Brodeur tries for record-tying win in Montreal

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03/14/2009 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Montreal is where Martin Brodeur was born and where Patrick Roy won a plethora of his 551 career victories. It is also where Brodeur will get his first shot at tying Roy's all-time wins mark.

Just one victory shy of Roy's record, Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils visit the Canadiens in what could be yet another historic night at the Bell Centre.

Many thought that the 36-year-old Brodeur would have long surpassed Roy's record by now. However, a torn biceps in the netminder's left elbow in early November sidelined him for 50 games and kept him on the shelf until late last month.

Brodeur has been on fire in seven games since returning to action on February 26, going 6-1-0 with a 2.08 goals against average and two shutouts for the Atlantic Division-leading Devils, who own a nine-point edge over Philadelphia in the division and are also just six points back of Boston for the top mark in the East.

Brodeur is 12-3-2 on the season with a 2.13 GAA and earned win No. 550 on Thursday with a 5-2 victory over Phoenix. The four-time Vezina Trophy Award winner halted 26 shots. In 54 career starts versus Montreal, Brodeur is 34-15-0 with five ties, a 1.80 GAA and eight shutouts.

Patrik Elias had a goal and an assist while Zach Parise recorded his 40th goal of the season for the Devils, who have won six of their last seven games. Parise, second in the league in goals scored, reached the 40-goal mark for the first time in his four-year career.

New Jersey, which is 20-10-2 on the road this year, did just fine versus the Canadiens this year without Brodeur. The clubs wrap their four-game season series tonight and the Devils won all three previous meetings while Brodeur was injured.

The Devils have won 12 of their last 15 versus the Canadiens and five of their last seven trips to Montreal.

The struggling Canadiens had a two-game win streak end on Thursday with a 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Islanders. Tomas Plekanec and Tom Kostopoulos accounted for the Montreal goals, while Carey Price halted 36 shots in defeat.

The setback dropped Montreal to just 9-13-2 since January 20, though the club is still fifth overall in the East with 80 points, two back of Philadelphia and one up on Pittsburgh.

Montreal's loss to the Islanders halted a four-game home winning streak and came in the second contest of a four-game residency. The Canadiens are 21-6-5 as the host this year and wrap their stand on Tuesday versus the Rangers.

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After all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer.

Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise.

Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games.

So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver.

In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team.

For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC.

The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’.

The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback.

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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.

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