Kostitsyn's hat trick carries Canadiens past Penguins

Hockey Betting Lines

12/27/2008 - Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Andrei Kostitsyn registered his first career hat trick to lift the Montreal Canadiens to a 3-2 triumph over the Pittsburgh Penguins at Mellon Arena.

Carey Price was in top form, holding the high-powered Pens to just two goals on 34 shots, while making 17 saves in the third period to quash any chance of a comeback.

Tomas Plekanec twice set up Kostitsyn on similar plays from behind the net as Montreal won for the third time in four games in kicking off a four-game road trip.

The Habs are now 8-5-2 as the visiting team this year and halted a two-game skid away from the Bell Centre.

Sidney Crosby and Pascal Dupuis scored for Pittsburgh, which has now alternated losses and wins over its past nine games in a 5-7-1 month of December.

Dupuis also assisted on Crosby's marker while Marc-Andre Fleury allowed the three scores on just 19 shots. Pittsburgh is now 8-7-2 as the host this season and has dropped three straight and four of five at the Igloo.

Kostitsyn finished off the hat trick and handed the Habs a 3-2 advantage with a blast from outside the right circle that went through the legs of both a Pens' defender and Fleury 2:21 into the final period.

Fleury, though, rolled his body and got a piece of a Maxim Lapierre breakaway moments later to keep it a one-goal game.

Pittsburgh had three power-play opportunities in the third, the last of which came with 3:08 remaining, and Price made a pair of point-blank saves off cross-ice, one-timers over the final minutes to keep the Pens from tying the game.

Montreal got on the board first just 1:15 into the contest. Josh Gorges shot wide from right point and Plekanec picked up the carom behind the net as Fleury lost sight of the puck. Plekanec skated out from behind the net to the left of Fleury, setting up Kostitsyn in front for the easy score.

Pittsburgh used a favorable bounce off the boards to even the score with 5:16 left in the period. Dupuis rifled a shot from the right circle wide of the net but the puck came back off the boards and hit the back of Price's skates and went in.

The Canadiens reclaimed the lead just before the frame was to expire with a nice effort from Plekanec. He threatened with the backhand before skating around the right side of the net, put on the brakes behind Fleury, and set up Kostitsyn again in front with just over one second showing on the clock.

The Pens, though, evened things again 5:51 into the second as Crosby received a dump-in behind the net and quickly moved out to Price's left for the wrap- around score.

Game Notes

This marked the first of four encounters between the Pens and Habs this year...Montreal has taken six of the last 10 in this series overall...The Canadiens have also picked up wins in three straight trips and six of its previous nine stops in Pittsburgh...Penguins defenseman Kris Letang missed a third straight game with an undisclosed lower-body injury.

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Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value

If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture.  Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).

For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot.  The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.

TV Guide advises Oscar watchers should be cautioned not to discount the  drama "Babel" with its strong social themes about overcoming communication gaps among people of different cultures.

"While 'Babel' lost several guild awards to 'Sunshine' and 'Departed,'  it still enjoys loyal support, and historically Oscar voters favor dramas with social messages over comedies like 'Sunshine' and violent crime movies like 'Departed'."

"It hasn't done well in the guilds, which means there isn't much industry support," said Tom O'Neil of awards site TheEnvelope.com, "But several critics are expecting it to win, and that gets my attention." Babel had 7 to 2 odds at press time.

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