Sports betting experts are going to have some lively discussions about this series after the New Jersey Devils won Game 2 to tie the New York Rangers at one game apiece. New York won Game 1 in all three of its playoff series this spring, only to lose Game 2. The Rangers won Game 3 in their previous two series against Ottawa and Washington, only to lose Game 4 before eventually winning in seven. After seeing the first two games, the sense here is that this is setting up to be a long series.

New York goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is the best goalie in the NHL, and he offers a powerful and convincing reason to go with the Rangers, but the Devils have been the better team for most of the first six periods played in this series. New Jersey is stronger along the boards and is winning battles for loose pucks. The Devils are generating more pressure than the Rangers, creating high-quality chances and usually carrying the run of play. Which team will rise to the occasion in Game 3? History – recent history, as in the past month of competition – suggests that the Rangers will bounce back and take a 2-1 series lead behind Lundqvist.

NHL Betting Pick: New York Rangers

West Finals, Game 4: Phoenix Coyotes @ Los Angeles Kings - Sunday, May 20

When you do your homework and assess this game, you will find that online betting sites are only going to be more inclined to favor the Los Angeles Kings. What might have seemed like a long series at the outset has quickly changed to a one-sided affair. The Western Conference Finals have become the Kings personal playground. Los Angeles registered almost 50 shots on goal in Game 1, and the eighth seed in the West then followed up that primo performance by delivering a 4-0 beatdown to the Phoenix Coyotes in Game 2 of the series on Tuesday night. Los Angeles has exhibited complete control of this series so far, while Phoenix has lost its composure at so many points along the way. Los Angeles is demonstrating superior skill, a much greater work ethic, and evidently abundant mental toughness. Goaltender Jonathan Quick is out-performing Phoenix netminder Mike Smith, giving the Kings an advantage in the one area where the Coyotes felt they had the upper hand before this series began.

When you take a quick look at this game in an attempt to make a play at the best online best sportsbook, you will find it hard to find a strong and convincing reason to take Phoenix. This has been a series shaped and owned by Los Angeles, and any notions of Phoenix making this a six- or seven-game battle have largely fallen by the wayside. Go with the Kings over the Coyotes on Sunday afternoon in the City of Angels.

NHL Betting Pick: Los Angeles

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It worked twice, and the Eastern Conference finals are all even, as a result.

David Clarkson scored a tip-in goal off Adam Henriques shot 2:31 into the third period to break a tie and lift the Devils to a 3-2 victory against the Rangers that squared the series at one game apiece on Wednesday.

“Its a very hard building to play in, and 1-1 sounds much better than down 2-0,” Devils captain Zach Parise said. “Were happy. We would have liked to have snuck out of here with two wins, but it didnt happen.

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Devils use familiar recipe to beat Rangers and even series Torts not talking Gaboriks ice time Staal gets all right bounces for goal Penalty box door gets stuck Devils No Blue campaign for Game 3 Team pages: Rangers | DevilsSeries News and Notes TV Schedule and results More NHL coverage Latest news | Twitter | Facebook

“Well take 1-1.”

For the third consecutive series, the Rangers are wondering what went wrong in Game 2 after they took the opener. They stressed how important it would be to grab a 2-0 lead, which would have been their first two-game edge in this postseason, but didnt provide the necessary effort to get it done.

New York was riding high after its 3-0 series-opening victory on Monday night, but now has relinquished home-ice advantage again.

“You need to improve as a hockey team every game,” said succinct and disappointed coach John Tortorella, who declined to say what areas were deficient.

Game 3 will be Saturday in New Jersey.

Clarkson built off the momentum created by Ryan Carters deflected goal late in the second that tied the game at 2. Ilya Kovalchuk had given the Devils a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal in the first. Defenseman Bryce Salvador added two assists, and Martin Brodeur stopped 23 saves for his 108th playoff win.

Clarkson has three goals in this postseason, and every one has been a winner, including the clincher against Philadelphia in Game 5 of the second round.

“Mr. Clutch? I dont know about that,” Clarkson said. “Im going to skate up and down and finish the checks and just bounce off people. Its just a great feeling to be able to contribute. To get a tip on that felt pretty good.”

New Jersey had 26 attempted shots blocked in Game 1, five more than they got through to goalie Henrik Lundqvist. The Devils cut the blocks two more than New York.

“That team blocks so many shots,” Clarkson said. “Its unbelievable how many. I think we found a way to shoot it and get sticks on it, and definitely that was big for us.”

Marc Staal and Chris Kreider scored power-play goals in the second for the top-seeded Rangers, who received 24 saves by Lundqvist.

New Jersey got even at 2 when Salvador wound up for a sh brilliantly deflected past Lundqvist with 1:51 left in the second. Marian Gaborik stood up straight in front of Salvador, but didnt drop down as many of his teammates have to try to block the shot. For that, he was pinned to the bench by Tortorella, even through New Yorks power play in the third.

Gaborik returned to the ice with 8:40 remaining as the Rangers pressed to tie.

The Devils kept the pressure on the Rangers at the start of the third and wiped out the good work the Rangers displayed in the second.

“It was a much different reaction when we went down by a goal than it was in the first game,” Parise said. “We didnt change the way we played, and I think that was a big difference. We were comfortable with how we were playing.

“All I think they got was really on their power play.”

After spending much of the first trapped in their own end, the Rangers rebounded to erase their early deficit and briefly take the lead thanks to the previously inept power play.

With Alexei Ponikarovsky off for interference, Staal fired a shot that sailed wide of the net and struck the back boards before popping back in front and pinballing into the net off Salvador and Brodeur at 2:23. The goal was originally credited to Derek Stepan, who was in front, but the puck managed to miss him both on the way toward the net and on the bounce back.

“I saw most of the pucks, but the Rangers came out hard,” Brodeur said. “They were around me a lot, and there were some bad bounces. Its such a tough place to play sometimes here. There are bad bounces, and the boards are terrible.”

Staal nearly netted another moments later when he ripped a drive that Brodeur had to lunge fully to his left to snare with his glove.

Kreider, the rookie from Boston College, scored for the second straight game to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead at 12:19. Anton Stralman let go a shot from above the right circle that ticked Kreiders stick and fluttered past Brodeur for the rookies fourth goal. He had to wait to get it because it was first given to Stralman before being changed during a commercial break.

But that was hardly the longest delay of the night. Before Kreiders power-play goal, the action was stopped for about eight minutes as arena workers struggled to get the door to the Devils penalty box opened. Travis Zajac stood patiently as he waited to have a seat in the box. He even managed to laugh as did New Jersey coach Peter DeBoer and the usually stoic and agitated Tortorella.

Zajac, who first was sent to the Rangers box, stayed in New Jerseys sin bin for only 1:47 before Kreider scored the Rangers second power-play goal of the night.

New York registered the first six shots of the period before New Jersey had its first about eight minutes in, but the teams were even at 17 through 40 minutes.

Lundqvist had a bit of glove magic of his own midway through the second when a shot by Anton Volchenkov was deflected by Kovalchuk but tracked and grabbed by Lundqvist.

The Devils got their elusive first goal of the series, and the all-important lead in the game, when Kovalchuk connected on the power play late in the first period.

After Brian Boyle was sent off for slashing Parise, the Devils continued their puck-possession prowess in the Rangers end. New Jersey moved the puck all around the zone in search of a clean shot that could get past the diving New York defense and perhaps challenge Lundqvist, who made 21 saves in the series-opening win.

Marek Zidlicky curled with the puck to the center of the blue line and slid a pass down to the left circle to Kovalchuk, who calmly and patiently drifted in and snapped a shot up and under the crossbar in the upper corner of the net for his sixth goal of the playoffs and fourth on the power play.

“We had to keep going to the net, and I think we were doing some good things,” Clarkson said. “Weve been playing some good hockey and weve got to continue to do it. That is a big win for us.”

The Devils didnt record a shot on goal until 6:01 in when Patrik Elias put a wrist shot in on Lundqvist, but New Jersey fi despite having six more blocked by the Rangers.

Whether Brodeur was kidding or not about wanting Rangers to be injured by blocking shots, the home team wasnt deterred from getting in front of drives. New York forward Brandon Prust was doing a bit of a dance in front of the dangerous Kovalchuk, trying to deny any potential drive, even though he was defending without a stick.

“We have to try to get in lanes,” Rangers captain Ryan Callahan said. “Try to limit their time with the puck. If we do that, they are not going to have time to shoot.”

When Kovalchuk finally as he skated in front of the glass behind the net.

“We have built some momentum,” Brodeur said. “And now, we have to try to take that into our building, and make our building a tough place to play.”

Notes

The Rangers were 10 for 61 (16.4 percent) on the power play in the postseason before Wednesday. This marked the second time they netted a man-advantage goal in consecutive games, but the fourth time they scored two in a game. The Devils returned defenseman Peter Harrold to the lineup and sat rookie Adam Larsson. Harrold replaced Larsson in the lineup late in the season and started the first nine postseason games. Larsson played in the previous five games.

Western Conference Finals: Los Angeles Kings vs. Phoenix Coyotes – Series Overview
Sports betting line: N/A

Why Los Angeles Will Win

When you place a bet on an NHL playoff series after looking at any of several betting sites, you have to look at which team is playing the better brand of ball at the moment, and its clearly the Kings. Los Angeles swarmed Phoenix in Game 1 of this still-young series on Sunday, winning its sixth road game of the playoffs in as many outings. The Kings got almost 50 pucks on goal, a season high for them. Coach Darryl Sutter is squeezing the most out of his team, which is clicking on all four lines and is getting top-shelf play from goaltender Jonathan Quick. The Kings also ought to feel good about themselves because they made two stupid plays in Game 1 on Sunday. Quick allowed a very bad goal on a mid-ice shot, and Quick also gave up the puck behind his own net to a player who was being closely followed. The exchange led to a turnover and a quick Phoenix goal. Los Angeles ability to overcome these mistakes should only fuel the Kings confidence to a much greater degree.

This team has lost only one playoff game so far. It has steamrolled through the first two rounds, it is winning games on the road with regularity, and it has the look of a team that believes in itself far more than any other team left in the National Hockey League playoffs. The Kings are not the same team they were in the regular season. They have undergone the kind of transformation that typically happens with a Stanley Cup favorite. They dismissed the top two seeds in their conference, beating teams that accumulated 220 points in the NHL regular season (Vancouver and St. Louis). It would be very hard to pick against the Kings at this point, especially since they already have a 1-0 lead in the series and have taken home ice away from the spirited but inferior Coyotes.

Why Phoenix Will Win

The people who are studying the best sportsbook odds in this series will calmly point out that as you assess your bet, the Phoenix Coyotes have made a living out of defying the odds this postseason. They won a series against the Chicago Blackhawks that featured five overtime games. Thats just not a very regular everyday occurrence. They were a clear underdog against the Nashville Predators but decisively won that series in five games. Phoenix loves being counted out. The Coyotes will just keep coming; they like surprising the experts.
Read more on the latest best sportsbook odds in the NHL playoffs.

Who Will Win?

While Phoenix will put up a very good fight, this is Los Angeles series to lose. The Kings are in a zone right now. Everything they touch turns to hockey gold. They will win this series, though Phoenix will push them.

NHL Betting Pick: Los Angeles in 6 games

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If any proof was needed, Henrik Lundqvist provided it with a shutout victory over the well-rested New Jersey Devils in the opener of the Eastern Conference finals on Monday night.

Lundqvist made 21 saves in his fifth career playoff shutout. Rookie Chris Kreider, defenseman Dan Girardi, and Artem Anisimov all had a goal and an assist in the third period as the Rangers turned a scoreless game into a 3-0 win. It came two days after New York outlasted the pesky Washington Capitals in Game 7 of the second-round series.

“I dont know where you guys get all this stuff about being tired,” Rangers coach John Tortorella said. “If were tired this time of the year, theres something the matter. We still have a month to play. You might as well not even ask me questions about being tired.”

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The Rangers said during their one day off before facing the Devils that they liked the rhythm of playing every other day, and didnt think the quick turnaround would affect them. The Devils, however, had been off for five days since they knocked out the Philadelphia Flyers in five games.

“Its always tough to come from a Game 7. So emotional, and everything around it, and then start over,” Lundqvist said. “[Sunday] was all about regrouping, and move your focus to a new team and just a different type of game.

“I didnt really know what to expect from this game, honestly.”

No team forced to play seven-game series in each of the first two rounds has gone on to win the Stanley Cup, but the Rangers are determined to be the first. The Rangers slogged through two scoreless periods and pulled out a win with a dominating third period.

The Rangers are in the conference finals for the first time since 1997, and they havent reached the Stanley Cup Finals since 1994, when they beat 22-year-old goalie Martin Brodeur and the Devils in a classic seven-game series that backed up captain Mark Messiers guarantee.

Brodeur and the Devils are making their first conference finals appearance since 2003, the year they won the Cup for the third time.

Game 2 is Wednesday night in New York.

Girardi, who struggled at times with his defensive duties, got a perfect setup from Kreider and scored 53 seconds into the third period. Playing in just his 13th NHL game, all in these playoffs, Kreider sent a pass back from the right circle in the Devils zone to the point. Girardi took long strides as he charged up ice and stepped into a shot that ripped through a screen in front by teammate Derek Stepan.

“I saw [Kreider] coming up the wall, and I was delaying to see what he was going to do,” Girardi said. “I saw no one go to the point, and I kind of stepped into it and got it through.”

The shot beat Brodeur for Girardis second playoff goal this season and second in 47 career postseason games. It was a drive Brodeur said he never saw.

“We didnt finish Kreider down the board,” Brodeur said. “We didnt close him out and get him off of the puck. Nobody went to him, probably a miscommunication, and he was able to lay a puck to Girardi and for a bomb.”

The other assist went to 21-year-old defenseman Michael Del Zotto, who along with Kreider was only 3 when these teams last met in the conference finals in `94.

Girardi also earned a secondary assist on Kreiders power-play goal with eight minutes remaining that made it 2-0. New Yorks slumping power play connected after Girardi was drilled hard from behind into the boards by Devils forward Steve Bernier.

Anisimov, who also assisted on Kreiders goal, scored into an empty net to make it 3-0 with 1:27 left.

Brodeur heard sing-song chants of “Mar-ty, Mar-ty” before the game started. Those got much louder after Girardis goal, and even more taunting after Kreider scored as the blue-shirt wearing, towel-waving fans excitement grew. Brodeur finished with 25 saves.

Lundqvist showed no signs of fatigue and was solid throughou helped by 26 blocked shots by his teammates.

“Hank is huge for us back there,” Girardi said. “We were struggling a little bit in our defensive zone and he was there to bail us out. Thats what happened. He made some big saves, and in the third period we came out hard and got a couple of goals for him.”

To no ones surprise, the teams were still tied heading into the final frame, but not because of a lack of chances.

Lundqvist was sharp in turning aside pucks that sneaked through the wall of teammates that blocked so many shots. He was at his best while the Rangers were on a power play late in the second period.

Zach Parise had the puck to the left of the net and snapped off a forehand that Lundqvist blocked. Parise got another whack at the rebound, and was again denied. Given one more chance with a backhander, Parise failed to break the deadlock with a short-handed goal.

“I tried to go 5-hole on the first one and it just kept popping back to me,” Parise said. “I tried to go up, and he made the save. It came back, and I tried to go high, and he made another save. It was unfortunate. It was a few of those opportunities we had. We just didnt capitalize.”

It wasnt the first bit of frustration in the series opener for the Devils captain. Parise was caught from behind by hard-charging defenseman Ryan McDonagh to thwart a first-period breakaway before Parise could get a shot on Lundqvist

McDonagh made the most of his 22-year-old legs, and showed no signs of fatigue from 14 previous playoff games this season, when he also chased down Ilya Kovalchuk in the first period. Lundqvist made a stop at the end of the charge.

The Devils also peppered Lundqvist in the opening minutes of the second period. Lundqvist fought to see between a maze of players and even gave a shove to the back of teammate Anton Stralman, trying to move the defenseman out of his line of sight.

Brodeur also was sharp at the other end, even shaking off a collision with teammate Marek Zidlicky, who got tangled with Rangers forward Brandon Prust. Brodeurs mask was knocked off after the whistle.

Notes

The Rangers held an 18-17 edge in shots through 40 minutes, but New York also blocked 18 other Devils attempts. Brodeur, who has 24 postseason shutouts, made his 183rd consecutive playoff start for the Devils. He is the only player from the 1994 series still in the NHL. Kreider, who made his debut on April 16 at Ottawa after winning the NCAA championship with Boston College, has three goals in the playoffs.

Eastern Conference Finals: New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers – Series Overview
Sports betting line: N/A

Why New Jersey Will Win

When you place a bet on an NHL playoff series after looking at any of several sports betting sites, there will come a time when you have to acknowledge the power of transformation, of a team that changes its identity and becomes quite different from what it was during the regular season. The New Jersey Devils once were an elite organization. From 1995 through 2003, the Devils won three Stanley Cup championships while making a fourth appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals and losing in seven games to the Colorado Avalanche in 2001. Goalie Martin Brodeur was at the top of his game, leading a previously hapless franchise to the mountaintop. However, since the 2003 championship, the Devils had not gone past the second round of the playoffs. Brodeur lost his magic as he approached his 40th birthday, and it seemed the Devils had just about run out of steam. New Jersey struggled in the first round but won overtime thrillers in Game 6 and Game 7 to escape from that series. Nevertheless, the Devils figured to get crushed by the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round.

Instead, they did the crushing. New Jersey won in five games and now looks like a completely different team. These transformations happen all the time in the NHL. Momentum is on the Devils side. 

Why New York Will Win

The people who are studying the best sportsbook odds in this series will calmly point out that as you assess your latest attempt to bet on sports, the Rangers have the knowledge that theyve already survived a seven-game grind in each of the first two rounds of the playoffs against the Ottawa Senators and the Washington Capitals. New York was really shaky in Games 3 through 5 (and the first 25 minutes of Game 6) of the first-round series against Ottawa, and it was 6.6 seconds away from losing Game 5 in a 2-2 series against Washington, but when Brad Richards banged in that last-second goal to send Game 5 into overtime, the Rangers made just as great an escape as they did in the first round, when they also won in seven games against a determined opponent.  Goalie Henrik Lundqvist, it is reasonable to say, has stolen each of the first two series for the Rangers, but now that this team has once again danced out of trouble, it has to feel very good about itself. New York hasnt played brilliant hockey in the first two rounds, but it is still standing. This means that the Rangers should be full of confidence precisely when they need it the most. Thats a big shot in the arm for any team in any playoff series. Getting home ice for another possible Game 7 doesnt hurt, either.

Who Will Win?

While New Jersey has momentum, the Rangers have an unshakeable belief in themselves. They also have the better netminder in the person of Lundqvist. That will matter in what should be an excellent series

NHL Betting Pick: New York Rangers in 7 games

Los Angeles is the online sports book favorite for this series, even though it is the lower seed and will open the series on the road. After knocking off the defending Western conference champion Canucks in just five games in the opening round, the Kings went on to sweep the St. Louis Blues in four-straight as the lower seed as well. While Los Angeles has fit the mold of a grinding, hard-working team that seems built for the playoffs, the play of Jonathan Quick and goal has been what has made them so dominant in these playoffs. The 26-year old Quick is 8-1 with a 1.55 goals against average, and a .949 save percentage. The most impressive aspect of how he has played is the overall consistency that Quick has shown, as he has allowed more than two goals in just one of nine playoff appearances, which was the Kings’ only loss. Captain Dustin Brown has been a strong leader with a team-high six goals and 11 points, while additions Mike Richards and Jeff Carter have combined for four goals and eight assists.

For as good as the Kings have been, Phoenix will not be intimidated. This is a Coyotes’ team that has repeatedly been criticized and questioned, only to respond in the face of adversity. The resilience that Phoenix has shown in knocking off the Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators is important, and an argument can be made that they have had the harder road of the two teams considering how poorly the Blues played in the second round versus Los Angeles. Antoine Vermette was a late trade addition that has flourished with his new team, leading the Coyotes with five goals and nine points, while the blue line has stepped up in a major way with Keith Yandle and Rotislav Klesla adding seven points each. Despite facing tougher opposition and losing two more games, netminder Mike Smith has numbers that still rival Quick’s with a 1.85 goals against average and .946 save percentage.

Once the puck drops for game one everything else that has happened this season will become irrelevant, and it’s important to understand that both of these teams have very similar styles. The Kings may have a slight edge in goaltending overall, but ultimately Mike Smith has been just as good as Quick this postseason. However, Los Angeles may have more offensive weapons and overall scoring depth, and that may prove to be the difference in what should be a long and hard-fought sports bet series.

Prediction: Kings In Seven

What: NHL Betting
When: Saturday, May 12th, 7:30 PM ET
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Pick: New York Rangers

Why Bet On Washington Capitals

Regardless of what happens in Game 7, goalie Braden Holtby has earned a look from an NHL team, whether it is in Washington or elsewhere. His 400 saves are now first in the playoffs after stopping 30 more shots in a 2-1 Game 6 win at home, and the Rangers’ lone goal was a fluke as it went off someone’s back in front of the 22-year-old, who was unflappable and made a number of glove saves. Alex Ovchekin and Jason Chimera notched goals for the Capitals, while Nicklas Backstrom added a pair of assists, but Holtby was the story and has been throughout Washington’s playoff run because they probably shouldn’t have gotten past Boston in the playoffs. The Rangers outshot the Capitals in all three periods, and 31-23 overall, but Holtby stood tall and showed a swagger that can only come from a 22-year-old that doesn’t know any better, and he is the reason that Washington is going to the Big Apple for a Game 7.

There are no new injuries to report for the Capitals, who should be applauded for the way they’ve played in the postseason as they’ve bought into Dale Hunter’s defensive system and they’ve proven that they can play at that end of the ice; of course, it’s nice to have the hot goalie in a series as the Capitals have run into their share of netminders that simply won’t break over the past few seasons. Holtby has to outplay his New York counterpart to get the Capitals to the next round; he is the key to their NHL betting odds on Saturday.

Why Bet On New York Rangers

Marian Gaborik got credit for the Rangers’ goal with 51 seconds left in the third period, but he got lucky as it hit something or someone (it seems to have hit a Washington defender) and New York didn’t have any room to be picky about how they scored, that’s how hot Holtby was. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 21 of the 23 shots he faced, and he didn’t have a chance on either of them as Ovchekin’s goal was a laser from the slot on the power play after some nice passing and a pitiful clearing attempt by defenseman Ryan McDonagh, who has been a pillar of consistency in this postseason run. The other, Chimera had a wide-open net not because of Lundqvist, but because of another defensive breakdown. In a game of hot goalies, mistakes like these make all the difference in the world and the Rangers slipped up on these occasions and they have to play the perfect game on Saturday to reach the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 1997.

The only injury that New York has is Brandon Dubinsky (foot), and he has been out for the entire series, so the Rangers should be fine and all hands will be on deck for what should be a crazy Game 7. The Rangers’ biggest mistake probably came in the second period when Washington’s Jeff Halpern received a four-minute penalty for high-sticking and the Rangers did absolutely nothing with it. Overall, the Rangers were 0-of-5 on the power play and that isn’t going to do you any favors when you’re trying to close out a team on the road. If the Rangers get another opportunity like that, they’ll have to take it or else they’ll be setting up tee times on Sunday morning.

How It Will Play Out

New York are the NHL betting favorites at home in this Game 7 affair at -141, while the Capitals come in at +128 with an over/under of 4.5, which seems absurdly low, but not when you look at these two netminders. Five goals have been scored three times in the series, and one of those occasions came in overtime, but you should expect Holtby and Lundqvist to shine under the bright lights of a Game 7.

This will come down to the defensive play of both teams because the goalies are going to play well, and in situations like this, that is usually what decides a game and it wouldn’t surprise anyone if the two went to overtime for the third time in the series. Give the slightest of edges to Lundqvist, a Vezina and Hart Trophy nominee, and wager on the Rangers in Saturday’s online betting picks.

Capitals Rangers Betting Pick: New York Rangers

I’m trying to understand my psychology. I used to have a dog and all he caused was grief. I had to buy him food. I had to take him out to poo. Many times he would poo in the house. It seems like the dog created more stress in my life. A few times he even jumped into my bed and I had to wash the sheets. During the 3 years I had this dog, I had to wash my hands several times a day because the dog would like me. One time, I had to spend $200 on the vet to remove a cyst from his body. I don’t know were people come to the conclusion that pets make them happy.

So my question remains the same…

Why is it that the more I learn about pets (dogs, cats, etc), the more I love humans.

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For me its the opposite

Cause you dont like the work & you dont appreciate animals. Some people, are so lonely/depressed they’d spend alot on animals.

first i want to ask this why did you ever owned a dog? if you want him to be the best dog like never fell ill,obey for your every command etc you should never get one and also every dog should be well trained

some people just aren’t animal lovers. for me, i am, i’ve grown up with dogs and do everything i can to make sure they are well taken care of and provided for. my sister, however, isn’t. she doesn’t take care of our dogs unless she absolutely has to, like when I or my mom is away from home and she’s the only one there.

you’re just not an animal person and prefer human company over furry company. nothing wrong with that unless you become an animal abuser -.- then i’ll come for you >:l hee hee (not really but you get my point)

New York Rangers @ Washington Capitals
Wednesday May 9, 2012 – TBD
Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.
NHL best sportsbook Odds: New York Rangers

The Capitals have not lost consecutive games in regulation since March, have a 6-4 record in one-goal games, and after knocking off the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins in the Eastern conference quarterfinals, they will return home for a game six against the New York Rangers. Washington split the first two home games in this series, but now must rally together once again in a must-win situation.

NHL Betting Preview: New York Rangers

The Rangers failed to capitalize on opportunities to take a commanding two-game lead in the series, but still have a chance to prove they deserve to be the favorites in this game. Henrik Lundqvist should be an easy selection for the Vezina trophy, but while he has performed at an elite level it doesn’t seem like the players in front of him have played to their potential. New York is going to need to play a full 60 minutes in order to get a win in this building in such an intense situation, when their elite stars such as Marian Gaborik and Brad Richards get another chance to prove their worth.

NHL Betting Preview: Washington Capitals

While Lundqvist would have given the Rangers the edge in any goaltending matchup they faced, it’s hard to imagine anybody expected Braden Holtby would be as good as he has been in these playoffs. Holtby has given Washington a chance to win every game, and his team has responded in front of him. The Capitals’ have been solid in five-on-five situations, and if Ovechking and Nicklas Backstrom can continue to produce up, they should be able to get a big win.

NHL Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick

In addition to the hometown fans, the Capitals will also get the advantage of the final change to get the on-ice matchups they want, which plays a bigger role the longer the series goes on. Washington lost game six of their opening round series against the Bruins when they had the chance to eliminate them, but the experience of what they dealt with against the defending Stanley Cup champions will benefit them in this betting sites contest, as they look to give their loyal fans another chance to celebrate.

NHL Betting Pick: Washington Capitals

var ua = jQuery.browser; if (!( ua.msie && (ua.version.slice(0,1) == “7″ || ua.version.slice(0,1) == “8″))) { window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({}); FB.Event.subscribe(edge.create, function(response) { DW.levt(ria, log, {siteid: 175, mapp: social_share_bar, comptyp: app, comp: main, riaevent: click, objtyp: button, objnm: facebook_share}); }); }; (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = “//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1″; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, script, facebook-jssdk)); } else{ document.getElementBy The New Jersey Devils are looking as good with a 40-year-old Martin Brodeur in goal as they did when he was a kid.

Dainius Zubrus scored two goals and the Devils helped Brodeur celebrate a major birthday, overcoming a two-goal deficit and pushing the Philadelphia Flyers to the brink of elimination with a 4-2 victory Sunday night in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinal.

“You kind of shake your head a little bit that youre at a level that youre having fun and be able to compete in the league that you always wanted to play and still be able to keep going,” Brodeur said after the Devils moved within a win of their first conference final since 2003.

“I know I dont take anything for granted,” the three-time Stanley Cup winner said. “I really appreciate every moment. Especially this year has been awesome for me. Getting older, seeing other kids grow up and do their thing and become superstars.”

The Devils have made the Flyers look ordinary, and Philadelphia has more to worry about than just its 3-1 series deficit.

Leading scorer Claude Giroux put a questionable hit on Zubrus minutes after the New Jersey forward scored the go-ahead goal late in the second period. Girouxs status for Game 5 on Tuesday night in Philadelphia might be in question.

“For me, it looks like the textbook hit that theyre trying to take out of the game,” Devils coach Peter DeBoer said.

Zubrus, who lay on the ice for a couple of seconds while Giroux went to the penalty box for 2 minutes, said its up to the NHL to look at the play.

Giroux seemingly wasnt worried.

More on Flyers-Devils Gretz: Devils dominate possessions Will Giroux get suspended for hit? Team pages: Flyers | DevilsSeries News and Notes TV Schedule and results More NHL coverage Latest news | Twitter| Facebook

“It was quick play. And hockey is a quick game. I think I should be fine,” Giroux said.

Whether the Flyers will be remains to be seen. New Jersey is simply outplaying them, something few expected after Philadelphia knocked out Pittsburgh in the first round.

Devils captain Zach Parise says this team wont be too cocky.

“There is still a long way to go,” he said. “Its a very good team over there and weve got to get that fourth one.”

The Devils showed a lot of poise rallying from an early 2-0 deficit.

“It was a great effort from the guys,” Brodeur said. “We started not the but we beared down afterward and we dominated the game.”

Petr Sykora and Marek Zidlicky also scored for the Devils, who have never lost a playoff series after taking a 3-1 lead.

In winning their third straight, the Devils outshot Philadelphia 43-22, and Brodeur even picked up an assist on Zubrus final goal on a night as he became the first goaltender to appear in an NHL playoff game as a teenager and a 40-year-old.

Scott Hartnell and Giroux scored first-period goals for the Flyers, who once again were a step slow.

“Our skating is not there, and thats the biggest key for us,” Philadelphia defenseman Kimmo Timonen said. “Its been three games now that were not skating. And to me, everything starts with skating. When were not skating, everything goes out the window for us.”

The Flyers seemed to come apart at the end of the game. Timonen took a foolish penalty in the closing minutes and Philadelphia never got off a good shot after pulling goalie Ilya Bryzgalov in the final minute.

In fact, Zubrus was about to score into an empty net when he was hooked. Still, the puck went off his stick and into the net.

Thats how dominant the Devils were.

“We didnt expect to be here,” Flyers center Danny Briere said. “I dont know what else to tell you. We are just not making plays.”

New Jersey outshot Philadelphia 32-12 in the first two periods, but the shots advantage only translated into a 3-2 lead, with the Devils scoring three in a row to wipe out a 2-0 deficit.

Zubrus gave New Jersey its first lead with 2:13 left in the second period. The Flyers actually broke up a 3-on-1 break into their zone, but they lost sight of Zubrus, and Adam Henrique found him all alone in front for a shot that went in off Bryzgalov.

Moments before the goal, Brodeur stopped a shot from the point by Timonen, and Hartnell couldnt get off a good shot on the rebound with Brodeur down and the net open.

Sykora, who might have gotten a piece of Hartnells rebound attempt, quickly led the 3-on-1 counterattack and the Devils pulled ahead.

The Devils forced Flyers coach Peter Laviolette to use his timeout less than 5 minutes after the opening faceoff, and for a couple of minutes it appeared to be a magical move.

Getting a lift from its special teams, Philadelphia jumped to a 2-0 lead.

Hartnell gave the Flyers the lead, deflecting Girouxs shot past Brodeur seconds after Travis Zajac was tripped and took a retaliatory interference penalty.

Giroux, who had been invisible in the Devils wins in Games 2 and 3, doubled the margin at 13:40 by beating the birthday boy on a 2-on-1 short-handed tally after taking a great break-in-pass from Maxime Talbot.

The goal came 13 seconds after Philadelphia defenseman Andreas Lilja was called for tripping, but the Devils didnt let the man advantage go to waste.

Sykora cut the Devils deficit in half late in the power play, redirecting a nice cross-ice pass by Zidlicky past Bryzgalov, who was a little slow covering the corner of the net after the defenseman made the pass from the right point to the left edge of the crease.

Zidlicky tied it with 1:51 left in the period after the Flyers seemed to lose sight of the defenseman after he pinched down from the right point. The puck ended up on the left point and fellow defenseman Bryce Salvador found Zidlicky between the circles for a redirection.

Notes

The Flyers have overcame a 3-1 series deficit once, in 2010 when then came back from 3-0 down to beat Boston in conference semifinals. Devils fourth-line C Ryan Carter was scratched because of an illness. Tim Sestito played in his first NHL postseason game replacing him. Sean Couturier, who missed the final two periods of Game 3 with a lower-body injury, was back in the Flyers lineup. Ilya Kovalchuk provided some entertainment in the third period attempting to keep a puck in the Flyers zone with a header at the blue line. He failed. The Devils have sold out all five of their home games in the playoffs.