Predators aim to extend series win streak over Kings

Hockey Betting Lines

03/14/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - There is a chance that the Predators could visit the Kings in the postseason's opening round depending on how the Western Conference shakes down. Los Angeles would prefer that didn't happen.

Currently seeded seventh in the West, Nashville will try for its seventh straight win over Los Angeles this afternoon at Staples Center.

The Predators have 79 points on the season, one more than the eighth-seeded Red Wings and two up on the ninth-seeded Flames. Nashville is also just three points behind the Avalanche and six back of the Kings, who are currently fifth in the standings.

Los Angeles would like to avoid a first-round meeting with Nashville, which has won its two meetings with the Kings this year to run its overall winning streak in the series to six games. The Preds have also won four straight at Staples Center, where they haven't lost since October 23, 2007.

Nashville, which will try to avoid its first overall loss to Los Angeles since March 13, 2008, wraps a four-game road trip tonight. The Predators improved to 2-1-0 on that trip with Friday's 1-0 win over Anaheim.

Shea Weber scored a first-period goal while Nashville skated with a five-on- three advantage off assists from Jason Arnott and Ryan Suter, who has a goal and five helpers over his last seven games. Pekka Rinne made it stand up with 31 saves for his fourth shutout of the season in what was his 100th NHL games.

"He's been a great goalie ever since he's been here and obviously the organization wants him for the long run," said Weber about Rinne, who owns 11 career shutouts. "They showed that by signing him [to a two-year extension on Feb. 24]. Obviously, he's rewarding them with some good play."

Rinne could again draw the start today seeing as he is a perfect 3-0-0 with a 2.62 goals-against average in three lifetime meetings with the Kings.

The Kings will try to solve the Predators today in the opener of a four-game homestand. Los Angeles has won six of its last eight at home and returns to Staples Center after Friday's 2-1 shootout victory in Dallas.

With starter Jonathan Quick away from the team after his wife gave birth to the couple's first child Friday morning, 21-year-old Jonathan Bernier was recalled from Manchester of the American Hockey League and posted 29 saves. Bernier was making just his fifth career start and first since Oct. 2007. He earned the second win of his career and first since winning his NHL debut on Sep. 29, 2007.

"He's a very talented young man," Kings head coach Terry Murray said on his team's Web site of Bernier, "and he has worked hard this year to get his game to a good level and having good success. The opportunity and the preparation came together here tonight, and I really liked what I saw."

Despite that, Quick is expected return to the net today aiming for his first career win versus the Predators. He is 0-2-1 with a 3.31 GAA lifetime against them.

Fredrik Modin scored his third goal in five games since being acquired by the Kings from Columbus before the trade deadline, while Jarret Stoll had the game-winner in the shootout's sixth round.

Los Angeles, which won 34 games last year, reached the 40-win plateau for the first time since 2005-06 and tied a club record by winning its 21st road game.

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Football Betting

NFL Football Betting Online

The San Francisco 49ers (5-11 SU, 5-10-1 ATS in 2007; 1-1 SU & ATS in pre-season) found some offensive life last week, and they will try to build some momentum on Thursday night as they travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Bears (7-9 SU & ATS in 2007; 0-2 SU, 0-1-1 ATS in pre-season) in an NFL matchup that is set to get underway at 8 PM ET at Soldier Field (natural turf) in Chicago.

Thursday, August 21

NFL betting odds: CHICAGO -3 (-120), Total 37

NOTABLE STAT: San Francisco was last in points, last in total offense in 2007
KEY NFL BETTING TREND: SF has lost its last seven SU on pre-season road

In the BetUS NFL pre-season football betting odds, the Bears are listed as a three-point favorite (laying -120), with the total posted at 37 points.

Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup (reflecting numbers going into the 2008 season):

* SF has lost 11 of its last 14 games SU
* SF has covered three of its last 11 games
* SF has lost six of its last seven road games SU
* SF has covered one of its last seven road games
* CHI has covered five of its last eight games
* CHI has played five of its last seven games OVER the total
* CHI has covered four of its last 13 home games
* SF has lost its last seven pre-season road games SU
* CHI has covered two of its last seven home pre-season games

Well, I guess we should congratulate the Bears on making their quarterback choice for the season's opening game, as they have designated Kyle Orton the starter against Indianapolis. The Bears obviously have lost patience with Rex Grossman, and what they do with him at this point is anybody's guess. But suffice it to say that there isn't a quarterback competition anymore, at least in training camp.

Meanwhile, the quarterback competition may also be settled in San Francisco, where the Niners bounced back from a lackluster 18-6 loss to the Raiders, in which they turned the ball over four times, to execute a 34-6 rout of the Packers last Saturday. However, coach Mike Nolan has stopped short of saying that, insisting that the job is still open. But J.T. O'Sullivan, the longshot of the trio of Niner signal-callers who opened camp, will start his third straight pre-season game here. Against Green Bay, O'Sullivan was only 8-for-17, and was intercepted, but he also threw for 9.1 yards an attempt, which included a 59-yard TD pass to Josh Morgan. The others struggled.

Some offensive cohesion is badly needed, in light of the Niners' dismal 2007 campaign, in which they were dead last in the NFL in scoring, with just 13.7 points a game. And O'Sullivan is the guy who is most familiar with offensive coordinator Mike Martz's exacting system, because he learned it last year in Detroit. O'Sullivan will go at least the entire first half and may even last longer. He'll be relieved by Alex Smith, with Shawn Hill doing the mop-up work. Three receivers who were out last week - Bryant Johnson, Ashley Lelie and Arnaz Battle - will miss this game too.

That may hurt a little here, especially since the Bears will be using a lot of their defensive starters. And it's the defense that has been keeping the Bears in games thus far. In fact, the defense and special teams were responsible for the first 19 points Chicago scored against Seattle last time out, as the offense really struggled with Grossman at the controls. But maybe the first-team offense has a chance to settle a little bit as it works more with Orton at the helm.

Certainly we have concerns about the Bears' offensive line, but we like the scenario for them here, especially if O'Sullivan doesn't make some bis plays. The Niners may have nowhere else to turn right now, and they have lost seven straight road games in the pre-season. Let's take Chicago, the three-point favorite in the NFL football betting odds.

CHICAGO -3 (-120) **
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

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