New-look Thrashers head to Boston

Hockey Betting Lines

02/26/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Thrashers hope the recent additions to their lineup will translate to improved play and they'll test that theory tonight, when they visit the Boston Bruins at TD Banknorth Garden.

The Thrashers are just 2-7-2 in February and have dropped two straight and six of their last seven games. However, Atlanta made some moves to help cure this slump over the weekend, as it acquired defenseman Alexei Zhitnik and left wing Keith Tkachuk.

First, Atlanta sent defense prospect Braydon Coburn to Philadelphia in exchange for Zhitnik on Saturday night. Zhitnik, who has five goals and 19 assists on the year, was traded for the second time this year after being sent from the Islanders to Philly in December.

On Sunday, the Thrashers picked up Tkachuk from St. Louis in exchange for forward Glen Metropolit, first and third round draft choices in 2007 and a second-round draft pick in 2008. Tkachuk has 20 goals and 23 assists on the season and 911 career points (466 goals, 445 assists).

Both Tkachuk and Zhitnik are expected to be in action this evening against the Bruins.

The Thrashers' latest loss came Saturday to division rival Carolina, as Justin Williams scored two goals and John Grahame made 28 save to lead the Hurricanes to a 4-1 triumph at Philips Arena.

Garnet Exelby scored the lone goal and Kari Lehtonen stopped 24-of-27 shots for the Thrashers.

Atlanta has 72 points and is three behind Tampa Bay for first place in the Southeast Division. The Thrashers are also sixth in the Eastern Conference and three points behind Pittsburgh for the fifth spot.

The Thrashers are 17-13-4 on the road this season, but have lost four of their last five tests as the visitor.

Meanwhile, the Bruins had a four-game winning streak halted in a big way Saturday, as they were slammed, 7-2, by the Florida Panthers. Chris Gratton scored twice and added an assist, to lead the host club to the easy rout.

Marc Savard and Brad Boyes each tallied a goal and an assist for the Bruins. Savard has notched a point in eight straight games, posting three goals and 11 assists during the run.

Tim Thomas started between the pipes for Boston and was pulled after the first period, allowing three goals on 19 shots. His replacement, Hannu Toivonen did no better and allowed four goals on 33 shots.

Boston is still on the outside of the playoff race and trails the New York Islanders by six points for the final postseason berth in the Eastern Conference.

Tonight marks the beginning of a three-game homestand for the Bruins, who are 16-12-2 as the host club this year.

Atlanta is 2-0 against the Bruins this year and has taken the last four meetings overall.

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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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