Hurricanes clash with Panthers in Southeast Division battle

Hockey Betting Lines

12/18/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Carolina Hurricanes will try to win consecutive games for the first time in nearly a month when they welcome the Florida Panthers for a Southeast Division matchup at RBC Center.

The Hurricanes ended a two-game skid with Tuesday's home victory over Montreal, but haven't notched back-to-back wins since taking three in a row from November 16-21.

Carolina earned a 3-2 decision over the Canadiens as Eric Staal scored twice and Joe Corvo netted the game-winner just over seven minutes into the second period.

Cam Ward recorded 22 saves for Carolina, which had lost five of six coming into Tuesday's contest.

All three of Carolina's goals came on the power play, as the 'Canes converted 3-of-11 opportunities with the man advantage.

Staal has recorded a point in four straight games, notching five goals and two assists over that span. He has 13 goals and nine assists in 31 games this year after recording 82 points a year ago.

Meanwhile, Ray Whitney had his point streak halted at five games. He had three goals and three assists during the run.

Carolina is 8-8-1 as the host this year and is capping a brief two-game homestand tonight.

Florida is coming off a loss as it had a three-game winning streak snapped Sunday in Vancouver. Pavol Demitra scored twice and the Canucks erased a two- goal deficit with five consecutive scores to down the Panthers by a 5-3 count at General Motors Place.

Jay Bouwmeester, Nick Boynton and Michael Frolik got the goals for Florida. Craig Anderson was victimized for five goals on 30 shots in the loss.

Florida also suffered its first defeat on a five-game road trip, which ends tonight. The Panthers are 8-9-1 as the visiting team this season.

The Panther and Hurricanes have split a pair of meetings this year and Carolina has taken six of the last nine encounters overall. Florida has been dreadful in Raleigh, going 1-15 with a tie in its last 17 trips to RBC Center.

Cbssporys Hockey Betting News

<< Caps shoot for fifth straight win in test with Blues
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Capitals will try to match their longest winning streak of the season when they welcome the struggling St. Louis Blues for tonight's matchup at Verizon Center. The Capitals have won four in a row and will tr

<< Preds make a stop in Phoenix
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dan Ellis appeared to be in jeopardy of losing his starting job earlier this year. Needless to say, he is tightening his grip on the role. Coming off his second shutout in five games, Ellis will lead his club into Phoenix

<< Maple Leafs try to stay hot against powerful Bruins
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Toronto Maple Leafs will aim for their fourth consecutive victory when they visit the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Bruins for tonight's Northeast Division battle at TD Banknorth Garden. The Maple Leafs posted thei

<< Suns pay a visit to Blazers at Rose Garden
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Phoenix Suns shoot for their third straight win tonight when they take on the Portland Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden. The Suns have won two in a row and four of their last five games, including Monday's 111-103

<< Stars try to gain momentum in home test vs. Jackets
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dallas is starting to rack up some wins, something it has never had trouble doing against Columbus. The Stars will try to maintain their franchise-long success over the Blue Jackets tonight in a home test American Airlines Ce

Struggling Pens hope to welcome Fleury back against Thrashers >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Pittsburgh Penguins will try to emerge from a lengthy break with a win, as they visit the Atlanta Thrashers for tonight's encounter at Philips Arena. The Penguins last played on Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia and w

Red Wings host Sharks in showdown between West powers >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Red Wings captured their 11th Stanley Cup championship in team history last season. The San Jose Sharks appear to be the favorites to win their first-ever league title this year. The two Western Conference powe

Aiming to extend win streak, Flyers visit Canadiens >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The red-hot Philadelphia Flyers will shoot for their sixth consecutive victory when they visit the sliding Montreal Canadiens for tonight's battle at the Bell Centre. The Flyers can match their longest winning streak of th

Breeders' Cup to fund stakes program >>
Lexington, KY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Board of Directors of The Breeders' Cup has decided to continue funding of its stakes program for the coming year, reversing a decision from the last week. BloodHorse.com reported on Tuesday that

Packers place Bigby on IR >>
Green Bay, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Green Bay Packers have placed safety Atari Bigby on injured reserve because of a shoulder injury. Bigby played in seven games this season for the Packers, starting six, and finished with 31 tackl

Horse Betting

(This is an update of a sportsbook for the May 4th issue of ESPN The Magazine).

The Kentucky Derby's post-position draw happened on Wednesday. And, as is always the case, shortly afterwards, a buzz raced around Churchill Downs. It was a low rumble at first, nothing that the squares in the mint julep crowd pick up right away. But by the time the sun set over the twin spires, the chatter was impossible to ignore. Everyone -- sharps, trainers, owners -- was talking about one thing: the wise guy horse, the pre-draw long shot us mopes didn't have on our radar until it was too late.

"You think you're hearing the scoop," says handicapper Lane Gold. "Then you get to the window, the odds are short, and you missed it."

Recognizing a wise-guy horse early is as hard as picking a Derby bonnet. That's because handicappers don't like hype (see ya, I Want Revenge). They want Thoroughbreds who look good losing prep races like the Santa Anita Derby. They eye horses who ate up the field after starting wide or made an easy transition from synthetic tracks to dirt. They look for ponies who showed muscle gain race to race and those who ran hard after several weeks' rest.

"A wise guy," says John Avello, a bookmaker at Wynn Las Vegas, "looks for a horse who can improve."

When I first wrote Horse Betting for The Mag, which I turned in a three weeks before Wednesday's draw, I predicted these three horses had wise guy potential:

CHOCOLATE CANDY (15-1 in mid-April, currently 20-1 according to Avello): His second-place finish at Santa Anita, following a seven-week layoff, proved two things: He can run after resting, and -- by losing a high-profile prep race -- he wouldn't be overhyped.

DESERT PARTY (15-1; 15-1): He was upset in the UAE Derby by a horse he had beaten twice. The public remembers his loss, but the wise guys his wins.

PIONEEROF THE NILE (8-1; 4-1): The big favorite at Santa Anita struggled to win, so he initially got less hype than Quality Road and I Want Revenge.

You may have noticed that the odds on Pioneerof the Nile have been cut in half, from 8-1 to 4-1. Which means the wise guys took a shine to him long before the post-position draw. But, to be honest, this is one of those years with four elite horses getting everyone's attention, squares and sharps alike.

"You're not gonna get a lot of chatter about a horse that isn't in that group, which includes Pioneer, I Want Revenge, Dunkirk and Friesan Fire," Avello told me Wednesday. "We don't have a group of horses behind those top four who look like real legit contenders."

Come Derby week, the final two elements in picking a wise guy horse are how he's working out and what gate he's coming out of.

(By the way, picking a Preakness favorite is a whole different bale of hay, partially based on how horses finish in the Derby. You can see my analysis of who has the best shot at Pimlico on Insider Sunday morning.)

Well, early in the week I Want Revenge, Pioneerof the Nile and Friesan Fire were working out better than anyone. Some thought Friesan Fire, currently 6-1, might have run too fast, burning a five-furlong run in :57 4/5. "When you are running that fast you have the sense that it took something out of him," says Gold. "The Derby is longer than any horse has run, and if they need that extra surge you worry they won't have it because they burned it in the workout."

But, Gold points out, Friesan Fire's trainer is Larry Jones, Two years ago his horse Hard Spun did a five-eighths workout in :57 3/5 and then went on to finish second, behind Street Sense, in the Derby. "Every trainer has different methods," says Gold. "And clearly he knows what he's doing."

Now, as for starting position, Gold says to remember this: Churchill Downs traditionally has 14 starting gates. For the Derby, it brings out auxiliary gates and between the original 14th gate and the new 15th gate, there is a little more space than there is between gates 1-14. "That 15 position will give you a precious second or two to sort out what's happening to your inside," says Gold. "Sixteen is also okay because you can follow the horse in front of you."

Dunkirk, one of the race favorites, is coming out of gate 15. In 16 is Baffert's Pioneerof the Nile. I Want Revenge drew 13, where Smarty Jones won from in 2004, and Friesan Fire picked the sixth position. "He doesn't have a lot of speed to the inside of him," says Gold. "So he will get a clear shot to be near the front."

All the jibber-jabber means this: Pioneerof the Nile has leapfrogged from 8-1 to being the second favorite, along with Dunkirk, behind I Want Revenge. Meanwhile, Friesan Fire, with a good trainer, a strong week of training and a decent post position, is still at 6-1. "By Saturday, it's possible he could go from fourth to the favorite," says Gold.

In other words, meet Friesan Fire, your 2009 wise guy horse.

"Now," says Avello, "it's time for action."

To visit this horse betting site go to MySportsbook.com for all your horse racing betting needs.