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Canadiens try to lock up playoff spot versus Hurricanes

Hockey Betting Lines

04/08/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Montreal Canadiens will try to wrap up a playoff spot tonight when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes for a clash at RBC Center.

The Canadiens are currently sixth in the East and can officially punch their ticket to the postseason by gaining a point in tonight's road test. Montreal, which will complete its regular season Saturday against visiting Toronto, is just one point ahead of Philadelphia for the conference's sixth spot.

The Habs are aiming for their third straight playoff appearance.

Montreal had won two straight prior to dropping a shootout decision Tuesday night against the host New York Islanders. Frans Nielsen tied the game late in the third period and Matt Moulson scored the clinching shootout goal to push the Islanders past the Habs 4-3, at Nassau Coliseum.

Tomas Plekanec, Brian Gionta and Maxim Lapierre scored for the Canadiens. Jaroslav Halak picked up 39 saves in defeat after posting shutouts in his previous two outings.

"It would have been nice to win, but it is what it is right now," said Gionta. "We put ourselves in this situation. We just have to focus on the last two games."

Habs defenseman Jaroslav Spacek missed his third straight game with flu-like symptoms, but could return tonight.

Montreal is 19-16-5 on the road and has lost three of its last four games as the guest.

The Hurricanes, meanwhile, have been eliminated from playoff contention, but that didn't stop them from turning in an offensive showcase Tuesday in Tampa. Eric Staal posted two goals and two assists as Carolina notched a season-best for goals in one game by topping the Lightning, 8-5, at St. Pete Times Forum.

Rod Brind'Amour and Drayson Bowman also picked up a pair of goals apiece while Chad LaRose added a goal and two helpers for the Hurricanes, who snapped a two-game slide.

Cam Ward picked up the win in relief, stopping 24-of-26 shots over 34-plus minutes. Manny Legace started but left due to an undisclosed injury after allowing two goals on 11 shots.

"It was an unusual game. We came out way more sharp and focused than we have been, and put a lot of pucks to the net," said Carolina head coach Paul Maurice of the high-octane affair. "I'm pleased that we were able to execute and when you bring that kind of emotion to a hockey game, good things happen."

Tonight marks the final home game of the season for the 'Canes, who are 20-17-3 as the host this year. Carolina will close its campaign Saturday in Boston.

The Habs won the first two meetings with Carolina this year, but the Hurricanes notched a 2-1 win when the teams met in Montreal on March 31. Carolina has taken five of eight overall in the series, but the Canadiens have won three of their last five in Raleigh.

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Big Ten Conference odds

Teams that should be in: Michigan State, Indiana
Work left to do: Illinois, Purdue, Michigan, Iowa

Behind the big two, the pecking order might be in a bit of flux. Has Michigan State passed Indiana after handling the Hoosiers in East Lansing? Where is Illinois in that mix? What looked like a four-big league last week could be morphing into five -- and even six is not unthinkable at this point if everything breaks right.

Should be in:

Michigan State [21-8 (8-6), RPI: 20, SOS: 15] The Spartans made it four-for-four on the homestand, a gigantic accomplishment that leaves them in extremely good shape. MSU is only 1-6 on the road and is at Michigan and at Wisconsin to close things out, meaning the date with the Wolverines on Tuesday looms very, very large. Beating Texas early will hold up well, as will the rout of Bradley and the win over BYU, but will 8-8 be enough? It very well could be, as the computer numbers are good, but why chance it?

Indiana [18-9 (8-6), RPI: 24, SOS: 32] Hmm ... good thing the last two are at Northwestern and home to Penn State, because IU might want to get both to feel completely safe after dropping its third in the last four, fading after halftime at Michigan State. Who knew the best nonconference win would be over Southern Illinois, which is a gift that keeps on giving for the Hoosiers. The win over Wisconsin also looks good on the mantel.

Work left to do:

Illinois [21-9 (9-6), RPI: 31, SOS: 25] A good performance at Penn State leaves the Illini in pretty good shape. Can they go to Iowa and take care of business to really look on their way? That's a huge game, as there is a possible cluster of teams that will end at 9-7. Illinois beat Bradley, but has lost to Xavier. A 9-7 mark and a semifinals trip in Chicago could be enough with the computer profile hanging in there, but it would be better not to mess around, clinching at least a tie for third.

Purdue [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 47, SOS: 28] Couldn't get it done at Iowa, but did win at Northwestern to put 9-7 squarely in sight. Where does that leave the Boilermakers, though? Even if they beat Minnesota and Northwestern at home, that won't help the computer numbers. Nonconference wins over Virginia, DePaul and Oklahoma are solid, but not spectacular. The Boilers very well might need an upset in the B10 quarters to have a legit claim.

Michigan [19-10 (7-7), RPI: 55, SOS: 53] Well, Michigan did what it needed to do, winning at Minnesota to take control of its fate. The Wolverines have Michigan State and an already-wrapped-up-the-league Ohio State at home to close, so the chances are there. Win both and we can talk. There is no marquee win yet in the profile, and the Wolverines were splattered in several games against name opponents. A mediocre computer profile fueled by a lack of road wins isn't helping, either.

Iowa [16-12 (8-6), RPI: 80, SOS: 64] For the sake of being complete, we'll add Iowa, this season's Stanford. It's plausible that the Hawkeyes could get to 10-6 (at Penn State, vs. Illinois left), but where does that leave them after a gruesome nonconference performance where the best win was over ... Toledo? Iowa State? Cornell?? If they get to 10-6, we can start to look at what they need to do in the B10 tourney, although my gut sense is that they would need to make the final and have knocked off Ohio State or Wisconsin on the way to have any real claim.

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