Thrashers shoot for rare victory over Coyotes

Hockey Betting Lines

03/14/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Thrashers couldn't have picked a worse time to post their second-longest losing streak of the season. A visit from the Coyotes on Sunday could extend the winless drought by another game.

Atlanta will try to snap a five-game overall skid and pick up just its second win over visiting Phoenix in franchise history when the clubs meet this evening at Philips Arena.

The Thrashers won their first two games following the Olympic break and were tied for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference before their current five-game slide that has dropped them six points back of the eighth spot.

Atlanta may find it tough to get on track tonight seeing as it has just one win and a tie in 12 all-time meetings with Phoenix. The Thrashers have also lost four of five at home to the Coyotes since joining the league, with their lone win over Phoenix coming at home on Nov. 23, 2003.

The Coyotes have gone 3-0 with a tie in four meetings since that game.

Atlanta has scored just six goals over its current losing streak, two of those coming from Clarke MacArthur and Ron Hainsey in Friday's 5-2 home loss to the New York Rangers. Johan Hedberg stopped 30-of-34 shots in the loss and allowed three first-period goals.

"These are extremely important games," said Hedberg. "From my own part, two mistakes early on and we're down three goals. I've got to be way better than that. Right now we're not getting anything for free and we have to work for everything we get. It's very frustrating right now."

The Thrashers lost the opener of a five-game homestand and are on their longest losing streak since a nine-game slide from Dec. 19-Jan. 5.

Already without Evander Kane (left foot) and Christoph Schubert (hip), Zach Bogosian is day-to-day because of a hand injury.

Hedberg, who has started six of Atlanta's seven games since the break, is 3-5-1 with a 3.54 goals-against average in his career versus the Coyotes, while Ondrej Pavelec has never faced them.

The Coyotes picked up their 41st victory on Saturday with a 4-0 blanking of the Hurricanes, the club's highest single-season win total since moving to Phoenix in 1996. The franchise record for wins in a season is 43, set by the 1984-85 Winnipeg-based club.

Ilya Bryzgalov made 29 saves to post his NHL-leading and club-record tying eighth shutout of the season. Bryzgalov, who set a single-season career high in shutouts and notched his 16th career blanking, matched Nikolai Khabibulin's club mark set in 1998-99.

Lee Stempniak and Martin Hanzal each scored a pair of goals for the Coyotes, who began a four-game road trip by winning their fourth game in a row. They also moved two points ahead of Los Angeles for the fourth spot in the Western Conference.

"I thought we played a solid road game," said Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett. "Bryzgalov made some really timely saves, and I thought we capitalized on some opportunities. We were able to push the lead along every period."

After netting just 14 goals in 62 games with Toronto, Stempniak now has five goals in four games with Phoenix since coming over in a trade.

Jazzspirts Hockey Betting News

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El Duque expected to throw Tuesday

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.

Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.

El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.

MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds. 

Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.

New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.

Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''

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NCAA Football Betting

Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)

"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."

Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins

There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.

Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins

Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.

USC Trojans - 10.5 wins

A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.

Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy

Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.

"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."

Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1

The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.

Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1

If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.

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