brien. 

Brandon Rogers - Who?

Phil Stacy is the military guy who missed his daughter's birth because of the Memphis audition.  He should go a good distance.

Chris Sligh - He's got the humor and in many ways he's the Anti-American Idol much like last year's winner Taylor Hicks was.  And this is why he'll probably get pretty far in this competition.  He's chubby, white with a big curly afro....but more importantly, a great voice!  People love "real", not "real cute" to go all the way. 

"Blake Lewis should go far because of his uniqueness and looks.  He's the boy next store with a twist - he beat boxes.  But on top of this, he's a great singer, and I adore him," Payton O'Brien relayed.

A talented beat-boxer Blake Lewis was a hit during the group sing in Hollywood but Simon explained that this is a singing contest just before he told him he was “in.”

Paul Kim has caught our own roving reporter, Jenny Woo's eyes. 

"I love the fact that there is a Korean American on the show and he is bound to get more Asians tuning into the show," Woo said from her Miami Beach estate.  "There has never been a major presence of Asian-Americans on American Idol in the past.  He's a hottie with a nice voice so that should help to take him far.  Expect heavy betting action from the Asian community."

Sundance Head - He's not perfect, but he's got the personality that will take him through a few weeks, plus he's got the lineage (son of Roy Head - whose 1965 single, "Treat Her Right," hit No. 5 in the charts) 

And the others:

Rudy Cardinas
AJ Tabaldo - the 5th time is the charm
Nicolas Pedro
Chris Richardson
Jared Cotter

The girls

"Melinda Doolittle has one of the best voices," says MySportsbook.com Reporter and an acclaimed dancer in her own right, Destiney Lewis.  "It is great to see a back up singer step out like she has.  The girl needs to gain more confidence but that can also be a positive.  I think she will go far."

Alena Alexander - Those tears (she never seems to stop bawling) should get her far.

"Single mom Lakisha Jones I suspect will be a pretty big favorite entering Week 1 of the competition," says Destiny Williams.  Jones is an excellent singer and down to earth.  "She'll have a wide appeal," echoed O'Brien.

Nicole Trellis - Seems to exert confidence.

Amy Krebs - a powerful singer.

Antonella Barba
Gina Glocksen
Hailey Scanardo
Jordan Sparks
Stephanie Edwards
Leslie Hunt
Sabrina Sloan

MySportsbook.com is offering a 20% signup bonus with an initial deposit (i.e. open your American Idol betting account with $300, receive another $60 in which to bet with). 

Last two contestants will be?

1 Male/1 Female +100 (a $10 bet pays $10 plus your initial $10)

2 Males +170 (a $10 bet pays $17 plus your initial $17)

2 Females +130 (a $10 bet pays $13 plus your initial $10)

MySportsbook.com is an online sportsbook accepts Visa Credit Cards and online sportsbook accepts Mastercard Credit Cards for easy American Idol betting lines. 

It's less than a month until the NHL hockey betting season opens at MySportsbook.com and preparations are underway for another battle in the race to hoist Lord Stanley's mug in 2007.

As cup crazy fans prepare to place their bets, one online sportsbook ,MySportsbook.com, is offering hockey betting lines on the 2007/2007 Stanley Cup , who will bring it home this upcoming season.

Despite a poor showing in last season's playoffs and the loss of Steve Yzerman to retirement, the Detroit Red Wings are early favourites at this online sportsbook with wagering odds of 6-1. The Wings will look to offensive powerhouse Pavel Datsyuk and newly appointed captain Nicklas Lidstrom to lead one of the league's most prominent franchises.

Always a threat are the Ottawa Senators, with newly acquired goaltender Martin Gerber from the Stanley Cup champion ,Carolina Hurricanes. The Sens are second best in the rankings at a 7-1 bet, and odds makers at this sportsbook are optimistic that the Ottawa squad will fare better than last season's Eastern Conference semi-final upset to the Buffalo Sabres.

Also worth noting are the defending Stanley Cup champs Carolina Hurricanes, a 10-1 bet to repeat. Behind the Canes are the New Jersey Devils, Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, and Anaheim Mighty Ducks all sit at 12-1. In the basement are the Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, and St. Louis Blues who all have 100-1 odds to win.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your hockey betting needs.