12/01/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It didn't take long for Brian Burke to make Toronto a winning team. The Maple Leafs will try for their second straight win with Burke as their general manager in tonight's test against the Los Angeles Kings at the Staples Center.
Burke became Toronto's 13th GM in team history on Saturday, replacing interim general manager Cliff Fletcher. Fletcher had replaced a fired John Ferguson back in January.
Burke held previous management jobs with Hartford, Vancouver and Anaheim, where he won a Stanley Cup in 2007. Toronto hasn't won a championship since 1967 and hasn't reached the postseason in any of the last three seasons.
Toronto did not displease its new GM on Saturday, posting a 4-2 win over Philadelphia. The victory halted the Maple Leafs five-game losing streak.
Nik Antropov registered a goal and an assist in the win, while Lee Stempniak, Dominic Moore and Pavel Kubina also scored. For Stempniak, it was his first goal in three games with the Maple Leafs since being acquired in a trade from St. Louis.
Vesa Toskala stopped 28 shots for his eighth win of the year. He is 6-2-0 with a 2.47 goals against average lifetime versus the Kings.
Toronto will begin a three-game western road trip tonight without Jason Blake, who has missed the last two games due to a concussion and is doubtful for this game. The Leafs are 4-5-2 this season on the road, where they have lost five of their last six. They will also play in San Jose and Phoenix on the swing.
The Kings have won two straight after Saturday's 5-2 victory over Chicago. Patrick O'Sullivan scored for the fourth time in his last five games, while Derek Armstrong netted the go-ahead goal in the third period.
O'Sullivan, Alexander Frolov and Jarret Stoll each finished with a goal and an assist for the Kings, who also got two assists each out of Michal Handzus and Kyle Quincey.
Erik Ersberg made 22 saves in the win. He has never faced Toronto in his career.
The Kings play the second of two straight home games tonight and are 7-5-3 as the host team this year. Los Angeles has also won five of its last seven at the Staples Center.
The Kings posted a 5-2 home win versus the Maple Leafs on January 10 of last year, their second straight win over Toronto. The Leafs are 1-4 with two ties in their last six trips to the City of Angels.
<< Recent Cup winners clash as Red Wings host Ducks
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A matchup between the last two Stanley Cup champions is on
tap tonight in the Motor City, as the Detroit Red Wings welcome the Anaheim
Ducks to Joe Louis Arena.
The Ducks won it all in 2007 and defeated Detroit in the West
<< Canucks try to rebound with test in Columbus
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Vancouver Canucks will try to avoid a third straight
loss when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets for tonight's battle at
Nationwide Arena.
The Canucks had won four in a row before being swept in a home-and-home seri
<< Sabres host Predators in western New York
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Buffalo Sabres will aim for their third win in four
games when they welcome the Nashville Predators for this evening's contest at
HSBC Arena.
The Sabres ended a five-game losing streak with consecutive victories over
<< Espanyol lets go of manager Marquez
Barcelona, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Espanyol have sacked coach Bartolome
Marquez after a 1-0 loss to Sporting Gijon left the club facing a relegation
battle at the wrong end of the La Liga table.
Marquez's side have won just three o
Kiffin introduced as coach of Vols >>
Knoxville, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The University of Tennessee made it official
Monday and formally introduced Lane Kiffin as the 21st head football coach in
school history.
"I met with all of our players last night and they are definitely
Sale of Curlin disallowed >>
Frankfort, KY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The acquisition of the remaining 20-percent
interest in 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin by his majority owner has been
rejected by a Kentucky judge. The decision by Judge Roger Crittenden was made
Monday.
All-Conference Pioneer League Team Announced >>
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jacksonville, the PFL regular-season
champion, saw freshman quarterback Josh McGregor pick up the league's Freshman
Offensive Player of the Year award while head coach Kerwin Bell was named the
league's Coach of
Steelers release veteran RB Davenport, again >>
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Pittsburgh Steelers released veteran
running back Najeh Davenport on Monday for the third time this year.
He was first released by the team this past June, but was brought back at the
beginning of
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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