NHL News: A Pair of White (Cold) Russians NHL Betting Odds

Tuesday, 18 January 2011 00:57

Written by Eno Goldmenster

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NHL Analysis: A Pair of White (Cold) Russians NHL Betting Odds - With the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins missing their All-Star centers to injury, the timing couldn’t be more perfect for Russian stars Alexander Ovchekin and Evgeni Malkin to step-up and take control of their teams . . . and both have been disappointing.

Washington is missing star center Alexander Semin, who leads the team with 18 goals, and currently is residing on the IR list with a hip injury. Seems a perfect time for Ovchekin to break-out of a scoring slump that began before Christmas. Since December 23, the great Washington winger has netted just three goals and six points, in a span that has lasted ten games. He has been taking his shots, 208 to be exact, but hasn’t made a difference on the scoreboard. In fact, he has had six games with no points, including his last three games. Going into his team’s games against the Philadelphia Flyers he was on pace for just 79 points, his worst season in the NHL, and it would be about time Alexander the Great gets on the score sheet.

In Pittsburgh, Malkin is going through a similar slump. Since he lit-up the Phoenix Coyotes for 5 points on December 20, he has had just 2 goals and 6 points in a span of 12 Betting Odds games. He is on pace for just 67 points, his worst point production totals of his NHL career. Worse, without Crosby, he has just two assists in five games in a time when his team needs the talented winger/center the most.

What gives? Both players have a world of talent, maybe top-5 talent, yet both have struggled to find their games this season. Maybe they need a helping of Mama Malkin’s borscht or a jaunt to one of Ovie’s favorite night spots – whatever, their teams need them, and they need them now. Check out all the latest NFL Betting Odds with Betus listed below.