Thrashers down Devils

Hockey Betting Lines

12/24/2006 - Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kari Lehtonen stopped 36 shots as the Atlanta Thrashers downed the New Jersey Devils, 5-2, at Philips Arena.

Ilya Kovalchuk had a goal and an assist and Steve McCarthy, Bobby Holik, Shane Hnidy and Slava Kozlov each had a goal for the Thrashers, who have won their last three games.

Atlanta, which defeated New Jersey, 4-3, in a shootout on Tuesday, has won its last six games against New Jersey.

Zach Parise scored both goals and Martin Brodeur stopped 22-of-26 shots for the Devils, who have lost four of their last six games.

The Devils drew first blood in the contest when Parise tipped a pass from Paul Martin down low past Lehtonen for a 1-0 lead just 2:19 in.

Atlanta answered less than four minutes later when the puck popped out to the slot during a scrum in front of the net and McCarthy slapped it by Brodeur for his second goal of the season.

New Jersey again took the lead when, on the power play, Michael Rupp took a shot from the right point that Lehtonen made a kick save on, but the rebound went to the left side and Parise tapped it in for a 2-1 lead with 7:40 left in the first.

The Thrashers, though, again tied the game when a shot by Holik from the top of the right circle deflected off of Martin and into the net with just 33 seconds left in the opening frame.

Atlanta took its first lead of the game in the second period when Hnidy took a shot from the high slot that went through a screen and past Brodeur 6:42 in.

Lehtonen made 14 saves in the middle stanza and was key in killing off two New Jersey power plays in the frame to allow Atlanta to take a 3-2 lead into the third.

The Thrashers solidified their lead in the third period when Kozlov snapped a backhander from the low slot under the glove of Brodeur with 11:48 to play.

Lehtonen kept the Devils off the board the remainder of the game and Kovalchuk's empty-netter in the final minute sealed the game.

Game Notes

The Devils were without their leading scorer, Patrick Elias, who sat out the game with a sore foot...Atlanta next plays on Tuesday when it will host Tampa Bay...The Devils host the Penguins on Tuesday...New Jersey center Scott Gomez turned 27 today...New Jersey went 1-for-4 on the power play while Atlanta failed in its three chances.

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2007 NFL Football Betting Preview


“You play to win the game!”

Those are the words of notoriously intense head coach Herman Edwards. Unfortunately, from a bettors’ perspective, most coaches don’t feel that way about the NFL preseason. August is a time to evaluate young players, finalize the depth chart and pray your star players stay healthy.

The trick to making money during the exhibition schedule is identifying coaches – like Edwards – who can’t stand losing even when there's nothing on the line.

The New York Jets betting won 15 of 21 preseason games and went 14-7 against the spread (ATS) during Edwards’s five-year tenure with the club. In his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs field boss, the team improved from 0-4 to 2-2.

Identifying win-a-holics like Edwards is a good start if you plan betting the preseason – even though most say you shouldn’t ... but what the hell do they know anyway?

Here’s a brief rundown of two teams that have a habit of winning during the second-stringers’ season, and another club that has a good chance of exceeding this year.

New York Giants betting lines

Playing in the media hub of North America can be stressful but the press can’t write anything negative about the way Tom Coughlin’s boys play in the preseason. The Giants won and covered all four games last summer, improving their record to 7-1 both straight up (SU) and against the spread over the last two years.

Coughlin has shown he’s not afraid to give his starters more time in the second preseason game than most of his colleagues, no doubt one of the reasons his team has been so dominant.

Dallas Cowboys betting lines

Bettors can count on America’s team early on. The Cowboys are 14-6 both SU and ATS since 2002 in warm-up contests. Former coach Bill Parcells, the coach of the team the last four years, has an intimidating, in-your-face presence – surely a reason Dallas has had so much early success.

The Big Tuna won’t be strolling the sidelines with looks of disgust, but new coach Wade Phillips will be anxious to make a good first impression for owner Jerry Jones.

Dallas plays the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos before things get serious. They then face the Houston Texans in their third contest (the game starters see most game time) and finish off with the Minnesota Vikings.

Expect a Dallas team able to walk away with another 3-1 preseason record.

Oakland Raiders betting lines

This team scored a league-worst 12 offensive touchdowns last season, so the rookies and veterans each have something to prove. There’s a bounty of first-unit jobs up for grabs and plenty of bodies competing for those slots.

First-time head coach Lane Kiffin will be eager to impress an owner who employs the philosophy, “Just win, baby!”

The 32-year-old Kiffin has to command respect from a locker room full of players older than him. All of these factors should lead to purpose in preseason. 

Don’t forget: before playing like a team that belonged in NFL Europe, Oakland went 4-1 (both SU and ATS) in exhibition games.

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