Caps visit Rangers in battle of first-place clubs

Hockey Betting Lines

12/23/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Capitals will try to rebound from a lopsided loss when they visit the New York Rangers for tonight's battle between first- place teams at Madison Square Garden.

The Capitals, who lead the Southeast Division with 43 points, had won five consecutive games before getting slammed by the Flyers this past Saturday in Philadelphia. Scott Hartnell had a hat trick and Antero Niittymaki finished the game with 47 saves as to lead the Flyers to the 7-1 victory at the Wachovia Center.

Brooks Laich scored the lone goal for the Capitals, who were handed their most-lopsided loss of the season by the team that ousted them in the opening round of last year's playoffs.

Brent Johnson started the game in net, but was pulled after two periods as he gave up three goals on 13 shots. Jose Theodore, though, didn't fare much better between the pipes as he gave up four goals on 15 shots.

Alexander Semin missed Saturday's game with a back injury and is expected to sit out again tonight. Semin is second on the Caps with 14 goals and third on the club with 32 points.

The Caps are just 7-10-2 as the visiting team this year, but have won three of their last five road games.

Washington has won three straight meetings with the Rangers, but has also been downed seven times in a row at the Garden. In fact, the home club has won five straight and 12 of the last 13 encounters in this series.

Caps star winger Alex Ovechkin has 13 points (7 goals, 6 assists) in 13 career games against the Rangers. He is third in the NHL with 43 points on 20 goals and 23 assists this season.

The Atlantic Division-leading Rangers also had a winning streak halted their last time out, as they were handed a 3-2 loss Saturday in San Jose. Evgeni Nabokov made 32 saves to help lead the Sharks to the victory at HP Pavilion.

It was just the fifth loss ever for the Rangers against San Jose and the first time they lost to the Sharks since October 22, 2001.

Nikolai Zherdev and Ryan Callahan had the goals for the Rangers, while Henrik Lundqvist made 27 saves. New York had won three straight before Saturday's setback.

The Rangers, who are 12-6-1 as the host this year, are beginning a three-game homestand tonight. New York has won two of its last three tilts at MSG.

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Football Betting Lines

The 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds have been released and Denver Broncos' running back Knowshon Moreno has been made the opening favorite.

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Moreno was selected in the first round of April's NFL draft and is expected to carry the rushing load for the Broncos this season. And with Jay Cutler now in Chicago, Moreno might be expected to be Denver's entire offense.

Betting Lines from sports betting lines have made Moreno a 5/2 favorite to win this year's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Fellow running back Chris “Beanie” Wells (Arizona Cardinals) is right behind Moreno at 7/2, while Donald Brown (Indianapolis Colts) and receiver Michael Crabtree (San Francisco 49ers) are 5/1 to win. Quarterbacks Mark Sanchez (New York Jets) and Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions) are 7/1 and 8/1, respectively.

A couple of players who present some value are Josh Freeman, Shonn Green and Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Freeman needs to beat out Byron Leftwich to become the starting quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but if he does, he has a lot or raw talent and could use the weapons around him (i.e. Kellen Winslow Jr. and Antonio Bryant) to be very successful in his first season.

Green enters a crowded backfield in New York, but considering both Thomas Jones and Leon Washington are unhappy about their contract situations and might holdout, the former Iowa product could become the Jets' primary back.

Everyone was shocked when Al Davis took Heyward-Bey with the eighth overall pick in April's draft, but the kid has a tremendous amount of talent and if quarterback JaMarcus Russell takes the next step this year, the former Maryland product could blossom. Plus, Heyward-Bey will be looking to prove the people wrong who said Oakland should have taken Michael Crabtree with the No. 8 pick.

And if you're looking for a deep sleeper, check out Pat White at 30/1. He enters the Miami Dolphins vaunted “Wild Cat” offense and could be a big time playmaker.

For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds, see below.

2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Odds to Win

Ramses Barden (NYG) 40/1

Andre Brown (NYG) 20/1

Donald Brown (IND) 5/1

Kenny Britt (TEN) 20/1

Glenn Coffee (SFO) 30/1

Chase Coffman (CIN) 50/1

Michael Crabtree (SFO) 5/1

Josh Freeman (TB) 14/1

Shonn Green (NYJ) 14/1

Percy Harvin (MIN) 10/1

Darrius Heyward-Bay (OAK) 18/1

Juaquan Iglesias (CHI) 30/1

Cornelius Ingram (PHI) 50/1

Rashad Jennings (JAC) 30/1

Johnny Knox (CHI) 40/1

Jeremy Maclin (PHI) 18/1

Mohamed Massaquoi (CLE) 30/1

LeSean McCoy (PHI) 12/1

Knowshon Moreno (DEN) 5/2

Hakeem Nicks (NYG) 18/1

Brandon Pettigrew (DET) 30/1

Brian Robiskie (CLE) 20/1

Mark Sanchez (NYJ) 7/1

Matthew Stafford (DET) 8/1

Jason Smith (STL) 40/1

Mike Thomas (JAC) 25/1

Patrick Turner (MIA) 50/1

Mike Wallace (PIT) 50/1

Chris Wells (ARI) 7/2

Pat White (MIA) 30/1

Field (Any Other Player) 9/1

Betting Line

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