Rested Avs entertain improved Blackhawks

Hockey Betting Lines

12/23/2006 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Colorado Avalanche return to action tonight for the first time since the Denver area was rocked by a recent snowstorm, as the well-rested club hosts the Chicago Blackhawks at the Pepsi Center.

Colorado's scheduled home game with Calgary on Thursday had to be postponed due to the blizzard which covered the Mile High City with nearly three feet of snow.

The Avalanche last played Tuesday in Edmonton, where the club recorded its fourth victory in five games with a 7-6 decision over the Oilers. Andrew Brunette led the way with his first career hat trick, while Paul Stastny added a goal and three assists to the winning effort.

Pierre Turgeon finished with a goal and two assists for Colorado, which trails the first-place Oilers by two points in the Northwest Division, and Peter Budaj registered 31 saves.

The Avalanche's only blemish during this strong five-game run came at the hands of Chicago, which came through with a 2-1 win over Colorado at the United Center last Sunday.

The Blackhawks have split a pair of contests following that outing and were most recently 3-1 victors over Toronto on Friday. Peter Bondra netted the 500th goal of his career early in the third period to snap a 1-1 deadlock.

Bryan Smolinski and Brent Seabrook also lit the lamp for Chicago, winners of three of its last four games. Nikolai Khabibulin made 25 saves to make the lead hold up.

Bondra is the 37th player in NHL history to reach the milestone and the third to do it this season. Toronto's Mats Sundin and Anaheim's Teemu Selanne notched their 500th goals earlier in this campaign.

Chicago is just 6-7-4 as the visitor this season but does carry a two-game road win streak into tonight's matchup.

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Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds

Super Bowl XLIII, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Super Bowl XLIII is now set, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers will meet each other on February 1st in Tampa's Raymond James Stadium to battle it out for the coveted Lombardi Trophy. The game kicks off at 6:00pm ET on NBC with announcers Al Michaels and John Madden covering the on-field action. Super Bowl XLIII betting odds at online bookmaker MySportsbook.com have the Steelers listed as an early -6.5 against the spread favorite.Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds

Pittsburgh earned their passage to the big game by beating their division rival, the Baltimore Ravens, 23-14 in yesterday's AFC Championship Game. The Steelers jumped on Baltimore early, building a 13-0 first half lead, and never let up on their way to a fairly easy win. Although the Ravens did close to within two points in the fourth quarter, it never appeared as if they had enough offense to pull off the upset.

The Steelers dominating defense held Baltimore to a total of 198 yards while allowing them to convert just three third downs in 13 attempts. Pittsburgh also forced quarterback Joe Flacco into three interceptions, one of which safety Troy Polamalu returned fourty yards for a touchdown.

The Cardinals, by far the playoff team with the longest odds to reach Super Bowl XLIII, did so yesterday with a 32-25 upset of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship. Arizona charged out of the gates and built a 24-6 halftime lead that had the Eagles venerable defense reeling. Quarterback Kurt Warner and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald did most of the damage, connecting on three first half touchdowns.

Arizona, however, could not sustain their momentum and the Eagles took a 25-24 with 10:45 left to play in the fourth. The Cardinals, with the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance hanging in the balance, mounted a fourteen play, 72 yard touchdown drive that consumed 7:52 off the clock. Warner hit running back Tim Hightower on a short screen for the go-ahead, game clinching score that will forever live in Cardinal infamy.

MySportsbook.com's Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds:

Pittsburgh Steelers -6.5 (-110), Over 46.5 (-110), -260 (Money line)

Arizona Cardinals +6.5 (-110), Under 46.5 (-110), +220 (Money line)

Matt Foust won both of his conference championship plays yesterday and he is ready to serve up plenty of Super Bowl action. Each individual play costs $15.00, however, MySportsbook.com recommends purchasing Matt's NFL Playoff Package which includes all of Matt's Super Bowl props and picks from just $45.00.

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