11/18/2008 - Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nathan Horton was credited with the game-winning tally in the shootout and the Florida Panthers edged instate rival Tampa Bay, 4-3, at St. Pete Times Forum.
Bryan McCabe scored twice and David Booth also tallied in regulation for the Panthers, who have won three of their last four games overall. Tomas Vokoun allowed three goals on 52 shots in the win. Vokoun made 15 saves in the first period and 20 more in the second.
Radim Vrbata, Steve Eminger and Evgeny Artyukhin scored for the Lightning, who have lost in a shootout in both of their first two games under interim head coach Rick Tocchet. Barry Melrose, a former coach turned hockey television personality for over a decade, returned to the bench this season but was fired on Friday after a 5-7-4 start.
Mike Smith finished with 33 saves for Tampa Bay, which fell to 2-4-3 in November.
Tampa Bay scored twice in the third period to tie the score at 3-3. After a scoreless overtime, the teams began the shootout. The first three shooters missed, but Horton's wrist shot beat Smith before Vokoun made a save on a wrist shot by Marty St. Louis and the Panthers skated off with the win.
Florida scored twice in the first period for a 2-0 lead after the opening 20 minutes.
First, at the 7:50 mark, McCabe registered his second goal of the season. Radek Dvorak's was saved by Smith, but the rebound was corralled by Gregory Campbell, who sent the puck to the blue line. From the centerpoint, McCabe released a blazing shot that flew into the back of the cage.
Inside the final minute of the stanza, the visitors moved ahead 2-0 on a power-play tally that was credited to Booth. With Paul Ranger in the penalty box for tripping, the Panthers worked the puck around the perimeter until Richard Zednik fired a shot from the right circle. Smith made a partial save, but the puck trickled under him. Booth appeared to make slight contact with the puck as he whacked at it from the crease and the disc crossed the goal line with 17 seconds to go.
McCabe's second goal of the game -- a power-play marker 7:48 into the second period -- gave Florida a three-goal cushion.
With 5:18 to play before the second intermission, the Lightning cut their deficit to 3-1. Steve Eminger's blast from the right side was stopped, but Vokoun allowed a long rebound to the opposite side and Vrbata was in the right place at the right time for an easy rebound goal into the open net past the sprawling Vokoun.
Tampa Bay climbed back into the game with two third-period goals.
Artyukhin's goal before four minutes elapsed in the third period drew the Lightning within one. He was stationed at the right post and one-timed home a cross-crease pass from Vinny Lecavalier.
In the latter stages of the third, the hosts knotted the contest. After a faceoff in inside the left circle, the puck was controlled by Artyukhin, who then fed the disc back to Eminger at the left point. Eminger's wrist shot made its way through traffic and past Vokoun with 2:51 to go in regulation.
Game Notes
Tampa Bay fell to 2-3-4 at home this season...Vokoun posted his first win on the road this season (1-5-0)...The Panthers were 2-for-5 on the power play and held the Lightning scoreless on their two chances with the extra skater...The 52 shots on goal marked a Tampa Bay franchise record. The previous mark of 51 was set on January 17, 2004, also against Florida...Attendance was 16,176.
<< Celtics win without Garnett, top Knicks again
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Paul Pierce scored 22 points and hauled in
eight rebounds to lead the Kevin Garnett-less Celtics in a 110-101 victory
over the Knicks.
Garnett sat out after being suspended for hitting Milwaukee's
<< Hawks' Horford leaves game vs. Pacers
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Atlanta Hawks forward Al Horford left
Tuesday's 113-96 defeat against the Indiana Pacers with an apparent ankle
injury.
The injury occurred with 4:45 left in the opening period. Horford was taken to
the l
<< Wild snap Pittsburgh's six-game win streak in shootout
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Marek Zidlicky netted the game-winning
shootout tally and Niklas Backstrom made 24 saves while halting each of
Pittsburgh's three shootout attempts as the Minnesota Wild topped the
Penguin
<< LeBron leads Cavs past Nets
East Rutherford, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - LeBron James scored 31 points and
grabbed eight rebounds, as the Cleveland Cavaliers put on a three-point show
to down the New Jersey Nets, 106-82.
James shot only 1-of-4 from beyond the arc,
Gay, Warrick lead Grizzlies over Kings >>
Memphis, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rudy Gay scored 22 points and grabbed eight
rebounds, and the Memphis Grizzlies routed the Sacramento Kings, 109-94.
Hakim Warrick scored 21 points and raked in 10 rebounds off the bench for the
Grizzlies,
Collins, Jayhawks rout Florida Gulf Coast >>
Lawrence, KS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sherron Collins scored 25 points to lead the
24th-ranked Kansas Jayhawks in an 85-45 rout of the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles
at Allen Fieldhouse.
Cole Aldrich added 12 points for the Jayhawks (2-0), who w
Gonzaga slams Idaho >>
Spokane, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Austin Daye scored 16 points and grabbed seven
rebounds, as the ninth-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs routed the Idaho Vandals, 80-
46.
Micah Downs added 18 points for Gonzaga (2-0), which opened up its season with
Gibson carries Trojans over New Mexico State >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Taj Gibson totaled 22 points and 10
rebounds to lead No. 19 Southern California to a 73-60 victory over New Mexico
State at Galen Center.
Dwight Lewis poured in 16 points for Southern California (
Mayweather picked to beat De La Hoya
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya and his rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. arrived at the MGM Grand here Wednesday amid the pomp and pandemonium befitting two of the biggest stars in the sport who are about to duke it out for the WBC super welterweight crown this Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
As of Wednesday, MySportsbook.com closed its book with Mayweather a favorite to defeat De La Hoya at -170 (a $100 bet wins $70), while De La Hoya is a +140 underdog (a $100 bet wins $140).
Mayweather arrived at about 11:30 a.m. on a big truck with his face and a big "World's Best Pound-for-Pound" sign scribbled across the vehicle. He was accompanied by his entourage made up of rappers and his training team.
A crowd of close to 3,000 eager fans packed the MGM Grand lobby, with their cameras in tow, all trying to vie for position to get a good angle at Mayweather, who is acknowledged as the world's best fighter pound-for-pound.
Eric Gomez, Golden Boy Promotions vice-president, described the fan turnout as "amazing" and swore he had never seen anything quite like this event.
"The crowd was fantastic. Everybody was just too eager to see the two fighters," said ALA manager Michael Aldeguer, who was among those who waited at the lobby together with his ward Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista and AJ Banal.
De La Hoya made his own grand entrance at the hotel lobby at around 12:30 p.m. accompanied by GBP chief executive officer Richard Schaefer and trainer Freddie Roach.
The same group of fans who trooped to see Mayweather also lingered around to get a close look at De La Hoya, who has been secretly working out at a Las Vegas gym for days after arriving from his main training camp in Puerto Rico.
The golden boy then took part in a closed-door afternoon workout with Bautista and Banal. The two, along with Aldeguer and wife Christine, as well as an HBO crew were the only ones allowed inside the gym.
De La Hoya and Mayweather take part in today's final press conference before the official weigh-in this Friday.
Ring Magazine, the acknowledged bible of boxing, reported in its June 2007 issue that 12 out of 20 boxing experts it interviewed have favored Mayweather to defeat De la Hoya, with only 8 favoring the latter.
But Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao said in a recent interview with The Freeman's Emmanuel Villaruel that De La Hoya will win by unanimous decision over Mayweather.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on boxing needs.
Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value
If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture. Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).
For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot. The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.
TV Guide advises Oscar watchers should be cautioned not to discount the drama "Babel" with its strong social themes about overcoming communication gaps among people of different cultures.
"While 'Babel' lost several guild awards to 'Sunshine' and 'Departed,' it still enjoys loyal support, and historically Oscar voters favor dramas with social messages over comedies like 'Sunshine' and violent crime movies like 'Departed'."
"It hasn't done well in the guilds, which means there isn't much industry support," said Tom O'Neil of awards site TheEnvelope.com, "But several critics are expecting it to win, and that gets my attention." Babel had 7 to 2 odds at press time.
Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash. Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win.
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