Nugent-Hopkins returns, carries Oilers to SO win over Red Wings

Hockey Betting Lines

02/05/2012 - Edmonton, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins netted the game-winning goal in the sixth round of the shootout, sending the Edmonton Oilers to a 5-4 win over the Detroit Red Wings at Rexall Place.

Nugent-Hopkins, who returned to the lineup for the first time since suffering a left shoulder injury on January 2, picked up the puck at center ice and went in deliberately on Wings goalie Joey MacDonald. Nugent-Hopkins faked forehand- backhand and fired a quick wrist shot to the blocker side of MacDonald.

Devan Dubnyk stopped Danny Cleary on Detroit's final attempt to seal the win for the Oilers, who broke a seven-game slide against the Red Wings.

"I think we started out really strong and came out flying," Nugent-Hopkins said. "In the third period, we knew they were going to come out strong, we just had to weather that storm. They got a few good goals but in the end I thought it was a really good character win for us."

Coming off a ridiculous eight-point game in an 8-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday, Sam Gagner continued his offensive assault on the NHL with two goals and an assist in regulation. Jordan Eberle also added a pair of goals for the Oilers, who got 35 saves from Dubnyk en route to their third straight win.

Todd Bertuzzi scored twice, while Drew Miller and Valtteri Filppula also scored for the Red Wings, who had their brief two-game winning streak snapped.

Ty Conklin gave up three goals on nine shots before getting yanked in favor of MacDonald, who stopped 22-of-23 shots.

Edmonton opened the scoring with a power-play tally just 2:42 into the game when Ryan Whitney ripped a slap shot from the point that was stopped by Conklin, but Gagner was parked in front and slammed home the rebound.

Edmonton extended its lead to 2-0 at 5:41 of the opening period after Gagner threw one on net from just inside the left circle and Eberle was the first to spot the puck in the crease amid a scramble and tap it in.

Detroit cut the deficit to 2-1 while shorthanded off a turnover in the defensive zone by the Oilers. Filppula jumped on a loose puck in the slot and wristed one on net, which he didn't get all of, but the lack of velocity on the shot caught Dubnyk by surprise and it trickled over the line for the goal.

The Oilers though, atoned for their blunder when Gagner struck again in the dying seconds of the first period. Ryan Smyth threw one on goal from the right circle and Gagner was in perfect position in front of Conklin to deflect it into the net.

After a scoreless second period, Detroit came out on fire in the third and scored three consecutive goals to take a 4-3 lead.

Bertuzzi tucked one home from in front with a wrist shot 2:18 into the period, then Miller slid one past Dubnyk off a nice centering feed from Darren Helm at 5:49, and Bertuzzi capped the scoring burst with his second of the night 16:19 after he dangled past his checker in the left circle and wired a wrist shot high over Dubnyk's left shoulder.

"If anything, we should feel good we got the one point," Bertuzzi said. "We didn't play very well in the first period. In the second we got a little better and obviously turned it on in the third period, but we still wanted the two points. We gave ourselves a good chance to do it, just came up a little short."

Edmonton fought to the end though, and got rewarded with the tying goal with just 39 seconds to play. Following good forechecking work behind the net, the puck came out front to Eberle, and he made no mistake, tapping it into the open cage.

Game Notes

The Red Wings fell to 6-1 in shootouts this season, while Edmonton improved to 3-4...It was Bertuzzi's second two-goal game of his career...Edmonton finished 2-for-3 with the man advantage, while the Red Wings went 0-for-4 on the power play...Detroit will visit the Phoenix Coyotes on Monday, while the Oilers will be on the road against the Toronto Maple Leafs, also on Monday.

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2007 NFL Football Betting Preview


“You play to win the game!”

Those are the words of notoriously intense head coach Herman Edwards. Unfortunately, from a bettors’ perspective, most coaches don’t feel that way about the NFL preseason. August is a time to evaluate young players, finalize the depth chart and pray your star players stay healthy.

The trick to making money during the exhibition schedule is identifying coaches – like Edwards – who can’t stand losing even when there's nothing on the line.

The New York Jets betting won 15 of 21 preseason games and went 14-7 against the spread (ATS) during Edwards’s five-year tenure with the club. In his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs field boss, the team improved from 0-4 to 2-2.

Identifying win-a-holics like Edwards is a good start if you plan betting the preseason – even though most say you shouldn’t ... but what the hell do they know anyway?

Here’s a brief rundown of two teams that have a habit of winning during the second-stringers’ season, and another club that has a good chance of exceeding this year.

New York Giants betting lines

Playing in the media hub of North America can be stressful but the press can’t write anything negative about the way Tom Coughlin’s boys play in the preseason. The Giants won and covered all four games last summer, improving their record to 7-1 both straight up (SU) and against the spread over the last two years.

Coughlin has shown he’s not afraid to give his starters more time in the second preseason game than most of his colleagues, no doubt one of the reasons his team has been so dominant.

Dallas Cowboys betting lines

Bettors can count on America’s team early on. The Cowboys are 14-6 both SU and ATS since 2002 in warm-up contests. Former coach Bill Parcells, the coach of the team the last four years, has an intimidating, in-your-face presence – surely a reason Dallas has had so much early success.

The Big Tuna won’t be strolling the sidelines with looks of disgust, but new coach Wade Phillips will be anxious to make a good first impression for owner Jerry Jones.

Dallas plays the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos before things get serious. They then face the Houston Texans in their third contest (the game starters see most game time) and finish off with the Minnesota Vikings.

Expect a Dallas team able to walk away with another 3-1 preseason record.

Oakland Raiders betting lines

This team scored a league-worst 12 offensive touchdowns last season, so the rookies and veterans each have something to prove. There’s a bounty of first-unit jobs up for grabs and plenty of bodies competing for those slots.

First-time head coach Lane Kiffin will be eager to impress an owner who employs the philosophy, “Just win, baby!”

The 32-year-old Kiffin has to command respect from a locker room full of players older than him. All of these factors should lead to purpose in preseason. 

Don’t forget: before playing like a team that belonged in NFL Europe, Oakland went 4-1 (both SU and ATS) in exhibition games.

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