Kings get chance to be spoilers

Hockey Betting Lines

02/20/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - While the Los Angeles Kings are all but out of this year's playoff race, they will get an opportunity to put a damper on some other team's chances as well.

This past weekend, the Kings managed to split a home-and-home series with the Pacific-leading Anaheim Ducks. Both games went to a shootout with the Kings' win coming on the Ducks' home ice Sunday.

Los Angeles also posted a win over the conference-leading Nashville Predators last Saturday and over the next two weeks will face Vancouver, which currently leads the Northwest Division, and a Colorado squad fighting for its playoff lives. The Kings will also again play Anaheim and Nashville in that span.

All four of those tilts will be at home for the Kings where they are 11-12-8 as of Tuesday. Los Angeles, though, has lost six in a row at home with its last win at the Staples Center coming on January 6 against Detroit.

The Kings are just 7-14-3 in divisional games this year, but if they can score some wins over the Ducks and Sharks, the teams currently first and second in the Pacific respectively, it will create some nice rivalries within the standings and give the Kings some confidence and momentum heading into division play next year.

Los Angeles also made a move to help its team out in the long run as they inked 33-year-old center Derek Armstrong to a two-year contract extension last Wednesday.

Armstrong has 10 goals and a career-high 30 assists in 55 games so far this year and is a stabilizing force on the ice with a plus-16 rating. His veteran knowledge should help the Kings' young players develop as the club rebuilds.

Armstrong has played in 327 career games with the Kings, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders, scoring 58 goals and picking up 115 assists.

On the injury front, captain Mattias Norstrom missed his first game of the season when he sat out Sunday's win over the Ducks with a knee injury. The defenseman has just two goals and seven assists in 60 games and is a career- worse minus-17 on the season.

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Kurt Warner to start, Matt Leinart to watch

Despite the debate that's swirling , Kurt Warner will remain the starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals, coach Dennis Green said today. The Arizona Cardinals are the +7 point underdog at online sportsbook MySportsbook.com for this Sunday's game.

Green's comment came in a statement released by the team following an ESPN report that Green decided that rookie Matt Leinart would replace Warner as starter for Sunday's game at Atlanta.

"Generally talking about the starting lineup is not something we do," Green told the AP. "However, given the speculation that was out there we want to make it clear. We're disappointed after last week, but we still expect to be a playoff football team and we fully expect Kurt Warner to be the quarterback that leads us. That has not changed."

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

Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.

Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.

MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .

''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''

Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.

He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.

''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''

Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.

Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.

With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.

Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

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