Sports Betting

Sports Betting
Stanley Cup - Game 7 PreviewWho would've thought we'd be in this position a mere 12 days ago, when the Carolina Hurricanes were up 2-0 in the Stanley Cup Finals and the Edmonton Oilers had lost their starting goaltender? Certainly not a well-known hockey collectibles magazine, who have an issue hitting the streets this week proclaiming that the Canes are the champs. Well not so fast Beckett Hockey, because the Oilers have now come back from both 2-0 and 3-1 series deficits, and they can pick up the sixth Cup in franchise history with a win in Game 7 at the RBC Center in Raleigh on Monday. Dewey defeats Truman indeed. The Oilers got into this position by handily winning Game 6 at home on Saturday night by a 4-0 score. Although Edmonton goaltender Jussi Markkanen picked up a shutout in the victory, the story of the game was a smothering Oilers defense that allowed only 16 shots on goal in the contest, and only seven shots on goal through the first two periods. Fernando Pisani, the overtime hero from Game 5, opened the scoring in Game 6 with a power-play marker in the second minute of the second period. Pisani then set up Raffi Torres later in the frame to give Edmonton a 2-0 lead in front of a raucous home crowd. And an Edmonton power play that served as the team's Achilles heel through the first part of the series continued to break through late in Game 6, as Ryan Smyth and Shawn Horcoff each scored with the man advantage in the third period to seal the win. Overall, the Oilers were 3-9 on the power play in Game 6, compared to the Canes' 0-6. Carolina goaltender Cam Ward was peppered with 34 shots in the game, over double that of his Oilers counterpart. Ward stopped all 10 shots he faced in the first period, but then allowed two goals in each of the final frames as the power-play chances mounted. Not even the return of winger Erik Cole could spark the Canes' offense in Game 6. Cole was a surprise participant in the warm-up, and found himself in the lineup when the game got underway despite not having played since he suffered two fractured vertebrae on March 4. Cole played over 18 minutes in the defeat, and recorded two shots on goal. Carolina defenseman Aaron Ward was also back in the lineup for Game 6, after being listed as questionable for the contest. Center Doug Weight, however, was scratched from the lineup with a left arm injury and remains questionable to play on Monday night. The oddsmakers had been a bit on the fence in Game 6, despite the fact that the Oilers were coming off an emotional, series-saving win in Game 5 and playing in front of their own fans. Edmonton had been listed as only a -115 home favorite. The game's score fell UNDER the posted total, and was the fourth UNDER play in the series' six games. Clearly the momentum of the series has shifted to Edmonton's favor, although Carolina has still been pegged as the -175 favorite on the oddsmakers' opening line for Game 7. Watch for books to start moving that line in the Oilers' favor over the course of the day should bettors start jumping on the bandwagon. The game's total opened at 5.5 goals. And while the merits of Cam Ward, Rod Brind'Amour, Eric Staal, and Cory Stillman's candidacies for the Conn Smythe Trophy were being bandied about a week ago, the rally by the Oilers has put their players into the playoff MVP talk as well. Chris Pronger is the leading Oilers contender for the award, with Fernando Pisani the second choice. Puck drop for Monday night in the final NHL game of the season is set for 8:00 pm ET.
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