Avs limp into Nashville

Hockey Betting Lines

01/06/2009 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It seems as if playing without two of its top offensive players has finally caught up to the Colorado Avalanche. They will try to end a three-game losing streak tonight in a road test with the Nashville Predators at the Sommet Center.

Colorado has lost three straight on the heels of a three-game winning streak and has played the last five games without leading scorer Paul Stastny, who is on injured reserve due to right forearm surgery. That club has already been without Joe Sakic since December due to first a herniated disc in his back and then three broken fingers suffered in a snow blower accident.

Stastny leads Colorado with 21 assists and 31 points in 34 games this year, and he and Sakic combined for 111 points last season.

However, the Avalanche have been outscored 11-2 over their three-game slide and were blanked, 2-0, by Minnesota on Sunday. Peter Budaj stopped 35-of-37 shots in the loss and he has allowed all 11 goals over the slide. He is 6-3-0 with a 2.18 goals against average versus Nashville.

In addition to having Sakic, Stastny and Cody McCormick (foot) all on injured reserve, Adam Foote left Sunday's game due to a triceps injury and is out for tonight's game, along with Ian Laperriere (back). Chris Stewart also left Sunday's game because of a right leg injury suffered while blocking a shot and is questionable tonight, as is Darcy Tucker (hand).

Colorado has dropped three of its last four on the road and is 8-11-1 as the visiting team this season.

While the Avalanche's scoring woes are more recent, the Predators have had trouble scoring for the last month. Nashville has been held to two goals or fewer in 10 of its last 13 games and has gone 4-8-1 in that span.

The Predators were in action on Saturday to begin a five-game homestand and were defeated by the Calgary Flames, 3-2. Jerred Smithson and Jason Arnott lit the lamp for the Predators, who have lost a season-high four games in a row and have been outscored 15-6 in that time. That includes a 5-1 setback to Colorado on December 29, the Avs' last win.

Dan Ellis allowed three goals on 26 shots, letting the last two get by him over the final eight minutes. Ellis has split his two career starts versus the Avs, taking a loss this year despite halting 19-of-20 shots in the game.

Pekka Rinne was in net for the Preds' last loss to Colorado and has also split two lifetime starts against the Avalanche.

Nashville is 10-6-1 as the host team this year.

Colorado has won two of three and four of its last six meetings with Nashville, but has also dropped two of three and six of its last eight at the Sommet Center.

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Barry Bonds is a 50-1 long shot to be this year's home run champ odds.  The favorite to be this year's home run champ is none other than Albert Pujols, however.

Now that Barry Bonds is signed and in Giants camp, it is on to his pursuit of all of sports most prestigious records: the all-time home run mark. Bonds sits just 21 homers shy of tying Hank Aaron for the career mark at 755. Word out of Giants’ camp is that Bonds is the healthiest he has been in a few years. Bonds is just two seasons removed from his injury riddled 2005 campaign where he played in only 14 games and hit only 5 home runs. He did come back last year and had a solid season hitting .270 with 26 bombs. All eyes will be on Bonds this spring and summer not only because of his home run chase but his highly publicized steroid abuse allegations. If and when Bonds breaks the record, he surely will not get the positive attention one should for breaking a record that was once thought of as “unbreakable”. Despite Bonds decent season last year, he is just 50-1 at MySportsbook.com to lead the MLB in long balls this season.

Not surprisingly, the favorites to go deep the most times this season are Albert Pujols 5-1, Ryan Howard 6-1, David Ortiz 8-1 and Alex Rodriguez 12-1. With 49 homers, Pujols finished second in the National League behind Howard (58). Pujols is considered the favorite due to the consistent power numbers that he has posted since breaking into the league in 2001. Also one must consider the fact that he played in 16 fewer games then Howard did due to an injury. Howard smashed 58 homers in his first complete season of big league play en route to the National League MVP odds award. He silenced his critics by successfully hitting left-handed pitching. Howard also displayed the ability to use his power to the opposite field. Two attributes which should keep Howard amongst the league leaders in long balls for years to come. From the American League representatives, David Ortiz leads the field. Ortiz was second in the majors last year with 54 home runs. Except for 1999 when he only played in 10 games, Ortiz has improved on his home run numbers each year he has been in the majors (1997).

Be sure to log onto online sports betting site MySportsbook.com to check out the odds for who will lead the MLB in home runs this season. Below is just a sample of the players listed. With the highest credit card rates in the industry, MySportsbook.com is the place to bet on baseball this summer.

World Series odds

Adam Dunn 15-1

Albert Pujols 5-1

Alex Rodriguez 12-1

Alfonso Soriano 15-1

Andruw Jones 25-1

Barry Bonds 50-1

Carlos Delgado 40-1

David Ortiz 8-1

Jermaine Dye 40-1

Ken Griffey Jr. 100-1

Lance Berkman 40-1

Manny Ramirez 20-1

Richie Sexson 40-1

Ryan Howard 6-1

Travis Hafner 20-1

Vladimir Guerrero 40-1

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.