Kovalchuk, Devils clip Pens to tighten Atlantic race

Hockey Betting Lines

03/12/2010 - Newark, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ilya Kovalchuk posted a goal and two assists and Martin Brodeur stopped 34 shots as New Jersey clipped Pittsburgh, 3-1, at Prudential Center.

Patrik Elias and Andy Greene also scored for the Devils, who have won two in a row and climbed to within two points of Pittsburgh for the Atlantic Division lead.

Sidney Crosby tallied the lone goal for the Penguins, who dropped their second in a row after winning four straight. Marc-Andre Fleury was tagged for three goals on 32 shots in defeat.

Greene's sizzling one-timer off a long rebound put the Devils up 2-1 at the 2:06 mark of the third period, then New Jersey assumed a two-goal edge on a disputed play.

Kovalchuk fired a floating wrister from near the bottom of the right circle, and Fleury appeared to have the shot tracked into his glove -- until Devils forward Travis Zajac skated in and pushed the glove away from the puck, allowing it to sail into the back of the net.

Despite Fleury's animated protests that he was the victim of interference, it was 3-1 at 9:59.

The Pens, who failed to convert a pair of power plays in the third, went with an extra attacker for the final 1:29 of regulation to no avail.

Elias ripped a shot past Fleury 1:43 after the opening faceoff, but Crosby converted a 2-on-1 just 42 seconds later.

The Devils had a prime chance to seize control of the game just over four minutes into the second period when Pittsburgh forward Craig Adams was given a major for boarding and a game misconduct for illegally checking defenseman Martin Skoula.

New Jersey failed to score, and didn't test Fleury during the entire advantage.

Kovalchuk was then dragged down from behind on a breakaway with 1:49 left in the second period and was awarded a penalty shot, but wristed the puck into Fleury's pads.

Game Notes

New Jersey has won all five meetings this season, and six of the last seven over Pittsburgh since January, 2009...The Devils play at the Islanders on Saturday and the Penguins are in Tampa on Sunday.

Sportt Hockey Betting News

<< Georgia Tech downs Maryland to reach ACC semis, boost resume
Greensboro, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Iman Shumpert scored 14 points and handed out four assists to help Georgia Tech fend off 19th-ranked Maryland, 69-64, in the quarterfinals of the 2010 ACC Tournament at Greensboro Coliseum. The Yellow Ja

<< Bobcats top Clippers; Wallace hurt ankle
Charlotte, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Stephen Jackson poured in 14 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter while dishing out six assists, as the Charlotte Bobcats continued their stellar play at home with a 106-98 victory over the Los Angeles

<< Lightning escape Verizon Center with win over Caps
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Matt Walker had a goal and an assist as the Tampa Bay Lightning got a big win in a 3-2 decision over the Washington Capitals at the Verizon Center. Vincent Lecavalier and Brandon Bochenski each had

<< Monroe Doctrine: Hoyas dominate paint to reach Big East final
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Greg Monroe dominated the paint with 23 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, and 22nd-ranked Georgetown returned to the Big East Tournament final for the third time in four years with an 80-57 v

<< James returns, powers Cavs over Sixers
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - LeBron James ended with 23 points and Mo Williams chipped in 21, as Cleveland pulled out a tough 100-95 decision over the Philadelphia 76ers. James, who missed the previous two games due to a mildly sp

Collins, Kansas blow past Texas A&M in second half >>
Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sherron Collins scored 26 points and dished out six assists, and top-ranked Kansas used a big run late in the second half to post a 79-66 victory over No. 23 Texas A&M in the semifinals of the Big 12 Tou

Prospal, Rangers down sliding Thrashers >>
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Vinny Prospal had two goals and an assist as the New York Rangers took a 5-2 decision over the Atlanta Thrashers in a battle between playoff contenders. Marian Gaborik had a goal and two assists while

Pierce leads Celtics in rout of Pacers >>
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Paul Pierce scored 20 to lead a balanced attack, and the Boston Celtics got back to their winning ways with a 122-103 rout of the lowly Indiana Pacers. Rajon Rondo added 16 points and 11 assists for the Celt

San Diego inks CB Strickland >>
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Diego Chargers announced the signing of free agent cornerback Donald Strickland to a two-year contract on Friday. Strickland, 29, saw his playing time diminish with the New York Jets last season

Richardson and Heat clobber Bulls >>
Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Quentin Richardson made 7-of-11 three-pointers on his way to 23 points while pulling down seven rebounds, as the Miami Heat handled the Chicago Bulls, 108-95. Jermaine O'Neal had a season-high 25 points t

SPORTS BETTING: NFL Football Sportsbook Betting

NFL owners, already life's biggest winners, want to try their luck with the lottery.


That was the news out of their meetings last week, where team bosses voted unanimously to allow stamping state and local lottery tickets with franchise logos, if, ahem, any governments wanted to do a deal.

A shocker: Within days the Pats announced they'd be sponsoring the Massachusetts state lottery, the Skins said they'd slap their sticker on Virginia scratch-offs and the Ravens admitted they were talking to Maryland lottery bosses. In all likelihood, it won't be long before every team is a presenting sponsor of scratch-offs or just plain old pick fives. "The change in policy was approved 32-0," said NFL spokesman Greg Aiello. "So you can expect to see more deals soon."

It's a branding opportunity too big for the owners to ignore, and one a couple of dozen baseball franchises have enjoyed for years. The fact the NFL has been slower to act than those slack-brained Seligites is indicative of its complicated relationship with all forms of gambling. Consider this: Last Thursday, as the Pats and the Redskins finalized their new lottery deals, a lawyer representing the NFL argued before Delaware's Supreme Court that the state's newly signed sports betting law should be repealed.

The NFL betting is the face of opposition to sports gambling . And as much as it would like to share that responsibility with other leagues, that's not going to happen as long as more than 40% of all money legally wagered on games is bet on football. That's why the Brewers can do a multi-million dollar deal with a local casino, or the Celtics can make their own pact with the Mass lottery, and the response is, "Sweet, let's play." But when the NFL does it the stakes are higher, and everyone from NPR's Frank Deford to the Associated Press to the guys blogging at Deadspin will line up to play gotcha.

So I asked Aiello, who surely knew there'd be piling on, how the league can rail against being bait for sports bettors, then allow its franchises to be just that for lotteries, the most insidious and addictive form of gambling around. He emailed me this response: "We are not moral crusaders. NFL personnel are permitted to engage in legal forms of gambling, except for betting on NFL games. We are making a distinction here between the spread of gambling on the outcome of our games and supporting state lottery scratch-off games, that have nothing to do with the outcome of our games."

Here's where I should rip him. But, the thing is, he's right. Not to get Obama on you, but this is a complicated, nuanced issue. As much as lotteries are considered a tax on the poor, the NFL isn't a socially obligated government program -- it's just a business. Scratch-off's help the bottom line, sports betting doesn't. Now, it's okay to call the league hypocritical when it releases injury reports, which players have told me only helps bettors … But when it supports other forms of gaming? Big Deal.

Now, it's okay to call the league hypocritical when it releases injury reports, which players have told me only helps bettors. And it's okay to mutter something obscene when the league pretends gambling doesn't help drive TV ratings and fan interest and put money in owners' pockets. But when it supports other forms of gaming? Big Deal. The Bears should put an orange "C" on every deck of cards dealt at Harrah's in Joliet; the Eagles should slap their logo on roulette wheels at the Borgata in Atlantic City; the Dolphins should hold training camp at the El San Juan in Puerto Rico.

Seriously.

The NFL's problem, when it comes to the gambling world, isn't hypocrisy, it's worse: The bosses lack vision. That's why the league is picking unwinnable fights in Delaware and taking pot shots from critics after making smart sponsorship deals. Roger Goodell and his gang are acting and thinking locally rather than globally, which is rare for them, especially compared to their professional (and amateur) counterparts.

The NBA held its All Star game in Las Vegas and David Stern's kingdom didn't crumble (although the town did bring plenty of players to their knees.) I'd say it's 6 to 5 and pick 'em that Lebron will make a road swing through Sin City before his career is over.

Even the NCAA College Football Betting is more progressive on this issue than the NFL. Several years ago Rachel Newman Baker, college sports' gambling czar, opened a dialogue with Vegas bookmakers to learn about how they do business. She's visited Nevada sports books, studied their operations and listened to how they regulate action. Now she knows she can expect a call from bookmakers, who lose money when sports are fixed, if they think something sketchy is going on in NCAA games. She's not in favor of sports betting, but, as she once told me, "I know it's not going away, either."

The NFL can't seem to accept that. And until it can find peace with the idea, it'll get flack, even when it's right.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts MasterCard needs.