Lightning hope to get on track versus Maple Leafs

Hockey Betting Lines

03/11/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Lightning will aim for just their second win in eight games when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight at Air Canada Centre.

The Lightning are only five points out of a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference, but have posted a 1-6-0 record in their last seven games. Tampa has dropped three of four since the Olympic break and is coming off Tuesday's road loss against Montreal.

The Canadiens posted a 5-3 win over the Bolts, marking the sixth time in seven games that Tampa Bay has surrendered five goals or more. The Lightning's lone win during that stretch came in a 6-2 victory over Atlanta on Saturday.

Steven Stamkos scored a goal and dished out an assist for the Lightning, who have dropped six of seven. Martin St. Louis and Matt Walker also lit the lamp in defeat.

Antero Niittymaki gave up four goals on 13 shots before being pulled near the midway point of the second. Mike Smith turned aside 14-of-15 shots in relief.

"We have to find a way to win on the road," Stamkos said. "It has become too common. We're going to run out of time if we can't win on the road."

The Lightning are just 9-19-5 as the guest this year and have lost four straight road games. Tonight's tilt marks the middle test of a three-game road trip for Tampa.

The team's road woes have not been the fault of Stamkos, at least not recently. The 2008 No. 1 overall draft choice is riding a franchise-record 17- game point streak and has amassed 16 goals and 15 assists over that span. Stamkos is third in the league with 41 goals, placing him behind only Washington's Alex Ovechkin and Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby.

Tampa could be without winger Ryan Malone for a second straight game as he continues to battle an upper-body injury suffered Saturday against Atlanta.

The Maple Leafs are last in the East with 54 points but they have registered a point in four straight games, going 2-0-2 over that span.

Toronto was able to record a win its last time out, edging visiting Boston, 4-3, in Tuesday's overtime decision. Nikolai Kulemin scored with 49.7 seconds left in OT to lead the Leafs to the dramatic victory.

Wayne Primeau, Carl Gunnarsson and Luca Caputi also scored in regulation for the Maple Leafs, helping their team win for just the second time in seven games. Jonas Gustavsson stopped 26-of-29 shots to get the win.

"We're playing for pride right now and some guys are playing for jobs next year. When you're out there you want to win," Gustavsson said.

Toronto, which is just 12-14-5 as the host this year. will complete a three- game homestand Saturday against Edmonton.

The Lightning have won two of its three tests against Toronto this year, but both of those victories came in overtime. Tampa has taken six of eight overall in the series and has won three straight in Toronto.

Tonight marks the final scheduled matchup of the year between the Bolts and Leafs.

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It's less than a month until the NHL hockey betting season opens at MySportsbook.com and preparations are underway for another battle in the race to hoist Lord Stanley's mug in 2007.

As cup crazy fans prepare to place their bets, one online sportsbook ,MySportsbook.com, is offering hockey betting lines on the 2007/2007 Stanley Cup , who will bring it home this upcoming season.

Despite a poor showing in last season's playoffs and the loss of Steve Yzerman to retirement, the Detroit Red Wings are early favourites at this online sportsbook with wagering odds of 6-1. The Wings will look to offensive powerhouse Pavel Datsyuk and newly appointed captain Nicklas Lidstrom to lead one of the league's most prominent franchises.

Always a threat are the Ottawa Senators, with newly acquired goaltender Martin Gerber from the Stanley Cup champion ,Carolina Hurricanes. The Sens are second best in the rankings at a 7-1 bet, and odds makers at this sportsbook are optimistic that the Ottawa squad will fare better than last season's Eastern Conference semi-final upset to the Buffalo Sabres.

Also worth noting are the defending Stanley Cup champs Carolina Hurricanes, a 10-1 bet to repeat. Behind the Canes are the New Jersey Devils, Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, and Anaheim Mighty Ducks all sit at 12-1. In the basement are the Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, and St. Louis Blues who all have 100-1 odds to win.

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