If Tiger pulls ahead in the Masters odds on Sunday, he won’t look back. As for the Habs, they sure looked safe a week ago but they’re practically breaking their necks looking over their shoulders now.

They currently sit seventh in the East at 92 points, three points up on the Rangers and Panthers. They travel to Madison Square Garden for a crucial battle with the Rangers tonight.

Looking at the online betting roller coaster that has been their 2009 season, I can’t decide whether everything is their fault or not. Was there too much pressure from the centennial season? Alex Tanguay has missed most of NHL betting. Now, it looks as though the Habs — if they make it — will open the playoffs without Andrei Markov and Mathieu Schneider.

Still, if I had to guess what the main cause of the Habs’ struggles has been this year, I would pick “off-ice distraction.” From the Kostitsyns’ mob connections (not to mention the feud with Mikhail Grabovski) to the teams’ alleged excessive partying to Alex Kovalev being sent home, something has been seriously wrong with that dressing room all year. How else can you explain what’s happened given that the Habs retained almost everyone from their first-place 2007-08 team?

Would you still pick the Habs at the sportsbook to make the Big Dance right now? Tonight will be crucial.

Well, well, well…just when we think the scandal machine has calmed down…just when we were ready to put our feet up and enjoy a long Saturday of games followed by the UFC 95 odds…a doozie of a controversy hits Montreal.

Yep — you’ll have to forgive Andrei and Sergei Kostitsyn, not to mention Roman Hamrlik, if they struggle to help their team in NHL betting matchups for the next while. La Presse broke the story — Pasquale Mangiola, who was recently arrested for drug trafficking and illegal weapons, is apparently a good chum of said Habs trio, especially the brothers from Belarus. The way I see it, the scandal can break three ways…I’ve created some sportsbook lines for you online betting nuts.

OPTION 1: KOSTITSYNS ARE ALSO CRIME BARONS/HIRED MUSCLE FOR MANGIOLA (+200)

They may seem like pansies on the ice, but NHL hockey players look like football players when they’re in public. Maybe they’re Pasquale’s muscle…nicknamed the “Sticks Brothers” for their ability to whack information out of suspected rats.

ANDREI: “YOU. YOU, BAD MAN. ARE YOU WEARING WIRE?”

SERGEI: “WE WILL PUNISH YOU!”

(hockey stick beating ensues)

OPTION 2: KOSTITSYNS “DIDN’T KNOW HE WAS A MOBSTER” (-100)

It sorta makes sense, right? Fairly new to the country, you run into a guy who adores you…buys you stuff…wines and dines you…goes to all your tennis matches….oh, wait. I was thinking of Sergei Fedorov and Anna Kournikova.

OPTION 3: KOSTITYSNS ARE UNDERCOVER COPS (-350)

It’s the perfect trap! The Feds (the RCMP in this case?) Find out Mangiola loves hockey…plant the Kostitsyns in a bar…and voila! Mangiola takes the bait. How else could all the phone calls have been recorded? Huh? This option gets my NHL betting pick.

Alex Kovalev. AK27. the ultimate enigma. Yeah, a lot of people hate him…some probably want to toss him into the UFC betting octagon and see Brock Lesnar pound his face in. Before you write him off as a total douche, though, watch this:

Wow. How can an online sports betting fan not gain some respect for him after that? He’s a phenomenal talent. In fact, some say he is the most naturally gifted player on the planet but only plays when he wants to.

Regardless of what NHL betting fans think of him, Kovalev’s days in Montreal appear to be numbered. He’s an unrestricted free agent this summer, he has publicly called out the Habs’ youngsters for being irresponsible in their night lives and appears to want out. Would you bet at the sportsbook on him re-signing? I didn’t think so. Even though Les Canadiens are in playoff contention, is it better for them to cash AK27 in while they can? Bob Gainey and the Habs face the same dilemma as Jacques Martin and the Panthers do with Jay Bouwmeester.

My thinking: deal him. Yeah, you lose a fan favorite and what could be a valuable Northbet.com wagering playoff contributor, but Kovalev only plays well every second year anyway and this is one of his “off” years. Pittsburgh makes so much sense as a destination that it hurts. The Pens could keep Evgeni Malkin with Petr Sykora, then pair Kovalev with Sidney Crosby, who desperately needs a winger who knows out to hit the black rubber thingy into the mesh. Kovalev played well in Pittsburgh before, so he could adjust quickly.

Two other teams for NHL betting fans to watch: Edmonton and Los Angeles. The Oilers are openly pursuing Kovalev while the Kings, who reportedly are chasing Gaborik, could try for Kovalev if they don’t get their man.