Monday Night NHL Picks – Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Rangers

Monday Night Football will gobble up sports betting dollars, however, overlooking this evening’s eight-game NHL card could be deadly to your BetOnline account balance. There is a winner lurking, so let’s get to business and finish the month of November in money-making style!

Pittsburgh (18-9-0) at New York (13-12-1)

Sidney Crosby is coming off his second hat trick of the year, as he attempts to help the Penguins avoid a ninth straight loss at MSG versus the New York Rangers on Monday night. Beating the Rangers in Pittsburgh isn’t a problem for Crosby and company, though, cashing in the Garden is a story of its own!

After having a three-game winning streak snapped Friday evening, Pittsburgh bounced back in strong fashion with an 8-3 victory over the Rangers on Saturday. It was the first-place Pens highest goal total of this season. Pittsburgh is 33-15 in their last 48 games following a win and 14-3 in their last 17 after scoring five goals or more in their previous contest.

• Penguins are 4-0 in their last 4 Monday games.
• Penguins are 5-1 in their last 6 games playing on 1 days rest.
• Penguins are 38-14 in their last 52 vs. Eastern Conference.
• Penguins are 11-5 in their last 16 vs. Atlantic.
• Penguins are 50-22 in their last 72 overall.

The Rangers, who lost 5-1 to Tampa Bay on Friday, trailed Pittsburgh 4-3 early in the third period before the Pens scored four times in an 8:40 span. But now, play returns to New York where Pittsburgh struggles mightily. The Rangers are 7-19 in their last 26 after allowing five goals or more in their previous game.

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New York has lost four of six and went 6-11-1 since a 7-1-0 start. So welcoming Pittsburgh to the Garden is well taken. The Pens, winners of six of eight, took the last five matchups with the Rangers. However, those victories all came at Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh. The Pens have lost eight in a row at Madison Square Garden since a 4-3 shootout victory March 1, 2007.

New York Rangers’ goalie Henrik Lundqvist has been a big reason why Crosby and the rest of the Pens have had trouble on Rangers’ ice. He is 12-1-1 with a 1.67 GAA and two shutouts in 14 home starts against the Pens.

At the other end of the ice, Pittsburgh counterpart Marc-Andre Fleury made 22 saves Saturday to win his fourth straight start, giving him an 11-0-2 mark in his last 13 home games against the Rangers. However, he has a 3-7-3 record and 3.33 GAA in 13 starts at MSG.

The Skinny: The home team is 38-15 in the last 53 meetings and the Pens are 3-13 in the last 16 meetings in New York. These are two very strong NHL betting trends favoring the Rangers, however, all good things must come to an end. Sorry Ranger fans!

Pittsburgh is the hot team and expect them to snap it’s Garden struggles in a low-scoring affair. The Under is 4-0 in the last four meetings in New York. BetOnline NHL odds favor Pittsburgh slightly at -115 with a game total of 5 1/2 -130.

Free NHL Picks: Pittsburgh -115

La Liga Betting: Real Madrid at Barcelona

The soccer world will be frozen in front of their TVs this Sunday as the FC Barcelona host Real Madrid at 1 PM ET at Camp Nou in most anticipated Spanish football derby in the last years.

Spanish League Soccer Betting Odds:
FC Barcelona -1
Real Madrid +1
O/U 2

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These two teams are arguably the two most famous squads on the planet filled with playmakers that can change the course of game with a single kick.

Both teams are coming off wins in the Champions League, however the victory of the “Azulgranas” 2-0 over the Italian Champion Inter Milan said more than the “Merengues” win 1-0 over Zurich; especially since Barcelona played without their best striker Lionel Messi and Swede striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic; both of whom remain questionable for this Sunday.

The big news for Real Madrid this week is that world class winger Cristiano Ronaldo played for the first time in 2 months last Wednesday after recovering from a nagging ankle injury suffered in a World Cup qualifier with Portugal.

Ronaldo still has some bad blood with Barcelona as the “Azulgranas” defeated him and their former squad Manchester United 2-0 in the UEFA Champions League final on May. “I’m definitely ready to play in Barcelona. I’m feeling good and I want to play. Now it’s down to the coach whether I start", said CR9.

This game will be a battle of styles.  Despite Real Madrid’s Golden Ball trophy winners Ronaldo and Kaka, Barcelona is a better prepared team with more playing time together and that could end up being a defining factor.

"They are top of the table for a reason; they’ve won almost all of their games this season and we know they can hurt us if we allow them to," the Barcelona defender Charles Puyol explained. "The most important thing for us is that we keep possession and play as we know how to. I think it will be an evenly balanced game."

At this point the “Merengues” lead the Spanish league standings with 28 points, just one more than Barcelona.  "Is time put distance between ourselves and Barcelona in terms of points on the board", said RM goalkeeper Iker Casillas.  "We know that Barça play good football but we’re not going there with any kind of fear. We’re first in the Liga and top of our UEFA Champions League group. We’ll do our talking on the pitch and we won’t be out there waiting to see what they do. It’s going to be a beautiful and emotional game."

Real Madrid hasn’t forgotten the last time these two teams met, when Barcelona was unstoppable and ended up crushing the “Merengues” 6-2 in Madrid with outstanding performances from Thierry Henry and Lionel Messi. 

The last time when these 2 met in Barcelona the home team also won 2-0.

Consider these soccer betting trends:  on the last 10 derbies played at Camp Nou Barcelona have won 3, Real Madrid 2 and have tied 5 times.  On totals goals overall Barcelona have scored 153 and Real Madrid 93 in a classic played at Barcelona. 

My pick:  Barcelona 3-1.

NHL Saturday – Three-Game Parlay

Game 1 Preview: Ottawa Senators at Boston Bruins  

The good news for Ottawa is that Milan Michalek is starting to make the Dany Heatley trade worthwhile. Although he may never reach 50 goals in a season, Michalek is already a better locker room guy than Heatley and his 11 goals so far in the season is nothing to shake a stick at. On the bad side, the Sens have lost starter Pascal Leclaire for a month after an errant puck smacked him in the face and broke his jaw. Brian Elliot is now the long term starter. Ouch. 

The Bruins have been inspired by the play of goalie Tuukka Rask. Rask has filled in admirably in the absence of star net-minder Tim Thomas, who is out with a broken hand. Any good news is welcome in Boston, whose injury troubles reach beyond the crease. Milan Lucic, who just came back after missing weeks with a broken finger, is day-to-day with a leg injury he suffered in Wednesday’s matchup against Minnesota. His quick return to the lineup is imperative to the Bruins success in the near future.  

Pick: Boston Bruins

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Game 2 Preview: Calgary Flames at Columbus Blue Jackets 

The Flames are coming off a solid 2-1 victory over the Coyotes on Wednesday.  That win was only their second at home in six games, so the team might enjoy a few days away from the Saddledome. But wherever they are, Jarome Iginla will still probably score. The man has been on fire in the month of November, recording 14 points in 11 games.  Iginla’s spark has been felt by the rest of the team, and has taken a ton of pressure off of Mikka Kiprusoff. Kipper has responded by playing some of his best hockey of the season.  

As hot as Kipper has been lately, Steve Mason has been just as cold. Last season’s Calder Trophy winner is looking nothing like it, letting up 10 goals in his last three games; all losses. If he doesn’t improve quickly, his team’s season can come to an abrupt end. Columbus’ return to the playoffs lives and dies with the play of Mason.  

Pick: Calgary Flames 

Game 3 Preview: Washington Capitals at Montreal Canadiens

The Capitals are being ravaged by injuries, and youngsters like Jay Beagle, Mathieu Perrault and Tyler Sloan are being called up from the AHL and forced to contribute. The Caps have struggled with their barely-legal team; they’re 2-2-2 in their last six.

They beat the Sabres 2-0 on Wednesday, but it was a Buffalo team that’s experiencing more problems than the Caps are. Alex Ovechkin was ejected from Washington’s game against Buffalo for a dirty hit, so he could come back Saturday with a chip on his shoulder. Not good for the Canadiens.  

The Habs are also plagued by injuries, with the likes of Brian Gionta, Scott Gomez and Hal Gill all missing time. But Carey Price has been playing very solid as of late, not allowing more than three goals in a game all month. With the injuries, role players like Marc-Andre Bergeron are stepping up. Bergeron scored a pair in Montreal’s win over Columbus on Tuesday. Still, the Habs are shorthanded; one should be wary to pick them over a talented-team like Washington. 

Pick: Washington Capitals

Tiger’s Wife Smashes Window With Golf Club To Pull Him Out

In a courageous move to save her husband’s life, Elin Nordegren smashed the back window of Tiger Woods’ Cadillac SUV to save him from a car accident early Friday.

Panic spread throughout major media outlets as the golf superstar was said to be seriously injured after hitting a fire hydrant and a tree, however, there are now reports that his condition is stable and the 33-year-old PGA Tour star has been released from the hospital.

Tiger Woods’ accident occurred about 2:25 a.m. near Woods’ home in Windermere, a suburb of Orlando, according to an incident report from the Florida Highway Patrol.

Woods, 33, had just pulled out of his driveway in his 2009 Cadillac SUV and had begun to drive down a street when he struck a fire hydrant, the Florida Highway Patrol said. The front of his vehicle then struck a tree.

According to Florida Police officers his wife had already pulled him out of the car when they arrived but Tiger Woods appeared to be unconscious and bleeding from the mouth; the fire rescue arrived later. 

Windermere Mayor Gary Bruhn told CNN that local police arrived within two minutes of being notified. The golfer was taken to Health Central Hospital, where he was treated for facial lacerations and released, Bruhn said.

Investigators have not spoken to Woods’ yet but they have said to believe alcohol was not the cause of the accident.

The crash is under investigation, and charges are pending, though it was not clear who could face charges. The accident did not appear to have been alcohol-related, the Florida Highway Patrol statement said.

Woods lives in Orange County with his wife, supermodel Elin Nordegren, and two children.

Tiger Woods in Car Accident

Professional golfer Tiger Woods was seriously injured in a car accident early this morning, the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) just reported. The Orlando Sentinel broke the story at 3pm today.

Woods pulled out of his driveway in the Isleworth community about 2:25 a.m. when he struck a fire hydrant, and then drove into a tree at his neighbor’s property, FHP reported. Woods was driving his 2009 Cadillac Escalade sport utility vehicle. Alcohol was not involved.

Woods was transported to Health Central Hospital in Ocoee in serious condition, FHP said. No other information about his condition has been released.

FHP said the airbags in Woods’ Cadillac Escalade did not deploy, which means the vehicle was traveling under 33 mph.

Orange County Fire Rescue received the call for aid at 2:28 a.m. Woods was transported from his Windermere-area neighborhood by the hospital’s own ambulance.

An Orange County Sheriff’s Office official said his agency received it’s call for assistance at 2:27 a.m. An operator was told the driver was injured and still inside the vehicle.

A Health Central hospital employee said at 2:30 p.m. that Woods was not a patient. A hospital operator would not say if Woods had been treated and released.

Reports indicate that Woods was treated for facial lacerations.

According to his official website, TigerWoods.com, he is in the middle of a two-week break in tournament play. Woods next tournament is Dec. 3-6 at the Chevron World Challenge in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Wigan Athletic and Aston Villa in EPL Saturday Action

Two Premier League matches that shouldn’t disappoint are Wigan Athletic vs. Sunderland and Aston Villa vs. Tottenham Hotspur. Both fixtures are set to kick off on Saturday night for another exciting weekend of soccer betting at BetOnline.

Soccer Betting Line :

Wigan pk -140 +145 2½ O +110 U -130 Draw +225
Sunderland pk +120 +185 2½ O +110 U -130 Draw +225

Match Time: 10:00 AM Eastern Time Saturday November 28, 2009

Venue: DW Stadium

Soccer Betting Verdict: Sunderland have been putting forward some impressive performances this season and as a result they are in the top ten. Currently, eighth in the table Sunderland have nicked wins over Liverpool and Arsenal. However, it has to be said they have saved their best performances for the home crowd. On the road they have struggled somewhat. Wigan, meanwhile, are just all around struggling.

They are in the bottom half of the table and just scraping by. They are rather close to the danger zone so they are feeling all sorts of pressure. This just might be Sunderland’s first road win in sometime, since beating Bolton to be exact.

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Soccer Free Picks: Sunderland +185 | Under 2.5 -130

Soccer Betting Line :

Aston Villa pk -140 +145 2½ O -130 U +110 Draw +225
Tottenham pk +120 +185 2½ O -130 U +110 Draw +225

Match Time: 10:00 AM Eastern Time Saturday November 28, 2009

Venue: Villa Park

Soccer Betting Verdict: Tottenham and Aston are 4 and 5 respectively in the EPL table right now with the Spurs three points ahead. The Villans will want all three points and they are best placed to do so – their home record being far better than their road record. They will not want to do anything rash against high-flying Spurs either and risk moving backwards . Spurs will not want to lose ground either. Both clubs like a fast-paced game and so we should have an exciting one to watch here. The winner is an crapshoot really. Each has the potential to win but if by the 60 th minute the lay of the land is not clear I expect they will grind out the draw. Best play is the totals.

Soccer Free Picks: Draw +225 | Over 2.5 -130

EPL Betting – Portsmouth vs. Manchester United and West Ham vs. Burnley

Bottom of the table Portsmouth get set to welcome reigning EPL titleholders Manchester United on Saturday; meanwhile, West Ham United prepare for Burnley. Here is a quick look at these two Premier League matchups on offer at BetOnline Sportsbook.

Soccer Betting Line:

Portsmouth +1½ -140 +800 2½ O Ev U -120 Draw +350
Manchester United -1½ +120 -275 2½ O Ev U -120 Draw +350

Match Time: 10:00 AM Eastern Time Saturday November 28, 2009

Venue: Fratton Park

Soccer Betting Verdict: Portsmouth have been showing some signs of improvement but not enough to see them out of the danger zone. Most recently, they are after two-straight losses on the road. The survival point starved Portsmouth can hope for very little in their upcoming clash against Man U. The Red Devils are second in the table and looking for points to keep nipping at Chelsea’s heels. They are likely to get them on the cheap here.

Soccer Free Picks: Man U -275 | Over 2 ½ Even

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Soccer Betting Line:

West Ham -½ -125 -125 2½ O -120 U Ev Draw +245
Burnley +½ +105 +350 2½ O -120 U Ev Draw +245

Match Time: 10:00 AM Eastern Time Saturday November 28, 2009

Venue: Boleyn Ground

Soccer Betting Verdict: West Ham United are showing positive signs lately and an upward trend. They are 1-3-2 in their last six matches and currently, 16th in the table. They are still too close to the danger zone so they will be looking to take maximum points at the expense of Burnley. The visitors, meanwhile, are in the middle of the table thanks to a good home record. On the road they are struggling to make anything happen. In their last six, they have gone 0-1-5. There is no reason why West Ham should not win this match.

Soccer Free Picks: West Ham United -125 | Over 2 ½ -120

UEFA Champions League Betting: Apoel Nicosia vs. Atletico Madrid

Europa League rivals APOEL Nicosia and Atletico Madrid are set to collide on match day five in Champions League action. Both sides have struggled in Europe’s top flight League. APOEL hauled one point in four cycles; meanwhile Atletico went one better taking two points in four cycles.

They are effectively out of the Champions League but they have a shot at Europa League action if they seize a third place finish. That is all they can technically hope to get out of their section that is dominated by the top duo: Chelsea FC at ten points and FC Porto at nine points.

Soccer Betting Line:

Apoel Nicosia +½  -130   +265   2½  O +125   U -145    ½  O -145   U +125   Draw   +220    
Atletico Madrid  -½  +110   +110  2½  O +125   U -145     1  O -130   U +110 Draw   +220    

Match Time: 02:45 PM Eastern Time Wednesday November 25, 2009

Soccer Betting Verdict: Apoel Nicosia have one point in four cycles of Champions League. The Cypriots should be pleased of their accomplishment, qualifying for the prestigious competition in the first place. They can also be pleased they held their own against the European heavyweights Chelsea FC and FC Porto with narrow defeats to each. They lost by a narrow 1:0 to Chelsea on match day 2 which has to be considered a good result for them given their measure and standing against the best in European football. And their subsequent 2:1 and 1:0 to FC Porto in the two-legged tie on match day 3 and 4 was also respectable.

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Atletico Madrid have been more disappointing in my opinion and should have done better than the two points in four cycles. They started their campaign with a scoreless draw against APOEL and followed up with a 2:0 loss to FC Porto and a 4:0 loss to Chelsea. They did bounce back with a 2:2 draw against Chelsea FC on match day 4. We are yet to see whether they can make it count by backing it up with a win over APOEL.

The market favours Atletico at +110 to win outright and they have no excuse not to win this match. Yet, they have flattered to deceive this season and they failed to take anything away from the first leg against APOEL on match day 1. Such inconsistency makes them the risky bet in my opinion.

APOEL have a shot at Europa League action if they beat Atletico Madrid. They will be mindful of that. APOEL have done well to hold their own in Europe’s top-flight league and when they lost they did so respectably. One has to believe they will reverse their fortunes though sooner than later. Atletico Madrid is the perfect side to do that against because they have been unimpressive. They are also Europa League rivals and winning this battle will be important to advancing into Europe’s second tier competition after Christmas break.

Soccer Free Picks: APOEL +265 |Under 2.5 -140

UEFA Champions League: Bayern Munich vs. Maccabi Haifa

Bayern Munich slipped up against Bordeaux in back-to-back matches and now are on the verge of being eliminated from Champions League action.

Bayern currently sit third in Group A on 4 points, six points adrift of top of the group Bordeaux and four points shy of second placed Juventus. Bayern Munich are not out of the competition just yet but advancing would seem to be without reach under current circumstances. Their survival rests not only on their upcoming matchup against Maccabi Haifa but on the other matchups in their group between Juventus and Bordeaux. A precarious situation the now ousted Liverpool knows only too well for having been in the same position yesterday

Soccer Betting Line:

Bayern Munich -1½ -115 -400 3 O +110 U -130 2 O -145 U +125 Draw +425
Maccabi Haifa +1½ -105 +1200 3 O +110 U -130 ½ O -105 U -115 Draw +425

Match Time: 02:45 PM Eastern Time Wednesday November 25, 2009

Soccer Betting Verdict: Bayern Munich began their Champions League bid with a 3:0 win over Maccabi Haifa on the away. They followed up with a scoreless draw against Juventus on match day 2. That result is the one I believe they will look back upon as a missed opportunity. Had they beaten the Italian outfit at the Futbal Arena in Munich at the time they might not be in so precarious a spot. Bordeaux then went on to beat a slightly demoralized Munich (things are not looking too hot on the home front either) in back-to-back matches.

Maccabi Haifa did awesome to qualify for the Champions League but since haven’t managed to make it count. They are still pointless in Champions League action and looking like they may remain so until the end. Why? Well they have yet to score a goal. How are they to take any away from this tournament if they cannot seem to find the net?

Soccer Free Picks: Bayern Munich -400| Under 3 -130| Maccabi Haifa Under ½ -115

NHL Game of the Night – Blue Jackets vs. Canadiens (-135)

NHL Betting – Mason vs. Price

On Tuesday evening, the NHL betting ticket features only one contest, as the Columbus Blue Jackets cross the border to play the Montréal Canadiens, which will showcase two goaltenders heading in opposite directions.

Cary Price has heated up for Montréal after a slow start, while Steve Mason of Columbus continues to struggle. Nevertheless, it should be a great sports event, starting at 7:30 PM Eastern in Montréal.

The Blue Jackets have won consecutive games against the Canadiens, including a 4-3 shootout victory Nov. 7, 2008, in the most recent meeting. Columbus is 3-1-0 with one tie all-time at Montréal. BetOnline NHL betting odds list Montréal the slight money line favorites priced at -135 with a game total of 5 1/2 under -125.

Total players have built their bankroll by investing in the under whenever these two meet. Overall, the under is 6-1-1 in the last eight meetings and the under has cashed in four of the last five played on Montréal’s ice. Also note: the road team is 5-2-1 in their last eight face-offs.

The Canadiens’ Price began the season as the starting goaltender but an early six-game losing streak put him on the bench, as backup Jaroslav Halak saw playing time. Price was placed back in net where he has since re-earned his starting spot, going 4-2-1 with a 1.94 GAA in his past seven trips to the ice while starting the last five consecutive games.

He had a strong performance in Saturday’s 3-2 shootout loss to visiting Detroit, making 32 saves through overtime. Montréal is a money-dropping 9-20 in their last 29 games after allowing two goals are more. They also drop cash when playing opponents in the Western Conference where they are a lousy 1-8, as well as, winning just one of its last five home games.

Monday’s 7-4 loss to the New York Rangers was the Blue Jackets’ first in regulation since a 9-1 defeat to Detroit on Nov. 11 in coach Ken Hitchcock’s 1,000th NHL game behind the bench. The Blue Jackets are a bankroll busting 2-7 after losing a game by three goals or more. Columbus has earned at least a point in nine of its last 11 games (6-2-3).

Mason captured the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie with 33 wins last season, however, he is experiencing a very dismal sophomore slump, ranking next-to-last in the NHL with a robust 3.59 GAA. He was pulled for the third time this season on Monday night in Columbus after allowing four goals on 17 shots. Mason surrendered at least four goals for the eighth time in 17 starts this season.

Blue Jackets star forward Rick Nash has been held without a point in consecutive games for the first time this season and was a minus-4 in Monday’s loss. However, Columbus is a moneymaking 7-0 versus Northeast division foes. But for whatever reason, the Blue Jackets struggle against lesser competition. They are 24-49 in their last 73 versus a team with a losing record.

Free NHL Picks: Montréal -135

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