Lightning escape Verizon Center with win over Caps

Hockey Betting Lines

03/12/2010 - 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 goal for the Lightning, who had dropped seven of eight coming in. Antero Niittymaki made 28 stops in the win.

It is a big two points for Tampa Bay as the team now has 68 and sits four points back of Boston for the final playoff seed in the East.

Tomas Fleischmann and Brooks Laich each had a goal for the Capitals, who had won four of their previous five. Alex Ovechkin had two assists while Semyon Varlamov made 24 stops.

Washington came into the game having been crowned the Southeast Division champions on Thursday. Despite not playing, the Caps won the division for the third straight year thanks to Atlanta's loss to Columbus.

The Capitals opened the scoring with a power-play tally as Ovechkin fired a pass through the seam from the left point over to the right side where Fleischmann one-timed it home.

Tampa, though, tied it with 48.9 seconds left in the opening frame as Bochenski lasered the puck into the left corner from the right circle for his second goal of the season.

The Lightning took a 2-1 lead with 8:30 left in the second. A left circle faceoff win saw the puck come back to Stephane Veilleux, who left a drop pass for Walker's one-timer past Varlamov.

It was a 3-1 game when Walker fired a shot from the right point that went off of Lecavalier and in. It was initially ruled to not be a goal as the official thought that Lecavalier hit it with a high stick, but the replay showed that it went off Lecavalier and he was awarded his 19th goal of the season.

Niittymaki was solid in the second period as his 14 saves helped the team take a two-goal lead into the break.

Skating on the man advantage, the Caps made it a one-goal game with 8:51 to play. A Mike Green wrist shot from the high slot was re-directed by Laich in front of the net. Niittymaki was there to make the save, but Laich put home the rebound for his 21st goal of the season.

Game Notes

Fleischmann's goal was his 20th of the season, a new career high...Tampa Bay hosts Pittsburgh on Sunday...Washington hits the road for four games beginning in Chicago on Sunday...Despite the loss, Washington has taken 14 of the last 16 games against Tampa...Washington went 2-for-4 on the power play while Tampa was 0-for-1.

Focsports Hockey Betting News


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NCAA Football Betting

Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)

"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."

Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins

There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.

Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins

Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.

USC Trojans - 10.5 wins

A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.

Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy

Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.

"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."

Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1

The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.

Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1

If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.

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