Comeau's first career hat trick lifts Isles over Blackhawks

Hockey Betting Lines

03/02/2010 - Uniondale, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Blake Comeau recorded his first career hat trick to lead the New York Islanders over the Chicago Blackhawks, 5-3, at Nassau Coliseum.

Jon Sim and Richard Park also lit the lamp for the Islanders, who hit the Olympic break having dropped two of three. Dwayne Roloson put together one of his best starts this season, stopping 41-of-44 shots in the victory.

Brian Campbell, Patrick Kane and Dustin Byfuglien scored for the Blackhawks, who had won four in a row prior to the Olympic hiatus.

Starter Antti Niemi allowed three goals on 12 shots before being pulled in favor of Cristobal Huet, who finished the game by yielding two goals on 11 shots.

Comeau scored his second goal of the game and 11th of the season as he ripped a shot from the slot at 2:27 of the second period to tie the game at 2-2, then Sim scored just 25 seconds later on a wrist shot to gives the Islanders their first lead of the game on a nice across pass from Park.

Park doubled the Isles' edge at 7:06, and Comeau then completed his trifecta on a wrist shot with 17.3 seconds left in the second period. New York took a 5-2 lead to intermission.

Byfuglien drew Chicago within two on a power-play score with 4:17 left in regulation, and though Huet was on the bench for an extra skater with 2:07 to play, the Isles held firm.

The Blackhawks came out firing in the first period, out-shooting the Islanders 22-9. Kane took a shot that went off of Roloson that bounced out of the goalie's sight and Campbell poked in the rebound at 10:44 for the first goal of the game.

Comeau tied the game just with his first of the night and 10th of the season 1:32 later on a back-handed shot that went over the left shoulder of Niemi.

Chicago scored on the power play just over a minute after the Islanders tied the game at 1-1, as Kane took a wraparound of an errant Duncan Keith slapshot and tucked it under Roloson.

Game Notes

The Islanders have tied last year's win total (26) with 19 games remaining this season...Chicago wasn't called for a penalty in the game...Comeau has recorded back-to-back multi-goal games for the first time in his brief career...Chicago returns to action on Wednesday at home against Edmonton...New York plays again on Thursday in Atlanta.

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MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.

Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.

According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).

Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.

''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
    
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.

Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.

''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''

Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
   
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.

”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
   
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.

For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.