Kessel, Bruins visit Penguins

Hockey Betting Lines

03/15/2009 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Phil Kessel will try to spark the Boston Bruins to a third straight win this afternoon in a battle with the Pittsburgh Penguins at Mellon Arena.

Boston has won two straight following a 1-4-1 stretch in large part to Kessel's offense. The 21-year-old scored twice in the Bruins' 5-3 win over Ottawa on Thursday before netting a goal and setting up another in Saturday's 2-1 win over the New York Islanders.

Kessel became the first Bruin to net 30 goals in a season since Patrice Bergeron in 2005-06 and did so in his third NHL season.

Marc Savard also scored and Tim Thomas made 21 saves for the Bruins, who won for the third straight time on home ice but will aim to halt a four-game road skid today. Boston is 21-10-4 as the guest this year and will try to win three games in a row overall for the first time since four consecutive victories from January 31-February 5.

Boston's win allowed it to remain tied with Detroit for the most points in the NHL with 99. The Red Wings are also in action today.

The Bruins wrap their season series with the defending Eastern Conference- champion Penguins today and are 2-0-1 against the club this year. Kessel has scored twice in those three contest.

Boston has won four of its last five overall versus Pittsburgh in addition to two straight and six of its last eight trips to the Steel City.

Not only will the Pens be aiming to halt a two-game skid this afternoon, they will be trying to end a game in regulation. All of Pittsburgh's last four games have gone into a shootout and ended in a 4-3 score.

The Penguins knocked off Washington and Florida at the end of a seven-game win streak, but have since been bested by Columbus and Ottawa. The setback to the Senators came on Saturday, but the point gained allowed Pittsburgh to move into a tie with Montreal for fifth in the East with 80 points.

Eric Godard, Tyler Kennedy and Sidney Crosby each had a goal for the Penguins and Marc-Andre Fleury made 36 stops in the loss.

Yesterday's defeat came in the opener of a season-long eight-game homestand and halted Pittsburgh's four-game winning streak at Mellon Arena. The Penguins are 18-12-3 as the host this year.

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Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.

Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.

MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .

''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''

Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.

He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.

''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''

Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.

Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.

With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.

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