Penguins play host to Maple Leafs

Hockey Betting Lines

12/20/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Pittsburgh Penguins will try to post consecutive victories for the first time in over a month when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight at Mellon Arena.

The Penguins have won two of their last three games and rebounded from a 6-3 loss last Saturday in Philadelphia by earning Thursday's road win in Atlanta by the same score. Evgeni Malkin finished with two goals and two assists, as the Pittsburgh Penguins doubled up the Thrashers, 6-3, at Philips Arena.

Jordan Staal, Matt Cooke, Philippe Boucher and Miroslav Satan each scored once for the Penguins, who won for just the second time in the past six games.

Pittsburgh goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury returned to the ice for his first game since suffering an injury November 15 against Buffalo. He made 28 saves in the win.

The Penguins haven't won back-to-back games since a six-game winning streak from November 1-15. Pittsburgh has been inconsistent since that hot stretch, posting a 6-6-2 record in its last 14 contests.

Malkin comes into tonight's contest riding a seven-game point streak in which he's totaled four goals and 10 assists. The Russian phenom recorded his 13th and 14th goals of the season on Thursday to took over the team goal-scoring lead from Sidney Crosby, who has 13 tallies on the year.

Ruslan Fedotenko also extended his point streak to five games as he posted an assist in Atlanta.

The Penguins are 8-4-2 as the host this year and will close out December by playing four of six games at the Igloo.

The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, had a three-game winning streak snapped their last time out as they were handed a loss Thursday evening in Boston in a matchup between Northeast Division foes. David Krejci netted his first career hat trick to lead the first-place Bruins to the 8-5 decision at TD Banknorth Garden.

Vesa Toskala and Curtis Joseph each gave up four goals for the Maple Leafs. Toskala faced 11 shots and Joseph 16 attempts.

Alexei Ponikarovsky, Nik Antropov, Mikhail Grabovski, Jason Blake and Pavel Kubina had the goals for Toronto.

Tonight's test is the middle segment of a three-game road trip for the Leafs, who are 6-8-2 as the visiting team this year. Toronto, which will cap the swing Monday in Atlanta, has lost three of its last four road tests.

The Penguins defeated the Maple Leafs when the teams met for the first time this year in Pittsburgh on October 18. The Pens have won two straight and six of the last nine in the series and four of the last five as the host as well.

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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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