Byfuglien's hat trick helps Chicago down Vancouver in Game 3

Hockey Betting Lines

05/06/2010 - Vancouver, BC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dustin Byfuglien scored his first three goals of these playoffs for his second career hat trick and Antti Niemi made 31 saves, as Chicago took control in its Western Conference semifinal series with a 5-2 win over Vancouver in a chippy Game 3 from GM Place.

Byfuglien matched his career playoff scoring output with the three-goal game, was responsible for both of Chicago's power-play goals and became the first Blackhawk to record a playoff hat trick on the road since Bobby Hull netted three against Pittsburgh in the 1972 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Marian Hossa netted a big third-period goal for some breathing room as Chicago gained a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven set.

Kris Versteeg, who scored the game-winner Monday in Chicago, opened the scoring this time with a first-period tally, and Jonathan Toews recorded three assists for the Blackhawks, who ripped off three straight goals in the final 20 minutes of Game 2 to skate away with a 4-2 victory and even the series.

Alex Burrows and Jannik Hansen had the goals for the Canucks, who will host Game 4 on Friday. Alex Edler and Sami Salo each picked up two assists in the setback.

Roberto Luongo was charged with all five goals on 35 shots and looked shaky in doing so with each of Chicago's scores coming via the rebound.

Wwcdnow Hockey Betting News

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Chicago 2 1 2-5Vancouver 0 2 0-2First Period-1, Chicago, Versteeg 2 (Hossa, Ladd), 5:19. 2, Chicago, Byfuglien 1 (Keith, Toews), 16:47 (pp).Second Period-3, Vancouver, Hansen 1 (Edler, Salo), 9:07. 4, Chicago, Byfuglien 2 (Toews, Kane), 11:2

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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.

Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.


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.