Avery scores twice as Rangers use power play to down Flyers

Hockey Betting Lines

03/15/2009 - New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sean Avery scored a pair of power-play goals to lift the New York Rangers to a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden.

Nik Antropov also scored on the power play and Fredrik Sjostrom tacked on a third-period goal for the Rangers, who gained a split of the home-and-home set after dropping a 4-2 decision on Saturday in Philadelphia. New York, which started the day tied with Florida for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, has won five of its last seven.

Henrik Lundqvist made 24 saves in the victory, the third straight on home ice for the Rangers.

Simon Gagne scored the lone goal for Philadelphia, which had won three of its previous four entering the contest. Antero Niittymaki, making the start in place of Martin Biron, turned aside 35 shots in defeat. Biron stopped 39 shots on Saturday and had started the Flyers' last four games.

The power play was the difference in this one. The Rangers had been 1-for-15 with the extra skater in three previous games against the Flyers this season, but converted 3-of-9 chances on Sunday. Philadelphia was just 1-for-6.

New York had three power-play chances in the first period and failed to convert on the first two before finally cashing in on the third with two minutes remaining the stanza.

Derek Morris controlled the puck at the right point, skated in a few strides and fired a hard pass toward the front of the net for Avery, who deflected a shot over Niittymaki's shoulder for his sixth goal of the season and third since being reacquired by the Rangers.

The Flyers were unable to score on their only power play of the first period. They also blew a 2-on-1 and saw a shot ring off the post, then tied it on a power play early in the second.

In much the same fashion as the Ranger goal, Mike Richards took a shot from the right point and Gagne was able to deflect it home from the slot for his 27th goal at the 4:32 mark.

A high-sticking call against Philadelphia's Danny Briere just over two minutes later led to another Ranger power-play goal. Chris Drury won an offensive-zone faceoff back to Michal Rozsival, who got the puck to Antropov along the right boards. The former Toronto Maple Leaf skated into the circle and snapped a shot past a screened Niittymaki for his 24th goal and third since being acquired by New York at the trade deadline.

The Rangers nearly opened a two-goal margin in the final minute of the second, but Rozsival directed a shot wide on a 2-on-1 with Ryan Callahan.

Braydon Coburn, though, took a major penalty just a few seconds before the end of the stanza, giving the Rangers an extended power play to start the third.

Avery made the Flyers pay again just 2:45 into the period. Markus Naslund came around the net and tried to center the puck to Scott Gomez, but it deflected off the skate of a Flyer in front of the crease and Avery was there to knock it into the net for a 3-1 lead.

Philadelphia did not muster a shot in the third period until just over 11 1/2 minutes remained, but Lundqvist turned aside Jeff Carter's point-blank chance from the slot.

The Rangers then extended their lead to three with 9:49 remaining. Sjostrom, after taking a Flyer down behind the Philadelphia net without a call, was able to corral the puck and score on a wraparound.

Lundqvist made the lead stand up as the Rangers killed off a pair of penalties late in the third, including 31 seconds of a two-man Philadelphia advantage.

Game Notes

The Rangers last tallied three power-play goals in a game on November 6 against Tampa Bay...Avery and Antropov also scored for the Rangers in Saturday's game. Avery has a three-game goal streak...Richards extended his point streak to seven games, as did Gagne...The Flyers opened a four-game road trip that will also take them to Detroit, Buffalo and Pittsburgh...The Rangers will visit Montreal for their next game on Tuesday.

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NFL Football Betting : Odds on NFL Division to Win the Super Bowl

NFL Super Bowl Betting

The AFC South and the NFC East are the favorite divisions to have the next Super Bowl champ among them in the NFL betting odds. But more down to the point, these football odds are in favor of the Indianapolis Colts, by far the strongest team in the AFC South, and the Dallas Cowboys of the NFC East.

Most sports fans would agree that these two teams top the list to win it all before the season even begins. In the BetUS Sportsbook football futures, the Colts are +800 in the odds to win the Super Bowl, while the Cowboys are sitting at +1000 and the Super Bowl XLIV champions New Orleans Saints at +900. In the AFC South, the Colts won the division for five straight years after the 2002 realignment, before the Tennessee Titans won it in 2008. But the Colts came back strong in 2009 to win the division again en route to the Super Bowl. The Cowboys are the favorite to win the NFC East, as well as to advance far into the post season. The Cowboys won the division last season before their horrendous loss in the NFC Divisional playoff to Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings. But the ‘Boys will take that loss humbly and be ready for the playoffs this time around.

The NFC South is also very strong, at +600 in the NFL futures, considering that it is home to the defending Super Bowl champions. However, some predictions have the Atlanta Falcons with possibilities of claiming the divisional title this season in place of the Saints, as no team has won back-to-back division championships since the division realignment took place. Let’s not overlook the AFC North at +500. As TO goes to Cincinnati to join Chad OchoCinco and Adam “Pac-Man” Jones, this team looks to claim the division title again. And it is likely they will do so. The Bengals lost in the AFC Wild Card spot in a hard-fought battle against the New York Jets last season. Lest not forget the Pittsburgh Steelers, the XLII Super Bowl Champions… All these teams present interesting odds and matchups for the upcoming season, but the safest and surest bet seems to be with the Colts in the AFC South and the Cowboys in the NFC East. Play this weekly NFL Football Contestto see if you can win.

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