Avalanche seek rare successful trip to Vancouver

Hockey Betting Lines

02/04/2012 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The sliding Colorado Avalanche will try to post a rare win over the first-place Vancouver Canucks when the Northwest Division rivals meet this afternoon at the Pepsi Center in Denver.

Colorado has lost four straight -- all in regulation -- to match their longest skid of the season. The Avs also dropped four straight during an 0-3-1 skid from Nov. 2-8.

If recent history is any indication, the Avs are unlikely to end their slide today, as Vancouver has compiled an 11-0-2 mark in the last 13 meetings in this series. The Canucks have won the last three encounters and have outscored Colorado by a combined 9-0 margin in two matchups this season.

The Avs have also lost five of their last six home games against Vancouver, which currently holds a 10-point lead over Minnesota atop the Northwest standings.

The Canucks had a three-game winning streak snapped by the visiting Detroit Red Wings on Thursday, but the shootout defeat allowed Vancouver to extend its run of gaining at least a point to five in a row. The Canucks are 3-0-2 during that run and are 7-2-3 over their last 12 trips to the ice.

Vancouver pushed the Red Wings to overtime thanks to Mason Raymond's goal with 4:24 left in regulation, but the Canucks were denied two points after Pavel Datsyuk scored the winner in the shootout to lift Detroit to the 4-3 triumph. The victory pushed the Red Wings' lead over Vancouver for the No. 1 seed in the West to four points.

Raymond, Alexandre Burrows and Ryan Kesler all scored for the Canucks, while Roberto Luongo made 40 saves in the loss.

"We played good in the third and found a way to tie it up, get a point at least," said Luongo.

The shootout loss ended a six-game homestand (3-1-2) for Vancouver and the Canucks will begin a four-game road trip today. Alain Vigneault's club boasts a strong 16-9-1 record as the visiting team this season.

Meanwhile, Colorado began a four-game homestand on a down note on Thursday, as the Avs lost their fourth straight tilt overall in a 1-0 setback against Minnesota. The Avalanche fired 37 shots at Niklas Backstrom, including 17 in the third period alone, but were still denied a goal. The Wild's Greg Zanon notched the only score of the game in the first period and Backstrom made sure it held up for the win.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere made 20 saves for the Avalanche and he allowed Zanon to score on a floater from the point.

"That shot went through a bunch of guys and just found the back of the net," said Giguere about the goal. "Most of the times it hits someone, but what can you do."

Colorado is 14-13-0 as the home team this year and will also face Chicago and Carolina during this residency.

The Canucks played the last game without forward Chris Higgins due to flu-like symptoms and he is questionable for today's game. The Avalanche are still without star forward Matt Duchene, who is sidelined with a knee ailment.

Wwjuno Hockey Betting News


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Sportsbook betting odds favor Europe in Ryder Cup

September 19, – Despite holding a decided edge in the all-time series, with 24 wins, 2 ties and 10 losses, Team USA is the underdog again heading into the Ryder Cup in Kidare, Ireland this weekend, according to MySportsbook.com.  The Europeans have captured four of the past five editions, including their largest victory ever, an 18 ½ to 9 ½ thumping in Michigan in 2004. Current Ryder Cup betting odds favor the Europeans to continue their winning ways; they are a 4-5 bet to take the title, compared to 6-5 for the Americans. 

Despite being knocked out in the first round of World Match play by Shaun Micheel, Tiger Woods is predicted to lead the US charge and be their highest point scorer for the week, with odds listed at 9-4 that he outpoints all other American players, including Jim Furyk, Phil Mickelson and Chris DiMarco to  name a  few.  Team USA has four relatively unknown players on the roster but all four are 2007 tournament winners and have posted some of season’s best performances, each earning over $1.5 million on the PGA TOUR.  They include Zach Johnson, Vaughan Taylor, JJ Henry and Brett Wetterich.

The experienced European squad includes the likes of Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, Jose Maria Olazabal and Darren Clarke, who’s emotions will be tested after the passing of his wife to a battle with cancer.  Donald and Garcia are in particularly good form and each is a 5-1 bet to lead the European squad in the points race. Donald has proven he can go head to head with Woods at a major event after a run for the $1.2 million purse at the PGA Championship. Garcia’s Ryder Cup credentials prove he’s ready for battle too.

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

Ryder Cup Odds

Europe
Tie
USA
4-5
10-1
6-5


Ryder Cup Top US point scorer
Tiger Woods
Jim Furyk
Phil Mickelson
Chris DiMarco
David Toms
Stewart Cink
Chad Campbell
Scott Verplank
Zach Johnson
Vaughan Taylor
JJ Henry
Brett Wetterich
9-4
4-1
5-1
7-1
8-1
12-1
15-1
15-1
25-1
30-1
30-1
50-1


Ryder Cup Top European scorer
Sergio Garcia
Luke Donald
Padraig Harrington
Colin Montgomerie
Darren Clarke
David Howell
Lee Westwood
Paul Casey
Henrik Stenson
Jose Maria Olazabal
Paul McGinley
Robert Karlsson
5-1
5-1
6-1
13-2
8-1
9-1
9-1
11-1
12-1
12-1
20-1
25-1

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com