Habs, Pens meet in the Steel City

Hockey Betting Lines

12/27/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Montreal Canadiens will kick off a four-game road trip when they visit the Pittsburgh Penguins for this evening's battle at Mellon Arena.

The Canadiens have played just one road game so far in December and that was a 3-2 loss in Carolina on December 16. Montreal is 7-5-2 as the visiting team this year and has lost two straight and six of nine on the road.

Montreal has notched a point in three straight tests, but had a two-game winning streak halted in last Sunday's overtime loss to visiting Carolina. Tuomo Ruutu scored 1:43 into OT to lift the Hurricanes to the 3-2 decision at the Bell Centre.

On the winner, Ruutu slipped by several players as well as Habs goaltender Carey Price on a wraparound. The puck trickled through Price's pads and settled near the left post before Ruutu dove forward and knocked the disc into the net.

Matt D'Agostini and Robert Lang netted a goal each for the Canadiens. Price made 24 saves in the loss, Montreal's fourth in six outings.

Price was making his first start since December 6, as he had battled the flu originally before also sustaining a lower-body injury. He is 13-4-5 this year and 2-0 in his career against the Penguins.

The Penguins picked up a victory on Friday night as they shut out the Devils in New Jersey. Pittsburgh has alternated wins and losses over its past eight games and is 5-6-1 in December.

Marc-Andre Fleury stopped all 37 shots he faced to post his first shutout of the season, as Pittsburgh clipped New Jersey, 1-0, at the Prudential Center.

Ruslan Fedotenko provided the lone goal for the Penguins, who have won three of five and moved past the Devils for third place in the Atlantic Division. Pittsburgh heads into Saturday's action with 42 points and is three behind Philadelphia for second place.

The Penguins are capping the 2008 calendar year with back-to-back home tests. Pittsburgh is 8-6-2 as the host this season and has dropped two straight and three of four at the Igloo. The club will also host Boston on Tuesday night.

Tonight's test marks the first of four encounters between the Pens and Habs this year. Pittsburgh won the last two meetings of 2007-08, but Montreal has still taken five of nine in the series.

Montreal has also picked up wins in two straight trips and five of its previous eight stops in the Steel City.

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MySportsbook.com Posts Heisman Trophy Odds

With 3,919 passing yards, 32 touchdowns and a mere seven interceptions last season, combined with a powerful South Bend Heisman legacy, odds makers at MySportsbook.com have given Notre Dame senior quarterback Brady Quinn the best Heisman Trophy odds at 5-2.

Quinn isn’t the only big man on campus this season.  Oklahoma junior running back and 2004 Heisman runner-up Adrian Peterson, listed at 7-2, rushed for a combined 3,033 yards in his first two years as a college player and will give Quinn a run for his money. 

This online sportsbook has also listed Troy Smith, Ohio State senior quarterback, as another strong favorite to win the 72nd Heisman Trophy.  A 7-1 bet, Smith threw for 2,282 yards last season and also led the Buckeyes to a convincing 34-20 victory over Quinn and the Fighting Irish in last season’s Fiesta Bowl.

Current betting odds Heisman trophy are:

Brady Quinn (QB, Notre Dame)
Adrian Peterson (RB, Oklahoma)
Troy Smith (QB, Ohio State)
Michael Bush (RB, Louisville)
Steve Slaton (RB, West Virginia)
Brian Brohm (QB, Louisville)
Chris Leak (QB, Florida)
Mike Hart (RB, Michigan)
Ted Ginn (WR, Ohio State)
Darius Walker (RB, Notre Dame)
Drew Tate (QB, Iowa)
Marshawn Lynch (RB, Cal)
Kenny Irons (RB, Auburn)
Chad Henne (QB, Michigan)
Kyle Wright (QB, Miami)
Drew Stanton (QB, Michigan State)
Kenneth Darby (RB, Alabama)
JaMarcus Russell (QB, LSU)
Drew Weatherford (QB, Florida State)
Blake Mitchell (QB, South Carolina)
Reggie Ball (QB, Georgia Tech)		 5-2
7-2
7-1
10-1
10-1
12-1
12-1
18-1
18-1
20-1
30-1
35-1
35-1
40-1
50-1
50-1
60-1
60-1
60-1
60-1
60-1

For complete NCAA Football odds visit MySportsbook.com.