Habs aim to stay hot vs. Hurricanes

Hockey Betting Lines

02/13/2012 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The suddenly-hot Montreal Canadiens will try to extend their winning streak to a season-high five games when they welcome the Carolina Hurricanes for tonight's battle at the Bell Centre.

The Canadiens have scored 15 times during a four-game win streak that's come directly on the heels of an 0-3 slide. Montreal also won four in a row from Oct. 26-Nov. 4, but the Habs haven't recorded five straight victories since Feb. 26-March 8 of last season.

The recent tear has helped Montreal move within seven points of Toronto for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.

The Canadiens turned in an impressive win over their biggest rival Saturday night in Toronto, as the Habs spoiled Mats Sundin night at Air Canada Centre by slamming the Maple Leafs, 5-0. Carey Price made 32 saves to record his fourth shutout of the season and 16th of his career and five different players scored for Montreal, which tallied four times in the second period en route to the blowout.

Prior to the game, former Leafs captain Mats Sundin's No. 13 was lifted to the rafters, but the Canadiens made sure that was the high point of the night for Toronto and its fans.

Mathieu Darche had a goal and an assist, while Erik Cole, Max Pacioretty, Rene Bourque and Lars Eller all scored. David Desharnais and Tomas Plekanec added two assists apiece for the Canadiens, while Price was also credited with an assist. Montreal also went 1-for-2 on the power play and stopped Toronto from scoring on its five chances with the man advantage.

"We did a lot of the things that we hoped we would do," Canadiens head coach Randy Cunneyworth said. "We kept the turnovers to a minimum and I think we played a responsible game overall."

Montreal is playing the first of two straight on home ice tonight and will also welcome Boston this Wednesday. The Canadiens are 11-11-7 at the Bell Centre this season.

On the injury front for the Habs, defenseman Yannick Weber is questionable for tonight after missing the last two games with a knee injury. Forward Travis Moen also sat out Saturday's tilt with an upper-body issue and is questionable this evening.

Carolina is coming off a consecutive overtime losses after beginning February with two straight victories. The Hurricanes are last in the Eastern Conference, but are just four points behind Montreal in the standings.

The Hurricanes have a dreadful 6-13-8 record as the road team this year and are completing a three-game swing tonight. Carolina dropped a 3-2 overtime test Wednesday in Anaheim and was then dealt a 4-3 setback Friday night in Colorado when Ryan O'Reilly scored the game-winner with 1.2 seconds left in the extra session.

With time winding down, O'Reilly picked the pocket of Justin Faulk in the neutral zone and skated the other way. From the left wing, O'Reilly cranked a shot that beat Cam Ward to the left side for the win.

Eric Staal had a goal and an assist, while Ward made 29 stops for the Hurricanes, who went 0-for-3 on the power play in the loss.

"We have to get better when we have our opportunities," said Staal. "We have to get in front of the net more. I liked our game tonight, especially in the first two periods. But our power play has to do a better job, especially with chances in the last five minutes."

After today's game, the Hurricanes will play seven of their next eight tilts on home ice. Carolina's next test is Friday night against visiting San Jose.

Montreal is 2-0 against the 'Canes this season and has claimed five of six overall in this series. Carolina has dropped three straight and four of its last five games at the Bell Centre.

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El Duque expected to throw Tuesday

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.

Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.

El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.

MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds. 

Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.

New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.

Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''

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Big 12 Conference betting odds

Work left to do: Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State

Texas joins Texas A&M and Kansas as locks after getting league win No. 11. Texas Tech greatly helped its own hopes and crippled OK State's with the two-point win Saturday. Is K-State the last reasonable hopeful? Could be an elimination match in Stillwater on Tuesday, at least for the Cowboys.

Work left to do:

Texas Tech [18-11 (7-7), RPI: 44, SOS: 12] A critical two-point win over OK State leaves the Red Raiders with Baylor and at Iowa State left. Get both and the Red Raiders likely are good to go. Get one and there could be some interesting comparisons with a K-State team that could finish two or three games "ahead" of them in the standings but doesn't have any of the quality wins Texas Tech has. Not a lot in nonconference play (against Arkansas in Little Rock being the best win, by far) to lean on.

Oklahoma State [18-9 (5-8), RPI: 50, SOS: 35] Still without a road win, the Cowboys now need to win two on the road just to get to .500 in conference play. It's hard to recall a team (OK, other than Clemson) falling so precipitously from lock status to almost certainly out of the NCAAs at this point. There are wins to be had in the last three, including a very big home game against K-State on Tuesday, but this team is reeling. Can you tell the pressure to win is getting to them with the way the final possession played out at Texas Tech? There are some good nonconference performances to lean on, specifically beating Missouri State and Syracuse on neutral floors and Pitt in OK City, but if the Pokes don't right this very, very soon, that won't be enough.

Kansas State [20-9 (9-5), RPI: 56, SOS: 96] It pays to be in the Big 12 North. The nine league wins are Colorado (twice), Missouri (twice), Iowa State (twice), Baylor, Nebraska and (a good one against) Texas. That helps explain the middling computer profile. The win over USC is nice, but the nonconference leaves a lot to be desired. The game at OK State in Stillwater on Tuesday is huge, as it could KO the Cowboys and leave K-State with a home date against Oklahoma with which to work.