Blackhawks hold one-goal lead after two periods in Game 6

Hockey Betting Lines

06/09/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Blackhawks are just 20 minutes away from claiming their first title in 49 years, as they hold a 3-2 lead over the Philadelphia Flyers after two periods of play in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals from Wachovia Center.

The home team assumed a 2-1 edge at the eight-minute mark of the second, thanks to a miscue in the neutral zone. Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith fell while trying to gather the puck, freeing up Ville Leino to swoop in, charge through the middle and dish on the right side to Danny Briere, who waited a second to lift the puck high over a fallen Antti Niemi.

The visitors then struck for two goals in the latter portion of the period.

On the first, in a 4-on-4 situation, Patrick Sharp was alone in front to tip home a Dave Bolland centering feed through Michael Leighton's pads at 9:58.

Andrew Ladd was able to put the Blackhawks ahead with a deflection of a long shot at the 17:43 mark, when Niklas Hjalmarsson unleashed a slapshot from below the left circle that beat Leighton thanks to a tip on the short side.

Chicago, which held a 17-7 edge in shots after one period, moved ahead by a 27-13 count heading into the third.

The Blackhawks got on the board during their second power-play opportunity of the period, with Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger off for high-sticking.

After a scrum to the right of the Philadelphia net, Dustin Byfuglien was alone at the top of the crease to shovel home a centering feed by Jonathan Toews at 16:49.

Blackhawks backliner Brent Seabrook was given an elbowing penalty seconds after the score but Philadelphia came up empty. Chicago blueliner Brent Sopel followed with an interference infraction with 53 seconds to play in the first and the home team finally capitalized.

Danny Briere shot from the bottom of the right circle, and the rebound came out to Scott Hartnell, who backhanded the puck through Antti Niemi's legs while facing away from the cage at 19:33.

Casinoxtc Hockey Betting News

<< Lightning set to name Guy Boucher head coach
Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Lightning have called a news conference for 11 a.m. (et) Thursday, when it's expected they will name Guy Boucher as their new head coach. Several media outlets are reporting the news. Bo

<< NASCAR hands severe penalties to Front Row Motorsports
Daytona Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - NASCAR doled out huge penalties Wednesday to Front Row Motorsports in the wake of illegal valve stem caps that were used on Travis Kvapil's car last weekend during the Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500. NASCAR

<< Byfuglien, Hartnell tally in first period of Game 6
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Flyers and Chicago Blackhawks are tied at 1-1 after one period of play in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals from Wachovia Center. The Blackhawks got on the board during th

<< Report: USC gets NCAA report, details coming later this week
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The University of Southern California has reportedly received a report from the NCAA regarding its investigation into allegations of violations within the athletics program stemming from ex- Trojans

<< Johnson agrees to become Nets head coach
Bristol, CT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Avery Johnson has confirmed that he has come to a verbal agreement to become the next head coach of the New Jersey Nets. Johnson will return to the sidelines after a two-year absence and inherit a team t

Masterson masters former team as Indians rout Red Sox >>
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Justin Masterson got the better of his former team with a two-hit shutout, the first of his career, and the Indians pulled away late for an 11-0 shellacking of the Boston Red Sox. Masterson (2-5) picked u

Panthers LB Davis tears ACL again >>
Charlotte, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee on Tuesday, the same injury that ended his 2009 season. Davis is expected to undergo surgery in

Reds double up Giants >>
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Orlando Cabrera went 4-for-5 with three doubles and three runs scored, while Jonny Gomes drove in three, as Cincinnati downed San Francisco, 6-3, in the third of a four-game set. Scott Rolen went 3-for-

Price picks up ninth win as Rays handle Jays >>
St. Petersburg, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sean Rodriguez went 3-for-4 with three runs batted in and a run scored, as the Tampa Bay Rays dominated the Toronto Blue Jays, 10-1, in the middle installment of a three-game series at Tropicana Field.

Zimmerman and Nats down Pirates >>
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ryan Zimmerman drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning, and Adam Dunn hit a two-run homer for the Nationals in a 7-5 victory over the Pirates. Roger Bernadina added three hits and an RBI for Wash

Big 12 Conference betting odds

Work left to do: Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State

Texas joins Texas A&M and Kansas as locks after getting league win No. 11. Texas Tech greatly helped its own hopes and crippled OK State's with the two-point win Saturday. Is K-State the last reasonable hopeful? Could be an elimination match in Stillwater on Tuesday, at least for the Cowboys.

Work left to do:

Texas Tech [18-11 (7-7), RPI: 44, SOS: 12] A critical two-point win over OK State leaves the Red Raiders with Baylor and at Iowa State left. Get both and the Red Raiders likely are good to go. Get one and there could be some interesting comparisons with a K-State team that could finish two or three games "ahead" of them in the standings but doesn't have any of the quality wins Texas Tech has. Not a lot in nonconference play (against Arkansas in Little Rock being the best win, by far) to lean on.

Oklahoma State [18-9 (5-8), RPI: 50, SOS: 35] Still without a road win, the Cowboys now need to win two on the road just to get to .500 in conference play. It's hard to recall a team (OK, other than Clemson) falling so precipitously from lock status to almost certainly out of the NCAAs at this point. There are wins to be had in the last three, including a very big home game against K-State on Tuesday, but this team is reeling. Can you tell the pressure to win is getting to them with the way the final possession played out at Texas Tech? There are some good nonconference performances to lean on, specifically beating Missouri State and Syracuse on neutral floors and Pitt in OK City, but if the Pokes don't right this very, very soon, that won't be enough.

Kansas State [20-9 (9-5), RPI: 56, SOS: 96] It pays to be in the Big 12 North. The nine league wins are Colorado (twice), Missouri (twice), Iowa State (twice), Baylor, Nebraska and (a good one against) Texas. That helps explain the middling computer profile. The win over USC is nice, but the nonconference leaves a lot to be desired. The game at OK State in Stillwater on Tuesday is huge, as it could KO the Cowboys and leave K-State with a home date against Oklahoma with which to work.