Hat Trick Down Red Pittsburgh

Hockey Betting Lines

Tonight's test marks the last of four scheduled meetings between the Hurricanes and Flyers this year. Philadelphia won the first two encounters before Carolina earned a 4-2 road win on Nov. 21. The Flyers have taken 11 of 13 overall in the series and eight of the last nine matchups in Raleigh.

 

Staal will miss approximately 4-to-6 weeks with a knee injury suffered in Friday's game against New York when he collided with Rangers forward Mike Rupp. Neal will be lost for "weeks" with a broken foot sustained when he blocked a shot in Saturday's contest against the New Jersey Devils.

 

Pens forward Craig Adams also aggravated an undisclosed injury Sunday at practice and is not expected to play tonight. Defenseman Paul Martin, meanwhile, is questionable for this evening's test due to an illness.

 

The Pens have lost each of their last three games by an identical 3-1 score and the latest setback came Saturday against the visiting New Jersey Devils. Martin Brodeur stopped 41 shots to frustrate Pittsburgh's depleted offense.

 

"Unfortunately, we're fighting to score goals," said Pittsburgh head coach Dan Bylsma. "We just can't get that two-goal lead or doing the right things that will help us find that goal."

 

The Senators split a home-and-home series with Philadelphia this weekend. Ottawa dropped a 3-2 overtime decision Saturday in Philly, but rallied for a thrilling 6-4 victory on Sunday. Filip Kuba notched the game-winner with just over one minute left in regulation, as Ottawa used a four-goal third period to down the Flyers at Scotiabank Place.

 

Daniel Alfredsson, Chris Neil, Erik Karlsson and Nick Foligno totaled a goal and assist each for the Senators, while Craig Anderson stopped 33 shots for the victory.

 

Both meetings between the Pens and Sens this year have been high-scoring affairs, as Pittsburgh notched a 6-3 home win on Nov. 25 and Ottawa recorded a 6-4 decision in Canada's capital on Dec. 16. Pittsburgh has taken four of six overall in this series and the Sens have dropped three straight and four of five in the Steel City.

Wallstretsports Hockey Betting Blog

<< Wild With Sharks Minnesota

<< San Jose For Burns Umberger

<< Michael Philbin In NFL Thompson

<< Benfica Over Dundee Tuesday

<< 17 Points Of Jennings Bench

Streak Into Leafs Wings >>

Goal Carries Points Over Colorado >>

ST. Louis Warns Time In Blackhawks >>

Tampa Bay Of Points Weekend >>

Game Over Markstrom Sheldon Souray >>

Mayweather picked to beat De La Hoya
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya and his rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. arrived at the MGM Grand here Wednesday amid the pomp and pandemonium befitting two of the biggest stars in the sport who are about to duke it out for the WBC super welterweight crown this Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

As of Wednesday, MySportsbook.com closed its book with Mayweather a favorite to defeat De La Hoya at -170 (a $100 bet wins $70), while De La Hoya is a +140 underdog (a $100 bet wins $140).

Mayweather arrived at about 11:30 a.m. on a big truck with his face and a big "World's Best Pound-for-Pound" sign scribbled across the vehicle. He was accompanied by his entourage made up of rappers and his training team.

A crowd of close to 3,000 eager fans packed the MGM Grand lobby, with their cameras in tow, all trying to vie for position to get a good angle at Mayweather, who is acknowledged as the world's best fighter pound-for-pound.

Eric Gomez, Golden Boy Promotions vice-president, described the fan turnout as "amazing" and swore he had never seen anything quite like this event.

"The crowd was fantastic. Everybody was just too eager to see the two fighters," said ALA manager Michael Aldeguer, who was among those who waited at the lobby together with his ward Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista and AJ Banal.

De La Hoya made his own grand entrance at the hotel lobby at around 12:30 p.m. accompanied by GBP chief executive officer Richard Schaefer and trainer Freddie Roach.

The same group of fans who trooped to see Mayweather also lingered around to get a close look at De La Hoya, who has been secretly working out at a Las Vegas gym for days after arriving from his main training camp in Puerto Rico.

The golden boy then took part in a closed-door afternoon workout with Bautista and Banal. The two, along with Aldeguer and wife Christine, as well as an HBO crew were the only ones allowed inside the gym.

De La Hoya and Mayweather take part in today's final press conference before the official weigh-in this Friday.

Ring Magazine, the acknowledged bible of boxing, reported in its June 2007 issue that 12 out of 20 boxing experts it interviewed have favored Mayweather to defeat De la Hoya, with only 8 favoring the latter.

But Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao said in a recent interview with The Freeman's Emmanuel Villaruel that De La Hoya will win by unanimous decision over Mayweather.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on boxing needs.