Bruins aim for 10th straight win, sweep of Penguins

Hockey Betting Lines

01/01/2009 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Bruins will aim for a 10th consecutive victory when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins at TD Banknorth Garden tonight in the finale of a home-and-home series.

The Bruins have won nine in a row for the first time since the 1982-83 season and can record their first 10-game winning streak since late in the 1972-73 campaign, when Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito were leading the way for Boston.

Boston's club-record winning streak of 14 games was set during the 1929-30 season.

The Bruins have been far and away the best team in the Eastern Conference this year, as they currently have 60 points and are sporting a 23-2-1 record since the start of November.

Tuesday's game in Pittsburgh was a one-sided affair, as Marc Savard and Dennis Wideman each had a goal and two assists to help the Bruins notch the 5-2 decision at Mellon Arena.

Zdeno Chara had a goal and an assist and Martin St. Pierre and Phil Kessel each had a goal for the Bruins, while Tim Thomas made 32 saves in the victory.

David Krejci recorded an assist for Boston to extend his point streak to nine straight games, and he has reached the scoresheet in 18 of his last 19 outings. The 22-year-old Czech native is second to Savard on the Bruins with 40 points this season.

Pascal Dupuis and Petr Sykora each had a goal for the Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury was charged with all five goals on 40 shots in the loss.

It was the third loss in four games for Pittsburgh and the club's fourth consecutive setback on home ice. The Penguins are currently fourth in the Atlantic Division with 42 points.

Pittsburgh is 11-6-2 as the guest this season and the club has won three straight on the road. Boston, meanwhile, is 13-1-1 as the host this year and hasn't lost in Beantown since its first two home games of the season. The Bruins' club record of 20 straight home wins was also set during the 1929-30 campaign.

The Penguins, along with Toronto, are one of the two teams to win a game in Boston this year. Pittsburgh earned a shootout victory over the Bruins on October 20, with Tuesday's meeting the first between the clubs since that game at the Garden.

Pittsburgh has won five of its last eight encounters with the Bruins and has taken three of the four most recent matchups in Beantown in the series.

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El Duque expected to throw Tuesday

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.

Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.

El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.

MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds. 

Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.

New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.

Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''

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