NHL Hockey Betting

Alex Ovechkin doesnt like Sidney Crosby. Neither does Alexander Semin, who calls Crosby an overrated product of the NHLs hype machine. Ovechkin disliked Evgeni Malkin, too, but now appears to like him again.
Oh, but theres much for the hockey world to like in this Penguins -Capitals matchup, beginning Saturday when the Eastern Conference semifinal series [...]

EASTERN CONFERENCE.
No. 1 BOSTON BRUINS (53-19-10) vs. No. 6 CAROLINA HURRICANES (45-30-7).
How they got here: Boston beat No. 8 Montreal 4-0. Carolina beat No. 3 New Jersey 4-3.
2008-09 series record: Boston 4-0.
Playoff History: Boston 3-0. Last meeting: Boston 4-2 in 1999 conference quarterfinals.
BOSTON: The Bruins won a playoff series for the first time since knocking [...]

The Chicago Blackhawks last game against the Vancouver Canucks featured a third-period line brawl that had everything from WWF-style body slams to hair pulling.
So its safe to say they wont have to wait for the hatred to build when their second-round playoff series starts Thursday night in Vancouver.
Obviously we have dislike for them, said Canucks [...]

Washington Capitals captain Chris Clark played for the first time since January, taking the place of suspended enforcer Donald Brashear for Tuesday nights Game 7 against the New York Rangers.
Brashear was suspended six games by the NHL for two separate incidents in Game 6.
Clark had not played since Jan. 27 because of a wrist injury.
For [...]

Pavel Datsyuk is going for a rare repeat.
The Detroit Red Wings star joined fellow centers Mike Richards of Philadelphia and Vancouvers Ryan Kesler on Tuesday as finalists for the Selke Trophy, given to the NHLs top defensive forward.
Datsyuk was last years winner, when he also captured the Lady Byng Trophy (gentlemanly play and skill) for [...]

NEWARK, N J The Carolina Hurricanes stole their thrilling first-round series from the New Jersey Devils in the final 80 seconds.
Jussi Jokinen and Eric Staal scored in a 48-second span late in the third period and the Hurricanes stunned the Devils 4-3 in Game 7 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series Tuesday night.
It [...]

Top Canucks defensemen Sami Salo and Willie Mitchell are both expected to play when Vancouver starts the second round of the NHL playoffs.
Salo was back at practice on Monday after missing Game 4 in St. Louis, and pronounced himself fit. Mitchell, who was limping after Game 4, skipped practice Monday after leaving early Saturday, but [...]

ANAHEIM, CALIF Teemu Selanne and Francois Beauchemin scored their first playoff goals 43 seconds apart in the second period, and the eighth-seeded Anaheim Ducks ousted the Presidents Trophy-winning San Jose Sharks from the first round with a 4-1 victory on Monday night.
Jonas Hiller made 36 saves to finish his phenomenal playoff series debut for the [...]

Niklas Backstrom of the Minnesota Wild, Steve Mason of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins are the finalists for the Vezina Trophy as the NHLs top goaltender.
The league announced the finalists Monday. The winner, voted by general managers around the league, will be revealed June 18 at the NHL awards [...]

The Calgary Flames will have a raucous home crowd backing them as they fight for their playoff lives Monday night. Having Jarome Iginla reappear would be a help, too.
The Flames captain called his own performance terrible in Game 5, which Calgary lost 5-1 in Chicago on Saturday night.
The team should be prepared to respond to [...]