Back to basics: Bruins seek a return to form versus Habs

Hockey Betting Lines

02/15/2012 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After watching his team get shut out for the second time in three games, Claude Julien would like the Boston Bruins to get back to basics tonight when they visit the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre.

Boston has lost two of three and four of its last six games and was handed a 3-0 setback by Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers on Tuesday.

The Bruins fired 42 shots at Lundqvist, including 18 in the third period, but they couldn't solve the Swedish netminder. Boston had also been shut out last Wednesday in a 6-0 rout in Buffalo before rebounding with Saturday's 4-3 shootout win over visiting Nashville.

Tuesday's loss dropped the Bruins nine points behind the Rangers for the top seed in the East. The defending Stanley Cup champions are still four points up on Ottawa for first place in the Northeast Division.

Boston is just 6-7-1 in its last 14 trips to the ice and Julien believes his team's recent struggles are a result of the Bruins getting away from what they do best.

"We're a checking team that scores. That's our identity," Julien said after Tuesday's loss. "We're a checking team that scores, but right now, we're not checking and we're not scoring."

Julien hopes Boston can find its physical game on the road, as the B's are kicking off a six-game road trip tonight. The Bruins have a solid 16-8-0 record as the guest this year.

While the Bruins fired a ton of shots at Lundqvist on Tuesday, Tim Thomas stopped just 17-of-20 shots for Boston.

"We certainly could have done more," Julien added. "They won more battles than we did tonight."

Tuukka Rask will likely get the start in net tonight, although he is 1-6-1 with a 2.76 goals-against average in nine career games against Montreal.

Tyler Seguin led Boston with seven shots on net on Tuesday, but he went without a point for the sixth time in seven games. Seguin, who has one goal over that stretch, is tied for the team lead with 20 goals this season.

Tonight's test marks the sixth and final scheduled meeting between the Habs and Bruins this year. Montreal took the first two encounters back in October, but Boston has won three straight since. The Bruins have still been handed losses in six of their last eight trips to Quebec.

The Canadiens will try to get back on track tonight after having a four-game winning streak halted by the visiting Carolina Hurricanes. Montreal had tied its longest hot streak of the season with the four consecutive victories, but the Habs squandered a 3-2 lead in the third period of Monday's test against the Hurricanes.

Eric Staal netted two goals and added an assist -- all in the third period -- to lift Carolina to the 5-3 decision at Bell Centre.

Tomas Plekanec, Erik Cole and David Desharnais scored and Carey Price made 30 saves in defeat for the Canadiens, who were trying to post five straight victories for the first time since March of last season.

Montreal is currently 12th in the Eastern Conference and is seven points out of a playoff spot.

The Canadiens are completing a brief two-game homestand tonight and are just 11-12-7 in Montreal this year.

Casino-online-betting Hockey Betting News

<< Canucks host Avs hoping to extend series dominance
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Vancouver Canucks will try to continue their recent dominance of Colorado when they welcome the Avalanche for tonight's Northwest Division clash at Rogers Arena. The Canucks have taken all three meetings against the Av

<< Panthers hope to solve visiting Sens
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Florida Panthers are in position to win four in a row for the first time this season, but to do so they'll need to beat the Ottawa Senators for the first time in nine meetings. That's the task for the Panthers tonight

<< Maple Leafs aim to end slide in road test with Oilers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Toronto Maple Leafs will try to end their longest losing streak of the season when they visit the Edmonton Oilers for tonight's battle at Rexall Place. The Maple Leafs have lost four in a row -- all in regulation -- an

<< Wolves hope to get healthy against visiting Bobcats
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It's been a history-making year thus far for the Charlotte Bobcats. Unfortunately, it's not the type of records they'd like to be associated with. Tonight, Charlotte attempts to snap their franchise-record 15-game losing

<< Pistons and Celtics clash at TD Garden
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Before exiting the New England area for five straight games, the Boston Celtics will take care of some business at home when the Detroit Pistons pay a visit to TD Garden this evening. The Celtics opened a brief two-game ho

New Yale football coach Reno finalizes staff >>
New Haven, CT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - First-year Yale head football coach Tony Reno announced on Wednesday his nine-man assistant coaching staff, which has a combined 128 years of experience. Only defensive coordinator Rick Flanders returns from

Wizards seek third straight road win against Clippers >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Wizards will try to extend a rare road winning streak when they face off with an LA Clippers team returning to SoCal for the first time in nearly two weeks. The Wizards have opened up a five-game t

Blazers take on Warriors without Aldridge >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Portland Trail Blazers will be without All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge tonight when they square off with the surging Golden State Warriors in Oakland. Aldridge sprained his left ankle early in Portland's 124-

Hawks continue road trip at Phoenix >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Atlanta will resume a five-game road trip tonight in the desert when it takes on a Phoenix Suns team finishing up a tough three games in three nights stretch. The Hawks, who will also visit Portland, Chicago and New

Mavs host Nuggets in Big D >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dirk Nowitzki has finally started to heat up and the Dallas Mavericks will try to ride their superstar to a fifth straight victory when they host the Denver Nuggets tonight in Big D. Nowitzki had an uncharacteristicall

Matt Kenseth And Kevin Harvick Favorites To Take NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship

(September 15)—The NASCAR season has hit the homestretch with the opening event on this year’s Chase for the Cup taking place this weekend at the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway. With 10 races remaining to determine the Cup Series champion, leading online sportsbook MySportsbook.com today announced odds on all 10 Chase qualifying drivers capturing the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.

One of the largest sportsbook sites on the Internet, MySportsbook.com currently lists the top two drivers in the point standings as the early favorites to win the Nextel Cup. Entering the Chase for the Cup with a slim five-point lead in the point standings, 2003 NASCAR champ Matt Kenseth has been made a slight favorite to win his second Cup at 7/2 betting odds. 2001 Cup Rookie of the Year Kevin Harvick has betting odds listed at 5/2 and four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon is listed at 6/1 to capture the Nextel Cup this year.

Hoping to follow in the footsteps of his legendary father who won six NASCAR titles, Dale Earnhardt Jr. stands at 8/1 to breakthrough with his first Cup victory. Staying with the family theme, MySportsbook.com lists 2005 Rookie of the Year Kyle Busch at 14/1 to succeed big brother Kurt’s 2004 NASCAR title. While Kasey Kahne was the final driver to qualify for the Chase with a third place finish last week, the oddsmakers give him a fighting chance at 10/1 mainly due to several mile-and-a-half tracks remaining on the schedule. Despite going winless on the NASCAR circuit this season, Jeff Burton enters the Chase at 5/1 to capture the Cup title. Meanwhile, rookie Denny Hamlin is 4/1 to win the championship, while veteran driver Mark Martin enters the Chase for the Cup as a 15/1 long shot to win his first NASCAR title in his 24th and final season.

MySportsbook.com will offer comprehensive Nascar betting lines on every race remaining on the Nextel Cup series including driver match-ups, props and odds to win each race. For a complete list of NASCAR odds, please visit www.MySportsbook.com.

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