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**moondog22** · 10-20-2010, 05:42 PM

good luck with the pucks Bum

**bryce** · 10-20-2010, 05:56 PM

Good luck buddy!

**StarDust Bum** · 10-20-2010, 07:12 PM

Kings host Hurricanes in NHL odds clash

The Los Angeles Kings are one of the hottest teams in the NHL at this point, as they have won three of their first four games this season and are stalking the Dallas Stars for the top record in the Pacific Division. That will all be on the line on Wednesday night at home at the Staples Center, as they take on the Carolina Hurricanes.

For the 'Canes, this is the third game of a brutal five-game road trip that has included stops Ottawa and Vancouver already following their season openers taking place overseas against the Minnesota Wild. Needless to say, there are definitely bound to be some weary legs out there for Carolina, especially considering the fact that it has to play on Tuesday night as well against the Sharks at HP Pavilion where San Jose was listed as 190 chalk on the hockey betting board.

Scoring goals has been a real problem over the last three games for the Hurricanes. They have only lit the lamp four times (and have a goal awarded via a shootout win) in those three games. The offense ranks No. 27 in the NHL in scoring at 2.0 goals per game this year coming into play on Tuesday night in spite of the fact that it is a middle of the road team at No. 12 averaging 31.2 shots per game.

Defensively, things have been dreadful, especially on the penalty kill. The Hurricanes are allowing teams to score on near 32 percent of their man advantages this year, and that's destroying the team's efforts. Opponents are averaging 34.5 shots on net per game against a relatively hapless Cam Ward, who is watching his numbers slip day by day.

Ward, generally accepted as one of the NHL's best net minders, has a .913 save percentage this year. That's a respectable number by goaltending standards, but a 2.95 GAA is absolutely horrendous. Ward has only played against the Kings twice in his career, picking up a win and an overtime loss to show for his efforts. Ward isn't likely to play back-to-back nights, so if he plays Tuesday in San Jose, it will probably be up to Justin Peters to make his first start of the season against the Kings.

Los Angeles has been largely a polar opposite this season to the Hurricanes. The schedule for the Kings works out well for this game, though it is about to get very rough with a long road trip. LA has won two in a row with wins against the Atlanta Thrashers and Vancouver Canucks at Staples Center and will want to close this homestand out with a perfect mark.

Jonathan Quick has been amazing in net for the men of royalty this season. He has all three wins and was not in net for the one defeat. Quick has a 0.97 GAA this year and hasn't allowed but one goal in all three of his outings. His .963 GAA is the best of any goalie in the NHL going into play on Tuesday night.

This might be the game in which C Anze Kopitar breaks out as well. Kopitar has netted at least 20 goals and racked up at least 39 assists in all four of his NHL seasons, but this year has just three assists and has yet to put the biscuit in the basket. For now though, RW Dustin Brown leads the team with three goals, while LW Ryan Smyth, RW Justin Williams and C Jarret Stoll each have a pair of goals.

These teams met once last year in Carolina with the Kings walking away with a 5-2 victory. LA also won the last meeting here at Staples Center by the count of 4-3.

However, if you go back before that, the last time the Kings knocked off the 'Canes was back in 2003, an 8-2 win at home. Since moving from Hartford, the Hurricanes have tied LA with a 7-7-2 record in 16 games.

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The Bum's Wednesday's NHL Best Bets !

The Bum's Wednesday's NHL Best Bets !

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