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02/24/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby has yet to even appear in an NHL playoff game, but somehow you get the idea that he'll know what to do when he gets there.
Crosby has amazed with his individual play since the moment he took the ice as a professional hockey player, but now in his second season, the 19-year-old centerman is acquiring a taste for winning.
The Penguins gained a dismal 58 points during Crosby's rookie campaign of 2005-06, but that has changed greatly during his sophomore season. Pittsburgh comes into Saturday with 75 points and is currently running fourth in the Eastern Conference standings.
What's really impressive about the Pens this year is how they've been able to sustain their recent hot play. Since January 13, Pittsburgh has been the best team in the league, going an amazing 15-1-2 in that span.
Sure, Pittsburgh was bound to improve considering how many high draft picks the club has had in recent years, but the Pens have to be given credit for hitting home run after home run in the draft.
Crosby was a no-brainer as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 draft, but just a few years earlier the Pens took a big risk when they made goaltender Marc- Andre Fleury just the third netminder in NHL history to be the first player selected in a draft. Now in his second season as the club's top goalie, Fleury is 29-13-7 with a solid ,904 save percentage.
Forwards Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal were second overall picks in 2004 and 2006, respectively, and both players have been prolific scorers during their rookie campaigns. Malkin, 21, leads all first-year players in goals (29) and assists (39), while the 18-year-old Staal has contributed 25 goals and seven helpers.
The Penguins are entering a tough stretch with their next four games coming against Tampa Bay, New Jersey, the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes. A good showing in that span could result in even more confidence for this ever- improving club.
<< Stars place Stefan on IR; claim Baumgartner
Frisco, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Dallas Stars have placed center Patrik
Stefan on injured reserve because of a hip injury and have claimed defenseman
Nolan Baumgartner off waivers from Philadelphia.
Stefan has appeared in 41 games
<< Monaco, Di Mauro to meet in Buenos Aires final
Buenos Aires, Argentina (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Fourth-seeded Spaniard Nicolas
Almagro is heading home, bested in the semifinals at the clay-court $445,000
Copa Telmex tennis event by Juan Monaco of Argentina.
Monaco cruised through the op
<< Garbin, Vinci reach Bogota final
Bogota, Colombia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The final at the $175,000 Copa Colsanitas
Santander tennis event will have an Italian flavor, as top-seeded Tathiana
Garbin and sixth-seeded Roberta Vinci stormed through semifinal matches.
Garbin be
<< Lightning winning the big ones
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Lightning have battled inconsistency this
season, but they have done well enough to gain first place in the Southeast
Division.
The Lightning come into Saturday with 72 points and a one-point edge over
Atla
Ohio stuns 18th-ranked Bowling Green >>
Bowling Green, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Domenica Silva poured in 18 points and
grabbed 10 rebounds as Ohio upended No. 18 Bowling Green, 70-67.
Lauren Kohn posted 17 points despite seven turnovers and Jennifer Bushby added
12 points for th
Blues extend Legace and Brewer >>
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Blues have agreed to contract
extensions with goaltender Manny Legace and defenseman Eric Brewer.
Legace has agreed to a two-year deal, while Brewer has come to terms on a
four-year exten
No. 23 Louisville downs Syracuse >>
Syracuse, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Angel McCoughtry scored 20 points and grabbed
seven rebounds to lead 23rd-ranked Louisville over Syracuse, 68-56, at the
Carrier Dome.
Brandi Radde added 15 points and Toni Slaughter tallied 11 for the
Red Bull New York (MLS) >>
Traded goalkeeper Nick Rimando to Real Salt Lake in exchange for future considerations. Rimando was only recently acquired by the Red Bulls from Real Salt Lake on Feb. 9 in exchange for future considerations.
BILLS (+10) at Steelers SPORTSBOOK LINES
It's impossible to gauge how a team will react after something like the Steve Everett situation, and it probably doesn't matter. That being said, the Bills are going to lose several games this year where they keep things close but fall short in the end to superior teams. Ben Roethlisberger and company could have a field day against Buffalo's decimated defense, but I like the Bills to cover.
BENGALS (-7) at Browns SPORTSBOOK LINES
All you can ask out of your NFL team is that it has a plan. You may not always agree with it as a fan, but as long as it appears the organization is going in some sort of direction, you have to go with it. Which brings us to the Cleveland Browns. You flip a coin to determine whether Chuck Frye or Derek Anderson should start the preseason opener. You start Frye in Week 1, but pull him in the first half. And then you deal him to the Seahawks for a sixth-round pick? Hmm... the Bengals could get six turnovers again this week.
COLTS (-7) at Titans SPORTSBOOK LINES
Tennessee signed ex-Colts cornerback Nick Harper in the offseason so that should help slow down Peyton Manning. Just ask Jason David and the Saints. Oh wait... One of these weeks, I'm going to learn to not pick against Tennessee, which has won seven of its last eight games. But it's not happening against Indy.
TEXANS (+6.5) at Panthers SPORTSBOOK LINES
Houston's Mario Williams, the first pick in the '06 draft, has more touchdowns than Reggie Bush after one week. Somehow I don't see that lasting. Meanwhile, Carolina bottled up what was expected to be a pretty high-octane offense in St. Louis in Week 1. Could this be the Panthers' defense everyone expected last year? Maybe. This feels like a 20-16 Carolina win.
RAMS (-3) vs. 49ers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Absolutely love this game. Everyone's favorite pick for this year's surprise team -- the 49ers -- laid an egg on Monday night (not that anyone was watching with the game ending in the middle of the night for those of us on the East Coast). St. Louis wasn't much better, delivering a lackluster effort against the Panthers that included two Steven Jackson fumbles and panic from his fantasy owners. Jackson rebounds this week, and the Rams get their first win.
PACKERS (+1.5) at Giants SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Do you really trust this guy to win an NFL game if Eli Manning can't go? I say no. I'd feel alot better about this Packers team if it had any semblance of a running game, but I still think Green Bay's defense is good enough to give it a 2-0 start.
JAGUARS (-10) vs. Falcons SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Does it scare me to pick Jacksonville to cover a double-digit spread after it scored just 10 points last week against the Titans? Absolutely. But can I bring myself to pick Atlanta under any circumstances? No. Check out this poll on ajc.com. It asks what Atlanta's most urgent deficiency is: offense, defense, specials teams or all of the above. "All of the above" has 57 percent of the votes. Ouch.
SAINTS (-3) at Buccaneers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
I'm picking way too many road teams this week. Oh well. New Orleans has had some time to reflect on its lackluster showing in the opener, and the Buccanneers just aren't a very good football team. Anyone else surprised Tampa Bay hasn't made a move to sign Byron Leftwich? I thought that's what they do.
VIKINGS (+3) at Lions SPORTS BETTING LINES
Run the ball and stop the run. Minnesota can do both, and that will keep them in a lot of games this season. Even though it was only one week, Adrian Peterson looks like he was a steal at No. 7 in last year's draft. Not only will he produce, but Peterson delivers excitement to what otherwise would be one of the league's most boring teams.
DOLPHINS (+3.5) vs. Cowboys SPORTS BETTING LINES
Lost in the Tony Romo lovefest is just how bad the Cowboys' defense was last week. I know they're banged up, but Dallas' 'D' allowed 438 yards to the Giants' offense, and backup running back Derrick Ward averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Cam Cameron's decision to split carries between Ronnie Brown and Jesse Chatman sounds about as can't-miss as Larry David's plan to show up to Marty Funkhouser's party a night late. Still, gotta go with Miami to cover at home.
SEAHAWKS (-2.5) at Cardinals SPORTS BETTING LINES
I'm probably missing something, but this game seems too easy. Arizona blew Monday night's game against the 49ers in typical Cardinals fashion, and the Seahawks beat Tampa Bay by two touchdowns. Love Seattle in this one.
BRONCOS (-9.5) vs. Raiders SPORTS BETTING LINES
Special teams was a major story line in Week 1. Take a look at the Broncos. They had to rush on to the field to get a Jason Elam field goal as time expired against the Bills. Denver drove into Buffalo territory on eight of 10 drives but came away with just a pair of field goals and a touchdown. Look for more scoring from the Broncos this week against an Oakland defense that gave up 36 points to Detroit in Week 1.
BEARS (-12) vs. Chiefs SPORTS BETTING LINES
Everyone talks about Rex Grossman when dissecting the Bears' offense, but Chicago's quarterback got no help in last week's loss to the Chargers. Meanwhile, Kansas City confirmed what we all thought while watching Hard Knocks: The Chiefs are going to stink this year. It could be a rough first month for Larry Johnson fantasy owners. Kansas City's RB was limited to 43 yards on 10 carries in Week 1, and the Chiefs face the Bears, Vikings and Chargers the next three weeks, all formidable run defenses.
RAVENS (-10) vs. Jets SPORTS BETTING LINES
A big dose of Willis McGahee and a usual sound defensive effort will give the Ravens their first win. According to Football Outsiders, no team in the NFL rushed only three defenders on pass plays last year more than the Jets. And according to my special Jets correspondent Ben Stauber, New York did the same in Week 1. Whoever starts at quarterback for the Ravens should have all day to throw.
PATRIOTS (-3) vs. Chargers
Friends and I were discussing how Bill Belichick goes about paying his $500,000 fine for cheating. Does he just write one check to the NFL? Do you need some sort of clearance to make such a monstrous financial transaction? I guess I shouldn't complain about the security deposit I have to put down on my new apartment. Anyway, two of the league's best teams square off in what should be a good one Sunday night. The Patriots always respond well just when you think they're in trouble. And their offensive attack was the story in Week 1.
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting.
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