Despite OT loss to Bruins, Montreal clinches playoff spot

Hockey Betting Lines

04/09/2009 - Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mark Recchi scored two goals, including the game-winner in overtime, and dished out two assists, as the Boston Bruins outlasted the Montreal Canadiens, 5-4, in a battle between Northeast Division rivals at TD Banknorth Garden.

Despite the loss, Montreal secured a playoff spot. The Canadiens needed just one point coming into the tilt to secure a trip to their second straight postseason. By forcing overtime on Thursday, Montreal did just that.

Patrice Bergeron stole the puck at the Montreal blue line and made his way toward the net. He found an open Recchi in front of the net with a beautiful pass. Recchi chipped the disc into an empty half of the net with 2:18 left in OT for the win.

Boston, which has already clinched the top-seed in the Eastern Conference, won the season series with the Canadiens, 5-0-1. The Bruins won their first season series with Montreal since 2003-2004.

This was Boston's final home game of the regular season. The Bruins will close their schedule with road tests against Buffalo and the New York Islanders.

Zdeno Chara, Bergeron, and Phil Kessel also lit the lamp for the Bruins, who bounced back from a loss to Ottawa on Tuesday. Bergeron added two helpers and Chara one. Tim Thomas stopped 35 shots to pick up his 35th win of the year.

Matt D'Agostini scored twice, while Alex Kovalev and Mathieu Schneider scored once for the Canadiens, who have dropped three in a row. Carey Price turned aside 28 shots in the loss.

Montreal (93 points) is tied with the Rangers for the final two spots in the East. The Rangers beat Philadelphia on Thursday.

Montreal ends the regular season at Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Trailing 4-3, Boston tied the game at four on a power-play goal from Chara at the 5:27 mark of the third period. Chara lifted a backhander top shelf after collecting a rebound in front of the net.

The Canadiens were given a golden opportunity when Steve Montador was whistled for roughing with 1:01 to play. Montreal failed to capitalize on their power play that extended into overtime.

The Bruins drew first blood just 2:02 into the tilt on a goal from Bergeron. Matt Hunwick carried the puck into the Montreal zone and hit Recchi with a cross-ice pass in front of the net. Recchi quickly dumped a pass to Bergeron, who fired a shot into an open right side of the net.

Kovalev scored a power-play goal just 1:25 into the second frame to tie the game at one. Mathieu Dandenault hit Kovalev with a pass at the right circle, and Kovalev fired a shot from the bottom of the right circle to beat Thomas glove side.

Kessel lit the lamp for the 33rd time this season at the 3:12 mark to give Boston a 2-1 edge. Kessel's shot from the right circle beat Price top shelf. A power-play goal from Recchi just over two minutes later extended the Bruins' margin to 3-1, but Montreal came roaring back.

The Canadiens cut the gap to 3-2 on a power-play goal from D'Agostini with 12:33 to go in the second. Schneider deadlocked the contest at three with 9:32 left.

D'Agostini lit the lamp with 3:07 remaining in the second to give the Canadiens their first lead of the game. D'Agostini won the puck at his own blue line and charged down the left side of the ice before beating Thomas stick side.

Game Notes

There was a combined total of 76 penalty minutes in the game...Boston went 2- for-4 on the power play, while Montreal went 3-for-7...The Bruins recalled forward Vladimir Sobotka from Providence (AHL) on Thursday...Boston improved to 29-6-6 at home.

Wwwbetgameday Hockey Betting News

<< Panthers win, but are eliminated from playoff picture
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - David Booth scored the game-winner with under five minutes left, but the Florida Panthers couldn't fight off elimination despite a 3-2 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers. Florida began the night two poin

<< Capitals double-up Lightning
Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brooks Laich scored twice and Mike Green registered a goal and two assists as the Washington Capitals held on to edge the Tampa Bay Lightning, 4-2, at St. Pete Times Forum. David Steckel also tallied

<< Lundqvist helps Rangers clinch playoff spot, down Flyers
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Henrik Lundqvist stood tall down the stretch and finished with 37 saves to help the New York Rangers clinch a playoff spot for the fourth straight year with a 2-1 victory over Philadelphia at Madison

<< Molina helps Giants crush Brewers
San Francisco, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bengie Molina drove in four runs in San Francisco's 7-1 thumping of Milwaukee -- a game overshadowed when a rocket off the bat of the Brewers' Mike Cameron caught Giants pitcher Joe Martinez in the head du

<< Buffalo halts Carolina's nine-game win streak
Raleigh, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jason Pominville scored twice as the Buffalo Sabres routed the Hurricanes, 5-1, ending Carolina's nine-game winning streak. Matt Ellis, Jochen Hecht and Derek Roy also tallied for the Sabres, who were comi

Arnott gives Nashville shootout win over Red Wings >>
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Joel Ward scored the equalizer with 59.3 seconds left in regulation and Jason Arnott had the deciding goal in the shootout, as Nashville stayed in the playoff race with a key 4-3 win over Detroit

Blazers forward Webster done for the season >>
Portland, OR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Portland forward Martell Webster will miss the remainder of the season after re-aggravating a left foot ailment. Webster had surgery October 9, 2008 to repair a stress fracture, and after being sideli

Devils clinch Atlantic in shootout win over Senators >>
Ottawa, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brendan Shanahan scored the shootout winner, and the New Jersey Devils wrapped up the Atlantic Division title in a 3-2 win against the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place. The Devils needed just a point to

Lakers' Bynum returns to action >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Andrew Bynum is back, and not a second too soon for the Lakers as the playoffs near. Bynum stepped foot onto the floor in game action during the first quarter of Los Angeles' game against Denver on

Bulls draw closer to playoffs with thumping of Philadelphia >>
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tyrus Thomas and Ben Gordon each scored 24 points as Chicago inched closer to a playoff berth with a 113-99 victory over slumping Philadelphia. Derrick Rose added 16 points and eight assists, Brad Mille

Mayweather picked to beat De La Hoya
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya and his rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. arrived at the MGM Grand here Wednesday amid the pomp and pandemonium befitting two of the biggest stars in the sport who are about to duke it out for the WBC super welterweight crown this Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

As of Wednesday, MySportsbook.com closed its book with Mayweather a favorite to defeat De La Hoya at -170 (a $100 bet wins $70), while De La Hoya is a +140 underdog (a $100 bet wins $140).

Mayweather arrived at about 11:30 a.m. on a big truck with his face and a big "World's Best Pound-for-Pound" sign scribbled across the vehicle. He was accompanied by his entourage made up of rappers and his training team.

A crowd of close to 3,000 eager fans packed the MGM Grand lobby, with their cameras in tow, all trying to vie for position to get a good angle at Mayweather, who is acknowledged as the world's best fighter pound-for-pound.

Eric Gomez, Golden Boy Promotions vice-president, described the fan turnout as "amazing" and swore he had never seen anything quite like this event.

"The crowd was fantastic. Everybody was just too eager to see the two fighters," said ALA manager Michael Aldeguer, who was among those who waited at the lobby together with his ward Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista and AJ Banal.

De La Hoya made his own grand entrance at the hotel lobby at around 12:30 p.m. accompanied by GBP chief executive officer Richard Schaefer and trainer Freddie Roach.

The same group of fans who trooped to see Mayweather also lingered around to get a close look at De La Hoya, who has been secretly working out at a Las Vegas gym for days after arriving from his main training camp in Puerto Rico.

The golden boy then took part in a closed-door afternoon workout with Bautista and Banal. The two, along with Aldeguer and wife Christine, as well as an HBO crew were the only ones allowed inside the gym.

De La Hoya and Mayweather take part in today's final press conference before the official weigh-in this Friday.

Ring Magazine, the acknowledged bible of boxing, reported in its June 2007 issue that 12 out of 20 boxing experts it interviewed have favored Mayweather to defeat De la Hoya, with only 8 favoring the latter.

But Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao said in a recent interview with The Freeman's Emmanuel Villaruel that De La Hoya will win by unanimous decision over Mayweather.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on boxing needs.