Capitals, Panthers ready for Southeast showdown

Hockey Betting Lines

03/17/2009 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Florida Panthers will try to avoid their longest losing streak in 2 1/2 months this evening, when they take on the Southeast Division- leading Washington Capitals at BankAtlantic Center.

The Panthers have lost three straight and four of their last five games. That skid has come at a bad time, as the club is now ninth overall in the Eastern Conference, a point behind eighth-seeded Carolina.

Florida hasn't dropped four in a row since doing so from December 26-31.

The Panthers' losing streak was extended on Saturday with a 4-3 shootout setback to Tampa Bay. After a spirited overtime, the Lightning's Steven Stamkos lit the lamp to give the Lightning the edge in the first round of the shootout. David Booth and Michael Frolik then came away empty on their subsequent chances for Florida to give the Lightning the win.

Booth had two goals and a helper in regulation -- including the 50th of his career, and Frolik also netted a goal.

The Panthers were without defenseman Bryan McCabe, who has missed the last three games due to facial surgery required after he was hit with a puck versus St. Louis on March 7. McCabe has 12 goals and 21 assists in 56 games this season and could return tonight.

Florida lost the opener of a five-game homestand and is 18-9-6 as the host this year.

The Capitals will try to hand the Panthers another home setback this evening and rebound from a 5-1 loss to Atlanta last night, the Thrashers' franchise- record sixth win in a row.

Jose Theodore started the game in net, but was pulled after giving up four goals on 19 shots for the Capitals, who had both a three-game overall winning streak and a five-game road run stopped. Simeon Varlamov came on in relief and allowed one goal on six shots.

Eric Fehr scored late in the third period for Washington, which sits in the third spot in the Eastern Conference with 92 points, one behind New Jersey.

Washington was without defenseman Mike Green due to flu-like symptoms and he is questionable again for tonight. Green leads all NHL blueliners with 24 goals and 60 points.

Alex Ovechkin failed in his first chance to become the first Capitals player to ever notch three separate 50 goal seasons in last night's loss. He also had a 10-game point streak end (7 goals, 7 assists), while Alexander Semin had his nine-game run halted (7g, 9a). Semin is also one goal shy of his 30th of the season.

Washington is 17-13-4 on the road and plays the second contest of a five-game swing tonight.

The Capitals and Panthers have split four meetings so far this year, but Washington has won four of the six overall in the series. The club has also won in two straight and three of its last four visits to BankAtlantic Center.

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MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.

Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.

According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).

Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.

''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
    
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.

Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.

''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''

Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
   
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.

”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
   
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.

For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.